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High court ruling was more than tariffs

In a decision with sweeping constitutional implications, the Supreme Court shut down President Trump’s attempt to use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) as a blank check for tariffs imposed in the name of “emergency.” The justices rejected the claim that the statute quietly granted the presidency the authority to impose import duties at will and to reshape the global economy by executive decree. The language of IEEPA contains no such boundless delegation, and the court declined to manufacture one, treating Trump’s theory of power no differently than it ...

Thomas’ great speech on the Declaration

Many speeches will be delivered this year about the Declaration of Independence as we celebrate its 250th birthday. However, I think the greatest was just delivered by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on April 15 at the Civitas Institute at the University of Texas, Austin. The force of Thomas’ words does not just result from his deep understanding of what the United States is about, and how the Declaration of Independence defines it. The force flows from Thomas’ personal reality. He has lived what the Declaration is about. His words are not just the product of thought ...

‘Progressivism’ not part of Declaration

AUSTIN, Texas—The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is at hand. America needs history-rooted expositions of founding ideas to celebrate this semiquincentennial. It’s also called the bisesquicentennial, sestercentennial, or quarter millennium. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has ably provided such an exposition. You, faithful reader of this column, will recall the principle that in America, government has only those powers that We the People surrendered to government in the first place. This is the default setting. It’s like the default settings on ...

Trump, pope have different callings

The war of words, which some describe as “trolling,” between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV boils down to this: They are very different men with different missions. Leo is the spiritual leader, the chief teacher, pastor and administrative head of 1.4 billion Catholics. He has made peace his top priority, calling it a “moral calling” rooted in human fraternity, justice, and humility, particularly in the Middle East. Trump is the President of 330 million Americans. His mission as president centers on an “America First” agenda, aiming to restore economic ...

Big time sports on our big screen

The Masters Golf Tournament this year was a doozy. For us golf junkies, the Big Kahuna of the season’s contests was incredibly exciting, especially for Rory McIlroy fans. I joined that fan club about 17 years ago when he was a new name on the PGA Tour. Rory (he lets me call him by his first name) is an up-from-childhood player like Tiger Woods. His dad bought him plastic clubs at age two and he never stopped swinging. I didn’t realize until recently that he was an only child born to working-class parents. Both of them worked second jobs, hardly seeing each other, so their boy ...

Fredonia referendum is likely illegal

I am responding to the Editor’s corner “Village vote can ice water debate” on April 17 by John D’Agostino. First I would point out that my experience is as a town attorney, not a village attorney, not a city attorney. Second, other than referring to at hand materials, and brief search using Google Scholar, I have not updated nor researched this at any length. Third, this is a preliminary informal communication, and to no extent constitutes a legal opinion or advice or representation of any involved party, and certainly no final comprehensive discussion, and no final ...