The Voting Rights Act and the War Powers Resolution have both been weakened by the erosion of previously established legal reforms.
Supreme Court
Posted inNews
Appeals court upholds Texas law on Ten Commandments in public schools
A federal appeals court on April 21 narrowly upheld a Texas law requiring public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments.
Posted inNews
Supreme Court to hear clash between Catholic preschools, Colorado over ‘universal’ program
Two Catholic parishes with preschools in the Archdiocese of Denver have alleged the state of Colorado excluded the religious preschools from participating in the program due to their religious beliefs.
Posted inNews
Supreme Court backs challenge to Colorado ‘conversion therapy’ ban
In an 8-1 ruling, the Supreme Court said the law banning “conversion therapy,” referring to efforts intended to change a minor’s gender identity that differs from the young person’s biological sex or to change their sexual orientation, likely violated the First Amendment rights of Kaley Chiles, a Christian counselor.
Posted inNews
U.S. bishops support lawsuit against Trump’s attempt to limit birthright citizenship
The U.S. bishops and a Catholic immigration advocacy group were among those who offered their support to a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s executive order limiting birthright citizenship.
Posted inNews
Supreme Court strikes down Trump tariffs, but relief for poorer Americans uncertain
Tyler Schipper, an associate professor of economics at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, called the ruling a good check on the president’s use of tariff power.
Posted inNews Analysis
The Constitution does not enforce itself.
Good faith and fair dealing—adherence to what we might call “norms”—is essential to the functioning of American government.
Posted inFaith and Reason
Catholics and conversion therapy bans: The problem with free speech objections
Therapy is a professional practice with standards of care. To reframe it as a matter of “free speech” is to miss the point entirely.
Posted inShort Take
Republicans champion religious freedom—but not for detained migrants
It is difficult to take the White House’s commitment to religious freedom seriously when CBS News reported that the U.S. government holds more than 59,000 people in immigration detention with uncertain access to chaplains and ministers.
Posted inEditorials, Politics & Society
Trump’s first six months and the crisis of presidential power
Americans who are alarmed about Donald Trump’s assaults on democratic norms need to recognize that the courts alone are not a sufficient bulwark for the rule of law.