The Swastika and the Red Hat

by Christoph Irmscher September 1, 2026September 1, 2026

Comparing Trump to Hitler is considered facile, a trivialization of genocide. But their rises to power are frighteningly similar.

The official portrait of founding father and Supreme Court Justice James Wilson. Review of The Lost Founder: James Wilson and the Forgotten Fight for a People’s Constitution. By Jesse Wegman. Celedon Books. 384 pp.

Newsletter

Get Smart: Our Summer Reading Roundup

by Anne Kim August 2, 2026August 10, 2026

Visitors view exhibits in the Lincoln Memorial undercroft in Washington, D.C.

Politics

A Better Celebration of America at 250

by Dale Berning Sawa July 29, 2026July 29, 2026

Past presidents have tapped their unarticulated prerogative powers in times of necessity and for the national good. For Trump, it’s a permission slip to do as he will.

Politics

A Unified Theory of Donald Trump’s Presidency

by Robert J. Shapiro June 25, 2026June 25, 2026

After the Callais decision and now Allen v. Milligan, the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts is nearing a complete dismantling of the landmark Voting Rights Act.

Law and Justice

The Roberts Court’s Gutting of the Voting Rights Act Nears Completion

by Jack Rakove June 10, 2026June 10, 2026

Podcast

The Republicans Who Could Save Democracy

by Anne Kim March 11, 2026March 11, 2026

Living charter: The Constitution’s meaning has never been fixed; its promises depend on each generation’s willingness to interpret and defend them.

Law and Justice

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, A Moment to Reflect on the Constitution

by Elizabeth Wydra January 19, 2026January 18, 2026

What if? A look at how the structure of the U.S.. Senate was hotly debated in 1787 at the Constitutional Convention in ways that changed America, Here, is the painting "Scene at the Signing of the Constitution" by Howard Chandler Christy from 1940.

Law and Justice

The Great Might-Have-Been of the Constitutional Convention

by Jack Rakove September 17, 2025September 17, 2025

Pictured here, President Trump greets Chief Justice John Roberts in March.

Law and Justice

Is the Supreme Court Standing Up to Trump?

by Garrett Epps April 21, 2025April 21, 2025

Politics

Trump and Musk’s Game of Thrones

by James D. Zirin February 13, 2025February 12, 2025

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Constitution

The Swastika and the Red Hat

A Better Celebration of America at 250

A Unified Theory of Donald Trump’s Presidency

The Roberts Court’s Gutting of the Voting Rights Act Nears Completion

The Republicans Who Could Save Democracy

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, A Moment to Reflect on the Constitution

The Great Might-Have-Been of the Constitutional Convention

Is the Supreme Court Standing Up to Trump?

Trump and Musk’s Game of Thrones

A Different Kind of College Ranking

After the Closures

How Online Algorithms Rig the College Search Process

Best Colleges for Rural America

America’s Best Colleges for Research

America’s Best Hispanic-Serving Colleges

A Note on Methodology: Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars

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