Andrew P. Napolitano

“America goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy ... She might become the dictatress of the world, But she would no longer be the ruler of her own spirit.” -- John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) In the middle of his term as Secretary of State, the future president John Quincy Adams requested permission to address a joint session of Congress. Such a request is unheard of in modern times. What was on his mind? The United States had just fought Great Britain to a draw in the War of 1812. It was fought almost entirely in Canada. Some historians believe. . .

What if Christmas is a core belief in the birth of Jesus Christ who lived among us and many times offered a freely given promise of eternal life that no believer should reject or apologize for? What if Christmas is the rebirth of Christ in the hearts of all believers? What if Christmas is the potential rebirth of Christ in every heart that will have Him, whether currently a believer or not? What if Jesus Christ was born about 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem? What if He is true God and true man? What if this is a mystery. . .

In his famous dissent in Olmstead v. United States, Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis in 1928 called the right to be left alone the most comprehensive of rights and the right most valued by civilized men. He was referring to the right to be left alone from the government -- a right that today we call privacy. Olmstead was involved in bootlegging, and the feds tapped his phones without any search warrants. The Supreme Court, which had never recognized the right to privacy, permitted the use of the overheard conversations as evidence in his criminal trial. Two generations later, in Griswold. . .

"Those who lack the courage to change history are sadly doomed to become its objects."-- Rev. Fr. Alfred Delp, S.J. (1907-1945) Not too long ago, it was considered unfashionable to discuss the Nazis in Germany in the 1930s and ‘40s in terms of anyone’s present-day behavior. The Nazis were the most depraved monsters in modern history, the argument went, whose horrors could not rationally be compared to anyone’s behavior today. Well, just last week, the infamous Ye -- the rapper formerly known as Kanye West -- told Alex Jones that he admired Hitler and liked the Nazis. . .

Fascism is a governmental system in which the means of economic production and delivery of services are privately owned but government-controlled. Throughout history -- before even getting to its racism and wars -- fascism has led to the glorification of the state and the destruction of personal liberty. It is happening here. During the past few months, we have learned that the major credit card companies have begun to record transactions at gun shops so as to enable the feds to learn the identity of patrons. These are lawful gun shops selling lawful products to lawful purchasers. The credit card records. . .

“Government requires make-believe. Make believe that the king is divine, make believe that he can do no wrong or make believe that the voice of the people is the voice of God. Make believe that the people have a voice or make believe that the representatives of the people are the people. Make believe that governors are the servants of the people. Make believe that all men are created equal or make believe that they are not.”-- Edmund S. Morgan (1916-2013) What if the government’s true goal is to perpetuate its own power? What if the real. . .

During the Trump administration, the FBI paid $5 million to an Israeli software company for a license to use its “zero-click” surveillance software called Pegasus. Zero-click refers to software that can download the contents of a target’s computer or mobile device without the need for tricking the target into clicking on it. The FBI operated the software from a warehouse in New Jersey. Before revealing any of this to the two congressional intelligence committees to which the FBI reports, it experimented with the software. The experiments apparently consisted of testing Pegasus by spying -- illegally and unconstitutionally since. . .

As I write this on Election Day, I obviously don’t know the outcomes of the U.S. midterm elections. As you read this, you probably do. Most of my libertarian friends with whom I have spoken recently are hoping for a Republican victory. I am not so sure I agree with them. Former Rep. Ron Paul, the living American I admire most, is not so sure either. He opined recently in an essay arguing that with the exception of blind opposition to all things Joe Biden -- thus slowing the pace of increased federal spending -- the Republicans are not much. . .

This week, the Supreme Court of the United States is confronting yet again an issue that has bedeviled it for the past 30 years: the use of racial quotas by government-owned universities and private universities that accept government funding. The last time the court looked at this issue, it punted. As is always the case when the court punts, the issue returned. This time around, the issue comes in an environment hot with racial anxiety and lack of constitutional fidelity. Here is the backstory. The 14th Amendment was enacted after the conclusion of the War Between the States. The. . .

Last week, the government announced that it does not want to try Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four of his colleagues whom it claims are the remaining conspirators of the attacks on 9/11. All five are awaiting trial at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The allegations are that these five conspired to commit mass murder, a capital offense. Even though conspiracy is not a war crime, the feds are planning to try these defendants before a military tribunal under the rules utilized in federal criminal trials. All five were detained from around 2003 to 2006 at. . .