Articles
What a Slate of Electors Is: People vs. Votes
What a slate of electors is: a state’s named candidates for the Electoral College, distinct from the electoral votes allocated to that state.
Articles
Federal vs. Household Budgets: Different Rules
A household can try to balance income and bills; the federal budget also relies on borrowing, appropriations and rules that do not map neatly onto a…
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What the Supremacy Clause Does in State-Federal Conflicts
What the Supremacy Clause does: Article VI makes the Constitution, federal laws and treaties prevail over conflicting state rules, subject to limits.
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How Federal Grants Shape State and Local Spending
Federal grants rose from $91.4 billion in FY1980 to $285.9 billion in FY2000. Their conditions can influence local choices without directly commanding state gov
Read →What the Commerce Clause Covers—and Its Limits
What the Commerce Clause covers: foreign, interstate and tribal commerce, plus some…
Constitutional vs. Statutory Rights: What You Can Challenge
A constitutional right can support a challenge to a law or its…
Executive Orders: What Can the President Direct?
An executive order can steer federal agencies only within constitutional and statutory…
How the Electoral College Works vs. the Popular Vote
How the Electoral College works: voters choose electors state by state, and…
explainers on how the machinery works.