We the People
“We the People” – A Weekly Column by David Adler
David Adler, Constitutional scholar and journalist, uses his column “We the People” to promote the public’s understanding of, and appreciation for, the Constitution. As a component of the South Dakota Humanities Council’s mission to encourage civil conversation, the council is providing program funding to make “We the People” available free-of-charge throughout the state via the South Dakota Newspaper Association.
“We the People,” published weekly, covers different aspects of the U.S. Constitution, such as explaining the meaning of provisions, examining Supreme Court decisions, and promoting civic education.
“The Constitution is all-Broadway, all the time, in the life of our nation,” Adler said. “Knowledge of the Constitution, to borrow from James Madison, empowers the citizenry to promote governmental transparency and accountability and to participate effectively in the great debates of our time.”
Adler discusses many topics in his deciphering study of the Constitution. Some of his recent works focus on gender equality, freedom of speech, and whether a president can be subpoenaed.
New articles are published here weekly!
- December 20, 2023
- December 13, 2023
- December 6, 2023
- November 29, 2023
- November 21, 2023
- November 15, 2023
- November 8, 2023
- November 1, 2023
- October 25, 2023
- October 18, 2023
- October 9, 2023
- October 4, 2023
- September 27, 2023
- September 19, 2023
- September 13, 2023
- September 6, 2023
- August 30, 2023
- August 23, 2023
- August 16, 2023
- August 9, 2023
- August 1, 2023
- July 26, 2023
- July 19, 2023
- July 12, 2023
- July 5, 2023
- June 28, 2023
- June 21, 2023
- June 13, 2023
- June 7, 2023
- May 31, 2023
- May 25, 2023
- May 17, 2023
- May 9, 2023
- May 3, 2023
- April 26, 2023
- April 19, 2023
- April 12, 2023
- April 5, 2023
- March 30, 2023
- March 22, 2023
- March 15, 2023
- March 8, 2023
- March 1, 2023
- Feb 22, 2023
- Feb 15, 2023
- Feb 8, 2023
- Feb 1, 2023
- Jan 25, 2023
- Jan 18, 2023
- Jan 11, 2023
- Jan 4, 2023
- Dec 27, 2022
- Dec 20, 2022
- Dec 14, 2022
- Dec 7, 2022
- Nov 30, 2022
- Nov 22, 2022
- Nov 15, 2022
- Nov 8, 2022
- Nov 3, 2022
- Oct 26, 2022
- Oct 19, 2022
- Oct 8, 2022
- Oct 5, 2022
- Sept 27, 2022
- Sept 21, 2022
- Sept 11, 2022
- Sept 5, 2022
- Aug 31, 2022
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Article #68
December 20, 2023
“A Law Court Will Affirm Colorado’s Ruling on Trump”
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Article #67
December 13, 2023
“Mr. Smith Goes to the Supreme Court to Save the Rule of Law”
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Article #66
December 6, 2023
Justice O’Connor, A Personal Reminiscence: “You Mean Sheroes?”
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Article #65
November 29, 2023
“James Iredell: Not Hamilton, but Well-Qualified for Supreme Court”
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Article #64
November 21, 2023
“Justice Douglas Went East, But Appointed to Court as a Westerner”
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Article #63
November 15, 2023
“Justice William O. Douglas: Horatio Alger of the Supreme Court”
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Article #62
November 8, 2023
Justice Van Devanter of Wyoming: A “Mainstay” on the Court
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Article #61
November 1, 2023
Hughes Returns and Preserves the Court Amidst a Great Storm
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Article #60
October 25, 2023
Charles Evans Hughes: Appointed Twice to the Supreme Court
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Article #59
October 18, 2023
Taft: The Court Should Preserve Framers’ Governmental Structure
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Article #58
October 9, 2023
Chief Justice Taft: Presidency Okay, Supreme Court Heavenly
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Article #57
October 4, 2023
“Brandeis: Free Speech Critical to Preservation of Democracy”
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Article #56
September 27, 2023
“Brandeis: A Great Justice and the Right to Be Let Alone”
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Article #55
September 19, 2023
Justice Louis D. Brandeis: “The People’s Attorney”
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Article #54
September 13, 2023
Justice Holmes Influences Business of Judging
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Article #53
September 6, 2023
Justice Holmes: A Legend Before Joining the Supreme Court
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Article #52
August 30, 2023
Trump Use of Scottsboro Boys Case Inapt and Reckless
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Article #51
August 23, 2023
Justice Joseph Story: Most Scholarly of Justices
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Article #50
August 16, 2023
Chief Justice Marshall: Unpretentious, Modest and Humble
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Articel #49
August 9, 2023
“John Marshall: The Great Chief Justice Transforms the Court”
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Article #48
August 1, 2023
Justice James Wilson: Leading Constitutional Architect
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Article #47
July 26, 2023
John Jay: First Chief Justice, Diplomat, Founding Era Giant
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Article #46
July 19, 2023
Judicial Profiles to Better Understand the Supreme Court
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Article #45
July 12, 2023
Constitution Does Not Shield Presidents from Defamation Suits
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Article #44
July 5, 2023
Declaration of Independence: Advancing American Ideals
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Article #43
June 28, 2023
Court Rejects Radical Legislative Theory, Defends Democracy
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Article #42
June 21, 2023
Trump Trial Challenges American Democracy and Rule of Law
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Article #41
June 13, 2023
Trump Trial Tests the Framers’ Constitution and the Rule of Law
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Article #40
June 7, 2023
Why Congress May Impose Ethics Code on Supreme Court Justices
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Article #39
May 31, 2023
Reader Asks: How Do We Rein in Supreme Court Justices?
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Article #38
May 25, 2023
Is Posting of Ten Commandments in Schools Constitutional?
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Article #37
May 17, 2023
Presidential Power, the 14th Amendment and the Public Debt
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Article #36
May 9, 2023
In Defense of Clergy, the Court Strikes Blow for Religious Liberty
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ARTICLE #35
May 3, 2023
Church and State: The Court Prohibits Religious Tests for Office
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Article #34
April 26, 2023
The Supreme Court’s First Big Decision on State Powers
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Article #33
April 19, 2023
Justice Chase’s Impeachment and Judicial Independence
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Article #32
April 12, 2023
Applying Impeachment Clause to Supreme Court Justices
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Article #31
April 5, 2023
Trump’s Case: When Novel Theories Become Legal Principles
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Article #31
March 30, 2023
University of Wyoming Transgender Lawsuit: Who is a Woman?
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Article #30
March 22, 2023
Vulnerable to Indictment, Trump’s Cases Subject to the Law
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Article #29
March 15, 2023
Court Declares a Right to Contraceptives for Unmarried Individuals
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Article #28
March 8, 2023
Court Finally Ends Race Discrimination in Public Accommodations
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Article #27
March 1, 2023
Supreme Court in Nebbia: “An Ominous Fork in the Road”
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Article #26
Feb 22, 2023
The Supreme Court Delivers Landmark Victory for Farmers
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Article #25
Feb 15, 2023
Mike Pence Seeks Refuge in the Speech or Debate Clause
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Article #24
Feb 8, 2023
State of the Union Address: The Constitution and Politics
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Article #23
Feb 1, 2023
The First Amendment and Free Speech on Campus
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Article #22
Jan 25, 2023
The Constitution and Government Classification of Secrets
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Article #21
Jan 18, 2023
Tinker v. Des Moines: Anchoring Students’ Free Speech Rights
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Article #20
Jan 11, 2023
Buck v. Bell: The Supreme Court Upholds Forced Sterilization
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Article #19
Jan 4, 2023
Powell v. McCormack: Confining Congress to the Constitution
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Article #18
Dec 27, 2022
At Year’s End: A Duty to Protect our Constitutional Democracy
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Article #17
Dec 20, 2022
Constitutionally Speaking, A Former President May Be Prosecuted
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Article #16
Dec 14, 2022
Law and History Reject Unlimited Legislative Power
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Article #15
Dec 7, 2022
Donald Trump’s Call to Terminate the Constitution
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Article #14
Nov 30, 2022
Lynch v. Donnelly: Christmas Creche and the Constitution
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Article #13
Nov 22, 2022
Near v. Minnesota: Bulwark of Press Freedom
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Article #12
Nov 15, 2022
Blaisdell: Constitutional Flexibility in the Face of Crisis
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Article #11
Nov 8, 2022
Before the Court: The Future of National Unity
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Article #10
Nov 3, 2022
Affirmative Action in Universities: Has it a Future?
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Article #9
Oct 26, 2022
Presidents and Former Presidents are Subject to Subpoenas
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Article #8
Oct 19, 2022
Equal Protection: Serving Sons and Daughters
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Article #7
Oct 8, 2022
Muller v. Oregon: Protection for Women in the Workplace
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Article #6
Oct 5, 2022
Supreme Court in 1873: Women Unfit to Practice Law
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Article #5
Sept 27, 2022
U.S. v. Smith: No Presidential Power to Initiate War
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Article #4
Sept 21, 2022
A Little-Known Landmark Ruling of Historic Dimensions
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Article #3
Sept 11, 2022
The Court Protects the American Labor Movement
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Article #2
Sept 5, 2022
The Court, the Minimum Wage Ruling and the Holy Ghost
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Article #1
Aug 31, 2022
Shelley v. Kraemer: “My Little Soul is Overjoyed”