Shawn Meehan, Author at Guard The Constitution https://guardtheconstitution.com/author/airlifter2 Coordinating education and action to prevent an Article V convention Wed, 16 Sep 2026 19:51:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 The US Constitution Gives Congress the Decision for Military Hostilities, Not The President https://guardtheconstitution.com/2026/09/16/the-constitution-gives-congress-the-decision-for-war/1095749?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-constitution-gives-congress-the-decision-for-war Wed, 16 Sep 2026 19:50:29 +0000 https://guardtheconstitution.com/?p=1095749 The Constitution’s allocation of the war power is considerably clearer than modern practice often suggests. The President is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. Congress, however, was given the power “To declare War.” The historical record explains why those are different powers—and why presidential command of the military should not be confused with constitutional […]

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]]> Convention of States Is Wrong — Its Habit and Record of Misinformation Matters https://guardtheconstitution.com/2026/08/23/convention-of-states-is-wrong-its-habit-and-record-of-misinformation-matters/1095747?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=convention-of-states-is-wrong-its-habit-and-record-of-misinformation-matters Sun, 23 Aug 2026 22:06:29 +0000 https://guardtheconstitution.com/?p=1095747 Convention of States is wrong. On August 21, 2026, Convention of States Action published “Inside Michael Barbuto’s crusade to save Nevada from entrenched constitutional misinformation.” I am linking directly to it because I am not afraid of anyone reading their arguments for themselves. Their article begins by misstating the Nevada Republican Party platform, makes serious […]

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]]> Propaganda Disguised as News: How Social Media Manipulation, Fake News, and Algorithmic Conditioning Threaten Constitutional Liberty https://guardtheconstitution.com/2026/05/16/how-social-media-manipulates-public-opinion/1095305?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-social-media-manipulates-public-opinion Sat, 16 May 2026 18:14:08 +0000 https://guardtheconstitution.com/?p=1095305 Table of Contents The Rise of Propaganda Disguised as News How Social Media Algorithms Manipulate Public Opinion The Psychological Effects of Outrage Media and Fake News Government Pressure, Censorship, and Coordinated Narrative Control How to Identify Propaganda, Misinformation, and Manipulated Content Why an Informed Citizenry Is Essential to Constitutional Government Important Research and Resources End […]

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]]> Jefferson and the Barbary Pirates: The Constitutional Test Case for War Powers https://guardtheconstitution.com/2025/11/06/jefferson-and-the-barbary-pirates-the-constitutional-test-case-for-war-powers/1082712?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jefferson-and-the-barbary-pirates-the-constitutional-test-case-for-war-powers Thu, 06 Nov 2025 03:54:46 +0000 https://guardtheconstitution.com/?p=1082712 The episode with President Jefferson and the Barbary Pirates (1801–1805) is one of the clearest real-world proofs of the Founders’ original understanding that offensive military action required Congressional authorization, even when the executive believed it morally or strategically justified. Below is a scholarly, citation-based expansion of Jefferson’s restraint and his exchanges with Congress — with […]

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]]> How the Founders Defined “War” https://guardtheconstitution.com/2025/11/06/how-the-founders-defined-war/1082619?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-the-founders-defined-war Thu, 06 Nov 2025 02:16:38 +0000 https://guardtheconstitution.com/?p=1082619 The Framers viewed “war” as the state of hostilities between nations that legally altered the condition of peace — a public act requiring legislative authority. Constitutional Convention (Aug. 17, 1787) The Committee draft had given Congress the power to “make war.” Madison and Gerry moved to change it to “declare war” so the President could […]

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]]> The Original Meaning of “Declare War” & Executive Defensive Power https://guardtheconstitution.com/2025/11/06/the-original-meaning-of-declare-war-executive-defensive-power/1082617?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-original-meaning-of-declare-war-executive-defensive-power Thu, 06 Nov 2025 02:14:05 +0000 https://guardtheconstitution.com/?p=1082617 I. Definition & Delegation of War Power Madison — Convention Notes (Aug. 17, 1787) “The Executive should be able to repel sudden attacks but not to commence war.”Madison Notes — Aug. 17, 1787 (Yale) Motion passed 8–1 changing “make war” to “declare war,” confirming Congress controls commencement. II. What Acts Constituted “War” Madison — Helvidius […]

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]]> Seek the Good, Believe the Good, Build the Good https://guardtheconstitution.com/2025/10/21/seek-the-good-believe-the-good-build-the-good-save-america/1078981?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=seek-the-good-believe-the-good-build-the-good-save-america Tue, 21 Oct 2025 14:39:26 +0000 https://guardtheconstitution.com/?p=1078981 It’s hard to scroll through social media today without feeling weighed down. Every post seems to highlight what’s broken in our world — government corruption, social decay, moral confusion. Everyone’s got an opinion, few have sources, and the result is a steady stream of fear, anger, and despair. We call it “staying informed,” but often […]

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]]> America’s Most Ignored Law: Congress Must Approve Every Act of War https://guardtheconstitution.com/2025/06/23/americas-most-ignored-law-congress-must-approve-every-act-of-war/1049514?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=americas-most-ignored-law-congress-must-approve-every-act-of-war Mon, 23 Jun 2025 22:16:51 +0000 https://guardtheconstitution.com/?p=1049514 **UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION – ARTICLE I, SECTION 8, CLAUSE 11** **“The Congress shall have Power … To *declare* War …”** BRIEF FOR THE PROPOSITION THAT ONLY CONGRESS MAY INITIATE HOSTILITIES I. Question Presented Whether, under the original meaning of the U.S. Constitution, the President possesses any Article II authority to employ military force abroad when […]

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]]> Escape from California: Why Millions Are Fleeing — And Bringing Big Problems with Them https://guardtheconstitution.com/2025/06/16/op-ed-blue-states-have-created-a-red-state-border-crisis/1047609?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=op-ed-blue-states-have-created-a-red-state-border-crisis Mon, 16 Jun 2025 08:42:00 +0000 http://www.thecentersquare.com/tncms/asset/editorial/30d9f854-73ca-492e-bf0f-111d9d669f42 “When it comes to paying taxes, California is Bernie Sanders’ kind of state. About 155,000 taxpayers out of 15.7 million pay half of all the state’s income taxes.” – Jed Kolko America isn’t afraid of moving. Since the westward expansion into frontier territories, packing one’s belongings and leaving for parts unknown has been part of […]

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]]> Rand Paul Slams GOP’s “Awful” Spending Habits, Demands Separate Debt Vote https://guardtheconstitution.com/2025/06/16/rand-paul-says-what-could-make-him-a-yes-on-trumps-big-beautiful-bill/1047595?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rand-paul-says-what-could-make-him-a-yes-on-trumps-big-beautiful-bill Mon, 16 Jun 2025 00:05:52 +0000 https://dailycallernewsfoundation.org/?p=375423 Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said Sunday on NBC’s "Meet the Press" that if President Donald Trump’s "big, beautiful bill" were to "separate out the debt ceiling," then he would vote in favor of it.

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