Every June, the Supreme Court opens the knife drawer. Most of the year, it sits there in the background of American life. The cases are argued, the briefs are filed, the justices deliberate behind closed doors, and most Americans go on living their lives without thinking much about what is sitting inside. Then June arrives, the drawer slides open, and suddenly everyone wants to know who is getting cut and with which knife. Every June, America gathers around the knife drawer.

The Constitution says Congress declares war. That’s the theory, anyway. In practice, modern presidents tend to treat Congress less like a co-equal branch of government and more like the customer feedback department after military action is already underway. Missiles fly first. Hearings happen later. Statements are issued. Senators appear on cable news looking “deeply concerned.” Then the next crisis arrives and the cycle begins again. Presidents inherited expanded war powers.

If a baby is born in the United States, is that baby an American citizen? Most of us don’t hesitate. Of course. That’s how it works. You’re born here—you’re American. It feels fundamental, almost automatic. One of those things so ingrained in how we understand this country that we rarely stop to question it. Until now. Weighing law against belonging. Because the Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments that could reshape that assumption—arguments sparked not by a new law,

Who runs elections in the United States? It sounds like a simple question. But judging by recent headlines—and some very loud voices online—there’s a lot of confusion. If your answer is “the President,” you’re not alone. But you’re also not correct. The truth is, the President has—and is supposed to have—very little direct control over elections. Yes, even Donald Trump. That’s not a political opinion. That’s how the system was designed. Fifteen hundred-thousandths of 1% . And

Recently, a group of pro-Trump activists and legal allies circulated what they describe as a draft presidential executive order that would declare a national emergency over U.S. elections and grant sweeping federal power to reshape how voting is run. The document, reported by multiple outlets, would give the president authority to mandate policies like banning mail-in ballots or asserting federal oversight of voting equipment and procedures in the name of combating “foreign

A lot of people think they already know what ICE can do. They’ve seen clips online. They’ve heard stories from friends. They’ve watched a shaky cellphone video that starts halfway through an encounter and ends right before the explanation. Somewhere along the way, many people come to one of two conclusions: either ICE can do almost anything it wants — or ICE can’t do much of anything at all. Both ideas are wrong. This post exists for one reason: to slow all of that down and c