The protections extended to us by various clauses of the 1st and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution are familiar to most of us.
But what about the weights and measures clause, the title of nobility clauses, or the bill of attainder clauses of the Constitution? These, and other lesser-known Constitutional provisions, raise issues that make front page news, like:
- Was Hillary Clinton’s appointment as secretary of state unconstitutional because the position got a pay raise while she was still a Senator?
- Could the government use its “marque and reprisal” power to send private ships after Somali pirates?
- Who owns Ellis Island – New York or New Jersey?
These questions and more are discussed in The Odd Clauses: Understanding the Constitution Through 10 of Its Most Curious Provisions, which has just been added to the library’s collection.
For more, read a review or watch the author discuss his book.
