I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by things like this anymore, but I can’t believe Cato’s Ed Crane is actually arguing that the federal court that ordered the Ten Commandments out of Alabama’s supreme court “was on solid constitutional grounds” in so doing. (See Lew’s article today.)

This is not a minor or understandable mistake. It is an absolutely fundamental misconception, which touches on the error of Tom Teepen (whom Stephan rightly criticized). The First Amendment is a restriction on the power of the federal government. It is not a grant of power. It is not a grant of power to the federal government to enforce First Amendment liberties throughout the various political societies of the United States (i.e., the states).

If that’s what Ed Crane wants, on what grounds can he object to a world government, enforcing “individual rights” all over the globe? (I’m actually afraid to ask.)

The Best of Tom Woods