PUBLICATIONS BY Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
Research
Commentary
Books
Media Appearances
2009 Research
October 08, 2009
Examining the History and Legality of Executive Branch Czars
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Testimony #9999)
The rise of government by bureaucrats--due to the delegation of power from Congress to administrative agencies, combined with the removal of those agencies from the President's control--has given rise to efforts by Presidents from both parties to get the bureaucratic state under control through various mechanisms. The rise of "czars" in the current administration is just another manifestation--albeit, an unfortunate one--of this phenomenon.
August 28, 2009
Constitutional Amendment Concerning Senate Vacancies
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Testimony #9999)
A proposed constitutional amendment to require that all vacancies in the Senate be filled by election is susceptible to insuperable objections. It fails to understand the unique role that the Senate plays in our constitutional structure, it is unnecessary under current circumstances, and it is inconsistent with core political principles of American government. A better option would be to protect states' flexibility to provide for temporary appointments, which would prevent lengthy vacancies in the Senate. The current constitutional framework, which protects states' prerogative to choose how best to proceed in the event of senatorial vacancies, is therefore the best solution.
March 17, 2009
A New American Fusionism: Recovering Principles in Our Politics
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Heritage Lecture #1114)
The fusion of our ideas and our politics is to be found not as much at the level of policy as at the level of principle, where there is foundational agreement among a broad swath of the American people, and therein lies our greatest opportunity. But this depends on political leaders who are consistent in principle but also innovative in practice.
2008 Research
May 20, 2008
California Court's Judicial Activism Threatens the Institution of Marriage
By Jennifer A. Marshall, Daniel Patrick Moloney, Ph.D. and Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1932)
On May 15, 2008, the California Supreme Court overturned California voters' 61 percent majority, expressed in 2000's Proposition 22, in favor of affirming marriage as the union of one man and one woman. The California court’s decision is the latest in a series of judicial and legislative efforts to institutionalize a social experiment in its early stages by elevating it in law to the status of the oldest of institutions: marriage.
2007 Research
December 05, 2007
The Meaning of Religious Liberty
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1722)
America's Founders believed that religion and morality play an indispensible role in the civic and public life of a self-governing people.
September 14, 2007
The Formation of the Constitution
By Matthew Spalding
(WebMemo #1617)
Matthew Spalding recounts "the greatest single effort of national deliberation that the world has ever seen."
August 10, 2007
Getting Reform Right: The White House's Immigration Initiative
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1585)
The Bush Administration announces an immigration initiative that starts the ball rolling on real immigration reform.
July 18, 2007
The Progressive Movement and the Transformation of American Politics
By Thomas G. West and William A. Schambra
(First Principles #12)
Although material circumstances and politicians' self-interest helped to make America what it is today, the most important cause was a change in the prevailing understanding of justice among leading American intellectuals and in the American people. Today's liberalism and the policies that it has generated arose from a conscious repudiation of the principles of the American founding.
June 28, 2007
Independence Forever: Why America Celebrates the Fourth of July
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(First Principles #11)
The Fourth of July is a great opportunity to renew our dedication to the principles of liberty and equality enshrined in what Thomas Jefferson called "the declaratory charter of our rights."
June 25, 2007
Undeniably Amnesty: The Cornerstone of the Senate's Immigration Proposal
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1521)
As with the 1986 immigration bill, the granting of legal status is "amnesty" even if it is conditional and not automatic or does not necessarily end in citizenship.
June 12, 2007
A New Strategy for Real Immigration Reform
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D. and James Jay Carafano, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1499)
Rather than reviving the failed and unworkable approach of "comprehensive" immigration reform, Congress should pursue an incremental strategy based on enforcing existing laws, along with a few modest, common-sense legislative initiatives.
June 05, 2007
What to Do With the Unlawfully Present Population? A Fair and Practical Strategy
By James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., and Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1487)
Rather than grant amnesty, Congress should use law enforcement and market forces to end America’s addiction to undocumented labor and create legitimate opportunities for immigrants.
June 05, 2007
Immigration Reform: The Need for Upholding Our National Language
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D. and Israel Ortega
(WebMemo #1488)
An amendment being offered by Senator James Inhofe (R–OK) will give every Senator the opportunity to affirm the importance of declaring, preserving, and enhancing the role of the English language in the United States.
May 23, 2007
Rewarding Illegal Aliens: Senate Bill Undermines The Rule of Law
By Kris W. Kobach, D.Phil., J.D., and Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1468)
The Senate's "Z" visa proposal would undermine the rule of law by granting massive benefits to those who have willfully violated U.S. laws, while denying those benefits to those who have played by the rules and sometimes even to U.S. citizens.
May 15, 2007
A New Gag Rule: How the Executive Branch Reform Act Violates Civil Liberty
By Brian W. Walsh, Matthew Spalding, and Andrew M. Grossman
(WebMemo #1456)
The Executive Branch Reform Act would pose grave threats to individual Americans’ rights to free speech and to petition the government, threaten the constitutional separation of powers, and prove unconstitutional in many applications.
May 10, 2007
Where We Stand: Essential Requirements for Immigration Reform
By Edwin Meese III and Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #2034)
In crafting immigration reform legislation, given the stakes involved, Congress should oppose and, if necessary, the President should veto any reforms or reform packages that do not comport with America’s core principles, are not in the best interests of the United States, and are inconsistent with the traditions and compassionate practices of America’s ongoing experiment in ordered liberty.
May 10, 2007
Executive Summary: Where We Stand: Essential Requirements for Immigration Reform
By Edwin Meese III and Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #2034es)
In crafting immigration reform legislation, given the stakes involved, Congress should oppose and, if necessary, the President should veto any reforms or reform packages that do not comport with America’s core principles, are not in the best interests of the United States, and are inconsistent with the traditions and compassionate practices of America's ongoing experiment in ordered liberty.
January 24, 2007
State of the Union 2007: A Renewed Call for Immigration Reform
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D., and James Jay Carafano, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1327)
While the President's proposal for comprehensive reform contains several positive elements, it still contains a fundamental flaw: amnesty.
2006 Research
March 16, 2006
Making Citizens: The Case for Patriotic Assimilation
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(First Principles #3)
The United States, more than any other nation in history, beckons to all those "yearning to breathe free." The objective is not "my country, right or wrong," but for the immigrant to come to regard this nation as my country: an enlightened patriotism based on an understanding of and commitment to America, what it stands for, and who we are as a people.
March 01, 2006
Permanent Principles and Temporary Workers
By Edwin Meese III and Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1911)
To be acceptable both in principle and in practice, and to contribute to the objectives of comprehensive immigration reform, a temporary worker program must be truly temporary, not encourage illegal immigration, and not be an amnesty program. It must also include serious enforcement mechanisms, be administratively feasible and fully implemented, and require bilateral agreements with participating countries.
2005 Research
November 29, 2005
Bush at the Border
By James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., and Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #924)
The President outlines a promising vision for immigration reform.
August 03, 2005
Federalism and Fiscal Responsibility: A Lesson in Civics Education
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D., and David J. Bobb
(Backgrounder #1874)
Congress should heed the President's request to end federal funding for the Center for Civic Education and remove language that authorizes exclusive funding for the CCE from federal law at the next opportunity. If Congress and the President work to arrest the alarming growth of federal education policy, they can provide a valuable civics lesson for all Americans.
June 02, 2005
Alternatives to Amnesty: Proposals for Fair and Effective Immigration Reform
By Edwin Meese III, James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., Matthew Spalding, Ph.D., and Paul Rosenzweig
(Backgrounder #1858)
Congress and the President must reduce the number of individuals unlawfully present in the United States through a comprehensive solution that fosters national security, a growing economy, and a strong civil society. This should include a realistic program to help unlawfully present individuals return to their countries of origin before applying for legal reentry to the United States.
2004 Research
October 19, 2004
The Principles of Immigration
By Edwin Meese III and Matthew Spalding
(Backgrounder #1807)
Because immigration is inextricably connected to the principles upon which this nation is founded, policymakers must step back from the politics of the moment and develop a policy that considers real concerns related to national security, illegal immigration, welfare policy, economic responsibility for immigrants, enforcement of immigration laws, and the impact on state and local governments.
July 12, 2004
Will DOMA Protect Marriage?
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #532)
Assuming the Supreme Court follows its own precedents and jurisprudence, the Defense of Marriage Act will fall.
May 17, 2004
A Defining Moment: Marriage, the Courts, and the Constitution
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1759)
The most responsible step Congress can take to preserve marriage is to send a constitutional amendment that protects the institution of marriage to the states for ratification. If the options are either to allow a few activist judges to redefine marriage by judicial fiat or to amend the Constitution to reflect the established will of the people, the choice is clear.
February 13, 2004
It's Still George Washington's Birthday (Not President's Day)
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #426)
The third Monday in February has come to be known--wrongly--as President's Day. America's political leaders should take this occasion to remember Washington's deeds, recollect his advice, and once again call the holiday celebrating him by its legal name: Washington's Birthday.
January 21, 2004
The Fundamental Institutions: President Bush on Marriage, the Family, and Faith
By Jennifer Marshall, Matthew Spalding, Melissa Pardue, and Joe Loconte
(WebMemo #399)
President Bush, in his third State of the Union address, recognized that the strength of this nation rests on certain fundamental "pillars of civilization"—marriage, the family, and religious congregations—that government cannot replicate or replace.
2003 Research
November 26, 2003
Giving Thanks to God
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #375)
When President Bush issues his Thanksgiving Proclamation—inevitably noting the many blessings, as well as the great responsibilities, of our liberty—he will be participating in a tradition that affirms once again that, while we are committed to upholding religious liberty, we remain one nation under God.
November 19, 2003
In Defense of Marriage
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D. and Joseph Loconte
(WebMemo #373)
Marriage is an "an evolving paradigm." So says Massachusetts' Supreme Judicial Court, in a 4-3 decision that has vast implications for the growing national debate over the definition of marriage.
April 01, 2003
Principles and Reforms for Citizen Service
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1642)
Policymakers now have an important opportunity to rethink America's national service programs as they design a reformed version of the Citizen Service Act for consideration by the new Congress.
April 01, 2003
bg1642es: Executive Summary: Principles and Reforms for Citizen Service
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1642)
bg1642es: Executive Summary: Principles and Reforms for Citizen Service
2002 Research
August 26, 2002
How to Understand Slavery and America's
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #01)
The slavery compromises included in the Constitution are prudential compromises rather than a surrender of principle. Lamentably, it took a bloody civil war to reconcile the protections of the Constitution with that proposition and to attest that this nation, so conceived and dedicated, could long endure.
August 06, 2002
Building a Culture of Character
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D., Don Eberly, Samuel Gregg, and Joseph Loconte
(Heritage Lecture #755)
The basis of a free republic is in its upright and moral people. We must promote virtue in people in order to preserve our nation and our heritage.
June 28, 2002
AmeriCorps: Still a Bad Idea for Citizen Service
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D. and Krista Kafer
(Backgrounder #1564)
Just when terrible events have revived the national spirit and refocused Americans on the importance of family, friends, and faith, it would be wrong to pour more money into a program that tells Americans that what they really need to help their neighbors is more help from government.
April 08, 2002
Strengthen Citizenship in INS Reform
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #809)
For good reason, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) will not likely survive much longer in its current form.
2001 Research
September 17, 2001
Remember the Constitution
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #39)
As we raise the flag, and explain to our children what is happening to our nation, let us not forget the calling of our time, and take our stand for freedom. Remember the Constitution.
June 19, 2001
The 225th Anniversary of the 4th of July
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1451)
This Fourth of July marks the 225th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. This occasion is a great opportunity to renew our dedication to the principles of liberty and equality enshrined in what Thomas Jefferson called "the declaratory charter of our rights."
February 25, 2001
Thomas Jefferson Still Lives
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #724)
Thomas Jefferson Still Lives
February 15, 2001
It's George W's Birthday (Not President's Day)
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #719)
It's George W's Birthday (Not President's Day)
2000 Research
December 05, 2000
The Number of Electors Necessary for the Election of a President
By Edwin Meese III, Todd F. Gaziano, and Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Legal Memorandum #1)
The argument that it takes only a simple majority of electors voting to elect the President, as opposed to a majority of the whole number, does not withstand constitutional scrutiny.
December 05, 2000
The Number of Electors Necessary for the Election of a President
By Edwin Meese III, Todd F. Gaziano, and Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1)
The argument that it takes only a simple majority of electors voting to elect the President, as opposed to a majority of the whole number, does not withstand constitutional scrutiny.
2009 Commentary
November 03, 2009
The Rediscovery of America: Here's the Best Ground from Which to Repulse the Whole Progressive Project
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
By any measure, the United States of America is a great nation. Thirteen colonies are now 50 states covering a vast continent and beyond. The U.S. economy accounts for almost a quarter of the total gross domestic product of all the countries in the world.
February 16, 2009
It's Washington's Birthday, Not Presidents' Day
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
February 22 is the birthday of George Washington -- the man who, more than any other, made possible our republican form of government.
2008 Commentary
December 02, 2008
Liberalized center is 'Capitol' crime
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
As an expert in the U.S. Constitution and America’s founding, I thought I had lost the ability to be shocked by politically correct distortions of our history. Then I visited the new Capitol Visitor Center.
2007 Commentary
September 02, 2007
No Interest, No Purpose, No Use
By Matthew Spalding and Robert Schlesinger
With the most expansive immigration and naturalization overhaul in the past 40 years languishing in Congress, it is worth pausing to reflect on the wise words of Alexis de Tocqueville: "The tie of language is perhaps the strongest and the most durable that can unite mankind."
August 02, 2007
Immigration reform: the need for upholding our national language
By Matthew Spalding and Israel Ortega
With the most expansive immigration and naturalization overhaul in the past 40 years languishing in Congress, it is worth pausing to reflect on the wise words of Alexis de Tocqueville: "The tie of language is perhaps the strongest and the most durable that can unite mankind."
July 03, 2007
One Step at a Time: A better bargain for immigration reform
By Matthew Spalding and James Jay Carafano
Sometimes, an ending is really just a beginning. Now that the Senate's "Grand Bargain" to "reform" our dysfunctional immigration system has broken down, lawmakers can make a fresh start.
June 27, 2007
Grand Amnesty
By Matthew Spalding
Amnesty, make no mistake about it, is the cornerstone of the Senate's immigration bill. Despite its many pages and provisions, the legislation guarantees one thing only: that a population of individuals defined solely on the basis of their illegal status will receive legal status and a privileged path to permanent residency and citizenship.
June 13, 2007
Killer Amnesty: Rejecting Hispanic-hostility accusations
By James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., and Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
Did the Kennedy-Bush immigration bill fail because its opponents played on the racial prejudices that some Americans harbor against immigrants as Linda Chavez and others--including none other than the president of the United States--have suggested? Hardly.
May 22, 2007
The Devil Is in the Details
By Matthew Spalding
Show me someone who doubts that the immigration bill being railroaded through Congress is amnesty — and I’ll show you someone who hasn’t read the bill.
February 05, 2007
The Man Who Would Not Be King
By Matthew Spalding
George Washington is one of the most recognized figures in U.S. history. But familiarity breeds contempt. More often than not, Washington is an old painting on the wall – solemn, impersonal and distant – or the subject of childhood stories and nursery rhymes. We all know that he chopped down a cherry tree and had wooden teeth.
2006 Commentary
May 24, 2006
Assimilation More Than Learning English
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
America has been good for immigrants, and immigrants have been good for America. But this policy can succeed only if we revive the one policy that makes American immigration work, and get back to the hard and noble task of making citizens.
2005 Commentary
September 22, 2005
Viewpoint: Pulling Together
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
A few years ago, sociology professor Robert Putnam warned that Americans were "bowling alone," losing touch with their families, communities and civic organisations.
March 01, 2005
Should Naturalized Citizens be President?
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
No. America has always been open to foreign-born immigrants becoming full and equal citizens—with one exception: Only a "natural-born Citizen" can become President.
2004 Commentary
November 05, 2004
And The Moral Is ?
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
Something significant occurred on Nov. 2. Virtually all of the commentators missed it before the election. Yet it popped up early in the exit polling, and now the talking heads are trying to explain what it means.
July 13, 2004
Saying 'I do' to marriage
By Edwin Meese III and Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
Some have cold feet. Others are indecisive. Many would rather avoid the issue.
March 14, 2004
One Man, One Woman: The Constitutional Amendment
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
Amending the Constitution, like marriage itself, is an endeavor not to be entered into lightly.
March 10, 2004
A Shotgun Amendment
By Edwin Meese III and Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
To amend or not to amend? That's the big question when it comes to gay "marriage" and the Constitution
March 07, 2004
A Tough Decision: What is Marriage?
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
For thousands of years, societies have held that marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman, and their laws have reflected this. But the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court disagrees. It says that marriage is "an evolving paradigm" and that same-sex couples have a fundamental right to marry. Which is it? How we decide this question--and it will be decided, one way or the other--will shape the future of our society and the course of constitutional government in the United States.
February 26, 2004
Prudent Path
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
It is imperative, for the sake of constitutional government, that we proceed with the democratic process of amending the Constitution. It is imperative, for the sake of marriage, that we succeed.
2003 Commentary
February 16, 2003
No Greater Lesson
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
No Greater Lesson: The Heritage Foundation's Matthew Spalding discusses the ignorance of Americans regarding their country's history. He stresses the importance of the education of American history for fostering patriotism, civic duty, and a successful self-government.
2002 Commentary
September 05, 2002
ed090502b: Who Needs a Government?
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
ed090502b: Who Needs a Government? A Declaration of Independence
July 03, 2002
ED070302b: A Republic If You Can Keep It
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
ED070302b: A Republic If You Can Keep It
2001 Commentary
March 02, 2001
200 Years of Peaceful Transitions
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
200 Years of Peaceful Transitions
February 16, 2001
It's "Washington's Birthday"
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
It's "Washington's Birthday"
1996 Commentary
September 12, 1996
ED091296a: What Would George Washington Say?
By Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
ED091296a: What Would George Washington Say?
November 20, 2009
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