Madison, James
1809–1817
Madison's Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments (1785) — the most thoroughgoing founding-era argument against state-funded religious instruction — is the most precise lens for Abbott's church-state package. Abbott's SB 10 classroom mandate and SB 11 prayer-time authorization replay nearly verbatim the Virginia general-assessment debate Madison defeated. Madison's other commitments — Federalist 10's worry about majoritarian faction, Federalist 51's defense of separated powers — track to the August 2025 quorum and removal threats: Hinojosa breaking quorum to slow a majority's gerrymander is the procedural posture Madison built tools for, while Abbott's DPS-arrest response is closer to what Madison worried majorities would do. Hinojosa is the better Madisonian fit on both prongs.
Sources
- Texas Tribune, 'Ten Commandments in Texas schools: SB 10 explained,' May 24, 2025. (full list)
- Texas Tribune, 'Abbott threatens removal of Democrats who broke quorum to block redistricting,' Aug. 3, 2025. (full list)
- NPR, 'A Texas Democratic lawmaker on their efforts to stop Republican redistricting plans,' Aug. 4, 2025 — Hinojosa interview. (full list)
- KXAN, 'Texas House advances bill to require Ten Commandments in every classroom after vote on the Sabbath,' May 2025 — covers Hinojosa amendment shifting defense burden to AG. (full list)
- James Madison, Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments (1785); Federalist 10 and 51. (full list)