What is “trapped in amber”? An originalist explanation

Anyone watching the Supreme Court this past term may have remarked on the frequency with which the justices talk about fossilized tree resin. Consider: The court in Trump v. Cook : “We see no reason, however, why our central bank ought to be ‘trapped in amber’ any more than any other aspect of our constitutional scheme.” The court in Watson v. Republican National Committee : “Statutes do not…