Constitutional Chats Presented By Constituting America

Why do we consider the founding of this country to be such a momentous event that changed the trajectory of world history?   Think about this: governments had risen and fallen from power for millennia before our country's birth.   What was the one big idea that made our founding so unique and its effects long-lasting?   To answer this lofty question, we are thrilled to have a leading American scho...

We know checks and balances between the branches of federal government is a hallmark of our republic.   But have you considered the checks and balances the Founders crafted into the design of Congress itself, with the House and Senate splitting legislative power?   Why did the founders build in checks to prevent too much power residing within one chamber of our bi-cameral legislature and how did t...

Did you know the United States Army is older than the United States?   The Army has its origins in 1775 at a time when the colonists had a distrust of a standing permanent army like the British employed in the colonies.   As such, it was a not a permanent army.   The War of 1812 showed our country the need for a permanent national army. In the ensuing years, the United States Army has fought a Civ...

Did you know the United States Army is older than the United States?   The Army has its origins in 1775 at a time when the colonists had a distrust of a standing permanent army like the British employed in the colonies.   As such, it was a not a permanent army.   The War of 1812 showed our country the need for a permanent national army. In the ensuing years, the United States Army has fought a Civ...

Thomas Jefferson cemented his legacy as an incredible orator and writer when he wrote the Declaration of Independence, almost 250 years ago. His soaring rhetoric drew inspiration from multiple government and historic traditions: from John Locke to the Magna Carta to the Enlightenment.  He used phrases and words that deserve special attention.  What did Jefferson mean when he talked about unalienab...

Did you know the phrase "separation of church and state" does not appear in our Constitution?   The phrase was used by Thomas Jefferson in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802.   The First Amendment does guarantee "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."   What was the intent of the founders in codifying this in...

Did you know the phrase "separation of church and state" does not appear in our Constitution?   The phrase was used by Thomas Jefferson in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802.   The First Amendment does guarantee "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."   What was the intent of the founders in codifying this in...

Our Constitution does not spend a lot of time detailing foreign policy powers.   We know the president can appoint ambassadors, negotiate treaties and use executive agreements in our relations with other governments.   But beyond that, what is the role of the presidency?   What are the checks and balances with the other branches?   What do we mean when we say foreign policy is an "inherent" power?...

We have laws in our country passed by Congress.   Then we have regulations that come out of the bureaucracy.   Our guest today argues that when government grows, individual liberty shrinks.   Our guest, Andrew Langer, is the president of the Institute for Liberty.   He is going to discuss the benefits and costs (upwards of $4 trillion annually) of regulations, the process to challenge them and the...

There's been a lot of discussions in the current administration to streamline government.  Part of that includes shuttering departments, including the Department of Education.  Did you know for the vast majority of American history, the Department of Education didn't exist and was created in 1979?  To walk us through the process of shutting down a department and the reasons for it, we are happy to...

We have a very exciting guest on our show this week.   He identifies 4 great changes in American history brought upon by the President in office at the time: Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln and FDR.   If President Trump is able to fulfill his campaign promises, our guest believes we could be experiencing the 5th period of great change.   One of the targeted areas   of change the current administration...

A mission statement for an organization is a list of aspirational goals.   It brings purpose and summarizes values.   Through that lens, perhaps we should look at our Declaration of Independence and Constitution as the mission statement for our country.   Both documents lay out our country's values and goals in becoming a "more perfect union." Our guest today, our board member Jay McConville, wrot...

Through the separation of powers, the Founders fully intended for each branch of government to be combative with the others.   This fighting amongst the branches, they hoped, would protect our liberties and inhibit abuse of power.   Each presidential administration must deal with the judicial branch in implementing their agenda, when cases involving their agenda are brought to court. This is what...

It's been called "The World's Greatest Deliberative Body."   One-third of its members are elected every two years, and serve six year terms.   Presided over by the Vice President of the United States.   We are of course talking about the United State Senate.   The Founders created the Senate with a purpose, to be a place when debate happens as a "House of Reason."   To walk us through the Senate a...

One of the genius aspects of the United States Constitution is the emphasis on protecting individual liberty.   The document protects liberty through separation of powers so power is not concentrated exclusively in any one branch.   To fulfill the desires of the people, the process through which national legislation is introduced begins on the floor of either the U.S. House or the U.S. Senate.   T...

Did you know there are thousands upon thousands of bills filed every year in the US House and Senate?   Only a fraction of those reach a floor vote and only a small amount of those are passed and signed into law.   Before a bill can reach the floor, it must first go through the committee process.   To help us learn what this process is and what it entails, we are delighted to welcome Cyrus Artz. C...

Article 1 of the US Constitution creates Congress and gives Congress the power to write and pass laws.  But what does that process look like?  What is the procedure through which a bill introduced in one chamber is then passed in the other chamber?  What is the committee process and its effect on whether or not a bill comes to the floor for a vote?  What influence can the average American have in...

Next in the line of succession for the Presidency, after the Vice President. Presiding officer over all 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Responsible for implementing a legislative agenda.   Today we are discussing one of the most powerful positions in our federal government, the Speaker of the House of Representatives.   What are the duties of the speaker?   How does the Speaker i...

Constitutional Chats Podcast Episode 247 For being such a public figure, the role of the First Lady of the United States is not well-defined.  Some have taken very public roles and played a part in crafting and changing policy and others prefer to be a bit more low-profile.  Since the role is not defined by any law or statute, it is up to each First Lady to determine the visibility and role they w...

The American Revolution ended in 1781.   The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783.   George Washington was elected our country's first president in 1788 and sworn in 1789.   Besides the Constitutional Convention 1787, there has not been significant   scholarly study into what George Washington was doing in the intervening years between the end of the Revolutionary War and his election as President....

The Executive Branch of our country, led by the President, oversees millions of federal employees and hundreds of White House staff.   Obviously, the President cannot directly manage all of these employees.   To aid in this administrative function, the President appoints several dozen "Assistants to the President."   This is the highest ranking staff position in the White House and their duty is t...

He was a university president who became the President of the United States.   He took us into war with Germany in World War I but later won a Nobel Peace Prize as the leading architect behind the League of Nations.   To discuss our 28th President with our student panel, we are pleased to welcome Christopher Cox to talk about his book, "Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn."

The idea of the United States acquiring Greenland is not a new idea.   This idea has been kicked around since the 19th century but revisited with the new presidential administration.   Why would the US have an interest in acquiring Greenland?   What are the strategic and economic advantages in doing so?   How could this acquisition be compared to the Louisiana Purchase?   And can it even happen?  ...

When one presidential administration ends, another begins.   While the public watches the transition on TV, behind the scenes there's a well orchestrated symphony executing the plan to bring in a new administration.   To walk us through the nuts and bolts of what happens behind the scenes, we are joined by a veteran of one such transition as a guest today!   Sean Spicer served as the 30th White Ho...

How do you create limited, but at the same time, strong and effective government?   In tackling this problem, our Founders relied on three branches with each branch having strong offensive and defensive weapons to use against the other branches' possible encroachments.   The Founders understood an ineffective government is just as dangerous to liberty as an authoritarian government.   They wanted...