A friendly Reminder

One of the most persistent and misleading assumptions in modern political discourse is that America is a democracy. But this was never the vision of our Founders.

At the Institute on the Constitution, we believe that safeguarding our future begins with understanding and reinforcing our foundations. That’s why we’ve created Throwback Truths — a series that revisits classic video presentations from Michael Anthony Peroutka, founder of IOTC. These timeless messages encourage us to reflect on who we are as a nation and the principles that define true liberty. Modern political discourse often assumes that nations, including the United State

At the Institute on the Constitution, we believe that safeguarding our future begins with understanding and reinforcing our foundations. That’s why we’ve created Throwback Truths — a series that revisits classic video presentations from Michael Anthony Peroutka, founder of IOTC. These timeless messages encourage us to reflect on who we are as a nation and the principles that define true liberty. Sometimes, truth comes not from a podium or press release—but from a quiet, heart

Have you ever felt uncertain about your rights in everyday situations? Understanding practical constitutional defense techniques can empower you to stand up for yourself with confidence. Learning these skills doesn’t mean diving into complex legal texts; it's about knowing how to assert your rights day-to-day. By learning a few key techniques, you can protect yourself and stay informed about what you’re entitled to under the law. Imagine being stopped unexpectedly and not kno

At the Institute on the Constitution, we believe that safeguarding our future begins with understanding and reinforcing our foundations. That’s why we’ve created Throwback Truths — a series that revisits classic video presentations from Michael Anthony Peroutka, founder of IOTC. These timeless messages encourage us to reflect on who we are as a nation and the principles that define true liberty. In 1948, cartoonist Walt Kelly gave voice to a swamp-dwelling possum named Pogo,

Memorial Day is when we as a nation honor those who died in the service of their country. Memorial Day has become the beginning of the summer season. Don’t we owe those who gave the last full measure of devotion more than parades and cookouts? See the full video on Monday.  We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happi

At the Institute on the Constitution, we believe that safeguarding our future begins with understanding and reinforcing our foundations. That’s why we’ve created Throwback Truths — a series that revisits classic video presentations from Michael Anthony Peroutka, founder of IOTC. These timeless messages encourage us to reflect on who we are as a nation and the principles that define true liberty. In recent decades, a growing number of voices in public discourse have questioned

At the Institute on the Constitution, we believe that safeguarding our future begins with understanding and reinforcing our foundations. That’s why we’ve created Throwback Truths — a series that revisits classic video presentations from Michael Anthony Peroutka, founder of IOTC. These timeless messages encourage us to reflect on who we are as a nation and the principles that define true liberty. In this edition, we revisit the powerful words of Thomas Paine, whose plainspoken

by Paul Engel   Summary Memorial Day started as Decoration Day when cities and towns began decorating the graves of Civil War soldiers each spring. Many Americans will enjoy parades and cookouts, but is that all this day has become? How will you honor those who gave the last full measure of devotion to their country? Memorial day is the day the American people set aside to honor those who gave their lives fighting for us. Whether you plan to go to a parade, place flowers on a

Sometimes life gets in the way, and that can happen with studying the Constitution too. The good news is, it's never too late to get back on track. With some simple strategies, you can pick up the pace and feel confident in your understanding of this crucial material.

At the Institute on the Constitution, we believe that safeguarding our future begins with understanding and reinforcing our foundations. That’s why we’ve created Throwback Truths — a series that revisits classic video presentations from Michael Anthony Peroutka, founder of IOTC. These timeless messages encourage us to reflect on who we are as a nation and the principles that define true liberty. In this edition, we revisit Peroutka’s powerful warning sparked by a 2014 controv

At the Institute on the Constitution, we believe that safeguarding our future begins with understanding and reinforcing our foundations. That’s why we’ve created Throwback Truths — a series that revisits classic video presentations from Michael Anthony Peroutka, founder of IOTC. These timeless messages encourage us to reflect on who we are as a nation and the principles that define true liberty. In this edition, we revisit Peroutka’s bold response to proposed “hate crime” leg

At the Institute on the Constitution, we believe that safeguarding our future begins with understanding and reinforcing our foundations. That’s why we’ve created Throwback Truths — a series that revisits classic video presentations from Michael Anthony Peroutka, founder of IOTC. These timeless messages encourage us to reflect on who we are as a nation and the principles that define true liberty. In this edition, we revisit Peroutka’s remarks from a rally held in support of Ki

At the Institute on the Constitution, we believe that safeguarding our future begins with understanding and reinforcing our foundations. That’s why we’re introducing Throwback Truths — a series that revisits classic video presentations from Michael Anthony Peroutka, founder of IOTC. In these timeless clips, Michael reminds us that a strong cultural foundation is just as essential as the foundation of any building. Without it, our American constitutional structure is at risk o

Does your state have a “duty to inform” law? Many point to a violation of the Second Amendment. Did you realize these laws violate the Fourth and Fifth Amendments as well? As a lifelong gun owner, I understand the awesome responsibility of owning a weapon. After getting my concealed carry license many years ago, I came to understand the great responsibility of having a deadly weapon on my person. Now, as a constitutional scholar, I’ve come to realize just how badly states are

What is the proper remedy to past discrimination? Is it present discrimination, as Ibriam Kendi says? Or is reverse discrimination just as evil as the discrimination it claims to remedy? Ibriam Kendi is often quoted as saying “The only remedy to past discrimination is present discrimination.” Is that true? Above the main entrance to the Supreme Court is a promise chiseled into the marble façade: “equal justice under law”. How can we have equal justice under law if one side is

One of the most volatile policy issues of our times relates to a fundamental disagreement as to how a nation should approach entitlements. Entitlement programs now devour the majority of the U.S. federal government’s budget, and as of 2019, the national debt reached $23 trillion dollars and is growing rapidly at an uncontrollable rate. What does Scripture have to say about such allocative decisions and policy? In a pre-political sense (informing policy through what the Bible

Whose safety matters more, law enforcement of civilians? Does being legally armed automatically make you a danger to society? Should officer safety override the Constitution of the United States? Imagine you are stopped by law enforcement. Maybe you were doing something wrong, maybe not. At this point, when you are in the custody of law enforcement, whose safety matters more: Yours or that of the officer? In the 2017 Fourth Circuit case United States v. Robinson, while not sp

Why does the Supreme Court go gaga just about every time abortion comes before them.  Coalition Life sued the city of Carbondale, Illinois, claiming a the city violated their rights protected by the First Amendment. This time, the Supreme Court wouldn’t even take the case. Free speech jurisprudence has rested on shaky ground for decades in this country. Looking back at cases like Hill v. Colorado, Austin v. Reagan National Advertising of Austin, and Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s H

Theological liberals tend to stereotype conservative Christians as simpletons—ignorant and lacking in intellectual support—people who cling to their beliefs in blind faith. This study, however, suggests quite the opposite is true. Theological liberalism was constructed with and based upon the piecemeal-at-best biblical archaeology of its day. Over the hundred years that have since passed, numerous discoveries have occurred.  The substantial number of archaeological discoverie