A friendly Reminder

We know the Constitution has a Bill of Rights. But do you know the man most responsible for that document? After writing about the Virginia Bill of Rights, I wanted to learn more about the man who brought us that document. Learning about the struggles George Mason went through to give us that document, I see he has earned the title Father of the Bill of Rights . While writing my last two articles about the Virginia Bill of Rights, I became more and more impressed by the perso

It’s time to look at the rest of the Virginia Declaration of Independence. The last eight sections of this document include some of our most favored rights. Let’s see what else we can learn from this predecessor to the Bill of Rights. Last week we looked at the first eight sections of the Virginia Declaration of Rights. This predecessor to the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights not only gives us some ideas about what Thomas Jefferson was thinking when he wrote the

There was document that preceded our Declaration of Independence. How did it influence it? How did this document from George Mason influence not only Thomas Jefferson, but the drafters of the Bill of Rights? What can we learn from Virginia’s declaration of rights to help us today? Prior to the Declaration of Independence being adopted, Virginia adopted their Declaration of Rights. A Declaration of Rights Is made by the representatives of the good people of Virginia, assembled

NASHVILLE, TN – October 31, 2022 [The Constitution Study] — The Constitution Study is proud to announce the release of draft legislation designed to help states protect our children from medical experimentation, especially when promoted by the federal bureaucracy. The recent actions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adding the mRNA based COVID-19 “vaccines” to their child and adolescent immunization schedule is not only medically unsound, but a violatio

Most Americans believe that governments will protect their children. But what happens when a government bureaucracy wants to perform medical experiments on your children? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have added an experimental treatment for COVID-19 to their schedule for routine childhood vaccinations. What can you and your states do to protect your children from medical experimentation? In the latest example of government bureaucrats attempting to take over

Can Freedom of Speech be used to suppress speech? Do the owners of corporations have the legal right to control what content is on the platforms they own? Was the decision of the Circuit Court in NetChoice & CCIA v. Ken Paxton, Attorney General of Texas a win for free speech or a loss? You may have heard about Texas bill H.B. 20, an attempt by the government of Texas to prevent censorship by social media companies. You might also have heard about the case making its way throu

“Operation Crossfire Hurricane” seems to be the gift that keeps on giving. Can someone sue the federal government for lying to a court or violating the Constitution? Can the federal government use the theory of “sovereign immunity” to prevent such a suit? I’m sure you’ve heard of “Operation Crossfire Hurricane”, sometimes called “Russia-gate”. Carter Page was caught up in this investigation and sued the Department of Justice for lying to the FISA court in order to acquire war

Do the federal courts have the legal authority to overturn federal law? Can the only unelected branch of the federal government rule over the elected branches? What are the consequences of “constitutional law” overruling the Constitution itself? If you spend any significant time discussing court opinions, you’ve encountered the concept of “Judicial Review”. What is judicial review, where does it come from, and is it used today the way it was originally defined? These are the

Can a religious university be forced to recognize and support a student group who wishes to change the nature of the university? Do students have the right to change the nature of a private university? Does our nation’s obsession with the sexual agenda mean your rights must bow to it? None of us want to be judged by our race, sex, or how we live our lives. So what right do we have to impose our views on others, even to the point of controlling their private property? That is

How far will pro-abortion politicians go to get others to comply with their agenda? Can California require churches to pay for abortion coverage in the health insurance they provide to their employees? In the battle between religious freedom and those who wish to promote abortion, who will win? “By hook or by crook” seems to be the sentiment of some who promote abortion in this country. When they could not get their way by federal law, they engaged the federal judiciary. When

What are the rules when a government agent comes to your door? When does a government actor need a warrant to enter your home? Looking at some previous Supreme Court cases, we’ll see that you may have more legal authority than you realize. When a government agent stands at your door asking to come in, do you know what your rights are? What would you do if that agent tries to enter your house illegally? If that day comes, the difference between liberty and incarceration may we

What role does the judicial branch have in the federal government? Why is the speech that Justice Elena Kagan made at a recent judicial conference so dangerous? How can We the People protect ourselves from an out of control federal judicial system? In Federalist Papers #78, Alexander Hamilton said the federaljudiciary would be the branch of government least dangerous toour rights. Is that how the courts are working in the 21st century?What makes the courts today so injurious

Do you understand Dual Sovereignty and the threat it poses to your rights? Did you know that the Eighteenth Amendment and prohibition was the basis of this idea of dual sovereignty? How has the court taken a limited concurrent jurisdiction clause and turned it into federal oversight of just about every law in the nation? Most of us are aware of Double Jeopardy, the right to not be tried for the same crime twice, but the courts have adopted a “dual sovereign” doctrine to get a

When parents accept government money to pay for their children’s schooling, it always comes with strings. What are the limits can a state place on where their tuition assistance go? Can a state single out religious or sectarian organizations to be denied the ability to participate in their programs? When parents saw what their children were being taught during the COVID-19 school shutdowns, school choice has been a topic of increased interest. If government schools were going

A case of a praying high-school coach has put another nail in the coffin of a terrible precedent known as the “Lemon Test”. What does it take for a government actor to establish a religion? What are the limits of government employers controlling the speech and actions of their employees? A high-school coach was denied his freedom of religion and speech based on a nothing more than 50 year old lemon of a court opinion. In the case Lemon v. Kurtzman, the Supreme Court claimed t

Does the Clean Air Act empower the EPA to regulate the national power grid? What standard should a court use when interpreting the laws of the United States? Will West Virginia v. EPA change the powers of executive agencies? Did you ever imagine that a question about air pollution could end up changing the way governments work? That may be exactly what happened with the Supreme Court’s opinion in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency. What started as a question of

After almost 50 years, the Supreme Court opinions in Roe and Casey have been overturned. The right to obtain an abortion is not in the language of the Constitution, neither is it in the history of this country before 1973. While this decision has certainly caused an uproar, this is an opportunity to review the court’s opinion. After almost 50 years, a landmark decision of the Supreme Court has been overturned. Will it be remembered with other decisions like Dred Scott or Ples

Are the solutions to America’s problems in Washington, D.C.? Where can the American people find answers if not in Washington, D.C.? How can reading and studying the Constitution help you find those answers? There are plenty of problems in America today, too many to number most likely. I’m frequently asked what we can do. Too often, it seems everyone is looking to Washington, D.C. for answers. By studying the Constitution, and a couple of Supreme Court opinions, I think we can

When does spend money become speech? Does Congress have the legal authority to regulate loans made by a candidate to their campaign? What are the long term consequences of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 Have you ever considered how money relates to speech? The federal government has. One of the issues with federal election law is the limitation on the use of money for a candidate to get their message out. What does the case FEC v Cruz have to do with free speech?

Once you turn 18, you assume you’re an adult, right? California law doesn’t think so, at least when it comes to certain firearms. Believe it or not, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals told California that their restrictions on young adults purchasing center fire semiautomatic rifles was unconstitutional. As children, we receive protection of our rights through our parents. But have you ever considered at what age you receive protections for your rights directly? Is it the sam