About Paul Engel

Paul Engel founded The Constitution Study in 2014 to help everyday Americans read and study the Constitution. Author and speaker, Paul has spent more than 20 years studying and teaching about both the Bible and the U.S. Constitution. Freely admitting that he “learned more about our Constitution from School House Rock than in 12 years of public school” he proves that anyone can be a constitutional scholar. You can find his books on Amazon and Apple Books. You can also find his books, classes and other products at the Constitution Study website (https://constitutionstudy.com) and listen to his weekday radio show on America Out Loud (https://americaoutloud.com/the-constitution-study). You can reach him at paul@constitutionstudy.com

Disarming The Militia Act

I can see only one logical reason for this type of legislation. Similar to the orders to destroy the firearms and ammunition of the colonists, this legislation is meant to leave the American people unarmed, untrained, and unprepared to act as a free people. This leaves them dependent on government for their own safety, and makes them subject to the government’s will.

By |2024-03-23T00:21:06-04:00March 23rd, 2024|

How the 16th Amendment Destroyed the Republic

In 1913 our states began the process of reducing us from free citizens to the miserable state of tributary slaves. I hope now you see why I am so in favor of the repeal of this amendment of tyranny we call the Sixteenth Amendment.

By |2024-03-19T00:44:03-04:00March 19th, 2024|

Sovereign Immunity

Saddest of all, neither the judges, justices, attorneys, nor parties to this case, seem aware of the fundamental coup d’etat this represents. It’s the destruction of our Constitution and a fundamental alteration of our form of government.

By |2024-03-13T00:12:47-04:00March 13th, 2024|

Electing a U.S. President

While many people say “Knowledge is Power”, that is not actually true. Knowledge only has power if it’s used for some action. Now that you have the knowledge and a better understanding of how the United States elects a President, I hope you will use it to exercise your power as a United States citizen.

By |2024-03-08T00:46:26-05:00March 8th, 2024|

Is Refusing to Wear a Mask Unconstitutional?

I’ve spoken repeatedly about the unconstitutionality of most mask mandates. Recently, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals was asked to review two cases where people were punished for attending school board meetings while refusing to wear masks. Sadly, the cases, as described in the Circuit Court opinion, seem poorly founded, thus leading to decisions against the plaintiffs.

By |2024-02-28T00:25:24-05:00February 28th, 2024|

Abuse of the No Fly List

This should be an interesting opinion to read. I wonder how many U.S. citizens have been captured by the No Fly List without any probable cause or due process? This is also not the first time a government has attempted to get away with illegal acts by changing things after the fact and calling the claims against them moot. All in all, it could be a very interesting opinion indeed.

By |2024-02-21T00:08:00-05:00February 21st, 2024|

Primaries, What Are They Good For?

Imagine walking into a voting booth, and the ballot listing all the names of the people who have qualified to run for office? There still needs to be some vetting process for candidates, some paperwork to request access to the ballot, and probably some process to insure there is enough support to warrant being included. Beyond that, let all comers be on the ballot and let the people decide.

By |2024-02-14T00:22:52-05:00February 14th, 2024|

Regulating Your Life

This is why it’s so important for you to read and understand the Constitution for yourself. Not only so you can recognize these unconstitutional acts, but so you can prepare yourself to defend and assert your rights, including the right to have the supreme law of the land faithfully enforced.

By |2024-02-09T00:25:55-05:00February 9th, 2024|

The Real Insurrection in America

Unless you’ve been hiding from everything politics in the United States, you are aware that there are actors in several states that have sued in their state courts to disqualify Donald Trump from being on their states primary election ballot for President of the United States. As of this writing, in only two states, Colorado and Maine, have those actors found some measure of success.

By |2024-02-06T00:23:46-05:00February 6th, 2024|

Chevron Deference

Chevron appears to have been an attempt to “keep things going” when Congress was silent or ambiguous on a specific issue. If Congress leaves gaps in their legislation, it’s up to Congress, the representatives of the people and the states, to fill them in. It’s most certainly not within the powers delegated to the executive or judicial branches. We’ll have to wait and see if a majority of the justices on the court recognize the usurpation of powers Chevron Deference has become.

By |2024-02-02T00:06:33-05:00February 2nd, 2024|

Lawsuits for Revenge and Profit?

By both mooting the case and vacating the First Circuit’s decision that Ms. Laufer had standing, the court does restore some sense of justice by restricting the use of malicious prosecution. However, by not deciding the question of Ms. Laufer’s standing, the court also allows her, and others like her, to act as federal vigilantes.

By |2024-01-16T00:16:36-05:00January 16th, 2024|

What is Income?

Why should you pay very close attention to this case? Because, as a direct tax on something other than income, a wrong opinion from the court could open up a deluge of new direct federal taxes on everything from your home, investments, even your childhood Baseball Card collection.

By |2024-01-09T00:14:51-05:00January 9th, 2024|

New Years

I know, I sound like a broken record, but I believe reading the Constitution is something we should be doing at least once a year. In fact, it you read the Constitution 3, 4, or even 12 times a year, that would not be a bad thing. I agree with our first Chief Justice of the United States, John Jay. If you want to know when your rights are being violated, and be prepared to defend and assert them, then read and study the Constitution of the United States.

By |2023-12-31T00:30:40-05:00December 31st, 2023|

A Christmas Wish

As we celebrate Christmas, followed shortly by New Years, let us consider the present all of us are leaving to future generations. Will our children, and our children’s children, live in a country better than the one we live in now? That depends on what we do today, tomorrow, and for the rest of our tomorrows, as we try to secure such a nation for them.

By |2023-12-23T01:05:47-05:00December 23rd, 2023|

Washington’s Farewell Address, Part 2

There’s a reason why power is distributed in this country, not just within the federal government, but between the state and federal governments as well. Liberty, the ability to live your life as you see fit, is protected by such separation. So when we see the Executive Branch being delegated and assuming powers not their own, your liberty is in danger.

By |2023-12-20T00:46:51-05:00December 20th, 2023|

Washington’s Farewell Address, Part 1

Not once, but twice, George Washington was called on to be President of the new country under the new Constitution, and twice he agreed. With the expectation that he would be called again a third time, Mr. Washington wished only to retire to Mount Vernon. After seeking advice from those in his confidence, he made it clear that he intended to return to the retirement he had previously enjoyed.

By |2023-12-12T00:11:30-05:00December 12th, 2023|

Will America be Destroyed From the Inside?

If We the People wish to remain free, it’s up to us to FORCE the government to stop aiding the collectivists. I don’t mean denying their rights, but stop aiding and abetting those who are trying to destroy this country. Stop federal funding of education. Stop subsidizing the collectivist agenda. Not by writing letters or signing petitions, but by making the politicians more afraid of disappointing the American people than their donors and political parties.

By |2023-12-09T00:06:35-05:00December 9th, 2023|

Truth Under Attack

Today, many in the federal government walk around believing they are wrapped in robes of power, some because of their own arrogance and others because “experts” have told them so. Most of the American people seem to go along with the lie, not because they can see the power robes, but because of the lies they have been told.

By |2023-12-01T00:26:24-05:00December 1st, 2023|

Hard Cases Make Bad Precedent

Let’s step back and look at the big picture. Should people who are under a credible threat of serious physical harm or death be granted a restraining order? Absolutely, but we need to remember that those orders are nothing but ink on paper. The order cannot protect you, but it can help law enforcement restrain a person if they violate the order.

By |2023-11-24T00:12:13-05:00November 24th, 2023|

Social Media and Government Communications

Social media has become so much a part of our everyday lives that we often don’t think about how we use it. This has led to what appears to be a large percentage of Americans developing what can at best be described as some “interesting ideas” about the relationship between government and the various social media platforms.

By |2023-11-14T00:06:34-05:00November 14th, 2023|

Placing Politics Above Children?

Studies show that the best outcomes for children is when they live in a home with their married parents. If the world were perfect, then all children would have that chance. The world isn’t perfect though, and either by accident or as the consequences of the actions of adults, children will be in need of people to step in for their parents.

By |2023-11-07T00:08:12-05:00November 7th, 2023|

Public Recording

Do you have a right to record people in public? A recent case out of Oregon asked that very question. Can states restrict who and when people can record conversations in public? An Oregon law prohibiting recording public conversations except in certain limited circumstances, was challenged by Project Veritas.

By |2023-10-31T00:09:05-04:00October 31st, 2023|

Your Right to Remain Silent

By knowing your rights, including your right against self witness, you will be better prepared should you one day encounter law enforcement. When I told the FBI agent that I did not get chatty with law enforcement, he told me he understood and both agents returned to their vehicle and left. Thankfully, that’s as far as it went, but I was prepared if the FBI tried to push for more.

By |2023-10-27T00:10:38-04:00October 27th, 2023|

Primary Control

Since the election process would be less under the thumb of the political parties, each state would be able to try different variations of these or other methods of running their elections. If the people we hire to represent us are smart, they can learn from what others are doing and compete to make their election process the best in the land.

By |2023-10-18T00:44:51-04:00October 18th, 2023|

Civil Asset Forfeiture, Policing for Profit

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Several years ago I wrote an article about the Battle of Athens, TN. In the article I showed the corruption in the McMinn County Sheriff’s Department, where the Sheriff and his deputies did not receive a salary, but were paid for everyone they booked, incarcerated, and released.

By |2023-10-13T00:46:19-04:00October 13th, 2023|

Is Your State Committing Fraud in Presidential Elections?

I was having a discussion with someone online about how we elect the President and Vice President of the United States. I was doing some research to reinforce my point when I discovered something interesting: A state which had a fraudulent ballot in 2020. Thinking this was probably an individual mistake, I started looking at the sample ballots from each state in the 2020 election.

By |2023-10-03T00:11:44-04:00October 3rd, 2023|

Executive Orders or Edicts?

When did Executive Orders become edicts from a monarch? Like so many things, it happened slowly, then very rapidly. It started with Congress not wanting to write laws, so they started writing “frameworks” and turned over the details to the executive agencies. We didn’t think too much about Congress abdicating their lawmaking power to the executive branch, so we said nothing.

By |2023-09-26T01:30:41-04:00September 26th, 2023|

Honoring Constitution Day

I believe most Americans have never read the Constitution of their country, and of those who have they seem to lack the confidence and understanding to use it. Part of the reason for this seems to be the fact that the Constitution is not taught in schools anymore.

By |2023-09-22T00:04:43-04:00September 22nd, 2023|

In Loco Parentis, Tyrannis!

The fact that a government school is teaching something that does not comport with your religious beliefs, doesn’t prevent you from exercising your religion. It does not even prevent a parent from teaching their children that the instruction they receive from the government school is wrong because it’s contrary to their belief. What we have here is not a violation of plaintiff’s free exercise right, but an establishment of religion.

By |2023-09-12T00:26:18-04:00September 12th, 2023|

Do Artificial Intelligences Have Rights?

There’s a lot of confusion out there about artificial intelligence. Some claim that AI’s have the power of independent thought which will, one day, allow them to take over the world. Others write AI’s off as nothing but a novelty. Based on my experience, the truth is somewhere in the middle.

By |2023-09-05T00:31:17-04:00September 5th, 2023|

When are Constitutional Amendments Unconstitutional?

Arizona for Abortion Access, a political action committee, has contacted Arizona Secretary of State, Adrian Fontes, in an attempt to get a constitutional amendment protecting abortion on the November 2024 ballot. Activists in Florida have been collecting signatures in an attempt to overturn recent state law to protect the right to abortion.

By |2023-08-29T02:01:01-04:00August 29th, 2023|

The Powers of Congress

I encourage people to ask questions. I believe there are only two “stupid” questions in the world: The one you don’t ask and the one you ask three times. Questions are important. We cannot truly learn unless we ask questions. Several weeks ago I posted the article The Role of Congress.

By |2023-08-22T00:55:26-04:00August 22nd, 2023|

Gift of Freedom on Independence Day

We need to remember, this is only a preliminary injunction. While it will remain in effect until the case is decided, or the injunction is overturned by a higher court, there is still a long way to go before justice can be served. That said, this injunction, not to mention the details within, gives me hope that our judicial system isn’t completely corrupt.

By |2023-08-15T00:08:42-04:00August 15th, 2023|

The Role of the Federal Courts

The role of the courts is that of an umpire, making decision based on the law using the facts presented to them. Today, we have elevated their decisions beyond law into rulings, as if they were kings and queens on high. It would be one thing if their decisions were based in the law rather than the rantings of their predecessors.

By |2023-08-04T00:50:49-04:00August 4th, 2023|

Compounding Errors in Favor of Religious Liberty

Our judicial system today works like a bad case of the game “telephone”. You probably remember that game from grammar school. The teacher would whisper something into one child’s ear, who would then whisper it into the next child’s ear, and on and on until the message got all the way around the room.

By |2023-07-31T00:16:52-04:00July 31st, 2023|

Racism, By Any Other Name, is Just as Perverse

Racism, both systemic and societal, has been a problem in this country for centuries. In many ways it was societal racism, the general belief in the inferiority of certain races, that led to many of the racist laws or systemic racism. To me, this leads to a Catch-22. How do you get rid of one without getting rid of the other? While we have gotten rid of many of the racist laws in our country, racist ideas are still around, and they have led to other racist laws.

By |2023-07-25T00:10:04-04:00July 25th, 2023|

The Role of the Presidency

Rather than a king, like so many people seem to treat him, we see that the President is supposed to be a servant to the states. Executing the laws and powers of the United States, working with the representatives of the states in Congress to make treaties and appoint officers, and accepting foreign dignitaries is all done in service to the union of states. Does that sound like the most powerful man in the world?

By |2023-07-19T00:42:45-04:00July 19th, 2023|

Freedom of Speech in Colorado

Freedom of speech has been under attack in this country, and Colorado has been a big part of it. First, Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop has spent ten years trying to defend his right to not be compelled to create custom cakes with messages which violate his beliefs.

By |2023-07-14T00:38:48-04:00July 14th, 2023|

While Evils are Sufferable

For the last two years I have been showing you how much our current government in Washington, D.C. is acting exactly as King George III did back in the 18th century. While King George’s actions led the colonies to declare independence, the states have not shown themselves as willing to defend their rights and those of their citizens now. Why is that?

By |2023-07-11T00:18:51-04:00July 11th, 2023|

The Role of Congress

The members of Congress are the employees of the people, and it’s about time we remind both the Congressmen and the people of that fact. As the representative branch of government, it’s the duty of Congress to represent the people and the states, not just their donors or advocacy groups.

By |2023-06-30T00:16:09-04:00June 30th, 2023|

Enforcing the Requirement to Organize Act

Will Congress ever learn not to exceed its mandate and infringe on the rights of the American people? Not until We the People start firing those who keep doing so, and hire better representation for ourselves. Until then I suggest you both educate yourselves and your state representatives about the limitation of the powers of Congress, and their responsibility. . .

By |2023-06-20T01:22:53-04:00June 20th, 2023|

Convention of States

I’ve written before about the Convention of States movement, but this is a topic I’m frequently asked about. I know plenty of people both for and against such a convention, and I’ve written about their concerns as well. However, I’ve been asked to write not about the movement, but about the convention itself.

By |2023-06-09T01:25:52-04:00June 9th, 2023|

The Durham Report – Justice Delayed

In short, we can expect nothing to really change, at least not under this administration. Unless and until we have a chief executive that will uphold the rule of law, not only against their political opponents but upon those in their administration, we will continue to see not only justice delayed, but justice denied.

By |2023-06-02T01:40:58-04:00June 2nd, 2023|

Corruptly or Not Corruptly, That is the Question

While I cannot condone the obstructive acts committed by Mr. Fischer and others inside the capitol that day, there is plenty of evidence that their entry was sanctioned by the Capitol Police, that most of them were not violent or disruptive, and they did not get near enough to the House chambers to be considered obstructive.

By |2023-05-24T00:47:09-04:00May 24th, 2023|

Monopoly Money

With all the fingers pointing back and forth between the houses of Congress, the Presidency, and the Department of Treasury, the ones truly responsible for this mess is We the People. Yes, we have hired representatives that have spent more than they collected in taxes for decades.

By |2023-05-17T01:08:35-04:00May 17th, 2023|

Are Geofence Warrants Constitutional

I hope anyone who is aware of a case where someone has been caught up in an overly broad and insufficient warrant, will share this information with the individual and their legal team. This case may be an early step in reigning in government collusion with big tech to spy on the American people.

By |2023-05-09T00:22:09-04:00May 9th, 2023|

Legislative Proxy Voting

If proxy voting in the House, as established by H. Res. 965 of the 116th Congress, is found to be unconstitutional, that means every piece of legislation voted on in the house where a majority of members were not physically present, is null and void, since it did not legally pass the House.

By |2023-05-05T01:43:00-04:00May 5th, 2023|

An Example of Why the United States is Not a Democracy

America is in no less a crisis today. Are you a summer soldier or sunshine patriot? Will you shrink from the service to your state and your country? Or will you stand with me and earn the love and thanks of all Tennesseans and, in fact, all Americans? The choice is yours.

By |2023-04-25T01:16:57-04:00April 25th, 2023|

The RESTRICTing Liberty Act

Just like after 9/11, we have government actors stoking the fears of the American people with calls of “We have to do something!” And now, just as then, they are taking what are legitimate concerns and stoking the flames of fear in order to pass legislation that can easily and predictably be used to deprive you of your rights.

By |2023-04-19T00:42:21-04:00April 19th, 2023|

Parental Notification and a Single Dissent

When should a parent be denied the right to know about medical procedures performed on their children? Most of us have been rebellious teenagers, sure that our parents are out to get us, only to grow up and realize they were right. When does a teenager’s right to liberty supersede a parent’s right to oversee their minor child’s upbringing?

By |2023-04-11T01:12:32-04:00April 11th, 2023|

Another Failure at the FDA?

In short, the Food and Drug Administration’s flagrant disregard for the law and the public health they were tasked to protect shows it to be an utter failure. Add to that the fact that the act that created the FDA was unconstitutional when it was passed, and what do we have?

By |2023-04-05T00:52:16-04:00April 5th, 2023|

The Militia Acts

Could it be, that membership in the militia is a duty all Americans should willingly fulfill? In several countries around the world, military service is compulsory. Under American law, it’s only necessary to be part of the militia, to be willing, if necessary, to fight for your state and your nation.

By |2023-04-01T00:37:27-04:00April 1st, 2023|

Teach The Rising Generation to be Free!

To explain, I think we need to back up a minute. Think of how many choices you are truly able to make for yourself, choices that are not controlled by arbitrary rules, regulations, and laws. Decisions that are not influenced by others. How many choices are you truly able to make for yourself?

By |2023-03-24T00:06:37-04:00March 24th, 2023|

One State Makes a Plan for Nullification

This bill takes its first jab at the federal government by pointing out the violations of the horizontal separation of powers. Article I, Section 1, Clause 1 of the Constitution of the United States says that all legislative (lawmaking) power is delegated to Congress. The President cannot make law via executive orders, and contrary to popular belief, neither can the federal courts, not even the Supreme Court, and Congress has no authority to delegate its lawmaking power to others.

By |2023-03-22T01:18:34-04:00March 22nd, 2023|

Parents’ Bill of Rights

I’m loath to use the term “Bill of Rights” lightly, for two very good reasons. First, the overuse of any term tends to diminish its value. Second, just because something claims to be a “Bill of Rights” doesn’t mean it actually is one. The bill may be very good, but that doesn’t mean it’s truly a Bill of Rights.

By |2023-03-06T23:53:39-05:00March 6th, 2023|

The Sovereign Citizen Movement

I understand the desire to find someone or something to blame. With all of the corruption in governments at all levels, we all would like to find some thing we can do to get our rights and liberties back. Let’s face it, the “Sovereign Citizen Movement”, along with so many other conspiracy theories, are just another distraction.

By |2023-02-28T00:17:29-05:00February 28th, 2023|

Municipal Theft

I often hear people say that we don’t own our property, but merely rent it from government. If your property can be taken to pay a debt that is a fraction of what you owe, then that statement may be true. What is described in this lawsuit does not sound like a free people with the right to enjoy, defend, and protect their property.

By |2023-02-22T00:17:03-05:00February 22nd, 2023|

Constitutionality of Cabinet Level Departments

That means the only branch of the federal government legally capable of enacting laws is Congress. When an executive branch department or agency writes “regulations” with the force of law, those acts are not made pursuant to the Constitution, so they are not the supreme law of the land and are void.

By |2023-02-14T00:15:29-05:00February 14th, 2023|

Inspector Government

Since We the People have turned responsibility for our own safety to various governments, we have no one to blame for these intrusive inspections and overbearing licensing requirements but ourselves. As James Madison warned, we enabled government to control the governed, but forgot that we needed to control government as well.

By |2023-01-31T22:02:13-05:00January 31st, 2023|

Qualified Immunity

Imagine you have immunity for any bad actions you take. You’ve probably heard of diplomatic immunity, where officials of other countries are shielded from prosecution. Then there’s sovereign immunity, when the head of government cannot be charged. In America though, our legal system has come up with the idea of qualified immunity.

By |2023-01-25T00:10:08-05:00January 25th, 2023|

How Important is Freedom of Speech?

You may think the forceful suppression of hate speech is necessary for the public. I beg to differ, and I believe history shows me to be correct. Have you thought about what would happen should your views be deemed “hate speech”? To paraphrase Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, “He who lives by tyranny shall die by oppression.”

By |2023-01-18T01:17:09-05:00January 18th, 2023|

The Intelligence Revenue Service

There are few things more universally feared and hatred than the IRS. When I’m asked about unconstitutional government agencies and point out that the IRS does exercise a power delegated to the United States, most people are gravely disappointed. Of course, while the IRS may legally exist, that does not mean that everything they do is constitutional.

By |2023-01-10T00:26:34-05:00January 10th, 2023|

President or King?

There are many today that claim that the President is the most powerful man in the world and has vast powers, but legally that is not true. We declared independence from a man with just such powers. That is why we not only delegated to the United States a limited and enumerated list of powers, but why we delegated most of those powers to Congress, not the President.

By |2023-01-03T00:12:26-05:00January 3rd, 2023|

349 – Wishful Thinking Going to the Supreme Court

Mr. Brunson’s case is audacious, and not just because of who the defendants are. He claims that a unique breach of national security occurred and that the only redress for this grievance is the removal from office of the President, Vice President, and most of the members of the House and Senate.

By |2022-12-26T00:36:54-05:00December 26th, 2022|

The Road to Dystopia is Paved with CBDCs

Should the United States implement a CBDC, then the failure of the republic would be complete. All it would take is the Fed refusing to honor cash and everyone would be forced to do business with one bank, the Federal Reserve. We would look more like Communist China than the country created by the Framers of the Constitution.

By |2022-12-19T00:35:28-05:00December 19th, 2022|

Grudge Match Between Sexual Orientation and Religious Freedom

I guess I’ve gotten used to seeing courts come to the right decision in their own way, even if it seems twisted and convoluted. The question for me is, will this new-found respect for the rights of individuals and organizations to determine who they will do business with permeate throughout the federal judicial system?

By |2022-12-14T00:33:19-05:00December 14th, 2022|

The Cost of Constitutional Illiteracy

So what is the actual cost of our constitutional illiteracy? Yes, it’s over $6 trillion dollars of money embezzled from the American people each and every year. It is also the volumes of rules and regulations, all considered to have the force of law even though they come from an agency that does not legally exist.

By |2022-12-06T00:35:40-05:00December 6th, 2022|

The Respect for Marriage Act Should be Called Respect For Gay Marriage Act

I fear this newfound ‘respect’ for what anyone wants to call marriage means the further destruction of the family with all of the associated societal issues. It’s important that we remember though, the Respect for Marriage Act is not the cause of these issues, but the symptom of the damage that marriage and the family has already suffered.

By |2022-11-28T00:52:51-05:00November 28th, 2022|

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 person who had written them. I decided to do some research on this little known, but extremely important Founding Father, and what I found did not diminish my opinion of him. So today...

By |2022-11-25T00:33:34-05:00November 25th, 2022|

Save Our Children From Medical Experimentation

I’ve been saying for quite some time that the solution to many problems is local, not national. This is a perfect example. The CDC has squandered any credibility they had and they have lost the authority to dictate medical decisions to anyone. Stop waiting for your elected employees to protect your children for you; stand up and do it yourself.

By |2023-01-04T18:07:38-05:00October 31st, 2022|

When is Freedom of Speech Not Freedom of Speech?

In point of fact, the court is using “freedom of speech” to suppress freedom of speech. It has placed “a freewheeling First Amendment right to censor what people say” squarely in the hands of government. When any government has the ultimate authority as to what communication a privately owned platform must allow, then government has become the censor.

By |2022-10-24T00:06:31-04:00October 24th, 2022|

Carter Page’s Lawsuit Dismissed

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 warrants to surveil him. A district court recently granted the DOJ’s motion to dismiss the case. The reasons why and the logic behind them is worth looking into.

By |2022-10-19T01:43:06-04:00October 19th, 2022|

What is Judicial Review?

Unless We the People stand up to the long train of abuses the federal courts have committed against us and throw off such despotism, we condemn our children to live as subjects of an oligarchy rather than a free and secure people in a constitutional republic.

By |2022-10-10T00:14:52-04:00October 10th, 2022|

Is It Prideful to Force Others to Comply With Your Desires?

While the stay from the Supreme Court is good news, it doesn’t mean that Yeshiva University is out of the woods. My guess is there will be plenty of opinions, appeals, and legal maneuvering before this case is finally decided. As Thomas Jefferson said: Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

By |2022-10-06T21:31:15-04:00October 6th, 2022|

Insuring Religious Freedom

While this case moves forward, and whether you live in California or not, I want you to consider this: The only reason this judge found for the churches is she did not believe the Director made a sufficiently compelling case to infringe on the rights of these churches.

By |2022-09-26T00:11:20-04:00September 26th, 2022|

Defending Your Right Against Unreasonable Searches

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 well depend on how well you know your rights and how prepared you are to assert and defend them.

By |2022-09-14T01:37:43-04:00September 14th, 2022|

The Role of the Federal Judiciary

I hope by now you have seen the jaw-dropping arrogance of the little talked about words of Associate Justice Kagan. While experience tells me she is not likely to pay any price for her bad behavior, much less the oath she took to support the Constitution of the United States, I can only hope that the American people will take this lesson to heart.

By |2022-09-08T22:49:13-04:00September 8th, 2022|

Understanding Dual Sovereignty Doctrine

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 around this pesky little problem. Two Supreme Court cases out of Oklahoma show how good intentions often lead to problems, and how the court makes up the rules as they go along.

By |2022-08-29T00:08:35-04:00August 29th, 2022|

Maine’s Tuition Assistance

Those who have stoked the fears of America becoming a theocracy have used the misinterpretation of Jefferson’s “separation of church and state” to effectively do what they claim to be avoiding: Establishing a national religion of secularism. This case is one small step for religious freedom in America.

By |2022-08-15T00:08:00-04:00August 15th, 2022|

Turning a Lemon into Lemonade

Since 2014 the court replaced the flawed “Lemon Test” with a more constitutionally sound methodology. While, the District and Circuit Courts didn’t recognize this fact, the Supreme Court did. Will this new opinion help the lower courts recognize that a person’s right to freedom of religion isn’t subject to the government’s fear that someone may see it and think it’s an endorsement?

By |2022-08-01T00:15:37-04:00August 1st, 2022|

Showdown at the EPA Corral

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 whether or not the EPA’s plan to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions from the electric grid...

By |2022-07-25T00:20:56-04:00July 25th, 2022|

NYSRPA v. Bruen

What will the officials in these six states and the District of Columbia do? Will they recognize their mistake, that placing discretionary requirements on the exercise of a constitutionally protect right is both arbitrary and capricious? Will they learn from this opinion and begin to correct their infringements on the rights of the people they purport to serve?

By |2022-07-18T00:26:40-04:00July 18th, 2022|

Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health

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 Plessy v. Ferguson? Only time will tell. After all of the furor when a draft of the opinion was leaked, we finally get a chance to review that actual opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health in its final form.

By |2022-07-11T00:21:45-04:00July 11th, 2022|

Redeclaring Independence in 2022

If We the People will pick up the Constitution, read it, and study it, we’ll find that our subjection to Washington, D.C., is not the law, but a result of our own actions. Washington, D.C.’s power is as fake as the emperor’s clothes in the Hans Christian Anderson story. Isn’t it time others join me in pointing out just how naked the government in Washington, D.C. really is?

By |2022-07-04T00:08:52-04:00July 4th, 2022|

How to Bring Washington, D.C. Back Under Control

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 find some answers a lot closer to home.

By |2022-06-25T00:20:12-04:00June 25th, 2022|

Money, Speech, and Federal Overreach

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? More important, what does it show about the state of elections in America?

By |2022-06-20T00:50:35-04:00June 20th, 2022|

When Preparation Turns Into Tyranny

There’s a saying in many training communities, “The body will not go where the mind has not already been.” Another one you may have heard is the Five “P’s”, Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. The idea is simple; if you do not prepare beforehand for a given situation, you will not be prepared when it happens. But what happens when government preparations move from proper to totalitarian?

By |2022-06-13T00:14:57-04:00June 13th, 2022|

320 – Scott & Korematsu – Two Cases That Show the Corruption of the Court

What do these two famous, or rather infamous, cases have in common? They denied rights to human beings because of their ancestry. While the precedent set in Scott was overturned by the Fourteenth Amendment, nothing has overturned the opinion in Korematsu. Laws that violated the supreme law of the land were used in both cases, and courts endorsed these travesties of justice.

By |2022-06-06T00:03:21-04:00June 6th, 2022|

At What Age Do You Have Rights?

Since the district court found that infringing on the right of certain people to keep and bear arms somehow did not burden the Second Amendment, they figured they were done. However, in an effort to cover their backside, the court determined that this question should receive intermediate scrutiny. But what is this “scrutiny”?

By |2022-05-30T00:07:32-04:00May 30th, 2022|

Flags Over Boston

When is flying a flag government speech? That was the question before the Supreme Court in the case of Shurtleff, et al. V. City Of Boston et al. Could the City of Boston refuse to fly a Christian flag? Was the city required to do so? Or did Harold Shurtleff have the right to fly the flag of his choice on public property?

By |2022-05-27T01:01:18-04:00May 27th, 2022|

Habeas Corpus

All this leaves us with the question of what the District Court for the District of Columbia will do? Will they recognize Mr. Quaglin’s right to have his detention reviewed by the court or will they look at the opinions of previous Supreme Courts and waffle? Time will tell.

By |2022-05-16T01:39:30-04:00May 16th, 2022|

The Mask Mandate That Was NOT Found Unconstitutional

The CDC, the states and cities that run the airports, the airlines, and everyone else were following a law that did not legally exist. That makes it just like all those who were afraid to say anything when the emperor walked around with no clothes. It’s worse than that though, because they also committed a federal crime.

By |2022-05-09T01:51:08-04:00May 9th, 2022|

Prosecuting Malicious Prosecution

What can you do when government actors abuse their powers? I’ve talked before about the right to petition the government for a redress of grievance and how the judicial precedent of sovereign immunity violates that right. But what happens when law enforcement or the justice department abuses their prosecutorial powers? How do you seek redress for a malicious prosecution?

By |2022-05-03T00:29:12-04:00May 3rd, 2022|

Redress of Grievances

The First Amendment prohibits Congress from passing laws that abridge your right to petition the government for a redress of grievance. Yet not only has Congress ignored that restriction on their actions, but the federal courts have piled on as well. Today, I will look at what the right to petition means, how that has been violated, and what the American people can do about it.

By |2022-04-30T00:45:12-04:00April 30th, 2022|

We Need to Focus on State and Local Governments

Misdirection is the stock and trade of both magicians and politicians. Over the years, the American people have been conditioned to focus on Washington, D.C. as both the source of our problems and their solution. In doing so, we are allowing those in our state and local government to steal our rights and our liberties right out from under our noses.

By |2022-04-25T00:07:54-04:00April 25th, 2022|

Freedom of Religion Under Attack in Washington State

Imagine your rights are under attack. You seek assistance from those who have sworn to protect you, only to be attacked again. You reach out to what you think is your last hope, only to be rebuffed. Now consider how that must feel: To be abandoned by those who have sworn to protect you.

By |2022-04-13T00:06:31-04:00April 13th, 2022|

Limitations on Foreclosure

We all recognize that property can be foreclosed on for failure to pay a tax debt. What happens when the value of the foreclosure is greater than the debt owed? A case out of Michigan, recently appealed to the Sixth Circuit, seeks redress for just such situations. Eight citizens of Oakland County Michigan are suing the county for...

By |2022-04-05T00:38:32-04:00April 5th, 2022|

Do We Still Have Freedom of Religion?

The governor who executes the laws of the Commonwealth work for the people. If they are unwilling to follow the laws created by the representatives of the people, they should be removed. If the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia are unwilling to hold their elected officials accountable, they have no one to blame except themselves.

By |2022-04-02T01:18:38-04:00April 2nd, 2022|

Are We Witnessing a Southern Invasion?

So if you’re looking for someone to blame for the current state of our border, look no farther than your mirror. Rather than blaming the alien who broke the law, take responsibility for your choices that led to the fact that those laws aren’t being enforced in the first place.

By |2022-03-21T01:36:46-04:00March 21st, 2022|

Can States Rein in the Federal Government?

Since We the People formed those state governments and elected those who hold office, then we are derelict in our duty as well. If freedom and liberty fall in America, if despotism and tyranny are allowed to continue, if this experiment in self government has failed and the sacred fire of liberty should go out, it’s because We the People have been derelict in our duties.

By |2022-03-14T00:40:16-04:00March 14th, 2022|

State of the First Amendment Survey

I got the idea for the Constitution Study while listening to a podcast reporting on the 2013 State of the First Amendment Survey. While the First Amendment Center has not issued a survey since 2019, based on what I’ve been seeing lately it’s still worth investigating. Let’s roll back the clock a few years, look at the state of the First Amendment...

By |2022-03-07T00:14:47-05:00March 7th, 2022|

Republican Form of Government

The Constitution for the United States of America is the oldest national constitution in the world, and second only to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in age. Two hundred and thirty four years is a good run, but that is no guarantee that it will continue. If we wish to uphold the Constitution and the Republic for which it stands, then it’s up to We the People to work to keep it. Otherwise, our future may look more like Napoleonic France, or worse, the Reign of Terror that proceeded it.

By |2022-02-28T00:58:04-05:00February 28th, 2022|

Stealing Presidential Elections From the States

It appears most of the American people are willing to tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. That means this abuse of the Constitution, the experiment in self government, and the consent of the governed is ultimately our fault. The question is, will the American people do anything to stop it before it becomes “law”?

By |2022-02-14T01:52:11-05:00February 14th, 2022|

Nuremberg Code and the COVID-19 “Vaccines”

There are a group of people for whom the phrase “Never Again” has special meaning. We were supposed to have learned our lesson from the Nazis. Lessons about the dangers of rhetoric without evidence, of emotion over reason, of treating groups of people as sub-human. We were supposed to have learned the dangers of unrestrained power and a lack of ethics.

By |2022-02-07T00:27:45-05:00February 7th, 2022|
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