Constitutional Chats Presented By Constituting America

Socialism does not work. It never has. It never will. Case in point: Venezuela. How does a country go from being one of the richest in the world and the most prosperous in Latin America just a few decades ago to one of the least prosperous countries in the world today? Think about this, in the 1970s, Venezuela was the 10th most economically free country worldwide (low taxes, low government spending and regulation) and in 2019 it was dead last, according to the Fraser Institute. Our special guest, Daniel Di Martino, grew up in Venezuela and his family fled their country after seeing their middle-class income fall from $3,000-$4,000 per month to less than $100. Join Daniel and our panel for this eye-opening first-hand account of how socialism destroyed his homeland.

Welcome to Constituting America's new weekly podcast: Janine Turner's Weekly Read! Join us every week as Constituting America Founder & Co-President actress Janine Turner shares with us readings from favorite founding documents! This week: Amazing Descendants of the Mayflower!

Has communism ever worked? There are plenty of excuses as to why it has not worked but the fact of the matter is that it never has. Why is that? A "utopia" sounds great in theory but the Marxist framework behind communism ignores several key factors that prevents it from working as designed. What are these fatal flaws? Join our panel and Dr. Anne Rathbone Bradley with The Fund for American Studies as we examine how and why communism continues to fail every time it is attempted.

"...should I draw you the picture of my heart, it would be what I hope you still would love, though it contained nothing new…" Abigail Adams to John Adams. Get in the Valentine's spirit with Janine Turner and her Weekly Read featuring Love letters between Abigail and John Adams Constituting America's new weekly podcast: Janine Turner's Weekly Read! Join us every week as Constituting America Founder & Co-President actress Janine Turner shares with us readings from favorite founding documents! This week: Love Letters between Abigail and John Adams!

What is capitalism? Simply put, capitalism is a system of free-enterprise where the economy is directed by markets and not top-down by a central government. What does that mean? It means you and millions of other Americans direct our economy and not a handful of bureaucrats in the government. It means you get to decide how and when to lend or borrow and increase competition for the best financial outcome among savers and borrowers. Join our panel and Dr. Lawrence H. White, senior fellow at the Cato Institute and professor of economics at George Mason University for our discussion on capitalism!

Constituting America's new weekly podcast launches today: Janine Turner's Weekly Read! Join us every week as Constituting America Founder & Co-President actress Janine Turner shares with us readings from favorite founding documents! This week: Presidential Quotes!

While the idea of pulling out your phone and instantly buying or selling shares of a stock might be a new phenomenon, the practice of stock trading certainly is not. Did you know stock markets have their roots in 1600s Holland? Companies learned they could fund expensive six-month long voyages to India to bring back spices by selling small ownership stakes to a lot of people. If the voyage was profitable, the shareholder might receive or a dividend of the profits or their ownership stake might increase in value. Our current stock market still functions in essentially the same way hundreds of years later! Join our panel and Desmond Lachman with the American Enterprise Institute for this conversation on our stock market!

It's a name often in headlines and the evening news. But how much do you really know about what the Federal Reserve is and what it does? Did you know it was not created by the Founders in the 18th century but was created in the 20th century? How exactly does the Federal Reserve regulate our country's money supply and what role does it play in accomplishing two goals of sustained high growth and full employment? Who runs it since it is independent of the President and Congress? For these answers plus so many others, join our panel and Professor John O. McGinnis with Northwestern University for this "valuable" conversation!

In creating the new country, our Founders were led by Alexander Hamilton in creating a financial system that would become the envy of the world. In creating this system, Hamilton did four important and interrelated things-fund the national debt, assumption of state war debt, defined US dollar in terms of gold and silver and established the First Bank of the United States. To accomplish this last item, Hamilton had to make an argument that the bank was constitutional as a central bank was not an enumerated power. Join our panel and guest Bob Wright with the American Institute for Economic Research and find out why he argues Hamilton "created the United States of America!"

Did you know much of our modern theories and thoughts on economics have roots with a 18th century Scotsman? Adam Smith wrote "An Inquiry Into The Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations" in 1776 and we still are impacted by his work today. He explored the ideas that we act out of our self-interest, the role of incentives, division of specialized labor and productivity. All of these issues are highly relevant today! Join our panel and all-star academic Dr. Roberta "Bobbi" Herzberg for this discussion on this prolific and relevant author.

Have you ever thought about the role our government plays in our economy? Think about this: Does our constitution protect economic liberty? Do you have the right to buy and sell at the price and terms you set? Can you borrow and lend? Do we have a right to transact anonymously, especially in the era of crypto? All of these questions play a role in whether or not our country sustains long term economic growth. Join our special guest John Cochrane, otherwise known as "The Grumpy Economist", and our panel as we examine the relationship between our government and our economy.

We were all taught in school, or through Constituting America's programs, that the US Constitution is the supreme law of the land. But how is that supreme law to be interpreted? For example, what view do we take when the Constitution says the president must be a "natural born citizen?" What's the difference between originalism and living constitutionalism? Join our panel and constitutional expert Ed Whelan, Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, for this conversation as we wrap up our dive into the American Court System.

We have local courts. We have state and federal courts. Did you know we have another type of court most of us will never experience? The military has its own court system and it follow the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The UCMJ, since codified by congress, actually predates our country! Some of the elements of the UCMJ are similar to civilian courts, like laws against murdering and stealing, but it also differs with laws pertaining to a solider being absent without leave (AWOL). Join our panel and Captain Charles Stimson, Commanding Officer of the Preliminary Hearing Unit, for this discussion on military courts.

We have a myriad of local state and federal courts handling our judicial process. Texas has 950 municipal courts, 800 justice courts, 528 county level courts, 483 state district courts, 14 court of appeals, one Texas Supreme Court and finally one Court of Criminal Appeals! And that is just in Texas! What does this all mean? What are the differences in jurisdictions between these courts? Join our panel and Judge Kimberly Fitzpatrick to find out!

When you think of the US court system, you probably first think of the US Supreme Court. Did you know that while federal courts like the Supreme Court generate the most headlines, most judicial activity is found in state courts? In 2018, 83.8 million cases were filed in state court while just 359,000 cases were filed in federal court. We have over 30,000 state court judges across the country and just 870 federal judges. Why do we have state courts and how are they structured? Join our panel and guest, Associate Judge Kenton Skarin with Illinois' 18th Judicial Circuit for these answers and more!

Imagine this. It's the early years of our country. After a lengthy legal career and senate confirmation, you become a Supreme Court Justice. One of your duties? Get on your horse and travel hundreds or thousands of miles around your "circuit" to hear appeals case. Believe it or not, that was once the responsibility of our Supreme Court justices! What exactly are Federal District Courts, Circuit Courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit? What are their jurisdictions? How do they differ from state courts? For these answers and more, join our panel and special guest, Senior Fellow with the National Center for Public Policy Research Horace Cooper, as we examine our federal court system.

Have you ever thought about how judges get their positions? Some are elected, some are appointed and others go through lengthy, and often contentious, senate hearings broadcast on C-SPAN. Why is that? The Founders wanted federal judges to be insulated from political influences so they are given lifetime appointments and generous pensions for their service. State judges rule on issues closer to the people so it makes sense some are elected by the very people their rulings will affect. Join our panel and our guest, Carrie Severino with the Judicial Crisis Network, for this look into how our judges are chosen.

Think about this. Our Constitution dates back over two centuries with only a few changes. No other country can say the same. In creating our government, the Founders knew the Supreme Court would not be the most powerful of the branches. Hamilton explained the President has the sword, Congress has the purse and all the Supreme Court has is judgement. The Court's power comes from judgement and the reasonability of their action, not through coercion and force. These are interesting points to consider. Join our panel and Professor John Yoo, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General, for this insightful discussion into the practices and history of "the highest court in the land."

Did you know 17 US states have an international border? The intersection of empathy and rule of law has been front and center in the news over the last few months as the debate over our immigration laws was reignited. While we feel both sympathy from those traveling thousands of miles against dangerous odds to get here, we also have to respect our rule of law. The U.S. Constitution delegates border enforcement issues to the executive branch of the national government, but what are states to do if those federal laws are not being adequately enforced? Join our panel, moderated by Constituting America founder and co-chair Actress Janine Turner, with students, and our expert guest: former Justice Department Senior Advisor to the US Attorney General Gene Hamilton for this insightful discussion.

It's the case that has grasped a nation. A young social media personality goes missing, is eventually found deceased and her fiancé is a suspect. With so many unanswered questions, we have reexamined interactions with law enforcement in the days preceding her disappearance. Could they have done more? Could the fiancé have been detained? The Bill of Rights sets the framework for law enforcement through the 4th and 5th amendments. Join our panel and former federal prosector Charles Stimson as we examine the legal circumstances in this case and criminal procedure.

For 13 weeks, we continued a conversation that first began over 200 years ago between Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Why is it relevant to continue this conversation? It's because we belong in a community. The Preamble echoes this as it does not begin with "I, the individual" but with "We, the people." In continuing this conversation we realize human nature and the natural tendencies we have to join social and political groups, quarrel and ask questions. In human nature, the gravitation towards power is constant, therefore we divide it to prevent its corrupting tendency. Join Professor Gordon Lloyd from Pepperdine University and our panel as we continue this conversation!

The Supreme Court was controversial when it was first proposed. In Brutus XV, Robert Yates argues the problem with the Supreme Court is that it will be too powerful because they can interpret the Constitution and their decisions cannot be overturned. In a direct response in Federalist 78, Hamilton argued the Supreme Court and federal courts would not be the most powerful branch but the least dangerous because they cannot make laws, cannot tax and cannot enforce the law. Hamilton argued court power of judicial review is limited and not meant to give the court supremacy over the other branches but to protect its own independence. What do you think? Has the Supreme Court become too powerful and does Brutus offer insight into what the Supreme Court has become? Join our panel and Dr. Jeffrey Sikkenga, Executive Director of the Ashbrook Center, for this enlightening discussion.

When you decide to take an action, do you seek permission to take that action or look for a prohibition against it? The difference is substantial. Anti-Federalists supported a Bill of Rights in the Constitution as they viewed it as a list of rights that should be retained by the people in the new government. They were concerned that through the Supremacy Clause, the US Constitution would overrule state constitutions. The Federalists did not view the Bill of Rights as necessary, believing the checks and balances sufficient to protect our individual liberty, and argued that an enumeration of "we the peoples'" rights would give the government permission to take over in areas not listed. The Federalists feared a Bill of Rights might actually harm individual liberty. What do you think? Join our panel and Constitutional expert Tara Ross for this powerful discussion.

Power. Should it rest with the states or with the federal government? The Articles of Confederation did an incomplete job in assigning powers such as commerce and taxation so The Founders held a Constitutional Convention to address these concerns. Brutus and Agrippa had concerns that the "common defense and general welfare" clause in the new constitution was too broad. Madison responded to this concern in Federalist 45 that the power of the general government are few and defined while the power to the states are many and undefined. Brutus and Agrippa thought a too strong general government would suck away power from the states while Madison felt a union with too weak a government could crumble. What do you think? Join our panel and the ever-informative Professor Gordon Lloyd for this week's discussion that has profound relevance even today.

Have you ever noticed that Article 2 of the Constitution, which creates the presidency, is much shorter than Article 1, which creates Congress? The Founders knew the President's powers needed to be "flexible" since that's the only branch of government which serves year-round. The Anti-Federalists felt this was dangerous as the President could become a Caesar with undefined powers. Hamilton and the Federalists were happy with a stronger central government with a strong executive. What do you think? Has our Executive Branch grown to be too big with too much power or does this structure allow our country to properly assign blame, echoing President Truman's famous slogan, "the buck stops here?" Join our panel and Professor Joerk Knipprath as we discuss both of these points of views in this week's chat.

In Brutus XVI, the Anti-Federalists expressed concerns over the design of the senate even though they felt the senate was needed for their preferred type of government. They feared the senate design as a threat to liberty because of the consolidation of central power at the expense of the states and the people. In Federalist 63, Madison argued against these fears with the need for predictability and stability. Please join our panel and constitutional expert, Professor Michael Zuckert from the University of Notre Dame, as we explore Brutus' concerns, the concessions Madison promulgated and what our guest likes to call "short-leash republicanism."

James Madison wrote in Federalist 55, "Had every Athenian been a Socrates; every Athenian assembly would still have been a mob." What did he mean? The Founders knew representation was central to the American experiment so it was no accident that the Constitution created our legislative branch before any other. They were also wary of that branch having too much law-making power so they split that authority into a bicameral legislature. While the Federalists wanted to give more power, like taxation, to Congress, the Anti-Federalists were wary of such "enlargement." Unsurprisingly, that debate continues today. Please join our panel and special guest Tony Williams from the Bill of Rights Institute as we deep dive into the structure of the "first branch."

James Madison wrote that "the great difficulty" of creating a system of government is finding the way it can "control ITSELF." Are checks and balances enough to protect your rights? The Anti Federalists thought no! What do you think? Is a Bill of Rights needed with a strong constitution that delegates and, more importantly, LIMITS power? This was a major debate among the founding fathers and it still rages on today. Join our panel and special guest Professor Christopher Burkett of the Ashbrook Center of Ashland Unversity as we discuss who was the most likely author of Brutus III, the anti-federalists' fears about the treaty powers of the executive branch, "the great compromise" at the Constitutional Convention, James Madison's role in the Bill of Rights, and much more!

Does the Executive branch have TOO much power? The Anti-Federalists thought so! What do YOU think? This was a major debate among the founding fathers and it still rages on today. Join our panel and special guest Professor Gordon Lloyd of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy as we discuss the term of office of the presidency; the difference between a monarch and the president; the difference between "Whigs" and "Old Whigs" and how all of this is relevant today!

Does the "Necessary and Proper Clause" in our Constitution restrict our freedom? The Anti-Federalists thought so. This was a major debate among the founding fathers and it still rages on today. Join our panel and special guest Professor Joerg Knipprath of Southwestern Law School as we discuss the anti-federalists concerns about the U.S. Constitution, including the "necessary and proper clause," the nature of a republic; republic vs. democracy; and what Hamilton meant by "The Improved Science of Politics." How is all of this relevant today? Listen and find out!

"A Republic If You Can Keep It!" Have We? Is it possible to preserve a large republic or were the anti-federalists right that only a small republic is possible to preserve? This was a major debate among the founding fathers and it still rages on today. Join our panel and special guest Professor Gordon Lloyd of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy as we discuss the nature of a republic; "the extended commercial republic," republic vs. democracy; the difference between "Whigs" and "Old Whigs" and how all of this is relevant today!

Power to the states or concentrate power in a central federal government? This was a major debate among the founding fathers and it still rages on today. Join our panel and special guest Tony Williams with the Bill of Rights Institute as we discuss how our current system can be described as partly national and partly federal.

Were the Federalists or the Anti-Federalists Correct? Or Both? And how are they relevant today? Breaking down the Anti-Federalist Papers! Join us as we count down to Constitution Day in our new Anti-Federalist paper series. Listen to our first episode: What's at Stake: Centinel I and Federalist I. Professor Gordon Lloyd of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy is our special guest!

He has been called the Godfather of the Declaration! Who was he? Listen to find out as we discuss Virginia's George Wythe with Author Suzanne Harman Munson! The last in our "Little Known Signers of the Declaration" series!

Only one person signed the Continental Association (or Articles of Association - during the First Continental Congress), the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the United States Constitution and the First Continental Congress's Petition to the King (1774). These are foundational documents that created our country. And you probably never heard of him. Join our panel and special guest Tom Hand of AmericanaCorner.com for this weeks' chat about the remarkable Roger Sherman. Follow Americana Corner on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/americanacorner and on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/americanacorner/

He was a physician, United States Mint Treasurer, Member of the Continental Congress, founder of a college, Surgeon General of the Continental Army and "the father of American psychiatry." He also signed the Declaration of Independence. He was Dr. Benjamin Rush. Join our panel and author William Federer as we dive into the life of Dr. Rush in this exciting and informative chat.

Did you know that in addition to signing the Declaration of Independence, George Ross was also minister, lawyer and served in the continental army? This little known founding fathers also shares his last name with his famous niece! Join our panel and special guest Gary Porter for an insightful discussion into this remarkable founding father.

Please join our panel as we welcome special guest Vincent Cannato. He's the author of "American Passage: The History of Ellis Island." Our discussion focuses on the history of Ellis Island and how the immigration debate from that time period continues today.

Join Circuit Court Judge Michael Warren for this enlightening chat as he and our panel discuss various regulations regarding COVID vaccinations. What can the federal government and private businesses require? Listen to find out!

Our Guest Thomas Jipping of the Heritage Foundation joins us to present a history of the size of the Supreme Court, and past efforts to change the number of justices, known as court packing. Mr. Jipping also discusses The Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States, its mission and structure, and various reforms that may be considered by the commission.

Our guest, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, joins us to give us a first-hand account of our immigration system today. The Attorney General and our panel discuss both legal and illegal immigration and how they tie into our legal system spelled out in the Constitution. Join us for episode three of The Constitution And Immigration: The Constitution and Immigration today!

Our guest, Wilfred McClay, is the author of "Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story." For millions of immigrants, Ellis Island was the first stop on their way to their American Dream. Our panel and guest discuss immigration in the first half of the 20th century. Join us for episode two of The Constitution And Immigration: Ellis Island!

Our guest, Professor Kevin Portteus of Hillsdale College, discusses the founders' views on immigration, and immigration during the founding period, Civil War and up to 1898. Join us for episode one of The Constitution And Immigration: The Founders!

There are some things that we "can't not know". Our special guest apologizes for the double negative. These laws are so universal that even children know about them. Join our panel and special guest, Dr. J.Budziszewski, author of "Written on the Heart," as we discuss these universal moral laws and he lays out his case for natural law. Episode 66 of Constitutional Podcast. Livestreamed on 4/13/2021. Sign up for our next Constitutional Chat via Zoom at http://constitutingamerica.org.

How did the concept of Natural Law influence the Founders as they drafted the Declaration of Independence and later, our United States Constitution? Join our panel and our guest constitutional expert, Tony Williams with the Bill of Rights Institute, as we discuss "The Founders & Natural Law"! Episode 65 of Constitutional Podcast. Livestreamed on 3/30/3031. Sign up for our next Constitutional Chat via Zoom at www.constitutingamerica.org

We have rights that are not given to us by governments or the state. We all have certain unalienable rights endowed by our Creator. Join our panel this week for this enlightened discussion as we continue our series on "natural law." Episode 64 of Constitutional Podcast. Livestreamed on 3/30/3031. Sign up for our next Constitutional Chat via Zoom at http://constitutingamerica.org.

Aristotle is regarded as the father of "natural law." What exactly is natural law? From the ancient Greeks to the Founders of our country, join this week's chat to learn what it is and how this concept influenced the philosophies of John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. Episode 63 of Constitutional Chats Podcast. Livestreamed on 3/23/2021. Sign up for our next Constitutional Chat via Zoom at http://constitutingamerica.org

How executive orders affect your life & checks and balances. Continuing our "The Amendments and YOU!" series, Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and student ambassadors Jewel and Jorne Gilbert interview constitutional scholar Todd Gaziano on the history and current application of executive orders. Episode 62 of Constitutional Chats Podcast. Livestreamed on 3/16/2021. Sign up for our next Constitutional Chat via Zoom at http://constitutingamerica.org

How the 20th and 22nd Amendment shaped terms in office for federally elected officials. Continuing our "The Amendments and YOU!" series, Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and student ambassadors Jewel and Jorne Gilbert interview Sen. Ted Cruz on how a potential constitutional amendment to establish term limits for members of Congress. Episode 60 of Constitutional Chats Podcast. Livestreamed on 3/9/2021. Sign up for our next Constitutional Chat via Zoom at http://constitutingamerica.org

How the 20th and 22nd Amendment shaped terms in office for federally elected officials. Continuing our "The Amendments and YOU!" series, Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and student ambassadors Jewel and Jorne Gilbert interview Sen. Ted Cruz on how a potential constitutional amendment to establish term limits for members of Congress. Episode 60 of Constitutional Chats Podcast. Livestreamed on 3/9/2021. Sign up for our next Constitutional Chat via Zoom at http://constitutingamerica.org