Constitutional Chats Presented By Constituting America

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Ep. 226 - John Adams and the Constitution Aug 28, 2024

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Perhaps no Founding Father exemplifies the ideal of a citizen-legislator quite like John Adams. Never a wealthy man, Adams dedicated his life and contributed greatly to our country in its infancy: as a lawyer, as a delegate to the Continental Congress, as our first Vice President and as our second President. What was the basis for Adam's beliefs in how our country should be structured and why does our guest today argue John Adams was the greatest of our Founding Fathers? Join our student panel as we welcome C. Bradley Thompson, Professor of Political Science at Clemson University, for this informative discussion.

Ep. 225 - Coolidge and the Constitution Aug 23, 2024

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He was a city mayor, state representative and state senator. He was a lieutenant governor and governor. And he was a vice president and president. Today, we are discussing the accomplishments of Calvin Coolidge. He was an ardent defender of the US Constitution and fought the trend to alter and reinterpret the provisions in the Constitution. He was also a dedicated "Toquevillian." To guide our student panel in this discussion, we are thrilled to welcome Amity Shlaes as a guest. She is the author of "Coolidge" (2013) and is the chair board of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation.

Ep. 224 - George Washington & The Constitution Aug 16, 2024

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He was a solider, general, President and statesman. George Washington is one of those few historical figures whose real-life accomplishments live up to the legend of the man. But what was Washington's role in crafting the document that ultimately made him President? What were his thoughts on the role of a federal government in our new country? To help us understand Washington's mindset during this pivotal era, we are delighted to welcome Stewart McLaurin, president of the White House Historical Association for this informative chat with our student panel.

Ep. 222 - Understanding Convention Delegates — Who, How, When and Why! Aug 02, 2024

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During the summer before every presidential election, both major political parties host their conventions. Part of their function is to formally nominate their candidate for President. Just who are the thousands of delegates who attend? What are their duties? How are they chosen? To help us understand everything related to these conventions and delegates, we are excited to welcome back election law expert Mark Braden and our student panel for this discussion.

Ep. 221 - Will Recent Supreme Court Cases Shift Power Away From Federal Agencies? Jul 26, 2024

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Back in April, we discussed the Chevron Doctrine and the power it gave to unelected officials in various agencies. This doctrine allowed agencies to rely on their own interpretation of ambiguous law. In the recent Loper Bright decision, the Supreme Court struck down this doctrine. To help our student panel understand the long term ramifications of this decision, we are delighted to welcome back Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for this timely discussion.

Ep. 220 - Supreme Court Empowers Local Communities–Learn More About The Recent Decision On Homeless Encampments Jul 19, 2024

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Back in May, we discussed a Supreme Court case that was about to be decided regarding actions local governments had taken regarding homelessness encampments in public spaces, in their cities. Late last month, the Supreme Court sided 6-3 with the city of Grants Pass, Oregon, ruling their laws did not violate the 8th amendment prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment. Returning from that previous show, we are thrilled to welcome back Thomas Jipping, Senior Legal Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, as he discusses the ramifications of this U.S. Supreme Court decision with our student panel.

Ep. 219 - Presidential Immunity: What Does the Recent Supreme Court Decision Mean? Jul 11, 2024

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As with most Supreme Court decisions, the recent Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity is both complex and misunderstood. The Court had to rule on what level of immunity the President has in regard to his official duties as President. This case involves a complex series of rulings from various courts but we are thankful to have returning as our guest, former US Attorney and retired Navy JAG officer Charles "Cully" Stimson. Cully will help our all-star student panel unravel the complexities of this landmark Supreme Court case.

Ep. 219 - Presidential Immunity: What Does the Recent Supreme Court Decision Mean? Jul 11, 2024

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Ep. 218 – You Chose To Celebrate The American People! Jul 04, 2024

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This week we celebrate the spirit of the American people! A country's identity is directly tied to its people. A good way to gauge the characteristics and spirit of a country's people is to look at the country from an outsider's perspective. That's exactly what Alexis de Tocqueville did when he came to America in 1831. The French-born aristocrat traveled extensively around our country and in 1835 wrote of his observations and experiences in "Democracy in America." What can we learn from his observations? Are his observations still relevant nearly 200 years later? To help us further understand the importance and relevance of de Tocqueville's writings, we are pleased to welcome Dr. Pete Peterson, Dean of Pepperdine's School of Public Policy, to the chat today.

Ep. 217 – You Chose Celebrating The American Dream! Jun 29, 2024

Show notes

When you hear the term "the American Dream" what do you think of first? Homeownership? Going to college? Having a great job? Safe communities? All are correct answers. What is amazing about that dream is that it can be unique to each of us, yet is something we all collectively enjoy in this country. Think about this. Our Constitution does not specifically mention the American Dream, but it protects the freedoms to pursue it. The American Dream did not happen by accident and our guest argues it's largely driven by economic liberty. To find out why, join our student panel and our special guest, the Wall Street Journal's Kimberly Strassel, for this fascinating discussion!

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