Constitutional Chats Presented By Constituting America

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 155 - TikTok, Balloons, China: What You Should Know Mar 04, 2023

Show notes

It has a population more than 4 times that of the United States. It produces goods and services we use in our daily lives. In our modern economy with the free-flow of information and high levels of technology, one must wonder the impact the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has on the global economy. Here's an interesting point to ponder as we get into today's discussion: China invents very little. That innovation comes from abroad. Yet the CCP has a near universal hold on the exchange of information within their country. How does the CCP manage to maintain this control? How did the cultural revolution in the 1960s and 1970s in China lay the groundwork for today's level of control? How is a seemingly harmless app like TikTok used as a function of the CCP to push propaganda within China and abroad? To answer these questions, we are thrilled to have Steve Yates, Chair of the China Policy Initiative with the America First Policy Institute, join our all-star panel for this eye-opening discussion.

Ep. 154 - George Washington's Leadership Secrets Feb 23, 2023

Show notes

His father died when was 11. His formal education ended at 14. By 17, he had mastered trigonometry and geometry and worked as a surveyor in the American West. Beyond that, he was a solider, leader and our country's first President. Yet, among all of his extraordinary accomplishments, Washington showed our new country what leadership was and is. After victory in the revolutionary war, he resigned his military commission, rather than attempting to seize power. He led the Constitutional Convention by barely speaking a word. And at the end of his term as President, he walked away and allowed the Presidency to pass on to another. He showed us leadership traits in his ability to communicate, collaborate and be civil. He taught us the importance of trust in those who work under you and the need for humility. President Washington is the archetype of the modern leader and his influence runs directly through each of his presidential successors. Discussing the legacy of President Washington, we are thrilled to have an incredible leader joining our panel, Read Adm. (ret) Peter Cressy, Ed D a renowned expert on leadership. Joining the Admiral, we have our all-star panel returning to discuss the incredible leadership lessons of President Washington.

Ep. 153 - The U.S. Congress Today: Is Bipartisan Legislating Possible Anymore? Feb 17, 2023

Show notes

Political parties. President George Washington warned against the rise of political parties (then, the Democratic-Republicans and the Federalists), going so far to say they could be used "to subvert the Power of the People" in his Farewell Address in 1796. In our current Congress, we have seen play out what Washington was warning us against. In this episode we are discussing bipartisanship and taking a look at just how feasible bipartisanship is in today's political climate. We are thrilled to welcome two freshman members of congress: Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI) and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY). Join our all-start student panel in this special episode as we discuss how these members of Congress have already worked together in Congress, how members interact with each other on the House floor and the future of bipartisan legislating!

Ep. 152: The Oversight System Feb 10, 2023

Show notes

You won't find Congress' oversight and investigations power in the U.S. Constitution, but it's one of the most important tools Congress has to do its job! Through Congressional Committees and their oversight and investigations work, Congress serves as a watchdog over the executive branch and researches national issues in need of legislative solutions. Today we discuss congressional oversight and investigation history going back to the first oversight hearing in 1791 over the Battle of the Wabash, to today, including some of the most high profile and contentious hearings in our nation's history. Join us as we discuss how congressional oversight and investigations functions and from where it derives its power. We are happy to welcome back returning Constitutional expert Scot Faulkner, the first Chief Administrative Officer of the U.S. House of Representatives, and our all-star student panel for this insightful discussion.

Ep. 151: The Committee System Feb 03, 2023

Show notes

Members of Congress legislate on a wide range of issues: education, energy, agricultural, space, finance, taxation, national defense, immigration, to name a few. Can we reasonably expect members to be well-versed in the particulars in each of these issues as they pertain to upcoming or pending legislation? Not likely. Enter the committee systems. Over 200 congressional committees and sub-committees exist to address these issues. We are discussing the history of these committees and how they are used in today's political climate. We are honored to have Former Member of Congress Vin Weber joining our student panel for this insightful discussion.

Ep. 150: Congress & The Constitution: The Leadership Jan 27, 2023

Show notes

There are 535 members of Congress: 435 in the House and 100 in the Senate. Each member has their own priorities and agenda. With so many differing priorities, how does anything get done? Enter party leadership. Regular Constituting America viewers know the roles of a U. S. Representative and Senator, but how much do you know about the congressional leadership? There's a Speaker of the House, House and Senate Majority and Minority leaders, Majority and Minority Whips. There's a President Pro Tempore in the Senate. What exactly do they do and how are they selected? Joining our student panel, we are excited to have Marc Lampkin, Capitol Hill veteran and aide to former House Speaker John Boehner, to help us understand how the congressional leadership functions.

Ep. 149 - History the U.S. Senate Jan 20, 2023

Show notes

What do you really know about the US Senate? You probably know there are 100 US Senators and they are elected every six years. And that there are two per state. But do you know why? The Senate has equal representation among the states for a reason that dates back to the Great Compromise of 1787 and is generally more prestigious than the US House of Representatives. We dive into each of these issues in today's chat. We are pleased to have Katherine Scott, Associate Historian in the US Senate Historical Office, join our all-star student panel to discuss the how and why of the US Senate.

Ep. 148 - History the U.S. House of Representatives Jan 12, 2023

Show notes

It's March 1789. You've been elected to serve your community as a member of Congress. You arrive at Federal Hall in New York City to begin your service. You are assigned a desk and…that's it. No office. No support staff. It's a far cry from today where members have staff and offices in DC and in their districts. We are continuing our discussion on Congress and the Constitution by discussing the history of the House of Representatives. Who better to discuss this history than the Historian of the United States House of Representatives Matt Wasniewski? We are excited to have Matt with us alongside our all-star student panel for this informative discussion!

Ep. 147 - Congress & The Constitution Jan 06, 2023

Show notes

435 members from all 50 states. Elected every two years. Created by Article I of the United States Constitution. Regular listeners of our podcast will know from these facts we are talking today about our U.S. House of Representatives. What does Congress do? How does it function? How well do members of Congress know the Constitution? Today we are kicking off a new series in which we will be discussing everything related to Congress and the Constitution! To kick off this series, we are excited to have 13-term Retired and former House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte as our guest constitutional expert, along with our all-star student panel.

Ep. 146 - The Tenth Amendment – Reserved To The States Or The People Dec 15, 2022

Show notes

Once again, the Founders are showing off their talent to address complex issues succinctly in the Bill of Rights with the Tenth Amendment. At just 28 words, the 10th amendment has a profound impact on the side-by-side existence of federal law and state law. Simply put, powers not delegated federally are reserved to the states. Paraphrasing Madison assuaging the concerns of the Antifederalists in Federalist No. 45, the constitutional powers of the federal government are "few and defined" while the remaining powers to the states are "numerous and indefinite." Thank you for joining our alll-star panel, including the return of Constituting America Founder, Actress Janine Turner, and our special guest, Dr. Jeffrey Sikkenga of The Ashbrook Center at Ashland University, as we wrap up our study of the Bill of Rights.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Constitutional Chats Presented By Constituting America

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected