The Constitution Study podcast

Paul Engel: Author, speaker and podcaster

Join a group of Everyday Americans as we learn to read and study the Constitution, and teach the rising generation to live free.

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#546
Yesterday · 22 min
546 - It's Not Flock's Fault
A lot of people have it out for Automatic License Plate Readers, especially Flock Safety. In the case USA v. Meilisa Susan Kyle, Flock Safety did not violate Ms. Kyle's rights, the Sheriff's Deputy did.
#545
October 19 · 15 min
545 - The Petition Clause
There are plenty of court cases claiming violations of the First Amendment. As I've shown, most of those have nothing to do with the First Amendment, but that doesn't mean Congress doesn't violate it regularly. Let me introduce you to The Petition Clause.
#544
October 12 · 16 min
544 - Spirit of 1776 or 1984
In 1776, Thomas Jefferson wrote some of the most famous words in American history. In 1949, George Orwell wrote the novel 1984, warning of a dystopian future. The question I have is, will the future of the United States of America be the Spirit of 1776 or the Spirit of 1984?
#543
October 5 · 13 min
543 - States of our civics education
I started The Constitution Study in 2014 because of a study that showed most Americans don't know the rights protected by the First Amendment. A recent study by the Annenberg Public Policy Center shows that while things may be better where the First Amendment is concerned, our overall civics education is pretty bad.
#542
September 28 · 26 min
542 -Religious Employment Discrimination
Should you loose your job because of your opinion? What if that opinion is religiously based? That is the exact question asked in the case Brown v. Alaska Airlines.
#541
September 21 · 29 min
541 - AI Warrants
Most people are familiar with the Warrant Clause. But have you considered what constituted probable cause? More importantly, what happens when the system uses a flawed, even fraudulent warrant, and ruins someone's life?
#540
September 14 · 18 min
540 - The Power to Fire
President Trump, when he hosted the television program The Apprentice, was famous for the line: "You're Fired!" This penchant for firing people is something he brought with him to the presidency. Two cases recently decided by the Supreme Court question the President's power to fire.
#539
September 7 · 14 min
539 - Does Money Equal Speech?
People frequently complain about money in politics. Others complain that campaign finance rules suppress "free speech". Which brings up the question in the Supreme Court case NRSC v. FEC.
#538
August 31 · 19 min
538 - Determining What Your Home is Worth
No one likes to pay taxes. Some go so far as to claim you don't own your home since it can be taken for failure to pay taxes. If you how a tax debt, how should government determine the value of your property?
#537
August 24 · 19 min
537 - Keeping Girls Safe
Should those with a mental illness be allowed to scare and stalk our wives and daughters in pursuit of their disease? Can public schools protect our young ladies, or shall mental illness supersede the law, biology, and common sense?
#536
August 17 · 23 min
536 - Defining Election Day
When is Election Day? Is it defined as the day the ballots are marked or received by election officials. That is the heart of the question in the case Watson v. RNC, and the court's decision will impact more than just Mississippi.
#535
August 10 · 20 min
535 - Hawaii's Attack on Property Rights
Who decides who can carry a firearm on your property and under what conditions? Does the Second Amendment presume permission or restriction? According to the Hawaiian legislature, they decide who carries and presumes restriction.
#534
August 3 · 25 min
534 - Geofence Warrants
We all walk around with tracking devices on, cellphones. While these devices report our location on an almost second by second basis, what are the rules law enforcement has to follow to search that data?
#533
July 27 · 21 min
533 - EPA vs State's Rights
I've heard a lot of people talking about the Monsanto case and the claims that one of their products, Roundup, may cause cancer. However, the case before the Supreme Court was much more unique, involving state's rights, intrastate commerce, and the limits of federal law and regulation.
#532
July 20 · 23 min
532 - Birthright Citizenship at SCOTUS
In one of the most anticipated opinions of this Supreme Court Term, Trump v. Barbara questions whether an Executive Order with language that mirrors the Constitution is actually constitutional. I believe that history will remember this opinion as one of the dumbest of any Supreme Court in history.
#531
July 13 · 18 min
531 - The Second Amendment and Your Right to Live Free
During the debates about the ratification of the Constitution, one of the questions involved the need for a Bill of Rights. One of the arguments against such a document was the idea that some may consider the listing of rights in the Constitution as permission to regulate those rights. We find an example of just such attempt to regulate rights in the Supreme Court case United States v. Hemani. Specifically, can the federal government deny your right to keep and bear arms if you use your liberty to use marijuana.
#530
July 4 · 16 min
530 - Semiquincentennial
Today, July 4th 2026, is the semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Two hundred and fifty years is certainly an anniversary worth celebrating. Sadly, in our exuberance to celebrate, many have also shown their ignorance both of the document and our history. Today, in honor of the semiquincentennial, I want to look at both the history and the document that was such a turning point in our history.
#529
June 29 · 13 min
529 - Are You Smarter Than a Naturalized Citizen?
Most of us probably remember the TV Game Show "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader", where contestants attempted to answer fifth grade questions for prizes. The answers given were often hilarious. What if they weren't fifth grade questions, but civics questions? Would that answer the American people give still be funny?
#528
June 22 · 14 min
528 - Interstate Commerce
The Constitution delegates to Congress the power to regulate commerce "among the several States". What makes commerce not just commerce interstate? That's part of the question the Supreme Court was asked to answer in the case Flowers v. Brock.
#527
June 15 · 21 min
527 - Racial Gerrymandering
Racism is wrong. At least that's what I've been told my entire life. But if racism is wrong, why do so many people demand we make decisions based on race? Is an election fair if the people are vote are racially chosen? If it was wrong for people to be denied the representation because of their race, why is it OK for them to deny representation to others for the same reason? Is choosing representation based on race is wrong? That is the question presented to the Supreme Court in the case LOUISIANA v. CALLAIS ET AL.

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