Year: 2025

State and local government can impact your life more than the Feds

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – With everyone focused on what Donald Trump or the federal courts will do next, it’s easy to forget that our states have governments, and what they do can have even more impact on our lives than the Feds. If we are to be constitutionally sound citizens, we need to keep an eye on our state and local governments as much, if not more, than…

Supreme Court Approves DOGE Access to Social Security Data

The Supreme Court gave the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) the greenlight to access Social Security Administration (SSA) data on Friday.
The Trump administration asked the justices in May to pause a district court judge’s preliminary injunction preventing the SSA DOGE team from accessing certain records.

Supreme Court Rejects GOP’s Challenge to Pennsylvania Ballot Ruling

Republicans alleged that the state Supreme Court violated the U.S. Constitution by misapplying an election law from the state Legislature.

U.S. Court of Appeals Reverses Injunction Against Tennessee’s Voter Registration Policy for Felons

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed a lower court ruling that had blocked Tennessee’s policy requiring certain felons to provide additional documentation when registering to vote.

Supreme Court Sides With DOGE in Social Security, Records Cases

Three justices dissented from the court’s two new rulings.

House Passes Bill to Bar Non-Citizens From Federal Small Business Loans

The bill would limit eligibility for SBA loans to U.S. citizens, non-citizen U.S. nationals, and lawful permanent residents — excluding some joint ventures.

New York State Proposes Banning All Ethnic School Mascots

It follows a federal government order for the state to either rescind its Native American mascot ban or face the potential loss of federal funding.

Federal Judge Dismisses Challenge to Colorado Gun Control Law