Video Podcasts

342 – The Virginia Declaration of Rights (1)

Prior to the Declaration of Independence being adopted, Virginia adopted their Declaration of Rights.

A Declaration of Rights
Is made by the representatives of the good people of Virginia, assembled in full and free convention which rights do pertain to them and their posterity, as the basis and foundation of government.

George Mason wrote this declaration, but its impact goes far beyond the Commonwealth of Virginia. We can see the influence of this document on Thomas Jefferson in the opening paragraphs of the Declaration. Let’s take some time and look at this predecessor of our Declaration of Independence.

340 – When is Freedom of Speech Not Freedom of Speech?

You may have heard about Texas bill H.B. 20, an attempt by the government of Texas to prevent censorship by social media companies. You might also have heard about the case making its way through the federal judicial system regarding this particular law. The central question we should be asking is, when is freedom of speech not freedom of speech? Put another way, can government, either legislatively or judicially, force private companies to share communication they disagree with?

338 – What is Judicial Review?

If you spend any significant time discussing court opinions, you’ve encountered the concept of “Judicial Review”. What is judicial review, where does it come from, and is it used today the way it was originally defined? These are the questions every American should have a basic understanding of if they wish to live free. So that is what we are going to look at in this article.

337 – Is It Prideful to Force Others to Comply With Your Desires?

None of us want to be judged by our race, sex, or how we live our lives. But what right do we have to impose our views on others, even to the point of controlling their private property. That is the question in a complaint against Yeshiva University. Does the City of New York have the legal authority to make a private university recognize a student group? Can the state order a religious school to violate its core beliefs to accommodate the wishes of a student? If we wish to live at liberty, doesn’t that mean we have to allow others to enjoy their own liberty, even if we disagree with it?

336 – Insuring Religious Freedom

“By hook or by crook”, that seems to be the sentiment of some who promote abortion in this country. When they could not get their way by federal law, they engaged the federal judiciary. When the judiciary abandoned them, they went back to using state law to get their way. And when state law didn’t get them all they wanted, they used regulation to “back door” themselves around the law. Such seems to be the case in California.

335 – Why Don’t We Celebrate Constitution Day?

Most Americans celebrate the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, but very few celebrate the signing of the Constitution of the United States? Why is that? Sure, we celebrate Independence Day with cookouts and fireworks, but there’s nothing preventing us from celebrating Constitution Day the same way? Could it be that this union of states, like an old married couple, has become complacent and bored? Come with me while I examine this phenomenon in preparation for my own celebration of Constitution Day.

334 – Defending Your Right Against Unreasonable Searches

When a government agent stands at your door asking to come in, do you know what your rights are? What would you do if that agent tries to enter your house illegally? If that day comes, the difference between liberty and incarceration may well depend on how well you know your rights and how prepared you are to assert and defend them.

333 – The Role of the Federal Judiciary

In Federalist Papers #78, Alexander Hamilton said that the the federal judiciary would be the branch of government least dangerous to our rights. But is that how the courts are working in the 21st century? What makes the courts today so injurious to our rights? We get a clue from current Associate Justice Elena Kagan in a speech she gave at a judicial conference in Montana this July. By comparing her statements to the Constitution and the writings of those who helped frame it, we should not only be able to answer what makes the court dangerous to our rights, but how to protect our rights from them.