THE CONSTITUTION STUDY

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Lucy pulls the ball away at the last moment, and Charlie Brown falls flat on his back. I think that's a great metaphor for the American people. We keep trusting government actors to do the right thing, only to find ourselves flat on our backs, our wallets emptied, and in pain caused by government policies.

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Are you aware that not only have members of Congress settled sexual misconduct allegations with hush money, but that millions of taxpayer dollars were used? If you watch Senate Minority Leader Schumer's rant about the SAVE Act, could you spot the lies? What about the lie in Maine when they put a convicted mail sexual predator in a women's prison?

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – We've all heard Newton's Third Law of Motion: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. But what about the rest of life? In life, for every action there is a reaction, a consequence, but they are not always equal or opposite. Cities like Boston and states like California take action to implement high taxes and...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Politicians and public officials deflect attention from uncomfortable issues, urging people to believe there is “nothing to see.” From election controversies to protests, congressional debates, and bizarre government programs, these moments reveal how distraction, messaging, and political theater often replace accountability when embarrassing problems or contradictions come into...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – It seems just about every time we expect the government to take care of things for us, it turns into an abject failure. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me 10,000 times, and I'm probably an American voter. Ronald Reagan famously said that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are “I'm from the government and I'm here to help.”

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – The House Oversight Committee has been busy lately, subpoenaing Attorney General Pam Bondi and issuing reports about Minnesota Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison, not only knowing about the fraud in their state, but covering it up. What are those in Congress gonna do? Looks like nothing. Republicans in Congress have been promoting the SAVE Act...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – We live in a litigious society. However, what we sometimes find in our judicial system is more legal maneuvering than a search for justice. The Supreme Court said courts should defer to the decisions of so-called immigration courts. I say “so-called” immigration courts because they are not Article III courts but rather departments within the...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Are you prepared to defend your rights? Or are you like a growing number of Americans who are trusting Artificial Intelligence for legal and medical advice? Are you willing to trust your life, or the life of your neighbors, to an autonomous vehicle? Will you let medical associations that have shown themselves to be more and more political determine your health?

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – The Supreme Court moves into the decision-heavy phase of its term, bringing key rulings and notable oral arguments into focus. Two stories involving state Attorneys General highlight the importance of watching state-level officials, while updates on the conflict in Iran add broader international context to today's discussion...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Some claim this is war, others just another military attack. While I'm not here to debate the moral aspects of this action, the constitutional issues are up for grabs here. Did Donald Trump, as President of the United States, have the legal authority to initiate this military engagement? Are we prepared, both in the...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – There's a parable in the Gospels that reminds us that if we are not humble, we're likely to be taken down a notch or two. Not only do I think that's a good lesson in general, I think it's especially important in today's climate. Are you familiar with the gospel story of finding a seat at a banquet? Jesus said we should not assume we...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – If you've ever watched a magician work, they frequently get you to focus on one place while the trick is done somewhere else. Not so surprisingly, politics works the same way. We focus so much on the circus we call Washington, D.C., that we miss what's going on in our cities and states. Do you know what's going on in your state?

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Meanwhile, back at SCOTUS, they claimed that the U.S. Postal Service somehow magically became a sovereign and therefore had immunity. I'd find that hilarious if it weren't used by the USPS to protect alleged criminal activity. Seeing as the federal government doesn't legally have sovereign immunity to begin with, I'm not sure how the court could...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Political payback escalates as Susan Rice, Donald Trump, and state officials trade threats and legal battles. From transgender policies and abortion pill disputes to vaccine liability shields, retaliation increasingly drives public life. As revenge replaces reason, Americans watch a system where power, punishment, and politics collide at every level...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – President Trump has not taken his defeat well. I would say it was more like a petulant child not getting the sugary cereal he wanted. He not only expressed his displeasure with those on the court who disagreed with him, but he also called them unpatriotic and their decision un-American. Trump completely ignored both the law and the Constitution...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Like the Rhode Island man who went into a youth hockey game and started shooting. Some outlets acted like this man's identification as a woman was irrelevant and not even worth mentioning. Others focus so much on it that they exclude all other information. Our unwillingness to speak the truth about the entire LGBTQIA+ agenda is leading us to...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – We've all heard the saying that sunlight is the best disinfectant. So if there's one thing we need in government is more sunlight. If sunlight is the best disinfectant, what are you doing to help spread the sunlight? In large part because We the People have turned over our sunlight duties to others, and as usual, they've dropped the ball...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – State governments shape daily life through regulations, lawsuits, and policy decisions that often escape public attention. From energy mandates and vaccine disputes to immigration trends and job losses, citizens confront consequences close to home. Vigilance at state, local, and federal levels remains essential to preserving accountability and freedom for all...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Questions arise as federal agencies, lawmakers, and public institutions face scrutiny over elections, audits, speech, and accountability. Lawsuits, investigations, and political pressure reveal competing motives and civil liberty concerns, challenging citizens to consider how power is exercised and whether oversight protects rights or undermines them in complex democratic public systems...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – We're in the middle of another partial federal government shutdown because some people in Washington, D.C. would rather play politics and take time away than do their jobs. New York City hired a socialist mayor who thinks our federal immigration laws should follow Islamic law, and that a schizophrenic, knife-wielding person who attacks...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – I'm old enough to have seen the original Star Wars trilogy in theaters. In Return of the Jedi, the emperor tells Luke, You will pay the price for your lack of vision.” Sadly, the American people are paying the price for our lack of vision. The Trump administration recently reversed an Obama administration decision that had found certain “greenhouse gases” to be dangerous...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – They're considering legislation to discriminate against Muslims, banning Sharia law in U.S. Court systems. The House passed the “SAVE America Act,” half of which destroys the federalism America was based on, by attempting to federalize voter registration. Probably the most interesting, is the Senate Special Committee on Aging...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – The only reason the federal government hasn't declared bankruptcy already is that countries keep pumping money into the government, praying that it won't collapse until after they're gone. I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like they're meeting their fiduciary responsibilities. If you want to know why fiscal mismanagement in the federal government is so...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – States often invoke their constitutional powers but ignore the duties that come with them. From Second Amendment conflicts to unauthorized international agreements and political attacks on the judiciary, this piece examines how state actions strain constitutional obligations and weaken the foundations necessary to preserve a strong and lasting union...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – We've seen problems in our elections, from questionable ballots to questionable voters. But what have we done to minimize the fraud? What are we doing to help ensure only legal votes are cast? Because Congress has some ideas, and while I think they're pretty good, it seems no one has noticed that it's illegal for Congress to do them.

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – The Declaration showed the world the grievances the colonies had with their king as justification for their separation. Now, some 250 years later, are we prepared to challenge those same grievances with the federal government? What about our state governments? Unlike the colonists, we do not need a revolution to redress our grievances...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Two states offer a clear warning about what happens when government greed drives policy. California's tax ambitions push businesses and jobs away, while New York demands national funding for long-ignored infrastructure. Both cases reveal how short-term political gain, misuse of public money, and ideological priorities undermine economic stability and public trust...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Government no longer serves as a neutral protector but acts as an aggressive force that intimidates states and citizens alike. From elections to constitutional rights, political power is wielded through coercion rather than consent. History shows bullies retreat when confronted, and freedom survives only when people recognize injustice and choose to stand up—legally, firmly, and without fear...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – America thrives not by accident, but because of liberty and the rule of law. I reflect on why a nation with unmatched prosperity and influence seems eager to undermine the very principles that made it exceptional. When borders, property rights, and equal justice are ignored, we risk destroying the freedom that has long sustained our success...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Jesus warns that no one can serve two masters, and the same truth confronts our nation today. I argue that loyalty to the Constitution is being traded for government favors and personal gain. When citizens and lawmakers choose mammon over principle, the republic itself is placed in jeopardy...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – The lies behind Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and transgenderism have harmed countless people. What about the women who've been denied spots on teams because of the lie that a man can become a woman? What about the lies in the news? From climate change to COVID, corporate media has been found lying to the...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – I keep hearing that elections have consequences. That got me thinking, are there more consequences to our elections than most people talk about? Political attempts to manipulate elections are nothing new. From a gerrymandering state constitutional amendment in Virginia to federal attempts to impose term limits on congressional...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – With illegal immigration in the news, not to mention the demonstrations in Minneapolis, there has been a lot of talk lately about due process, especially who has a right to it. Today, we'll cut through the hype, emotion, and political posturing to answer these two questions: what is due process, and who has a right to it?

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – What does it mean to follow a lawful order in a time of unrest? As Minneapolis and St. Paul grapple with chaos, questions arise about military duty, police authority, and constitutional obedience. Combat veteran Dr. Chase Spears examines how blurred legality, political rhetoric, and weak leadership threaten liberty and invite the path toward empire...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is leading yet another federal shutdown showdown, this time in support of those who committed crimes both in entering the United States, and those who have committed violent crimes since, rather than the people they claim to represent and the oath they took...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Later this year, the American people will hire, or re-hire, every member of the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate, not to mention numerous state and local offices. I think this would be a good time to review just how Congress is doing and ask ourselves, should our current employees in D.C. keep their jobs?...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – “Give me your four-year-olds, and in a generation, I will build a socialist state.” Vladimir Lenin may be dead, but your education system is based on his socialist principles and run by people trained to believe in it. Based on what's been going on lately, it appears Lenin's goal is being achieved. Americans take their 4-5-year-old children, hand them over to...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – When will We the People stop putting up with our employees in government being derelict? When will we demand better from those so-called “public servants”? Why are so many Americans willing to put up with the kinds of dereliction of duty that have become so common in modern America? When will we stop waiting for someone to do...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – America turns to the courtroom for nearly every conflict, but the consequences reach far beyond lawyers and judges. From Supreme Court cases on surveillance, gun rights, and sports to the American Bar Association's grip on legal education, a deeply litigious culture reshapes everyday life and raises urgent constitutional questions for the nation...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – What can you do when you see society crumbling around you? Because that is what we are seeing in Minneapolis, and sadly, it is not a unique story. This is democracy in action, mob rule, emotions, and memes over facts and reason. And while you may not live in Minneapolis, I ask you, what's to stop this insanity from coming to your...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Minneapolis has been going crazy lately, first with reports of rampant fraud in the Somali community, then in the State government as well. Now, between the attempts to enforce federal immigration law and those attempting to prevent such enforcement, violence and threats have become the norm. Is this the result of a fascist government crackdown...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Anger simmers across politics, law, and culture as public officials evade accountability, defy common sense, and bend rules for the powerful. From impeachment efforts to courtroom absurdities and unchecked insider trading, the question remains whether justified outrage leads to action. Freedom survives only when citizens are brave enough to demand responsibility from those in power...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Does Donald Trump have the legal authority to denaturalize citizens for committing fraud? And what about members of Congress? Do they have the legal authority to simply walk into a detention center under the auspices of “oversight”? What about states passing laws to enforce Title IX's prohibition on discrimination based on sex?...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Many Americans sense the nation is unraveling as leaders bypass the law, courts overreach, debt explodes, and trust in institutions erodes. From unchecked executive power to flawed artificial intelligence, the country drifts toward chaos unless citizens reclaim responsibility, courage, and the will to live free again...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Governor Hochul of New York is promising to make child care cheaper by taking the money from you to subsidize the child care of others. Then there's Trump. He wants to ban institutional investment in single-family homes. Not only is that not constitutional, but based on the size of said institutional investment, it would probably raise prices, not lower...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Why did the agents get out of their car to approach the woman? Why did they have their sidearms drawn, an obvious threat? Why did they believe she was armed and dangerous? And what responsibility did the agent who was impacted by the car have, since he appears to have been walking in front of a moving vehicle?

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Most people don't think of it this way, but when you depend on government, you not only sell your freedom, but also enslave your rights to those who wish to control you. We call ourselves the land of the free, but how can we be free when we are dependent on the government to live our lives? We will only be the land of the free if we are the...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Every so often, you'll read or hear something and wish it just wasn't true. Sadly, those things are frequently true, which leaves us with a choice. We can check the evidence to see if those things are true, or just bury our heads in the sand and hope it doesn't bite us in the backside. Like the fact that the largest city in the union...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Media fixation on Washington often ignores growing abuses at the state level. From social media warnings in New York to DMV failures in California, voter roll issues across multiple states, and troubling actions by officials and journalists, state and local governments increasingly mirror the same overreach Americans expect from federal power...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Some people relish the fact that the United States is the protector of freedom and liberty in a chaotic world; others hate it. But how far does our position as the world's police force actually go? The U.S. military invaded a sovereign nation to take into custody its leader to answer for charges against the United States in a U.S. court...

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Not only are there midterm elections for Congress this year, but plenty of state and local elections as well. My question is two-fold. Are you judging the work that your elected representatives are doing, and what are you judging it against? Every election is like an employee review, a perfect time to judge the quality of their work. Sadly, I've seen...