The Constitution Study podcast

Paul Engel: Author, speaker and podcaster

Follow me as I write my book "The Constitution Study". I'll cover interesting facts I discover and answer questions along the way, all with some helpful and humorous analogies.

  • 26 minutes 13 seconds
    518 - Legalized Theft
    You've probably heard of the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment. But does the Constitution allow a county to take and sell someones land to make a profit? That is the main question in the case Pung v Isabella County.
    13 April 2026, 5:00 pm
  • 19 minutes 20 seconds
    517 - Parent's Rights in California
    California has been violating parent's rights for years. While a recent Supreme Court case has been hailed as a win for the good guys, it is just a small step restoring the role of parents in the lives of their children.
    6 April 2026, 5:00 pm
  • 12 minutes 11 seconds
    516 - Suing the US Postal Service
    Lebene Konan sued the Euless, Texas post office for what she claimed were there intentional failure to deliver mail to rental property she owned. The Supreme Court just said she didn't have the right to sue.
    30 March 2026, 5:00 pm
  • 14 minutes 9 seconds
    515 - Ending the Federal Vaccine Shield Law
    In 1988, Congress passed the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The logic behind this law was the belief that vaccines were so important to public health that holding vaccine manufacturers accountable for any injuries caused by the products was not possible. To end this unconstitutional law, Rand Paul has introduced Senate Bill 3853, the End the Vaccine Carveout Act.
    23 March 2026, 5:00 pm
  • 15 minutes 45 seconds
    514 - Lifetime Gun Bans are Unconstitutional
    For decades, otherwise lawful gun owners have been denied their rights under the Second Amendment due to a federal law. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals just decided a case claiming that law unconstitutional as applied to a Mr. Hembree.
    16 March 2026, 6:00 pm
  • 18 minutes 44 seconds
    513 - Trump's Tariffs Go Down at SCOTUS
    After only approximately three and a half months, the Supreme Court issued their opinion in the Trump Tariff case. The speed, and the fact that opinion was released so early in the court's term, should indicate both how urgent the case was, and how impactful.
    9 March 2026, 6:00 pm
  • 12 minutes 51 seconds
    512 - Free Speech Reprieve in Hawaii
    The Hawaiian legislature passed Act 191 in an attempt to prohibit "materially deceptive media" that would harm the "reputation or electoral prospects of a candidate in an election". This seems like an infringement on free speech. Thankfully the District Court for the District of Hawaii agreed.
    2 March 2026, 6:00 pm
  • 22 minutes 51 seconds
    511 - Private Property vs Gun Control
    How far can a state go to regulate the right to bear arms? Can a state override a person's property rights? Can Hawaii proactively prohibit lawful gun owners from carrying on private property without owners prior consent? That is the question in the Supreme Court case Wolford v. Lopez.
    23 February 2026, 6:00 pm
  • 13 minutes 14 seconds
    510 - When Governments Replace Parents

    We've all heard of the Nanny State, when government stops representing the people and tries to parent them. While there have been many attempts over the years for states to take over the parenting role of children, all with good intentions of course. However they never seem to learn that when the state tries to act as the parent, they not only fail, but often abuse the very children they claim to protect.

    16 February 2026, 9:00 pm
  • 14 minutes 25 seconds
    509 - Congressional Subpoenas
    In a recent press release, the House Oversight Committee voted to advance two resolutions to hold "President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with duly issued subpoenas." The question is, were those subpoenas lawful?
    9 February 2026, 6:00 pm
  • 24 minutes 19 seconds
    508 - Men in Women's Sports - Oral Arguments
    Two cases came before the Supreme Court for oral arguments asking the same basic question. Can states prohibit men from participating in women's sports?
    2 February 2026, 6:00 pm
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