The Table of Contents allows you to bite off 2 to 5 minutes of narrative at a time and return at your own schedule. The audio slider at the top of each screen allows you to start, stop, or reset the audio at will. The audio is independent for each screen. When I finish talking, it is up to you to click the Next button whenever you are ready, which also means you are free to remain with the screen for as long as you like. Back always takes you to the Table of Contents, so you can go back to any prior section desired from any section you happen to be on.
First thing I need to tell you is that I am hoping this course encourages you to vote. Not only cast a vote, but cast an educated vote. Towards that end, the material is divided into 3 sections.
The first, I have labeled “Your Constitution is a Treasure.” I am very serious in saying that. Any Constitution is simply the bedrock document upon which a government is based. Your Constitution is the bedrock for the Democratic government that you are blessed with. Here I am using the word Democratic, NOT as in the Democratic Party, but as in “A democratic government is a system where supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected representatives under a free electoral system. It's characterized by principles like popular sovereignty, rule of law, and protection of individual rights and freedoms. Essentially, it's a system "of the people, by the people, for the people" according to Abraham Lincoln. “ The above is quoted from Google AI.
Most countries have constitutions. Many are NOT Democracies.
In this section we will hear from the founders. What did they think they were doing, and what part did they think they were reserving for us. Finally we will simply look quickly at the Bill of Rights and identify what rights have been set aside for us.
By the time we are finished this section, it is my hope that you feel it is worth your time to show up and vote if necessary to preserve this document.
The second section I have labeled, “Your Constitution is Under Attack”. I will introduce this section with an overview of our legal system. I think this will be helpful in understanding much of what happens in the rest of this section. The rest includes a few examples of recent inroads being made by the Supreme Court and the Trump administration. After reviewing them, I am confident that you will share my concern that if things continue on the path they are now taking, we could end up with a totalitarian government. I am always suspicious of fear mongers. I encourage you to approach this section with suspicion. What I can say is that I have built the statements from the actual Supreme Court opinions involved. I encourage you to look them up and read them for yourself.
In the third section, we will get into the actual document. I will start with the articles, followed by the Bill of Rights, and then the subsequent amendments. I will be presenting not only document language, but appropriate Supreme Court modifications that have been adopted since the original publication. The Articles are not the most interesting part of the document, but if I have convinced you that you need to become politically active, the articles are what you will need to understand first.