Constitutional FAQ Answer #51 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q51. “I was wondering what things in the Constitution were actually original and what things were ‘copyrighted?’ I’m doing this for an…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #50 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q50. “I am having trouble figuring out exactly what the term ‘civil rights’ includes.” A. Civil rights are those derived from simply…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #5 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q5. “What do you believe are the reasons why the Constitution would not have been passed without the Bill of Rights.” A.…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #49 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q49. “It would seem that Amendment 13, Section 1 would outlaw the concept of the conscription of citizens into the military forces…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #48 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q48. “Can you tell me why the ERA was not ratified?” A. The ERA was not ratified because not enough states approved…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #47 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q47. “Is tabloid journalism what the writers of the First Amendment really had in mind? Or is that what is meant by…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #46 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q46. “What amendments should I look at dealing with the duties of citizens to uphold the Constitution? A. The Constitution deals with…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #45 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q45. “Can you tell me how did the states get the power to decide that people had to have so much studying,…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #44 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q44. “I am writing a paper in English about whether I think American citizens have the right to break the law. Does…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #43 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q43. “Recently we took a test on the Constitution that asked a question about a suspensive veto. No one in our class,…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #42 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q42. “I have to give a persuasive speech on how I think a Bible class should be offered, as an elective at…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #41 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q41. “I’m writing a paper regarding the implications of Janet Reno appointing a special prosecutor in certain instances. Does anyone know where…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #40 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q40. “I have heard that the U.S. constitution was written originally in German. Is there any truth to this?” A. No. |Home|…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #4 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q4. “I was looking for what the Congress is prohibited from doing.” The Constitution doesn’t so much say what they can’t do…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #39 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q39. “Can you think of a time where the 21st amendment ever played some kind of active role in today’s modern life?”…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #38 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q38. “What does the Constitution say about Same-Sex Marriages? What does it say about Marijuana? What does it say about Prostitution?” A.…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #37 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> The following was sent to me as part of an email that advertised for a book about the Constitution… Q37. “Send 20…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #36 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q36. “If you exercise your 5th amendment right and the court grants immunity and you still refuse to incriminate yourself you can…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #35 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q35. “Article I section 2 clause 3, states that each state will have one representative for every thirty thousand. This is obviously…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #34 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q34. “I have been challenged to find the text of a thirteenth amendment which was proposed but not ratified. I believe it…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #33 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q33. “I am a law student from Guatemala who needs to know how many constitutions has had America since its independence. That…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #32 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> In follow-up to Question 31: Q32. “I didn’t find myself enlightened by the answer…. Perhaps a better way to phrase the question…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #31 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q31. “How does the 16th Amendment make the Income Tax possible?” A. Quite simply, the 16th Amendment authorizes the Congress to lay…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #30 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q30. “The wording of the Constitution gets confusing, which is understandable since it was written in the 18th century and uses legal…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #3 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q3. “Do you know of a site in which to download a ‘clean’ copy of the constitution?” A. Well, I’m not sure…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #29 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q29. “I have heard somewhere that a women can’t become President of USA. Please reply to me whether it is true or…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #28 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q28. “What exactly does the last amendment regarding representatives and senators pay mean?” A. It basically boils down to this: The members…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #27 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> This is part three of a three-part question pertaining to the “Nanny Trial” in Fall, 1997. Q27. “And also, what rights do…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #26 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> This is part two of a three-part question pertaining to the “Nanny Trial” in Fall, 1997. Q26. “By what authority did Judge…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #25 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> This is part one of a three-part question pertaining to the “Nanny Trial” in Fall, 1997. Q25. “As a British national, what…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #24 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q24. “I am doing a debate soon on whether smoking should be banned from public buildings. I was assigned to be the…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #23 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q23. “What are the conditions needed for a Constitutional Convention, and when was the last one held?” A. The Constitution itself has…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #22 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q22. “What is habeas corpus? What does a writ of habeas corpus do?” A. Habeas corpus is a pretty tricky legal concept.…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #21 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q21. “Do you know of any writers of the Constitution? If you do please tell me some and what they did for…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #20 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q20. “How old must the VP be? If the VP is less than 35 and the President dies and the VP is…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #2 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q2. “[I] am trying to find out if presidential elections are held during war?” There is nothing in the Constitution that addresses…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #19 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q19. “In Article 2, Section one, it states that someone can be president if they ‘have been a 14 years resident within…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #18 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q18. “I would like a short list of other countries which have used our Constitution as a blueprint for theirs.” A. I’ve…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #17 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q17. “Beyond the Bill of Rights, few Constitutional amendments have radically altered the American system of government. Slavery was actually abolished by…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #163 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q163. “In Article IV section 4 it states ‘The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #162 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q162. “I was wondering if there is anywhere in the Constitution that says Congress cannot pass laws that don’t pertain to themselves.…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #161 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q161. “Your site says that the Constitution has been changed 18 times, but there are 27 amendments. What gives?” A. There are,…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #160 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q160. “In some blog posts lately, I’ve heard that Hillary Clinton can’t be Secretary of State, but some other posts say she…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #16 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q16. “I have been on the net for about an hour reading all I can find about informal changes which have occurred…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #159 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q159. “Wikipedia says ‘The Electoral College elected Washington unanimously in 1789, and again in the 1792 election; he remains the only president…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #158 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q158. “If an attorney is an officer of the court — is it legal for attorneys to be members of Congress —…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #157 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q157. “Is it necessary for new states to ratify the US Constitution in order for admission?” A. When a state applies for…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #156 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q156. “The Constitution never says that women can’t vote. So why was the 19th Amendment necessary?” A. The problem wasn’t that the…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #155 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q155. “Who has more power, the Congress or the President?” A. Wow, such a small question with no small answer. It is…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #154 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q154. “I think that the citizens of the United States are under the assumption that the Federal government actually prints money, which…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #153 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q153. “A friend of a friend is trying to convince me that the United States’ three branches of government was modelled on…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #152 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q152. “Why did the Convention take place in Philadelphia?” A. An excellent question. Of course, there was no Washington, D.C. at the…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #151 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q151. “Rudy Giuliani seems to be running for President in 2008. But in 2002, Giuliani was given an honorary knighthood by Elizabeth…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #150 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q150. “There has been a lot of talk in the news lately about ‘presidential signing statements.’ What are they and where are…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #15 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q15. “When the 26th amendment was being considered, why did the Congress settle on 18 as the minimum age? Why not 17…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #149 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q149. “What are some of the weaknesses of the Constitution?” A. Of all the questions asked about the Constitution, this is actually…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #148 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q148. “In class today, we learned that the Constitution had to be ratified by nine state conventions. Why conventions and not votes…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #147 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q147. “I read somewhere that Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed are depicted in the Supreme Court. Is this true? Does this violate the…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #146 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q146. “Your page on the Articles of Confederation says that there are no more confederations existing in the world. I beg to…

Constitutional FAQ Answer #145 <<Previous Question | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q145. “What kind of paper was the Constitution written on?” A. Urban legend is that the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Bill…