Fragile Freedom

We have heard a great deal about Fake News as of recent. After this recent Presidential Election there have even been calls for Congress and the government to do something about it. Legislation needs to be passed or we need laws. After the Planned Parenthood shootings and what happened in a small pizza parlor recently it isn't hard to see why people believe that. Yet our Founders put the clearly in the First Amendment that no law would should be enacted that would abridge Freedom of Speech or Freedom of the Press. Surely though, in light of these events, exceptions can be made. In this Episode of Fragile Freedom Wyatt talks about Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press and why it is so significant. This isn't just an abstract idea or an abstract thought, but comes down to our very nature and our ability to express ourselves, to think for ourselves, to be ourselves. Time and time again the Supreme Court has upheld Freedom of Speech, and overturned restraints on prior speech because they believed that our li

For over 200 years the flag has been a cherished and revered symbol of America, transcending ideology and political alignment to embody the principles of our Republic. These principles include the great charters of our national, political and individual freedom, among these being the Bill of Rights.  In this episode of Fragile Freedom Wyatt McIntyre talks about the Flag, of it's value and significance and addresses the recent comments by the President-Elect in favor of a flag burning amendment to the Constitution. Talking about the First Amendment, and the freedom of expression that is embodied in it, this is an episode about the significance of not just the Bill of Rights but the importance of protecting rights even when they are used in a way that might offend, or when someone acts or speaks in a way that we hate or fills us with anger. If we are unable to protect liberty and freedom in those instances, after all, then when can we? Take a journey through history and and the Constitution as we discuss your F

Amidst the calls that we abolish the Electoral College, last week on Fragile Freedom, we talked about the Popular Vote Model, breaking down the system to discuss if it truly was the superior form of electing a President. This week Wyatt is back to talk about the Electoral College itself as he discusses what the Founding Fathers intended and why the system is in place to begin with.  Rejecting the notion that the system of choosing Electors is simply  flawed, archaic system that undermines the principles of democracy, in this episode Wyatt talks about the careful amalgamation of Federal and National systems the Founders intended as they established a system that respected the equality of all states, recognizing them as partners in union even if the population divide sometimes made them uneven partners. In this understanding he takes the time to get to the bottom of the question of whether or not the Framers made a mistake and if it is time to change or if the College is still as necessary today as it has ever

Fragile Freedom is back with a new episode.  With the 2016 Election Results in Donald Trump won the Electoral College while losing the Popular Vote to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, becoming our 45th President-Elect. Amidst chants of "Not my President" it has created questions about the legitimacy of his presidency in the minds of some. How, after all, can a person be elected President if they do not have a clear majority, or, at the very least, a plurality of the Popular vote. This has lead to renewed calls by many to abandon the Electoral College System and adopt a popular vote model in selecting our President. The point made is that the Electoral College is an archaic and antiquated model created by 18th century Statesman with little to no understanding of 21st century life, and that by rejecting the popular vote we are rejecting the will of people.  In this episode Wyatt McIntyre explores the question of the popular vote and why it might not be as wonderful as some may lead the public to belie

Matt talks about the importance of exercising our freedom by voting in the November election.

The constant mantra of the 2016 Presidential election is that it's all about the Supreme Court. That's true, but neither major party candidate is fit to select Justices to the Court. What we need in this delicate time in our nation's history is someone who will uphold the Constitution and leave behind a legacy of liberty to the next generation. Matt Cochran talks in today's episode about the consequences of electing Trump or Clinton.

Removing all politics from the discourse and the discussion Matthew Cochran and Wyatt McIntyre take a few moments to reflect on the tragic and terrible events that occurred in Nice this Bastille Day. A day of horror and pain and sadness, our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Nice and the people of France as we remember that, beyond borders and politics, beyond any petty differences that might divide us we are bound together as brothers and sisters amidst the same human race, an attack that degrades and seeks to destroy the humanity of one people is an attack on the humanity of all people. As such we look not only to the bravery and courage, the strength and the humanity of the French people, we stand with them shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart, in the pain, the suffering and the sorrow of their struggle, and also in the hope and the beauty of their indomitable spirits and souls.  God bless you all and God bless the people of France. 

"Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm" James Madison Federalist No. 10   Speaking to Conservative Commentator Bill O'Reilly, Presumptive Republican Nominee and Reality Star Donald Trump stated that former Jeb Bush cannot be trusted when he says that Trump will not uphold or defend the Constitution because Bush himself would not uphold and defend a pledge made to support whomever the GOP nominated for President. Putting aside Trumps own statements that he would not back the same pledge he signed, rescinded his vow to support the Party's nominee, Fragile Freedom co-host Wyatt McIntyre explores the question of whether or not a pledge such as this holds any merit or weight. Does such a pledge bind someone to a candidate regardless of any question of conscience or principle? Does it remain in place regardless of what a candidate might say or do? Is this pledge bind one forever to a candidate they believe will betray the Constitution? It's a question of principle or party in these thoughts from Frag

Perpetually we are told that the Second Amendment does not, or should not apply because when it was drafted and ratified as a part of the Bill of Rights the most deadly weapon was the Musket. Currently we have considerably more dangerous weapons on the market that can do damage and harm beyond anything the Founding Fathers could have ever imagined and thus we need to disregard the Right to Bear Arms as nothing more than a bygone relic of a bygone era. Disregarding the fact that by 1717 the Puckle Gun, though with inherent design flaws, became the world's first Machine Gun and that in 1780 the Girandoni Air Rifle became the first repeat action rifle, and the gun that Thomas Jefferson equipped Lewis and Clark with in 1805, to argue away the Constitution because of technological advancements is a dangerous road to go down. Any number of advancements have been made since 1791 that were beyond anything the Founding Fathers could have ever dreamed of. The Internet, medical treatments that would replace bloodletting