Constitutional Sound Bites

Constitutional Sound Bites, the Collected Edition

Constitutional Sound Bites explains America’s Founding documents in a format familiar to 21st century readers. This simple, unbiased, easy-to-read presentation takes into account the”sound bite” nature of today’s cyber-driven, fast-click culture.

The Federalist Papers by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison explain the Constitution, but long newspaper essays are not the way 21st century Americans get information. Constitutional Sound Bites addresses this difference by translating an 18th Century message into a 21st Century format.  There are over 150 question and answer entries. While the entries are related, each conveys a stand alone message about the philosophy, organization and purpose of America’s Founding Documents.   Get it today at:  Constitutional Sound Bites, the Collected Edition

ConstitutionalSoundBites_Franklin_coverLearn about the Constitution and how it relates to the Declaration of Independence with the Constitutional Sound Bites Series.

ConstitutionalSoundBitesVol1_cover FinalGet Volume One as a Kindle e-book on Amazon.  Volume Two is available as a Kindle e-book and covers all the Articles of the original Constitution and an Introduction to the Bill of Rights.  With Volume Three you’ll learn about The Bill of Rights ,

ConstitutionalSoundBitesVol2_coverHow Modern Americans Get Information

In the 21st Century, we’ve become used to getting information in small doses of media sound bites, short blog posts and 140 character Tweets. Modern leaders, understanding mass media, beginning with Franklin Roosevelt, (“A date which will live in infamy…”), through Barack Obama (“I don’t want to pit Red America against Blue America…”) have turned this into an art form.

America’s Revolutionary Leaders Had a Different Medium

The leaders of Revolutionary America understood the communications of their day. After the proposed Constitution was completed on September 17, 1787 the battle for ratification began. Much of it took place in the mass media of the 18th Century: newspapers. Long essays appeared around the country.

The most famous of these essays was a series that became known as The Federalist Papers. These 85 articles by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison when collected into a book run about 400 pages. While The Federalist Papers (and the newspaper essays written by opponents of the Constitution,) remain good reading, it’s not the way 21st Century Americans get information.

ConstitutionalSoundBitesVol3_cover (1)-page-001How 21st Century Framers Would have Presented the Constitution

If Jay, Hamilton and Madison were communicating with modern Americans, they would have shortened their messages for modern communications, likely into one minute ideas. These books contain one minute ideas or “sound bites” about America’s Founding and The United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
You’ll learn about the people involved in America’s founding, the philosophy behind the founding documents, and the institutions created by the Constitution. This series consists of “sound bites” about America’s Founding documents and shows these documents to be neither Republican nor Democrat, not liberal or conservative, but American.

How These “Sound Bites” Came to Be

Nearly seven years ago I started writing for an online magazine about the US Constitution. The responses and comments led me to realize Americans had a strong thirst for a clear and thorough understanding of their rights under their Constitution. The guest writing turned into a personal website, and the website into a radio show. The weekly show, Constitutionally Speaking, the weekly show resulted in the daily feature: “A Minute of Constitutionally Speaking”.

Those daily one minute features are collected in this series.  Volume One also contains the complete Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

Before each “sound bite” is a question the “sound bite” answers. They might be considered constitutional FAQs. The Federalist Papers were written to answer questions. It seemed appropriate that Constitutional Sound Bites would answer questions as well.

American Common Ground in the Constitution

The web site, the radio show, the daily feature and this series all have the same goal: to explain the origins, purposes and philosophy of America’s Founding Documents. Too often these days Americans either yell at or talk past one another, even though 86% of us agree the Constitution is relevant to our daily lives. We should have common ground in the Constitution!

These “sound bites” will help us to share that common ground.
In Volume One

  • Constitutional Considerations
  • Thoughts on the Declaration of Independence
  • The Constitution’s Preamble
  • Article I: The Congress
  • Article II: The President
  • Article III: The Supreme Court
  • Article IV: Government Relations

In Volume Two

  • Constitutional Considerations
  • Thoughts on the Declaration of Independence
  • Article I: The Congress
  • Article II: The President
  • Article III: The Supreme Court
  • Article IV: Government Relations
  • Article V: Amendments
  • Article VI: Debts, Oaths and the Supremacy Clause
  • Article VII: Ratification
  • The Bill of Rights

In Volume Three

  • Constitutional Considerations
  • Thoughts on the Declaration of Independence
  • The First Amendment: Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition for Redress of Grievances
  • The Second Amendment: The Right to Bear Arms
  • The Third Amendment: No Quartering of Soldiers
  • The Fourth Amendment: Warrant Requirement for Searches and Seizures
  • The Fifth Amendment: Right to Remain Silent and Four More
  • The Sixth Amendment: Right to Counsel and Five More
  • The Seventh Amendment: Right to Jury Trial in Federal Civil Cases
  • The Eighth Amendment: Ban on Cruel and Unusual Punishments
  • The Ninth Amendment: Protection for Unenumerated Rights
  • The Tenth Amendment: Powers Reserved to the People and the States

Purchase Constitutional Sound Bites, the Collected Edition today on Amazon.

Purchase Volume One today as a PDF download at this link or as a Kindle e-book on Amazon.

Purchase Volume Two today as a Kindle e-book on Amazon.

Purchase Volume Three: The Bill of Rights today as a Kindle e-book on Amazon.

These books can be invaluable for educators, for more see  Constitutional Sound Bites:  Information for Educators

Trackbacks

  1. […] Today’s first HausGuest was David Shestokas for our regular weekly “Constitutional Sound Bite.” […]

  2. […] Years earlier, he had already started addressing a void in this country’s historical literacy—writing and speaking extensively about the U.S. Constitution. […]

  3. […] Years earlier, he had already started addressing a void in this country’s historical literacy—writing and speaking extensively about the U.S. Constitution. […]

  4. […] you missed last week’s segment, catch up here: And buy the book so you can follow […]

  5. […] Listen to the entire segment here: Buy the book to follow along with us here: […]

  6. […] to the book itself (buy it HERE), we discussed the meaning of “the Law of nature and of Nature’s God…” and […]

  7. […] And of course, as per regular Wednesday practice, David Shestokas will return for a Constitutional Sound Bite. […]

  8. […] “Constitution”, and “Bill of Rights.”  The book is available at Amazon in print and Kindle editions.  […]

  9. […] Next week we will return to the Constitution – in the mean time, buy the book HERE: […]

  10. […] In a continuing series of free events sponsored by The Heartland Institute, David J. Shestokas, author and lawyer, was featured in keeping with Heartland’s recently established Center for Constitutional Reform, a project of The Heartland Institute.  Kyle Maichle as Project Manager of Constitution Reform, introduced Mr. Shestokas who provided insight into his book, Constitutional Sound Bites, which provides an accurate and accessible resource regarding the “Declaration of Independence”, “Constitution”, and “Bill of Rights.”  The book is available at Amazon in print and Kindle editions.   […]

  11. […] In a continuing series of free events sponsored by The Heartland Institute, David J. Shestokas, author and lawyer, was featured in keeping with Heartland’s recently established Center for Constitutional Reform, a project of The Heartland Institute.  Kyle Maichle as Project Manager of Constitution Reform, introduced Mr. Shestokas who provided insight into his book, Constitutional Sound Bites, which provides an accurate and accessible resource regarding the “Declaration of Independence”, “Constitution”, and “Bill of Rights.”  The book is available at Amazon in print and Kindle editions.   […]

  12. […] we do EVERY Wednesday, David Shestokas and I will spend a few minutes working through his GREAT […]

  13. […] David Shestokas: During our weekly Constitutional Sound Bites segment we discussed these important concepts from the preamble – “establish justice,” “domestic tranquility,” and “common defense.” Buy the book here: […]

  14. […] Constitutional Sound Bite with David Shestokas – David and I got through SEVERAL soundbites with only limited distractions from the news of the day. We talked about the specifically detailed powers of Congress that are listed in Article I and exactly what “unconstitutional” means.Listen to the Isolated Constitutional Sound Bite segment here: […]

  15. […] we will have David Shestokas on with our regular weekly Constitutional Sound Bites […]

  16. […] Also, per normal Wednesday practice, David Shestokas will be back with our regular “Constitutional Sound Bites.” […]

  17. […] Constitutional Sound Bites with David Shestokas. We talked about limitations on Congress and the wisdom of the separation of power. Listen to the isolated segment here: […]

  18. […] Also, of course, and back in his usual Wednesday time slot, David Shestokas and I will go through another couple of Constitutional Sound Bites! […]

  19. […] the book here: Listen to the isolated segment here:Listen to “Constitutional Sound Bites” on […]

  20. […] Constitutional Sound Bites […]

  21. […] Constitutional Sound Bites […]

  22. […] Constitutional Sound Bites […]

  23. […] After discussing the attack on Pearl Harbor and the interesting moral questions raised by the atomic bombings, we got around to discussing Article IV from the Constitution: […]

  24. […] Constitutional Sound Bites with David Shestokas – David and I spent an extended time talking about the Constitutional issues raised by the Electoral College vote on Monday. And the fact that they COULD HAVE cast their vote for anyone they wanted. Then we moved to the introduction of Volume Two of the book. Listen to the isolated segment here:Listen to “Constitutional Sound Bites” on Spreaker. […]

  25. […] Constitutional Sound Bites with David Shestokas – David and I walked further through the introduction to Volume 2 of the book. […]