More Than Medicine
More Than Medicine
Interview with Joe Wolverton - Blueprint for Liberty
Dr. Robert Jackson welcomes constitutional attorney and scholar Joe Wolverton to the More Than Medicine studio for a revealing conversation about American liberty and our constitutional foundations. Wolverton, who serves as the constitutional law scholar for the John Birch Society, shares the story of his journey from Fourth Amendment defender to full-time liberty advocate.
The centerpiece of their discussion revolves around Wolverton's groundbreaking new educational series, "Blueprint for Liberty." This comprehensive program addresses a troubling reality: even among patriots and conservatives, fundamental constitutional knowledge is severely lacking. Wolverton explains how the series takes viewers back to basics—examining what powers were granted to the federal government, who granted those powers, and where those enumerated powers are found in the Constitution.
Particularly enlightening is Wolverton's clarification of commonly misunderstood constitutional principles. He dismantles the widespread misinterpretation of the Supremacy Clause, explaining that it establishes the Constitution—not the federal government—as supreme. Federal laws are only supreme when made "in pursuance of the Constitution," not in violation of it. The conversation also touches on constitutional requirements for sound money, the three branches' specific powers, and how citizens can actively participate in restoring constitutional governance. As Wolverton notes, "Once you've been warned, you should warn your neighbor"—but many well-intentioned Americans simply don't know how to effectively engage.
Ready to deepen your constitutional understanding? The "Blueprint for Liberty" series debuts this September at a leadership conference near Valley Forge featuring General Flynn as keynote speaker, after which it will be available online and on DVD. Visit jbs.org for more information about this initiative designed not to make money, but to "make patriots" equipped to defend their God-given rights.
https://www.jacksonfamilyministry.com
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Welcome to More Than Medicine, where Jesus is more than enough for the ills that plague our culture and our country. Hosted by author and physician, dr Robert Jackson, and his wife Carlotta and daughter Hannah Miller. So listen up, because the doctor is in.
Dr. Jackson:Welcome to More Than Medicine. I'm your host, dr Robert Jackson, bringing to you biblical insights and stories from the country doctor's rusty, dusty scrapbook. Well, I'm privileged today to have actually in my studio and not online, my good friend, joe Wolverton. Joe, welcome to More Than Medicine studio.
Joe Wolverton:Wolverton Joe. Welcome to More Than Medicine Studio. Thank you, dr Jackson. It's such a privilege to be here. I'm telling you, if I lived here, wild horses wouldn't drag me away from this house.
Dr. Jackson:Well, I'm just thankful that you're here and we've had a delightful weekend of friendship and fellowship, meeting you and your sweet wife, ms Kylie, and I'm just thankful that you spent a little time with us, and I thank you for sharing with my children last night and some of my friends, and I thank you for sharing with the America First Patriots this morning at the camp meeting. And now here you are, sharing with my listeners online and I'm just delighted to have you.
Joe Wolverton:It's a great honor I mean always is I tell everybody about your show, because it's one of those things that you know you can count on, getting good information and present it in a godly way.
Dr. Jackson:Well, thank you, sir. You're mighty kind Now tell my listeners a little bit about who you are, where you came from and what you do.
Joe Wolverton:Sure a little bit about who you are, where you came from and what you do. Sure, well, I'm from Memphis, tennessee originally, and still live near home, about 30 miles east of there out in the forest. And I practiced for many years as a constitutional attorney, focusing on the Fourth Amendment, defense of people who had their property illegally seized by the government, defending those people. And then I decided to put that away and start working full time for what I believe to be the cause of liberty and cause of restoring the Constitution to its rightful place. And as part of that I ended up being employed full-time by the John Birch Society. I tell everybody, and it's the truth, the first mortal hands that ever touched me were that doctor, dr Fairley, dr Julian Fairley. He was a member of the John Birch Society.
Speaker 1:So I always tell people the first mortal hands. A member of the.
Joe Wolverton:John Birch Society. So I always tell people the first mortal hands to touch me were John Birch Society hands. So it makes sense that I'd end up joining the society.
Dr. Jackson:How about that?
Joe Wolverton:Yeah, he would be wherever he is and he went on to his reward many years ago wherever he is.
Joe Wolverton:I'm sure he's happy about that. But so I ended up being employed full time by the John Birch Society. They hired me originally to be their constitutional law scholar, which basically meant and it was the inaugural, I am the inaugural constitutional law scholar and basically they wanted me to take everything that the John Birch Society produces that touches and concerns the Constitution for me to check it, make sure it's accurate and put my seal of approval on it. Later they expanded that role and wanted me and graciously, and I don't know I didn't do anything to deserve it, but they made me president of Western Islands Publishing, which is the publishing arm of the John Birch Society. So today I handle all the publishing of the John Birch Society. So today I handle all the publishing for the John Birch Society and I'm still the constitutional law scholar. So I make sure that everything we produce that's a book or a pamphlet, that it looks nice and contains correct information and that all the constitutional information that we provide is accurate.
Dr. Jackson:And that's what I do full time now. I got you Now. Part of the reason I asked you to come on the podcast is because you have a new educational series coming out. It's going to be online and on DVD and the title of it is blueprint for Liberty blueprint for Liberty.
Joe Wolverton:Now tell us a little bit about that and and educate us about that, okay so, traveling around giving speeches, I noticed that even among Patriots there is a real dearth of understanding of the Constitution, that even some basic constitutional principles escape the notice and the attention of conservatives, of constitutionalists, and so I wanted to remedy that, and fortunately, with the position that I hold at the John Birch Society, I had the ability and the authority to make something like that happen. And we, all of us on the team, got together and we came up with this name, the Blueprint for Liberty, because we reckon that the Constitution, right is, is a blueprint for how we can remain free.
Joe Wolverton:It does not give us our rights, but it's designed to be a protection for our rights, and so we wanted to go back to the basics. What if you had to go back to the blueprint to rebuild this house? Because that's what we think. There's been so much destruction done by tyrannical government on every level local, state and federal. Now let's go back to the blueprint and start at the beginning, and so what we've done is we've created a series of lessons that will take you through an explanation of the correct form and intended function of the Constitution, and it'll end with a call to action. The last lesson is a call to action how can you be involved in the worthwhile endeavor of helping to restore sovereignty to the states and liberty to the people?
Dr. Jackson:I hear you. I hear you. Well, my daughter has a podcast that I've told you about. It's called the Hannah Miller Show and I tell her constantly I said Hannah Miller Show and I tell her constantly. I said, hannah, tell your listeners that they must be informed about the Word of God and informed about the Constitution. And I tell her that if you personally know the Word and you know the Constitution, you will have a good talk show and you will be a good talk show host and you'll be able to analyze the issues of the day.
Joe Wolverton:Well, we have a saying, and it are the CEO of the John Birch Society. It's one of his favorite sayings. He says leaders are readers. That's right and it's true, and you know. What you're saying about Hannah absolutely is true for all of us. If you can, you will instantly distinguish yourself as a leader among your peers. If you can quote chapter and verse that's right.
Joe Wolverton:And that means chapter and verse from the Word of God and chapter and verse from the Constitution Exactly. You know, if you can, and I've seen it in my own life where when you can say to someone you know this violates Article 4, section 4's guarantee of a Republican form of government, people look at you wide-eyed because they have a feeling of what that means. But for you to be able to quote it right, or if you say you know Galatians 4.31, stand fast, therefore, in liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, that is powerful because most people know that and believe that, but to quote the chapter and verse, so what you're saying about Hannah and leaders are readers, if you want to be a leader you've got to read her.
Dr. Jackson:And it's so sad because most adult men in the United States have never read a complete book after they graduate from high school, have never read a complete book after they graduate from high school. Ninety percent of adult men in the United States never read a complete book after they graduate from high school.
Joe Wolverton:Well, and you wonder how we got where we are.
Joe Wolverton:I mean and it's like you know, the one of the, well, the. I guess we'd call him the financier of the original public education system, John Rockefeller, who said we don't want to make thinkers, we want to make workers. And so it's no wonder that 90% of adult males don't read. And even in school, it's almost drummed out of you the desire, because the teachers make it so dull and tedious, and tedious Teachers make it so dull and tedious. The, you know, let's tear this apart. Instead of making it inspiring, right, Instead of making something you crave, they make it something that you loathe. Yeah, and so it's no wonder. And then so to make yourself to self-identify as a leader, just get yourself in those books including the good books.
Dr. Jackson:Tell me some of the chapters in this new series that y'all are developing.
Joe Wolverton:Yeah. So we want. One of the first lessons is we want to say what powers were granted to the federal government, by whom were these powers granted and where do we find the list of these powers? So the powers, all the powers, as we say, as I, I think I teach seven of the lessons. I think there's a total of 13.
Joe Wolverton:And in the very first ones we talk about the limits of federal power. And as I explain, the entire universe of federal power is found within the four corners of the Constitution. And who gave the federal government those powers? The states and the people gave the federal government those powers, but provisionally, meaning as long as the federal government stays within its constitutional authority, then we are obliged to obey those orders. Authority, then we are obliged to obey those orders. But should the federal government exceed the authority granted to it, then, as Madison said, such an order is null, void and of no legal effect. And we teach, and then we support all this with quotations from the founding fathers. So we start with saying here are the limits of federal power, here are where you find the protection for the sovereignty of the state, and here is how we could restore the balance back to the states and away from an increasingly powerful central government. Mm-hmm.
Dr. Jackson:Now, that'd be an eye-opener for a whole lot of folks, wouldn't it? And away from an increasingly powerful central government Now that'd be an eye-opener for a whole lot of folks, wouldn't it.
Joe Wolverton:It is because many people I mean for five, at least five generations people have been taught that the federal government is supreme, that it's superior. We're taught the supremacy clause of Article VI. Well, the supremacy clause does not say the federal government is supreme. It does not. It says the constitution is the supreme law of the land, but insofar and then the laws of congress are the supreme laws of the land as long as they are made in pursuance of the Constitution, not in violation. And because the Tenth Amendment makes it very clear, any power not specifically granted to the federal government is retained by the states and the people. And so these lessons, as we've sort of shown them to focus groups, people are eating it up because there's a lot of people who recognize, thank the good Lord, literally there are a lot of people who have begun recognizing that what our children are being taught in school, what I was taught, what you were taught, is incorrect, correct, and in fact, not only was it where we kept you know, ignorant, they knowingly kept us ignorant for the purpose of robbing us of our liberty. And so these lessons, we go from the power of the federal government, we talk about the.
Joe Wolverton:What does it mean to have sound money. How did we get where we are with regard to this debt and these work, this worthless money that we have? How did we get to this place? And what does the constitution, for example? The constitution clearly says that only gold and silver shall be used as legal tender. Well, we don't don't do that. We do not use gold. Matter of fact, our bills do not say anything about that anymore. It simply says we use what's called fractional banking, and it's what they call fiat currency. It's backed by nothing more than our reputation, which, thanks to many people in government, is lower than it's ever been. And you know you'll have people who say things like man, I bought my house for $300,000 and now it's worth twice as much. No, it isn't. Your money is worth half of what it used to be. That's right.
Joe Wolverton:It hasn't doubled in value, sir. Your money has halved in its value. Not, your house has not doubled. And so we teach people about sound money. We teach them about the different powers for the three branches, what they are empowered to do, what they are not empowered to do. We teach them how to get involved.
Joe Wolverton:You know, because a lot of people I don't know about in your life I'm sure you probably see it as much as I do there are a lot of people who are well-intentioned and want to be involved, but they really do not know how. You know, they don't know how to get started. And so we have lessons in the blueprint that once you learn these basics of the constitution, and once you've absorbed that and you're able to communicate it, how can you use that information? You know, as it says in the good book, every man who has been warned should warn his neighbor. And so how do you warn your neighbor Once you've been warned? Warning your neighbor is a bit different, and so we try to encourage people and show them how it's been done successfully and how they can do it successfully.
Dr. Jackson:I hear you Now. Who are the other teachers besides yourself?
Joe Wolverton:We have Christian Gomez does a couple of the classes. He does a class, a really good class, on what is a tariff versus and why a tariff is superior to an income tax, for example.
Joe Wolverton:What's the difference and, economically, what would be the impact on the United States? We have Rebecca Terrell, who talks about the conspiracy that has existed since very early on in our history to try and subvert the Constitution. So who is it that's participating in this effort to subvert the Constitution and to destroy the liberty of this country? She identifies some of the big players there.
Dr. Jackson:I've interviewed her before. Maybe I should interview her about that whole conspiracy.
Joe Wolverton:Yeah, it's wonderful and it's important to know, because once you see which groups have been active for so long in literally doing everything they can to destroy the Constitution and rob us of the liberties that that document protects, then you see why are there so many members in government belonging to these same few groups? And you start to see patterns, and that's something that the Marxists in control of education and I wrote an article about this a couple of months ago that it's being able to recognize patterns. That enables you to predict what might happen should a certain policy be enacted, and so that's why you don't get taught history in school anymore. You get taught social studies, because history might. You might learn patterns and that might alert you to turn you into a bloodhound of tyranny. You smell it a mile away, and so, rather, than that good word Keep you.
Dr. Jackson:Keep your nose blind to it it.
Joe Wolverton:You know, I hear you. And then we have um dave giordano from up in the northeast. He's gonna, he has a lesson on how to be involved. And then, uh, from down here in south carolina we have uh arthur hampton, who he bats clean up and tells us how, particularly how the john birch society can help you get involved in the endeavor to restore the Constitution.
Dr. Jackson:Excellent, excellent. Now, when will this series be available?
Joe Wolverton:Well, I was going to say it's an important part of the story is in September we are going to have a leadership conference out by Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, because we're going to take a tour of Valley Forge out there and then there'll be tours of Philadelphia for people want to go see, you know, Constitution Hall and that kind of the Carpenters Hall and all of that kind of stuff. So in September, at this leadership conference, we are going to debut the blueprint for liberty and then, as soon as we get back after that, we'll have it available online and it comes with a study guide for students, for people who are taking the lessons, and it comes with a teacher's manual. So anybody, regardless of your level of understanding, you can guide a class just based on the teacher's guidebook and the student's handbook. You can guide a class, you can take it yourself. But if you come to the leadership, anybody can come to the leadership conference we're having.
Joe Wolverton:General Flynn is going to be there. He's our keynote speaker. We're having Catherine Austin Fitz talking to us about she was just on Tucker Carlson the other day she's talking to us about the central uh banking digital currency okay yeah, and so, and then I'll be speaking, and, and yeah and that so we'll have anybody can come.
Joe Wolverton:If you go to jbsorg and then there's a banner up there it talks about the leadership conference in september and anybody can come and and hang out with us there for a couple of days in pennsylvania and see the.
Dr. Jackson:So now, the debut. So after september, how will people be able to get a hold of?
Joe Wolverton:it. So after september we'll have it online. Uh, I will probably have a separate url, but through the john birch society website you'll be able to access the blueprint for liberty, and we'll have it on dvd for, you know, a couple of bucks each you know okay for that for people that want to use, because there's still a surprising amount of people who prefer to have a dvd to doing it online I got you.
Dr. Jackson:Yeah, I might be one of those. I like dvds yeah and so interesting. Very, All right, that's fascinating, Joe. I'm just. I'm already eager to see it. Well, it's one of those things.
Joe Wolverton:I'm so anxious for people to see it because I don't get. I'm a little jaded, dr Jackson, I am, I'm a little jaded by this time. Not that I don't think we can win. I know we well, those of us who are believers know we've already won. That's right. No, we well, those of us who are believers know we've already won.
Joe Wolverton:That's right, but we still got to fight. That's right, we still got to fight, but I really think that this blueprint for liberty is going to make a difference. I think it will be one of those things that, 30 years on from now, I will look back and be very proud of having participated in it. Having participated in it, because I think there's going to be a generation of Americans who learn more about the Constitution from that series than have learned from, you know, all of high school and all of college, and they will stand up and restore the rights given to them by God that are threatened by tyrants, and I just I really feel that way. I have a strong conviction that that's this product is going to help that and we'll be offering it.
Joe Wolverton:Another thing about our CEO is he. He's like you know, we're not here to. We're an educational organization. We're not here to make money. You know we're here to make patriots, and so the way we do that is offering our things at a very affordable price.
Dr. Jackson:I hear you. I'm already thinking about making this a Christmas present to a lot of people that.
Joe Wolverton:I know, me too, me too Yep.
Dr. Jackson:That's what I'm thinking about Changing the world, changing the United. States with presents like this to a lot of my friends and family. One man at a time, we can get it done. That's exactly right, all right, you're listening to More Than Medicine. My guest today has been Joe Wolverton, a constitutional lawyer and advisor to the John Birch Society, and he's talking about an upcoming series on the Constitution called Blueprint for Liberty, and you can be able to get that coming up in September. Thank you, joe, for being my guest.
Joe Wolverton:It's an honor doctor, Thank you so much for having me.
Dr. Jackson:All right, we'll be back again next week. Until then, may the Lord bless you real good.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to this edition of More Than Medicine. For more information about the Jackson Family Ministry or to schedule a speaking engagement, go to their Facebook page, instagram or webpage at jacksonfamilyministrycom. Also, don't forget to check out Dr Jackson's books that are available on Amazon His third book Turkey Tales and Bible Truths, and his father's biography on Laughter Silvered Wings the story of a country doctor, a family man, a patriot and a political activist. This podcast is produced by Bob Slone Audio Productions.
