SANFORD - The Constitution establishes the principles of a republic as all men are equal and born with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. How then has America changed from the institution the founding fathers envisioned to what it is today?

Dr. Andrew J. Taylor, Professor of Political Science at N.C. State University and author of several books, discussed this issue as guest speaker for the Liberty Lecture Series at Central Carolina Community College recently.

One of the most fundamental ways in which America has changed is through the encroachment upon our basic freedoms such as freedom of speech, explained Taylor.

"Freedom of speech has been curtailed by the influence of political correctness. For example, popular comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and others have refused to perform on college campuses recently because students don't want to hear what they have to say," he said. "Even important political leaders like Christine Lagarde, director of the International Monetary Fund, have been kicked off campuses for their so-called controversial beliefs."

Constitutional freedoms have also been limited in other ways. Federal regulatory practices, in order to protect employees' rights, protect the environment and hold corporations accountable for the amount of power they wield, have also served to limit the free market, according to Dr. Taylor.

As federal practices take more freedoms from the states, the states take more freedoms from local government, Dr. Taylor added. "By leaking classified information, Edward Snowden endangered the security of America, but he also called attention to the fact that the government had become too powerful," said Dr. Taylor. "The current practice of accepting people to office without confirmation of Congress have contributed to this problem and led to the expression 'imperial presidency'. Two hundred and twenty-eight years later, many Americans don't believe we are staying true to the beliefs our founding fathers put forth. The proportion of Americans who trust federal government to do what is right has significantly dwindled."

Dr. Taylor is professor of Political Science in the School of Public and International Affairs at N.C. State University. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut and teaches courses in American politics. He won the College of Humanities and Social Sciences' Poole Outstanding Teacher Award in 1999 and its Outstanding Researcher Award in 2014. He also has received N.C. State's Extension Service Award.

A native of the United Kingdom, Dr. Taylor's research focuses on American governmental institutions. He has published in many journals and is the author of several books.

Dr. Taylor is a recipient of a U.S. State Department grant and Dirksen Congressional Center research awards and, with Steve Margolis of Economics, runs the Economic, Legal, and Political Foundations of Free Societies program that is supported by a grant from the John William Pope Foundation.

In 1999-2000, Dr. Taylor was the American Political Science Association's Steiger Congressional Fellow. He was chair of N.C. State's Department of Political Science from 2006 to 2010, and in 2012-13 he was president of the North Carolina Political Science Association.

For more information about Central Carolina Community College, visit the website at www.cccc.edu.