The Constitution at War with Itself
My review of Noah Feldman’s The Broken Constitution: Lincoln, Slavery, and the Refounding of America at The Bulwark. Continue reading The Constitution at War with Itself
Tag: Abraham Lincoln
Post-Modern Departmentalism: The New Eviction Moratorium as a Constitutional Moment
Benjamin Slomski is Assistant Professor in Political Science at Ashland University. On August 3rd, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a new eviction moratorium to last for sixty days in areas with high levels of COVID-19 infections. … Continue reading Post-Modern Departmentalism: The New Eviction Moratorium as a Constitutional Moment
July 9 in the Constitutional Convention
On July 9, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention took up the question of the initial representation of each state in the lower House. The committee report on the floor consisted of two parts. The first apportioned representatives initially; the second provided a principle of growth. The principle of growth was apportionment according to wealth and population. The issue simmering barely under the surface was enslavement, and William Paterson put it in the open. His argument would have echoes later in American history. According to Madison’s notes, Paterson “was also agst. such an indirect encouragemt. of the slave trade; observing … Continue reading July 9 in the Constitutional Convention
The July 4 Project
Susan McWilliams Barndt is chair and professor of politics at Pomona College. She is a regular contributor to The Constitutionalist. Why don’t we celebrate September 3? Why do we celebrate July 4? From the mouths of babes: My 10-year-old … Continue reading The July 4 Project
1620/1820/2020
James H. Nichols, Jr. is Professor of Government and Dr. Jules L. Whitehill Professor of Humanism and Ethics at Claremont McKenna College. The tearing down of statues, the renaming of buildings and schools, the discrediting of formerly admired founders, presidents, … Continue reading 1620/1820/2020
A Defense of Moderation
Aurelian Craiutu and Constantine Vassiliou have an excellent article articulating, defending, and pleading for us to turn from a politics of warfare to a politics of moderation. As Craiutu and Vassiliou argue, for both sides politics has become a zero-sum game in which they either win completely or the other side wins completely. This explains why presidential elections have become so important. We think the defeat of the other side in a presidential election is a matter of life or death. They attribute part of the problem to social media: “There is a significant difference between executing an idea and … Continue reading A Defense of Moderation
Sustaining Political Community in the Face of Violence
Watch this Webinar with Benjamin Kleinerman and Tom Merrill about Lincoln’s Lyceum Address especially as it relates to the events of January 6th. Continue reading Sustaining Political Community in the Face of Violence
Lincoln to Biden: Stand Firm, by Frederick E. Hoxie
As we assess the significance of the January 6 Capitol assault and prepare for Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, many commentators have compared recent events to Reconstruction, the post-Civil War period when political divisions between North and South were resolved through northern acquiescence to white supremacy, disfranchisement and segregation. Continue reading Lincoln to Biden: Stand Firm, by Frederick E. Hoxie
Exorcising the Mobocratic Spirit, by Matthew S. Brogdon
The recent insurrectionary riot at the Capitol has elicited dire warnings that our democracy is in peril. Continue reading Exorcising the Mobocratic Spirit, by Matthew S. Brogdon
Make Public Office Unappealing Again
All republics need built-in safeguards against would-be tyrants.
President Trump has eroded some of those safeguards in th Continue reading Make Public Office Unappealing Again