Good article. I agree about the Pulitzer. It's very important that Lepore got it -- not because "We the People" is a good book (it isn't) because it means that her critique has not become the standard liberal position. People have no idea how to fix the Constitution, but at least there is general agreement that it's badly broken and that something must be done. Nancy Pelosi's repeated references to "the brilliance and genius of our Constitution" will no longer do.
Agreed. Neither Lepore nor any member of the academic or political elite, is going to call for popular assemblies to write a new constitution or at least it's highly unlikely. We may find allies at lower rungs of academia, the legal profession or government, who may participate. But it's going to have to be "We the people," meaning average working people, who take the lead forming a state by state network of popular assemblies to create a new, modern, truly democratic constitution. Has there been any discussion here as to how these bodies would work and the practical steps to be taken to create these assemblies?
Hi Al, I agree. I haven't written anything or talked with anyone about how these networks might work. There are different groups talking about the need for change here and there. John Mulkins has been especially involved with trying to bring folks together. The model in that regard still seems to be George Van Cleve's Convention Committee. John, I, and a few others have drafted letters asking folks with greater publicity to support a popular assembly. But that's where things are at. If you'd like to write anything about this topic, I'd be happy to publish it.
Hi, I've subscribed to John Mulkin's Substack and will start reading some of his posts, comments/replies etc. to get a sense of his thinking on bringing people together to form these assemblies. Van Cleve seems to provide the blueprint for forming committees to draft the new constitution.
I think my first step is going to be to reach out to people who are of like mind disgusted with this system and open to the idea of revamping it. One person in particular I know, had extensive experience in New York City government in the 1970s, before retiring and moving to the private sector. He's definitely become radicalized by all that's going on and knows a lot of people across New York State. Could possibly a real asset.
If, after these initial consultations/steps, I can write something of my own on how to create the popular assemblies, will share with you.
JD here with 20+ years working in government. If be THRILLED to participate in such a DESPERATELY needed effort! As an aside, IMHO, we shouldn't get too vexed about following the current Constitution's directions for how we change it. After all, the writers of the current ruling document gave not 1 fig for what the Articles of Confederation said about making changes to that document; the Founders literally scrapped it and substituted the current Constitution!
Good article. I agree about the Pulitzer. It's very important that Lepore got it -- not because "We the People" is a good book (it isn't) because it means that her critique has not become the standard liberal position. People have no idea how to fix the Constitution, but at least there is general agreement that it's badly broken and that something must be done. Nancy Pelosi's repeated references to "the brilliance and genius of our Constitution" will no longer do.
Agreed. Neither Lepore nor any member of the academic or political elite, is going to call for popular assemblies to write a new constitution or at least it's highly unlikely. We may find allies at lower rungs of academia, the legal profession or government, who may participate. But it's going to have to be "We the people," meaning average working people, who take the lead forming a state by state network of popular assemblies to create a new, modern, truly democratic constitution. Has there been any discussion here as to how these bodies would work and the practical steps to be taken to create these assemblies?
Hi Al, I agree. I haven't written anything or talked with anyone about how these networks might work. There are different groups talking about the need for change here and there. John Mulkins has been especially involved with trying to bring folks together. The model in that regard still seems to be George Van Cleve's Convention Committee. John, I, and a few others have drafted letters asking folks with greater publicity to support a popular assembly. But that's where things are at. If you'd like to write anything about this topic, I'd be happy to publish it.
Hi, I've subscribed to John Mulkin's Substack and will start reading some of his posts, comments/replies etc. to get a sense of his thinking on bringing people together to form these assemblies. Van Cleve seems to provide the blueprint for forming committees to draft the new constitution.
I think my first step is going to be to reach out to people who are of like mind disgusted with this system and open to the idea of revamping it. One person in particular I know, had extensive experience in New York City government in the 1970s, before retiring and moving to the private sector. He's definitely become radicalized by all that's going on and knows a lot of people across New York State. Could possibly a real asset.
If, after these initial consultations/steps, I can write something of my own on how to create the popular assemblies, will share with you.
JD here with 20+ years working in government. If be THRILLED to participate in such a DESPERATELY needed effort! As an aside, IMHO, we shouldn't get too vexed about following the current Constitution's directions for how we change it. After all, the writers of the current ruling document gave not 1 fig for what the Articles of Confederation said about making changes to that document; the Founders literally scrapped it and substituted the current Constitution!