Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Framers, Their Fights, and the Flaws that Affect Us Today

by Cynthia Levinson, Sanford Levinson

Overview

Many of the political issues we struggle with today have their roots in the US Constitution.

Husband-and-wife team Cynthia and Sanford Levinson take readers back to the creation of this historic document and discuss how contemporary problems were first introduced—then they offer possible solutions. Think Electoral College, gerrymandering, even the Senate. Many of us take these features in our system for granted. But they came about through haggling in an overheated room in 1787, and we're still experiencing the ramifications.

Each chapter in this timely and thoughtful exploration of the Constitution's creation begins with a story—all but one of them true—that connects directly back to a section of the document that forms the basis of our society and government. From the award-winning team, Cynthia Levinson, children's book author, and Sanford Levinson, constitutional law scholar, Fault Lines in the Constitution will encourage exploration and discussion from young and old readers alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781561459452
Publisher:	Peachtree Publishing Company
Publication date:	09/01/2017
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	7.20(w) x 8.60(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

A former teacher and educational policy consultant and researcher, Cynthia Levinson is the author of numerous award-winning nonfiction books about social justice for young readers,. She holds degrees from Wellesley College and Harvard University and also attended the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. She divides her time between Austin, Texas, and Boston, Massachusetts.

Sanford Levinson is an American legal scholar and a professor at the University of Texas Law School. He holds degrees from Duke, Stanford, and Harvard universities and is the author of several books for adults on the Constitution. He also writes frequently for a variety of newspapers, magazines, and blogs. He divides his time between Austin, Texas, and Boston, Massachusetts.

Table of Contents

Introduction 6

Preamble 13

Part I How Bills Become (Or, More Likely, Don't Become) Law 22

Chapter 1 It Takes Two to Tango / Bicameralism 23

Chapter 2 Big States, Little Say / The Senate 33

Chapter 3 Delete! / Presidential Veto 46

Chapter 4 Majority Rules-Except When It Doesn't / Supermajority Rules 54

Part II Hello, Can You Hear Me? 63

Chapter 5 How to Cherry-pick Voters / Gerrymandering 64

Chapter 6 Taxation without Representation / The District of Columbia 80

Chapter 7 "I'll Just Do It Myself!" "Oh No You Won't" / Direct Democracy 88

Part III If America Threw a Party, Would You Be Let In? 92

Chapter 8 Who Can Vote? How Do You Know? / Voting Rights 93

Chapter 9 Who Gets to Represent You? / Restrictions on Running for Congress 104

Chapter 10 Who Gets a Shot at the Oval Office? / Restrictions on Running for President 112

Chapter 11 Time's Up! / Presidential Term Limits 118

Part IV "Hurrah! I'm 18. Finally I Can Vote for the President." "Not So Fast." 126

Chapter 12 The College with No Courses or Credits / The Electoral College 127

Part V Can the President Really Do That?! 144

Chapter 13 Pardon Me? / Presidential Pardons 145

Chapter 14 "You're Hired! (Maybe.) You're Fired!" / The Unitary Executive 154

Part VI Who's Running America? 163

Chapter 15 Knock Knock. Is Anybody There? / Continuity in Government 164

Chapter 16 Is There a Leader in the Room? / Presidential Succession 176

Chapter 17 The Duck's in Charge. January 20 / Inauguration Day 185

Part VII Emergency! Emergency! 191

Chapter 18 At War / Emergency Powers 192

Chapter 19 At War with Bugs / Habeas Corpus 202

Chapter 20 We Can Change It, Right? / Amending the Constitution 213

Part VIII Keeping Pace with the Times 224

Chapter 21 Grading the Constitution 225

Chapter 22 Now What? 234

Post-Amble

Timeline of Events 241

Acknowledgments 245

Notes 246

Bibliography 257

Articles and Amendments 259

Index 260

Editorial Reviews

★ 09/04/2017
Cynthia Levinson (The Youngest Marcher) and her constitutional law professor husband hone in on select aspects of the United States Constitution; after scrutiny of the Preamble’s intentions and some of the document’s problematic provisions, they call urgently for reform, giving it an overall C+ grade. (Sanford Levinson’s 2006 book, Our Undemocratic Constitution, navigated similar terrain for an adult readership.) The authors focus on how bills become law, who can vote or be elected to office, succession provisions, and amending the Constitution; the conundrum of the Electoral College merits its own section. Interest-piquing anecdotes open each chapter, the effects of the Constitution’s provisions are dramatically summarized in poster-like illustrations, and the ensuing discussions—a review of the Framers’ concerns in 1787, analyses of various “Big Problems,” and possible solutions found in other operating constitutions—are both cogent and highly readable (“We continue to operate under the terms of their last-minute flip-flop”). This thought-provoking and exceptionally topical work concludes with a debate between the Levinsons over the best way to accomplish much-needed changes to America’s most basic governing document. Ages 10–14. Agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

★ 08/01/2017
Gr 6–8—Gerrymandering. Filibusters. The electoral college. The authors tackle these and other constitutional issues in this insightful work. The book functions differently than a straightforward explanatory text on the U.S. Constitution. Rather, the authors examine the fissures and issues that arise when it comes to the actual application of the Constitution: Why does a small state have the same power in the Senate as a state with exponentially higher population? How can certain stipulations in the Constitution deter otherwise popular legislation? The text discusses current conflicts, such as the irony of "Taxation Without Representation" in regard to Washington, DC, and Senate filibusters that kill potentially popular legislation before it can even be voted on. Historical situations are also examined, such as the Sedition Act of 1918 that barred anti-war speech during World War One. The book provides readers with a broad context of constitutional law; the text explores how various parts of the U.S. Constitution compare with individual state constitutions and other nations' constitutions. The authors not only raise timely issues, but provide readers with options of how a seemingly obsolete stipulation can be amended. Many examples of amended laws, e.g., the repeal of Prohibition, illustrate the evolving nature of the law. At times, the authors seem to express their support of a more direct democracy. They also provide a "report card" on the Constitution's ability to handle its objectives, such as "Form a More Perfect Union" and "Promote the General Welfare." Pons's helpful illustrations resemble infographics, pulling out startling facts from the text and repackaging them visually. VERDICT Much food for thought on the application and relevance of many of the Constitution's stipulations. Essential for class discussions, debate teams, and reports.—Jeffrey Meyer, Mount Pleasant Public Library, IA

School Library Journal

★ 2017-06-14
The United States Constitution has been amended 27 times since its 1788 ratification, but the Levinsons make the reasonable and compelling case that further revision will make it even more efficient and just. Cynthia Levinson, the author of We've Got a Job (2012), teams up with her husband, Sanford Levinson, a constitutional law scholar and professor, to explain how many of the political issues we struggle with today are rooted in flaws in the U.S. Constitution. Among the issues explored, in lively, accessible prose, are bicameralism, the Electoral College, emergency powers, gerrymandering, the presidential veto, and voter-identification requirements. In the chapters examining these issues, real-life examples illustrate each constitutional flaw (the 2000 election illustrates the problems in the Electoral College, for instance). Putting it in historical and contemporary context, the authors explain the problem, make comparisons to constitutions of other nations, and suggest viable solutions. The Levinsons grade the Constitution's success in meeting its primary goals as outlined in the Preamble, giving it a C-plus overall. The text concludes with the authors debating the pros and cons of a second Constitutional Convention. A fascinating, thoughtful, and provocative look at what in the Constitution keeps the United States from being "a more perfect union." (timeline, bibliography, endnotes) (Nonfiction. 10-18)

Kirkus Reviews

★ "Lately there's been dismay that civics, government, and history have taken a backseat in classrooms. This smartly conceived book goes a long way toward reintroducing students to those subjects. . . .the Levinsons link both history and current events as they offer an illustrative group of examples that show where the Constitution got it right—and wrong. . . . Although the font, charts, and well-written text make this appealing, it's not always an easy read. It is, however, an important one."—Booklist, Starred Review

★ "Interest-piquing anecdotes open each chapter, the effects of the Constitution's provisions are dramatically summarized in poster-like illustrations, and the ensuing discussions. . . are both cogent and highly readable. . . thought-provoking and exceptionally topical" —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

★ "A fascinating, thoughtful, and provocative look at what in the Constitution keeps the United States from being 'a more perfect union.'" —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

★ "Insightful. . . Much food for thought on the application and relevance of many of the Constitution's stipulations. Essential for class discussions, debate teams, and reports." —School Library Journal, Starred Review

From the Publisher

Adenrele Ojo, Arthur Morey, Kimberly Farr, Erin Spencer, and, briefly, the authors themselves assist narrator Mark Bramhall in delivering a reasoned argument that the Constitution of the United States was designed for continual improvement and is currently in need of a few changes. Bramhall's conversational tone engages listeners, good-naturedly urging them to consider weighty Constitutional matters like the Electoral College, gerrymandering, and proportional representation. The phrase "there are other ways" frequently transitions to statistical information regarding constitutions from other countries. The words "The story continues" signal a return to the narrative. Secondary narrators voice quotes from the Framers and politicians with mixed effect. The authors themselves contribute a chapter in which they debate each other over the best way to effect positive changes in our government. L.T. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2018 - AudioFile

Adenrele Ojo, Arthur Morey, Kimberly Farr, Erin Spencer, and, briefly, the authors themselves assist narrator Mark Bramhall in delivering a reasoned argument that the Constitution of the United States was designed for continual improvement and is currently in need of a few changes. Bramhall's conversational tone engages listeners, good-naturedly urging them to consider weighty Constitutional matters like the Electoral College, gerrymandering, and proportional representation. The phrase "there are other ways" frequently transitions to statistical information regarding constitutions from other countries. The words "The story continues" signal a return to the narrative. Secondary narrators voice quotes from the Framers and politicians with mixed effect. The authors themselves contribute a chapter in which they debate each other over the best way to effect positive changes in our government. L.T. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2018 - AudioFile