The Preamble How Hard Can It Be, Boys Do It? Plus, Fighting for Equal Rights After the Civil War, and Answers to Your Questions
Nov 17, 2025
Akhil Reed Amar, a leading constitutional scholar and author, joins to discuss his book, Born Equal, illuminating the significance of the 14th Amendment and birthright citizenship. He delves into the Civil War Amendments' impact on U.S. equality and clarifies the original meaning of 'subject to the jurisdiction.' Amar also challenges the scope of these amendments, arguing for broader interpretations beyond formerly enslaved individuals. Plus, Sharon tackles listener questions on tariffs, mortgage proposals, and Senate leadership changes.
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Women Took Over The Harvests
- Florence Hall organized the Women's Land Army to replace a million men missing from farms during WWII.
- Her program trained and placed over half a million women, yielding record harvests and preserving the national food supply.
Postwar Amendments As A Unified Project
- The Civil War amendments form a coherent 'birth equality' project across decades.
- The 13th, 14th, 15th, and later 19th Amendments progressively extended freedom, citizenship, and voting equality.
Jurisdiction Means Born Under U.S. Authority
- "Subject to the jurisdiction" in the 14th Amendment refers to being under U.S. authority at birth, not parents' citizenship.
- Framers treated children born on U.S. soil as citizens even if parents were noncitizens or temporarily present.
