Constitution Drafting Project: A Discussion of Five New Amendments
Feb 6, 2024
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Caroline Fredrickson, Timothy Sandefur, and Ilan Wurman discuss their approaches to constitution drafting in the Constitution Drafting Project. They cover topics such as amending the Constitution, determining presidential eligibility, reinvigorating Congress, term limits for Supreme Court justices, and the influence of the Declaration of Independence on proposed amendments.
The National Constitution Center's Constitution drafting project showcased the potential for civil discourse and the possibility of constitutional agreement in a polarized age.
Amending the Constitution is essential to maintain its relevance for future generations and address the changing needs of society.
The drafting teams, representing progressive, conservative, and libertarian ideologies, reached agreement on proposed amendments that aimed to improve the balance of power, reinforce principles of democracy, and protect individual rights.
Deep dives
The Landmark Constitution Drafting Project
The National Constitution Center's Constitution drafting project brought together three teams of constitutional scholars to draft constitutions from scratch. Surprisingly, there was significant overlap in the constitutions produced, and the teams agreed on five amendments to the Constitution. This project showcased the potential for civil discourse and the possibility of constitutional agreement in a polarized age.
The Importance of Amending the Constitution
Elon Warman, a conservative team leader, emphasized the importance of amending the Constitution to maintain its relevance for future generations. He argued that the Constitution should not be upheld for the sake of stability, but rather it should be open to necessary improvements to address the changing needs of society.
Agreement on Constitutional Amendments
The teams, led by Caroline Fredrickson (progressive), Elon Warman (conservative), and Tim Sandifer (libertarian), discussed and agreed upon several proposed constitutional amendments. These included reforms to the amendment process, impeachment, term limits for Supreme Court justices, legislative veto, and campaign finance restrictions. The amendments aimed to improve the balance of power and reinforce principles of democracy and individual rights.
The Role of Compromise in Constitution Design
Compromise was a fundamental aspect of the drafting process. Despite ideological differences, the teams engaged in productive deliberations and concessions to reach agreement on the proposed amendments. This demonstrated the importance of finding common ground and working towards solutions even in a highly polarized political environment.
The Influence of the Declaration of Independence
While not explicitly mentioned in the discussion, the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, such as liberty, equality, and consent of the governed, influenced the teams' approach to drafting the proposed amendments. The aim was to balance individual rights and democratic principles in shaping the future of the Constitution.
The Center for Constitutional Design at Arizona State University and the National Constitution Center present a discussion on the NCC’s landmark Constitution Drafting Project, featuring members of the drafting teams: Caroline Fredrickson of team progressive, Timothy Sandefur of team libertarian, and Ilan Wurman of team conservative. They will discuss their approaches to constitution drafting, the various amendments they agreed on, and the project’s importance in today’s constitutional environment. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.