Peaceful Political Revolution in America

Welcome back to the Peaceful Political Revolution in American Podcast.So, how do Americans "shore up" their institutions of government? How do we strengthen our democracy and protect it from the anti-democratic forces that are currently on the rise? The recent book by George Van Cleve, "Making a New American Constitution" argues that today the 1787 Constitution is protecting America’s increasingly wealthy oligarchy. The eighteenth-century government structure it created no longer serves most non-elite citizens. Instead, it now seriously obstructs political, economic, and social reforms that are badly needed to combat massive American economic and political inequality, the growing impacts of modernization, and to create a just and united society.As we said in the last episode, we can't even manage to discuss climate change let alone deal with it.  The Constitution must be fundamentally reformed if we are to address the very real threats we face as a nation. My guest today has a very rational and well-thought-out proposal for doing just that,  and he contends that such constitutional reforms can only be achieved by holding a new constitutional convention. He also explains why common fears about holding a new convention are greatly exaggerated. This book explores in detail the impediments that will need to be overcome by ordinary Americans who want to ordain and establish a third and more democratic Constitution for the United States.George William Van Cleve is Dean’s Visiting Scholar, Georgetown University Law Center. He was formerly Research Professor in Law and History, Seattle University School of Law. He is the author of numerous law and history journal articles and three books on American law, politics, and history. His most recent book, "Making a New American Constitution", offers an unassailable critique of the current political system in America as well as a comprehensive and practical guide towards replacing it with one designed by living Americans for their society and future. George Van Cleve received his J.D. from Harvard Law School and his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. He is here today to share with us his very pragmatic yet powerful proposal for a new national constitution.Professor Van Cleve, welcome to the Peaceful Political Revolution in America podcast. It's a great honor to have you on this program.

William Howell is the Sydney Stein Professor in American Politics at the University of Chicago, where he holds appointments in the Harris School, Department of Political Science, and College. Currently, he is the chair of the Department of Political Science, director of the Center for Effective Government, and co-host of Not Another Politics Podcast.  William has written widely on separation-of-powers issues and American political institutions, especially the presidency. He currently is working on research projects on separation of powers issues, the origins of political authority, and the normative foundations of executive power.William’s most recent book (with Terry Moe) is Presidents, Populism, and the Crisis of Democracy. He also is the author or co-author of numerous other books, including: Relic: How the Constitution Undermines Effective Government–And Why We Need a More Powerful Presidency (Basic Books, 2016); The Wartime President: Executive Influence and the Nationalizing Politics of Threat (University of Chicago Press, 2013); Thinking about the Presidency: The Primacy of Power (Princeton University Press, 2013); While Dangers Gather: Congressional Checks on Presidential War Powers (Princeton University Press, 2007); Power without Persuasion: The Politics of Direct Presidential Action (Princeton University Press, 2003); The Education Gap: Vouchers and Urban Schools (Brookings Institution Press, 2002); and textbooks on the American presidency and American Politics. His research also has appeared in numerous professional journals and edited volumes.William is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a former fellow at the Center for Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. He is the recipient, among other academic awards, of the Legacy Award for enduring research on executive politics, the William Riker award for the best book in political economy, the D.B. Hardeman Prize for the best book on Congress, the Richard Neustadt award for the best book on the American presidency, and the E.E. Schattschneider Award for the best dissertation in American Politics. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Smith Richardson Foundation, the Democracy Fund, and the Bradley Foundation. He also has written for a wide variety of media outlets.Before coming to the University of Chicago, William taught in the government department at Harvard University and the political science department at the University of Wisconsin. In 2000, he received a Ph.D. in political science from Stanford University.William,  welcome to the Peaceful Political Revolution in America podcast, it's great to have you on the podcast, how are you doing?What do you make of the hearing today?

Any serious discussion about a peaceful political revolution in America would be incomplete if it did not include a conversation with today's guest. Sandford Levinson holds the W. St. John Garwood and W. St. John Garwood, Jr. Centennial Chair in Law.  Previously a member of the Department of Politics at Princeton University, he is currently Professor of Government at the University of Texas in Austin. Levinson is the author of over 400 articles and book reviews as well as six books, including, Our Undemocratic Constitution; Framed: America's 51 Constitutions and the Crisis of Governance; and co-author of the graphic novel along with Cynthia Levinson of, Fault Lines in the Constitution. He has edited or co-edited several leading constitutional law casebooks, including; Processes of Constitutional Decision making; Responding to Imperfection; Constitutional Stupidities, Constitutional Tragedies; Legal Canons; and The Oxford Handbook on the United States Constitution. Levinson has taught law at Georgetown, Yale, Harvard, New York University, Boston University, as well as the Central European University in Budapest, Panthéon-Assas University, the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, London, Auckland, and Melbourne. In 2001, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.He has argued that the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution limits the government's authority to regulate private gun ownership. Levinson has called for term limits for Supreme Court justices along with a growing list of scholars across the ideological spectrum. He is also a vocal critic of the unitary executive and excessive presidential power. In the magazine Dissent, he argued that "constitutional dictators have become the American norm." He wrote an essay titled "The Decider Can Become a Dictator" in which he criticized a system which allows presidents to make dictatorial decisions of great consequence without providing ways to discipline those who display bad judgment. Levinson has criticized the Constitution for what he considers to be its numerous failings, including an inability to remove the President despite a lack of confidence by lawmakers and the public, the President's veto power as being "extraordinarily undemocratic", the difficulty of enacting Constitutional amendments through Article 5, and a lack of more representation in the Senate for highly populated states such as California. He has often called for a Second Constitutional Convention and the "wholesale revision of our nation's founding document."Levinson participates in a blog called Balkinization which focuses on constitutional, First Amendment, and other civil liberties issues, as well as a blog, called Our Undemocratic Constitution. With Jeffrey K. Tulis, he is co-editor of the Johns Hopkins Series in Constitutional Thought and also of a new series, Constitutional Thinking at the University Press of Kansas.  He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Political Science Association in 2010. I began my quest for a genuine solution to the political dysfunction in the United States over ten years ago when I first opened the cover of his book, Framed. It has proven itself to be not only relevant today but required reading for anyone interested in addressing the failures and shortcomings of our uniquely undemocratic American Political system.

Welcome back to the Peaceful Political Revolution in America podcast.When you look around the world at different constitutions, and how political systems are formed, you quickly realize that they are all quite different, even amongst the democratic nations. Every democratic country does democracy a little differently, and the results vary just as much. The conditions which lead to a new constitution can be as unpredictable as the events that follow. Constitution building is risky and complicated, which is why it is so hard to do and so rarely achieved. When conditions are right, however, citizens can make significant and meaningful improvements to their form of government. That constitutional moment came to Iceland in 2008, and it has yet to be resolved. The Icelandic people will have to figure it out, in part because, in Iceland, it is the constituted powers that make that decision, not the constituent powers. In Iceland, it remains the responsibility of the government to adopt any new constitution, not the people. This is not the case in America. In America, that power, called sovereignty, rests with the people. With you and I. That is the truly radical and democratic principle upon which our nation was formed and it is what makes America a truly exceptional nation. It is the source if you will, of all our freedoms.For most countries, a constitutional crisis is not just an opportunity to replace an unjust or corrupt political order, it is also an opportunity to reevaluate national and social objectives, to set the country on a new and better path. Hopefully, it is an opportunity to adopt a better and more effective form of representation. In 1787, it was the realization that the political order was no longer adequate which gave birth to our new and present political system. As Madison put it in Federalist One, "AFTER an unequivocal experience of the inefficiency of the subsisting federal government, you are called upon to deliberate on a new Constitution for the United States of America." Constitutional moments do not come along every decade, or even every century, yet it is common sense that as societies evolve so must their political systems. Like everything else in life, political and economic systems must continually adapt to new technologies and new challenges. If they do not, they may become vulnerable to corruption and gradually become ineffective and irrelevant.It is beneficial for a nation to refresh its understanding of itself from time to time. The citizens must find agreement in their principles, and their objectives as a nation or divisions become rather permanent. They must consider the issues confronting them as a nation and when necessary, devise better ways of addressing the threats they face. It is a momentous occasion for any country to take a serious and long hard look at itself. To conceptualize a better process through which the vast majority of the citizens might be governed in a more just and equitable way is our most sacred duty as citizens. When we fail to do this, we fail to live up to the expectations of the very people who gave us this nation. Constitutions can be complex documents, but happily, there has been a lot of research and development in the field of democracy since our second constitution was created 230+ years ago. Today we can all look around the globe and see multiple examples of democracies, and that was not the case in 1787.The United States was the first nation to place sovereignty in the hands of the people, and although you may believe, as I do, that the framers did a relatively bad job of getting a true democracy up and running, the responsibility to improve our constitution was never taken away from we the people. Our most

(See transcript for the entire introduction)Welcome back to the Peaceful Political Revolution in American Podcast.Iceland has a really interesting history. You may know a bit about its scenic wonders if you ever watched Game of Thrones, but its political history is no less amazing. Iceland used to be part of Denmark, but in 1849, things began to change.In the 19th century, the Icelandic independence movement from Denmark was gaining momentum, while nationalism and demands for increased civil rights intensified in mainland Europe. In June 1849, the king of Denmark was forced to meet the demands of the liberals and the nationalists, and agreed to a constitution for Denmark and thus also with Iceland. This constitution ended the absolute monarchy and created a constitutional monarchy in which power over the most important issues was handed over to a parliament elected by the people. That was step one on the pathway to democracy and independence for Iceland.However, this change was not well-received by Icelanders, as it in reality translated to reduced autonomy for Iceland. Before 1849, Icelanders had officially ruled themselves as they happened to see fit in domestic matters. But now those matters were falling under the control of parliaments over which Icelanders had no influence. The Danes were reluctant to meet the demands of the Icelanders for self-government as set forth during the National Assembly of 1851, in the belief that it would weaken Denmark's control in government. But when the said region was annexed by Prussia in 1867, new conditions were created, and "the laws of standing" were passed in 1871, which determined the standing of Iceland in relation to the Danish state. In 1874, on the millennial anniversary of the settlement in Iceland, Christian IX became king of Denmark and attended the festivities of the watershed occasion. This opportunity was used to give Iceland its own separate constitution, and this constitution is the basis of Iceland's current constitution.With the relationship law of 1918, Iceland became a sovereign state and in 1920 the country received a new constitution to reflect this large change.  An election was run in May of the same year and had a turnout of 98%.  97% voted to break off the current relationship law with Denmark and 95% approved a constitutional republic. On June 17, 1944, the Althing met at Þingvellir, where the constitution was ratified and the republic established.It has been amended seven times since then, mostly due to changes in the structure of the constituencies of Iceland and the conditions of voting eligibility. In 1991 the organization of Althing changed from a bicameral legislature to a unicameral legislature. Extensive modifications were made in 1995 when the human rights section of the constitution was reviewed.Fast forward to the global financial crisis of 2008.continued...

Welcome to the Peaceful Political Revolution in America podcast.Democracy is under attack. The rise of Trumpism has created a lot of anxiety amongst those who believe in democracy, and for good reason. We have all witnessed the recent attack on our capital, on our electoral system, on our right to vote, on vaccine mandates, and on immigration.  There has been a sharp rise in white nationalist sentiment in America, and it's not only in the South. It has been fueled in part by the exponential increase of disinformation and increasingly difficult economic realities in our communities. The country is increasingly ravished by homelessness and hunger. One in three Americans have been affected by Climate Change and over 400 counties in America are reporting an increase of more than 1.5 degrees in average mean temperatures.  More and more people are getting desperate.  Is the rise of autocracy inevitable, or could there be a peaceful and more democratic alternative awaiting our future? As noted in the previous episode with Richard Wolff,  Chile and Portugal have both recently created new and more effective Democracies. They have it appears, successfully dealt with the disintegration of democratic principles and the very real impacts of autocratic leaders like Agusto Pinochet and the Estado Novo. Putting the current crisis of democracy into historical perspective, Death by a Thousand Cuts chronicles how would-be despots, dictators, and outright tyrants have finessed the techniques of killing democracies. Matt Qvortrup is Professor of Political Science at Coventry University. He is Joint Editor of the top-academic journal European Political Science Review. His acclaimed biography, Angela Merkel: Europe's Most Influential Leader, has been translated into 5 languages and he has published more than 40 peer-reviewed articles and more than a dozen books on comparative politics and constitutional law.  He has served as a consultant to several governments around the globe and is described by the BBC as 'the world's leading expert on referendums', and he is here today to talk about how democracies die, and what happens next.

Welcome to the Peaceful Political Revolution in America podcast.Democracy is under attack. The rise of Trumpism has created a lot of anxiety amongst those who believe in democracy, and for good reason. We have all witnessed the recent attack on our capitol, on our electoral system, on our right to vote, on vaccine mandates, and on immigration.  There has been a sharp rise in white nationalist sentiment in America, and it's not only in the South. It has been fueled in part by the exponential increase of disinformation and increasingly difficult economic realities in our communities. The country is increasingly ravished by homelessness and hunger. One in three Americans have been affected by Climate Change and over 400 counties in America are reporting an increase of more than 1.5 degrees in average mean temperatures.  More and more people are getting desperate and wondering if the rise of autocracy is inevitable.  Or could there be a peaceful and more democratic alternative awaiting our future? As noted in the previous episode with Richard Wolff,  Chile and Portugal have both recently created new and more effective Democracies. They have it appears, successfully dealt with the disintegration of democratic principles and the very real impacts of autocratic leaders like Agusto Pinochet and the Estado Novo. Putting the current crisis of democracy into historical perspective, Death by a Thousand Cuts chronicles how would-be despots, dictators, and outright tyrants have finessed the techniques of killing democracies. Matt Qvortrup is Professor of Political Science at Coventry University. He is Joint Editor of the top-academic journal European Political Science Review. His acclaimed biography, Angela Merkel: Europe's Most Influential Leader, has been translated into 5 languages and he has published more than 40 peer-reviewed articles and more than a dozen books on comparative politics and constitutional law.  He has served as a consultant to several governments around the globe and is described by the BBC as 'the world's leading expert on referendums', and he is here today to talk about how democracies die, and what happens, next.

Welcome back to the Peaceful Political Revolution in America podcast.It has been pointed out on this podcast by more than a few people, that our Constitution is as much an economic or class document, as it was a political one. For starters, our colonial era Constitution was designed to protect the interests of the slavocracy, to favor the individual accumulation of wealth and property over the collective well-being of society. In short, the framers created a political system to protect their interests.  We see the economic impacts of that system all around us. We can study the economic and social impacts this system has had on labor in America, on our natural resources and environment, our infrastructure, our foreign policy, and our communities. In America, money is to politics as wealth is to influence. The framers were well aware of that, and it is no wonder why they had a disdain for democracy.Richard Wolff's name has come up more than a few times in this podcast. His ideas have caught the attention of a lot of people. I thought it would be insightful to talk with professor Wolff about the relationship between democracy and capitalism because his message, more than most, suggests there may be a better and more democratic future for humanity. Richard D. Wolff is Professor of Economics Emeritus, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Visiting Professor in the Graduate Program in International Affairs of the New School University, NYC. He is also the founder of Democracy at Work and host of their nationally syndicated show,  Economic Update.If the Sickness is the System, we have some serious problems.  Are we all still living and working under a modern form of slavery? Do we ourselves need to be emancipated?  If so, how would we do that, and what kind of society would we create?More and more people are listening to Richard Wolff's message. His vision of democracy in the workplace is based on an extensive understanding of economics as seen through the lens of capitalism, marxism, and socialism, and he is here today to talk about his extraordinary new book, The Sickness is the System: When Capitalism Fails to Save Us from Pandemics or Itself.

Welcome back to the Peaceful Political Revolution in America Podcast.It looks like we could make some very real improvements to our political system. It is becoming more and more obvious that after 233 years, our Constitution could be significantly upgraded.  If we want to have an effective and democratic form of government we should probably be thinking about how to democratize our Constitution.  Confronting this reality will not be easy for many.   But perhaps we should begin by asking ourselves the following questions:What are the undemocratic features of our Constitution? What features would make it more democratic? And, can we as Americans amend, change or even replace our Constitution?But there is also another urgent and more immediate crisis to contend with. Paul Street is the author of over 8 books including, They Rule, Empire and Inequality,  Hollow Resistance, and his most recent book, This Happened Here: Amerikaners, Neoliberals, and the Trumping of America.American-Canadian scholar and cultural critic Henry Giroux, a founding theorist of critical pedagogy in the United States writes, " His analysis of fascism in its post-Trump form and the Trump base is the best I have read. Street is a straight shooter and displays a courageousness and brilliance in the book that should be a model for every public intellectual in America, and a resource for every member of the public when it comes to holding truth to power. The book is an absolute necessary treasure for anyone concerned about the threats now facing the ideal and promise of American democracy."On Paul's book, They Rule, Cornel West, says “Paul Street is the most acute observer and insightful analyst of the 'Obama Phenomena.' This book gets beneath the political smoke and mirrors to reveal the pervasive rule of big money that drives the American Empire and global capitalist economy. Street’s courageous truth-telling is the precondition for a massive radical democratic movement.”Paul Street knows a few things about the threats to our nation. He has a deep understanding of the people who control the levers of real power in Washington, and he is here to tell you why This Happened Here and how it is They Rule. 

01/03/22Welcome back to the Peaceful Political Revolution in America Podcast.It looks like we could make some very real improvements to our political system. It is becoming more and more obvious that after 233 years, our Constitution could be significantly upgraded.  If we want to have an effective and democratic form of government, we should probably be thinking about how to democratize our Constitution. Confronting this reality will not be easy for many. But perhaps we should begin by asking ourselves the following questions:What are the undemocratic features of our Constitution? What features would make it more democratic? And, can we as Americans amend, change or even replace our Constitution?But there is also another urgent and more immediate crisis to contend with. Paul Street is the author of over 8 books including, They Rule, Empire and Inequality,  Hollow Resistance, and his most recent book, This Happened Here: Amerikaners, Neoliberals, and the Trumping of America.American-Canadian scholar and cultural critic Henry Giroux, a founding theorist of critical pedagogy in the United States writes, " His analysis of fascism in its post-Trump form and the Trump base is the best I have read. Street is a straight shooter and displays a courageousness and brilliance in the book that should be a model for every public intellectual in America, and a resource for every member of the public when it comes to holding truth to power. The book is an absolute necessary treasure for anyone concerned about the threats now facing the ideal and promise of American democracy."On Paul's book, They Rule, Cornel West, says “Paul Street is the most acute observer and insightful analyst of the 'Obama Phenomena.' This book gets beneath the political smoke and mirrors and reveals the pervasive rule of big money that drives the American Empire and global capitalist economy. Street’s courageous truth-telling is the precondition for a massive radical democratic movement.”Paul Street knows a few things about the threats to our nation. He has a deep understanding of the people who control the levers of real power in Washington, and he is here to tell you why This Happened Here and how it is They Rule.