Episode 18: Tinker to Amar to Strossen – Special Guest Nadine Strossen
May 12, 2021
Professor Nadine Strossen, the 17-year (and first woman) director of the ACLU joins a free-wheeling discussion of free speech, in the Constitution and beyond.
In the wake of the publication of The Words That Made Us, Akhil comes full circle, as his first book was The Bill of Rights. To complete that circle, Professor Nadine Strossen, the youngest person and first woman to lead the ACLU as its president (for 17 years!) joins Akhil and Andy for a discussion that ranges from the current Supreme Court case on cheerleaders’ (and all other students’) rights to the famous Tinker case; from Citizens United to The Godfather. And just what is wrong with The Sopranos?
Show Notes:
Episode 17: Voracious Horatius
May 5, 2021
Was there an election season crazier than 2020? Check out the Election of 1800! And, The Words That Made Us is published!
As Akhil and Andy celebrate the publication this week of The Words That Made Us, Akhil tells a story from the book – the crazy election of 1800 and the just-barely-peaceful transfer of power. And what is John Marshall up to? He’s everywhere: Secretary of State and Chief Justice at once, a pseudonymous scheming columnist, and in the end, the man with the Bible in his hand to swear in the eventual winner: his cousin.
Show Notes:
Episode 16: 18 Arguments for 18 Years
April 28, 2021
Professor Amar’s plans for judicial reform are presented, explained, and discussed before the Biden Commission begins its work.
The Biden Commission is in the news, with a mandate to produce ideas on judicial reform, especially at the Supreme Court level. It just so happens that Akhil has been writing about this for almost 20 years, and has fully formed ideas. How many ways would these changes make the Court better? We’ll count. Of course, the historical and constitutional background will also be explored and explained.
Show Notes:
Episode 15: Leaving The Field
April 21, 2021
As The Words That Made Us prepares to take the stage with its release, the founders leave their own stage – with one memorable death after another.
In the wake of the imminent release of The Words That Made Us, Akhil takes us to the end of the story – or was it? The deaths of America’s founders were all memorable in ways that reflected the character of each. This can’t be a coincidence, he maintains, and if it wasn’t, then what was it? The founders managed to leave their mark on the stage as they left it, and in so doing, and in some sense, they didn’t leave.
Show Notes:
Episode 14: Ending Catch-22
April 14, 2021
John Fabian Witt joins Akhil and Andy as we discuss all things Filibuster, including how the Senate can eliminate it on any day.
10 years after Professor Amar wrote, with Gary Hart, on how the Senate can put an end to the filibuster, it remains (mostly) in place. Akhil and Andy take you through the long history of this notorious practice, from the pre-Constitutional theories and practices, through the many misdeeds of the post-Civil War and 20th century periods, to today where the filibuster looms large but also is threatened with extinction. Professor John Fabian Witt joins the conversation with unique insights into the origins of the “modern” filibuster, how it was employed to thwart anti-lynching as well as major civil rights legislation. What is now rule 22 (“catch-22”) is not so entrenched, not so consistent with the Senate’s mission, as many have thought. Thanks again to EverScholar (everscholar.org) for sponsoring “Amarica’s Constitution.”
Show Notes:
Episode 13: The Purpose of the Truth
April 7, 2021
The immortal Bob Woodward takes time out from taking down a President for the second time for a wide-ranging discussion of the Presidency, the Supreme Court, and the truth.
Akhil and Andy welcome “the greatest reporter of all time” – Bob Woodward – to Amarica’s Constitution. Fresh off his 19th book and 14th number one best-seller, “Fear” – having reported on nine presidents – a discussion of the Presidency would seem to be in order. Anecdotes and insights flow, and Akhil even gets in some queries on the Supreme Court.