A More Perfect Constitution Why the Constitution Must Be Revised: Ideas to Inspire a New Generation

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Edition: Reprint
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 2008-07-22
Publisher(s): Walker Books
List Price: $19.00

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Summary

The political book of the year, from the acclaimed founder and director of the Center for politics at the University of Virginia.A More Perfect Constitutionpresents creative and dynamic proposals from one of the most visionary and fertile political minds of our time to reinvigorate our Constitution and American governance at a time when such change is urgently needed, given the growing dysfunction and unfairness of our political system . Combining idealism and pragmatism, and with full respect for the original document, Larry Sabato's thought-provoking ideas range from the length of the president's term in office and the number and terms of Supreme Court justices to the vagaries of the antiquated Electoral College, and a compelling call for universal national serviceall laced through with the history behind each proposal and the potential impact on the lives of ordinary people. Aware that such changes won't happen easily, but that the original Framers fully expected the Constitution to be regularly revised, Sabato urges us to engage in the debate and discussion his ideas will surely engender. During a presidential election year, no book is more relevant or significant than this.

Author Biography

Larry J. Sabato is the acclaimed founder and director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia

Table of Contents

Preamblep. 1
Creating a Capital Congressp. 19
Reforming the Senatep. 23
Reforming the Housep. 32
Congressional Term Limits: Extreme or Mainstream?p. 41
Balancing the Budget: Setting the Stage for a Great Convention Debatep. 54
Continuity of Government: Preparing for the Unthinkablep. 69
Perfecting the Presidencyp. 76
The Presidential Term of Choicep. 80
The Six-Year Termp. 84
The Alternative: A Presidential Confirmation Electionp. 87
A Lengthened House Term (and Changes in the Senate Term)p. 93
War-Making Limits: Presidential Downsizingp. 97
Item Vetop. 101
Fairness for All: Making the Presidency Possible for Americans Who Are Not "Natural-Born"p. 104
The New Courts: Supreme But not Eternalp. 108
The Error of Lifetime Tenurep. 110
Fixed Termsp. 115
Not-So-Early Retirementp. 116
A Balanced Benchp. 117
Power of the Pursep. 118
Politics: America's Missing Constitutional Linkp. 121
Of Parties, Presidential Politics, and the Quadrennial Orgyp. 123
The Regional Lottery Plan for the New Constitutionp. 131
The Electoral College: Mend It, Don't End Itp. 134
Adding Some Political Rules of the Game for the Twenty-first Centuryp. 152
A Citizenship of Service: Asking what we can do for our Country ... and Ourselvesp. 154
An American History of Service: Military Calls and Civilian Supplementsp. 157
The Case for Universal National Service (UNS)p. 166
Universal National Service and America's Futurep. 176
Vox Populi: What do the People Think of Constitutional Change?p. 179
The Caution Light Blinks Steadilyp. 181
Dissatisfaction with the Status Quop. 183
Look Who's Talkingp. 186
Rasmussen Poll on the Proposed New Constitutionp. 190
Calling the Twenty-First-Century Constitutional Conventionp. 198
The Founders' Daring-and Our Timidityp. 199
The Legal Netherworld Surrounding a New Conventionp. 202
Setting the Ground Rules Prior to the Conventionp. 205
Calling the Conventionp. 211
After the Convention: Ratification and Its Aftermathp. 216
Conclusion: Getting There from Herep. 221
Afterwordp. 233
United States Constitution and Amendmentsp. 237
Acknowledgmentsp. 261
Notesp. 263
Selected Bibliographyp. 327
Indexp. 335
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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