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Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Framers, Their Fights, and the Flaws that Affect Us Today
Many of the political issues we struggle with today have their roots in the US Constitution.
Husband-and-wife team Cynthia and Sanford Levinson take readers back to the creation of this historic document and discuss how contemporary problems were first introduced--then they offer possible solutions. Think Electoral College, gerrymandering, even the Senate. Many of us take these features in our system for granted. But they came about through haggling in an overheated room in 1787, and we're still experiencing the ramifications.
Each chapter in this timely and thoughtful exploration of the Constitution's creation begins with a story--all but one of them true--that connects directly back to a section of the document that forms the basis of our society and government. From the award-winning team, Cynthia Levinson, children's book author, and Sanford Levinson, constitutional law scholar, Fault Lines in the Constitution will encourage exploration and discussion from young and old readers alike.
Husband-and-wife team Cynthia and Sanford Levinson take readers back to the creation of this historic document and discuss how contemporary problems were first introduced--then they offer possible solutions. Think Electoral College, gerrymandering, even the Senate. Many of us take these features in our system for granted. But they came about through haggling in an overheated room in 1787, and we're still experiencing the ramifications.
Each chapter in this timely and thoughtful exploration of the Constitution's creation begins with a story--all but one of them true--that connects directly back to a section of the document that forms the basis of our society and government. From the award-winning team, Cynthia Levinson, children's book author, and Sanford Levinson, constitutional law scholar, Fault Lines in the Constitution will encourage exploration and discussion from young and old readers alike.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2017
52 people are currently reading
1132 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
December 22, 2017
Throw out the textbooks and let's just put this in classrooms! In almost every political debate, the Constitution is brought in but I'd wager my personal library that more people don't understand the history and the document than do.
The structure works wonderfully for young people. The Levinsons describe a current case or controversy, then skip back to the history of this particular section's creation with "Meanwhile Back in 1787..." followed by an analysis and discussion of how this issue is handled elsewhere. Two sections at the end of the book, Grading the Constitution and a debate between the authors titled Now What might be my favorite sections. Read those if you read nothing else! But read it all.
Chatty and conversational, yet so well researched, examined and presented, this informative fascinating book should be in ever library and used in every secondary curriculum!
The structure works wonderfully for young people. The Levinsons describe a current case or controversy, then skip back to the history of this particular section's creation with "Meanwhile Back in 1787..." followed by an analysis and discussion of how this issue is handled elsewhere. Two sections at the end of the book, Grading the Constitution and a debate between the authors titled Now What might be my favorite sections. Read those if you read nothing else! But read it all.
Chatty and conversational, yet so well researched, examined and presented, this informative fascinating book should be in ever library and used in every secondary curriculum!
November 12, 2017
A book that reminds us that the U.S. Constitution is not just meant to be revered, but also openly criticized. After all, it is a living document that is always seeking to form a more perfect union.
January 19, 2020
This book is dumb.
Instead of pointing out weaknesses, giving the historical context for why the framers made the choices they did, and then giving multiple examples of reasonable changes we might make to update the constitution, the authors just tell you what to think as if their opinions are the only opinions. Then the book continues on as if we've all agreed to the authors' solutions. Part of the reason this bothers me so much is that the book doesn't start out introducing the authors and their credentials and a break down of why you should listen to them, it reads like a history textbook.
To give you an example of why this is a problem...the authors think that age restrictions for office are dumb and should be eliminated. That if you can vote, you should be able to run for president. What? Are you not aware that 18 year olds are idiots? I am 100% on board with age restrictions. You should have to have some experience being an adult before you can run for senate or president. I very much want that built into the constitution.
This book also argues that presidents should be able to serve for more than two terms. Uhh, big fat no thank you on that one too. Sure, the authors argue that it should only be in times of war/crisis, but that's still incredibly stupid. That just creates the incentive for a president to create a crisis to hold on to their presidency.
And again, the authors act as if these "fixes" are obvious and just make sense and there's no other reasonable way to look at it.
Instead of pointing out weaknesses, giving the historical context for why the framers made the choices they did, and then giving multiple examples of reasonable changes we might make to update the constitution, the authors just tell you what to think as if their opinions are the only opinions. Then the book continues on as if we've all agreed to the authors' solutions. Part of the reason this bothers me so much is that the book doesn't start out introducing the authors and their credentials and a break down of why you should listen to them, it reads like a history textbook.
To give you an example of why this is a problem...the authors think that age restrictions for office are dumb and should be eliminated. That if you can vote, you should be able to run for president. What? Are you not aware that 18 year olds are idiots? I am 100% on board with age restrictions. You should have to have some experience being an adult before you can run for senate or president. I very much want that built into the constitution.
This book also argues that presidents should be able to serve for more than two terms. Uhh, big fat no thank you on that one too. Sure, the authors argue that it should only be in times of war/crisis, but that's still incredibly stupid. That just creates the incentive for a president to create a crisis to hold on to their presidency.
And again, the authors act as if these "fixes" are obvious and just make sense and there's no other reasonable way to look at it.
October 23, 2019
edited review! I just got a chance to read the newest edition of this fabulous nonfiction book:
Cynthia and Sanford Levinson have written an updated version of their fabulous nonfiction book about the flaws in our constitution. The two new chapters for this edition include information about presidential pardons and presidential hiring and firing. As in the other chapters, the debate is laid out, modern day examples are examined, the original constitutional debate on the topic is examined, and finally the same topic is examined in states, as well as other countries. Both chapters include information about the current administration, especially the chapter on hiring and firing given that President Trump has fired so many people in his administration. It is interesting to read about the constitutional basis for this presidential power, which was hard-won by President Washington in the early years of our country.
The book is updated in other ways to strengthen the authors’ case that our constitution is flawed. In chapter 1, to make a point about the lack of federal anti-lynching legislation due to problems inherent in bicameralism, the authors highlight the 4,384 Black people who were murdered by lynching from 1877 to 1950; the old edition used the time period from 1900 - 1920 during which time 1,249 Black people were murdered. In other places information is updated to reflect new information such as that the issues with the 2020 census in chapter 5; the new edition reflects the fact that the Trump administration attempted to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census.
Another significant change is in the penultimate chapter, “Grading the Constitution.” Overall the grade given to our consitution has gone down in the last two years from a C+ to a C for several reasons: threats to national security due to climate change, increased political divisiveness and threats to citizens’ ability to vote.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for FAULT LINES IN THE CONSTITUTION by @cylevinson
_*_*_*_*_*
I’m in the middle of planning a debate unit for our 8th graders for after they study the constitutional amendments and this book will be one of our main sources. It’s SO RICH with information about the debates at the constitutional convention in 1787 and how those debates affect current issues like immigration, gerrymandering, the Electoral College and voting laws. I love the comparisons to laws and processes in other countries. The authors make a strong case that our constitution needs significant amendments to fix many of our nation’s problems. Must buy for all middle and high school libraries!
_*_*_*_*_*
#bookstagram #book #reading #bibliophile #bookworm #bookaholic #booknerd #bookgram #librarian #librariansfollowlibrarians #librariansofinstagram #booklove #booktography #bookstagramfeature #bookish #bookaddict #booknerdigans #booknerd #ilovereading #instabook #futurereadylibs #ISTElibs #TLChat
Cynthia and Sanford Levinson have written an updated version of their fabulous nonfiction book about the flaws in our constitution. The two new chapters for this edition include information about presidential pardons and presidential hiring and firing. As in the other chapters, the debate is laid out, modern day examples are examined, the original constitutional debate on the topic is examined, and finally the same topic is examined in states, as well as other countries. Both chapters include information about the current administration, especially the chapter on hiring and firing given that President Trump has fired so many people in his administration. It is interesting to read about the constitutional basis for this presidential power, which was hard-won by President Washington in the early years of our country.
The book is updated in other ways to strengthen the authors’ case that our constitution is flawed. In chapter 1, to make a point about the lack of federal anti-lynching legislation due to problems inherent in bicameralism, the authors highlight the 4,384 Black people who were murdered by lynching from 1877 to 1950; the old edition used the time period from 1900 - 1920 during which time 1,249 Black people were murdered. In other places information is updated to reflect new information such as that the issues with the 2020 census in chapter 5; the new edition reflects the fact that the Trump administration attempted to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census.
Another significant change is in the penultimate chapter, “Grading the Constitution.” Overall the grade given to our consitution has gone down in the last two years from a C+ to a C for several reasons: threats to national security due to climate change, increased political divisiveness and threats to citizens’ ability to vote.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for FAULT LINES IN THE CONSTITUTION by @cylevinson
_*_*_*_*_*
I’m in the middle of planning a debate unit for our 8th graders for after they study the constitutional amendments and this book will be one of our main sources. It’s SO RICH with information about the debates at the constitutional convention in 1787 and how those debates affect current issues like immigration, gerrymandering, the Electoral College and voting laws. I love the comparisons to laws and processes in other countries. The authors make a strong case that our constitution needs significant amendments to fix many of our nation’s problems. Must buy for all middle and high school libraries!
_*_*_*_*_*
#bookstagram #book #reading #bibliophile #bookworm #bookaholic #booknerd #bookgram #librarian #librariansfollowlibrarians #librariansofinstagram #booklove #booktography #bookstagramfeature #bookish #bookaddict #booknerdigans #booknerd #ilovereading #instabook #futurereadylibs #ISTElibs #TLChat
abandoned
January 30, 2019I had big plans for this book.
There are nice things about being married to a Constitution-loving attorney who studied history as an undergraduate. He consistently impresses my parents and sister with his Jeopardy and Trivial Pursuit cleverness! A personal tour docent when we travel to Washington DC! I even know how to eFile court documents should I ever want to sue someone!
And there are parts that really suck. I can never win a single political argument, not one. I was convinced this book would be my mighty handbook, and I got bored. Seems really good though. Dan Rather gave it a glowing review.
There are nice things about being married to a Constitution-loving attorney who studied history as an undergraduate. He consistently impresses my parents and sister with his Jeopardy and Trivial Pursuit cleverness! A personal tour docent when we travel to Washington DC! I even know how to eFile court documents should I ever want to sue someone!
And there are parts that really suck. I can never win a single political argument, not one. I was convinced this book would be my mighty handbook, and I got bored. Seems really good though. Dan Rather gave it a glowing review.
April 22, 2018
Engaging, solid nonfiction read! I appreciated the graphics, inserts, and quotes, and the way the information is presented. I don't know that most teens would necessarily elect to read it on their own, but it would be super handy in an instructional context. I plan on sharing with some history/government teachers!
August 2, 2018
Engaging, informative, and thought-provoking read about our Constitution and the intentions of our Founding Fathers. Does it still meet our needs today? In many ways... no. The writing style makes this book accessible for ages 10 and up.
March 2, 2018
Levinson, Cynthia and Sanford Levinson Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Framers, their fights, and the flaws that affect us today, 225 pages. Peachtree, 2017. $20.
While the Constitution of the United States is a brilliant, ground-breaking document, no document or form of government is absolutely perfect. And there is no way the men of 200 plus years ago could predict the changes to our culture, economy, and way of life in the future. They did the best they could. Levinson and Levinson identify and delve into the shortcomings of the Constitution and explain how those faultlines affect us now.
For me this was a very interesting and engaging reading experience. A teacher of history could use the information in this book to guide an in-class debate about how well the Constitution of the United States works (or doesn’t work). A teacher could also use the book for ideas in preparing higher order questions for students to consider. For me, this book helped me to expand my thinking and at least consider the possibility that there are maybe things that could be improved in the Constitution to help the United States function better and helped me to reflect on the impossible job the Framers had in creating a completely new form of government. They couldn’t possibly have thought of everything.
Any US History or Government teacher at any level should read this book to further their knowledge of our Constitution and government.
MS, HS, GIFT – ESSENTIAL. K. Abel, US History teacher
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018/...
While the Constitution of the United States is a brilliant, ground-breaking document, no document or form of government is absolutely perfect. And there is no way the men of 200 plus years ago could predict the changes to our culture, economy, and way of life in the future. They did the best they could. Levinson and Levinson identify and delve into the shortcomings of the Constitution and explain how those faultlines affect us now.
For me this was a very interesting and engaging reading experience. A teacher of history could use the information in this book to guide an in-class debate about how well the Constitution of the United States works (or doesn’t work). A teacher could also use the book for ideas in preparing higher order questions for students to consider. For me, this book helped me to expand my thinking and at least consider the possibility that there are maybe things that could be improved in the Constitution to help the United States function better and helped me to reflect on the impossible job the Framers had in creating a completely new form of government. They couldn’t possibly have thought of everything.
Any US History or Government teacher at any level should read this book to further their knowledge of our Constitution and government.
MS, HS, GIFT – ESSENTIAL. K. Abel, US History teacher
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018/...
February 10, 2018
What a great idea for a book for young readers, and for readers of all ages! Perfect for a former political science major like me. The book is packed with so many interesting and provocative facts, tidbits from history, issues, and questions. It leaves the reader with a great deal to think and to talk with others about regarding the U.S. constitution and the myriad of ways that it affects our government and our lives today. If Fault Lines is illuminating, it is also distressing. There is much about our constitution and government that needs to be fixed, but not much hope that this will happen.
October 31, 2017
This is a great book, both as an intro to the Constitution and as a critique of the USA’s most important governing document.
December 6, 2017
I learned so much about the US constitution from reading this book. I believe everyone in the country needs to read this book so they have a better understanding of how our country works.
November 7, 2019
This informational text goes above and beyond by provoking deep thought and stimulating excellent conversation. Authors Cynthia and Sanford Levinson have pieced together a book about the origins of the Constitution and current political issues that remain in play because of the way in which the Constitution was drafted. The reader gets to view the Constitution as the promise that it was and witness how the Framers could not have predicted all that was to follow its creation. It makes important political issues accessible for upper-elementary-aged students, including judicial interpretation the Constitution, States’ rights, the Electoral College, and so forth. This book is a WOW book for me because despite presenting in a very textbook fashion, it is difficult to put down. In all my years of practicing law, I have never come across a book that makes these issues so palatable for a younger age. It is engaging and piques the interest of even your most skeptical history and government students.
In my future classroom, I intend to use this book to foster in-depth discussions with students about current events, judicial precedent, and political happenings. Entire lesson plans could be designed to address the various ways in which current events are playing out because of how and why the Constitution was drafted as it was. As a teacher, I would track current events with my students to see how the faults in the Constitution are playing out in real time. Each section is set up with higher-order thinking questions that help students analyze how the Constitution is impacting, or has impacted, US policies and historical events. Additionally, because these fault lines center on divides in interpretation of a living document, this text book could be an excellent catalyst for a unit on debate, persuasion, and rhetorical devices as you can ask students to take a side and defend it. As the book weaves together both history and Constitutionalism, it could easily be aligned with the North Carolina 5th grade standards in Social Studies, particularly focusing on US History and Government.
Awards and Honors include:
ALSC Notable Children’s Books 2018, Older
Capitol Choices 2018, Fourteen and Up
ALA-CBC Building a Home Library Booklist - 2018
Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2017, Middle Grade
School Library Journal’s Best Books of 2017, Nonfiction
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2017, Middle Grade
Chicago Public Library Best Books of 2017, Informational Books for Older Readers
Booklist Top of the List Editor’s Choice, Nonfiction Older Readers
Booklilst Lasting Connections 2017, Social Studies
New York Public Library Best Books for Teens 2017
Fall 2017 Parents’ Choice Award, Nonfiction Gold
In my future classroom, I intend to use this book to foster in-depth discussions with students about current events, judicial precedent, and political happenings. Entire lesson plans could be designed to address the various ways in which current events are playing out because of how and why the Constitution was drafted as it was. As a teacher, I would track current events with my students to see how the faults in the Constitution are playing out in real time. Each section is set up with higher-order thinking questions that help students analyze how the Constitution is impacting, or has impacted, US policies and historical events. Additionally, because these fault lines center on divides in interpretation of a living document, this text book could be an excellent catalyst for a unit on debate, persuasion, and rhetorical devices as you can ask students to take a side and defend it. As the book weaves together both history and Constitutionalism, it could easily be aligned with the North Carolina 5th grade standards in Social Studies, particularly focusing on US History and Government.
Awards and Honors include:
ALSC Notable Children’s Books 2018, Older
Capitol Choices 2018, Fourteen and Up
ALA-CBC Building a Home Library Booklist - 2018
Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2017, Middle Grade
School Library Journal’s Best Books of 2017, Nonfiction
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2017, Middle Grade
Chicago Public Library Best Books of 2017, Informational Books for Older Readers
Booklist Top of the List Editor’s Choice, Nonfiction Older Readers
Booklilst Lasting Connections 2017, Social Studies
New York Public Library Best Books for Teens 2017
Fall 2017 Parents’ Choice Award, Nonfiction Gold
June 7, 2018
Despite the Conventions best efforts and the provisions made to be able to amend the document, there are long-lasting and potentially unforeseen consequences of its verbiage which continue to affect us today.
The narrative explains that the founding fathers disagreed significantly on many of the principles discussed in the Constitution and that only by a great deal of skillful negotiation and compromise, aided by the foresight to allow for amendments, were they able to craft the document that has lasted for more than two hundred years.
This contrasts sharply with the political stagnation we see in our federal government, rife with filibustering, gerrymandering, and other power plays on both sides of the aisle that often result in no action or ‘continuing resolutions’ that merely kick the can down the road yet again.
Broken down into seven parts, the book dissects the problems within the hallowed text and puts them into context in today’s political environment.
Extremely well-researched and thoughtful, the book is extremely relevant to secondary school civics classes and offers reasoned claims that teenagers can easily understand.
Mark Bramhall, Arthur Morey lend their voices, as do the authors and other narrators, creating a full-cast experience. Conversational in tone, the audiobook clearly describes the tangled web under which our Congress legislates and navigates the complex nature of our state and federal government structures.
Offering cogent arguments, the authors strongly recommend that the Senate change their operating rules to eliminate legislative gridlock from filibusters; that all states change their distribution of Electoral College votes proportionally, rather than winner-take-all or at least develop work-arounds that will prevent yet another election where the results of the popular vote and electoral vote disagree; admit the District of Columbia as a state; pass new laws to clarify presidential succession, eliminate gerrymandering and establish fair standards for congressional district composition; and make other amendments to the Constitution, perhaps through holding another Constitutional Convention.
The authors, a teacher/policy consultant and a constitutional law professor provide model examples from different states and nations of their suggested changes. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher during an author event and I really enjoyed reviewing the chapters. But it was not until I was able to listen to this audiobook edition while
Recommended for grades 6-10.
interesting quotes (page numbers from hardcover edition with ISBN13 9781561459452):
"The United States puts more limitations on running for the presidency than any other democratic country."> (p. 106)
"...as James McClurg of Virginia, a doctor with absolutely no political experience, suggested, maybe the president should be appointed by Congress and serve as long as he showed 'good behavior.' Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania enthusiastically endorsed this idea, exclaiming, 'This is the way to get a good government.' Their reasoning was that the chief executive wouldn't be able to push his weight around if he had to keep Congress happy in order to hold onto his job. This plan, too, was nearly adopted until the Framers concluded that a president with no term limit could become too powerful."> (p. 113)
"When you hear people say that they don't trust the government or that Congress doesn't seem able to fix big problems like immigration - tell them it's the Constitution's fault! Then explain how, banding together, we can repair it. That would make us a true union."> (p. 209)
The narrative explains that the founding fathers disagreed significantly on many of the principles discussed in the Constitution and that only by a great deal of skillful negotiation and compromise, aided by the foresight to allow for amendments, were they able to craft the document that has lasted for more than two hundred years.
This contrasts sharply with the political stagnation we see in our federal government, rife with filibustering, gerrymandering, and other power plays on both sides of the aisle that often result in no action or ‘continuing resolutions’ that merely kick the can down the road yet again.
Broken down into seven parts, the book dissects the problems within the hallowed text and puts them into context in today’s political environment.
Extremely well-researched and thoughtful, the book is extremely relevant to secondary school civics classes and offers reasoned claims that teenagers can easily understand.
Mark Bramhall, Arthur Morey lend their voices, as do the authors and other narrators, creating a full-cast experience. Conversational in tone, the audiobook clearly describes the tangled web under which our Congress legislates and navigates the complex nature of our state and federal government structures.
Offering cogent arguments, the authors strongly recommend that the Senate change their operating rules to eliminate legislative gridlock from filibusters; that all states change their distribution of Electoral College votes proportionally, rather than winner-take-all or at least develop work-arounds that will prevent yet another election where the results of the popular vote and electoral vote disagree; admit the District of Columbia as a state; pass new laws to clarify presidential succession, eliminate gerrymandering and establish fair standards for congressional district composition; and make other amendments to the Constitution, perhaps through holding another Constitutional Convention.
The authors, a teacher/policy consultant and a constitutional law professor provide model examples from different states and nations of their suggested changes. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher during an author event and I really enjoyed reviewing the chapters. But it was not until I was able to listen to this audiobook edition while
Recommended for grades 6-10.
interesting quotes (page numbers from hardcover edition with ISBN13 9781561459452):
"The United States puts more limitations on running for the presidency than any other democratic country."> (p. 106)
"...as James McClurg of Virginia, a doctor with absolutely no political experience, suggested, maybe the president should be appointed by Congress and serve as long as he showed 'good behavior.' Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania enthusiastically endorsed this idea, exclaiming, 'This is the way to get a good government.' Their reasoning was that the chief executive wouldn't be able to push his weight around if he had to keep Congress happy in order to hold onto his job. This plan, too, was nearly adopted until the Framers concluded that a president with no term limit could become too powerful."> (p. 113)
"When you hear people say that they don't trust the government or that Congress doesn't seem able to fix big problems like immigration - tell them it's the Constitution's fault! Then explain how, banding together, we can repair it. That would make us a true union."> (p. 209)
Want to read
September 24, 2017Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
March 4, 2018
Hard to put down, very informative and overall great novel.
December 11, 2017
I know this is marketed as a kid's book, but I think adults that aren't experts in constitutional law should read it too. I learned a lot about the flaws in our constitution that I have never thought of before, such as the fact that there is no formal process by which our country would run if there was an emergency that killed many members of the Congress/Senate. Or that, despite several bills being introduced, the Senate never passed an anti-lynching law, which resulted in hundreds of murderers never being prosecuted. The Senate even issued an apology for their inaction, which they pretty much never do.
A fascinating book that really fills a gap in Juvenile non-fiction collections.
A fascinating book that really fills a gap in Juvenile non-fiction collections.
December 2, 2017
Read it. More of a 4.5 but perhaps I’m unfairly singing it for not touching on the right to bear arms, which I really wanted to read. This should be required reading for all middle and/or high school students. The authors combine the perfect set of knowledge and skills to lay out the construction of and issues with parts of the Constitution. Quite horrifying, the shortcomings of that document, but I fear I fall on Cynthia’s side in their discussion of the last chapter: that calling a new convention could result in something so much worse! I mean, look at the disgusting tax bills both chambers are passing. Ugh... though maybe that is the perfect example of why we need to do something.
March 1, 2018
I think the content is great, but the organization of the text is not. This is not Cynthia Levinson's fault, it's 100% a publisher issue. The text is in columns, like a textbook, but it just makes everything look like a mess. A 6th grader would struggle to find key information on the page. The publisher could've used way better graphic design to help convey the information. There's no reason they shouldn't have, given the new and innovative ways other publishers are designing youth/YA nonfiction books.
September 28, 2021
This book isn't near as boring as you might expect! And that's a good thing. I was struck by a few takeaways:
1) The US government is way more delicate than I was led to believe as a youngster. It's certainly nowhere near the hallowed culmination of perfect government that the Evangelical Right would have you believe. Instead, the Constitution is ever-changing, while simultaneously stuck in so many ways.
2) The federal election process is really bonkers. The Electoral College is one-of-a-kind and dated. It's time for an updated.
3) If the document were created today, things would be vastly different and that's not a bad thing.
4) the rating of the Constitution by the authors at the end was revealing and dismal.
5) There's a portion of the book, surprisingly, that addresses specifically an outbreak of a contagious disease and how the Constitution is ill-prepared for such an event. Bear in mind, this book predates the novel coronavirus. Knowing that, I found it curious that a history book concerned with weaknesses in America's founding document would even cover contagions at all! Fascinating look at the world before COVID.
1) The US government is way more delicate than I was led to believe as a youngster. It's certainly nowhere near the hallowed culmination of perfect government that the Evangelical Right would have you believe. Instead, the Constitution is ever-changing, while simultaneously stuck in so many ways.
2) The federal election process is really bonkers. The Electoral College is one-of-a-kind and dated. It's time for an updated.
3) If the document were created today, things would be vastly different and that's not a bad thing.
4) the rating of the Constitution by the authors at the end was revealing and dismal.
5) There's a portion of the book, surprisingly, that addresses specifically an outbreak of a contagious disease and how the Constitution is ill-prepared for such an event. Bear in mind, this book predates the novel coronavirus. Knowing that, I found it curious that a history book concerned with weaknesses in America's founding document would even cover contagions at all! Fascinating look at the world before COVID.
March 9, 2018
This was a fascinating look at the US Constitution and all its faults and ambiguities. The Levinsons do a fantastic job explaining how the Framers came up with the parts of the Constitution, how problems arose, what has happened over the last 200 years because of what is in the Constitution and how others do the same type of thing. There is a lot of history here that is never talked about in history classes and is good information to know. It was particularly fascinating to hear how other states and countries handle the same types of issues. It does seem like sometimes there are better ways, but we deal with what we have. I think my big takeaway from this is that the Constitution is not perfect. It was written fairly vaguely and in a different time. The problems the Framers were dealing with are not the problems we are dealing with nor are they ones the Framers could have anticipated. The Constitution was meant to be a living document, but it doesn't always seem to be living in current times.
March 19, 2018
Terrific resource to help teens and adults learn how to think about and critically examine the U.S. Constitution.
*side note: do NOT read the ebook version. The formatting is truly awful and makes some sections almost impossible to read.
*side note: do NOT read the ebook version. The formatting is truly awful and makes some sections almost impossible to read.
August 4, 2017
I learned so about our country's government and history from this book. An excellent resource that delves deep.
August 29, 2017
A very readable and accessible exploration of the Constitution - the decisions and compromises made by the Framers and the ramifications of those choices throughout U.S. history, with an emphasis on modern political debates, issues, and arguments. There are many fascinating, challenging, and thoughtful discussion prompts throughout the book - I hope middle school and high school civics teachers make use of this book in their classrooms.
References to current political realities abound, which makes the book very timely and relevant, but could make it outdated relatively quickly.
References to current political realities abound, which makes the book very timely and relevant, but could make it outdated relatively quickly.
October 22, 2017
This is technically a kids book, but it would be a great conversation starter for adults concerned about the state of the Union.
December 11, 2017
Richie’s Picks: FAULT LINES IN THE CONSTITUTION: THE FRAMERS, THEIR FIGHTS, AND THE FLAWS THAT AFFECT US TODAY by Cynthia Levinson & Sanford Levinson, Peachtree, September 2017, 240p., ISBN: 978-1-56145-945-2
“I want to grow up to be a politician
And take over this beautiful land”
-- The Byrds (1971)
“The Articles [of Confederation] had given Congress few powers beyond making treaties with other countries and printing money, which turned out to be nearly worthless. Probably worst of all, the national government was not allowed to tax the citizenry. All it could do was issue requests, called requisitions, for money from the states, which often ignored them. Consequently, the treasury didn’t have enough money even to pay the soldiers who had fought--and won--the Revolutionary War.
In June 1783, four hundred of those soldiers stormed Congress’s headquarters in Philadelphia, clamoring for their back pay, and locked the delegates inside. When the officials were finally released, they had to run for their lives. They stayed a step ahead of the soldiers, conducting business in a series of temporary quarters in Maryland, New Jersey, and New York.”
Those (white, male, landed) delegates--the Framers--persisted in their work (while on the run across several states) until they’d completed a final draft of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. A couple of hundred years after the fact, FAULT LINES IN THE CONSTITUTION picks out important concepts from the broad landscape of American constitutional history and presents them through readily-understood, memorable, and pertinent stories about how the Constitution affects us today.
“WILMINGTON, Del. — Laquita Gardner, a sales manager at a furniture rental store here, was happy to get a raise recently except for one problem. It lifted her income just enough to disqualify her and her two young sons from Medicaid, the free health insurance program for the poor.
She was relieved to find another option was available for the boys: the Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP, that covers nearly nine million children whose parents earn too much for Medicaid, but not enough to afford other coverage.”
-- N.Y. Times, “The CHIP Program Is Beloved. Why Is Its Funding in Danger?” (December 5, 2017)
The authors introduce their discussion of the presidential veto power (Article I, Section 7) by sharing a brief-but-poignant story about a family with a special needs child who was affected by President George W. Bush’s 2007 veto of the CHIP Program’s expansion.
Another story, featuring the travails of a young, academically-achieving Muslim adolescent, introduces us to the idiosyncratic rules of the Senate. These rules are a byproduct of Article I, Section 5, which states, “Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings…”
Through these stories, readers will come to recognize how long-ago compromises between the various factions of constitutional Framers directly impact our lives in the twenty-first century.
Some of the topics discussed in FAULT LINES involve powers the Framers left to the states. Particularly relevant today are examinations of gerrymandering and restrictive state voter requirement laws which lead to U.S. having one of the lowest voter registration rates in the world. The authors also include discussions of Washington, D.C., whose residents don’t get to elect members of Congress, and the U.S. territories, like Puerto Rico, whose American citizen residents don’t even get to vote for President.
“Some Framers at the Convention argued for another limitation--personal wealth. Charles Pinckney of South Carolina, for instance, proposed that no one could hold office if he didn’t own property and cash worth $50,000--that’s almost $1.3 million today. This requirement would have disqualified more than 99 percent of the population.
As preposterous as it sounds today, Pinckney’s suggestion was taken so seriously that the Framers debated it for three days.”
Many stories in FAULT LINES illustrate how the U.S. Constitution has been interpreted to the benefit or detriment of American citizens. It’s unnerving to read about the leeway that the Supreme Court has granted to the government in times of war or national emergency. None is more shocking than the Court’s refusal to interfere with the internment of over 110,000 Japanese Americans during World War II.
The authors conclude by grading the Constitution, and offering a long list of possible fixes. This list can be used to ignite discussions about how to improve the rules of the game.
FAULT LINES IN THE CONSTITUTION is a fascinating read and a great introduction to American constitutional history.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
“I want to grow up to be a politician
And take over this beautiful land”
-- The Byrds (1971)
“The Articles [of Confederation] had given Congress few powers beyond making treaties with other countries and printing money, which turned out to be nearly worthless. Probably worst of all, the national government was not allowed to tax the citizenry. All it could do was issue requests, called requisitions, for money from the states, which often ignored them. Consequently, the treasury didn’t have enough money even to pay the soldiers who had fought--and won--the Revolutionary War.
In June 1783, four hundred of those soldiers stormed Congress’s headquarters in Philadelphia, clamoring for their back pay, and locked the delegates inside. When the officials were finally released, they had to run for their lives. They stayed a step ahead of the soldiers, conducting business in a series of temporary quarters in Maryland, New Jersey, and New York.”
Those (white, male, landed) delegates--the Framers--persisted in their work (while on the run across several states) until they’d completed a final draft of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. A couple of hundred years after the fact, FAULT LINES IN THE CONSTITUTION picks out important concepts from the broad landscape of American constitutional history and presents them through readily-understood, memorable, and pertinent stories about how the Constitution affects us today.
“WILMINGTON, Del. — Laquita Gardner, a sales manager at a furniture rental store here, was happy to get a raise recently except for one problem. It lifted her income just enough to disqualify her and her two young sons from Medicaid, the free health insurance program for the poor.
She was relieved to find another option was available for the boys: the Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP, that covers nearly nine million children whose parents earn too much for Medicaid, but not enough to afford other coverage.”
-- N.Y. Times, “The CHIP Program Is Beloved. Why Is Its Funding in Danger?” (December 5, 2017)
The authors introduce their discussion of the presidential veto power (Article I, Section 7) by sharing a brief-but-poignant story about a family with a special needs child who was affected by President George W. Bush’s 2007 veto of the CHIP Program’s expansion.
Another story, featuring the travails of a young, academically-achieving Muslim adolescent, introduces us to the idiosyncratic rules of the Senate. These rules are a byproduct of Article I, Section 5, which states, “Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings…”
Through these stories, readers will come to recognize how long-ago compromises between the various factions of constitutional Framers directly impact our lives in the twenty-first century.
Some of the topics discussed in FAULT LINES involve powers the Framers left to the states. Particularly relevant today are examinations of gerrymandering and restrictive state voter requirement laws which lead to U.S. having one of the lowest voter registration rates in the world. The authors also include discussions of Washington, D.C., whose residents don’t get to elect members of Congress, and the U.S. territories, like Puerto Rico, whose American citizen residents don’t even get to vote for President.
“Some Framers at the Convention argued for another limitation--personal wealth. Charles Pinckney of South Carolina, for instance, proposed that no one could hold office if he didn’t own property and cash worth $50,000--that’s almost $1.3 million today. This requirement would have disqualified more than 99 percent of the population.
As preposterous as it sounds today, Pinckney’s suggestion was taken so seriously that the Framers debated it for three days.”
Many stories in FAULT LINES illustrate how the U.S. Constitution has been interpreted to the benefit or detriment of American citizens. It’s unnerving to read about the leeway that the Supreme Court has granted to the government in times of war or national emergency. None is more shocking than the Court’s refusal to interfere with the internment of over 110,000 Japanese Americans during World War II.
The authors conclude by grading the Constitution, and offering a long list of possible fixes. This list can be used to ignite discussions about how to improve the rules of the game.
FAULT LINES IN THE CONSTITUTION is a fascinating read and a great introduction to American constitutional history.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
October 18, 2019
Okay, first off, don’t laugh. I didn’t know this was a kid’s book until I finished it. Despite that, I feel like I learned a lot.
Let’s face it America, we have a lot of work to do. We seem to have no national identity anymore and no long term goals, with the exception of preserving the status quo for as long as possible. Climate change? We’ll let the next generation deal with that. The national debt? We’ll let the next generation deal with that. Make social security solvent? Next generation. Infrastructure? Next generation. Education? Well, maybe if they don’t know anything they won’t recognize anything’s wrong.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my country. We just have some things we have to work on and some of those things are in the Constitution. I’m not really concerned with the designated survivor scenario. Bicameralism is fine but we could do ourselves a favor and put rules in place to pass clean bills. If the house and senate disagree on something, why can’t the parts they do agree on be passed independently? Is there something in between a majority and a supermajority we could use to pass bills? There must be something that could be built into the rules to ensure that gridlock can’t be perpetuated for partisan purposes. Gerrymandering and the electoral college are both concepts that need to be put out of their misery. Eliminating these two concepts would probably fix quite a bit.
Then we get to free speech. Sometimes I think the Bill of Rights should have a corresponding Bill of Responsibilities. Free speech is extremely important to a healthy democracy but it is a double-edged sword that can do a lot of damage in the wrong hands. What’s the saying? A lie can make its way around the world before the truth can get its pants on? There should be some punitive measures with sufficient teeth to deal with people or entities that knowingly and deliberately promote falsehoods for any type of personal gain.
And get rid of Citizen’s United. Money is not free speech. You win arguments by the force of your conviction, supported by appropriate data. Not by the depth of your bank accounts.
This book did make some things really clear: 1.) there have always been stark party divisions. It’s nothing new. 2.) it has always taken Washington a long time to get things done. 3.) the framers were human and made mistakes.
This book is clear with just a couple of editing mistakes. I would categorize it more as a young adult nonfiction than juvenile. It would work well as a source for high school students.
Let’s face it America, we have a lot of work to do. We seem to have no national identity anymore and no long term goals, with the exception of preserving the status quo for as long as possible. Climate change? We’ll let the next generation deal with that. The national debt? We’ll let the next generation deal with that. Make social security solvent? Next generation. Infrastructure? Next generation. Education? Well, maybe if they don’t know anything they won’t recognize anything’s wrong.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my country. We just have some things we have to work on and some of those things are in the Constitution. I’m not really concerned with the designated survivor scenario. Bicameralism is fine but we could do ourselves a favor and put rules in place to pass clean bills. If the house and senate disagree on something, why can’t the parts they do agree on be passed independently? Is there something in between a majority and a supermajority we could use to pass bills? There must be something that could be built into the rules to ensure that gridlock can’t be perpetuated for partisan purposes. Gerrymandering and the electoral college are both concepts that need to be put out of their misery. Eliminating these two concepts would probably fix quite a bit.
Then we get to free speech. Sometimes I think the Bill of Rights should have a corresponding Bill of Responsibilities. Free speech is extremely important to a healthy democracy but it is a double-edged sword that can do a lot of damage in the wrong hands. What’s the saying? A lie can make its way around the world before the truth can get its pants on? There should be some punitive measures with sufficient teeth to deal with people or entities that knowingly and deliberately promote falsehoods for any type of personal gain.
And get rid of Citizen’s United. Money is not free speech. You win arguments by the force of your conviction, supported by appropriate data. Not by the depth of your bank accounts.
This book did make some things really clear: 1.) there have always been stark party divisions. It’s nothing new. 2.) it has always taken Washington a long time to get things done. 3.) the framers were human and made mistakes.
This book is clear with just a couple of editing mistakes. I would categorize it more as a young adult nonfiction than juvenile. It would work well as a source for high school students.
August 25, 2017
This excellent book should be required reading for every middle and high school student in the country. It's well-organized and easy to follow despite being chock full of information about the Constitution. Explanations are effectively accompanied by direct relevant quotes from the document itself. The authors use well-chosen anecdotes to illustrate their points and sidebars add interesting information to enrich the text. Who knew a college student term paper was the impetus behind the ratification of the 27th Amendment?! Kid-friendly graphics are appealing and entertaining. Thought provoking and timely.
October 19, 2017
If you're a US citizen who can't understand why Congress can't seem to accomplish anything....and if you've wondered why we end up with Presidents who didn't win the majority of the popular vote, then this book's for you. It's smart, entertaining, easy to understand and it gets to the heart of our problems. It's worth your time.
March 11, 2018
I agree with most reviewers that every American should read this book at some point. I consider myself fairly knowledgable about America's legal processes and I was still amazed at how much I learned. I think there really are so many things that we, as citizens, take for granted because we don't necessarily understand the foundation of our own government - this book helps make things more clear.
I also found the book to be fairly neutral and unbiased - looking at the issues from multiple sides and not painting particular parties or lawmakers as virtuous or bad. I will admit that I get the sense that I agree with the Levinsons politically, though, so other readers may not have this same feeling.
What I liked most about this book, though, is that it showed there are many "right" solutions - government is complicated and even a husband and wife can disagree about how to do it. But despite this, they are still able to get along.
One last thought, I think this book is missing (by the authors' own admission) a look into our "rights" - what is promised and what that means. Fingers crossed for a sequel!
I also found the book to be fairly neutral and unbiased - looking at the issues from multiple sides and not painting particular parties or lawmakers as virtuous or bad. I will admit that I get the sense that I agree with the Levinsons politically, though, so other readers may not have this same feeling.
What I liked most about this book, though, is that it showed there are many "right" solutions - government is complicated and even a husband and wife can disagree about how to do it. But despite this, they are still able to get along.
One last thought, I think this book is missing (by the authors' own admission) a look into our "rights" - what is promised and what that means. Fingers crossed for a sequel!
May 19, 2018
As savvy as this nation's founders were and as inspiring as the Constitution may be, guaranteeing certain rights and paving the way for how we do things today, the document isn't perfect. In this well-written and engaging book, the authors tackle some of the fault lines in this important document, pointing out decisions that were rooted in compromise or areas that were left unaddressed or left open to interpretation, and as the nation grew in size, some of those small problems became even more complicated. Students of history or politics will especially enjoy the chapters on the Presidential veto power, gerrymandering, and the Electoral College. I particularly liked how the authors work hard to provide recent examples that are keeping our political process from working as it might have been intended, pointing out the flaws in certain ways of doing things, and then offering possible solutions. Middle grade readers and adults will surely enjoy debating the suggestions offered here and finding other possible ways to expand on the Constitution and ideals that undergird this great nation. For anyone who still supports the Electoral College, the authors offer up an example of how someone could win the electoral votes of 11 states, even narrowly with the popular vote, and have garnered enough votes to win the Presidency. If that isn't troubling, I don't know what is. It makes the rest of the states and their voters pretty much irrelevant.
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