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The United States is the longest running democracy in history at 220 years. While over a hundred countries around the world have used our Constitution as their model, Americans are growing frustrated with gridlock, partisan politics, and special interests. In our impatience for results, we have lost sight of what the framers forged -- a pragmatic document that channels self-interest
into productive consensus. In this important book, veteran journalist
Michael Oreskes and legal scholar Eric Lane make a passionate plea to
restore our "Constitutional Conscience."
The Genius of America looks at
the Constitution's history relative to this current crisis, from its
framing to its centuries-long success, including during some of the
country's most turbulent and contentious times. While Lane and Oreskes
affirm the Constitution's resilience, they also remind us that our
democracy is a fragile construct that requires both an understanding of
its history and a commitment to participation. They challenge us to let
this great document work as it was designed -- valuing political
process over product. They hold our leaders accountable, calling on
them to stop fanning the flames of division and to respect their
institutional roles. In the final assessment, The Genius of America asks us to lean on the framers and their experience. Unless we reconnect
with the document so central to our success, our democracy is at risk.
pub date: 2007-09-18 | hardcover | 9781596911994 |
