Another Rendezvous Amongst Destiny
For the symposium on Sanford Levinson in addition to Jack M. Balkin, Democracy in addition to Dysfunction (University of Chicago Press, 2019).
Dear Jack in addition to Sandy,
In the spirit of.your lively novel book, which consists of a serial of letters exchanged betwixt y'all from 2015 to 2018, I decided to write my symposium contribution equally a missive of the alphabet to each of you. I intend y'all both downplay a telephone substitution part of our dismal politics in addition to each brand an of import betoken that explains why nosotros are so stuck.
One impression from reading your letters is that entirely the US is suffering from political paralysis in addition to dysfunction. This is, of course, non true. There is Brexit, the Yellow Vest protests inwards France, the ascent of the far right inwards Germany, in addition to much more. Overall, nosotros are witnessing a global decline inwards constitutional republic from the high tide of the 1990s. (In retrospect, the failure of the Arab Spring inwards 2011 was a turning betoken that novel gave to promise to autocrats everywhere.)
If the US is merely i of many dysfunctional democracies, so that suggests that Sandy's focus on the hard-wired provisions of our Constitution equally the origin of our problems is incorrect. Other national constitutions alongside real unlike provisions are faring no better. Indeed, the most flexible constitution inwards the world--Britain's--is forthwith producing dysfunction on an almost daily basis. Perhaps each of these constitutions suffers from independent stupidities. I would endure curious to know Sandy's sentiment on which province has the best constitution. Whom just should nosotros endure emulating?
The global range of the problem, though, also poses a work for Jack's declaration that our dysfunction is a symptom of the transition betwixt political party systems that volition piece of work itself out. How in all probability is it that this same transition is going on inwards Europe at the same time? One betoken inwards Jack's favor is that Thatcherism arose inwards U.K. at almost the same fourth dimension that the Reagan Revolution came to the United States. Couldn't Brexit in addition to President Trump endure connected inwards a like way? Perhaps. But extending that tendency to the balance of Europe (or to the world) is to a greater extent than of a stretch. Surely other countries are at unlike stages of their respective political party systems in addition to non all running on fumes.
That said, I intend that Jack's diagnosis is largely correct. In part, that is because of my observe for Stephen Skowronek's piece of work in addition to my ain scholarship on political party organization transitions inwards the United States. (In the 1820, the 1850s, in addition to the 1890s.) They were all ugly inwards i trend or another. Why should this i endure different?
One argue it could endure different, though, is Sandy's declaration almost unopen to detail features of the Constitution that are prolonging the life of the Reagan coalition. The Electoral College is a major impediment to the ascent of a novel political party system. It is quite possible that Donald Trump volition endure the commencement two-term president to never win the pop vote. Likewise, the Senate's rejection of one-person, i vote representation may (though non equally clearly) laissez passer Republicans a pregnant structural wages that is proving crucial alongside observe to judicial confirmations. I wonder, therefore, if Jack may endure besides optimistic that a novel political party organization tin overcome these obstacles inwards fourth dimension to avert a to a greater extent than substantial crisis of legitimacy.
Your obedient servant,
Gerard
P.S. In this historic menstruum every successful projection becomes a saga. I promise this mass is the commencement of a trilogy.
Dear Jack in addition to Sandy,
In the spirit of.your lively novel book, which consists of a serial of letters exchanged betwixt y'all from 2015 to 2018, I decided to write my symposium contribution equally a missive of the alphabet to each of you. I intend y'all both downplay a telephone substitution part of our dismal politics in addition to each brand an of import betoken that explains why nosotros are so stuck.
One impression from reading your letters is that entirely the US is suffering from political paralysis in addition to dysfunction. This is, of course, non true. There is Brexit, the Yellow Vest protests inwards France, the ascent of the far right inwards Germany, in addition to much more. Overall, nosotros are witnessing a global decline inwards constitutional republic from the high tide of the 1990s. (In retrospect, the failure of the Arab Spring inwards 2011 was a turning betoken that novel gave to promise to autocrats everywhere.)
If the US is merely i of many dysfunctional democracies, so that suggests that Sandy's focus on the hard-wired provisions of our Constitution equally the origin of our problems is incorrect. Other national constitutions alongside real unlike provisions are faring no better. Indeed, the most flexible constitution inwards the world--Britain's--is forthwith producing dysfunction on an almost daily basis. Perhaps each of these constitutions suffers from independent stupidities. I would endure curious to know Sandy's sentiment on which province has the best constitution. Whom just should nosotros endure emulating?
The global range of the problem, though, also poses a work for Jack's declaration that our dysfunction is a symptom of the transition betwixt political party systems that volition piece of work itself out. How in all probability is it that this same transition is going on inwards Europe at the same time? One betoken inwards Jack's favor is that Thatcherism arose inwards U.K. at almost the same fourth dimension that the Reagan Revolution came to the United States. Couldn't Brexit in addition to President Trump endure connected inwards a like way? Perhaps. But extending that tendency to the balance of Europe (or to the world) is to a greater extent than of a stretch. Surely other countries are at unlike stages of their respective political party systems in addition to non all running on fumes.
That said, I intend that Jack's diagnosis is largely correct. In part, that is because of my observe for Stephen Skowronek's piece of work in addition to my ain scholarship on political party organization transitions inwards the United States. (In the 1820, the 1850s, in addition to the 1890s.) They were all ugly inwards i trend or another. Why should this i endure different?
One argue it could endure different, though, is Sandy's declaration almost unopen to detail features of the Constitution that are prolonging the life of the Reagan coalition. The Electoral College is a major impediment to the ascent of a novel political party system. It is quite possible that Donald Trump volition endure the commencement two-term president to never win the pop vote. Likewise, the Senate's rejection of one-person, i vote representation may (though non equally clearly) laissez passer Republicans a pregnant structural wages that is proving crucial alongside observe to judicial confirmations. I wonder, therefore, if Jack may endure besides optimistic that a novel political party organization tin overcome these obstacles inwards fourth dimension to avert a to a greater extent than substantial crisis of legitimacy.
Your obedient servant,
Gerard
P.S. In this historic menstruum every successful projection becomes a saga. I promise this mass is the commencement of a trilogy.
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