Is the U.S. Constitution Broken? Jill Lepore and the Case for a 21st-Century Update
On the latest episode of Trey's Table, we explore three urgent amendments—from term limits to a stock trading ban—and why the amendment process itself is failing America.
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What if the greatest threat to American democracy isn't a political party or a foreign power, but the U.S. Constitution itself? Not its content, but its inability to change.
That’s the provocative argument from Harvard historian Jill Lepore in her latest book, "We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution." She details how the near-impossible amendment process has frozen our national dialogue, leaving us with a 18th-century framework for 21st-century problems.
On the newest episode of Trey's Table, we use Lepore's research as a launching pad to discuss three constitutional amendments that could redefine our future:
1. Congressional Term Limits: Why do we limit the president but not lawmakers? We break down the case for preventing entrenched power and bringing fresh perspectives to Capitol Hill.
2. An Explicit Right to Privacy: The Supreme Court has recognized a "right to privacy," but it's fragile and not explicitly written down. In an age of digital surveillance, why do we need to cement this right into the Constitution itself?
3. Banning Stock Trading by Congress: Can we truly have a government "of the people" when lawmakers can profit from non-public information? We look at the bipartisan push for the ETHICS Act and what it says about corruption and public trust.
This isn't just a political discussion; it's a historical one. Lepore's book uncovers thousands of failed amendments, showing that the fight to define "We the People" has always been a struggle. These three modern proposals are the latest chapter in that story.
Ready to dive deeper?
Listen to the full episode of Trey's Table wherever you get your podcasts.
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We want to hear from you: After you listen, tell us which amendment you think is most urgent. Is it term limits, privacy, banning stock trades, or something else entirely? Join the conversation on Instagram or Threads @TreysTablePod.
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