Shows
The Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 41: Dan Farbman on Abolitionism and Resistance LawyeringLuke talks with Dan Farbman about parallels between current events and America in the 1850s, the abolitionist movement and resistance lawyering, working within “the master’s house,” and protests in Los Angeles. Dan teaches classes on constitutional law, local government law, movement lawyering, inequality, and legal realism at the Boston College Law School. His work includes “A Commons in the Master's House,” “Resistance Lawyering,” and “Outrage and Resistance: Abolitionist Lessons for the Present Crisis.”2025-07-111h 18The Democratic Constitution PodcastWeekly RecapA recap of articles, interviews, and current events during the week of 6/30/25. 2025-07-0711 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Two Hundred and Fifty Years Without Democracy is Long EnoughThe US government is already preparing massive celebrations of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution next July 4, the country’s semiquincentennial. It’s high time to scrap the antidemocratic system the Framers bequeathed us. This is a recording of Luke’s recent Jacobin article, “This July 4, Let’s Resolve to Win an Actual Democracy.” 2025-07-0507 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Trump and Birthright CitizenshipTrump and Birthright Citizenship. By Luke Pickrell. Published on April 23, 2025. Original Article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/trump-and-citizenship2025-07-0404 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 40: Stephen Pimpare on Donald Trump's Emergence and the ConstitutionLuke speaks with Stephen Pimpare about his recent article, “The Right is Risen: It’s Time to Admit the US Constitution Has Failed.” They discuss topics such as poverty in the US and widespread social discontent, the Constitution's role in allowing for the emergence of authoritarianism, the Civil War and Reconstruction, and uniting various constituencies in the struggle for democracy. Stephen is a professor of public policy and director of the Master of Public Policy program at Vermont Law and Graduate School. He’s the author of several books, including A People’s History of Poverty in America and...2025-07-0246 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Democratic in Name OnlyDemocratic in Name Only. By Luke Pickrell. Published on June 18, 2025. 2025-06-3005 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastWeekly RecapA recap of articles, interviews, and current events during the week of 5/23/25. 2025-06-3008 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 39: Gregory Claeys on Tom Paine's Social and Political ThoughtLuke talks with Gregory Claeys Grandin about Tom Paine, including Paine’s ideas of natural rights and natural laws, how a new generation of radicals challenged Paine’s ideas of natural rights, how Machiavellian/neo-Roman republican theories differ from Paine’s republicanism, and why “the age of Paine has barely begun.”Greg is Professor Emeritus at the University of London and the author of several books, including Citizens and Saints: Politics and Anti-Politics in Early British Socialism, Utopianism for a Dying Planet: Life After Consumerism, Marx and Marxism, and Thomas Paine: Social and Political Thought. Luke also mentions a...2025-06-271h 13The Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 38: Mariano Guevara Recaps Mexico's Judicial ElectionsLuke talks with Mariano Guevara following Mexico’s first-ever popular election for federal judicial officials. Mariano is a law student and political activist in Mexico. He can be found at mariano_gl17 on X and Instagram.This episode is in Spanish. An abridged translation in English is here.2025-06-2550 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Forward and OverForward and Over. By Luke Pickrell. Published on June 16, 2025. Original Article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/go-forward-and-over2025-06-2403 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastWeekly RecapA recap of articles, interviews, and current events during the week of 5/16/25. 2025-06-2316 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 37: Bruce Watson on Freedom Summer and Moral MotivationLuke talks with Bruce Watson about 1964’s Freedom Summer, what animated the participants, the importance of moral motivations, and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Bruce is an educator and the author of several books, including Bread & Roses: Mills, Migrants, and the Struggle for the American Dream, and Freedom Summer: The Savage Season of 1964 That Made Mississippi Burn and Made America a Democracy. During the discussion, Luke mentions an article he wrote in response to Vivek Chibber. 2025-06-2037 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Build Something BetterBuild Something Better. By Luke Pickrell. Published on April 14, 2025. Original Article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/the-best-defense-is-a-good-offense2025-06-1803 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Starting PointStarting Point. By Luke Pickrell. Published on June 4, 2025. Original Article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/starting-point2025-06-1604 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 36: Lynn Hunt on the Development of Human RightsLuke talks with Dr. Lynn Hunt about the development of human rights and how they became self-evident, the significance of rights claims, socialism/communism and human rights, and how to think about our current political structure. Lynn is the Eugen Weber Professor of Modern European History at the University of California, Los Angeles. She’s the author of several books, including Politics, Culture, and Class in the French Revolution (1984) and Inventing Human Rights: A History (2006). 2025-06-1335 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: David Hogg, the Democratic Party, and the Oligarchic US ConstitutionDavid Hogg, the Democratic Party, and the Oligarchic US Constitution. By Lucas De Hart. Published on June 3, 2025. Original Article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/david-hogg-the-democratic-party-and2025-06-1106 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: The Vise TightensThe Vise Tightens. By Luke Pickrell. Published on May 7, 2025. Original Article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/stop-playing-by-the-constitutions?utm_source=publication-search2025-06-0905 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 35: Greg Grandin on 'The End of the Myth' and 'American, América'Luke talks with Greg Grandin about two of his recent books, The End of the Myth: From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind, and American, América. Topics include the importance of the frontier and Westward Expansion in US history, Reconstruction, and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Greg is the Peter V. and C. Vann Woodward Professor of History at Yale and the author of several books, including Fordlandia, The Empire of Necessity, and Kissinger’s Shadow. 2025-06-0645 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 34: Austin Sarat on the Death Penalty and Building a New ConstitutionLuke talks with Professor Austin Sarat about calls for a new constitution, popular discontent with politics, and why the death penalty is an affront to democracy, universal and equal rights.Professor Sarat is the author of two articles on the Constitution — “It's Time to Acknowledge America’s Constitutional System is Broken and Begin Building a New One” and “Coping with Constitutional Ignorance and Alienation” — as well as numerous books and articles about the death penalty. 2025-05-3027 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 33: Erwin Chemerinsky on 'No Democracy Lasts Forever'Luke talks with Professor Erwin Chemerinsky about calls for a new constitution and his latest book, No Democracy Lasts Forever: How the Constitution Threatens the United States. Professor Chemerinsky is the current dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law at the UC Berkeley School of Law. In the interview, Luke mentions his review of No Democracy Lasts Forever in Jacobin, and a New York Times article by Jennifer Szalai, “The Constitution Is Sacred. Is It Also Dangerous?” 2025-05-2318 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 32: Alfredo and Sami on Mexico's Judicial ElectionsLuke talks with Lic. Alfredo Villalpando, a student of Mexican political life, and Dr. Sami Tapio Tenoch Laaksonen, a political activist and journalist, about Mexico’s June 1st judicial elections. Alfredo and Sami were on the podcast in February for a more general discussion of Mexican politics. Luke recently spoke with Mariano Guevara about the same topic. This episode is in Spanish. An abridged translation in English is here. 2025-05-2335 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 31: Mariano Guevara on Mexico's Judicial ElectionsLuke talks with Mariano Guevara about Mexico’s first-ever popular election for federal judicial officials, including why the elections are significant, what’s taking place in preparation for the elections, and what the elections mean for students and the younger generation in Mexico. Mariano is a law student and political activist in Mexico. He can be found at mariano_gl17 on X and Instagram.This episode is in Spanish. An abridged translation in English is available on the Democratic Constitution Blog. 2025-05-1452 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 30: Gary Berton on Thomas Paine's Unfinished Struggle for DemocracyLuke talks with Gary Berton about Thomas Paine, including why the U.S. doesn’t fit Paine’s definition of democracy, why Paine argued against the Constitution, the importance of the 1776 Pennsylvania Constitution, and the significance of a forthcoming six-volume set of Paine’s writings that includes previously unpublished works. In the interview, Luke mentions Gary’s article, “Burying Thomas Paine,” and Jonathan Israel’s book, The Expanding Blaze. Gary also mentions Luke’s article, “Tom Paine and Democratic Republicanism.”Gary is an Officer for the Thomas Paine National Historical Association, a volunteer-run organization dedicated to Paine’s works. The Associati...2025-05-0934 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 29: Samuel Moyn on Misplaced Faith in the CourtsLuke talks with Samuel Moyn about what constitutes a constitutional crisis, why faith in the courts versus Trump is misplaced, what people in the academy and legal arena are talking about, and how the Constitution’s undemocratic features got us into our current mess. Sam is the author of Liberalism Against Itself: Cold War Intellectuals and the Making of Our Times (Yale University Press, 2023) and “The Liberal Plot Against Democracy.” He’s co-author of “The Constitution is Broken and Should Not Be Reclaimed” and “Don’t count on the courts to save democracy.” Sam appeared on the podcast in Septemb...2025-04-0741 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: The Abduction of Mahmoud KhalilThe Abduction of Mahmoud Khalil. By Luke Pickrell. Published on March 11, 2025. Original Article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/the-abduction-of-mahmoud-khalil2025-04-0504 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 28: Steven Raney on DSA, YDSA, and the Current MomentSteven Raney returns to the podcast to discuss where things stand in DSA and YDSA around fighting the Constitution and demanding a democratic republic, DSA’s upcoming convention, student organising, what makes Marxist Unity group (MUG) unique, and how to think about the political moment. Steven Raney is a member of Marxist Unity Group, a caucus in Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). He is also a member of Young Democratic Socialists of America’s (YDSA) National Coordinating Committee (NCC). Steven was the author of R21: Winning the Battle for Democracy, which was voted on and passed at YDSA...2025-04-0232 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: A New FoundationA New Foundation. By Luke Pickrell. Published on March 24, 2025. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/a-new-foundation2025-04-0107 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 27: Ricardo Miranda on Mexico's Constitution and the Programa Universitario de Estudios sobre Democracia, Justicia y Sociedad (PUEDJS-UNAM)Luke talks with Ricardo Mirando, Academic Secretary of the Programa Universitario de Estudios sobre Democracia, Justicia y Sociedad (PUEDJS-UNAM) in Mexico City. PUEDJS is a multifaceted initiative that “dreams of the possibility of achieving true democratic processes in Mexico” by promoting “dialogue, debate, research and citizen participation to generate reflection and action.” Ricard discusses the initiative’s work, presents various definitions of democracy, and discusses Mexico’s Constitution and the importance of judicial reform. This episode is in Spanish. An abridged transcript in English is here and a video of the interview in English is available here. 2025-03-2125 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 26: Aziz Rana on Democracy as a Decolonial ProjectLuke speaks with Aziz Rana about the importance of viewing the Trump administration through the lens of constitutional critique, the need for a majoritarian political system that also recognizes the particularities of U.S. history, and Indigenous and Black struggles for democracy, universal and equal rights, and a different constitution. Last year, Aziz appeared on the Democratic Consitution Podcast, Cosmopod, and Class (parts one and two). He’s the author of two books — The Two Faces of American Freedom and The Constitutional Bind — and several articles, including “Democracy Was a Decolonial Project.” During the discussion, Luke mentions Maggie Bla...2025-03-1754 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 25: Gil Schaeffer on Equal Human and Political Rights and Democratic RepublicanismLuke speaks with Gil Schaeffer about the Democratic Constitution Blog’s reader, “Equal Human and Political Rights and Democratic Republicanism.” Their conversation encompasses several topics, such as the reader’s origins, the foundations of universal and equal rights, insights from Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, and the importance of a political strategy focused on winning the fight for democracy.Gil has authored several articles for the Democratic Constitution Blog, including “Democratic Political Movements, Democratic Electoral Rules, and Socialism: A Reply to Daniel Lazare,” “The Democratic Constitution Strategy Is the Blueprint for a New Party; This Me...2025-03-1253 min
Socialist News and ViewsSNV Special Interview: We Need A Democratic Constitution!Special Interview Recorded (2/6/2025) and Uploaded (3/6/2025)(NOTE: A video version of this interview is available on the Urban Cabin Studios YouTube here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=aioukNmxOQs&t=8s)In this Socialist News And Views Special Interview we speak with Luke Pickrell of Democratic Constitution Blog (https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/) and Democratic Constitution Podcast (https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/podcast-episodes), which Pickrell hosts with Lucas De Hart, about the need for a democratic constitution in the United States.Pickrell has written for many other publications including:2025-03-0648 min
Socialist News and ViewsSNV Special Interview: We Need A Democratic Constitution!Special Interview Recorded (2/6/2025) and Uploaded (3/6/2025)
(NOTE: A video version of this interview is available on the Urban Cabin Studios YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aioukNmxOQs&t=8s)
In this Socialist News And Views Special Interview we speak with Luke Pickrell of Democratic Constitution Blog (https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/) and Democratic Constitution Podcast (https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/podcast-episodes) which hosts with Lucas De Hart.
Pickrell has written for many other publications including:
Cosmonaut: https://cosmonautmag.com/search/?category=All&query=luke+pickrell
Jacobin: https://jacobin.com/author/luke-pickrell
Mexico Solidarity Media: https://mexicosolidarity.com/author/luke-pickrell/2025-03-0548 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 24: Daniel Lazare on Trump, Constitutional Crises, Sovereignty, and U.S. HistoryLuke talks with Daniel Lazare about current events. Dan is the author of The Frozen Republic, The Velvet Coup, and America’s Undeclared War. He has written several articles for the blog and appeared on the podcast two other times (here and here). Dan covers several topics, including the meaning of a “constitutional crisis,” Trump’s concentration of executive power, the importance of Thomas Hobbes and sovereignty, the Declaration of Independence, 50501 protests, and his latest article, “Cali-Fragmentation: What’s Madison Got to Do With It?”2025-02-211h 02The Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 23: Alfredo and Sami on Morena and the Political Landscape in MexicoLuke talks with Lic. Alfredo Villalpando, a student of Mexican political life, and Dr. Sami Tapio Tenoch Laaksonen, a political activist and journalist. Sami’s journalism can be found online. Alfredo and Sami examine the political landscape in Mexico, the rise of Morena, the party’s success and challenges, Claudia Sheinbaum’s response to Donald Trump, and recent changes to the Mexican Constitution. This episode is in Spanish. An abridged translation in English is available here. 2025-02-1658 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 22: Matt McManus on Liberalism, Tom Paine, C.B. Macpherson, and Political RightsLuke talks withMatt McManus, the author of several articles, including “The Political Tradition of Republicanism Should Be a Touchstone for Democratic Socialists,” “Democratic Socialism Can Make Liberal Rights Real,” “C. B. Macpherson Wanted a Socialism That Didn’t Lose Sight of the Individual,” and the book,The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism.Matt discusses several topics, including the history of liberalism and constitutional critiques, the importance of Tom Paine, the ideas of C.B. Macpherson, socialist legal theory, and why political rights are eminently social.2025-02-101h 03The Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Captive WorkersCaptive Workers. By Luke Pickrell. Published on Jan 14, 2025. Original Article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/captive-workers2025-01-3005 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Project 2026Project 2026. By Luke Pickrell. Published on Jan 13, 2025. Original Article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/project-20262025-01-2803 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 21: Louis Michael Seidman on Constitutional Skepticism and DisobedienceLuke talks with Louis Michael Seidman, the author of several books and articles on constitutional skepticism and disobedience, including On Constitutional Disobedience (2012), “The Secret History of American Constitutional Skepticism: A Recovery and Preliminary Evaluation” (2014), and From Parchment to Dust: The Case for Constitutional Skepticism (2021).
Mike covers several topics, including the significance of grounding our social and political values in something other than the existing Constitution, the advantages and disadvantages of a written constitution, and the importance of “demystifying the institution that thinks of itself as embodying constitutional law — the Supreme Court of the United States.”
2025-01-2750 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: The Filibuster StaysThe Filibuster Stays. By Luke Pickrell. Published on Jan 8, 2025. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/project-20262025-01-2604 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 20: Alexander Gourevitch on Economic and Political FreedomLuke talks with Dr. Alexander Gourevitch, the author of several important works, including From Slavery to Cooperative Commonwealth and “Freedom Now,” co-authored with Corey Robin. I also spoke with Alex in August 2023 on an episode of Cosmopod.
Alex covers several topics, including the importance of language, values, and intellectual struggles to the Left, the connection between economic unfreedom and our undemocratic political system, collective action and freedom, and why a follow-up to the article “Freedom Now” would include a discussion about the Constitution. 2025-01-201h 23The Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 19: Richard Albert on Amending the Constitution and Comparative ConstitutionalismLuke talks with Dr. Richard Albert, the author of several important works, including “The World’s Hardest Constitution to Amend?” and Constitutional Amendments: Making, Breaking, and Changing Constitutions.
Richard covers several topics, including ongoing constitutional discussions and critiques in the academic community, the state of constitutional veneration, comparative constitutionalism, and what’s missing from most discussions about amending (or not amending) the Constitution and calling (or not calling) for a new convention. 2025-01-151h 15The Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 18: Lisa Miller on Checks and Balances, Federalism, and the Dangers of “Constitutional Myths”Luke with Dr. Lisa M. Miller, the author of several important works, including “Checks and Balances, Veto Exceptionalism, and Constitutional Folk Wisdom: Class and Race Power in American Politics,” “Amending Constitutional Myths,” and “Up From Federalism.” Lisa is currently working on a book about constitutional myths and folk wisdom.
In the interview, Lisa covers several topics, including why constitutional veto points should be viewed through the lens of political power, the current discourse around “checks and balances” and “constitutional guardrails,” the stories we tell ourselves and share with others about the Constitution, how federalism impacts public policy and impedes mass mov...2025-01-0659 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 17: Sam and Tyler on Proportional Representation and the 'Voters Deserve More' ProjectLuke talks with DSA members Sam Withers and Tyler Martin about Voters Deserve More, a cross-caucus (unofficial) working group dedicated to breaking America’s archaic two-party system and transforming the country into a multi-party democracy. Sam and Tyler discuss the peculiarities of American politics and offer a possible path toward an independent political party through a campaign for proportional representation. They also discuss the similarities and differences between Voters Deserve More and more explicitly Constitution-focused efforts like the People’s Petition. More information about the Voters Deserve More project can be found here. 2024-12-231h 12The Democratic Constitution PodcastTrump's Victory and Implications for the U.S., England, and the Rest of the United KingdomThis is the audio of my talk with the UK-based Republican Labour Education Forum about the U.S. election results and their implications for the U.S., England, and the rest of the United Kingdom. Most of what I present is in this article. It’s worth sticking around for the Q and A at the end of my presentation. 2024-12-031h 40The Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Ben Studebaker’s Good-Bad Book on the Great American BreakdownBen Studebaker’s Good-Bad Book on the Great American Breakdown. By Daniel Lazare. Published on September 23, 2024. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/ben-studebakers-good-bad-book-on2024-12-0110 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: The Many Problems With PolicingThe Many Problems With Policing. By Luke Pickrell. Published August 15, 2024. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/the-struggle-for-justice-and-democracy2024-11-2907 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Why Talk With Socialists?Why Talk With Socialists? By Luke Pickrell. Published on September 12, 2024. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/why-talk-with-socialists2024-11-2707 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: What Is To Be Done?What Is To Be Done. By Harlei Morency. Published on November 15, 2024. Original Article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/what-is-to-be-done2024-11-2503 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Meltdown 2.0Meltdown 2.0. By Daniel Lazare. Published on November 22, 2024. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/meltdown-202024-11-2311 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Marxism Is Democratic Republicanism: The History of the Struggle for Equal Human and Political Rights From the Inside OutMarxism Is Democratic Republicanism: The History of the Struggle for Equal Human and Political Rights From the Inside Out. By Gil Schaeffer. Published on September 16, 2024. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/marxism-is-democratic-republicanism?utm_source=publication-search2024-11-2127 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Obama and The Breakfast ClubObama and The Breakfast Club. By Luke Pickrell. Published on August 22, 2024. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/obama-and-the-breakfast-club 2024-11-1909 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Is the Constitution Unconstitutional?Is the Constitution Unconstitutional? By Daniel Lazare. Published on August 9, 2024. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/is-the-constitution-unconstitutional2024-11-1709 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 16: Thomas Geoghegan on the Infernal SenateLuke talks with Thomas Geoghegan about how undemocratic political institutions such as the Senate shape our country. Tom is a longtime labor lawyer, and the author of The History of Democracy Has Yet To Be Written. He has also written two important articles: “The Infernal Senate,” published in 1994, and “Abolish the Senate,” published in 2020.
In the interview, Tom discusses the Senate’s undemocratic features, including the filibuster and the malapportioned representation system that unquestionably violates the principle of one person, one equal vote. As he noted in the 90s, “We can't raise our wages. We can't get health insur...2024-11-1532 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastThe Democratic Constitution Podcast: Daniel Lazare on Trump's VictoryLuke talks with Daniel Lazare about Trump’s return to the White House. Dan is the author of The Frozen Republic, The Velvet Coup, and America’s Undeclared War. He has written several articles for the Democratic Constitution Blog, including two in the lead-up to the election (here and here) and one immediately after (here). Lucas and Luke previously talked with Dan in May.
In his second interview, Dan describes Trump’s victory as momentous. Never before has a president consolidated as much power as Trump and the Republicans. Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. In fact...2024-11-1347 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Past, Present, and FuturePast, Present, and Future. By Luke Pickrell. Published on October 28, 2024. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/our-project2024-11-1107 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: We Need Clarity and Consistency, Not More NuanceWe Need Clarity and Consistency, Not More Nuance. By Luke Pickrell. Published on October 11, 2024. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/no-nuance-needed2024-11-0805 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: What Should DSA Do After the Election?What Should DSA Do After the Election? By Luke Pickrell. Published on October 31, 2024. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/what-should-dsa-do-after-the-election2024-11-0605 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Electoral College ReduxElectoral College Redux. By Luke Pickrell. Published on September 18, 2024. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/electoral-college-redux 2024-11-0406 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: The Crisis of Democracy and the 2024 ElectionThe Crisis of Democracy and the 2024 Election. By Daniel Lazare. Published on October 21, 2024. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/the-crisis-of-democracy-and-the-20242024-11-0307 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: Fighting for True Democracy: A Socialist Primer on the Constitution’s Structural ProvisionsFighting for True Democracy: A Socialist Primer on the Constitution’s Structural Provisions. By Ian Forgie. Published June 26, 2024. Original article: https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/fighting-for-true-democracy-a-socialist?utm_source=publication-search2024-11-0343 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastAudio Article: A Perfect Storm?A Perfect Storm? By Daniel Lazare. Published on Oct 25, 2024. Original article. https://democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com/p/a-perfect-storm2024-11-0308 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 15: Robert Ovetz on Going Beyond the ConstitutionLuke talks with Robert Ovetz, author of the recent book We The Elites: Why the US Constitution Serves the Few, which is available in paperback and coming soon as an audiobook. Robert has also written several articles about labor issues and democracy for Dollar & Sense, The Chief, and Cosmonaut.
Robert covers several topics in the interview, including how he teaches students about U.S. politics, the pitfalls and lessons from the Green New Deal, the necessity of understanding power, and why we should look beyond the Constitution.
Luke also co-interviewed Robert on Cosmopod in 2023. That i...2024-11-011h 06The Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 14: The SPA's Constitutional CritiqueLucas and Luke discuss the history of the Socialist Party of America (SPA), including its constitutional critique during the Progressive Era. They also discuss the significance of the SPA’s clear and consistent definition of democracy in its platforms, the more extensive constitutional critique during the Progressive Era, and the “marooning” of constitutional critique during the 20th century.
Resources:
Aziz Rana, The Constitutional Bind, Chapters three and four.
Fawn McKay Brodie, Thaddeus Stevens: Scourge of the South.
Kirk Porter, National Party Platforms (1840 - 1956).
Gil Schaeffer, “Marxism Is Democratic Republicanism: The Hist...2024-10-1650 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 13: Samuel Moyn on the 'Devil You Know' and Liberalism Against ItselfLucas and Luke talk with Samuel Moyn, author of several books, including Liberalism Against Itself: Cold War Intellectuals and the Making of Our Times, and the co-author of a recent article in the New York Times, “The Constitution is Broken and Should Not Be Reclaimed.” Sam’s also the author of “The Liberal Plot Against Democracy” in Compact.
Sam covers several topics in the interview, including why the Constitution is broken and why we should think beyond constitutions altogether, the warping of liberalism and the meaning of democracy during the Cold War, the Supreme Court’s role in interpret...2024-09-2758 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 12: Aziz Rana on SCOTUS and Reactions to 'The Constitutional Bind'Lucas and Luke talk with Aziz Rana about recent SCOTUS decisions, reactions to The Constitutional Bind from the political center and left, and the current discourse around SCOTUS and the Constitution from the Democratic Party. Aziz also discusses the utility of holding a mock constituent assembly, the pitfalls of the Article V amending process, various responses (especially fear) to changing the Constitution, and why the left should care about political structures. Luke recently wrote a review of The Constitutional Bind for Democratic Left.2024-09-1747 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 11: Roaming Thoughts on the Presidential DebateLucas and Luke share a few thoughts about the recent presidential debate. Topics include the Electoral College, bills getting (or not getting) to the President’s desk, immigration and scaremongering, the Green Party and third-party possibilities, judicial reform, and what the rest of the left is doing.
Correction: Luke said the election comes down to 40,000 people. The correct number is closer to 400,000 out of 150 million or so voters. See David Dayen’s article below.
Electoral College: Mississippi Times article, David Dayen’s article, Washington Post article, Seattle Times article, The Guardian article.
Immigration: Tarek Hassan’...2024-09-1545 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 10: Harvey J. Kaye on the Lasting Influence of Tom PaineLucas and Luke talk with Harvey J. Kaye, author of several books, including Thomas Paine and the Promise of America, Thomas Paine: Firebrand of the Revolution, The British Marxist Historians, and The Fight for the Four Freedoms. Our conversation focuses on Tom Paine, including his upbringing and political development; his works, such as Common Sense and Rights of Man; and his legacy, including his contribution to nearly every progressive movement in the U.S., including his little-known contribution to the Civil Rights Movement.
2024-09-131h 35The Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 9: Reconstruction, The Second Founding, and Universal and Equal RightsLucas and Luke discuss aspects of the Civil War and Reconstruction, emphasizing the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution (also called the Reconstruction Amendments). How did the Constitution change during Reconstruction, and did it stay the same? Who were the Radical Republicans, and what was the potential of the Reconstruction period? What role did the Supreme Court play in defeating Reconstruction?
Resources
Eric Foner, “The Second Founding: How the Civil War and Reconstruction Remade the Constitution” (2022); Foner, “Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877” (1988); W. E. B. Du Bois, “Black Reconstruction in America: An Essay Toward a Hi...2024-09-091h 05The Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 8: Michael Klarman on the Constitution's Origins and Contemporary ProblemsLuke talks with Michael Klarman, an American historian and constitutional scholar who has written several books, including From Jim Crow to Civil Rights (2004) and The Framers’ Coup (2016). Klarman covers many topics, including the political interests involved in the drafting of the Constitution, differences between the more democratic state constitutions and the federal Constitution, the Seventh Amendment and “self-legalization,” current efforts to change the Supreme Court, violations of the principle of one person, one vote, and teaching constitutional law and history in our contemporary moment.
Klarman does an excellent job presenting our immense conundrum caused by the Constitution’s undemo...2024-08-271h 15The Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 7: Caleb Brennan on Reimagining the Constitutional OrderLuke talks with Caleb Brennan, a journalist and the author of the recent article in Splinter, “It’s Time to Reimagine the Constitutional Order.” Caleb covers various topics in our conversation, including how he became interested in democracy and the Sanders’ campaign, problems with the Constitution, the Democratic Party, the Bolivian Constitution, and what comes next.
Caleb is the seventh person we’ve interviewed for the podcast, and I have to say, I’m proud of the list of names we’ve managed to assemble. Not only have our guests provided a wealth of information about important topics, but th...2024-08-201h 06The Democratic Constitution PodcastBonus Ep: A Socialist Critique of the ConstitutionIan Forgie, an author, lawyer, and member of East Bay DSA, concisely examines the Constitution’s structural provisions (including various Executive powers and a malapportioned bicameral legislature) during an event hosted by Marxist Unity Group and Cosmonaut Magazine. Ian touches on many important topics, including why we can’t have a democracy in this country without a new constitution, how Article V makes the amendment process so difficult that the power to change the Senate would essentially be revolutionary power, and how people inside and outside the law profession tend to think about the Constitution.2024-08-191h 22The Democratic Constitution PodcastBonus Ep: The Left's Rediscovery of Democratic RepublicanismIn part one of Marxist Unity Group (MUG) and Cosmonaut’s series on democracy and the Constitution, Ian Forgie detailed the Constitution’s undemocratic structural provisions. In part two, Luke Pickrell presented a slightly edited version of my article, “The U.S. Left’s Rediscovery of Democratic Republicanism.” Thank you to everyone who attended the discussion and asked questions. 2024-08-191h 55The Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 6: Oren S on Proportional Representation and the Path Toward DemocracyLucas and Luke talk with Oren S, a member of the Bread and Roses caucus and New York City DSA. Oren has written several articles, including “Anti-imperialism and the Fight to Democratize the US Are Connected,” “Most Americans Have Lost Faith in Our Political System. It’s Time to Change It,” “Chileans Revolted Against Their Constitution. Americans Should Too,” and, most recently, “Fighting for Democracy Means Fighting for Proportional Representation.” Oren covers a variety of topics during our conversation, including the need for democratic reforms like proportional representation, the connection between democracy and anti-imperialism, Chile’s struggle for a new constitution, DS...2024-08-121h 44The Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 5: Rashad X on DSA, FORC, and Working Toward a Democratic ConstitutionLuke talks with Rashad X, a Black Marxist, member of Marxist Unity Group (MUG), and member of Democratic Socialists of America’s (DSA) National Political Committee (NPC). Last week, DSA released a tweet thread about the Constitution and the new For Our Rights program. In this episode, Rashad talks about many things, including the new program, the limits of political freedoms in an undemocratic country, the problems with calling the U.S. a “bourgois democracy,” pushback to talking about the Constitution, and why we can’t get to socialism without transforming the U.S. into a democracy.
2024-07-241h 00The Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 4: Thomas Paine and the Democratic RepublicLucas and Luke review the unique contributions of Thomas Paine in the American Revolutionary period from his writings such as Common Sense to The Rights of Man to his indirect influence on the historic 1776 Pennsylvania State Constitution as the first and primary democratic constitution. 2024-07-1528 minThe Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 2: Mexican Politics and Supreme Court DiscourseFollowing his two recent articles on Mexico's Elections and U.S. Supreme Court ethics, Luke Pickrell sits down with José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth to discuss Mexican politics and Andrés Manuel López Obrador's plan to change Mexico's Supreme Court. What are critics saying about MORENA's victory? What do most Mexicans think about the Supreme Court? What can activists in the U.S. learn from Mexico, especially when it comes to changing the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court? José Luis and Kurt are writers and activists based in Mexico. They are the co-hosts of Soberanía: Th...2024-07-151h 11The Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 3: Daniel Lazare on Worshipping the ConstitutionLuke and Lucas talk to Daniel Lazare, someone who has been writing about the US Constitution and its democratic deficit for decades. We speak about his important 1996 debut The Frozen Republic, The religious worship Americans pay to the US Constitution, how much more discussion exists on the need for a democratic constitution.2024-07-021h 05The Democratic Constitution PodcastEp. 1: Introducing the Democratic Constitution PodcastThe Democratic Constitution Blog introduces the Democratic Constitution Podcast, the hosts' political background, democratic-republicanism and the movement for a democratic US Constitution. 2024-05-2822 min