How to Read the Constitution--And Why - (Legal Expert) by Kim Wehle (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"A must-read for this era."--Jake Tapper, CNN Anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent

An insightful, urgent, and perennially relevant handbook that lays out in common sense language how the United States Constitution works, and how its protections are eroding before our eyes--essential reading for anyone who wants to understand and parse the constantly breaking news about the backbone of American government.

The Constitution is the most significant document in America. But do you fully understand what this valuable document means to you? In How to Read the Constitution--and Why, legal expert and educator Kimberly Wehle spells out in clear, simple, and common sense terms what is in the Constitution, and most importantly, what it means. In compelling terms and including text from the United States Constitution, she describes how the Constitution's protections are eroding--not only in express terms but by virtue of the many legal and social norms that no longer shore up its legitimacy--and why every American needs to heed to this "red flag" moment in our democracy.

This invaluable--and timely--resource includes the Constitution in its entirety and covers nearly every significant aspect of the text, from the powers of the President and how the three branches of government are designed to hold each other accountable, to what it means to have individual rights--including free speech, the right to bear arms, the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, and the right to an abortion. Finally, the book explains why it has never been more important than now for all Americans to know how our Constitution works--and why, if we don't step in to protect it now, we could lose its protections forever.

How to Read the Constitution--and Why is essential reading for anyone who cares about maintaining an accountable government and the individual freedoms that the Constitution enshrines for everyone in America--regardless of political party.

From the Back Cover

Now more than ever, you need to understand what the US Constitution is and why we need to protect it so that it continues to protect us.

In How to Read the Constitution-and Why, legal expert and educator Kim Wehle spells out in clear, simple, commonsense terms what is in the Constitution, and most important, what it means. In everyday language, she describes how the Constitution's protections are eroding and why every American needs to heed this "red flag" moment in our democracy.

This invaluable - and timely - resource covers nearly every significant aspect of the Constitution, from the powers of the president and how the three branches of government are designed to hold one another accountable to what it means to have individual rights - including free speech, bear arms, free from unreasonable searches and seizures, and an abortion. Finally, the book explains why it has never been more important for all Americans to know how our Constitution works - and to understand why, if we don't step in to protect it now, we could effectively lose it forever.

Review Quotes

"Not since perhaps the Nixon years have there been so many valid questions about the U.S. Constitution and its role in our lives - and so many perceived challenges to it. Kim Wehle's How to Read the Constitution--and Why provides essential, compelling reading on this glorious document. A must-read for this era." -- Jake Tapper, CNN Anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent

"[An] accessible treatise... Wehle elegantly translates the Constitution into layperson-friendly terms." -- Publishers Weekly