Perfecting the U.S. Constitution - (Anthem Studies in Law Reform) by Blaine Kaltman Kaltman

About the Book

This book tells the story of each Constitutional Amendment and the role that the Amendments have played in shaping the American experience. Based on solid research, it is written in an engaging style that is easy to comprehend and enjoyable to read.

Book Synopsis

Highlights the crucial role of Constitutional Amendments in shaping American history, rights, and social justice, presenting their development and impact in an accessible and engaging way.

The debt we owe to the brilliant men who drafted their Constitution is incalculable. Recognizing that, with the passage of time, their document would likely require modifications, the Framers included provisions for amending the Constitution. The twenty-seven amendments that have been ratified to date have played a pivotal role in the continuing effort to perfect our Constitution. This book looks at U.S. history and the American experience through the lens of our Constitutional Amendments. It discusses why each Amendment was adopted, the importance of each Amendment, how the Amendments have been interpreted, and the impact they have had on American society. The Amendments are too important to be treated as afterthoughts, and this book seeks to rectify that by giving them the attention they deserve.
The Amendments have shaped and continue to shape the development of our nation. They guarantee the fundamental rights and liberties that Americans enjoy. They tell America's story from the abolition of slavery to women's suffrage, and to granting young men and women who are old enough to fight and even die for their country, the right to vote. The Amendments play a vital role in the quest for gender and racial equity, and the continuing struggle to achieve social justice. The story of the Amendments includes America's dalliance with abstinence, the fourteen years of prohibition. They detail the changes in presidential elections, succession, and term limits; the direct election of senators; and the imposition of a federal income tax.
The Amendments are the result of the American people's continuing efforts to perfect our Constitution, first through Acts of Congress, then through ratifications by State Legislatures, and finally by judicial review and interpretation.

Review Quotes

Good citizens need to know more about the U.S. Constitution. This easy-to-understand book focuses on the twenty-seven amendments that have kept the Constitution workable and the Republic functioning for 236 years. Some of us believe the Constitution needs quite a few more changes. Blaine Kaltman shows how reform has occurred in the past, perhaps providing some hints for today's reformers.-- Larry Sabato, Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Politics and the Director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, USA.

The writing is accessible, the book reads quickly, and discussion of recent Supreme Court cases makes the book timely and relevant for all.--Sarah Binder, Senior Fellow in Governance Studies, Brookings Institution; co-author of The Myth of Independence: How Congress governs the Federal Reserve.

Kaltman delivers a lively, engaging, informative history of the amendment process and the twenty-seven amendments that have reshaped the Constitution and American life. A valuable, entertaining resource for teachers and students--and, indeed, anyone who wants to understand America's living Constitution.--Donald G. Nieman, Professor of History and Provost Emeritus, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, USA.

A brilliant device for telling the political history of America.--John Prideaux, US Editor and Executive Director of Podcasting, The Economist

Compared to other books on the Constitution, this one stands out for its clarity, accessibility, and relevance to today's legal and political landscape. In a time when constitutional literacy is more important than ever, this book deserves to be widely read.-- Howard Dreitzer, Senior Casino Executive; former Chief Operating Officer for Seminole Gaming, and former Senior Vice President and General Manager for Conrad Jupiters, Australia.

This book says important things about the amendments to the U.S Constitution and sheds new light on the Constitution that exists today.--Forrest Maltzman, Professor of Political Science, George Washington University; co-author of Crafting Law on the Supreme Court: The Collegial Game, and of Advice and Dissent: The Struggle to Shape the Federal Judiciary.

About the Author

Blaine Kaltman is a former U.S. Department of State Foreign Service Officer. He earned a doctorate from the University of Queensland, Australia. He is the author of Under the Heel of the Dragon: Islam, Racism, Crime, and the Uighur in China.