The Democratic Constitution Podcast

Luke 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...

Luke 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...

Ian 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 Art...

In 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.

Lucas 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 f...

Luke 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 co...

Lucas 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.

Following 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...

Luke 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.

The Democratic Constitution Blog introduces the Democratic Constitution Podcast, the hosts' political background, democratic-republicanism and the movement for a democratic US Constitution.