| Last week’s curation at RealClear’s American Civics portal focused on Constitution Day, which occurred on September 17th. At RealClearBooks&Culture, Jack Miller Center President Hans Zeiger reviews Yuval Levin’s latest book, “American Covenant.” Zeiger notes that rather than dismissing the Constitution “as an outdated relic of a bygone age,” Levin “celebrates it as the very thing that makes us Americans.” He heartily recommends the book, writing that “Levin has beautifully described what makes our form of government so exceptional, and provided a realistic assessment of the challenges facing it.” In an age of deep partisanship, Zeiger argues that through his non-polemical writing, Levin demonstrates that “people on both sides of the aisle can learn much from his wisdom.” In conclusion, Zeiger writes, “Levin’s account of its fundamental purposes should be essential reading for America’s political leaders, media commentators, scholars, and civics teachers—and any citizen who seeks to better understand the role of the U.S. Constitution in the 21st century.” At RealClearPolitics, Jack Miller Center fellow Lynn Uzzell looks at two problematic assumptions in modern politics and pits them against the views of the American founders: that the purest form of democracy is best and the process that led to Kamala Harris being nominated for the presidency was in keeping with democratic principles. Regarding the first argument, Uzzell contends that the Framers of the Constitution instead built in institutional guardrails that tried to ensure that consent would be consistent with wisdom and the common good. And regarding the second argument, Uzzell writes that the idea that the “preferences of only 6% of eligible voters is sufficient to satisfy” the standard of democracy is a “sham.” Finally, at RealClearHistory, Matthew Riffe considers the relationship between the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Riffe argues that “both documents were integral in creating the political philosophy of the United States of America.” He continues: “Both feature famous phrases that are studied and memorized by each rising generation of Americans in classrooms and on naturalization tests. Both documents have been invoked by politicians, activists, and leaders to strengthen arguments or to solidify a point.” Ultimately, at the core of Riffe’s argument is this important lesson: the Constitution cannot be viewed without looking back to the political philosophy laid out in the Declaration of Independence. Essential Reading Hans Zeiger, RealClearBooks As Constitution Day falls on September 17, we are in the midst of an historically divisive election... Lynn Uzzell, RealClearPolitics George Mason, one of America's Forgotten Founders, insisted that "no free government" could be preserved except by... Matthew Riffe, RealClearHistory When it comes to celebrating Constitution Day, it may be considered atypical to think of the Declaration... Hans Zeiger, Ford Forum In 1967, Pepperdine College commissioned the historian and conservative man of letters Russell Kirk to write a... In the News Carl M. Cannon, RealClearPolitics Michael Lucchese, Law & Liberty Michael Barone, RealClearPolitics Lesley Kennedy, History.com Roger Kimball, New Criterion J. Peder Zane, RealClearPolitics Joe Postell, Teaching American History Brenda Hafera, Daily Wire Michael Poliakoff, Law & Liberty Annenberg Public Policy Center Michael Lucchese, Public Discourse Harold Kim, RealClearPolicy Michael Auslin, WSJ Bradford P. Wilson, Deseret News Paul Seaton, Catholic World Report Retro Report The relationship between presidents and vice presidents is unique and often personal. Sometimes, internal divisions spill out... CSPAN National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen talked about the significance of Constitution Day... Instiute of World Politics In a talk sponsored by the Jack Miller Center, Rebecca Burgess discussed the impact of the Constitution... Carl Cannon's Great American Stories Today is also the day of the week when I share a quote intended to be uplifting or educational. Earlier ... Good morning, it's Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. Today is Constitution Day, an occasion for sober thinking in any year, but especially today. ... Good morning, it's Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, the day of the week when I reprise a quotation intended to be ... | 