Solution for ideological division: Revising the Constitution?
Could constitutional rights be a contributing factor in America’s ideological divisions?
That’s the argument made by Jamal Greene, author of “How Rights Went Wrong: Why Our Obsession With Rights Is Tearing America Apart.” Courts have reduced complex discussions about rights into zero-sum conflicts where a constitutional right overrides all other interests, writes the Columbia Law School professor and former clerk for Justice John Paul Stevens.
More recently, he has been involved in the Constitution Drafting Project. Organized by the National Constitution Center, the venture grouped constitutional scholars into ideological “teams” and tasked them with drafting their ideal constitutions.
Professor Greene spoke with the Monitor about the project, as well as how America can move beyond the current climate of despair and divisiveness toward cooperation. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Could you explain what the Constitution Drafting Project is and why you wanted to
