Alumni Discussion: Is our Constitution Broken?

Do the rules that structure our government, built from the Constitution, still fit the times?

• There is wide agreement across America on compelling concerns such as abortion, gun control, immigration, the power of money to influence our politicians, and the alleged excess power of certain bureaucracies. Yet the Congress has remained stalemated about them over decades.

• Democracy depends on majority choice, but recent Presidents were elected by a minority.

• Instead of empowering the great middle, our two-party elections seem to be driven by primaries that favor fringe voices and disenfranchise the majority.

How is it that these rules of our road—derived from the US Constitution—excessively reflect the era at its formation with 13 original states – but do not account for the effects of the country’s growth, the industrial revolution, or now a tech revolution? So that, for instance, now a Wyoming voter wields 68 times the voting power of one in California?

We enjoy the benefits of being citizens in the ‘greatest country in the world.’ But is our democracy eroding because our Constitution is unable to evolve fast enough?

Do we have a problem? Are there options to do better? What might WE do about it?

At this link you can find materials to prepare the discussion.

Event Information
Date:  Tuesday, February 14th
Time: 10:00AM – 11:30AM ET
Location: iLab Room 102  & Virtual (via Zoom)
The Harvard iLab is located at Batten Hall, 125 Western Ave, Allston, MA 02134

Pricing Information
Club Members | Complimentary
General Public | Complimentary
Not a Club Member?  Join today!