(ReclaimingAmerica.net) – Seeking to change the nation the Founding Fathers envisioned, UC Berkeley’s law school dean Erwin Chemerinsky has called for a new U.S. Constitution to steer the country away from a possible authoritarian future.
During an appearance on “Morning Joe,” Chemerinsky discussed his concerns, which are also explored in his latest book, “No Democracy Lasts Forever: How the Constitution Threatens the United States.”
Chemerinsky pointed out what he sees as “increasingly problematic” aspects of the Constitution that are “undermining democracy.”
For instance, he named equal state representation in the Senate and the lifelong appointments of Supreme Court justices.
He explained to co-host Willie Geist, “The Electoral College increasingly is choosing the president who lost the popular vote. Two senators per state is undermining democracy.”
“In the last session of Congress, there were 50 Democratic senators and 50 Republican senators, but the 50 Democratic senators represented 42 million people,” he added.
He further criticized the current system where Supreme Court justices serve indefinitely, noting a significant increase in their tenure over recent decades.
“Life tenure for Supreme Court justices is increasingly problematic,” Chemerinsky elaborated.
“For much of American history, the tenure for Supreme Court justice was an average of 15 years. Since 1970, it’s been 27 years. All of these are choices made in 1787, but they have become much more salient in recent years,” he expressed.
The conversation about revising the Constitution also touches on recent political battles, such as Democrats’ attempts to end the filibuster, which were thwarted by Democrat-turned-Independent Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin.
Recent Supreme Court decisions on issues like abortion and gun rights have intensified calls from progressives to either impose term limits on justices or expand the court.
Discussing the relevance of the current Constitution in today’s world with Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson, Chemerinsky remarked, “Isn’t it absurd that we’re governed in 2024 by a Constitution written in 1787 for a small agrarian, slave-owning society?”
Chemerinsky expressed concerns that the ongoing polarization in America could lead to drastic outcomes like secession if no changes are made.
“We could drift towards authoritarianism. There are a lot of democracies in the world that are no longer democracies,” he said. “But there’s also the possibility that we will start hearing serious talk that what divides us is much greater than what unites us as a country.”
Law School Dean Tells MSNBC It's Time To Scrap Constitution pic.twitter.com/ZzAVv7oQtt
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 30, 2024
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