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Fault lines in the Constitution : the framers, their fights, and the flaws that affect us today / written by Cynthia Levinson and Sanford Levinson.

By: Contributor(s): Material type: TextTextPublisher: Atlanta, Georgia : Peachtree Publishers, [2017]Edition: First editionDescription: 235 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 9781561459452
  • 1561459453
Subject(s):
Contents:
It takes two to tango (bicameralism) -- Big states, little say (the Senate) -- Delete! (presidential veto) -- Majority rules, except when it doesn't (supermajority rules) -- How to cherry-pick voters (gerrymandering) -- Taxation without representation (the District of Columbia) -- "I'll just do it myself!: : "Oh, no, you won't" (direct democracy) -- Who can vote? How do you know? (voting rights) -- Who gets to represent you? (restrictions on running for congress) -- Who gets a shot at the Oval Office? (restrictions on running for president) -- Time's up! (presidential term limits) -- The college with no courses or credits (the Electoral College) -- Knock, knock. Is anybody there? (continuity in government) -- Is there a leader in the room? (presidential succession) -- The duck's in charge. January 20th (inauguration day) -- At war (emergency powers) -- At war with bugs (habeas corpus) -- We can change it, right? (amending the Constitution) -- Grading the Constitution -- Now what? -- Post-amble.
Fiction notes: Click to open in new window
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Children's Book Children's Book Dr. James Carlson Library Children's NonFiction 342.7302 L665 Available 33111008953669
Children's Book Children's Book Main Library Children's NonFiction 342.7302 L665 Available 33111008806669
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

An essential book on the U.S. Constitution for everyone grappling with today's most urgent political issues. From the award-winning duo of Cynthia and Sanford Levinson.

? Four Starred Reviews ?

?Throw out the high school textbooks and put this outstanding book in the hands of the next generation!? ? The Booklist Reader

?An excellent introduction to the strengths and weaknesses of our founding document?especially enlightening for those who don?t yet understand how our government is supposed to work.? ? New York Times bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson

School Library Journal Best Nonfiction Books of the Year
Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year
Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Books of the Year
Best Books of the Year ?Bank Street College of Education
Parents? Choice Gold Award

Cynthia Levinson, a noted children?s nonfiction author, has teamed up with her husband Sanford Levinson, one of the nation?s foremost constitutional scholars, to address the fact that many of the political issues we struggle with today have their roots in one place?the U.S. Constitution.

Their award-winning book, Fault Lines in the Constitution , takes readers back to the creation of this historic document and discusses how contemporary problems were first introduced?and then they offer possible solutions. Think of timely subjects such as voting rights, presidential pardons, executive and emergency powers, the Electoral College, gerrymandering, even the Senate. Many of us take these features in our system for granted. But they came about through haggling in an overheated room in 1787, and we?re still experiencing the ramifications.

Each chapter in this timely and thoughtful exploration of the Constitution?s creation begins with a story?all but one of them true?that connects directly back to a section of the document that forms the basis of our society and government. Informative sidebars and graphics run throughout along with a timeline and bibliography.

Discussion Guide available!

Visit the blog at www.faultlinesintheconstitution.com.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

It takes two to tango (bicameralism) -- Big states, little say (the Senate) -- Delete! (presidential veto) -- Majority rules, except when it doesn't (supermajority rules) -- How to cherry-pick voters (gerrymandering) -- Taxation without representation (the District of Columbia) -- "I'll just do it myself!: : "Oh, no, you won't" (direct democracy) -- Who can vote? How do you know? (voting rights) -- Who gets to represent you? (restrictions on running for congress) -- Who gets a shot at the Oval Office? (restrictions on running for president) -- Time's up! (presidential term limits) -- The college with no courses or credits (the Electoral College) -- Knock, knock. Is anybody there? (continuity in government) -- Is there a leader in the room? (presidential succession) -- The duck's in charge. January 20th (inauguration day) -- At war (emergency powers) -- At war with bugs (habeas corpus) -- We can change it, right? (amending the Constitution) -- Grading the Constitution -- Now what? -- Post-amble.

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