The Democracy Amendments

The book shines in considering not what is probable, but what is possible. ... The Democracy Amendments offers a thoughtful description of contemporary political problems and a convincing account of how laws might be. —The Review of Politics

This is a terrific book on assessing government reforms, whether one agrees with all the remedies. Excellent for collections on American politics, elections, and law—Choice

“This topic could scarcely be more important—given the widespread perception, across the ideological spectrum, that something has gone sadly amiss in the American system—Davenport is trying to find a centrist position from which to make his arguments.”—Sanford Levinson, Garwood Centennial Chair in Law, University of Texas at Austin, and author of Framed: America’s 51 Constitutions and the Crisis of Governance.

“Will American democracy survive the twenty-first century, or even the next decade? In a moment of societal tumult and political division, it is a fair question to ask. If we have a hope of answering it in the affirmative, John Davenport offers as thorough and sensible set of prescriptions as I have seen. All are based on the fundamental idea that our Constitution is in desperate need of updating, and that today’s ills can be cured by systemic changes in the design and function of our government. For the millions who are fed up with dysfunction and paralysis, this accessible and deeply hopeful book can serve as a guiding light toward a stronger and healthier America.” — Jesse Wegman, author of Let the People Pick the President, and member of The New York Times Editorial Board.

“Our Constitution was a brilliant series of compromises that enabled the American Republic to function. But after almost two and a quarter centuries, in a dramatically different nation, reforms are much needed. John Davenport has assembled a powerful collection of ideas for all of us to consider. You’ll agree with some proposals, disagree with others. Yet this volume can and should generate a conversation about the country we want to become in the twenty- first century.”— Larry Sabato, Professor of Politics, Founder and Director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, and Director of the Center’s Crystal Ball website, #1 in American political prediction.

“The Democracy Amendments not only takes a deep dive into the challenges our fragile democracy faces but also proffers constitutional reforms and identifies the mechanisms for their adoption. A reflective and comprehensive analysis, it does something more: taking a civic republican approach to governance, Davenport scores with his emphasis on good design, including the necessary commitment to both the rights and the obligations citizens have in a just government. He makes a convincing case for deepening civic engagement, moreover, believing it to be crucial to the nation’s success. Alexis de Tocqueville would be pleased.”— Linda Stamato, Policy Fellow at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University; co-director of the Center for Negotiation and Conflict Resolution.