Principles Matter: The Constitution, Progressives, and the Trump Era
Carlos A. Ball
Sep 2021 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Patrick Lawlor
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13 hr 19 min
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About this audiobook
Progressives who opposed the Trump administration's policies found themselves repeatedly relying on constitutional principles grounded in federalism, separation of powers, and free speech to resist the federal government. Although many progressives had either criticized or underemphasized those principles before Trump, the principles became vital to progressive causes after Trump was elected. Using dozens of examples from the ways in which Trump abused presidential powers, this book explains how the three sets of principles can help mitigate the harms that autocratic leaders in the Trump mold can inflict on both democratic institutions and vulnerable minorities. In doing so, the book urges progressives to follow this rule of thumb in the post-Trump era: If a constitutional principle was worth deploying to resist Trump's harmful policies and autocratic governance, then it is worth defending in the post-Trump era even if it makes the short-term attainment of progressive objectives more difficult. This type of principled constitutionalism is essential not only because being principled is good in and of itself, but also because being principled in matters related to federalism, separation of powers, and free speech will help both advance progressive causes over the long run and reduce the threats posed by future autocratic leaders.
About the author
Carlos A. Ball is a Distinguished Professor of Law at Rutgers Law School. He is an expert in the fields of constitutional law and LGBTQ rights. He has written or edited nine books, including The Queering of Corporate America, the First Amendment and LGBT Equality, and Same-Sex Marriage and Children.
Patrick Lawlor has recorded over three hundred audiobooks in just about every genre. He has been an Audie Award finalist multiple times and has garnered several AudioFile Earphones Awards, a Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award, and many Library Journal and Kirkus starred audio reviews.
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