How Should We Elect the President?

How Should We Elect the President?

Author: National Constitution Center November 1, 2024 Duration: 59:12
On the eve of the 2024 presidential election, Jesse Wegman, member of The New York Times editorial board and author of Let the People Pick the President: The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College, and Robert Hardaway, professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and author of Saving the Electoral College: Why the National Popular Vote Would Undermine Democracy, join Jeffrey Rosen to debate the Electoral College and preview potential legal challenges that might arise in the aftermath of the election. This program was originally streamed live as part of the NCC’s America’s Town Hall series on October 29, 2024.   Resources:  Robert Hardaway, Saving the Electoral College Why the National Popular Vote Would Undermine Democracy (2019)  Jesse Wegman, Let the People Pick the President: The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College (2020)  Electoral College, Article II, Section 1, Clauses 2 and 3, Interactive Constitution  National Popular Vote  Ranked Choice Voting  Article I, Section III, The Senate, Interactive Constitution  Cass Sunstein, “On Jan. 6, Will Vice President Harris Certify the Election?,” Wall Street Journal, Oct. 25, 2024  Gary Lawson and Jack Beerman, “Congressional Meddling In Presidential Elections: Still Unconstitutional After All These Years; A Comment On Sunstein,” April 2023  “The Very Real Scenario Where Trump Loses and Takes Power Anyway,” Politico, Oct. 20, 2024  Moore v. Harper (2023) Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr. Sign up to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate. Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen. Join us for an upcoming live program or watch recordings on YouTube. Support our important work. Donate

Hosted by National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen, We the People is a weekly conversation that digs into the constitutional questions shaping the country right now. This isn't just a history lesson, though historical context is always part of the discussion. Instead, each episode brings together leading voices-legal scholars, journalists, public officials, and advocates-to engage in thoughtful, civil debate. You'll hear genuine dialogue where participants articulate and defend their positions, offering a clearer understanding of the complex legal and philosophical principles at stake. The goal is to move beyond headlines and soundbites, providing a forum where the best arguments from all sides are presented with depth and respect. Tuning into this podcast feels like sitting in on a crucial discussion at the intersection of law, politics, and society, one that illuminates how the Constitution actively influences contemporary American life. Produced by the National Constitution Center, it serves as an essential resource for anyone looking to deepen their grasp of the nation's founding document and its powerful, ongoing role in our public discourse.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

We the People
Podcast Episodes
What Is the Legacy of the Roberts Court on Its 20th Anniversary? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:31
In this episode, Steve Vladeck of the Georgetown University Law Center and Sarah Isgur of SCOTUSblog join to discuss the legacy of the Roberts Court on its 20th anniversary and preview the important cases in the Supreme…
Introducing Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide to Happiness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:14
In our new podcast, Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide to Happiness, Jeffrey Rosen explores the founders’ lives with the historians who know them best. Plus, filmmaker Ken Burns shares his daily practice of self-reflection. Th…
Can President Trump Fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:53
In this episode, Christine Chabot of Marquette University Law School and Michael McConnell of Stanford Law School join to discuss Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook’s termination and the broader legal and constitutional…
The History and Future of Partisan Gerrymandering in America [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:43
In this episode, Bradley Smith of Capital University Law School and Nicholas Stephanopoulos of Harvard Law School join to discuss the history and future of partisan gerrymandering, including the mid-decade redistricting…
A Conversation on America’s 250th [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:12
In this episode, Sabrina Lynn Motley, director of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, and Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, discuss how…
Is Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act Unconstitutional? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:40
In this episode, Bradley Smith of Capital University Law School and Nicholas Stephanopoulos of Harvard Law School join to discuss the history and future of racial gerrymandering, including how the Court’s upcoming decisi…
The Oldest Constitutional Question [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:28
In this episode, Richard Primus of the University of Michigan Law School and John Harrison of the University of Virginia School of Law join to discuss Primus’s new book The Oldest Constitutional Question: Enumeration and…
The Past, Present, and Future of Abortion in America [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:45
In this episode, Mary Ziegler of the UC Davis School of Law and Stephen Gilles of the Quinnipiac University School of Law join to discuss Ziegler’s new book Personhood: The New Civil War over Reproduction, which explores…