What does the Constitution really mean? How did the founding generation intend for us to interpret and apply the Constitution? Are liberals right when they cite its "elastic" clauses to justify big government, or are conservatives right when they cite its explicit limits on federal power? Professor Brion McClanahan, popular author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Founding Fathers, finds the answers by going directly to the sourceâthe Founders themselves, who debated all the relevant issues in their state constitutional conventions.
In The Founding Fathers' Guide to the Constitution, you'll discover
âHow the Constitution was designed to protect rather than undermine the rights of states;
âWhy Congress, not the executive branch, was meant to be dominantâand why the Founders would have argued for impeaching many modern presidents for violating the Constitution;
âWhy an expansive central government was the Founders' biggest fear, and how the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were designed to guard against it;
âWhy the founding generation would regard most of the current federal budget, including "stimulus packages," unconstitutional;
âWhy the Founding Fathers would oppose attempts to "reform" the Electoral College; and
âWhy the Founding Fathers would be horrified at the enormous authority of the Supreme Court and why they intended Congress, not the Court, to interpret federal law.
Authoritative, fascinating, and timely, The Founding Fathers' Guide to the Constitution is the definitive layman's guide to America's most importantâand often most willfully misunderstoodâhistorical document.
Brion McClanahan is author of The Founding Fathersâ Guide to the Constitution, The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Founding Fathers, and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Real American Heroes and holds an MA and PhD in American history from the University of South Carolina. Born in Virginia, he attended high school in Delaware and received a BA in history from Salisbury University in Maryland.
David Cochran Heath is a professional actor with more than 30 years of experience on the stage in over 130 productions. He is also a lifelong fan of radio theater and has done a variety of narration and character work. He lives in San Diego with his wife, Beth.