The Democratic Constitution Podcast

“The poorest he that is in England hath a right to live as the greatest he” - Col. Thomas Rainborowe, Leveller. In this episode, I speak with Geoffrey Robertson, an English barrister, historian, and the author of...

The hubbub surrounding McConnell, Platner, and Graham stems from the undemocratic Senate, argues Steven Raney. In a democratic political system, McConnell and Graham would be historical footnotes, and their life’s work...

“The bourgeoisie has fought democracy for the last 230 years, because democracy would be the transfer of power into the hands of the majority. And the explanation of why all of the other parts of the minimum program are...

“The lack of democracy in this country and the broader problems with capitalism and the rise of Trumpism were all tied together. I think it’s hard to understand why so much of the country supported Trump, including...

“I think the Constitution is fatally flawed. And I think that the kind of reconstruction that’s required needs to get back to the kind of things that the radical Republicans couldn’t finish.” Historian Tad Stoermer...

This year is the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and its proclamation that all men are created equal; that they have unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and that they...

"What Would it Mean to Finish Reconstruction?" By Luke Pickrell. Original article here .

“If we want to understand Black people’s demands for the rights that America denied them, we must pay more attention to how they talked about and used the rights that were not denied them—the associational privileges...

“There’s a tradition of these rights being claimed by groups who were excluded and who they weren’t originally intended for, because they have that possibility inherent to them, which is the idea of universal equality...

“Beard resigned and wrote a very scathing letter of resignation, which is still read today. But he was such a beloved figure at Columbia, he actually provoked several days of protests and riots on the campus, of...

“The argument about the absence of democracy is powerful in one way at the workplace. But it is also powerful in another way, in the general community, where it ought to be pushed much, much harder.” This is my...

This is the recording of my presentation to East Bay DSA about Reconstruction and Radical Republicanism. Apologies for the rough audio quality.

"The Voting Rights Rollback Shows We Need a New Constitution." Originally published on Jacobin on May 6, 2026.

“America is not a democracy, which means we’re being ruled by a small elite. That is just unacceptable. I think that’s the fundamental basis of a political movement in this country. Everyone knows how much power...

In this episode, I talk with August Nimtz, the author of several books, including Marx and Engels: Their Contribution to the Democratic Breakthrough , The Ballot, The Street—Or Both? , and The Communist and the...