I’m very pleased to announce the publication, about two weeks ago, of PoT blogger John Davenport’s newest book, The Democracy Amendments: Constitutional Reforms to Save the United States (Anthem Press, 2023). I read and commented on the book in manuscript form, and thought it was spot-on. I agreed with virtually every one of John’s diagnoses and reforms; I only wonder how many of them will be taken seriously enough to be put in place, or even to find a place in public discussion. The book’s subtitle may seem hyperbolic, but isn’t: the United States really is a sinking ship, and it’s not an exaggeration to say that reforms like John’s are needed to keep it afloat. We probably need a lot more than that, but John’s reforms would be a good starting point.

I’m hoping that the book finds its way into public discourse. At the very least, I’m hoping we can have some discussion here. It’s written in a clear, direct, and mostly jargon-free style, intended for intelligent, good-faith laypersons across the political spectrum. If I were still teaching, I’d put it in my syllabus with a trigger warning: “Notice: this book argues, persuasively, that your country is about to self-destruct, and that you will have to take responsibility for averting that outcome.”

The paperback is about $20 at Amazon. Hard to argue with that. Here’s a link to the website associated with the book.