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Broken Trust: Dysfunctional Government and Constitutional Reform (Constitutional Thinking) Hardcover – August 21, 2015

by Stephen M. Griffin (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2 ratings
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Variously and roundly perceived as gridlocked, incompetent, irresponsible, and corrupt, American government commands less respect and trust today than perhaps at any time in the nation's history. But the dysfunction in government that we like so little, along with the policy disasters it engenders, is in fact a product of that deep and persistent distrust, Stephen M. Griffin contends in Broken Trust, an accessible work of constitutional theory and history with profound implications for our troubled political system.

Undertaken with a deep concern about the way our government is performing, Broken Trust makes use of the debate over dysfunctional government to uncover significant flaws in the conventional wisdom as to how the Constitution works. Indeed, although Americans strongly believe that our government is dysfunctional, they are just as firmly convinced that the Constitution still works well. Griffin questions this conviction by examining how recent policy disasters—such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the response to Hurricane Katrina, and the 2008 financial crisis—are linked to our constitutional system. This leads him to pose the question of whether the government institutions we have inherited from the eighteenth century are poor fits for contemporary times.

Griffin argues that understanding the decline of trust in government requires investigating the historical circumstances of the last several decades as well as the constitutional experience of the states. In particular, he examines "hybrid democracy," the form of constitutionalism prevailing in California and other western states that combines Madisonian-style representative government with direct democracy. Hybrid democracy offers valuable lessons relevant to our contemporary difficulties with dysfunctional government at the national level. These lessons underpin the agenda for reform that Griffin then proposes, emphasizing democratic innovations aimed at producing both more effective government and greater trust in our political institutions. Building on a better understanding of the sources and consequences of government dysfunction, his book holds genuine hope, as well as practical possibilities, for the repair of our broken political and constitutional system.
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  1. Part of series
    Constitutional Thinking
  2. Print length
    216 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    University Press of Kansas
  5. Publication date
    August 21, 2015
  6. Dimensions
    5.75 x 0.75 x 8 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0700621229
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0700621224
  9. See all details
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About the Author

Stephen M. Griffin is W. R. Irby Chair and Rutledge C. Clement, Jr. Professor in Constitutional Law, Tulane Law School. He is the author of American Constitutionalism: From Theory to Politics and Long Wars and the Constitution.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University Press of Kansas (August 21, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 216 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0700621229
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0700621224
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.1 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 0.75 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2 ratings

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
2 global ratings

Top review from the United States

Terry Jennrich
4.0 out of 5 stars Dysfunctional Government and Constitutional Reform
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2016
The author has framed the questions in a proper manner. However, he did not give his opinion as to how to fix the problem we as a nation face. That is the main reason why I gave it a 4 instead of a five. I am not sure I would agree with him on his final proposal for reform, but I am willing to work with him on drafting one to find out where he and I stand on the issues. However , some more questions need to be answered before we write the final draft. We need more ideas about representation in Congress, incentives to persuade Congress to do the right thing for the general long term interest of the vast majority of the people instead of for the special interest of the lobbyists to finance their campaigns. FInally we must persuade our fellow citizens that government subsidies, tax breaks, and problems are not free lunches that small groups of citizens should receive from the government. A balanced budget supported by taxpayers doing the minimum things which private citizens were unable to do on their own is what is needed. Government functions should be largest at the local level, fewer at the state level and minimal at the federal level. WE as a society need to decide the question of : just what do we think government should do for us and at what level and who will pay for it and how will it be paid for? We must restrict the ability of the government to borrow money too to get a handle on out of control spending. The politicians cannot be permitted to continue to buy votes from the voters by creating or expanding government programs, no matter how well intentioned or advertized.
Terry Jennrich
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