Our Federalist Constitution : The Founders' Expectations and Contemporary American Government

The debate over the ratification of the United States Constitution has much to tell us about American politics. Using predictions made by Federalists and Anti-Federalists during that debate, Faber examines contemporary American politics. The Federalists explained how the various branches of government would work together to govern while preventing tyranny; the Anti-Federalists told us how things would fall apart and why. Through a careful examination of the two houses of Congress, the Presidency, and the Supreme Court, Faber evaluates the state of each in light of the predictions of the founders. He discusses the condition of the national-state relationship using predictions about federalism and consolidation from the ratification debate. Ultimately, although history has not turned out as the Federalists expected, their political system is working largely as they intended. "Using specific predictions made by Federalists and Anti-Federalists during the debate over ratification, this work engages in an examination of contemporary American politics. Many of the issues which were closely contested in this debate continue to bedevil contemporary political actors; the Constitution, in essence, is still in debate. By looking at the accuracy of Federalist and Anti-Federalist predictions in the development of American institutions, we can see whether we have departed from the intentions of the founders"--Preface, p. ix Table of Contents 8 Preface 10 List of Abbreviations 14 Chapter 1: The Founding and Contemporary Institutions 16 Chapter 2: Representation and the House 52 Chapter 3: Stability and the Senate 94 Chapter 4: Leadership and the Presidency 132 Chapter 5: Judicial Review and the Supreme Court 162 Chapter 6: Federalism and Consolidation 198 Chapter 7: Conclusion 246 References 276 Index 302