Richard Chew is joined by Tom Ginsburg, Leo Spitz Distinguished Service Professor of International Law at the University of Chicago, director of the Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression, and author of “How to Save a Constitutional Democracy” (2018). 

Ginsburg discussed the importance of citizens' active participation in democracy and the challenges facing constitutional democracy in the United States. He emphasized the need for ordinary citizens to engage in public affairs and criticized the current administration's attacks on free speech and the rule of law. Ginsburg highlighted the antiquated nature of the U.S. Constitution, which he described as "an 18th century technology trying to solve 21st century problems."

The Second Amendment, which protects the right of people to "keep and bear arms," needs to be reinterpreted, Ginsburg said, "in line with its original understanding." The First Amendment, he said, "is really under very severe attack, and that's really worrying me, as someone who spent a lot of time thinking about it. I run something at the University of Chicago called the Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression. It's a couple years old, and we exist to help students learn to express themselves, have students have conversations with each other, and to advance academic freedom and free speech in the country."

Ginsburg also stressed the importance of a strong civil service and administrative state to uphold democratic principles.

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