We The Founders (The Constitution)
Summary
In the premiere of *Government That Doesn't Suck*, hosts Greg Jackson and Lindsay Cormack explore the 26th Amendment and the first 18-year-old voter Ella Mae Thompson. Professors Jackson and Cormack argue that citizens are active "founders" who must understand constitutional rules to navigate partisanship. Drawing on the Federalist Papers and historical examples, they advocate for viewing government as a perfectible project requiring engaged, informed participation rather than cynical detachment.
Topics discussed
Introduction and host introductions
Ella May's historic first vote at 18
Reframing government with positive history
Citizens as founders and understanding rules
Government as a living, evolving entity
Partisanship and the need for public virtue
Madison's marriage and local governance
Planning commission story and candidate knowledge
Checks, balances, and early political factions
Federalist 51 on factions and liberty
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