Practical Equality

By @robertltsai. How do we do the hard work of equality in a divided nation? @wwnorton Now in paperback:

[Practical Equality @PracticalEqual]

@joshuarothman writes in @NewYorker: “The gap between intuition and argument—between outrage and the best response to outrage—is the subject of @robertltsai’s #PracticalEquality.” @wwnorton

[Joshua Rothman @joshuarothman]

Most of us agree that too much inequality is bad—but what kind of equality is good? In this week’s @NewYorker, I write about the philosophy of egalitarianism, which is full of puzzles, contradictions, and insights: https://t.co/l8TshJBYO8

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

Great read. Agree that equality means too many different things to different people. Conceptual clarity helps some, but as I’ve argued in @PracticalEqual, sometimes the better answer is to disaggregate the idea and do the work of equality by other means.

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

Should judges match a populist president’s escalations with escalations of their own? Contrary to popular opinion, I say no. Certainly not if a robust democracy is the ultimate goal. @BU_Law

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

“When injustice is left in place and perceived to be irremediable, citizens begin to doubt the power of the law. They start to lose their sense of civic responsibility and faith in a shared future.” https://t.co/5SPMmlYqgY

[The New Republic @newrepublic]

For our special print issue on the country’s 250th anniversary, we asked about 100 historians and other public intellectuals to make some lists for us that summarize the nation’s high and low points: our best and worst presidents; the images that most sharply define American history; the greatest works of art; and more. The results are fun, fascinating, and give a real and true sense of the sweep of our history.

Now it’s your turn! Take this reader survey and tell us what you think the right answers are—and see where yours stack up compared to our experts and to other readers. 👇

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

Best and worst presidents, important works of art, and more! #America250 #NewRepublic

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

“In establishing the American republic, the Framers unleashed a pair of seductive ideas: popular sovereignty and written constitutionalism. One is treated as a God-given right; the other, a cherished means of ordering society.” @Harvard_Press #America250

[The New Republic @newrepublic]

The Most Influential Founding Fathers https://t.co/edduhazU6q

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

Honored to join this distinguished group of scholars asked to help @newrepublic commemorate #USA250. Have a look!

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

To learn more, check out America's Forgotten Constitutions or “John Brown’s Constitution”: https://t.co/6v8idrdloB

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

Did you know that before John Brown attacked Harper’s Ferry he wrote a Declaration of Independence? Or that he led a convention that approved a provisional constitution? Please join us for a conversation about Brown’s legacy on June 29, 7 pm EST zoom: https://t.co/O36FQfstVV

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

What a gorgeous venue in which to discuss presidential power. @Roosevelt_House @Hunter_College

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

Coming up soon. Join us! https://t.co/O36FQfstVV

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

On this day in 1800 John Brown was born

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

“As another season of last-minute U.S. Supreme Court opinions are handed down, Americans are faced with a perennial question: how much compliance is obligatory and how much room is there to disagree?” https://t.co/I8iZbVhH4l

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

It should be clear by now that SCOTUS’s power is no longer merely interpretation but national policymaking in nature, with all of the hopes, dreams, and demands for accountability that that entails.

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

To what should you be paying attention if you worry about the future of free and fair elections in the United States? @huntercollege @Roosevelt_House

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

I’m all for more people reading the Constitution

[Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ L. Tsᴀɪ @robertltsai]

Where can you play offense if you have a more robust vision of equality? #PracticalEquality