Jill Lepore is the David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and a staff writer at The New Yorker. She is best known for her prolific work exploring American history, democracy, and the evolution of journalism through acclaimed books like "These Truths" and her insightful essays.
“Sadly, there's not a lot of intellectual consistency among political actors in this story... there's no one who escapes that trap.”
This powerfully exposes the hypocrisy in political ideologies, suggesting that parties support or oppose judicial power based on their ideological advantage rather than consistent principles.
Jill Lepore
“If we were to constantly defer to the history and tradition of this country, we as a court could only ever re-stantiate racial divisions. We could never free the people from them.”
This quote argues that strict adherence to historical interpretations in legal rulings can perpetuate societal injustices rather than resolve them, challenging static legal philosophies.
Jill Lepore
“Scalia says, well, we need to figure out whether that would have been a search in the 18th century. It's an absurd premise.”
This highlights the perceived absurdity of applying 18th-century interpretations to modern technological issues like GPS, making the concept immediately debatable.
Jill Lepore
“What we're going to do actually from the bench is return to the original meaning, original understanding of the Constitution. And it's that logic that ultimately gets you to overturn Roe v. Wade with the Dobbs decision in 2022.”
This quote directly connects the legal philosophy of originalism to its real-world impact, specifically its role in overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, highlighting its profound societal consequences.
Jill Lepore
“What the South said at the time, and what many southerners, certainly Southern segregationists said for decades, is that in fact those are unconstitutional constitutional amendments, because the South was not in Congress.”
This quote presents a historical argument that challenges the legitimacy of foundational constitutional changes, offering a provocative alternative perspective on American history.
Jill Lepore
“If we don't like a law passed by Congress, we don't have to obey it. We can just nullify it. Because we're not really, the federal government isn't sovereign, only the states are sovereign.”
This quote articulates a radical view of federalism, where states claim ultimate sovereignty and the right to disregard federal law, sparking debate on the very structure of government.
Jill Lepore
“There's a kind of nudge, nudge, wink, wink when the Supreme Court says, 'oh, there is such a thing as presidential immunity.' In my mind, that's an amendment to the Constitution; that's not in the Constitution, they have invented and devised that.”
Directly accusing the Supreme Court of 'inventing' constitutional concepts like presidential immunity makes a strong, controversial claim about judicial overreach and legislative power.
Jill Lepore
“The separation of powers has almost entirely eroded. I think there is a bit of a crisis of legitimacy to the Constitution.”
This quote offers a stark assessment of the current state of governmental power dynamics and the foundational document, challenging widely held assumptions about the stability of democratic institutions.
Jill Lepore
“Given changing population, [the Electoral College is] a ticking time bomb. Especially with a polarized electorate, it's a ticking time bomb.”
This quote uses a powerful metaphor to argue for the inherent instability of the Electoral College in modern, polarized politics, prompting urgent consideration of its future.
Jill Lepore
“Article 5 doesn't work anymore.”
This is a bold, provocative statement challenging the foundational functionality of the U.S. Constitution's amendment process, sparking immediate debate.
Jill Lepore