Making Our Democracy Work：A Judge's View

TheSupremeCourtisoneofthemostextraordinaryinstitutionsinoursystemofgovernment.ChargedwiththeresponsibilityofinterpretingtheConstitution,thenineunelectedjusticesoftheCourthavetheawesomepowertostrikedownlawsenactedbyourelectedrepresentatives.WhydoesthepublicaccepttheCourt'sdecisionsaslegitimateandfollowthem,evenwhenthosedecisionsarehighlyunpopular?WhatmusttheCourtdotomaintainthepublic'sfaith?HowcantheCourthelpmakeourdemocracywork?ThesearethequestionsthatJusticeStephenBreyertacklesinthisgroundbreakingbook.TodayweassumethatwhentheCourtrules,thepublicwillobey.ButBreyerdeclaresthatwecannottakethepublic'sconfidenceintheCourtforgranted.Heremindsusthatatvariousmomentsinourhistory,theCourt'sdecisionsweredisobeyedorignored.Andthroughinvestigationsofpastcases,concerningtheCherokeeIndians,slavery,andBrownv.BoardofEducation,hebrilliantlycapturesthesteps—andthemissteps—theCourttookontheroadtoestablishingitslegitimacyastheguardianoftheConstitution.JusticeBreyerdiscusseswhattheCourtmustdogoingforwardtomaintainthatpublicconfidenceandarguesforinterpretingtheConstitutioninawaythatworksinpractice.HeforcefullyrejectscompetingapproachesthatlookexclusivelytotheConstitution'stextortotheeighteenth-centuryviewsoftheframers.Instead,headvocatesapragmaticapproachthatappliesunchangingconstitutionalvaluestoever-changingcircumstances—anapproachthatwillbestdemonstratetothepublicthattheConstitutioncontinuestoserveuswell.TheCourt,hebelieves,mustalsorespecttherolesthatotheractors—suchasthepresident,Congress,administrativeagencies,andthestates—playinourdemocracy,andheemphasizestheCourt'sobligationtobuildcooperativerelationshipswiththem.Finally,JusticeBreyerexaminestheCourt'srecentdecisionsconcerningthedetaineesheldatGuantánamoBay,contrastingthesedecisionswithrulingsconcerningtheinternmentofJapanese-AmericansduringWorldWarII.HeusesthesecasestoshowhowtheCourtcanpromoteworkablegovernmentbyrespectingtherolesofotherconstitutionalactorswithoutcompromisingconstitutionalprinciples.MakingOurDemocracyWorkisatourdeforceofhistoryandphilosophy,offeringanoriginalapproachtointerpretingtheConstitutionthatjudges,lawyers,andscholarswilllooktoformanyyearstocome.AnditfurtherestablishesJusticeBreyerasoneoftheCourt'sgreatestintellectualsandaleadinglegalvoiceofourtime.