The Preamble as Policy examines the history of the development of the Constitution to show how the Preamble can be used to judge the laws and policies enacted by the federal government. It also investigates how past administrations have fared when evaluated through the lens of the Preamble.
Jim Twombly
Civic Duty Gibson Governance Guidebook Irons Michael Policy Preamble Robert Twombly
“When do you start talking about policy? You start at the beginning. That’s what Irons and Twombly have done in The Preamble as Policy: taking students of government and public policy back to the first words of the Constitution. By anchoring an array of contemporary policy challenges in history and the Constitution, from just policing to welfare reform to anti-trust, the authors invite the reader to critically consider the purpose of government in the United States. They do this in under 100 pages, a feat worthy of a big welcome in every syllabus.”—Heath Brown, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Department of Public Management and CUNY Graduate Center, John Jay College, City University of New York
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“In The Preamble as Policy, Irons and Twombly find in the Constitution’s Preamble an aspirational guide to America’s potential, even in times wrought with paralyzing polarization and civil unrest. This is a clever, hopeful book that will challenge readers to think critically about the Constitution, likely in ways they haven’t before.”—Joshua J. Dyck, Professor of Political Science, University of Massachusetts Lowell
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