Good afternoon, welcome to the cato institute. Im the director of cato center for constitutional studies and your host for todays forum on professor Randy Barnetts new book, republican constitution securing the liberty and sovereignty of we the people with forward by george will. Let me also welcome our cspan audience as well as those watching through cato live streaming. Released just two days ago by harper column broad side this book is sure to receive wide attention and deservedly so, i just learned that its available at costco to people who are watching this on cspan can after this forum run right out and pick up a copy of the book. Its likely to receive wide attention, as i said because it speaks in a fundamental way to the political divisions we see in america today, divisions about health care, gun control, affirmative action, immigration and so much more. But the far more fundamental division we see in our understanding of our basic law, the constitution and what it authorizes.
Good afternoon. I am the director of the cato center for constitutional studies and your host for todays forum marking the publication of a new book by professor david bernstein, lawless the Obama Administrations unprecedented assault on the constitution and rule of law. This book and forum could not be more timely. Just yesterday we witnessed the president telling the nation that he was directing officials in his administration to expand the regulation of the Second Amendment rights in several ways including by expanding the definition of what it means to be in the business of selling firearms. The repeated usurpations from a long list of domestic and Foreign Policy disasters, but they have also served to direct our attention to the constitution. The separation of powers will be our focus today as we canvas the many constitutional assaults of the past seven years. Professor bernstein will speak for about 30 minutes and then we will here opposing commentaries the book and opened upopen
Howd that titlet into in of your book. I want to begin with this quote from your book, real racism still exists in modern america and it hurts real people. When hustlers like al sharpton and liberals are quick to label from voter i. D. Laws to the shooting of lack teams. T it diminishes the rightful intention that true racism should receive, so what is true racism and why are some of the issues that are brought up in that example are not racism . Guest aye vote a chapter in the book con job to racism. Its my familys personal story of being discriminated against. When i was a little girl and we apply to a country club and we were told that they didnt want my parents to be members because they were black and that case actually went all the way up to the u. S. Court of appeals at the time in 1980, 81 when it went to the Appeals Court the u. S. Justice Department Filed antm amicus brief because it said 13 years after the Civil Rights Act had passed this is not whatis america was about so t
He wrote the first ten amendments that were introduced into congress and was a beyond that more than just the author of them or the person who wrote them and believed in them. I should say that in part of that of valuable institute here in washington has designated his Birthday National freedom of information day, which is we are celebrating here today along with the publication of his book. I cant help, however, but refer to what i thought was an interesting and useful from madison on this very topic, the First Amendment freedom and freedom of speech. Madison wrote, quote, a popular government without popular information or the means of inquiring it is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignore reins and people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselveses with the power which knowledge gives, unquote. And we will continue in this as we go down through the history of the United States that knowledge will govern ignorance and
Its good as they are a person its better on the page. Enjoy the book. [inaudible conversation] thats incredibly inspiring because you guys do it too had dan, which is connecting flight to the pursuit of memory and truth in forcing people to confront a history they dont want to confront, including cambodians themselves. Im afraid were about an time. You are welcome to ask your question that way. I want to thank our panelists peter and [applause] as good as they are in person, they are better on the page. Enjoy the book. But [inaudible conversations] good afternoon welcome to the Cato Institute. I am Vice President and publisher and i would heartily like to thank you for coming here, for our viewers on mina being broadcast by cspan. You may not know unexpectedly the washington subway system, the metro was closed today so the people who have joined us here have made great effort to hear something about this book, lessons and censorship, how school is subvert First Amendment right to refin