Making Our Democracy Work：A Judge's View

作者: Stephen Breyer （斯蒂芬·布雷耶）著

出版社: Random House US

出版时间: 2010-09

版次: 1

ISBN: 9780307269911

定价: 201.40

装帧: 精装

开本: 16开

纸张: 胶版纸

页数: 288页

正文语种: 英语

分类: 外文古旧书>英文书>语言文字

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. StephenBreyerisanassociatejusticeoftheUnitedStatesSupremeCourt.HeisaresidentofCambridge,Massachusetts,andWashington,D.C. part i / The People’s Trust
One Judicial Review: The Democratic Anomaly 3
Two Establishing Judicial Review: Marbury v. Madison 12
Three The Cherokees 22
Four Dred Scott 32
Five Little Rock 49
Six A Present-Example 68
ii / Decisions That Work 73
Seven Basic Approach 75
Eight Congress, Statutes, and Purposes 88
Nine The Executive Branch,Administrative Action,and Comparative Expertise 106
Ten The States and Federalism: Decentralization and Subsidiarity 121
Eleven Other Federal Courts: Specialization 137
Twelve Past Court Decisions: Stability 149
part iii / Protecting Individuals 157
Thirteen Individual Liberty: Permanent Values and Proportionality 159
Fourteen The President, National Security, and Accountability:
Korematsu 172
Fifteen Presidential Power: Guantánamo and Accountability 194
Conclusion Appendix A Images 221
Appendix B Background: The Court 228
Acknowledgments 233
Notes 235
Index 255
Contents
内容简介:
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.
作者简介:
StephenBreyerisanassociatejusticeoftheUnitedStatesSupremeCourt.HeisaresidentofCambridge,Massachusetts,andWashington,D.C.
目录:
part i / The People’s Trust
One Judicial Review: The Democratic Anomaly 3
Two Establishing Judicial Review: Marbury v. Madison 12
Three The Cherokees 22
Four Dred Scott 32
Five Little Rock 49
Six A Present-Example 68
ii / Decisions That Work 73
Seven Basic Approach 75
Eight Congress, Statutes, and Purposes 88
Nine The Executive Branch,Administrative Action,and Comparative Expertise 106
Ten The States and Federalism: Decentralization and Subsidiarity 121
Eleven Other Federal Courts: Specialization 137
Twelve Past Court Decisions: Stability 149
part iii / Protecting Individuals 157
Thirteen Individual Liberty: Permanent Values and Proportionality 159
Fourteen The President, National Security, and Accountability:
Korematsu 172
Fifteen Presidential Power: Guantánamo and Accountability 194
Conclusion Appendix A Images 221
Appendix B Background: The Court 228
Acknowledgments 233
Notes 235
Index 255
Contents