Why the Founding Documents Still Matter, 250 Years Later | Randy Barnett

Hello, welcome back to Hold These Truths.

My guest today is Professor Randy Barnett, one of America's leading constitutional law scholars.

He's the author of more than a dozen books on constitutional law and the founding, including Our Republican Constitution and Restoring the Last Constitution.

His latest book, Felony Review, Crime and Corruption in Chicago, recounts his experience as a prosecutor in Cook County during a tumultuous period in the city's history.

So that'll be interesting to talk about.

Professor Barnett actually has joined this podcast before for you listeners who pay attention to every episode and somehow memorize it.

This was back in 2020 when we were discussing the constitutionality of COVID lockdowns.

And but now with, you know, with America's 250th coming up, I think there's a few people that are equipped to help us understand the Constitution and the founder's vision, what the Declaration of Independence means.

It's the 250th of the Declaration.

But of course, all of these are intertwined, and we're going to talk about that, and how we've evolved since then, and maybe how we evolve over the next 250 years.

So Professor Barnett, welcome back.

Well, thanks.

Thanks for having me back.

It's good to see you again.

I didn't realize it had been six years, but it's a pretty healthy chunk of time.

Yeah.

Yeah, I can't believe it's been six years since COVID.

Those were the days, huh? A lot of Zoom calls.

Let's get into it.

And glad we're approaching the 250.

It's not under lockdowns.

That would be quite frustrating.

Hello, welcome back to Hold These Truths.

My guest today is Professor Randy Barnett, one of America's leading constitutional law scholars.

He's the author of more than a dozen books on constitutional law and the founding, including Our Republican Constitution and Restoring the Last Constitution.

His latest book, Felony Review, Crime and Corruption in Chicago, recounts his experience as a prosecutor in Cook County during a tumultuous period in the city's history.

So that'll be interesting to talk about.

Professor Barnett actually has joined this podcast before for you listeners who pay attention to every episode and somehow memorize it.

This was back in 2020 when we were discussing the constitutionality of COVID lockdowns.

And but now with, you know, with America's 250th coming up, I think there's a few people that are equipped to help us understand the Constitution and the founder's vision, what the Declaration of Independence means.

It's the 250th of the Declaration.

But of course, all of these are intertwined, and we're going to talk about that, and how we've evolved since then, and maybe how we evolve over the next 250 years.

So Professor Barnett, welcome back.

Well, thanks.

Thanks for having me back.

It's good to see you again.

I didn't realize it had been six years, but it's a pretty healthy chunk of time.

Yeah.

Yeah, I can't believe it's been six years since COVID.

Those were the days, huh? A lot of Zoom calls.

Let's get into it.

And glad we're approaching the 250.

It's not under lockdowns.

That would be quite frustrating.