Parliamentary America

Maxwell L. Stearns (BALTIMORE, MD) is the Venable, Baetjer & Howard Professor of Law at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law. He has authored dozens of articles and several books on the Constitution, the Supreme Court, and the economic analysis of law.

Introduction. Happier Birthdays, Better Parties

Part I. How We Got Here

Chapter 1. The Third Constitutional Crisis

Chapter 2. The Third-Party Dilemma

Chapter 3. Constitutional Gridlock: How a System We Managed for Two Centuries Suddenly Went off the Rails

Chapter 4. The End of Trust: Experts, the Government, and the Media

Part II. The World Tour

Chapter 5. The European Tour: England, France, and Germany

Chapter 6. Democratic Variations: Israel, Taiwan, Brazil, and Venezuela

Part III. Three Amendments That Will Fix Our Broken System

Chapter 7. Reinventing the House of Representatives: More Voices, More Parties, More Power

Chapter 8. Reinventing Presidential Elections: The Art of Coalition Politics

Chapter 9. Reinventing Presidential Removal: How "No Confidence" Instills Confidence

Part IV. The Politics of Ratification and Envisioning Parliamentary America

Chapter 10. Achieving Coalition Governance: The Politics of Passing These Amendments

Chapter 11. Parliamentary America: Toward Better Politics, Further Reforms, and a Civil Society

Conclusion. From "We the People" to "We the Framers"

Acknowledgments

Appendix

Notes

Index

Drawing on history, social choice theory, and a study of democracies around the world, Maxwell Stearns argues for a radical restructuring of American government to save us from hyperpolarization and distrust in our institutions. A clear, earnest, and patriotic argument for parliamentary democracy in the United States.

— Richard Hasen, author of A Real Right to Vote: How a Constitutional Amendment Can Safeguard American Democracy

Anyone who cares about the future of American democracy should read this book. In Parliamentary America, Stearns provides a bracing and insightful analysis of what ails American democracy, then prescribes a strong and controversial cure. Whether one agrees with Stearnss cure, considering and debating the ideas in Parliamentary America could be a big first step in remaking and reanimating the democracy America deserves.

— Henry L. Chambers Jr., University of Richmond School of Law

Amid all the justified concern over democratic backsliding in America, too few observers have dared to say that it is time for a thorough rethink of the very basic constitutional structure. Stearns boldly lays out a plan to move the country toward a parliamentary form of government with a proportionally elected legislature. This is the most important book written on American constitutional structure in decades.

— Matthew Shugart, University of California, Davis

This is not just another treatise on political reform. Stearns pushes us to confront uncomfortable truths about our democratic structures, challenging the status quo with a blend of historical insights and forward-thinking solutions. With the precision of a seasoned constitutional law professor, he makes a compelling case for radical reform.

— Lee Drutman, New America; author of Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America