Texas is hosting a two-day symposium on the new book by Calvin Johnson (Texas), Righteous Anger of the Wicked States: The Meaning of the Founders’ Constitution (Cambridge University Press, 2005):
Righteous Anger of the Wicked States is a history of why the U.S. Constitution was adopted. The most pressing need was to allow the federal government to tax to pay off the debts of the common defense. The Constitution went far beyond the immediate fiscal needs to create a supreme, three-part national government. The book argues that the Founders’ anger at the states for their recurring breaches of duty to the united cause explains both critical steps and the driving impetus for the revolution.
Here are the panels and the speakers:
Panel 1: Political Science (3:30–5:00 pm Thurs. Oct. 27)
- Walter Dean Burnham (Texas, Political Science)
- Sotioris Barber (Notre Dame, Political Science)
- Keith Whittington (Princeton, Political Science)
- Moderator: Jeffrey Tulis (Texas, Political Science)
Panel 2: History (1:00 – 3:00 pm Fri. Oct. 28)
- Jack Rakove (Stanford, History)
- Jack Greene (Johns Hopkins, History)
- John Kaminski (Wisconsin, History)
- Robin Einhorn (Berkeley, History)
- Moderator: Alan Tully (Texas, History)
Panel 3: Law (3:15 – 5:00 pm)
- Philip Bobbitt (Texas, Law)
- Lynn Baker (Texas, Law)
- Ernest Young (Texas, Law)
- Mitch Berman (Texas, Law)
- Moderator: Jordan Steiker (Texas, Law)
