The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, is Congress’s finest achievement since prompting the 1791 ratification of the Bill of Rights. Congress’s second and third finest hours, the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act, enforced the 14th Amendment’s promises of protecting rights of national citizenship. Nevertheless, next Tuesday in the Supreme Court, the government of ostensibly conservative Texas, abetted by what is considered the most conservative of the 13 federal appellate courts, will make a radically unconservative argument. The argument will reflect misunderstandings of the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com.

Source: Washington Post January 11, 2024 13:18 UTC