My Nonprofit Reviews
gstone
Review for The American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, Washington, DC, USA
ACS is the most important organization in the United States trying to counter the conservative campaign to dominate the national discourse about constitutional interpretation and the proper role of courts in enforcing our Constitution. For the past forty years, conservatives have succeeded in shaping the public's understanding of consetitutional law by promoting such concepts as "judicial restraint," "originalism," "strict constructionism," and "calling balls and strikes." The problem is that in the hands of conservative judges these approaches to constitutional interpretation have proved to be largely disingenuous and dangerous to American freedom and democracy. ACS plays a central role in both exposing the faults and failures in conservative jurisprudence and in exploring and explaining an alternative understanding of constitutional law that is more in line with American traditions and with the goals and purposes of the Framers.
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
ACS is first and foremost about the exchange of ideas. It has helped shape the thinking of many thousands of law students and lawyers over the past decade, it has influenced legal scholarship, judicial decisions, legislation, and the executive branch of government. I see the results of ACS's work everyday when I speak with students, lawyers, judges, legislators, and citizens.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Ensure that it has sufficient resources to reach even more individuals who are -- or should be -- concerned about these issues. With more resources, ACS could have an even greater impact on the way Americans think about fundamental questions about their own Constitution.
Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?
Definitely
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
A lot
Will you tell others about this organization?
Definitely
How did you learn about this organization?
I was involved in ACS from its very founding.
What is this organization's top short-term priority?
To expand its work with student and lawyer chapters throughout the nation and to shape legal and public understanding of the decisions of the current Supreme Court.
What is its top priority in the long run?
To educate, to inform, to engage, and to inspire students, lawyers, judges, and the American public to embrace a sound, principled, and progressive understanding of the American Constitution.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
