South Middlesex Times

America finds itself in a deeply polarized political climate, with President Trump testing the limits of executive power. Yet, experts say the nation has not reached a constitutional crisis. This perspective was shared by Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, during the Rutgers Democracy Lab's inaugural event.

Moderated by Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway, the conversation took place before 25 Rutgers-New Brunswick students at the Eagleton Institute of Politics and was streamed live to the public. Rosen explained that, "The president ignoring an unambiguous order of the U.S. Supreme Court" would signify a true constitutional crisis. "So, by this broadly accepted definition of liberal and conservative historians," Rosen added, "the answer is no. We are not yet in a constitutional crisis."

Both Rosen and Holloway highlighted the role that citizens and institutions play in upholding the Constitution. Holloway reflected on a recent speech by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), who urged Americans to engage in respectful dialogue during this time of "moral urgency." Holloway remarked, "Regardless of one’s own personal and political views, we need to be talking – all of us need to be talking."

Supporting civic education and engagement, the Rutgers Democracy Lab (RDL) launched in November 2024. The initiative aims to foster a civic-minded community through research and discussion on citizenship and political participation. "What is a Constitutional Crisis, and Are We in One?" was the first event in a series of planned discussions.

Eagleton Director Elizabeth C. Matto, who introduced Rosen and Holloway, stated, "It’s not genetic. We are not born knowing what it means to be a democratic citizen – lowercase d. It needs to be taught."

During the event, Holloway quizzed Rosen on the power dynamics in the Constitution's preamble, "We the people." Rosen asked rhetorically, "The question is, are we the people exercising our power?" Rosen advised the audience to educate themselves deeply to avoid becoming divided by factionalism and political loyalty.

Sharing personal practices, Rosen encouraged reading purely informative materials over social media soundbites. This advice resonated with attendees, including first-year business student Josh Perr, who emphasized the significance of hearing and understanding diverse viewpoints.

Holloway also probed Rosen on the role of higher education if a constitutional crisis were to occur. Rosen replied, "To bring together people of differing points of view, just as you're doing so well here. To host civil dialogues, to be beacons of reason and pluralism and diversity." He affirmed that such objectives are also pursued by the Constitution Center and Rutgers University.

As the event concluded, Holloway reminded the audience that it is up to "we the people" to navigate through this challenging period in U.S. history.