Chief Justice Explains Constitution and Chooses its ‘Coolest Part’
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. believes the Constitution’s plan for separation of powers is its most important part—but not its coolest provision.
The chief justice talked about the Constitution in a Constitution Day interview for the Washington Post that is apparently aimed at kids. The Constitution was signed 221 years ago today, according to an ABA press release.
Roberts said the Constitution’s split of power among the legislative, judicial and executive branches is more important than any one part of the document. But he had a different answer to this question: “What do you think is the coolest part of the Constitution that people do not really know about?”
Roberts responded with another question: “What could be cooler than the part about the Supreme Court?” He noted that the justices have lifetime tenure and are separate from the rest of government to make sure it follows the law too. “People may know that, but I’m not sure they know how rare and special it is,” he said.
The ABA has an educational online resource on the Constitution that includes an interactive feature with questions on voting rights and elections.
