America From Scratch

The average lifespan of a country's constitution is 12 years. But the U.S. Constitution has been around for more than 200. Is it time for a rewrite? And if we did re-do our user manual, who would lead the charge?

States: they're a fact of American life we take largely for granted. But why do we need them at all? Some experts believe that chopping up our country in a different way would make a lot more sense. So, if we started over today, would we keep the somewhat wacky geography of our states intact, or would we move to perhaps a more logical system that throws state lines out the window?

We spend a lot of time thinking, worrying, debating—and, yes, fighting—over who should be our president. But is that the best use of our political energy?

In this episode of “America From Scratch,” we explore the idea of eliminating the presidency entirely—and some other alternatives to our current political structure. Experts share how you can make the biggest difference in government today.

Voting age takes on new relevance today as young people across the country are making their voices heard in the wake of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting earlier this year. Washington, D.C., is on track to lower the voting age to 16.