The Oath and The Office--A Guide to the Constitution for Future Presidents by Covey Brettschneider, W.W.Norton &Co.,New York, 2018.

Writer and Professor of Political Science at Brown University and Fordham Law School, C. Brettschneider begins by reminding us that the President of the United States takes an oath to “uphold the Constitution--even the parts with which he or she disagrees.”

That means you need to know what it says. It also helps to understand how and why the founders argued over its language and why and how that language can be interpreted now.

The author first examines the President’s power, not only to execute the law, but to hire and fire (now) a large number of people, nominate Supreme Court Justices, and to act in dire times as Commander in Chief of the United State Armed Forces.

In section II of this important work, Brettschneider discusses the Bill of Rights, its creation, and the amendments that shape free speech and religious freedom, the use of torture , and Equal Protection for all of us.

The book then talks in detail about how the presidency is checked by Congress, the judicial system, and the states federalism. The author’s reference to history and our resulting constitutional powers are valuable lessons to be understood as we face the current challenges to our national integrity.