Kirk Calls For “Narrowing Scope” Of 14th Amendment

“So this whole ballgame, it’s a back-up plan. This is the back-up plan — is the 14th Amendment. Now, the 14th Amendment is unbelievably important, obviously, but it’s way too broadly written. I’m gonna be honest: it’s way too broadly written. The 14th Amendment solved a lot of problems, and it’s created some problems. It should be, I think, narrowed in scope. Why? The 14th Amendment is brought up by every left-wing lunatic on voting rights cases, and civil rights stuff, and debt abolition. Literally. Forgive my debt because — the 14th Amendment. Way too broadly written.” – Charlie Kirk, speaking on his podcast.

Via Wikipedia:

The Fourteenth Amendment (Amendment XIV) to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868, as one of the Reconstruction Amendments. Usually considered one of the most consequential amendments, it addresses citizenship rights and equal protection under the law and was proposed in response to issues related to former slaves following the American Civil War.

The amendment was bitterly contested, particularly by the states of the defeated Confederacy, which were forced to ratify it in order to regain representation in Congress.

The amendment, particularly its first section, is one of the most litigated parts of the Constitution, forming the basis for landmark Supreme Court decisions such as Brown v. Board of Education (1954) regarding racial segregation, Roe v. Wade (1973) regarding abortion (overturned in 2022), Bush v. Gore (2000) regarding the 2000 presidential election, and Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) regarding same-sex marriage.

The amendment limits the actions of all state and local officials, and also those acting on behalf of such officials.

The amendment’s first section includes several clauses: the Citizenship Clause, Privileges or Immunities Clause, Due Process Clause, and Equal Protection Clause.

The Citizenship Clause provides a broad definition of citizenship, nullifying the Supreme Court’s decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857), which had held that Americans descended from African slaves could not be citizens of the United States.