If the means justify the ends, we’d still be operating under the Articles of Confederation. The Founders understood that the means — the governmental structure itself — must always serve the ends of liberty and prosperity. When the means no longer served those ends, they experimented with yet another design for their government — they did expect it to be the last.

The age of AI warrants asking if the means still further the ends — specifically, individual liberty and collective prosperity. Both of those goals were top of mind for early Americans. They demanded the Bill of Rights to protect the former, and they identified the latter — namely, the general welfare — as the animating purpose for the government.

Both of those goals are being challenged by constitutional doctrines that do no

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