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Except......The word that no one reads! episode artwork

Jun 11, 2026 16 min

Except......The word that no one reads!

from YOU OUGHTA KNOW BETTA Hosted by POLITICAL UNICORN

Most Americans can tell you what the 13th Amendment did. Far fewer can tell you how the sentence ends. In this episode, AJ Miller examines one of the most debated words in the Constitution: EXCEPT Why did Congress abolish slavery while allowing an exception for punishment after conviction? What did lawmakers intend? What happened immediately after the amendment was ratified? And why are states still rewriting their constitutions nearly 160 years later? From the debates surrounding abolition to Black Codes, convict leasing, prison labor, and modern reform efforts, this episode follows the history, the receipts, and the questions that continue to shape the conversation today. Because sometimes the most important part of a law isn't what everybody remembers. It's the part they stopped reading. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thepoliticalunicorn.substack.com

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Except......The word that no one reads!

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