American history today

I find it interesting when American history gets involved in our political debate. The recent Michele-George exchange over whether the Founders promoted the end of slavery is a case in point. Of course they hoped to end slavery. The Constitution was intended to put slavery "on the path of extinction." Congress banned the slave trade in 1808. Also note that the much-maligned three-fifths provision gave the slave states an incentive to end slavery because they could immediately increase their representation in Congress if they did so.