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Civics 101

Civics 101

How do landmark Supreme Court decisions affect our lives? What does the 2nd Amendment really say? Why does the Senate have so much power? Civics 101 is the podcast about how our democracy works?or is supposed to work, anyway.

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How much do government employees get paid?

Government salaries vary an awful lot; from $100 a year to $11.5 million. So who makes what? 

Today we divide the issue of taxpayer-funded salaries in two. How much officials make, and then how much they really make. Why do so many politicians make money once they leave office? How much can you get from speaking at events? And how do lobbyists affect not only policy, but their career trajectory? 

Our guest is Anna Massoglia from Open Secrets, the "nation's premier research group tracking money in U.S. politics."

Click here to get a hat and/or socks during our podcast fund drive!

2024-01-16
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Rumors and Lies, the American Version

In this double feature of two of our favorite episodes we cover misinformation, disinformation and propaganda -- three tricky truth-benders that come at you from every angle in American life. Our guides include Samantha Lai of the Brookings Institute, Peter Adams of the News Literacy Project, John Maxwell Hamilton (professor and author of Manipulating the Masses: Woodrow Wilson and the Birth of American Propaganda and Jennifer Mercieca, professor and author of Demagogue for President: The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump.

2024-01-09
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Expulsion from Congress

Expulsion from Congress is extremely rare. Nevertheless, NY Congressman George Santos was expelled on December 1, 2023. So how did that happen?

Today on Civics 101 we are guided by Carlos Algara, who lays out the history of expulsion in both chambers, the process, the Ethics Committee, censure, and how Congress fills an empty seat after somebody is expelled.

 

2024-01-02
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Can we fix school lunch?

Between the corporate interests, the politics, the infrastructure and the shaming, what can the grown ups in the room actually do to make the school cafeteria a safer, healthier place where kids want to be? Ross Wilson of the Shah Foundation, Jessica Terrell of the Left Overs podcast and Crystal FitzSimons of the Food Research and Action Center try to answer that.

2023-12-26
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The Politics of School Lunch

Federal and state dollars pay for so much of what goes into the American public school education of our kids, but it isn't so straight forward when it comes to keeping them fed on school grounds. What movements and laws lead to American school kids accessing lunch? What does it cost, and who has to pay? Jessica Terrell, journalist and host of Left Over podcast and Crystal FitzSimons, Director of School and Out-of-School Time Programs at the Food Research and Action Center are our guides to the first part of our two-parter on school meals in America.  

2023-12-19
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Does Santa Break The Law?

Today we answer this question from a listener, "Is Santa a criminal?"

We get to the bottom of the myriad actions of the jolly old elf, and whether he could reasonably be tried for civil and criminal violations, including but not limited to trespassing, breaking and entering, voyeurism, stalking, surveillance, burglary, tax evasion, bad labor practices, emotional distress, and (in one instance) involuntary manslaughter.

Taking us through this complex web of charges is Colin Miller, professor at University of South Carolina School of Law. 

2023-12-12
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What is a Federal Holiday?

How does something go from an annual tradition to a mandated day off? Who decides to make a holiday official?  Our guides to the holiday season are Jeff Bensch, author of History of American Holidays, and JerriAnne Boggis, Executive Director of the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire.

2023-12-05
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Term Limits for Congress?

 Term limits for legislators, both in Congress and at the state level, are extremely popular among voters, and have been, since their heyday in the 1990s. And while we don't currently have term limits on members of Congress, they do exist in 16 states. What can we learn from the state legislatures that already have them? Do they deliver on their promises? 

We talk with Carlos Algara, assistant professor of political science at Claremont Graduate University, where he studies political parties, electoral accountability, and legislative behavior, and Jordan Butcher, assistant professor of political science at Arkansas State University, where she studies state legislatures. She is the author of the forthcoming book Navigating Term Limits. 

2023-11-28
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What is the Order of Succession?

America's first congress debated it in the 1790s, and it's been debated about ever since. Who should step into the president's shoes if the offices of President and Vice President are simultaneously vacant? Today we talk about the many different Presidential Acts of Succession that we've had in the US, as well as designated survivors, the "football," and the recurring question of the constitutionality of such acts.

Click here to listen to our episode on the Executive Branch, should you want to learn the mnemonic "See That Dog Jump In A Circle, Leave Her House To Entertain Educated Veteran's Homes."

2023-11-21
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SCOTUS Watchlist

The Supreme Court chooses what it wants to offer opinions on, and those opinions redefine the way law works in this nation, trickling down to your world works for you. So what did they pick this time around? This is our watchlist for the most significant cases before the court this year.

2023-11-14
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What powers does the Speaker of the House have?

In light of the recent kerfuffle regarding the many elections for a new Speaker of the House, we decided it was time to break down the powers and history of the second-most powerful job in DC. 

Dan Cassino of Farleigh Dickinson University tells us all about the Speaker; from fundraising to the rules committee to the steering committee to a self-proclaimed Beelzebub to what the repeated failed elections for a Speaker portends for Congress.

Click here to listen to our episode on How A Bill (Really) Becomes a Law and click here to learn more about committees.

2023-11-07
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The After School Satan Club

The tale of what happens when The Satanic Temple comes to Hellertown, PA. 

From dear teacher friend Jason Stern comes this lesson in First Amendment rights. It all started when the Saucon Valley School District got word that the After School Satan Club was coming to town.

2023-10-31
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Heather Cox Richardson on the State of America

Heather Cox Richardson became a household name with her daily newsletter,  Letters from an American, in which she does something simple and essential: provide her readers with the historical context for today's politics. She recently wrote a book called Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America. Hannah sat down with Heather as part of the live series Writers on a New England Stage at the Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH, to talk about the book and everything else Heather is thinking about right now. This is that conversation.

 

 

2023-10-24
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The National Weather Service

Most Americans can look down at their phone and see a prediction of the future. How is that even possible?

Well, we'll tell you. Today it's all about the weather; from early predictive methods and almanacs to the National Weather Service's modern-day practices of collecting, analyzing, and sharing a staggering amount of data. First we talked with Kris Harper, a professor of history and philosophy at the University of Copenhagen, and then with Felicia Bowser, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Florida.

Rain or Shine, we at Civics 101 will be here to guide you through the dark and stormy world of government. Support our show today with a $60 donation and we'll send you our brand new baseball cap. Click here to take a look.

 

2023-10-17
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Separation of Church and State

What did Jefferson mean when he wrote about a "wall of separation" between the church and the state? How have we interpreted the pair of clauses in the 1st Amendment regarding religion? And finally, what is the current relationship between church and state when it comes to the Supreme Court, religious schools, taxes, and growing religious nationalism?

Today we talk to Katherine Stewart, author of The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism and Morgan Marietta, Chair of Political Science at the University of Texas, Arlington and founding editor of the SCOTUS Decisions Series.

 

Support our mission to explore how our government works. Donate $60 to our show today and receive a vintage Civics 101 hat.

2023-10-10
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BONUS: American Girl Dolls and YOU

Is there such a thing as too much American Girl Doll on a podcast about civics? No, say we! This will, however, be the last of it. After publishing our first two episodes we heard from SO many people about what American Girl means to them. These dolls and their stories really meant something, and continue to, to a lot of our listeners. So today, we'll hear from some of you AND from one very funny, very good social media creator who is keeping her American Girls in rotation.

If you want to check out and follow Nicole Daniels (and uh... you should) you can do that on Instagram or Tiktok @nicoleolive

2023-10-04
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What Are Government Shutdowns?

Today we share a quick recap of what happened on Saturday, 9/30/23 when the government almost shut down, and then explain all the ins and outs of government shutdowns. Have they always been part of our legislative process? How do they happen? And what happens when they happen? Our guest is Charles Tiefer, professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Support our show today with a gift of $60 or more to get yourself a vintage Civics 101 baseball cap. You'll look great in it, we promise.

2023-10-03
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A (Sorta) Civics Trivia Battle

Yeah, this is us having a good time playing trivia. Rounds include "which thing is larger," historic LinkedIn pages, and "things that are falling."

We love making this show, but we can only do it with listener support. Click here to make a donation; a one-time gift of $60 gets you a swanky new Civics 101 hat. 

2023-09-26
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Did American Girl Dolls Do Right By History? (Part 2)

This episode of Civics 101 is the second chapter of a story about American Girl dolls, and what this beloved brand got right ? and wrong ? about the American experience. If you haven't heard part one yet, make sure to go back and take a listen!

DONATE TO CIVICS 101 NOW AND GET OUR NEW STICKER!  CLICK RIGHT HERE TO SUPPORT OUR WORK. (YOU CAN ALSO GET A VERY COOL BASEBALL CAP!)

Guests include Marcia Chatelain Pulitzer Prize-winning author and the Penn Presidential Company Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania; Spencer Crew, former president of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and professor of history at George Mason University; Emily Zaslow, author of Playing with America?s Doll: A Cultural Analysis of the American Girl Collection; and Molly Rosner, author of Playing with History: American Identities and Children?s Consumer Culture.

2023-09-19
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Did American Girl Dolls Do Right By History? (Part 1)

For so many of us, American Girl dolls were more than just toys, they?re how we learned about the past. But is American Girl?s version historically accurate? Believe it or not, there's no shortage of scholars who have a lot to say about that. 

DONATE TO CIVICS 101 NOW AND GET OUR NEW STICKER!  CLICK RIGHT HERE TO SUPPORT OUR WORK. (YOU CAN ALSO GET A VERY COOL BASEBALL CAP!)

This episode of Civics 101 is the first chapter of a story about dolls, and what one beloved brand got right ? and wrong ? about the American experience. 

Guests include Marcia Chatelain Pulitzer Prize-winning author and the Penn Presidential Company Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania; Spencer Crew, former president of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and professor of history at George Mason University; Emily Zaslow, author of Playing with America?s Doll: A Cultural Analysis of the American Girl Collection; and Molly Rosner, author of Playing with History: American Identities and Children?s Consumer Culture. 

2023-09-19
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Classified Documents

The government classifies millions of documents every year - secrets that can only be seen by certain people, and under certain conditions. Who decides what is secret, and what isn't? How well is the classification system working? And can a president declassify any secret, at any time, just by thinking it? 

We talk with Margaret Kwoka, law professor at Ohio State University, where she focuses on laws around government documents and access to government information. And if you want to learn more, check out our episode about security clearance

2023-09-12
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What is RICO?

In August, 2023 Donald Trump and 18 others were indicted for violating Georgia's RICO law. Today we break down RICO, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act from 1970, and learn the origins and purpose of RICO as well as how RICO cases differ from others. 

Our guest is Myles Ranier, civil litigator and former federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Louisiana. 

2023-09-05
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The Republican and Democratic Parties

Today we look at the creation and evolution of the two major parties in the US; the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. How did they come about? How did their ideals shift over the last 200+ years? And where might they go next?

These episodes originally aired in 2020, and feature Keneshia Grant, George Will, Kathryn DePalo-Gould, Heather Wagner, Paddy Riley, and William Adler.

Listen to all our episodes and support our show at our website, civics101podcast.org

2023-08-29
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Civics Education 2: When the Curriculum is Against the Law

Today is the second part in our series about the state of civic education in the US. We talk about how teachers choose what to teach, so-called "divisive concepts laws," and how we can approach disagreements without falling prey to "division actors."

This episode features 

Louise Dube, Executive Director of iCivics and member of the Implementation Consortium at Educating for American DemocracyJustin Reich, Director at MIT Teaching Systems Lab and host of the TeachLab podcastCherylAnne Amendola,  Department Chair and teacher at Montclair Kimberly Academy and host of the podcast Teaching History Her Way

 

Click here to see a map of all the states that have passed legislation limiting what teachers can say regarding race, sex, gender, etc. 

Click here to see the Interactive Roadmap by Educating for American Democracy.

And while we're throwing out links, click here to support our show, it means the world to us. 

2023-08-22
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What Is (or Was) Affirmative Action?

In June of 2023 the Supreme Court determined that affirmative action -- a practice that had been common in some colleges and universities since the 1960s -- was a violation of the Equal Protections clause of the 14th Amendment. So what, exactly, are these schools not allowed to do anymore? What does it have to do with race and diversity? How was it supposed to work... and did it?

Margaret M. Chin, professor of sociology at Hunter College, is our guide to this week's episode. 

2023-08-15
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When Espionage Means The Death Penalty

In June of 2023, Donald Trump was charged with 37 counts of alleged mishandling of classified documents, as well as obstruction of justice. Of those 37 counts, 31 are alleged violations of the Espionage Act. Now, since its passage after World War I, thousands of people have been investigated for violating the Espionage Act, including Julian Assange, Daniel Ellsberg, and Donald Trump. However, only two people have been executed for violating it during peacetime; Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. 

This episode features Anne Sebba, author of Ethel Rosenberg: A Cold War Tragedy, and Jake Kobrick, Associate Historian at the Federal Judicial Center. It explains the Espionage Act of 1917, the accusations against the Rosenbergs, the twists and turns of their trial, and their execution in 1953. 

2023-08-08
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The Presidential Records Act

Every president generates millions of records in the course of leading the country: memos, emails, speeches, notes, tweets... There are rules for how those records should be treated, both as historical documents, and as public property, enshrined in the Presidential Records Act. What does the Act say,  and what does it have to do with how former-President Donald Trump handled government documents after leaving office? 

We talk with Trudy Huskamp Peterson, who worked as an archivist for the National Archives for 24 years, including  serving as Acting Archivist of the United States from 1993-1995.  We also talk with Margaret Kwoka, Professor of Law at Ohio State University and legal expert on information law, government secrecy, and transparency. 

 

2023-08-01
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What Moore v Harper Means for Elections

In June 2023, the Supreme Court determined that states do not have independent and exclusive authority when it comes to federal election rules. By the time they issued the majority opinion, it no longer mattered in the state that started it all. 

So what happened in Moore v Harper? What is (or was) the Independent State Legislature Theory, and what other powers did the court vest in itself in this opinion?

Carolyn Shapiro, founder and co-director of Chicago-Kent's Institute on the Supreme Court of the United States, is our guide.

2023-07-25
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Civics Education 1: What Do We Teach?

Today is the first part in a series about the state of civic education in the US. In this episode, we gauge how we're doing civics-wise and then delve into the perpetually controversial history of history; have we ever agreed upon a narrative for our nation that we can teach students?

Walking us through the past, present, and future of social studies and civic education are Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University, and Adam Laats, Historian and Professor of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership at Binghamton University. 

2023-07-18
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America's "War on Drugs"

You probably associate the so-called "War on Drugs" with the Reagans. Or maybe, more correctly, with the Nixon administration. But the government's anti-drug policies started decades before that.

And, as we discuss in this week's episode, those policies were often motivated by things other than public health and safety. Instead, they targeted - and continue to target - immigrants and communities of color. 

This episode digs into the history of America's War on Drugs, featuring guests Jason Ruiz and Yasser Arafat Payne

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2023-07-11
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What Is "The Shadow Docket?"

A law in Texas banning abortions after six weeks. The blocking of a majority-Black congressional district in Alabama. OSHA regulations requiring vaccinations or a negative COVID test result. 

All of these controversial issues were decided not through the tried-and-true method of a hearing in the Supreme Court, but rather through a system called "the shadow docket," orders from the court that are (often) unsigned, inscrutable, and handed down in the middle of the night. Professor Stephen Vladeck takes us through this increasingly common phenomenon.

IF YOU LOVE OUR WORK, MAKE A DONATION TO SUPPORT CIVICS 101!

This episode originally dropped in May, 2022. 

2023-07-04
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How Have Supreme Court Arguments Changed?

Oral arguments at the Supreme Court are a window into the personalities, beliefs, and behavior of justices. They allow advocates to engage directly with the highest court in the land about how the law should work in practice. And over the last two decades, as country has become increasingly partisan, they've started to sound very different. We talk about how, why, and what's up with all the interrupting. 

Helping us break it down is Tonja Jacobi, professor of law and the Sam Nunn Chair of Ethics and Professionalism at Emory School of Law. We talk about several of Jacobi's studies on oral arguments, check them out: 

Justice, Interrupted: The Effect of Gender, Ideology and Seniority at Supreme Court Oral Arguments

The New Oral Argument: Justices as Advocates

Supreme Court Interruptions and Interventions: The Changing Role of the Chief Justice

 

2023-06-27
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Socialism, Communism, Fascism

What does it really mean when we call someone a socialist, communist, or fascist? Where did these ideologies come from, and why do we have ideologies in the first place?

Today we speak with Patrick McGovern, professor of political science at Buffalo State University, and Susan Kang, professor of political science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and host of Left On Red.

 

2023-06-20
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The 14th Amendment

The 14th Amendment granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States. It also granted them equal protection under the laws and guaranteed due process of law. Those are considered its most important provisions today. That wasn't always the case, however. Why did it take so long for the Supreme Court to affirm these provisions of this significant Amendment, and what does that say about politics at the highest court in the land?

Our guide to the 14th Amendment is Aziz Huq, professor of law at the University of Chicago School of Law.

2023-06-13
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Supreme Court Ethics

Recently, news about Justice Clarence Thomas's decades-long friendship with a wealthy Republican megadonor, and the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of gifts and generosity he's received from that friendship, has led to increased scrutiny into whether Supreme Court justices are as unbiased and uninfluenced as they claim. It's also revealed how, unlike most other federal officials, we rely on the good faith of the justices to hold themselves accountable. 

Helping us untangle this is Tonja Jacobi, professor of law and the Sam Nunn chair in  Ethics and Professionalism at Emory University School of Law. 

Don't miss the reporting from ProPublica on Justice Thomas's relationship with Harlan Crow, called "Friends of the Court." 

 

 

2023-06-06
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What's the Debt Ceiling and the National Debt?

The federal government has always had debt. How much is too much, and how do politicians exploit it? This episode originally dropped in August 2022, but since the subject is in the news, we've been getting lots of questions about it!

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Since our nation's founding, the federal government has borrowed money from other governments, private investors, and businesses in order to operate. Over the last century, the debt ceiling, a Congressional cap on how much debt we can have, keeps getting higher and higher. We talk about how the national debt works, how it's been used as political leverage, and how that impacts the health of our economy. 

Louise Sheiner, senior economics fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Michael Dorf, Constitutional law professor at Cornell Law, help us make sense of trillions of dollars in debt. 

2023-05-30
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The Fairness Doctrine

What can we do with these invisible magnetic waves in the sky? 

Today we explore what we can say on the air. Are radio and television stations allowed to air their opinions in addition to the news? From 1949-1987 all broadcast media was beholden to the Fairness Doctrine; a law that enforced impartiality and civil discourse. So why did we have this law? How did it work? Why did it end? And finally, what are the arguments for and against bringing it back?

Our guest is Larry Irving, who was counsel to the Telecommunications subcommittee when the doctrine was codified into law (and subsequently vetoed) in 1987. 

2023-05-23
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BONUS: Talking to Kids About the News

Ryan Willard is the co-host of The Ten News, a news podcast created for 8-12 year-olds. He shared some of the ways his team frames complex and controversial topics so that they're appropriate and comprehensible to younger ears. You can hear their show wherever you get your podcasts, or at their website.

2023-05-19
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Reconstruction: The Laws of the Land

While Black citizens fought for their civil and human rights in the Reconstruction era, state and federal governments alike passed law and policy pertaining to them. Courts ruled. Legislatures made law. These are the legal shifts that both supported the Black freedom struggle and actively worked against it. Our guides to the last part of our Reconstruction series are Gilbert Paul Carrasco, Kate Masur and Kidada Williams.

2023-05-16
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Reconstruction: The Big Lie

Reconstruction has long been taught as a lost cause narrative.  The true story is one of great force. The great force of a powerful activist Black community that strived to establish a multiracial democracy and achieved great successes and political power. The great force of a violent white community that exploited, abused and murdered those of that Black community who would assert their civil and human rights. The great force of a federal government that was there and then wasn't. This episode is your introduction to that true story.

Our guides to this era are Dr. Kidada Williams, author of I Saw Death Coming and Dr. Kate Masur, author of Until Justice Be Done.

2023-05-08
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Reconstruction: Why We Didn't Learn About It

The Reconstruction Era, a period in American history at the end of and immediately following the Civil War, is one of the single-most important and instructive periods in American history. It has also, historically, been one of the least taught. Why is that, and what are we missing when we don't learn about it? A lot.

In this, the first in a three-part series on Reconstruction, we speak to Mimi Eisen of the Zinn Education Project about America?s first Civil Rights Era and why most of us don?t know enough - or anything at all - about it.

2023-05-02
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Defamation, Libel, and Dominion, Oh My!

What is defamation? Libel? Pre-trial discovery? Actual malice? Today we go into everything tied to the recently settled Dominion Voting Systems vs Fox News Network defamation lawsuit; including slander, libel, discovery, settlement, and the "whackadoodle email." 

Our guide through the world of defamation legalities is Jane Kirtley, Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota. We talk about why these lies were presented to the public, and the possible reasons why Dominion chose to settle instead of continue with the trial.

2023-04-23
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US vs: Freedom

How free are we? Are some countries more free than we are? What does freedom even mean?

In this episode in our "US vs" series, we talk with the co-author of the Human Freedom Index, Ian Vasquez, about how we rank in our measure of liberty. Then we do a deep dive into Freedom of the Press with Jenifer Whitten-Woodring, co-author of the Historical Guide to World Media Freedom: A Country-by-Country Analysis.

Here are some links to other episodes we've done that explore our ever-changing tally of who gets those freedoms in the first place:

Declaration Revisited

The Bill of Rights

The 19th Amendment

2023-04-18
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How Can The Government Ban An App?

A social media app with 150 million American users is under intense scrutiny by the U.S. government. The threat is "sell or be banned," but how and why can the government do that? What does this kind of business restriction look like? We talked to Steven Balla of George Washington University to get the low down on regulations and bans in the United States.

2023-04-11
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How Do Indictments and Grand Juries Work?

What are grand juries? Who gets picked for one? What does an indictment mean?  What's next? Why does it seem like this process is taking so long?? 

Today we explain all the legal processes surrounding the recent indictment of former president Donald Trump, as well as what the Constitution has to say about all of this.

With us is Albert "Buzz" Scherr, professor of Criminal Law and Justice at UNH Law. 

 

Sign up here for our newsletter, Extra Credit. It's fun, we promise. 

2023-04-03
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Jury Duty: What To Expect When You Get That Summons

On this episode, you've been summoned to learn about jury duty. Do the reasons some people want to avoid jury duty have merit? How do you even get on a list to get summoned to begin with? What should you expect with you get summoned to serve? And should you embrace this particular opportunity to participate in the democratic process? (Spoiler alert: We really think you should!)

Our guest is Sonali Chakravarti, professor of government at Wesleyan University and author of Radical Enfranchisement in the Jury Room and Public Life.

Love the podcast? Make a donation to support it! Click here to chip in - we can't do what we do without listeners like you! 

Check out Outside/In presents: The Underdogs right here!

Links:

Here's that survey about why Americans lie to get out of jury duty

Links related to the O.J. Simpson case: 

A consultant helped select the jury that acquitted O.J. Simpson... - The Seattle TimesO.J.: Made In America (ESPN documentary)Radio - The lasting impact of the O.J. Simpson trial (WBUR)
2023-03-28
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Who Writes Bills?

If you've learned about things like Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances, you know the tried and true notion that Congress makes the laws, the executive branch enforces them, and the judicial branch interprets them. But would it surprise you to hear that's not how it goes most of the time?

Today we explore who really writes the majority of legislation in the US, and how it got to be that way. We talk with Dan Cassino of Fairleigh Dickinson University, who breaks down that first step of the legislative process.

Here are links to our related episodes; How a Bill (Really) Becomes a Law and Citizens United.

Click here to sign up for our newsletter, Extra Credit!

2023-03-21
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Paying Income Taxes

The idea that the more you have, the more you?re expected to contribute in taxes, is a foundation of our income tax system. And there is one government agency that oversees it all: the Internal Revenue Service. 

However, the tax code itself, and the IRS, are subject to the will of politicians - who might have special interests of their own. We talk about how politics, wealth, and power influence how people file for their taxes in the first place, how some of the wealthiest Americans have the lowest income tax rate, and who is held accountable for paying their "fair share."

Curious about the history of the income tax? Check out our companion episode, Why Do We Have An Income Tax?

Also, check out The Secret IRS Files, ProPublica?s investigation into the tax records of the .001%.

2023-03-14
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A Primary Battle

For decades, one state has had the privilege of going first in the presidential primary process. But New Hampshire?s ?stranglehold? on the way we pick presidents could be losing its grip. The Democratic Party changed its presidential nominating calendar to give voters of color more sway. But New Hampshire isn?t backing down, setting up a major test of the stranglehold and its power.

Today, we present that story from our colleagues in NHPR's newsroom, from the podcast "Stranglehold"

Donate to support Civics 101 and NHPR's journalism right here. 

2023-03-07
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Who owns the sky?

If you own land in the United States, do you own the air above it, too? Justine Paradis, Senior Producer at Outside/In from NHPR brings us the airy truth of property rights in air and space in this special collaboration. 

The answer will take us from Ancient Rome (as it occasionally does) to the United States courts, from a world when air travel was science fiction to the world where we know there are valuable resources on the moon... and we all want them.

Guests for this episode are Colin Jerolmack, Michael Heller, George Anthony Long, and Deondre Smiles.

2023-02-28
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