The job description is pretty sparse, the laws are convoluted and the path from A to Z seems fraught with peril. So how does a person go from candidate to nominee to Leader of the Free World? We asked some heavy hitters for the inside scoop on running for President. Settle in for a long and strange ride with Former Governor and Democratic nominee for President, Michael Dukakis, CNN political analyst Bakari Sellers and founding partner of Purple Strategies, Mark Squier. Want our new "Civics is my...
Sep 10, 2019•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast We at Civics 101 adore Schoolhouse Rock and that sad little scrap of paper on the steps of the Capitol. But today we try to finish what they started, by diving into the messy, partisan, labyrinthine process of modern-day legislation. This episode features the voices of Andy Wilson, Adia Samba-Quee, Alizah Ross, and Eleanor Powell. Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? CLICK HERE TO DONATE AND GET YOURS! CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign u...
Aug 06, 2019•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast A tug of war, a balancing act, two dancers dragging each other across the floor. This is the perpetual ebb and flow of power between the states and the federal government. How can things be legal in a state but illegal nationally? Are states obstinate barricades to federal legislation? Or are they laboratories of democracy? Today's episode features Lisa Manheim, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Washington School of Law and co-author of The Limits of Presidential Power, and Dave Ro...
Jul 30, 2019•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Supreme Court, considered by some to be the most powerful branch, had humble beginnings. How did it stop being, in the words of Alexander Hamilton, "next to nothing?" Do politics affect the court's decisions? And how do cases even get there? This episode features Larry Robbins, lawyer and eighteen-time advocate in the Supreme Court, and Kathryn DePalo, professor at Florida International University and past president of the Florida Political Science Association. Want our new "Civics is my cup...
Jul 23, 2019•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast There are 535 people who meet in the hallowed halls of Capitol Hill. They go in, legislation comes out. You can watch the machinations of the House and Senate chambers on C-SPAN, you can read their bills online. But what are the rules of engagement? Where does your Senator go every day, and what do they do? What does it mean to represent the American people? Our guides to the U.S. Legislative branch are Congressman Chris Pappas , Eleanor Powell , Stefani Langehennig and Emmitt Riley . Want our n...
Jul 16, 2019•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of our Starter Kit series, a primer on the powers of the President, both constitutional and extra-constitutional. Also, a super inefficient mnemonic device to remember the 15 executive departments in the order of their creation. Featuring the voices of Lisa Manheim, professor at UW School of Law and co-author of The Limits of Presidential Power , and Kathryn DePalo, professor at Florida International University and past president of the Florida Political Science Association. Want...
Jul 09, 2019•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast We exist in a delicate balance. Ours is a system designed to counterweight itself, to stave off the power grabs that entice even the fairest of us all. The U.S. government is comprised of humans, not angels, so each branch has the power to stop the other from going to far. The only catch being, of course, they have to actually exercise that power. In this episode, with the inimitable Kim Wehle as our guide, we learn what those checks actually are, and how the Executive, Legislative and Judicial ...
Jul 02, 2019•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's also the final episode of our Life Stages series, and its euphemism-free. We speak to a doctors, lawyers, professors, and funeral professionals about the rules of death; pronouncing, declaring, burying, cremating, willing, trusting, canceling, donating. Featuring the voices of Dan Cassino, Ken Iserson, Leah Plunkett, Mandy Stafford, and Taelor Johnson. Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? CLICK HERE TO DONATE AND GET YOURS! CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, do...
May 14, 2019•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast The prospect of retirement -- of leaving the work force, aging, confronting a new body and a new way of life -- is peppered with concepts and requirements so unwieldy they can make your brain turn off. So how do we make retirement prep easier? Shed the dread and face the future armed with a plan? Our guides to the next stage of life are Bart Astor, Tom Margenau and Cristina Martin Firvida. Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? CLICK HERE TO DONATE AND GET YOURS! CLICK HERE: Visit our websi...
May 07, 2019•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today, what does it really mean to be married? Divorced? What changes in the law's eyes? What do you have to do ? And, most importantly, how and why has the government decided who is allowed to marry whom? And while we're at it, what does love, Pocahontas, or a credit card application have to do with any of this? Today's episode features the voices of Stephanie Coontz , Kori Graves , Dan Cassino , Leah Plunkett , and dozens of County Clerks. Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? CLICK HERE...
Apr 30, 2019•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast The modern day workplace is the product of a centuries-long battle for fair wages, reasonable hours and safe conditions. Today's episode tells the story of the labor in the United States -- from slavery and indentured servitude to the Equal Pay Act and the weekend. What did Americans workers have to go through to make their voices heard, and how did they change labor in America? Our guests include Priscilla Murolo, Philip Yale Nicholson and Camille Hebert. Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" ...
Apr 23, 2019•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast As Adam Laats said, "when it comes to schools, the most important thing is who you are, and where you live." In today's episode, we explore how K-12 education has developed in the US since the 1600s, what teachers can and can't teach, what rights students have in public school, and how the federal government gets involved. Today's episode features Mary Beth Tinker, Dan Cassino, Kara Lamontagne, Adam Laats and Campbell Scribner. Subscribe to Civics 101 here! Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea"...
Apr 16, 2019•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast What does it take to be born an American citizen? And then, once you are, how do you prove it? And what does it get you? Today on Civics 101, we talk to Dr. Mary Kate Hattan of Concord Hospital, Dan Cassino of Farleigh Dickinson University, Susan Pearson of Northwestern University and Sue Mangold of the Juvenile Law Center to find out where (American) babies come from, and what that means. Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? CLICK HERE TO DONATE AND GET YOURS! CLICK HERE: Visit our websi...
Apr 09, 2019•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to our Constitution. Why do we have one? What does it 'do'? And what does it really, really do? Our guests are Linda Monk , Alvin Tillery , David O. Stewart , Woody Holton , David Bobb , and Chuck Taft . Visit our website, civics101podcast.org , where you can get Chuck's wonderful Bill of Rights SURVIVOR lesson plan, along with our favorite Bill of Rights resources. Each Amendment could be (and has been) its own episode. Except maybe the Third Amend...
Feb 26, 2019•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ten days after the Constitution was signed at the Old Philadelphia State House, an anonymous op-ed appeared in the New York Journal. Signed by "Cato," it cautioned readers of the new Constitution to take it with a grain of salt. Even the wisest of men, it warned, can make mistakes. This launched a public debate that would last months, pitting pro-Constitution "Federalists" against Constitution-wary "Anti-Federalists." It was a battle for ratification, and it resulted in a glimpse into the minds ...
Feb 19, 2019•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast After just six years under the Articles of Confederation, a committee of anxious delegates agreed to meet in Philadelphia to amend the government. While the country suffered recession and rebellions, a group of fifty-five men determined the shape of the new United States. The document that emerged after that summer of debate was littered with strange ideas and unsavory concessions. The delegates decided they'd be pleased if this new government lasted fifty years. It has been our blueprint for ov...
Feb 12, 2019•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast While a famous committee of five drafted the Declaration of Independence, a far more unsung committee of thirteen wrote America's first rulebook. The Articles of Confederation was our first constitution, and it lasted nine years. If you prefer Typee to Moby Dick , Blood Simple to A Serious Man , or Picasso's Blue Period over Neoclassicism, you just might like the Articles of Confederation. The fable of its weaknesses, strengths, rise, and downfall are told to us by Danielle Allen, Linda Monk, Jo...
Feb 05, 2019•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast America declared independence on July 2, 1776. But two days later it adopted this radical, revolutionary, inclusive, exclusive, secessionist, compromising, hypocritical, inspirational document. What does it say? What does it ignore? This episode features many scholars with differing opinions on the Declaration: Danielle Allen, Byron Williams, Cheryl Cook-Kallio, Woody Holton, and Emma Bray. Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? CLICK HERE TO DONATE AND GET YOURS! CLICK HERE: Visit our webs...
Jan 29, 2019•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Magna Carta was sealed on a field in England in 1215. It's purpose was to appease some frustrated Barons, and it was never intended to last. Over 800 years later, this document is credited with establishing one of the most foundational principles of our democracy. So what does Magna Carta actually say? And how did it get from dubious stalling tactic in the 13th century to U.S. Supreme Court arguments in the modern era? Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? CLICK HERE TO DONATE AND GET YOUR...
Jan 22, 2019•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast We've told you that midterm elections matter. But the truth is, midterms only matter to you -- and you only matter to your legislators -- if you show up at the polls. It's the first step in making yourself heard. And once you have, you mean that much more to the people who make our laws. In this episode, you'll hear what voting actually does for you and your demographic. Plus, how to make sure your voice is heard, whether you're eligible to vote or not. Our experts this time around are Cheryl Co...
Nov 06, 2018•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Regardless of how you choose to vote on Prop 1, you'll finish this episode knowing all about ballot measures. These are bills and amendments initiated by the people, and voted into law by the people. What could possibly go wrong when we sidestep our famously pedantic legislature?? Today's episode features our eminently quotable teacher and former California Assemblymember Cheryl Cook-Kallio, political correspondent at KQED Guy Marzorati, and frequent initiative proposer Tim Eyman. Want our new "...
Oct 30, 2018•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast How do you stand out in a sea of lawn signs, or make yourself heard above the roar of a thousand ads? Campaigns are hard enough when the whole country is watching -- so what does it take to get the vote when most people couldn't care less? That's the mystery of the midterm campaign. We asked some experts to help us solve it. In this episode, you'll hear from Inside Elections reporter Leah Askarinam, CNN political analyst Bakari Sellers, politics professor Barry Burden and state house candidate M...
Oct 23, 2018•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Two houses, both alike in...well, many things. But oh so different in many others. We go from absolute basics to the philosophical differences that exist in the Legislative branch. This episode features the opinions of former staffers from both chambers, Political Science professors, and political analysts. Also, Brady Carlson tells the tale of the biggest loss in midterm history, and its relation to a federal holiday. Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? CLICK HERE TO DONATE AND GET YOUR...
Oct 16, 2018•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Midterm elections don't have the glitz or drama of presidential campaigning. They're full of aldermen and comptrollers, state senators and governors. These offices seem meager next to national government. But most of the time, it's state and local officials that have the most palpable impact on our lives and on our future elections. In episode two of our five-part series on the midterm elections, we're taking a good look at the state and local offices that have a big-time impact on your life. Wa...
Oct 09, 2018•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today we launch our five-part series on the midterm elections! Keith Hughes, creator of Hip History , tells us the five things he thinks every American should know about midterms and why they matter. Each episode in this series concludes with a snapshot of an historic US Midterm election, delivered by Brady Carlson . Today, it's 1826: Good Feelings and Hard Feelings. Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? CLICK HERE TO DONATE AND GET YOURS! CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our ep...
Oct 02, 2018•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode we're looking into a practice that sets the U.S. aside from all other Western countries: Capital Punishment. So, is the death penalty a part of the constitution? How has the Supreme Court ruled on the issue? And ultimately, what can we learn about ourselves from the practice? Our guest today is Carol Steiker , Harvard Law Professor and author of Courting Death: The Supreme Court and Capital Punishment . Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? CLICK HERE TO DONATE AND GET Y...
Jul 31, 2018•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed Constitutional amendment that would explicitly guarantee legal equality under U.S. law, regardless of sex. But almost a century after it was first proposed, the ERA has still not been ratified. What's the hold-up? Lillian Cunningham is a journalist at The Washington Post. She's also host and creator of the podcasts Presidential and Constitutional . Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? CLICK HERE TO DONATE AND GET YOURS! CLICK HERE: Visit our ...
Jul 24, 2018•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode, we tackle a defining law from the Obama administration, the Affordable Care Act -- better known as Obamacare. Some people love it, others hate it, but what did the law really do? Is American health care actually more, you know, affordable? And why is there so much talk of repealing the ACA? Our guide today is Julie Rovner , Washington correspondent for Kaiser Health News . Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? CLICK HERE TO DONATE AND GET YOURS! CLICK HERE: Visit our we...
Jul 17, 2018•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today on Civics 101, Ron Elving takes us through Tariffs. What are they? What are the pros and cons of taxing goods that enter our country? What is the effect on the consumer? And finally, how do trade wars end? CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, get free educational materials, and more! To see Civics 101 in book form, check out A User's Guide to Democracy: How America Works by Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice, feat...
Jul 10, 2018•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Adia Samba-Quee is the winner of our first ever student contest. She wrote, narrated, and cast a "Parks n' Rec-style mockumentary about the arguments surrounding representation at the Constitutional Convention in 1787." Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? CLICK HERE TO DONATE AND GET YOURS! CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, get free educational materials, and more! To see Civics 101 in book form, check out A...
Jul 03, 2018•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
