Civics 101

Today we explain one of the most controversial Supreme Court decisions in modern history; the case that defined campaign donations as speech and therefore protected under the First Amendment, regardless of who made them. This episode (first produced in 2022) explains the history of the case, PACs, Super PACs, the ruling, the effect of the decision on our campaign system, as well as some common misconceptions.

Our guides through the case are Professor Jeff Bone from Saint Joseph's University, Maggie Severns from Grid, and Professor Hye Young You from New York University.

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Have you ever stared blankly at "City Clerk" on your ballot and picked a candidate at random? Feverishly searched "what is a county assessor" from your phone in the voting booth? Are you on your way to the polls RIGHT NOW with no real plan for who to vote for?

This is the guide for you! We cover local elected offices: what they are, why they matter and how you can prepare for your moment in the voting booth. Even if it's very last minute.

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What happens when a party forms inside of another party? How is the DSA, the Democratic Socialists of America, affecting the Democratic Party? And how did the the Tea Party shift the GOP's platform back in 2010?

Today, Ruth Bloch-Rubin from the University of Chicago walks us through intra-party movements. They've happened before, they'll happen again, and they tend to be a bellwether for significant shifts in party ideology.
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Today, we're sharing the season three premiere of Bear Brook, the critically acclaimed true crime podcast from New Hampshire Public Radio's Pulitzer Prize-nominated Document team. Bear Brook returns with A Private Matter, hosted by award-winning journalist Jason Moon.

This season, Jason investigates the disappearance of Jay Hickey, a beloved Christmas tree farmer with dementia who vanishes from his small New Hampshire town. His wife Patty never reports him missing. And it turns out, that's not necessarily a crime in New Hampshire. What follows is a story about family estrangement, the growing dementia crisis, and the legal gaps that leave vulnerable people behind.

Listen to more of the new season, follow Bear Brook here: https://play.megaphone.fm/3gfaxmufro-bjytd5eobrg

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This October, Nick and Hannah sat down with Jenn White on WAMU's 1A. They talked about the outsized power a voter has (typically) in midterms, what we're seeing in this upcoming election regarding campaign spending and messaging, and finally what all Americans should know when it comes to civic action in addition to going out and casting our vote.

Click here to check out our series on midterm elections, including recaps of some of the most famous ones in US history.

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