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A history teacher and an engineer walk into a bar…ouch! Except there isn’t a bar. But there are dad jokes. And whiskey. Two guys who know a few things, have been around a few blocks, and a few cocktails, discuss politics, science, history, technology, and the planet Earth. They also warp through rabbit holes in both the Federation and the Galactic Empire, and toast the ashes of the Twelve Colonies. And did I mention dad jokes? Yeah. Grab a drink, pull up a chair, and join us for Civics on the Rocks.
Episodes
4 days ago
Monday Nov 04, 2024
Monday Nov 04, 2024
Because I’m sure you want to hear what to two, old, land-owning, white guys have to say about the subject. Seriously, though, tomorrow you get to help decide which way this question gets answered. Take advantage of your moment in history.
Special note to our Spotify listeners: does it feel like it’s been a while since we posted? Sorry about that! Due to a technical issue, our magic “post everywhere” button was posting everywhere but Spotify. We’ve fixed the problem and you should see new episodes going forward. If you want to listen to what you missed between March and October of 2024, all our episodes are available on our website: https://civicsontherocks.podbean.com/ Again, we apologize for the glitch!
References
Fourteenth Amendment:
Congress.gov. “Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection and Other Rights.” Constitution Annotated. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/amendment-14/
What’s a fundamental right:
Legal Information Institute. “Fundamental Right.” Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/fundamental_right#:~:text=Fundamental
Benjamin Cardozo, a famous Supreme Court justice:
Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Benjamin Nathan Cardozo.” Reviewed July 5, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benjamin-Nathan-Cardozo
Learn more about the Fourteenth Amendment, Incorporation, and Justice Cardozo’s influence on the matter:
Bill of Rights Institute. “Essay: The Fourteenth Amendment and Incorporation.” https://billofrightsinstitute.org/essays/the-fourteenth-amendment-and-incorporation
Palko v. Connecticut:
Oyez. “Palko v. Connecticut.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1900-1940/302us319
The due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment:
Congress.gov. “Amdt14.S1.3 Due Process Generally.” Constitution Annotated. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/amdt14-S1-3/ALDE_00013743/
Fifth Amendment:
Congress.gov. “Fifth Amendment.” Constitution Annotated. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-5/
Get fancy with the privileges or immunities clause:
Congress.gov. “Amdt14.S1.2.2 Modern Doctrine on Privileges or Immunities Clause.” Constitution Annotated. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/amdt14-S1-2-2/ALDE_00000815/
Full faith and credit clause:
Congress.gov. “ArtlV.S1.1 Overview of Full Faith and Credit Clause.” Constitution Annotated. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artIV-S1-1/ALDE_00013015/
Not familiar with the opinions of “sovereign citizens”:
Southern Poverty Law Center. “Sovereign Citizens Movement.” https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/ideology/sovereign-citizens-movement
First Amendment:
Congress.gov. “First Amendment Fundamental Freedoms.” Constitution Annotated. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/amendment-1/
Ninth Amendment:
Congress.gov. “Ninth Amendment Unenumerated Rights.” Constitution Annotated. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/amendment-9/
What does it take to ratify:
Harry S. Truman Library and Museum. “The Amendment Process.” https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/education/three-branches/amendment-process
How senators were chosen then and how they are chosen now:
United States Senate. “About Electing and Appointing Senators.” https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/electing-appointing-senators.htm
See a timeline of who got to start voting when in the U.S.:
Al Jazeera. “Who got the right to vote when?” August 18, 2020. https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2016/us-elections-2016-who-can-vote/index.html
Steve is right, noncitizens are allowed to vote in some local elections:
USA.gov. “Who Can and Cannot Vote.” Updated September 26, 2024. https://www.usa.gov/who-can-vote
But Fox News remains wrong; there are not widespread instances of noncitizens voting in presidential elections:
Joffe-Block, Jude. “6 Facts About False Noncitizen Voting Claims and the Election.” October 12, 2024. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/10/12/nx-s1-5147789/voting-election-2024-noncitizen-fact-check-trump
Fifteenth Amendment:
Congress.gov. “Fifteenth Amendment.” Constitution Annotated. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-15/
Thirteenth Amendment:
Congress.gov. “Thirteenth Amendment.” Constitution Annotated. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-13/
Wesberry v. Sanders (Mack got the right case):
Oyez. “Wesberry v. Sanders.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1963/22
Who’s Antonin Scalia?
Smentkowski, Brian P. and Houck, Aaron M. “Antonin Scalia.” Updated: September 13, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antonin-Scalia
A discussion of whether the hypocrisy was appreciated at the time:
Ellis, Joseph J. “Founding Fathers.” Reviewed April 25, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Founding-Fathers
A quick reminder about all the treaties we violated with the Native American tribes and marches to Oklahoma:
Office of the Historian. “Indian Treaties and the Removal Act of 1830.” https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/indian-treaties
The selective incorporation clause:
Congress.gov. “Amdt14.S1.4.3 Modern Doctrine on Selective Incorporation of Bill of Rights.” Constitution Annotated. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/amdt14-S1-4-3/ALDE_00013746/
Adamson v. California:
Oyez. “Adamson v. California.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/332us46
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization:
Oyez. “Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/2021/19-1392
It’s protect “every State” from invasion:
Congress.gov. “Article IV Republican Form of Government.” Constitution Annotated. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-4/section-4/
The second bill of rights speech:
Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt. “State of the Union Message to Congress.” January 11, 1944. Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/archives/address_text
A reflection on France’s restriction of religious garments:
Diallo, Rokhaya. “What has 20 years of banning headscarves done for France?” April 12, 2024. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/apr/12/ban-headscarves-france-secularism-exclusion-intolerance
Freedom of speech on the Internet:
Bischoff, Paul. “Internet Censorship 2024: A Map of Internet Censorship and Restrictions.” October 16, 2023. Comparitech. https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/internet-censorship-map/
Mack’s right, kids, hate speech is not a crime:
American Library Association. “Hate Speech and Hate Crime.” https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/hate
See how “consent of the governed” was expressed in the Declaration of Independence:
Library of Congress. “Consent of the Governed.” https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/creating-the-united-states/interactives/declaration-of-independence/consent/index.html
Shenanigans like voter purges:
Totenberg, Nina and Dutton, Ilana. “Supreme Court Allows Virginia to Purge Individuals From Voter Rolls.” October 30, 2024. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/10/30/g-s1-30644/supreme-court-virginia-elections
Abbott’s one drop box per county rule:
McCullough, Jolie. “Texas counties will be allowed only one drop-off location for mail-in ballots, state Supreme Court rules.” October 27, 2020. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2020/10/27/texas-voting-elections-mail-in-drop-off/
And at least one ranch:
King Ranch. “The King Ranch Legacy.” https://king-ranch.com/
A press release, from the time, about the photo ID law in Georgia:
ACLU. “Voting Rights Advocates Challenge Georgia Photo ID Law in Federal Court.” September 19, 2005. https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/voting-rights-advocates-challenge-georgia-photo-id-law-federal-court
An imagined problem:
Lopez, Ashley. “How We Know Voter Fraud is Very Rare in U.S. Elections.” October 11, 2024. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/10/11/nx-s1-5147732/voter-fraud-explainer
Twenty-fourth Amendment:
Congress.gov. “Twenty-Fourth Amendment.” Constitution Annotated. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-24/
About poll taxes:
Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Poll Tax.” Reviewed November 5, 2023. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/poll-tax
A brief explanation of sharecropping:
PBS. “Sharecropping.” https://www.pbs.org/tpt/slavery-by-another-name/themes/sharecropping/
An explanation of Jim Crow laws:
Pilgrim, David. “What Was Jim Crow?” September 2000. Jim Crow Museum. https://jimcrowmuseum.ferris.edu/what.htm
Dungeon and Dragon cocktails:
Barbenheimer—Seersucker gin, Cointreau orange liquor, Peychaud’s bitters, and lime juice
Ross Perot—Old Overholt rye, PAMA pomegranate liquor, Angostura bitters, lemon juice
Cautionary Tale—Myers’s rum, simple syrup, black walnut bitters, lemon juice
Tidal Basin—Seersucker gin, Domaine De Canton ginger liquor, Angostura bitters, lemon juice
Our proportions went awry so you’re on your own there.
How the Episcopal Church was, but now is not, associated with the Church of England:
The Episcopal Church. “History of the Episcopal Church.” https://www.episcopalchurch.org/organizations-affiliations/history-episcopal-church/timeline/
How the Episcopal Church is organized:
The Episcopal Church. “Church Governance.” https://www.episcopalchurch.org/organizations-affiliations/church-governance/
Anybody could have a bicameral legislature:
Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Bicameral System.” Updated September 6, 2023. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/bicameral-system
But not Nebraska:
Nebraska.gov. “Legislative Branch.” https://designegov.nebraska.gov/government/legislative/
Learn more about Robert Roberson’s case:
Guo, Kayla. “There are warring depictions of Robert Roberson’s murder case. Here’s what to know.” October 29, 2024. Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/29/robert-roberson-shaken-baby-texas-death-row-evidence/
The doubts about shaken baby syndrome:
Kukucka, Jeff and Faigman, David. “Shaken Baby Syndrome Has Been Discredited. Why is Robert Roberson Still on Death Row?” October 26, 2024. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/shaken-baby-syndrome-has-been-discredited-why-is-robert-roberson-still-on/
If you want to learn more about how pardons work in Texas:
Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. “Clemency.” https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/bpp/exec_clem/exec_clem.html
What the Texas Supreme Court does:
Texas Judicial Branch. “Supreme court.” https://www.txcourts.gov/supreme
How often the Texas Legislature meets:
Legislative Directory. “About the Texas Legislature.” Texas Legislature Online. https://legdir.capitol.texas.gov/about.aspx
And using dice to decide how to mix cocktails is a bad idea. But you already knew that.
Monday Oct 21, 2024
Monday Oct 07, 2024
Monday Oct 07, 2024
Mack and Steve discuss why it always seems to the same two groups, how it really isn’t, and how that might inform your choices when voting. Wade on in, because sometimes it doesn’t feel like a party at all.
References
Take Britain as a counterpoint with a parliamentary system:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Parliament.” Updated: September 27, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Parliament/Decline-of-the-House-of-Lords
The prime minister is a member of the legislature:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Prime minister.” Updated: September 25, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/prime-minister
The history of the Republican societies that became the Democratic-Republican party:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Democratic-Republican Party.” Updated: September 13, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Democratic-Republican-Party
A political scientist discussing whether it does indeed lend itself to two parties:
Difford, Dylan. “Duvager’s Law: More guidelines than actual rules?” March 9, 2022. Electoral Reform Society. https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/duvagers-law-more-guidelines-than-actual-rules/
Independent members of senate:
Congress.gov. “Senator Angus S. King Jr.” https://www.congress.gov/member/angus-king/K000383
Congress.gov. “Senator Bernard Sanders.” https://www.congress.gov/member/bernard-sanders/S000033
Congress.gov. “Senator Krysten Sinema.” https://www.congress.gov/member/kyrsten-sinema/S001191
People were discussing what the Tea Party actually was back in the day as well:
Connolly, Katie. “What is the Tea Party?” September 16, 2010. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11317202
What constitutes an actual party:
Federal Election Commission. “Qualifying as a political party committee.” https://www.fec.gov/help-candidates-and-committees/registering-political-party/qualifying-as-a-political-party-committee/
Despite Anne’s opinion, the political parties are technically nonprofits:
IRS. “Tax Information for Political Organizations.” Updated September 9, 2024. https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/political-organizations
How to get on the ballot in Texas:
Ballotpedia.org. “Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Texas.” https://ballotpedia.org/Ballot_access_requirements_for_presidential_candidates_in_Texas
All kinds of parties, or individuals, running for president you might see on the ballot in November:
Ballotpedia.org. “List of registered 2024 presidential candidates.” https://ballotpedia.org/Presidential_candidates,_2024#List_of_registered_2024_presidential_candidates
No, you can’t list any party you want when you run for president in Texas. You must be a member of a recognized political party or run as an independent or write-in candidate:
Texas Secretary of State. “Running for President in Texas (in 2024).” https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/guide/2024/president.shtml
What’s an interest group:
Thomas, Clive S. “Interest group.” Updated: September 16, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/interest-group
Who’s Dick Armey:
Congress.gov. “Representative Richard K. Armey” https://www.congress.gov/member/dick-armey/A000217
Steve said caucus:
USA.gov. “Presidential primaries and caucuses.” Updated Augus 22, 2024. https://www.usa.gov/primaries-caucuses
The Populist Party and the dynamic that happened there:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Populist Movement.” Updated June 3, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/event/Populist-Movement
What were they getting over:
Merriam-Webster. “Rook (verb).” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rooked
Not the grain movement:
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. “The Grange Movement, 1875.” https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/grange-movement-1875
Here’s why the Progressive Era was the Progressive Era:
Library of Congress. “Progressive Era to New Era, 1900–1929.” https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/progressive-era-to-new-era-1900-1929/
This is a cute video about how an amoeba subsumes its food:
MocomiKids. “Nutrition in Amoeba – Feeding & Digestion Process” [YouTube video]. September 7, 2012. https://youtu.be/u7IN7HTWzLs?si=5PMMtaGpEGye2pN3
Get to know Ross Perot:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Ross Perot.” Updated September 24, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/money/Ross-Perot
Want to know more about the 1992 election and who got how many votes:
Levy, Michael. “United States Presidential Election of 1992.” Updated: September 17, 2924. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/United-States-presidential-election-of-1992
Who’s Phil Gramm:
Congress.gov. “Senator Phil Gramm” https://www.congress.gov/member/william-gramm/G000365
In case you were wondering, there is still a Reform Party:
https://reformparty.org/
Who’s Pat Buchanan:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Pat Buchanan.” Updated July 12, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Patrick-J-Buchanan
The crash:
Weinberg, John. “The Great Recession and Its Aftermath.” November 22, 2013. Federal Reserve History. https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/great-recession-and-its-aftermath
Bailout or handout:
Davis, Marc. “A History of U.S. Government Financial Bailouts.” September 23, 2024. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/08/government-financial-bailout.asp
Learn about the many budget battles:
Bipartisan Policy Center. “Budget Battles Defining Washington: A Timeline.” Last updated February 2020. https://bipartisanpolicy.org/budget-timeline/
Who’s Ted Cruz:
Congress.gov. “Senator Ted Cruz” https://www.congress.gov/member/ted-cruz/C001098
Who’s Jim DeMint:
Congress.gov. “Senator Jim DeMint” https://www.congress.gov/member/james-demint/D000595
The House Freedom Caucus during the time period we were discussing in the podcast:
Desilver, Drew. “What is the House Freedom Caucus, and who’s in it? October 20, 2015 Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2015/10/20/house-freedom-caucus-what-is-it-and-whos-in-it/
The House Freedom Caucus more recently:
Desilver, Drew. “Freedom Caucus likely to play a bigger role in new GOP-let House. So who are they?” January 23, 2023. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/01/23/freedom-caucus-likely-to-play-a-bigger-role-in-new-gop-led-house-so-who-are-they/
Learn about the debt ceiling and what defaulting on it means:
Desjardins, Lisa and Barajas, Joshua. “How a debt default could affect you.” May 24, 2023. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/how-a-debt-default-could-affect-you
Some Republicans at the time saying that it wouldn’t be that bad:
Reid, Tim and Johnson, Steven C. “Republican mainstream flirts with brief default.” June 7, 2011. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us-politics/republican-mainstream-flirts-with-brief-default-idUSTRE757007/
Some Republicans more recently saying they don’t mind so much that it would be bad:
Lutz, Eric. “The Head of the Republican Party Literally Said a Default Could Bode 'Very Well' for the GOP.” May 25, 2023. Vanity Fair. https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/05/republicans-debt-ceiling-negotiations
What’s Ayn Rand have to do with Republicans:
James, Frank. “Ayn Rand: Conservatives’ Abortion-Rights, Anti-Religion Inspiration.” November 14, 2011. https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2011/11/14/142300606/ayn-rand-conservatives-pro-abortion-anti-religion-inspiration
What’s laissez-faire:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Laissez-faire.” Updated August 21, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/money/laissez-faire
Who’s Paul Ryan:
Congress.gov. “Representative Paul D. Ryan” https://www.congress.gov/member/paul-ryan/R000570
If you didn’t understand our references to Project 2025, please learn about it:
Wendling, Mike. “Project 2025: The right-wing wish list for another Trump presidency.” September 11, 2024. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c977njnvq2do
Obama talking about what led to Trump:
Rhodan, Maya. “President Obama Says He’s Not to Blame for Donald Trump’s Rise.” March 10, 2016. Time. https://time.com/4254263/president-obama-not-to-blame-for-donald-trumps-rise/
The Libertarian Party:
Many flavors of Libertarians:
Head, Tom. “What Kind of Libertarian Are You?” September 17, 2019. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/what-kind-of-libertarian-are-you-721655
The Green Party:
https://www.gp.org/
Who’s Gary Johnson:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Gary Johnson.” Updated May 9, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gary-Johnson
Who’s Jill Stein:
Tait, Robert. “Jill Stein formally launches 2024 White House bid as Green party candidate.” November 21, 2023. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/21/jill-stein-2024-presidential-election-green-party-candidate
A little about RFK Jr. and spoiling:
Faguy, Ana. “Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. suspends campaign and back Trump.” August 23, 2024. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy5ekxlwzgo
And in case you somehow missed the story about RFK Jr. and the bear:
Treisman, Rachel. “RFK Jr. admits to dumping a dead bear in Central Park, solving a decade-old mystery.” August 5, 2024. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/08/05/nx-s1-5063939/rfk-jr-central-park-bear-bicycle
Palestinians are being killed off in great numbers by the Israeli government:
Farge, Emma and Al-Mughrabi, Nidal. “Gaza death toll, how many Palestinians has Israel’s campaign killed?” October 1, 2024. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-death-toll-how-many-palestinians-has-israels-campaign-killed-2024-07-25/
We are funding their armaments:
Reuters. “Israel says it has secured $8.7 billion U.S. aid package.” September 26, 2024. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-says-it-has-secured-87-billion-us-aid-package-2024-09-26/
One third-party candidate running on the platform of stopping U.S. involvement in the Palestine-Israel conflict:
CNN. “Third-party presidential candidate refuses to condemn Hamas’ actions” [Video]. https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2024/04/12/cornel-west-third-party-candidate-israel-hamas-nn-vpx.cnn
Why the government isn’t pro-fracking:
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. “Hydraulic Fracturing & Health.” Reviewed: November 15, 2022. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/fracking
Why being pro-fracking might get someone votes in Pennsylvania:
Doran, Brady. “What is fracking in Pennsylvania?” Updated: September 30, 2024. ABC27.com. https://www.abc27.com/pennsylvania/what-is-fracking-in-pennsylvania/
Why being pro-fracking might get someone votes in the Dakotas (maybe):
Holder, Sarah. “The Other Side of the North Dakota Oil Boom: Evictions.” April 2, 2024. Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-02/williston-north-dakota-oil-fracking-boom-fueled-a-housing-crisis
Who’s Ralph Nader:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Ralph Nader.” Updated: September 24, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ralph-Nader
What’s a single issue voter:
Longley, Robert. “What Are Single Issue Voters?” January 26, 2022. ToughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/single-issue-voters-5214543
How to make a Corpse Reviver #2:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/corpse-reviver-no-2/
Learn about WD-40:
WD-40. “Fascinating Facts You Never Learned in School.” https://www.wd40.com/history/
How to make a Poison Ivy:
https://www.cocktailbuilder.com/recipe/poison-ivy
Despites us sneering in Texan, Britain has been having heat wave (for them):
Reuters. “UK temperature hits 2024 high, Met Office says.” August 12, 2024. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/uk-temperature-hits-2024-high-met-office-says-2024-08-12/
So too with California:
Gomez, Julia. “California faces heat wave weeks after earliest snow advisory in 20 years.” October 3, 2024. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/weather/2024/10/03/california-heat-wave-snow/75498584007/
Seriously y’all, heat safety:
Ready.gov. “Extreme Heat.” https://www.ready.gov/heat
If you want to take a daytrip to Fort Griffin:
Texas Historical Commission. “Fort Griffin State Historic Site.” https://thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/fort-griffin
I don’t know how familiar y’all are with caltrops:
Reid, Robert W. “The Caltrop: A Weapon That’s Barely Changed Over 2,300 Years.” September 1, 2006. History.net. https://www.historynet.com/weaponry-the-caltrop/
If you want to read another geek explain the interior of a tetrahedron:
Tralie, Christopher J. “The Tetrahedron and 109.5 Degrees.” https://www.ctralie.com/Teaching/Tetrahedron/
If you didn’t get enough info about platonic solids in our podcast:
Heilbron, J.L. “Platonic solid.” Updated October 4, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/Platonic-solid
Because Anne can get science-y too:
Huertas, Jesus R.; Casuso, Rafael A.; Agustín, Pablo Hernansanz; and Cogliati, Sara. “Stay Fit, Stay Young: Mitochondria in Movement: The Role of Exercise in the New Mitochondrial Paradigm.” June 19, 2019. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6607712/
Here’s another reason to exercise:
Ahlskog, J. Eric; Geda, Yonas E.; Graff-Radford, Neill R.; and Petersen, Ronald C. “Physical Exercise As a Preventive or Disease-Modifying Treatment of Dementia and Brain Aging.” September 2011. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3258000/
We recommend the League of Women Voters as an excellent source of information for voting:
https://www.vote411.org/
Texas Tribune also has an excellent voting guide:
Méndez, María and Schumacher, Yuriko. “Here’s how to vote in the Texas 2024 election.” Updated October 4, 2024. https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/21/texas-voter-guide-2024-election/
Texas has done some strange things to purge voter rolls:
Acevedo, Nicole. “Texas voter purge may be sending a chilling message, lawmakers and advocates warn.” August 29, 2024. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/texas-voter-purge-warning-ballots-abbott-rcna168811
And “Hans and Franz” is a reference to a Saturday Night Live skit from the 1980s. But you already knew that.
Monday Sep 16, 2024
Monday Sep 16, 2024
Celebrate one year of Civics on the Rocks! We even have a gift for you!
Monday Sep 02, 2024
Monday Sep 02, 2024
Mack and Steve discuss if they find election poll results highly favorable, favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, unfavorable, or highly unfavorable.
References
A straw poll, or vote, according to Merriam-Webster:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/straw%20vote
Fox News may not have handled coverage of the 2012 election as well as they could have:
Folkenflik, David. “Media Circus: Fox Struggles With Obama’s Win?” November 7, 2012. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2012/11/07/164576251/media-circus-fox-struggles-with-obamas-win
How much did Obama win by?
National Archives. “2021 Electoral College Results.” Last reviewed: June 26, 2024. https://www.archives.gov/electoral-college/2012
Iowa likes its straw poll, even if Mack does not:
Pate, Paul D. “Iowa Secretary of State Shares Final Results of Iowa State Fair Presidential Straw Poll.” August 21, 2023. Iowa.gov. https://sos.iowa.gov/news/2023_08_21.html
How can you tell if a poll is scientific?
Bloustein Center for Survey Research. “Assessing Poll Validity.” Rutgers.edu. https://bcsr.rutgers.edu/assessing-poll-validity/
Learn about a random sample:
Hayes, Adam. “Simple Random Sampling: 6 Basic Steps With Examples.” Updated: August 14, 2024. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/simple-random-sample.asp
The popular vote doesn’t decide the president because we have the electoral college:
USA.gov. “Electoral College.” Updated: August 22, 2024. https://www.usa.gov/electoral-college
Here are the polling groups Mack listed:
Pew Research Center https://www.pewresearch.org/
Gallop https://news.gallup.com/home.aspx
The Harris Poll https://theharrispoll.com/
Quinnipiac University https://poll.qu.edu/
Some context for the Defense Department paying $400 for a hammer in the 80s:
Freedberg, Jr., Sydney J. “The myth of the $600 hammer.” December 7, 1998. Government Executive. https://www.govexec.com/federal-news/1998/12/the-myth-of-the-600-hammer/5271/
Learn about margin of error:
Mercer, Andrew. “5 key things to know about the margin of error in election polls.” September 8, 2016. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/09/08/understanding-the-margin-of-error-in-election-polls/
Read about how polls incorrectly predicted that Hillary Clinton would win the 2016 election:
Mercer, Andrew; Deane, Claudia; and McGeeney, Kyley. “Why 2016 election polls missed their mark.” November 9, 2016. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/11/09/why-2016-election-polls-missed-their-mark/
Why it’s not going to be Biden:
Miller, Zeke; Long, Colleen; and Superville, Darlene. “Biden drops out of 2024 race after disastrous debate inflamed age concerns. VP Harris gets his nod.” July 21, 2024. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6#
The Bradley, or Wilder, effect describes a phenomenon where people voted differently than they said they were going to in a poll due to the race of the candidate:
Ballotpedia. “Bradley Effect.” https://ballotpedia.org/Bradley_effect
The Whitman effect describes a similar phenomenon with women candidates. There was a study that found that the Bradley/Wilder effect appears to no longer occur and there is no evidence the Whitman effect ever did. Here is the reference, but please note that the journal article is behind a paywall.
Hopkins, D. J. (2009). No more Wilder effect, never a Whitman effect: When and why polls mislead about Black and female candidates. The Journal of Politics, 71(3), 769–781. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022381609090707
About internal polling:
Askarinam, Leah. “In defense of internal polling.” February 7, 2024. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/538/defense-internal-polling/story?id=107003824
Some problems with polling, including the potential to suppress the vote:
Ordway, Denise-Marie. “‘Horse race’ reporting of elections can harm voters, candidates, news outlets: What the research says.” October 23, 2023. The Journalist’s Resource. https://journalistsresource.org/politics-and-government/horse-race-reporting-election/
How third-party candidates affected the 2016 election:
Jaffe, Alexandra. “By the Numbers: Third-Party Candidates Had an Outsize Impact on the Election.” November 8, 2016. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/2016-election-day/third-party-candidates-having-outsize-impact-election-n680921
If Ohio is out, what are the current swing states?
Davis, Jr., Elliot. “7 States That Could Sway the 2024 Presidential Election.” August 27, 2024. U.S. News & World Report. https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/7-swing-states-that-could-decide-the-2024-presidential-election
What’s a protest vote?
Ballotpedia. “Protest vote.” https://ballotpedia.org/Protest_vote
Learn whether it’s misinformation or disinformation:
Bitesize. “Misinformation v disinformation: What’s the difference?” BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z3hhvj6
What’s a push poll?
Ballotpedia. “Push polling.” https://ballotpedia.org/Push_polling
So, why did President Biden drop out? One opinion:
Bennet, Brian, and Elliott, Philip. “Why Joe Biden Dropped Out.” July 21, 2024. Time. https://time.com/7001028/why-joe-biden-stepped-down/
In case you somehow missed out on the media’s reporting of President Biden’s debate performance:
Klein, Betsy; Hunt, Kasie; Lee, MJ; Fox, Lauren; and Tausche, Kayla. “Biden’s debate performance sets off alarm bells for Democrats.” June 28, 2024. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/28/politics/joe-biden-debate-performance-panic/index.html
Two guys comparing betting markets against what the polls say:
CNN. “Expert: 2024 betting odds more accurate than polling data.” Video. https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2024/07/13/smr-latest-betting-odds-on-2024.cnn
Who do you think will win MVP in the WNBA this season?
ESPN. “WNBA 2024 awards tracker: MVP, Rookie of Year favorites, more.” August 27, 2024. https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/40484035/wnba-2024-awards-tracker-mvp-rookie-year-coach-all-league-first-team
Don’t take Mack’s word for it, this is what polling says about how voters feel about education in this election:
Hatfield, Jenn. “Partisan divides over K–12 education in 8 charts.” June 5, 2023. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/06/05/partisan-divides-over-k-12-education-in-8-charts/
Learn about consumer confidence:
The Conference Board. “U.S. Consumer Confidence Rises Slightly in August.” August 27, 2024. https://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence
Protestors at a Republican event:
Tareen, Sophia; Offenhartz, Jake; Williams, Corey; and Yamat, Rio. “Protestors rally peacefully at GOP convention for abortion and immigrant rights, end to war in Gaza.” July 15, 2024. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/activists-rnc-milwaukee-police-protest-march-4a315dc5f36fc9390898301d508aee20
Protestors at a Democratic event:
Tareen, Sophia; Offenhartz, Jake; Cappelletti, Joey; and Skene, Lea. “Crowds of pro-Palestinian protestors rally and march outside Democratic convention’s 3rd night.” August 21, 2024. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/democratic-convention-chicago-protests-israel-hamas-war-ea3bc9193cc99a5c95ebfd1a42db924f
Some reasons why American media might be cautious, even skittish, on reporting the conflict in the Middle East:
Kekauoha, Alex. “Navigating the fog of war: Stanford’s discussion on media coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.” December 6, 2023. Stanford Report. https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2023/12/navigating-fog-war-stanfords-discussion-media-coverage-israel-hamas-war
A look at how one poll approached the Israel-Palestine conflict:
Telhami, Shibley. “Americans feel the need to be extra careful when discussing Israel-Palestine.” March 8, 2024. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/americans-feel-the-need-to-be-extra-careful-when-discussing-israel-palestine/
Immigration and the asylum system:
American Immigration Council. “Asylum in the United States.” January 15, 2024. https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/asylum-united-states
Immigration and the border wall:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “Border Wall System – Frequently Asked Questions.” Updated: February 12, 2024. https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/border-wall/border-wall-system-frequently-asked-questions
What makes a good poll question?
Pew Research Center. “Writing Survey Questions.” https://www.pewresearch.org/writing-survey-questions/
How data metrics/mining techniques are used by politicians:
Klosowski, Thorin. “How Political Campaigns Use Your Data to Target You.” April 16, 2024. Electronic Frontier Foundation. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/04/how-political-campaigns-use-your-data-target-you
AI does not have to be accurate in any of its results:
Caltech Faculty. “Can We Trust Artificial Intelligence?” Science Exchange. https://scienceexchange.caltech.edu/topics/artificial-intelligence-research/trustworthy-ai
Is Texas becoming more purple? One opinion:
Barabak, Mark Z. “Column: In two decades, much of the West has turned blue. Why hasn’t Texas?” December 7, 2023. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-12-07/much-of-the-west-has-turned-blue-heres-why-texas-is-an-exception
Learn a little (opinionated) history about Rick Perry’s Texas Enterprise Fund:
Mitchell, Matthew and Philpot, Anne. “Commentary: Enterprise Fund gives Texans’ money to their competitors.” March 22, 2017. Austin American-Statesman. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2017/03/22/commentary-enterprise-fund-gives-texans-money-to-their-competitors/9998429007/
Meta sells your data (allegedly):
Cooban, Anna. “Meta accused of ‘massive, illegal’ data processing by European consumer groups.” February 20, 2024. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/29/tech/meta-data-processing-europe-gdpr/index.html
How to make a whiskey sour:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/whiskey-sour/
Ingredients we used for an Almond Joy:
Coconut rum, chocolate liqueur, amaretto
If you want to make a Mounds:
Coconut rum, chocolate liqueur
Here are the candy bars we listed:
Whatchamacallit https://www.hersheyland.com/whatchamacallit
100 Grand (née 100,000 Dollar Bar) https://www.backthenhistory.com/articles/the-history-of-100-grand-bars
3Musketeers https://www.3musketeers.com/
Milky Way https://www.milkywaybar.com/our-story
Snickers https://www.snickers.com/our-story
And Steve is right, they reformulated the Butterfinger:
Campbell-Schmitt, Adam. “Butterfinger Changed Its Recipe—Here’s How It Tastes.” December 13, 2018. Food and Wine. https://www.foodandwine.com/news/butterfinger-new-recipe-taste-test
Places that Steve went to while in Boston:
The Freedom Trail https://www.thefreedomtrail.org/
USS Constitution https://www.nps.gov/bost/learn/historyculture/ussconst.htm
“Impassioned Destruction” exhibit at the Old State House https://revolutionaryspaces.org/explore/exhibits/impassioned-destruction/
Anne provided misinformation; the Constitution resides at the National Archives Museum:
If you would like some history on the George Floyd protests:
National Museum of African American History & Culture. “How George Floyd’s Death Became A Catalyst for Change.” https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/how-george-floyds-death-became-catalyst-change
If you would like some history on the L.A. Riots:
Wallenfeldt, Jeff. “Los Angeles Riots of 1992.” Updated: August 21, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Los-Angeles-Riots-of-1992
If you would like some history on the Whiskey Rebellion:
Kotowski, Peter. “Whiskey Rebellion.” The George Washington Presidential Library. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/whiskey-rebellion
Our bad, Sam Adams did not participate in the Boston Tea Party, but everyone is pretty sure he helped plan it:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Samuel Adams.” Updated: July 15, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Samuel-Adams
And Anne and Mack were wrong. John Adams was totally THERE FOR IT (definitely a fan):
Norton, Amanda. “’The Sublimity of it, charms me’: John Adams and the Boston Tea Party.” Updated: May 8, 2019. Massachusetts Historical Society. https://www.masshist.org/beehiveblog/2015/12/the-sublimity-of-it-charms-me-john-adams-and-the-boston-tea-party/
But yeah, other big names from American history weren’t so enthusiastic:
Roos, Dave. “Why Some Founding Fathers Disapproved of the Boston Tea Party.” December 11, 2023. History. https://www.history.com/news/boston-tea-party-critics-ben-franklin
If you want to watch the Schoolhouse Rock song about the Boston Tea Party:
https://youtu.be/t-9pDZMRCpQ?si=5ltTEu5VJb35VQjR
If you want to watch the Schoolhouse Rock song that Mack was singing without any copyright permission:
The other critically important Boston thing that Steve saw:
Waterworks Museum https://waterworksmuseum.org/
What Mack is reading:
Jon Gertner. The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation. (Penguin Books, 2013).
Transistors, a pretty significant invention:
Steber, George R. “The Story of the Transistor.” Nuts and Volts. https://www.nutsvolts.com/magazine/article/the-story-of-the-transistor
In case you didn’t go to a technical school and didn’t learn about TI:
Dennis, Michael Aaron. “Texas Instruments Incorporated.” Updated: August 22, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/money/Texas-Instruments-Incorporated
Learn about inventions and Thomas Edison:
Library of Congress. “Life of Thomas Alva Edison.” https://www.loc.gov/collections/edison-company-motion-pictures-and-sound-recordings/articles-and-essays/biography/life-of-thomas-alva-edison
Vacuum tubes are pretty if you want to search for a picture of them on your own. If you want to know important technical information about them:
Sosa, Estanisalo Navarro. “Electron tube.” Updated: July 3, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/electron-tube
What did Alexander Graham Bell ever do?
Hochfelder, David. “Alexandar Graham Bell.” Updated: July 29, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-Graham-Bell
In case you didn’t get the Watson joke:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Thomas Augustus Watson.” Updated: April 15, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Augustus-Watson
If you want to learn about the breakup of Ma Bell:
Gianforti, Adrian. “This Month in Business History: The Breakup of the Bell System.” January 24, 2022. History Factory. https://www.historyfactory.com/insights/this-month-in-business-history-bell-system/
Learn the distinction between pure research and applied research:
Hasa. “Difference Between pure and Applied Research.” March 16, 2017. Difference Between. https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-pure-and-vs-applied-research/
Learn about the cosmic microwave background:
Howell, Elizabeth and Dobrijevic, Daisy. “What is the cosmic microwave background?” January 28, 2022. Space. https://www.space.com/33892-cosmic-microwave-background.html
The more common pronunciation is conk:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conch
In case you didn’t go to a liberal arts school and didn’t learn about Piggy:
William Golding. Lord of the Flies. (Penguin Books, republished 2003).
Learn about General Atomics:
General Atomics. “History.” https://www.ga.com/about/history
Learn about Southwest Research:
Compton, James R. “Southwest Research Institute.” Updated: November 1, 1995. Texas State Historical Association. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/southwest-research-institute
Learn about National Laboratories:
Energy.gov. “Origins.” https://www.energy.gov/science/history
How we made a Reese’s:
Peanut butter whiskey, chocolate liqueur
The age-old question: what is nougat?
Williams, Corey. “What is Nougat and What Is It Made Of?” February 16, 2022. All Recipes. https://www.allrecipes.com/article/what-is-nougat/
Shout-out to Toblerone:
Mondelēz International. “Toblerone.” https://www.mondelezinternational.com/our-brands/toblerone/
Get to know the League of Women Voters:
A better way to inform your vote than election projection polling:
And the director Quentin Tarantino is not known for telling stories in chronological order. But you already knew that.
Monday Aug 05, 2024
Monday Aug 05, 2024
It’s the highest court in the land, but is it all that great? Steve and Mack pass judgement on the latest decisions from the Supreme Court.
References
Where the words “supreme court” are used in the Constitution:
Constitution Annotated. “Article III.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-3/
Where the words “commander in chief” are used in the Constitution:
Constitution Annotated. “ArtII.S2.C1.1.11 Presidential Power and Commander in Chief Clause.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S2-C1-1-11/ALDE_00013473/
If you want to learn more about how Constitutional amendments are passed:
Office of the Federal Register. “Constitutional Amendment Process.” National Archives. Reviewed August 15, 2016. https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/constitution
In case you haven’t heard of the Heritage Foundation:
Wiggins, Christopher. “What is the Heritage Foundation, the group behind the terrifying Republican Project 2025 agenda?” July 20, 2024. Advocate. https://www.advocate.com/politics/what-is-heritage-foundation
If you want to know why the Heritage Foundation wants a constitutional convention:
Malcolm, John. “Consideration of a Convention to Propose Amendments Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution.” February 19, 2016. The Heritage Foundation. https://www.heritage.org/the-constitution/report/consideration-convention-propose-amendments-under-article-v-the-us
Read about how President Lincoln symbolically signed the 13th Amendment:
National Museum of African American History & Culture. “13th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.” https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/13th-amendment-constitution-united-states
Learn about the Dred Scott case:
Milestone Documents. “Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857).” National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/dred-scott-v-sandford
How many cases does the Supreme Court listen to a year:
United States Court. “About the Supreme Court.” https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/about
The case that Steve used as an example of original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court:
Schonfeld, Zack. “New York tells Supreme Court to toss Missouri’s longshot bid to block Trump’s sentence.” July 24, 2024. The Hill. https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4791625-ny-supreme-court-block-trump-sentence/
Want to know more about the Circuit Courts of Appeals?
United States Courts. “About the U.S. Courts of Appeals.” https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/court-role-and-structure/about-us-courts-appeals
Alas, a writ of certiorari is not a magical spell from a 1980’s fantasy movie:
Lega Information Institute. “Writ of Certiorari.” Cornell Law Score. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/writ_of_certiorari
Lawrence v. Texas (2003):
Oyez. “Lawrence v. Texas.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/2002/02-102
Learn the long history of how Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) was eventually overturned by Brown v. Board of Education (1954):
United States Courts. “History – Brown v. Board of Education Re-enactment.” https://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/history-brown-v-board-education-re-enactment
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022):
Oyez. “Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/2021/19-1392
Once more, how impeachment works:
United States Senate. “About Impeachment.” https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/impeachment.html
Just in case you want to know the definition of treason in the Constitution:
Constitution Annotated. “ArtIII.S3.C1.2 Levying War as Treason.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artIII-S3-C1-2/ALDE_00013525/
Poor marriage choices:
Tucker, Eric. “Virginia Thomas, the wife of Justice Clarence Thomas, agrees to interview with Jan. 6 panel.” September 21, 2022. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/virginia-thomas-the-wife-of-justice-clarence-thomas-agrees-to-interview-with-jan-6-panel
Once more, Gerald R. Ford’s perfect explanation of impeachment:
Davis, Kenneth C., “The history of American impeachment.” The Smithsonian Magazine, June 12, 2017. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/what-you-need-know-about-impeachment-180963645/
What was that about yacht trips to Russia, now?
Roche, Darragh. “Clarence Thomas’ Yacht Trip to Russia Raises Questions.” July 11, 2024. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/clarence-thomas-yacht-trip-russia-raises-questions-1923668
What was that about gold bars, now?
Wolf, Zachary B. “Gold bars, basement carpeting and more. Here’s what prosecutors say bought off a U.S. senator.” May 12, 2024. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/12/politics/menendez-gold-cash-what-matters/index.html
What the bribery statute is:
Criminal Resource Manual. “2041. Bribery of Public Officials.” U.S. Department of Justice. https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual-2041-bribery-public-officials
Steve is correct. Two senators have requested an investigation of Supreme Court justices for bribery:
Press Release. “Oscasio-Cortez Introduces Articles of Impeachment Against Justice Thomas and Justice Alito.” July 10, 2024. House.gov. https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/media/press-releases/ocasio-cortez-introduces-articles-impeachment-against-justice-thomas-and
Once more, if you need some background to the ham sandwich quip:
Levin, Josh. “The Judge Who Coined ‘Indict a Ham Sandwich’ Was Himself Indicted.” November 25, 2014. Slate. https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/11/sol-wachtler-the-judge-who-coined-indict-a-ham-sandwich-was-himself-indicted.htm
The recent case about bribery heard at the Supreme Court:
Oyez. “Snyder v. United States.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/2023/23-108
Learn about President Jackson and the spoils system:
Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Spoils system.” March 28, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/spoils-system
Another Project 2025 thing:
Mascaro, Lisa. “Conservatives aim to restructure U.S. government and replace it with Trump’s vision.” August 29, 2023. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/conservatives-aim-to-restructure-u-s-government-and-replace-it-with-trumps-vision
Yes, former Vice President Dick Cheney shot someone in the face:
Dey, Sneha. “Harry Whittington, longtime Texas GOP supporter shot by Dick Cheney in a 2006 hunding accident, dies.” February 5, 2023. Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2023/02/05/harry-whittington-dick-cheney/
In case you didn’t get Anne’s Winnebago joke:
Sherman, Mark. “Most of Justice Thomas’ $267,000” loan for an RV seems to have been forgiven, Senate Democrats say.” October 25, 2023. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-clarence-thomas-motorcoach-loan-ethics-afed2073e0d7cf4a994256ce35d5063f
In case you didn’t get Steve’s private jet joke:
Quinn, Melissa. “Clarence Thomas took 3 undisclosed trips on private jet provided by GOP megadonor, committee says.” June 13, 2024. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/clarence-thomas-private-jet-flights-harlan-crow-supreme-court/
A little about sovereignty:
Legal Information Institute. “Sovereignty.” Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/sovereignty
A little about federalism:
Legal Information Institute. “Federalism.” Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/federalism
A little about separation of powers:
Legal Information Institute. “Separation of powers.” Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/separation_of_powers
About the guidelines for recusal:
Sherman, Mark. “To recuse or refuse? A look at Supreme Court justices’ decisions on whether to step aside in cases." May 29, 2024. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-alito-flags-recusal-capitol-riot-f4ef46683365c92e8a3ff9df7894b586?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share
A lot about due process of law:
Legal Information Institute. “Due process.” Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/due_process
There’s a lot of history and debate around Dr. Bonham’s case. Here’s some info from an open source:
McWha, Nicole. “Coke in Dr. Bonham’s Case: His Meaning Revisited.” May 8, 2021. University of Southern Queensland. https://lawfully.unisq.edu.au/coke-in-dr-bonhams-case-his-meaning-revisited/
Here’s a very serious look at issues of senility and appointees for life:
Kaufman, Alan S. “The Precipitous Decline in Reasoning and Other Key Abilities with Age and Its Implications for Federal Judges.” December 2021. Journal of Intelligence, 9(4). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8628958/
Trump v. United States (2024):
Oyez. “Trump v. United States.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/2023/23-939
Here is a summation of Justice Sotomayor’s dissent:
Wendling, Mike. “Justice’s dissent: ‘The president is now a king above the law.’” July 1, 2024. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c035zqe7lgro
Nixon v. Fitzgerald (1982):
Oyez. “Nixon v. Fitzgerald.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1981/79-1738
Here is a summation of Justice Barrett’s opinion:
McCord, Mary. “Barrett’s Writing on Immunity Provides Another Path on Rehearing.” July 11, 2024. Bloomberg Law. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/barretts-writing-on-immunity-provides-another-path-on-rehearing
If you want to read the opinions in their entirety, the Supreme Court posts them as PDFs:
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/slipopinion/23
If you are unfamiliar with drone strikes under the Obama administration:
Zenko, Micah. “Obama’s Final Drone Strike Data.” January 20, 2017. Council on Foreign Affairs. https://www.cfr.org/blog/obamas-final-drone-strike-data
The specific drone strike ordered by President Trump that was referenced in this episode:
Cohen, Zachary; Alkhshali, Hamdi; Khadder, Kareem; and Dewan, Angela. “U.S. drone strike ordered by Trump kills top Iranian commander in Baghdad.” January 4, 2020. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/02/middleeast/baghdad-airport-rockets/index.html
If you would like to form your own opinion about increasing the number of Supreme Court justices:
ProCon.org. “U.S. Supreme Court Packing – Top 3 Pros and Cons.” Updated November 15, 2023. https://www.procon.org/headlines/us-supreme-court-packing-top-2-pros-and-cons/
Some history on the number of Supreme Court justices:
Supreme Courte of the United States. “The Court as an Institution.” https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/institution.aspx
There are several recipes for Pimm’s Cups out in the world. This one is closest to the cocktail on the bottle label:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/pimms-cup/
This recipe is closer to how Anne makes it:
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/pimms-cup-9605285
What Mack is reading:
Michael Lewis. The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds. (W. W. Norton & Company, 2016).
Want the definition of rational man hypothesis?
APA Dictionary of Psychology. “rational-economic man.” Updated April 19, 2018. https://dictionary.apa.org/rational-economic-man
From our friends and Merriam-Webster:
“German heuristisch, from New Latin heuristicus, from Greek heuriskein to discover; akin to Old Irish fo-fúair he found”
Merriam-Webster. “heuristics.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heuristics#word-history
If you want to geek out on behavioral economics:
Samson, Alain. “An Introduction to Behavioral Economics.” Behavioral Economics. https://www.behavioraleconomics.com/resources/introduction-behavioral-economics/
The NOVA special Anne watched:
NOVA. “Mind Over Money.” 2010. https://www.pbs.org/video/nova-mind-over-money/
If you want to learn about the velocity of money:
Chen, James. “Velocity of Money: Definition, Formula, and Examples.” Updated November 27, 2022. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/velocity.asp
If you want to know about flow rate:
CFI Team. “Throughput (flow rate).” Corporate Finance Institute. https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/valuation/throughput/
Who Steve follows on X (née Twitter):
@Prune602. https://x.com/prune602?lang=en
Learn about Russia’s financial crisis:
Pomeranz, William E. “Putin’s created an economic crisis and left Moscow no easy way out.” Wilson Center. https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/putins-created-economic-crisis-and-left-moscow-no-easy-way-out
If you are unfamiliar with Project 2025, you can read about it for yourself:
The sentencing we were referencing was in regard to this case:
Sisak, Michael R.; Peltz, Jennifer; Tucker, Eric; Price, Michelle L.; and Colvin, Jill. “Guilty: Trump becomes first former U.S. president convicted of felony crimes.” May 31, 2024. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0
Learn about the marble Supreme Court building:
Supreme Court of the United States. “Building History.” https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/buildinghistory.aspx
If you need a reminder of Russians bribing U.S. officials:
FBI. “Russian Interference in 2016 U.S. Elections.” https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cyber/russian-interference-in-2016-u-s-elections
Recent elections in the U.K.:
Picheta, Rob; Said-Moorhouse, Lauren; Stockwell, Billy; Wilkinson, Peter; Tilotta, Sarah; Kottasová, Ivana; Edwards, Christian; Poole, Thom; and Guy, Jack. “Keir Starmer is new U.K. prime minister after landslide election win.” July 5, 2024. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/uk-general-election-results-2024-intl/index.html
Recent elections in France:
Associated Press. “France election highlights: Leftists win most seats, but no party wins majority.” July 7, 2024. AP News. https://apnews.com/live/france-election-results-updates-round-2-macron-le-pen
And Tim Curry played a devil-like character named Darkness in the 1985 movie Legend. But you already knew that.
Monday Jul 08, 2024
Monday Jul 08, 2024
You’ve heard the term before, but did you realize how bad the situation really is? Buckle up, kids, this is a bumpy one.
References
Well?
Steve is archaically correct. According to Merriam-Webster gerrymandering was originally pronounced with a hard g, but it now most commonly pronounced with a soft one.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gerrymandering
Who was Elbridge Gerry?
Sobel, Robert, and John Raimo, eds. “Gov. Elbridge Gerry.” Original source: 1978. National Governors Association. https://www.nga.org/governor/elbridge-gerry/
Want to see the “Gerry-Mander” cartoon from 1813 that coined the term?
Smithsonian. “Cartoon, ‘The Gerry-Mander’, 1813.” https://www.si.edu/object/cartoon-gerry-mander-1813%3Anmah_509530
Want to see what a salamander looks like in both medieval heraldry (or whatever) and real life?
Marcec, Ruth. “Amphibian Conversation: Fired Up About Salamanders.” April 18, 2017. Detroit Zoo. https://detroitzooblog.org/2017/04/18/amphibian-conservation-fired-up-about-salamanders/
Learn about cracking, packing, and other terms involved with redistricting:
Panjwani, Haya. “Cracking, Packing, Apportionment: Here’s A Glossary of Terms to Help You Understand Redistricting.” September 21, 2021. KERA News. https://www.keranews.org/politics/2021-09-21/cracking-packing-apportionment-heres-a-glossary-of-terms-to-help-you-understand-redistricting
If you want to see the current map of the Texas senate district that Mack mentioned:
The Texas Tribune. “Texas Senate District 25.” https://www.texastribune.org/directory/districts/tx-senate/25/
Yep, we’re pronouncing Bexar as Bear. Texas, y’all.
Learn about constitutional amendments that involve voting:
USA.gov. “Voting Rights Laws and Constitutional Amendments.” Updated: February 22, 2024. https://www.usa.gov/voting-rights
Learn about women’s suffrage in the state of Wyoming:
Wyoming Historical Society. “Women’s Suffrage and Women’s Rights.” https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/topics/womens-suffrage-and-womens-rights
What’s going on with Nebraska?
Nebraska.gov. “Nebraska Unicameral.” https://designegov.nebraska.gov/government/legislative/
Alexander v. South Carolina NAACP (May 2024):
Oyez. “Alexander v. South Carolina Conference of the NAACP.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/2023/22-807
Shaw v. Reno (1993):
Oyez. “Shaw v. Reno.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1992/92-357
Learn about the bunch of marches in the 60s that were about voting:
United States Civil Rights Trail. “Marching for the Vote.” https://civilrightstrail.com/experience/marching-for-the-right-to-vote/
If you would like to read Justice Kagan’s dissent:
Legal Information Institute. “Alexandar v. South Carolina State Conference of the NACCP.” Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/22-807
Learn about gerrymandering of incarcerated peoples:
Fisher, Garret, King, Taylor, and Limón, Gariella. “Prison Gerrymandering Undermines Our Democracy.” October 22, 2021. Brennan Center for Justice. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/prison-gerrymandering-undermines-our-democracy
Learn about the implications of counting persons under the age of 18 during redistricting:
Stephanopoulos, Nicholas, and Chen, Jowei. “Democracy’s Denominator.” February 4, 2021. California Law Review (1011). https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3779342
Learn about the implications of gerrymandering around universities and colleges:
Carrasco, Maria. “Partisan Gerrymandering Targets Campuses.” October 21, 2021. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/10/22/partisan-gerrymandering-targets-college-campuses
If you don’t remember the three-fifths compromise from history class:
Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Three-fifths compromise.” April 19, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/three-fifths-compromise
If you feel so inclined to read Kevin Williamson’s argument for “better” voters:
Williamson, Kevin D. “Why Not Fewer Voters?” April 6, 2021. National Review. https://nationalreview.com/2021/04/why-not-fewer-voters/
If you didn’t get the Daft Punk joke:
https://youtu.be/gAjR4_CbPpQ?si=DBrfQyt10gZYLcGW
Not sure how you feel about felons voting:
ProCon.org. “History of Felon Voting.” June 29, 2023. https://felonvoting.procon.org/
Learn about felons voting in Florida:
Brennan Center for Justice. “Voting Rights Restoration Efforts in Florida.” Updated: August 7, 2023. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-rights-restoration-efforts-florida
In case you forgot, Donald Trump is a convicted felon:
Becket, Stefan. “What Was Trump Convicted Of? Details on the 34 Counts and His Guilty Verdict.” June 3, 2024. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-charges-conviction-guilty-verdict/
What’s GIS?
Geographic Information System
Colegrove v. Green (1946):
Oyez. “Colegrove v. Green.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/328us549
Baker v. Carr (1962):
Oyez. “Baker v. Carr.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1960/6
Reynolds v. Sims (1964):
Oyez. “Reynolds v. Sims.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1963/23
Get to know the Permanent Apportionment Act of 1929:
History, Art, & Archives. “The Permanent Apportionment Act of 1929.” United States House of Representatives. https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1901-1950/The-Permanent-Apportionment-Act-of-1929/
The Texas Monthly article that tells you how to make a Chilton:
Bond, Courtney. “The Chilton.” May 2016. Texas Monthly. https://www.texasmonthly.com/recipe/the-chilton-cocktail-recipe
In case you know not of Topo Chico:
Castle, Sheri. “Topo Chico is the Fizzy Water With a Loyal Fan Base.” April 26, 2024. Southern Living. https://www.southernliving.com/food/drinks/topo-chico-mineral-water
How to make a Gimlet:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/gimlet/
If you want to learn how Raymond Chandler said to make a Gimlet:
Raymond Chandler. The Long Goodbye. (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, Reprinted: 1988).
Giant caves people take tourist trips through:
Travel Texas. “Caves & Caverns.” https://www.traveltexas.com/things-to-do/outdoor-adventure/caves-caverns/
Is it stalactite or stalagmite?
NOAA Ocean Exploration. “What is the Difference Between a Stalactite and a Stalagmite?” https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/stalactite.html
How close are we to fusion power?
Sutter, Paul. “We’ve been ‘close’ to achieving fusion power for 50 years. When will it actually happen?” January 14, 2024. Space.com. https://www.space.com/when-will-we-achieve-fusion-power
In case you hadn’t heard of the term sealioning either:
Merriam-Webster. “What is ‘Sealioning’?” https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/sealioning-internet-trolling
And “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” is a quote from Mahatma Gandhi. But you already knew that.