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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.
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Episodes
Monday Jan 19, 2026
Monday Jan 12, 2026
Monday Jan 12, 2026
In this episode, we tackle war crimes. Please note that we record episodes in the month before they are posted—just in case you are wondering why we aren’t talking about one big event in particular.
REFERENCES
People have desecrated corpses throughout history:
Breed, Allen G. “Desecration of the Dead is as Old as War Itself.” January 13, 2012. Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/nation-world/2012/01/14/desecration-dead-old-war-itself/15184013007/
Like a flag of truce:
Little, Becky. “How Did the White Flag Become a Symbol of Surrender?” Updated May 27, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/when-did-the-white-flag-become-associated-with-surrender
Don’t kill the messenger:
Frank, David. “Chapter 19 – The Classical Origins and Modern Expressions of ‘Don’t Shoot the Messenger’.” September 4, 2025. Cambridge University Press. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/dont-shoot-the-journalists/classical-origins-and-modern-expressions-of-dont-shoot-the-messenger/97A99431730AA8701715ECB376467643
The Defenestration of Prague:
Britannica Editors. “Defenestration of Prague.” May 16, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/event/Defenestration-of-Prague-1618
One of the things that began the Thirty Years’ War in Europe:
Britannica Editors. “Thirty Years’ War.” Updated January 6, 2026. https://www.britannica.com/event/Thirty-Years-War
It ends with the treaty called the Peace of Westphalia:
Gesley, Jenny. “The Peach of Westphalia.” October 24, 2017. Library of Congress. https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2017/10/the-peace-of-westphalia/
The world today is composed of nation states:
Comstock, Nancy. W. “Nation State.” 2024. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/politics-and-government/nation-state
Basically, at some point Europe colonized almost the entirety of the world:
Becker, Bastian. “European Overseas Colonies and Their Colonizers Over Time [Interactive map].” September 18, 2023. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/european-overseas-colonies-and-their-colonizers?time=earliest
This is probably not the video Steve was referencing, but it illustrates the point that everyone goes to war:
ABC News (Australia). “Dozens Killed in Tribal Fighting in Papua New Guinea [Video].” August 23, 2023. https://youtu.be/EhVpKBJESB8?si=3pIXT2kaNlcmKxQp
The most famous being the Hauge conventions:
HCCH. “Conventions and Other Instruments.” https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions
Most of the modern war crimes were as a result of World War II:
Penrose, Mary Margaret. “Post-World War II Developments: Genevea Conventions.” December 10, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/war-crime/Post-World-War-II-developments
The Napoleonic Wars gave rise to some:
Britannic Editors. “Napoleonic Wars.” November 24, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Napoleonic-Wars
The Geneva Convention in 1864:
International Committee of the Red Cross. “Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field. Geneva, 22 August 1864.” https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/gc-1864
A list of war crimes, right now:
BBC. “War Crimes.” https://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/war/overview/crimes_1.shtml
How to treat prisoners of war:
United Nations. “Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War.” August 12, 1949. https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/geneva-convention-relative-treatment-prisoners-war
Respecting flags of truce:
Arnold, Roberta. “Flags of Truce.” May 2006. Oxford Public International Law. https://opil.ouplaw.com/display/10.1093/law:epil/9780199231690/law-9780199231690-e297
In ’49, Geneva conventions:
International Committee of the Red Cross. “Geneva Conventions of 1949, Additional Protocols and Their Commentaries.” https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/geneva-conventions-1949additional-protocols-and-their-commentaries
A lot of rules about treatment of noncombatants:
United Nations. “Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.” August 12, 1949. https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/geneva-convention-relative-protection-civilian-persons-time-war
The idea of total war:
Britannica Editors. “Total War.” December 5, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/total-war
Dresden:
Dawsey, Jason. “Apocalypse in Dresden, February 1945.” February 13, 2020. The National WWII Museum. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/apocalypse-dresden-february-1945
Fire bombing of Tokyo:
History.com Editors. “Firebombing of Tokyo.” Updated January 31, 2025. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/march-9/firebombing-of-tokyo
Hamburg:
Curatola, John. “Operation Gomorrah: The First of the Firestorms.” July 10, 2023. The National WWII Museum. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/operation-gomorrah-first-firestorms
The Blitz:
Curatola, John. “The Blitz of 1940.” August 27, 2025. The National WWII Museum. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/blitz-1940
Not attacking hospitals:
International Committee of the Red Cross. “The Protection of Hospitals During Armed Conflicts: What the Law Says.” June 11, 2023. https://www.icrc.org/en/document/protection-hospitals-during-armed-conflicts-what-law-says
It’s a horrible thing that Israelis bombed a hospital in the Gaza strip:
United Nations. “Pattern of Israeli Attacks on Gaza Hospitals Raises Grave Concerns – Report.” December 31, 2024. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/12/pattern-israeli-attacks-gaza-hospitals-raises-grave-concerns-report
Who wrote them:
Shaw, Malcolm. “Geneva Conventions.” December 3, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Geneva-Conventions
The Kellog-Briand pact:
Office of the Historian. “The Kellogg-Briand Pact, 1928.” https://history.state.gov/milestones/1921-1936/kellogg
The Weimar Republic:
Britannica Editors. “Weimar Republic.” December 19, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/place/Weimar-Republic
You had, clearly, violation of international law when Iraq goes into Kuwait:
Hensel, Howard M. “Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait.” 2023. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/military-history-and-science/iraqi-invasion-kuwait
What George H. Bush’s administration did:
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. “Address to the Nation Announcing Operation Desert Storm, 1991.” https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/address-nation-announcing-operation-desert-storm-1991
Whereas the second Gulf War was sort of a counterpoint:
Doherty, Carroll and Kiley, Jocelyn. “A Look Back at How Fear and False Beliefs Bolstered U.S. Public Support for War in Iraq.” March 14, 2023. Pew Research. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/03/14/a-look-back-at-how-fear-and-false-beliefs-bolstered-u-s-public-support-for-war-in-iraq/
There’s also crimes against humanity:
Legal Information Institute. “Crime Against Humanity.” Reviewed August 2022. Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/crime_against_humanity
The history of Gaza being a protectorate of Israel:
United Nations. “The Question of Palestine.” https://www.un.org/unispal/history/
Like in Africa:
United Nations. “Rwanda: A Brief History of the Country.” https://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/rwanda/historical-background.shtml
If one of the nations is run by a terrorist organization:
Robinson, Kali and Merrow, Will. “What is Hamas?” Updated October 6, 2025. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-hamas
In Article I, Section 8, Clause 10:
Constitution Annotated. “ArtI.S8.C10.1 Historical Background on Maritime Crimes.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C10-1/ALDE_00001070/
And the next clause:
Constitution Annotated. “ArtI.S8.C11.1.1 Overview of Congressional War Powers.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C11-1-1/ALDE_00013587/
Like Sarajevo:
Lampe, John R. “Bosnian War: War Crimes and Trials.” Reviewed January 5, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Bosnian-War/War-crimes-and-trials
The International Criminal Court:
Why aren’t we a party to it (article from the time):
Bradley, Curtis A. “U.S. Announces Intent Not to Ratify International Criminal Court Treaty.” May 11, 2002. American Society of International Law. https://www.asil.org/insights/volume/7/issue/7/us-announces-intent-not-ratify-international-criminal-court-treaty
Why aren’t we a party to it (more recently):
Hansler, Jennifer. “Trump Administration Sanctions Two More International Criminal Court Judges for Investigating Israel.” December 18, 2025. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/18/politics/trump-international-criminal-court-sanctions
Much like the landmine treaty:
United Nations. “Anti-Personnel Landmines Convention.” https://disarmament.unoda.org/en/our-work/conventional-arms/anti-personnel-landmines-convention
Or the Law of the Sea:
International Maritime Organization. “United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.” https://www.imo.org/en/ourwork/legal/pages/unitednationsconventiononthelawofthesea.aspx
We could not find a source to support Anne’s claim that the U.S. is the most prolific user of landmines in the world. Here is a more accurate description of the country’s usage:
Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor. “Mine Ban Policy—United States.” https://the-monitor.org/country-profile/united-states/mine-ban-policy?year=2023
There are massive landmine fields between North and South Korea:
Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor. “Mine Ban Policy—Korea, South.” https://www.the-monitor.org/country-profile/korea-south/mine-ban-policy?year=2023
In the past few years, no people have been maimed in Vietnam from U.S. landmines, largely due to organizations like the following that teach children how to avoid them:
PeaceTrees. “Humanitarian Mine Action.” https://www.peacetreesvietnam.org/what-we-do/mine/explosive-ordnance-risk-education.html
It’s like mustard gas:
CDC. “Mustard Gas.” September 6, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/chemical-emergencies/chemical-fact-sheets/mustard-gas.html
Princess Diana—that was a major cause of hers:
Burke, Myles. “Princess Diana’s 1997 Landmine Walk: ‘I come with my heart’.” January 15, 2024. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20240112-princess-dianas-1997-landmine-walk-i-come-with-my-heart
At least we’re not the ones that make cool little fluttery landmines that are brightly colored like children’s toys:
Hsu, Jeremy. “Drones Used to Find Toylike ‘Butterfly’ Land Mines.” December 28, 2018. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/drones-used-to-find-toylike-butterfly-land-mines/
They train rats to sniff out the landmines:
APOPO. “A Typical Morning for a Mine Sniffing Rat [Video].” https://youtu.be/BX7LnsZU8Nw
They were awarded medals and stuff:
BBC. “Magawa, the Landmine-Sniffing Hero Rat, Dies Aged Eight.” January 11, 2022. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59951255
Our complex relationship with cluster munitions:
Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor. “Cluster Munition Ban Policy—United States.” https://the-monitor.org/country-profile/united-states/cluster-munition-ban-policy?year=2023
We did, in fact, give some to the Ukraine:
Cancian, Mark F. “Cluster Munitions: What Are They, and Why is the United States Sending Them to Ukraine?” Center for Strategic & International Studies. https://www.csis.org/analysis/cluster-munitions-what-are-they-and-why-united-states-sending-them-ukraine
It’s also a World War I problem:
Coe, Joshua. “‘Iron Harvest’: A Belgian Team Unearths Unexploded Ammunition From WWI.” August 4, 2023. https://theworld.org/stories/2023/08/04/iron-harvest-belgian-team-unearths-unexploded-ammunition-wwi
Ukraine fighting back against Russia:
The Guardian. “Ukraine War Briefing: Kremlin Denounces European Troops Plan as Kyiv Warns of ‘Massive Russian Attack’. January 8, 2026. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/09/ukraine-war-briefing-kremlin-denounces-european-troops-plan-as-kyiv-warns-of-massive-russian-attack
Have you read George Orwell’s essay on pacificism:
Orwell, George. “Pacifism and the War.” Originally published 1942. https://www.orwell.ru/library/articles/pacifism/english/e_patw
We tried to stop that with the U.N.:
The idea for the League of Nations:
Britannica Editors. “League of Nations.” December 29, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/League-of-Nations
Wilson may have been foolish:
Cooper, John Milton. “Woodrow Wilson.” Review December 24, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Woodrow-Wilson
The building still exists (alas, it is not a bar and grill):
Genève Internationale. “Chapter 2: Palais Wilson, The Memory and Hostage of Geneva.” https://www.geneve-int.ch/chapter-2-palais-wilson-memory-and-hostage-geneva
Sort of like the Articles of Confederation:
National Archives. “Articles of Confederation (1777).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/articles-of-confederation
Who’s on the permanent Security Council:
United Nations. “Security Council.” https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/current-members
The Abu Ghraib prison scandal:
Shamim, Sarah. “What Happened in Abu Ghraib and Why Did a Court Award Damages?” November 14, 2024. Aljazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/14/what-happened-in-abu-ghraib-and-why-did-a-us-court-award-damages
Uniform Code of Military Justice:
Absher, Jim. “The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).” March 25, 2022. https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/the-uniform-code-of-military-justice-ucmj.html
We could not find a source for Steve’s statement that the last person prosecuted for war crimes, per se, was during the Civil War. Though, someone was certainly prosecuted for their crimes at Andersonville:
National Park Service. “History of the Andersonville Prison.” https://www.nps.gov/ande/learn/historyculture/camp_sumter_history.htm
Here’s a recent story about U.S. soldiers and war crimes:
Shane III, Leo; Myers, Meghann; and Prine, Carl. “Trump Grants Clemency to Troops in Three Controversial War Crimes Cases.” Military Times. https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2019/11/16/trump-grants-clemency-to-troops-in-three-controversial-war-crimes-cases/
Calley:
Linder, Douglas O. “Charges Against Lt. William Calley.” UMKC School of Law. https://www.famous-trials.com/mylaicourts/1627-myl-ctchar
There was a canine handler at Abu Ghraib:
The Associated Press. “Abu Ghraib Dog Handler Sentenced to 6 Months.” March 21, 2006. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna11943182
ICJ:
It was court-martial:
Legal Information Institute. “Court-Martial.” Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/court-martial
The whole lawful/unlawful order thing:
Pereira, Ivan. “What the Military Oath of Enlistment Says About Legal and Illegal Orders.” November 20, 2025. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/military-oath-enlistment-legal-illegal-orders/story?id=127725085
The My Lai massacre, the short version:
American Experience. “The My Lai Massacre.” PBS. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/vietnam-my-lai-massacre/
Seymour Hersh, who broke the story:
Brooks, Xan. “‘He’s a son of a bitch–but he’s usually right’: Why Did Seymour Hersh Quit the Film About His Earth-Shattering Exposés?” December 8, 2025. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/dec/08/seymour-hersh-earth-shattering-exposes-my-lai-abu-ghraib-cover-up
The fishing boats:
Angell, Katie. “2025 U.S. Strikes on Venezuelan Vessels: When Washington’s War on Drugs Reaches Venezuela’s Shores.” January 1, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/2025-US-Strikes-on-Venezuelan-Vessels
We also just seized an oil tanker:
Reuters. “U.S. Seizes Olina Tanker in Caribbean, Fifth Vessel Taken in Venezuela Blockade.” January 9, 2026. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-process-seizing-olina-tanker-caribbean-us-official-says-2026-01-09/
We have a previously good Coast Guard that does this all the time:
Breen, Kerry. “Coast Guard Offloads 27,000 Pounds of Cocaine as it Uses ‘Disabling Fire’ to Stop Some Alleged Drug Boats.” Updated December 16, 2025. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coast-guard-cocaine-seizure-eastern-pacific-ocean-disabling-fire/
They have clear rules of engagement:
Britannica Editors. “Rules of Engagement.” January 2, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/rules-of-engagement-military-directives
They were in international waters:
United Nations. “International Waters.” https://archive.unescwa.org/international-waters
An example in a guide for the military of an unlawful order is bombing people who have been shipwrecked due to an attack:
Finley, Ben and Toropin, Konstantin. “Experts Explain What the Law Says About Killing Survivors of a Boat Strike.” December 1, 2025. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-survivors-hegseth-72b0a498ca08615b2589c772a1d9e642
Horrific chapter in our history:
Office of the Historian. “Indian Treaties and the Removal Act of 1830.” https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/indian-treaties
Like in Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy:
Tom Clancy. Clear and Present Danger. Berkley. July 1, 1990.
That’s how it ends:
https://youtu.be/sWwN-yDCjOM?si=QNzS-e2CdSodY8XU
So, I’m going to mention Pearl Harbor:
Scanlon, Sean. “U.S. Intelligence Failures at Pearl Harbor.” September 18, 2025. The National WWII Museum. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/us-intelligence-failures-pearl-harbor
There was a war warning issued by General Marshall:
Brewer, Delaney. “The Attack on Pearl Harbor.” National Museum of the United States Army. https://www.thenmusa.org/articles/attack-on-pearl-harbor/
Kimmel got relieved:
History.com Editors. “Commander at Pearl Harbor Relieved of His Duties.” Updated January 31, 2025. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/december-17/commander-at-pearl-harbor-canned
We let an awful lot of drugs into our country:
U.S. Government Accountability Office. “Fentanyl Continues to Be the Leading Cause of Overdose Deaths. What’s Being Done to Combat Trafficking into the United States?” September 4, 2025. https://www.gao.gov/blog/fentanyl-continues-be-leading-cause-overdose-deaths.-whats-being-done-combat-trafficking-united-states
Doctors prescribe an awful lot of drugs in this country that kill people all the time:
National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. “Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics.” https://drugabusestatistics.org/prescription-drug-abuse-statistics/
They ordered the survivors to be bombed:
Pigliucci, Cai; FitzGerald, James; and Drenon, Brandon. “Admiral Testified Hegseth Did Not Give ‘Kill them all’ order, U.S. lawmakers say.” December 4, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyxjd6pxzro
Including several Republicans:
Blake, Aaron. “Republicans Are Covering Their Backsides on the Double-tap Strike.” December 2, 2025. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/02/politics/republicans-double-tap-strike-trump
As far as drugs go, they aren’t the biggest importer:
Singer, Jeffrey A. “Trump’s Venezuela Gambit: An Incoherent Encore in a Failed Drug War.” December 3, 2025. CATO Institute. https://www.cato.org/blog/trumps-venezuela-gambit-incoherent-encore-failed-drug-war
A lot of people in the past few years have been coming from Venezuela:
United Nations Refugee Agency. “Venezuela Situation.” https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/venezuela-situation
Ooh, evil socialist, we can combat him:
Jeyaretnam, Miranda and de Guzman, Chad. “What’s Happening With the U.S. and Venezuela, Explained.” January 8, 2026. Time. https://time.com/7344628/us-venezuela-trump-maduro-oil-drugs-war-explainer-questions-answered/
There’s also the oil angle:
Roy, Diana and Cheatham. “Venezuela: The Rise and Fall of a Petrostate.” Updated July 31, 2024. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/venezuela-crisis
We’re a net exporter of oil:
U.S. Energy Information Administration. “Oil and Petroleum Products Explained.” Updated January 19, 2024. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/oil-and-petroleum-products/imports-and-exports.php
They could just seize Citgo stations:
Weber, Natalie. “Judge Approves Sale of Houston-Based Citgo to Amber Energy.” December 3, 2025. Houston PBS. https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/business/2025/12/02/537526/judge-approves-sale-of-citgo-to-amber-energy
The Trump administration have identified an enemy, Tren de Aragua:
Roston, Aram. “Maduro Indictment Attempts to Link Venezuelan Leader to Tren de Aragua.” January 4, 2026. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/04/maduro-indictment-trump-tren-de-aragua
A lot of things are happening right now in African countries:
Le Poidevin, Olivia. “Women Bearing the Brunt of Sudan’s Acute Hunger Crisis, UN Says.” January 9, 2026. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/women-bearing-brunt-sudans-acute-hunger-crisis-un-says-2026-01-09/
Anne was incorrect. The Trump administration does seem to care about some things happening in African countries:
Okafor, Makuochi and Otalor, Jean. “Trump Warns of More Nigeria Strikes if Christians ‘Continue to be killed’.” January 9, 2026. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly3vl3yp2do
They keep talking about rare earth minerals:
American Geosciences Institute. “What are Rare Earth Elements, and Why are They Important?” https://profession.americangeosciences.org/society/intersections/faq/what-are-rare-earth-elements-and-why-are-they-important/
Monroe Doctrine:
National Archives. “Monroe Doctrine (1823).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/monroe-doctrine
Also, incidentally, sort of welcomed Russia:
Boersner-Herrera, Adriana. “What the Capture of Nicolás Maduro Means for Russia’s Influence in Latin America.” January 8, 2026. London School of Economics. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2026/01/08/russia-influence-latin-america-venezuela-maduro-capture/
Rusty Nails:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/rusty-nail/
Red Cross, Red Crescent, Red Crystal:
Canadian Red Cross. “The Red Crystal.” https://www.redcross.ca/about-us/about-the-canadian-red-cross/red-cross-emblem/the-red-crystal
The one that Thanos talked to Red Skull about:
https://youtu.be/I0r9s8mfeWc?si=4gvlFqzrSFSP6G9L
Red star—one group ruined it for everybody:
Political Symbols.net. “Red Star.” https://politicalsymbols.net/red-star.html
Oh, Japan:
The Government of Japan. “National Flag and Anthem.” https://www.japan.go.jp/japan/flagandanthem/index.html
Not a rhomboid:
SplashLearn. “Rhomboid Shape: Definition, Formulas, Properties Examples, Facts.” https://www.splashlearn.com/math-vocabulary/rhomboid
What Mack is reading:
John U. Bacon. The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Schuler Books. 2026.
In fact, it’s really popular:
Rosenberg, Allegra. “Why is TikTok Obsessed With a 50-Year-Old Shipwreck.” November 7, 2025. Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/edmund-fitzgerald-tiktok-trend
If you don’t know about the Great Lakes:
Great Lakes Commission. “About the Lakes.” https://www.glc.org/lakes/
There’s a term for this—it’s like water sloshing around in a bathtub:
National Ocean Service. “What is a Seiche?” https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/seiche.html
Through the Soo Locks:
Visit Sault Ste. Marie. “Soo Locks.” https://saultstemarie.com/attractions/soo-locks/
Zug Island, River Rouge:
Detroit Historical Society. “Zug Island.” https://www.detroithistorical.org/learn/online-research/encyclopedia-of-detroit/zug-island
Including Ford:
Detroit Historical Society. “Ford Motor Company.” https://www.detroithistorical.org/learn/online-research/encyclopedia-of-detroit/ford-motor-company
It’s called taconite:
Department of Natural Resources. “Taconite.” https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/education/geology/digging/taconite.html
Great Lake freighters:
Great Lakes Now. “Freighters on the Move [Video].” Detroit PBS. https://youtu.be/q8qUcW8iY2E?si=zVV6kW801T33KKWl
Just like Panama Canal:
Bureau of Transportation Statistics. “Vessel Draft Restrictions on the Panama Canal by Locks: February 2022–August 2024.” https://www.bts.gov/browse-statistical-products-and-data/info-gallery/vessel-draft-restrictions-panama-canal-locks
The U.S. could practice naval maneuvers in the Great Lakes:
Chicago Navy Memorial. “Navy Training Vessels of WWII.” https://chicagonavymemorial.org/chicagos-role-in-navy-history/training-ships-aircraft-carriers-lake-michigan
Captain McSorley:
Marrin, Doug. “Ernest McSorley: The Last Captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” September 30, 2025. The Sun Times News. https://thesuntimesnews.com/edmund-fitzgerald-50th-anniversary-john-bacon/
The 29:
S. S. Edmund Fitzgerald Online. “The Crew.” https://ssedmundfitzgerald.org/crewtribute
Listen to the song if you haven’t heard it:
https://youtu.be/FuzTkGyxkYI?si=8ZORl77irRERpP0w
They rang it 30 times:
Detroit Free Press. “Mariners’ Church of Detroit Honors Gordon Lightfoot With Tuesday Ringing of Bells [Video].” https://youtu.be/PIq1ELxH2do?si=64c3Ce8l3znglwgS
The Sea Legs was the only good way to drink Laphroaig in a cocktail:
https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/34393/sea-legs
The whiskey we drank:
https://www.bahnbrecker.com/hefeweizen-whiskey
We did that to the Japanese:
Scott, James M. “America’s Undersea War on Shipping.” December 2014. U.S. Naval Institute. https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2014/december/americas-undersea-war-shipping
What has been called the Liberal World Order:
Council on Foreign Relations. “What is the Liberal World Order? [Video].” https://education.cfr.org/learn/video/what-liberal-world-order
Pax Americana:
Smith, Danielle T. “Inflection Points: Pax Americana at a Crossroad.” June 30, 2024. Georgetown Journal of International Affairs. https://gjia.georgetown.edu/2024/06/30/inflection-points-pax-americana-at-a-crossroad/
During that period, there were a lot of people lifted out of poverty throughout the world:
Yonzan, Nishant; Friedman, Jed; Hill, Ruth; Jolliffe, Dean Mitchell; Lakner, Christoph; and Gerszon Mahler, Daniel. “Estimates of Global Poverty From WWII to the Fall of the Berlin Wall.” November 23, 2022. World Bank Blogs. https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/opendata/estimates-global-poverty-wwii-fall-berlin-wall
Democracy spread widely:
Shapiro, Ian. “The Spread of Democracy in the 20th Century.” December 29, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/democracy/The-spread-of-democracy-in-the-20th-century
And the Borg were a cybernetic race from Star Trek. But you already knew that.
Monday Dec 22, 2025
Monday Dec 08, 2025
Monday Dec 08, 2025
Steve, Mack, and Anne dig into the power dynamics of these United States.
REFERENCES
What about Washington, D.C.?
Duignan, Brian. “What State Is Washington, D.C. In?” June 13, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/story/what-state-is-washington-dc-in
Federalism is…
Legal Information Institute. “Federalism.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/federalism
We should start with the Tenth Amendment:
Constitution Annotated. “Tenth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-10/
When James Madison and the first Congress under the Constitution were drafting a Bill of Rights:
NCC Staff. “On This Day: James Madison Introduces the Bill of Rights.” June 8, 2023. National Constitution Center. https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/on-this-day-james-madison-introduces-the-bill-of-rights
There were 12 proposed amendments:
National Archives. “Bill of Rights.” Reviewed August 13, 2020. https://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/bor
Mel Brooks and History of the World:
https://youtu.be/I48hr8HhDv0?si=i9tGvexOWMqa99Km
So, in Article 1, Section 8, are the powers of Congress:
Constitution Annotated. “Article I Legislative Branch: Section 8 Enumerated Powers.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-1/section-8/
Article 1, Section 9, are powers denied to Congress:
Constitution Annotated. “Article I Legislative Branch: Section 9 Powers Denied Congress.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-1/section-9/
Article 1, Section 10, are powers denied to the states:
Constitution Annotated. “Article I Legislative Branch: Section 10 Powers Denied States.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-1/section-10/
During the revolution, we were basically a confederation:
National Archives. “Articles of Confederation (1777).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/articles-of-confederation
The states always had power, and originally it was royal charters:
Yale Law School. “Colonial Charters, Grants, and Related Documents.” https://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/statech.asp
They were all British, the original 13:
Ray, Michael. “In What Order Were the 13 American Colonies Established?” July 2, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/In-What-Order-Were-the-13-American-Colonies-Established
Maryland—go Catholics:
History.com Editors. “The Settlement of Maryland.” Updated May 28, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/march-25/the-settlement-of-maryland
The acts of Parliament that got everybody head up:
American Battlefield Trust. “The Acts That Fueled Rebellion.” January 1, 2024. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/acts-fueled-rebellion
Parliament declares Massachusetts to be in rebellion:
The Falmouth Historical Society. “250 Years Ago: Parliament Declares Massachusetts to be in a State of Rebellion!” https://www.thefhs.org/250-Rebellion
Part of that was going through the shared experience of the French and Indian War:
Office of the Historian. “French and Indian War/Seven Years’ War, 1754–63.” https://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/french-indian-war
The Empire is the part you’re living in:
Britannica Editors. “British Empire.” December 1, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/place/British-Empire
Like Jonathan Edwards:
Schafer, Thomas A. “Jonathan Edwards.” October 1, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jonathan-Edwards
They were real assholes:
Mayer, Alicia. “Dominating the Unsaved: The Different Other and Cultural Imperialism in the New England Puritan Way.” April 9, 2024. Center for the Study of World Religions. https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/news/2024/04/10/dominating-unsaved-different-other-and-cultural-imperialism-new-england-puritan-way
There were Tories:
Britannica Editors. “Loyalist.” January 31, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/loyalist
Not even the Epstein files:
Quinnipiac University. “63% Of Voters Disapprove of the Trump Administration's Handling of the Jeffrey Epstein Files, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Nearly Half of Voters Would Consider Joining A Third Party, Just Not One Created by Elon Musk.” July 16, 2025. https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3928
Or the fact that the Earth is round:
Foster, Craig A. and Branch, Glenn. “Do People Really Think Earth Might Be Flat?” August 21, 2018. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/observations/do-people-really-think-earth-might-be-flat/
Or Nazis:
Roston, Aram and Urquhart, Jim. “American Nazis: The Aryan Freedom Network is Riding High in Trump Era.” Updated August 10, 2025. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/investigations/american-nazis-aryan-freedom-network-is-riding-high-trump-era-2025-08-08/
Or that contrails are just contrails:
Asmelash, Leah. “The Truth Behind Those White Streaks Trailing Behind Jets in the Sky.” March 12, 2024. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/us/chemtrails-conspiracy-theory-explained-cec
That chocolate milk comes from brown cows:
Coleman, Nancy. “Chocolate Milk Definitely Doesn’t Come From Brown Cows—But Some Adults Think Otherwise.” June 16, 2017. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/16/us/chocolate-milk-help-trnd
They had a lot of complaints with Parliament:
Library of Congress. “Documents from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention.” https://www.loc.gov/collections/continental-congress-and-constitutional-convention-from-1774-to-1789/articles-and-essays/timeline/1764-to-1765/
No, I’m sending Hessians after you:
Head, David. “Hessians.” Mount Vernon. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/hessians
Which, by the way, is not a single document:
The Constitution Society. “The UK Constitution.” https://consoc.org.uk/the-constitution-explained/the-uk-constitution/
At Annapolis:
Lluberes, Cornelia. “Annapolis Convention.” Updated May 30, 2025. Mount Vernon. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/annapolis-convention
Did you want to skip them:
United States House of Representatives. “Continental and Confederation Congresses.” https://history.house.gov/People/Continental-Congress/Continental-Confederation-Congresses/
It was explicitly to amend the Articles of Confederation, and they went a little above and beyond that:
National Archives. “The Constitution: How Did it Happen?” https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution/how-did-it-happen
In the debates over ratification:
Glover, Lorri. “Nothing Inevitable: The Struggle for Ratification.” Organization of American Historians. https://www.oah.org/tah/the-american-republic/nothing-inevitable-the-struggle-for-ratification/
Including the Federalist Papers:
Library of Congress. “Full Text of The Federalist Papers.” https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/full-text
Oh, and Patrick Henry, who comes out opposed to the Constitution:
Red Hill. “We the People? Or We the States?” https://www.redhill.org/speeches-writings/we-the-people-or-we-the-states/?srsltid=AfmBOorTAXTXp9hDfmHo-EbbyHOJtG7-XJPpVlAmAU3aliOJnyqrTRHV
Speaking of themes in American politics:
Hira, Elizabeth. “The Government Has a Long History of Controlling Women—One That Never Ended.” November 9, 2021. Brennan Center for Justice. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/government-has-long-history-controlling-women-one-never-ended
Federalists, meaning people who were in support of the Constitution:
Britannica Editors. “Federalist Party.” September 25, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Federalist-Party
In the Virginia plan:
National Archives. “Virginia Plan (1787).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/virginia-plan
They had guys who had studied this:
National Archives. “Constitution of the United States—A History.” https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/more-perfect-union
Especially John Adams:
National Constitution Center. “John Adams.” https://constitutioncenter.org/signers/john-adams
Just to clarify, neither Adams nor Jefferson were at the Constitutional Convention:
Center for the Study of the American Constitution. “Adams and Jefferson: ‘The North and South Poles of the American Revolution.’” June 18, 2025. https://csac.history.wisc.edu/2025/06/18/adams-and-jefferson-the-north-and-south-poles-of-the-american-revolution/
The phrase imperium in imperio:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imperium%20in%20imperio
You have the Ninth Amendment in there:
Constitution Annotated. “Ninth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-9/
Expansive commerce much:
Barnett, Randy E. and Koppelman, Andrew. “The Commerce Clause.” Constitution Center. https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/articles/article-i/clauses/752
What you call natural law jurisprudence:
Himma, Kenneth Einar. “Natural Law.” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://iep.utm.edu/natlaw/
Everybody should read Griswold v. Connecticut:
Oyez. “Griswold v. Connecticut.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1964/496
The Dobbs case…
Oyez. “Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/2021/19-1392
…which overturned Roe:
Oyez. “Roe v. Wade.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1971/70-18
That’s where you’ve got the penumbra of whatever:
Legal Information Institute. “Penumbra.” Reviewed August 2024. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/penumbra
So they said Fourth Amendment—privacy:
Constitution Annotated. “Fourth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-4/
Fourteenth, that’s what we’re getting to:
Constitution Annotated. “Fourteenth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-14/
Barron v. Baltimore:
Oyez. “Barron ex rel. Tiernan v. Mayor of Baltimore.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1789-1850/32us243
Those are referred to as reserved powers:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reserved%20power
In the Thirteenth…:
Constitution Annotated. “Thirteenth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-13/
…and Fifteenth Amendments:
Constitution Annotated. “Fifteenth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-15/
Outside of imprisonment:
Mast, Nina. “Forced Prison Labor in the ‘Land of the Free’.” January 16, 2025. Economic Policy Institute. https://www.epi.org/publication/rooted-racism-prison-labor/
Take freedom of speech:
Constitution Annotated. “First Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-1/
If enough of the states say “Yeah, we agree,”:
National Archives. “Constitutional Amendment Process.” https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/constitution
If you read the Congressional record:
Library of Congress. “14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Primary Documents in American History.” https://guides.loc.gov/14th-amendment/digital-collections
The Supreme Court starts doing the whole narrow interpretation:
Law.com “Strict Construction.” https://dictionary.law.com/default.aspx?selected=2028
Including Plessy v. Ferguson:
Oyez. “Plessy v. Ferguson.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1850-1900/163us537
Like the right to marry whoever you want:
Head, Tom. “Timeline and History of Marriage Rights.” Updated May 13, 2025. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/marriage-rights-history-721314
It’s called selective incorporation:
Supreme Court Historical Society. “Selective Incorporation.” https://civics.supremecourthistory.org/article/selective-incorporation/
That goes to Article III:
Constitution Annotated. “Article III.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-3/
Which is also why the Second Amendment doesn’t get incorporated until 2000-whatever:
Constitution Annotated. “Second Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-2/
NCC staff. “On This Day, A Divided Supreme Court Rules on the Second Amendment.” June 28, 2023. National Constitution Center. https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/on-this-day-a-divided-supreme-court-rules-on-the-second-amendment
Now, Seventh Amendment:
Constitution Annotated. “Seventh Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-7/
Which is why the Nazis got to march in Skokie, Illinois:
Oyez. “National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1976/76-1786
Like, legalizing marijuana:
DISA. “Marijuana Legality Map.” Updated December 1, 2025. https://disa.com/marijuana-legality-by-state/
Battle of the Waldorfs (both recommended):
Waldorf 1: 2 oz orange liquor, 1 oz sweet vermouth, 1/2 teaspoon grenadine
Waldorf 2: 1½ oz rye whiskey, 1 oz sweet vermouth, splash of absinthe, dashes of Angostura orange bitters
Special radishes:
Specialty Produce. “French Breakfast Radish.” https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/French_Breakfast_Radish_417.php
Mack’s face:
https://youtu.be/0BoALUr8UoQ?si=NZ5ZTNyUVa7nJJB_
Eldridge Highball (NOT recommended):
https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/37447/eldridge-highball
What Steve is watching:
Firefly. 2002. Fox.
What Mack is reading:
Bram Stoker. Dracula. Archibald Constable and Company. 1897.
It’s an epistolary novel:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epistolary
A new Dracula movie by Luc Besson:
https://youtu.be/mDfdNTf4FA0?si=-iphMcXmTp2A-YTX
The original Hollywood Dracula, Bela Lugosi:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021814/
The Coppola:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103874/
An Anne-hattan:
Make a Manhattan with as little bitters as possible. In fact, none is fine.
Article IV stuff:
Constitution Annotated. “Article IV.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-4/
There was recently a blue wave:
Ax, Josheph; Tsvetkova, Maria; and Reid, Tim. “Democrats Sweep First Major Elections of Second Trump Term.” November 5, 2025. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/elections-new-york-new-jersey-virginia-offer-early-test-trumps-agenda-2025-11-04/
And Buffy was a cheerleader turned vampire hunter. She saved the world a lot. But you already knew that.
Monday Nov 17, 2025
Monday Nov 03, 2025
Monday Nov 03, 2025
Get out your dictionaries, folks! It’s time to figure out what’s happening in the U.S. of A. In this listener-suggested episode of Civics, we look at -archies, -acracies, and -isms.
REFERENCES
Oligarchy:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oligarchy
Many of them had a council of elders:
Hodkinson, Stephen. “Gerousia.” December 22, 2015. Oxford Classical Dictionary. https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-2832
For Aristotle in his Politics:
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Aristotle: Politics.” https://iep.utm.edu/aristotle-politics/
Aristocracy:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aristocracy
The Soviet Union after Stalin:
Little, Becky. “Soviet Union Leaders: A Timeline.” History.com https://www.history.com/articles/soviet-union-leaders-order
Totalitarian:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/totalitarian
You had the Politburo:
Editors of Encyclopedia Brittanica. “Politburo.” March 8, 2023. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Politburo
Khrushchev:
Gibney, Frank B. “Nikita Krushchev.” Updated October 27, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nikita-Sergeyevich-Khrushchev
The Cuban Missile Crisis:
Office of the Historian. “The Cuban Missile Crisis, October 1962.” https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/cuban-missile-crisis
Gerontocracy:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gerontocracy
In Ancient Rome, the Senate is derived from senex which means “old man”:
Merriam-Webster. “Senate: Word History.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/senate#word-history
The song that Anne was attempting to sing:
https://youtu.be/ZKCiC-H2Xbg?si=bUP1DxKiJ4C0bIFv
We do have a bunch of old senators:
DeSilver, Drew. “Age and Generation in the 119th Congress: Somewhat Younger, With Fewer Boomers and more Gen Xers.” January 16, 2025. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/01/16/age-and-generation-in-the-119th-congress-somewhat-younger-with-fewer-boomers-and-more-gen-xers/
Senators were originally appointed by the state legislatures:
National Archives. “17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913).” Reviewed February 8, 2022. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/17th-amendment
Project 2025, they are substantially entrenched in the White House right now:
Wardwell, Faith. “The Key Project 2025 Authors Now Staffing the Trump Administration.” March 12, 2025. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/key-project-2025-authors-now-staffing-trump-administration-rcna195107
Sending troops into cities:
Reuters. “Trump Tells U.S. Troops He is Ready to Send ‘More Than the National Guard’ Into Cities.” October 28, 2025. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-tells-us-troops-he-is-ready-send-more-than-national-guard-into-cities-2025-10-28/
Sparta was an example of an oligarchy because the ephors were the ones that really had the power:
Editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica. “Ephor.” December 18, 2011. https://www.britannica.com/topic/ephor
Anarchy:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anarchy
Monarchy:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monarchy
What Plato described in the Republic as a philosopher king:
Lane, Melissa. “Philosopher King.” February 5, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/philosopher-king
Tyrant:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tyrant
Franklin Roosevelt:
The White House. “Franklin D. Roosevelt.” https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/franklin-d-roosevelt/
With almost 25% unemployment:
Romer, Christina D. and Pells, Richard H. “Great Depression.” Updated October 26, 2025. Brittanica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Great-Depression
And the Dust Bowl:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Dust Bowl.” Updated October 2, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Dust-Bowl
The first 100 days where a lot of legislation gets passed:
Freidel, Frank. “The First Term of Franklin D. Roosevelt.” Updated October 31, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Franklin-D-Roosevelt/The-first-term
Lincoln:
The White House. “Abraham Lincoln.” https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/abraham-lincoln/
But Lincoln had a nation-wide insurrection going on:
Weber, Jennifer L. and Hassler, Warren W. “American Civil War.” Updated October 12, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Civil-War
Populist:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/populist
Tariffs are not helping the economy:
Clarke, Jennifer. “What Tariffs has Trump Announced and Why?” October 30, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn93e12rypgo
Autocracy:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autocracy
Even in Britain…:
Kellner, Peter and Harford Thomas, William. “England: Government and Society.” Updated November 1, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/England/Government-and-society
Republic:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/republic
Since the Magna Carta days:
Stenton, Doris Mary. “Magna Carta.” Updated October 2, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Magna-Carta
Well, there’s reasons why the civil wars happened:
Ohlmeyer, Jane H. “English Civil Wars.” Updated September 30, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/English-Civil-Wars
If you look at the South, antebellum, the planter class:
National Geographic. “The Plantation System.” Updated January 22, 2025. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/plantation-system/
Plutocracy:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plutocracy
Disney hounds:
Disneyclips. “The Definitive Disney Dogs List.” Updated May 1, 2024. https://www.disneyclips.com/funstuff/disney-dog-names.html
The Underworld:
Van de Kerkhof, Maup. “Pluto: The Roman God of the Underworld.” March 24, 2025. History Cooperative. https://historycooperative.org/pluto-god/
The etymology of plutocracy:
Merriam-Webster. “Plutocracy: Word History.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plutocracy#word-history
Some of the attendees at the swearing in ceremony:
Swenson, Ali. “Trump, A Populist President, is Flanked by Tech Billionaires at His Inauguration.” January 20, 2025. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/trump-inauguration-tech-billionaires-zuckerberg-musk-wealth-0896bfc3f50d941d62cebc3074267ecd
Elon Musk didn’t last even a year:
Gold, Hadas. “The Trump-Musk Breakup Appears to be Complete.” July 7, 2025. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/07/tech/elon-musk-donald-trump-breakup
Minimum wage:
Economic Policy Institute. “Minimum Wage Tracker.” Updated October 1, 2025. https://www.epi.org/minimum-wage-tracker/
CEO pay in the meantime:
Sainato, Michael. “CEO-to-Worker Pay Gap Surges to 632 to 1 at U.S.’s Lowest-Paying Large Firms, Study Shows.” August 21, 2025. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/21/ceo-worker-salaries
The gap:
Sherman, Arloc; Trisi, Danilo; and Cureton, Josephine. “A Guide to Statistics on Historical Trends in Income Inequality.” December 11, 2024. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org/research/poverty-and-inequality/a-guide-to-statistics-on-historical-trends-in-income-inequality
Since the Gilded Age:
Klein, Christopher. “How the Gilded Age’s Top 1 Percent Thrived on Corruption.” Updated June 30, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/gilded-age-corruption-corporate-wealth
Kakistocracy:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kakistocracy
Kleptocracy:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kleptocracy
Our word idiot comes from Ancient Greek idios:
Merriam-Webster. “Idiot: Word History.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idiot#word-history
Citizens who did not participate in government were the idios:
Jaqua, Kirsten. “The Idiot and the Community.” August 20, 2020. Interdisciplinary Humanities Center. https://www.ihc.ucsb.edu/the-idiot-and-the-community/
It was a movie:
https://youtu.be/6lai9QhBibk?si=Zucn9XLG4vm4m6ya
Why is Bad Bunny not welcome at the Super Bowl:
Wingard, Jason. “Inside Roger Goodell’s Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Dilemma.” Updated October 31, 2025. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonwingard/2025/10/30/bad-bunny-the-nfl-and-goodells-impossible-halftime-dilemma/
Marjorie Taylor Green isn’t the brightest bulb in the closet:
Dunbar, Marina. “Marjorie Taylor Greene Condemned Over Helene Weather Conspiracy Theory.” October 7, 2024. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/07/marjorie-taylor-greene-hurricane-helene
There have been some very interesting critiques of Trump’s speaking patterns and his competency mental-wise:
Gabbatt, Adam. “‘He Has Trouble Completing a Thought’: Bizarre Public Appearances Again Cast Doubt on Trump’s Mental Acuity” [Analysis]. August 3, 2025. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/03/donald-trump-mental-fitness
Cacophony:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cacophony
Stalin:
Hingley, Ronald Francis. “Joseph Stalin.” Updated October 27, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Stalin
Hitler:
Bullock, Alan; Bullock, Baron; and Knapp, Wilfrid F. “Adolph Hitler.” Updated November 1, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Adolf-Hitler
Tom Holman:
Lynch, Sarah N. “Trump Aide Homan Accepted $50,000 in Bribery Sting Operation, Sources Say.” Updated September 22, 2025. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-aide-homan-accepted-50000-bribery-sting-operation-sources-say-2025-09-21/
Trump’s crypto:
Gauthier-Villars, David; Bergin, Tom; Conlin, Michelle; Delevingne, Lawrence; and Wilson, Tom. “Inside the Trump Family’s Global Crypto Cash Machine.” Updated October 28, 2025. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/investigations/inside-trump-familys-global-crypto-cash-machine-2025-10-28/
The plane:
Debusmann, Jr., Bernd. “U.S. Begins Preparing Qatari Jet to be Used as Air Force One.” July 28, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy5lp4v594o
“Donations” to his presidential library:
May, Madeleine; Ingram, Julia; and Marr, Hannah. “Critics of Trump’s Presidential Library Fundraising Say ‘There Are No Rules’.” Updated July 16, 2025. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-presidential-library-fundraising/
John Oliver’s episode about that:
https://youtu.be/dB1-lg-xZWc?si=0KnZcS9P1JuIO5_k
Make the Secret Service pay for the hotel room:
Chidi, George. “Trump Overcharged Secret Service by 300% for Accommodations at His Hotels.” October 18, 2024. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/18/trump-overcharge-secret-service-hotel
Or the Trump International Hotel:
Altman, Alex. “Donald Trump’s Suite of Power.” Time. https://time.com/donald-trumps-suite-of-power/
Democracy:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/democracy
Representative democracy:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/representative%20democracy
Authoritarianism:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authoritarianism
Totalitarianism:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/totalitarianism
North Korea, one of the most extreme forms of totalitarianism:
Albert, Eleanor. “North Korea’s Power Structure.” Updated June 17, 2020. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/north-koreas-power-structure
The Christian Nationalists:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Christian%20nationalism
Theocracy:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theocracy
Go back to Project 2025, because that’s where their version of this goes:
Leingang, Rachel and Herman, Alice. “‘Testing Ground for Project 2025’: Behind Oklahoma’s Rightwing Push to Erode the Line Between Church and State.’ February 27, 2025. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/feb/27/oklahoma-project-2025-education
Nationalism:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nationalism
And, of course, the Nazis:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Nazism.” Updated October 23, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Nazism
Nationalism versus patriotism:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Nationalism vs. Patriotism: What’s the Difference.” Updated October 29, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nationalism-vs-Patriotism-Whats-the-Difference
Socialism:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/socialism
Communism:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communism
Devotees of Ayn Rand:
Stalinism:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Stalinism
The government now owns stake of how many companies:
Harrell, Peter E. “The Legal Bases for Government Stakes in Private Firms.” August 28, 2025. Lawfare. https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-legal-bases-for-government-stakes-in-private-firms
Remember when the Tea Party was ascendent and Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House, and everybody was talking about Ayn Rand:
Luzer, Daniel. “Taking Tea With Ayn Rand.” March 29, 2012. Columbia Journalism Review. https://www.cjr.org/critical_eye/taking_tea_with_ayn_rand.php
For example, for a long time in Britain, if you were a doctor or nurse, you worked for the government:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “National Health Service.” Updated October 28, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/National-Health-Service
Tennessee Valley Authority:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Tennessee Valley Authority.” Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/money/Tennessee-Valley-Authority
BAE Systems:
Amir, Amir R. and Weiss, Stanley I. “BAE Systems.” Updated February 12, 2023. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/money/BAE-Systems
Nvidia:
Associated Press. “Under New, Unusual Agreement, U.S. Will Get a 15% Cut of Nvidia and AMD Chip Sales to China.” August 11, 2025. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/under-new-unusual-agreement-u-s-will-get-a-15-cut-of-nvidia-and-amd-chip-sales-to-china
Command economy:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/command%20economy
Mao Zedong:
Reynolds Schram, Stuart. “Mao Zedong.” Updated October 18, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mao-Zedong
Ukraine in the 1930s, the forced famine:
Applebaum, Anne. “Holodomor.” Updated September 29, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Holodomor
Postal Service:
Sawicky, Max B. “The U.S. Postal Service Is a National Asset: Don’t Trash It.” September 29, 2020. Center for Economic and Policy Research. https://cepr.net/publications/the-us-postal-service-is-a-national-asset-dont-trash-it/
Fascism:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fascism
A talk show host with one of the most popular evening talk shows:
Wood, Becca. “Why Was ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ Canceled?” August 12, 2025. Today. https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/why-was-the-late-show-stephen-colbert-canceled-rcna224144
Jimmy Kimmel:
Goldman, David. “Jimmy Kimmel Explains How He Learned He Was Being Yanked Off the Air – and Thought He’d Never Return.” Updated October 1, 2025. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/01/media/jimmy-kimmel-stephen-colbert
Walter Cronkite:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Walter Cronkite.” Updated October 31, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Walter-Cronkite
Edward R. Murrow:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Edward R. Murrow.” June 11, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edward-R-Murrow
The producer of “60 Minutes” retired:
Reilly, Liam. “‘60 Minutes’ Executive Producer Resigns, Citing a Loss of Independence in the Wake of Trump Lawsuit.” Updated April 22, 2025. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/22/media/60-minutes-executive-producer-resigns-independence
There has been a gradual takeover of major forms of media:
Helmore, Edward. “How the U.S. Right Wing is Taking Over News Media and Choking Press Freedom” [Analysis]. September 12, 2025. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/14/rightwing-news-media-journalism
Napolean’s puppies from Animal Farm:
Villain’s Wiki. “Dogs (Animal Farm).” https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Dogs_(Animal_Farm)
Benito Mussolini:
Hilbert, Christopher and Foot, John. “Benito Mussolini.” Updated October 11, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benito-Mussolini
In Ancient Rome, the fasces:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Fasces.” March 12, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/fasces
You can see them on the wall of the House of Representatives:
History, Art, & Archives. “House Rostrum.” United States House of Representatives. https://history.house.gov/Education/Fact-Sheets/Rostrum-Fact-Sheet2/
Trump’s acceptance at the convention in 2016:
C-SPAN. “Donald Trump 2016 Acceptance Speech” [Video]. July 21, 2016. https://www.c-span.org/program/campaign-2016/donald-trump-2016-acceptance-speech/449706
The Brown Shirts:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “SA.” August 27, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/SA-Nazi-organization
Working toward the Führer:
University of Oregon. “Working Toward the Führer.” https://pages.uoregon.edu/dluebke/NaziGermany443/410WorkingTowardstheFuehrer.html
Like, Patriot Front:
George Washington University. “Patriot Front.” https://extremism.gwu.edu/patriot-front
Or, perhaps, ICE:
BBC Verify. “Masked Agents, Tear Gas, and Raids: The Tactics Used in Trump’s Deportation Drive” [Video]. https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c6299nrj76yo
And the Proud Boys:
George Washington University. “Proud Boys.” https://extremism.gwu.edu/proud-boys
The SS:
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “The SS.” https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/ss
Three Percenters:
Southern Poverty Law Center. “Three Percenters.” https://www.splcenter.org/resources/extremist-files/three-percenters/
Look what they did on January 6:
Duignan, Brian. “January 6 U.S. Capitol Attack.” Updated October 30, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/event/January-6-U-S-Capitol-attack
Not just from the $50,000 signing bonus:
Debusmann Jr., Bernd. “U.S. Offers Up to $50K Bonus for Would-Be ICE Deportation Officers.” August 1, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqle5newg0no
Getting toward a Gestapo:
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “The Gestapo: Overview.” https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/gestapo
Guys wearing masks and not following laws:
Das, Alina. “The Law and Lawlessness of U.S. Immigration Detention.” March 2025. Harvard Law Review. https://harvardlawreview.org/print/vol-138/the-law-and-lawlessness-of-u-s-immigration-detention/
Stephen Miller:
Roth, Andrew. “How Stephen Miller is Turning the U.S. State Department Into an ‘Anti-Immigration Machine’.” October 31, 2025. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/31/stephen-miller-immigration-trump
Kristi Noem:
Hawkinson, Katie. “Kristi Noem Mulls Using ‘Private Bounty Hunters’ to Track Down Immigrants, Report Says.” November 1, 2025. The Independent. https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/kristi-noem-ice-bounty-hunters-report-b2856825.html
Antifa:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antifa
Which, apparently, is a terrorist group:
Lucas, Ryan. “As Trump Talks of Designating Antifa a Foreign Terrorist Group, Experts See Danger.” October 28, 2025. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2025/10/28/nx-s1-5587726/trump-antifa-terrorist-group
They made it into the news during the Black Lives Matter protest:
Georgacopoulos, Christina and Poche, Trey. “Fake News, Disinformation, and the George Floyd Protests: ANTIFA Conspiracy.” LSU. https://faculty.lsu.edu/fakenews/about/protestfakenews.php
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact:
Editors of Encyclopedia. “German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact.” Updated October 11, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/German-Soviet-Nonaggression-Pact
Making Portland “war-ravaged”:
The Oregonian. “Portland Awaits National Guard Ruling, A Look at ICE Protest Arrests, Soggy Halloween Protests: Get Caught Up.” November 1, 2025. https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2025/11/portland-awaits-national-guard-ruling-a-look-ice-protest-arrests-soggy-halloween-protests-get-caught-up.html
Doesn’t it have to start as a wine:
Bass and Flinders Distillery. “How is Brandy Made? Get to Know Your Brandy.” https://www.bassandflindersdistillery.com/blogs/news/how-is-brandy-made-get-to-know-your-brandy?srsltid=AfmBOopMAtGfuHYor0zle6bw6e8io35GhxZgdlvOOiMfjb2FoDObrl4X
At the Texas Folklife Festival:
You can now:
Distillery Trail. “Texas Files Bill to Make Home Distilling Legal – No License or Permit Required.” February 9, 2025. https://www.distillerytrail.com/blog/texas-files-bill-to-make-home-distilling-legal-no-license-or-permit-required/
The difference between a rye and a bourbon:
Skiver Barton, Susannah. “Rye Whiskey Vs. Bourbon: The Main Differences.” August 31, 2022. Liquor.com. https://www.liquor.com/bourbon-vs-rye-whiskey-6541248
What Mack is reading:
William Manchester. The Glory and the Dream: A History of America, 1932-1972. (1974, Little, Brown, and Company).
FDR’s New Deal:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “New Deal.” Updated October 27, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/New-Deal
Hoover is still President:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Herbert Hoover.” Updated October 16, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Herbert-Hoover
Bank failures are the real problem:
McGee, Suzanne. “How Bank Failures Contributed to the Great Depression.” Updated May 28, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/bank-failures-great-depression-1929-crash
Deflation:
Corporate Finance Institute. “Deflation.” https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/economics/deflation/
The Bonus Army:
National Park Service. “The 1932 Bonus Army.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-1932-bonus-army.htm
Douglas MacArthur:
James, D. Clayton. “Douglas MacArthur.” Updated October 1, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Douglas-MacArthur
Not the exact same recipe, but what Steve is baking:
The Modern Nonna. “Banitsa.” Updated July 27, 2024. https://themodernnonna.com/banitsa/
Jane Goodall purposely recorded a video to be aired once she died:
https://youtu.be/lfLKHY52ERc?si=KMS30sIfWxDpVu92
Catastrophe:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catastrophe
And K9 is a delightfully comic robot dog from the Doctor Who universe. But you already knew that.
Monday Oct 20, 2025
Monday Oct 06, 2025
Monday Oct 06, 2025
Mack, Steve, and Anne get into what one branch of the government isn’t doing right now.
REFERENCES
Congress is defined in Article I of the Constitution:
Constitution Annotated. “Article I.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-1/
They didn’t want a king:
Pereira, Ivan. “Nation’s Founders Pushed Against ‘Elected King’ When Framing Presidential Powers.” July 2, 2024. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/nations-founders-pushed-elected-king-framing-presidential-powers/story?id=111621798
You know how Aristotle called for “balanced government”:
Smith, Steven. “9. The Mixed Regime and the Rule of Law: Aristotle’s Politics, VII” [YouTube video]. Yale Courses. https://youtu.be/mKLkb4LDi5M?si=NLTY5uPD9omUdXGZ
The Senate, originally, chosen by the state legislatures:
United States Senate. “Landmark Legislation: The Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution.” https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/senate-and-constitution/seventeenth-amendment.htm
The Seventeenth Amendment:
Constitution Annotated. “Seventeenth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-17/
Part of the Progressive Era:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “The Progressive Era Key Facts.” September 28, 2020. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/summary/The-Progressive-Era-Key-Facts
“No appropriations shall be made but by law”:
Constitution Annotated. “ArtI.S9.C7.1 Overview of Appropriations Clause.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S9-C7-1/ALDE_00001095/
There’s Project 2025, too:
Wendling, Mike. “Project 2025: The Right-Wing Wish List for Trump’s Second Term.” February 13, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c977njnvq2do
During Nixon’s administration, Nixon tried what is called “impoundment”:
Kogan, Richard, “FAQs on Impoundment: Presidential Actions Are Constrained by Long-Standing Constitutional Restrictions.” November 21, 2024. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/faqs-on-impoundment-presidential-actions-are-constrained-by-long-standing
The Supreme Court ruled that unconstitutional:
Justia. “Train v. City of New York, 420 U.S. 35 (1975).” https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/420/35/
It could be a veto override:
United States House of Representatives. “Presidential Vetoes.” Updated January 23, 2025. https://history.house.gov/Institution/Presidential-Vetoes/Presidential-Vetoes/
USAID:
Faguy, Ana. “USAID Officially Closes, Attracting Condemnation From Obama and Bush.” July 2, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c307zq8ppj6o
That was part of the DOGE-ness:
Clarke, Jennifer. “What is DOGE and Why Has Musk Left?” May 20, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c23vkd57471o
Project 2025 had it:
Mathiasen, Karen. “Project 2025 and Development Policy: I Read It So You Don’t Have To.” July 20, 2024. https://www.cgdev.org/blog/project-2025-and-development-policy-i-read-it-so-you-dont-have
Some people have not liked USAID for years:
Kakissis, Joanna; Bartlett, Kate; Peralta, Eyder; and Hadid, Diaa. “How the Gutting of USAID is Reverberating Around the World: Worry, Despair, Praise.” February 11, 2025. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/02/11/g-s1-47661/trump-musk-usaid-ukraine-south-africa-mexico-colombia-india-afghanistan-hiv
Aid has stopped going to these places:
Mednick, Sam; McMakin, Wilson; and Pronczuk, Monika. “USAID Cuts are Already Hitting Countries Around the World: Here are 20 Projects That Have Closed.” AP News. https://apnews.com/article/usaid-cuts-hunger-sickness-288b1d3f80d85ad749a6d758a778a5b2
Food has spoiled:
Hartner, Fred. “‘The Impact has Been Devastating’: How USAID Freez Sent Shockwaves Through Ethiopia." February 21, 2025. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/ng-interactive/2025/feb/21/the-impact-has-been-devastating-how-usaid-freeze-sent-shockwaves-through-ethiopia
Supplies have been destroyed:
Kent, Lauren. “US to Burn $9.7 Million Worth of USAID-Purchased Contraceptives Rather Than Deliver Them to Women Overseas.” July 29, 2025. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/29/europe/usaid-contraceptives-burn-belgium-france-intl
Furloughed the people:
Tanis, Fatma. “USAID Terminates Nearly All Its Remaining Employees.” March 28, 2025. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/03/28/g-s1-56968/usaid-terminates-nearly-all-its-remaining-employees
People were going to the courts to say, “Hey, this is illegal.”:
Wagner, Erich. “Judge Certifies Class in Lawsuit on Behalf of Ex-USAID Workers, Contractors." August 19, 2025. Government Executive. https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/08/judge-certifies-class-lawsuit-behalf-ex-usaid-workers-contractors/407551/
Being wined and dined by monarchy:
Reals, Tucker; Ott, Haley; and Watson, Kathryn. “Trump Attends Banquet Dinner With King Charles During Second State Visit to U.K.” Updated September 17, 2025. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/trump-uk-state-visit-epstein-protests-king-charles-windsor-castle/
There is an allocation to the White House for travel and other expenses:
U.S. Government Accountability Office. “White House Spending.” September 14, 2023. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-106450
From the General Service Administration:
Oversight:
Gongress.gov “Congressional Oversight and Investigations.” https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10015
Separation of powers:
Constitution Annotated. “Intro.7.2 Separation of Powers Under the Constitution.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/intro.7-2/ALDE_00000031/
You can be held in contempt of Congress:
Legal Information Institute. “Contempt of Congress.” Reviewed July 2022. Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contempt_of_congress
They’d have to send their Sargent at Arms:
United States House of Representatives. “Sergeant at Arms.” https://www.house.gov/the-house-explained/officers-and-organizations/sergeant-at-arms
(Who currently does not appear to be 60- nor 70-years-old):
United States Senate. “Sergeant at Arms Jennifer A. Hemingway.” https://www.senate.gov/about/officers-staff/sergeant-at-arms/hemingway-jennifer.htm
The power of the purse:
United States House of Representatives. “Power of the Purse.” https://history.house.gov/Institution/Origins-Development/Power-of-the-Purse/
Say the FBI Director was testifying in front of Congress:
Debusmann, Jr., Bernd. “Kash Patel’s Combative Senate Hearing: Key Takeaways.” September 16, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9dxq8dn4xdo
They pass a budget, which they haven’t ever done in 20 years:
Desilver, Drew. “Congress Has Long Struggled to Pass Spending Bills on Time.” October 1, 2025. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/10/01/congress-has-long-struggled-to-pass-spending-bills-on-time/
When we say “shut down the government,” like, how literal is that:
Committee for A Responsible Federal Budget. “Government Shutdowns Q&A: Everything You Should Know.” September 16, 2025. https://www.crfb.org/papers/government-shutdowns-qa-everything-you-should-know
Since the 90s, all of the federal employees who were not getting paychecks, got back pay:
Partnership for Public Service. “How the Federal Workforce is Impacted During a Government Shutdown." https://ourpublicservice.org/fed-figures/the-federal-workforce-during-a-government-shutdown/
It’s not just Federal programs (one example):
League of Minnesota Cities. “Federal Government Shutdown: What It Means for Cities.” October 1, 2025. https://www.lmc.org/news-publications/news/all/federal-government-shutdown-what-it-means-for-cities/
The defining moment of McCarthyism:
American Experience. “‘Have You No Decency?’: McCarthy” [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/svUyYzzv6VI?si=k5O3t6ZQQ-CUkZDI
Dean and Watergate:
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. “Howard Baker and John Dean ‘What Did the President Know and When did He Know It’” [Video]. https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/media/video/howard-baker-and-john-dean-what-did-president-know-and-when-did-he-know-it
Some of that came into play with Vietnam:
Spector, Ronald H. “The Fall of South Vietnam.” Updated September 18, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Vietnam-War/The-fall-of-South-Vietnam
The third way they can do something is impeachment:
USA.gov. “How Federal Impeachment Works.” Updated April 14, 2025. https://www.usa.gov/impeachment
There are also regular hearings that are set:
Congress.gov “Types of Committee Hearings.” https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/98-317
A problematic policy like, say, destroying vaccines:
Noguchi, Yuki. “Senators From Both Parties Grilled RFK, Jr. on Vaccines and More.” September 4, 2025. https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/09/04/nx-s1-5528966/rfk-kennedy-hearing-covid-vaccines-cdc
These people went to school together:
Schaeffer, Katherine. “Nearly All Members of the 118th Congress Have a Bachelor’s Degree–and Most Have a Graduate Degree, Too.” February 2, 2023. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/02/02/nearly-all-members-of-the-118th-congress-have-a-bachelors-degree-and-most-have-a-graduate-degree-too/
Take the example of Nixon’s resignation:
Elving, Ron. “Half a Century Ago, Nixon Became the Only President to Resign.” August 9, 2024. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/08/09/nx-s1-5068704/nixon-resign
You probably wouldn’t find a better horse trader:
Perry, Barbara A. “Joe Biden: Life Before the Presidency.” Miller Center. https://millercenter.org/president/biden/life-before-the-presidency
Noob:
Nelson, Michael. “Barack Obama: Life Before the Presidency.” Miller Center. https://millercenter.org/president/obama/life-before-the-presidency
Think about Johnson and the Civil Rights Act:
Gittinger, Ted and Fisher, Allen. “LBJ Champions the Civil Rights Act of 1964.” Reviewed February 6, 2023. National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2004/summer/civil-rights-act
Senator Hubert Humphry:
Miller Center. “Hubert H. Humphrey.” https://millercenter.org/president/lbjohnson/essays/humphrey-1963-vicepresident
Al Gore, Sr.:
Creekmore, Betsey B. “Albert Arnold Gore, Sr.” September 25, 2018. Volopedia. https://volopedia.lib.utk.edu/entries/albert-arnold-gore-sr/
Estes Kefauver:
United States Senate. “Estes Kefauver: A Featured Biography.” https://www.senate.gov/senators/FeaturedBios/Featured_Bio_KefauverEstes.htm
Johnson had been majority leader in Senate:
United States Senate. “Senate Leaders.” https://www.senate.gov/about/parties-leadership/johnson-b-lyndon.htm
At the same time, the House Speaker was Sam Rayburn:
Johnson, Lyndon B. and Champagne, Anthony M. “Sam Rayburn.” January 2, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sam-Rayburn
“To get along, go along.”:
RayBurnMrSpeaker.com. “RayBurnisms.” https://www.rayburnmrspeaker.com/rayburnisms
Logrolling:
Political Dictionary. “Logrolling.” https://politicaldictionary.com/words/logrolling/
Rolling logs:
https://youtube.com/shorts/J6Gt1BfzNRA?si=Ms8iPE-sObR_WtJ4
The movie Charlie Wilson’s War:
https://youtu.be/G1mnSjjeC2o?si=et5vV0KngLrdB8Ls
Tom DeLay:
Parrott-Sheffer, Chelsey. “Tom DeLay.” August 3, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tom-DeLay
Gingrich:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Newt Gingrich.” Updated September 5, 3035. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Newt-Gingrich
Partisan leadership got much more control of funding for Congressman:
Kornberg, Maya and Deng, Sophia. “How Money Shapes Pathways to Power in Congress.” September 10, 2024. Brennan Center for Justice. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-money-shapes-pathways-power-congress
When they bring freshman in to orient them together (which they are trying to restore):
Papp, Justin. “Incoming Members of Congress Descend on Capitol Hill for Orientation.” November 12, 2024. Roll Call. https://rollcall.com/2024/11/12/congress-house-new-member-orientation-2024/
You wouldn’t bring your family to D.C.:
Wire, Sarah D. “This is What It’s Like to be a Cross-Country Flight Away From Your Constituents–and Your Family.” April 30, 2018. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-congress-california-fly-home-20180430-story.html
In part, because of the demands of fundraising:
Minkin, Amelia. “The 118th Congress’ Fundraising Treadmill.” February 4, 2025. Issue One. https://issueone.org/articles/the-118th-congress-fundraising-treadmill/
The budget situation has obviously changed since we recorded. Here is updated information at the time of posting:
Hubbard, Kaia and Yilek, Caitlin. “Government Shutdown Live Updates as Funding Impasse Stretches Into Second Day.” October 2, 2025. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/government-shutdown-latest-second-day-trump-johnson/
Like renaming bases:
Guldin, Joanna. “Trump is Renaming 7 Army Installations: Here are the Stories Behind the Names Being Scrubbed.” June 17, 2025. Military.com. https://www.military.com/history/trump-renaming-7-army-installations-here-are-stories-behind-names-being-scrubbed.html
This is also a lot of Project 2025 people:
Wardwell, Faith. “The Key Project 2025 Authors Now Staffing the Trump Administration.” March 12, 2025. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/key-project-2025-authors-now-staffing-trump-administration-rcna195107
For instance, renaming the Defense Department, the War Department:
Debusmann, Jr., Bernd. “Trump Rebrands Department of Defense as Department of War.” September 5, 2025. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgr9r4qr0ppo
Or done it themselves:
Matza, Max. “Proud Boys and Oath Keepers Among Over 1,500 Capitol Right Defendants Pardoned by Trump.” January 20, 2025. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y7l47xrpko
Things that are actually making them upset (one example):
Thorp V, Frank; Kapur, Sahil; and Leach, Brennan. “Some Republicans Object to Trump’s Move to Cancel Spending, Warning of a Shutdown.” September 3, 2025. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republicans-object-trumps-rescission-cancel-spending-warning-shutdown-rcna228758
The Epstein files:
Ferris, Sarah; Grayer, Annie; Fox, Lauren; and Raju, Manu. “The Epstein Files are Roiling the House GOP, and There’s No End in Sight.” July 24, 2025. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/24/politics/house-republicans-epstein-trump
They’re scared of getting shot:
Wong, Scott; Zanona, Melanie; and Stewart, Kyle. “‘People are Scared to Death’: Members of Congress Fear for Their Safety After Charlie Kirk Assassination.” September 11, 2025. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/congress-scared-charlie-kirk-assassination-canceling-events-rcna230632
Violence is increasing in our culture:
Jipson, Art and Becker, Paul J. “Right-Wing Extremist Violence is More Frequent and More Deadly Than Left-Wing Violence: What the Data Shows.” September 17, 2025. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/right-wing-extremist-violence-is-more-frequent-and-more-deadly-than-left-wing-violence-what-the-data-shows-265367
They don’t want to get voted out:
Reynolds, Molly E. “Even the Perceive Threat of a Primary Alters Behavior in Congress.” October 30, 2018. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/even-the-perceived-threat-of-a-primary-alters-behavior-in-congress/
Trump’s approval rating has been the lowest it’s ever been:
McHardy, Martha. “Donald Trump’s Approval Rating Hits Record Low for Second Term.” Updated October 2, 2025. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trumps-approval-rating-hits-record-low-for-second-term-10815700
People, like farmers, are being impacted financially:
Starr, Stephen. “Farmers in U.S. Midwest Squeezed by Trump Tariffs and Climate Crisis.” August 16, 2025. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/16/farmers-trump-tariffs-climate-change
According to what they voted on, which is the economy:
Boak, Josh and Thomson-Deveaux, Amelia. “Voters Who Focused on the Economy Broke Hard for Trump.” November 8, 2024. AP News. https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/ap-votecast-voters-who-focused-on-the-economy-broke-hard-for-trump/
Mack may be overestimating how many Americans can withstand the strain of higher prices:
Cerullo, Megan. “Most Americans Don’t Earn Enough to Afford Basic Costs of Living, Analysis Finds.” Updated May 16, 2025. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cost-of-living-income-quality-of-life/
Including Trump said we may have to go through hard times:
Allen, Jonathan. “Trump Rejects Concerns About Prices and Economic Uncertainty as He Defends His Agenda.” May 4, 2025. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-rejects-concerns-prices-economic-uncertainty-defends-agenda-rcna203512
Even in the poverty stricken places of the United States:
National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities. “Poverty: Map.” https://hdpulse.nimhd.nih.gov/data-portal/social/map?age=001&age_options=ageall_1&demo=00007&demo_options=poverty_3&race=00&race_options=race_7&sex=0&sex_options=sexboth_1&socialtopic=080&socialtopic_options=social_6&statefips=00&statefips_options=area_states
Culture war stuff:
European Center for Populism Studies. “Culture War.” https://www.populismstudies.org/Vocabulary/culture-war/
The immigration stuff:
Oliphant, J. Baxter; Kiley, Jocelyn; Van Green, Ted; Gracia, Shanay; and Copeland, Joseph. “Views of the Trump Administrations Immigration Policies.” June 17, 2025. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/06/17/views-of-the-trump-administrations-immigration-policies/
“It’s really the fault of the Democratic party”:
Slack, Donovan. “Trump Wields Axe Over ‘Democrat Agencies’ as Shutdown Blame Game Rages.” October 3, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg201rnw2zo
Everybody’s going to jealously guard their institution’s power:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Checks and Balances.” Updated August 22, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/checks-and-balances
Then you have J.D. Vance:
Wedling, Mike. “J.D. Vance: The ‘hillbilly’ MAGA Loyalist Who Became Vice President.” March 4, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn07dv4mrg2o
Hits on Fox News, in the past:
Panetta, Grace. “Hope Hicks is Returning to the White House—Here Are 21 People Who Have Gone Through the Revolving Door Between Fox and the Trump Administration.” February 13, 2020. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/19-people-who-have-worked-at-fox-news-trump-administration-2019-5
Hits on Fox News, more recently:
Golkenflik, David. “Trump Taps 19 Fox Pundits, Personalities, and Producers for Second Term.” January 20, 2025. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2025/01/20/nx-s1-5268791/fox-news-trump-inauguration
To what degree is gerrymandering a two-way street:
Blake, Aaron. “Four Possible Outcomes of a Gerrymandering Battle Royale.” August 8, 2025. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/08/politics/gerrymandering-texas-house-outcomes
What the Republicans were able to do in ’94:
Kennedy, Lesley. “The 1994 Midterms: When Newt Gingrich Helped Republicans Win Big.” Updated March 2, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/midterm-elections-1994-republican-revolution-gingrich-contract-with-america
Suppressing the vote is a bad thing:
League of Women Voters. “Fighting Voter Suppression.” https://www.lwv.org/voting-rights/fighting-voter-suppression
The difference in the majority in the house, you can count on one hand:
U.S. House of Representatives Press Gallery. “Party Breakdown.” https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown
It’s been this way now for a while:
Schaeffer, Katherine. “Slim Majorities Have Become More Common in the U.S. House and Senate.” December 17, 2024. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/12/17/slim-majorities-have-become-more-common-in-the-us-house-and-senate/
Things we drank:
Martinis, Serbian brandies, Holy Moles
Yes, Steve, there are 12 fruits:
VegEase. “How Many Fruits Are There in the World?” https://vegease.in/blog/how-many-fruits-are-there-in-the-world/?srsltid=AfmBOop5WF6lXjysK8FgUU4KkaKOyWZyGYLYItNHo90-F9mQwhfrlb36
Oh, an apéritif:
Graham, Colleen. “What Is an Apéritif?” September 6, 2022. The Spruce Eats. https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-an-aperitif-759924
A golden mescal as opposed to a silvery:
Rogers, Felisa. “Blanco, Plato, Silver, Joven.” October 11, 2024. Mezcalistas. https://www.mezcalistas.com/what-is-blanco-or-joven-mezcal/
The overthrow of the dictator Ceauşescu:
Editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica. “Nicolae Ceauşescu.” Updated September 12, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicolae-Ceausescu
A flag from that day where they cut out the middle part:
General Knowledge “Romania’s Flag Explained: Colors and Historical Meaning” [Video]. YouTube. September 2, 2018. https://youtu.be/LnM6dSaVXXU?si=r55bVGroLESyi6f5
When the Berlin wall fell:
Pleitgen, Fred. “See the Berlin Wall Fall 30 Years Ago” [Video]. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2019/11/07/berlin-30th-anniversary-since-wall-came-down-lc-lon-orig.cnn
After their Afghan war:
Editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica. “Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan.” Updated August 29, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Soviet-invasion-of-Afghanistan
Which Germany:
Roos, Dave. “How Germany Was Divided After World War II.” Updated May 28, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/germany-divided-world-war-ii
Things were relaxed in Hungary first:
Office of the Historian. “Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1989.” https://history.state.gov/milestones/1989-1992/fall-of-communism
Gorbachev:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Mikhail Gorbachev.” September 20, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mikhail-Gorbachev
Puppet states:
Vocabulary.com. “Puppet State.” https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/puppet%20state
Glasnost:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Glasnost.” April 30, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/glasnost
Perestroika:
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Perestoika.” July 18, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/perestroika-Soviet-government-policy
How they divided things:
The Map as History. “The Construction of the Berlin Wall.” https://www.the-map-as-history.com/Cold-War-western-eastern-bloc/the-construction-of-the-berlin-wall
Yes, the wall went up in 1961:
Stiftung Berliner Mauer. “The Berlin Wall.” https://www.stiftung-berliner-mauer.de/en/topics/berlin-wall
The reunification of Germany:
Ashby Turner, Henry and Leyser, K. J. “The Reunification of Germany.” October 3, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Germany/The-reunification-of-Germany
The George H. W. Bush Presidential Library at A&M:
The approval rating of congress as a whole is lower than any president:
Gallup. “Congress and the Public.” https://news.gallup.com/poll/1600/congress-public.aspx
But the incumbency rate is often over 90%:
Open Secrets. “Reelection Rates Over the Years.” https://www.opensecrets.org/elections-overview/reelection-rates
Anne was paraphrasing George Carlin, and if you didn’t know that, watch this video:
Carlin, Stuff. “George Carlin Talks About ‘Stuff’” [Video]. May 1, 2007. YouTube. https://youtu.be/MvgN5gCuLac?si=pLXyW2nAE1_YrrtQ
Inflation Reduction Act:
Congress.gov. “H.R.5376 – Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.” https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5376/text
If you have aged a lot too, here's how much longer we have to go with Trump:
https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/6119379/end-of-trumps-presidency
Infrastructure Improvement Act:
Congress.gov. “H.R.3684 – Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.” https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684
Affordable Care Act:
Congress.gov. “H.R.3590 – Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.” https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/3590
At one point, they passed net neutrality:
Congress.gov. “H.R.8573 – Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act of 2022.” https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8573
Before they fucked it up:
Bowman, Emma. “Net Neutrality is Struck, Ending a Long Battle to Regulate ISPs Like Public Utilities.” January 3, 2025. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2025/01/03/nx-s1-5247840/net-neutrality-fcc-struck
The Civil Rights Act:
National Archives. “Civil Rights Act (1964).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/civil-rights-act
Twenty-First Amendment:
Constitution Annotated. “Twenty-First Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-21/
American’s With Disabilities Act:
Or IDEA:
U.S. Department of Education. “Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).” https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/individuals-disabilities/idea
Like, curb cuts:
99% Invisible. “Episode 308: Curb Cuts” [Podcast]. https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/curb-cuts/
Clean Air Act:
Congress.gov. “Clean Air Act: A Summary of the Act and Its Major Requirements.” https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RL30853
There was less divisiveness than there is now when we have online socializing:
Syrjämäki, Aleski H.; Ilves, Mirja; Olsson, Thomas; Kiskola, Joel; Isokoski, Poika; Rantasila, Anna; Bente, Gary; and Surakka, Veikko. (2024). “Online Disinhibition Mediates the Relationship Between Emotion Regulation Difficulties and Uncivil Communication.” Nature.com. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-81086-7
TLDR:
Above the Noise. “Does the Internet Make You Meaner?” [Video]. July 31, 2019. YouTube. https://youtu.be/0fx8hN5JyZM?si=iakialnQ0w88n_HG
When there was a shooter at the Congressional baseball game:
History.com Editors. “Gunman Shoots Four People, Including GOP Congressman, at Baseball Practice.” Updated May 27, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/june-14/james-hodgkinson-shooting-republicans-baseball-game
And 42 is the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything. But you already knew that.