Civil Discourse
233 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsThis podcast uses government documents to illuminate the workings of the American government, and offer context around the effects of government agencies in your everyday life.
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Episodes
The Brownlow Committee, Part 1
April 06, 2021 16:00 - 47 minutes - 30.3 MBThe Brownlow Committee and report provide the next two episodes in the Commission series. Part 1 is a discussion of the goals of President Roosevelt in forming the Committee as well as their general recommendations. Part 2 is a discussion of the outcome of the Committee's report, including the many offices within the Executive Office of the President.
The 9/11 Commission, Part 2
March 30, 2021 16:00 - 49 minutes - 31.4 MBAughie and Nia tackle the 9/11 Commission report and outcomes in the next two episodes of this series. Part 1 concentrates on the precipitating event and the report. Part 2 concentrates on the USA PATRIOT Act and other outcomes following the report.
The 9/11 Commission, Part 1
March 23, 2021 16:00 - 58 minutes - 36.9 MBAughie and Nia tackle the 9/11 Commission report and outcomes in the next two episodes of this series. Part 1 concentrates on the precipitating event and the report. Part 2 concentrates on the USA PATRIOT Act and other outcomes following the report.
Rogers Commission
March 16, 2021 16:00 - 57 minutes - 37.3 MBNext in a series on Commissions and their reports, Aughie and Nia explore the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident, also known as the Rogers Commission. The Commission described the Challenger tragedy as "an accident rooted in history". The nine recommendations of the Commission were rooted in improving safety in the shuttle program.
The Warren Commission
March 09, 2021 17:00 - 51 minutes - 38.3 MBIn this first of a series on government Commissions and their reports, Aughie and Nia discuss the Warren Commission, convened in the aftermath of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
Warren Commission
March 09, 2021 17:00 - 51 minutes - 38.3 MBIn this first of a series on government Commissions and their reports, Aughie and Nia discuss the Warren Commission, convened in the aftermath of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. They explore the members, findings, and conspiracy theories surrounding the work of the Commission.
Vaccines Around the World
March 02, 2021 17:00 - 54 minutes - 35.1 MBNia and Aughie welcome Judy Twigg, political scientist with a public health specialization, to discuss the worldwide vaccine response to COVID-19. The discussion ranges from joint efforts to vaccinate world populations to the concept of soft political power in terms of worldwide health care.
Texas v Pennsylvania in Depth
February 23, 2021 17:00 - 56 minutes - 37.7 MBNia and Aughie explore the Supreme Court ruling in Texas v. Pennsylvania, et al. Included in the discussion are the principles of standing, justiciability, arguments between the states, and the Special Master's position.
Exemplars of Public Service
February 16, 2021 17:00 - 56 minutes - 42.7 MBAughie and Nia welcome Bill Newmann as they discuss the public service careers of Elliot Richardson and William Ruckelshaus. In addition to serving in multiple positions in government, Richardson and Ruckelshaus refused to fire Archibald Cox, the lead investigator of Watergate, at the behest of President Richard Nixon.
Alexei Navalny
February 09, 2021 17:00 - 56 minutes - 39.6 MBNia and Aughie welcome Judy Twigg, VCU Political Science professor, to discuss the Russian dissident Alexei Navalny. Dr. Twigg also gives a bit of the background of the current opposition positions to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Characters in Public Service
February 02, 2021 17:00 - 54 minutes - 36.1 MBAughie and Nia welcome back Bill Newmann, professor of political science at VCU, to discuss larger than life characters in American public service. They touch upon Presidents Johnson and Truman, as well as Governors Huey Long and Ann Richards, and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.
Weird Investigations
January 26, 2021 17:00 - 57 minutes - 38.2 MBAughie and Nia discuss government investigations into unusual phenomena. Included in this podcast are investigations into UFOs, Bigfoot, and the Bermuda Triangle.
Inaugurations Gone Wrong
January 19, 2021 16:21 - 53 minutes - 39.7 MBNia and Aughie discuss "unusual" historical Presidential Inaugurations. From snubs to brawls to illness to drunk vice-presidents, inaugurations of the past have not always run smoothly.
NORAD Tracks Santa Claus
December 18, 2020 22:00 - 47 minutes - 35.4 MB** Disclaimer at the beginning of the episode - please DO NOT listen with young children present. Aughie and Nia talk about the origin of NORAD tracking Santa. They also discuss the funding, staffing, and marketing of the program.
Qualified Immunity
December 11, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 46.9 MBNia and Aughie delve into the topic of qualified immunity. This discussion revolves around the complexity of the issue, from fairness to protection to reasonable conduct.
Court Packing
December 04, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 44.7 MBAughie and Nia discuss the ways that a president could "pack" the court system, focused mostly on the Supreme Court. There is also a discussion of the qualities and levels of experience needed to serve in government in general, and the courts in specific.
Presidential Homes and Retreats
November 27, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 46.8 MBNia and Aughie discuss the various vacation spots used by presidents to get a little R&R. From Buchanan to Trump, Presidents taking a break have often sought to leave the White House and find a "getaway spot", often camps, resorts, or beach locations.
Presidential Transitions
November 20, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 50.9 MBAughie and Nia discuss the importance of presidential transitions to the smooth running of government, especially in areas of security. They also touch on other presidential transitions, some smooth and some rocky.
Presidential Skill Set, Part 2
November 13, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 47.6 MBNia and Aughie explore the skill set required to be President of the United States. In this second part, they explore presidential political skills, public communications, and emotional intelligence.
2020 Election Observations
November 10, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 61.3 MBAughie and Nia discuss their observations regarding the 2020 elections. Episode recorded Friday, November 6, 2020.
Presidential Skill Set, Part 1
November 06, 2020 22:00 - 55 minutes - 41.6 MBNia and Aughie explore the skill set required to be President of the United States. In this first part, they explore presidential organizational skills, the means by which a president processes information, and presidential vision.
Presidential Personalities
October 30, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 48.1 MBAughie and Nia explore the personality types of the Presidents of the United States as defined by James David Barber's typologies. These Presidential typologies include active versus passive and positive versus negative approaches to the position.
Voting and Leadership
October 23, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 45.3 MBNia welcomes Dr. Patricia Sobczak back to the podcast to discuss the way voters assess leaders. They also discuss voting as hiring as well as outside influencers on public opinions of leadership.
Referenda, Initiatives, and Recalls
October 16, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 49.3 MBNia and Aughie explore those densely worded referenda, initiatives, and recalls on the bottom of state ballots. Aughie explains the differences between them, and the purposes and pitfalls of direct democracy.
Replacing Members of Congress
October 09, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 47.4 MBAughie and Nia discuss the five reasons a member of Congress might need to be replaced, and the mechanisms for doing so. They also touch upon the power of special elections to steer politics in a variety of directions.
Trump's COVID Diagnosis
October 05, 2020 21:00 - 39 minutes - 29.8 MBNia and Aughie discuss the line of succession as stated in the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. They also debunk some internet rumors surrounding the President's health and its affect on the 2020 Presidential election.
Election Certification
October 02, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 51.7 MBAughie and Nia discuss the election certification process. They also discuss possible problems with the process at each stage, and potential solutions.
Wagging the Dog
September 25, 2020 21:05 - 1 hour - 44.8 MBNia and Aughie discuss the concept of wagging the dog, a reference to creating a distraction in order to draw attention away from a candidate's behavior. They discuss several examples from events that could be legitimate to events designed deliberately to distract, and the potential these events have to backfire.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Passing
September 25, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 61.1 MBAughie and Nia celebrate the life and legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg upon her passing on September 18, 2020. The discussion includes her early work with the ACLU, her jurisprudence, and her friendship with Justice Antonin Scalia.
Mudslinging
September 18, 2020 21:05 - 1 hour - 45.8 MBNia and Aughie begin to explore the election season with an episode on campaign rhetoric. This discussion of lines crossed and regretted utterances circles back to the concept of civilized political speech and the potential negatives of mudslinging.
Booking
September 18, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 49.2 MBAughie and Nia welcome back Hillary Miller for the last in the three part series dealing with the Supreme Court's decisions on trademark and copyright law of the recent term. In this episode, they discuss the use of "regular" words in trademark law in light of the Booking.com decision.
Trademarks in the US
September 11, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 55.9 MBNia and Aughie welcome Hillary Miller to discuss trademark protections in the United States. The discussion ranges from logos to regular words used in business marks.
Copyright and the Courts
September 04, 2020 21:00 - 57 minutes - 42.1 MBAughie and Nia welcome Hillary Miller in the first of three episodes exploring the legal aspects of copyright and trademark law. In this episode, the three focus on copyright law as applied by the courts.
Summer of SCOTUS: Wrap Up
August 14, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 53 MBNia and Aughie explore themes from the summer of SCOTUS, from the effects of COVID-19 to who wrote the most opinions. Themes include up and downsides to oral arguments, John Roberts' voting record, rulings all over the ideological spectrum, voting and opinion writing, and the future docket of the Court.
Summer of SCOTUS: DACA
August 07, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 46.4 MBAughie and Nia discuss the SCOTUS ruling in the case involving the Trump Administration's attempt to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The SCOTUS ruling focused on the Administrative Procedures Act, and whether the Trump Administration properly applied the necessary procedures to rescind DACA.
Summer of SCOTUS: Taxes
July 31, 2020 21:05 - 1 hour - 42.4 MBAughie and Nia discuss the SCOTUS rulings concerning access to President Donald Trump's tax records, and whether U.S. Presidents can claim absolute immunity from the state criminal process. In the instance of Vance, the SCOTUS ruled that the President does not have immunity from a state criminal subpoena. In the instance of Mazars, the SCOTUS ruled that the Congress must present a compelling case to a judge (and outlined questions that should be asked) to justify their subpoenas. ...
Summer of SCOTUS: McGirt
July 31, 2020 21:00 - 54 minutes - 38.3 MBNia and Aughie grapple with SCOTUS rulings and questions of racism and Congressional neglect as they pertain to treaties with Native American tribes. In this case, the SCOTUS ruled that the Creek Nation's 1833 and 1856 treaties with the federal government are still in place, bringing into question who has authority over the eastern portion of the state of Oklahoma.
Summer of SCOTUS: Faithless Electors
July 24, 2020 21:05 - 45 minutes - 32.8 MBAughie and Nia follow up an earlier podcast (Electoral College) with the rulings that were pending at that time. In a unanimous decision, the SCOTUS held that electors must follow the rules their states have set out for voting in the electoral college. The SCOTUS also held that states could punish electors that "go rogue". Discussion ensued on the long term effect this may have on the functioning of the Electoral College.
Summer of SCOTUS: Religious Employment
July 24, 2020 21:00 - 47 minutes - 34.7 MBIn the rulings for these two cases, Aughie and Nia wrestle with the competing interests of the 1st Amendment's causes regarding religion, civil rights, and moral exceptions for employers. In the first case, the SCOTUS ruling upholds the moral or religious exemption from being required to cover their employees' contraception. In the second case, the question of the ministerial exception is explored.
Summer of SCOTUS: Seila Law, June Medical, and Espinoza
July 18, 2020 13:41 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBIn this long episode, Nia and Aughie talk about three Supreme Court rulings: Seila Law, June Medical, and Espinoza. The Seila ruling considers whether a government official can fine companies, when that official's position may or may not be constitutionally guided. The June Medical ruling concerned the question of undue burden for women seeking abortions. Nia and Aughie disagree on the third ruling, Espinoza (regarding charitable donations and religious schools), but do so civilly. ...
Summer of SCOTUS: Pipelines, Sanctuary Cities, and Guns, oh My!
July 10, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 40.2 MBIn this episode, Nia and Aughie discuss three SCOTUS rulings: the pipeline ruling under the Appalachian Trail, the sanctuary city ruling, and the declination to take a Second Amendment case from the 10 proposed. Each of these rulings have long-term implications for federal and state powers.
Summer of SCOTUS: Bostock
July 03, 2020 21:30 - 55 minutes - 33.6 MBNia and Aughie discuss the meaning of "sex" as written into Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, considering how it may pertain to being fired for being homosexual or transgender. They also talk at length about the concepts of Constitutional textualism, as interpreted by several justices.
Summer of SCOTUS: Guns of New York
July 03, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 45.2 MBAughie and Nia discuss this Second Amendment case, originally opposing the travel ban on guns outside of going to firing ranges, as set by New York City. The case eventually is eventually declared moot (as the city rescinded the law), but there is a lingering question of lower court's application of SCOTUS Second Amendment precedent.
Summer of SCOTUS: Georgia Annotations
June 26, 2020 21:00 - 48 minutes - 32.8 MBIn this episode, Aughie and Nia discuss the Georgia v Public Resource case decided before the Supreme Court, October term, 2019. The holding: Under the government edicts doctrine, the annotations beneath the statutory provisions in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated are ineligible for copyright protection (SCOTUSblog).
Writ of Certiorari
June 19, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 38.8 MBIn this episode, Nia and Aughie discuss the application for a hearing before the Supreme Court, called a writ of certiorari.
Summer of SCOTUS: Writ of Certiorari
June 19, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 38.8 MBIn this episode, Nia and Aughie discuss the application for a hearing before the Supreme Court, called a writ of certiorari. Aughie details the division of labor, brief building process, and clerk work of the Supreme Court, leading to the Justices' decisions about taking a case.
Summer of SCOTUS: SCOTUS on Zoom
June 12, 2020 21:00 - 34 minutes - 24.8 MBNia and Aughie discuss the new rules for oral arguments as the Court adjusts to meeting under social distancing guidelines. Mention is made of the problems created by using a zoom-like software to hold arguments (and the flush heard around the legal world).
SCOTUS on Zoom
June 12, 2020 21:00 - 34 minutes - 24.8 MBNia and Aughie discuss the new rules for oral arguments as the Court adjusts to meeting under social distancing guidelines
Marbury Starts Us Off
June 05, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 48.2 MBThis episode explains the case Marbury v Madison, which led to judicial review, and set the tone for the importance of the SCOTUS going forward.
Summer of SCOTUS: Marbury Starts Us Off
June 05, 2020 21:00 - 1 hour - 48.2 MBNia and Aughie are spending the next several weeks focusing on the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). This episode explains the case Marbury v Madison, which led to judicial review, and set the tone for the importance of the SCOTUS going forward. Learn about the maneuvering of Madison, Marshall, Adams and Jefferson as the third branch of government finds its feet.