Civics 101

Ever since fluoridation became widespread in the 1950s, cavities in kids have fallen drastically. The effort is considered one of the ten greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. But it’s also one of the most controversial. Today, the story of what that's so, from our sister podcast, NHPR's Outside/In.  CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast...

During his campaign, now-President Trump promised a lot of action (much of it to happen on day one). So what did he actually do once he regained the office? A LOT. This is the first week of Trump's executive orders. For some context, check out our episodes on: Wong Kim Ark and Birthright Citizenship Dred Scott The Fourteenth Amendment An earlier version of this episode incorrectly identified sever...

Most of us know about birthright citizenship, but not many people have ever heard of Wong Kim Ark and the landmark Supreme Court decision that decided both his fate and the fate of a U.S. immigration policy that endures to this day. This is the case that solidified the Fourteenth Amendment as we understand it today.      CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podca...

During his campaign, Donald Trump promised several times that he would dismantle the US Department of Education. So today we wanted to explore what such a dismantling would look like, as well as what the DoED does in the first place.  Turns out, while the Department does an awful lot of things, there is much for which it is criticized that it does not do. Taking us through its creation, its histor...

What has Donald Trump claimed he would do when it comes to environmental policy in the U.S.? What happened during his last administration?  And what are the limits on executive powers when it comes to treaties and global agreements? Elizabeth Bomberg, Professor of Politics at the University of Edinburgh, tells us what we can expect when it comes to emissions regulations, drilling, climate research...

Transportation and infrastructure are massive (literally) undertakings here in the United States. So what does it mean to oversee it all? What is the Secretary of Transportation actually in charge of and what's going on with our roads, bridges, airports, etc.? We spoke with Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to find out. CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to t...

How do we mourn our presidents and former presidents? Where did all those very public rituals come from? And how much input does a president have in their own post-death ceremonies? We break down the history and mystery of presidential funerals with Lindsay Chervinsky and Matthew Costello.  This episode of Civics 101 was produced by senior producer Christina Phillps and mixed by Rebecca Lavoie. It...

In our latest edition of Holiday Trivia, a rundown of some of the quirky food, drinks, and celebratory ephemera at the White House during the most wonderful time of the year.  Have an opinion on the pronunciation of "praline?" Send us an email!   CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, get free educational materials, and more! To...

President-elect Donald Trump has said, "the most beautiful word in the dictionary is tariff, and it’s my favorite word." So what are they? Why might the United States raise or lower a tariff on goods from another country? How has America used tariffs throughout our history? And how might Donald Trump's proposed tariffs affect the cost of goods in the US? Taking us through tariffs is Dr. Shannon O'...

Authoritarianism and autocracies take many forms. So how do you know it when you see it? Our guide to the erosion of choice, rights, truth and power is Anne Applebaum, author of several books including, most recently, Autocracy, Inc..   CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, get free educational materials, and more! To see Civic...

Former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius talks about the powers - and limits - of the role in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump's pick of RFK Jr. for the role. This episode was brought to us by the podcast Tradeoffs, hosted by former NHPR health reporter Dan Gorenstein. CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, get free educat...

In 1906, the Supreme Court stayed a man's execution. That same day, his town murdered him. Then SCOTUS held it's first and only criminal trial for those who had allowed it to happen. This is the story of a wrongful conviction that was only the beginning of injustice and the students who learned that story in June of 2024. It's also the story of what happens when you realize your government is clos...

Whenever there's an incoming administration, there's a big to-do about Cabinet nominations. So what does The Cabinet DO? How has it evolved since  Washington's administration? What is the process for appointing someone to the cabinet? And finally, how could a president appoint someone without approval from the Senate? Taking us through all the cabinetry is Dan Cassino, professor of government and...

President Elect Donald Trump has said he won't be a dictator "except for day one." We take a look at all of the "day one" promises he's made over the course of his campaign and explain how he might get them done. Or not. For a sense of how many times Donald Trump made these promises, check out the Washington Post's data here. Click HERE to buy tickets for NHPR's Holiday Raffle!  NHPR’s Holiday Raf...

In 2018, we did an episode on Presidential Transitions. Now that we have had an election, we decided to revisit it. There are nearly 4,000 positions that a president appoints after their inauguration. How do they do it? How long does it take? And why has Donald Trump repeatedly refused to sign the "memoranda of understanding" regarding the transition from the U.S. General Services Administration?...

You voted for president. So what happens to your ballot next?  This episode covers EVERYTHING that happens to ensure your vote is verified, all the way up to the official counting of electoral votes in Congress.  Our guests are journalist Jessica Huseman and Notre Dame law professor Derek Muller.  CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our news...

A story about a former Capitol Police officer who's life has been shaped by the events of January 6th. Emilia's Thing was produced by the Document team at NHPR. Click here for more.  CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, get free educational materials, and more! To see Civics 101 in book form, check out A User's Guide to Democr...

The United States spends more than any other country on healthcare. And, unfortunately, that's just about the only place we come in first. Today we learn about the creation and maintenance of our unique public/private system with Sue Tolleson-Rinehart, Professor Emeritus at UNC, and Amélie Quesnel-Vallée, Canada Research Chair in Policies and Health Inequalities at McGill University. They break do...

The Smithsonian is the world's largest research institution, but much of it is out of public sight. And one particular kind of collection is part of a growing debate over where ethical lines and scientific discovery should be drawn. This week, we present the first part of a special series from our colleagues at Outside/In. You can listen to the rest of the series here, or get Outside/In wherever l...

Corruption in politics is a trope that's been around ever since we had politics. And it can feel inevitable. Regardless of anticorruption legislation and executive orders, it seems like it will never go away. David Sirota, editor in chief of The Lever and host of the podcast Master Plan, argues the opposite.   Today on Civics 101 we learn about what corruption is, how it influences (or doesn't inf...

Whenever there's a big strike in the news, someone inevitably invokes the phrase "Taft-Hartely Act" when talking about whether or not the president should intervene. But what is Taft-Hartley? How did it come about? And what can it actually do? Nick chats with Erik Loomis, a professor at the University of Rhode Island and expert on all things labor-related.  CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all...

Why don't people "civically engage?" Because they're too busy! Politicians are busy! Or maybe...they don't care? In this special episode of Civics 101 recorded in front of a live audience, we hear from experts who break down what it means to participate in our democracy, how to break down barriers to participation, and how to be who you already are and make a VERY big difference.  This episode was...

What does it mean if a SCOTUS justice is a self-proclaimed "originalist?" When was the word first used in that context? And what are we missing about the framers when we look only upon the recent interpretation of their words in the court? Today our guide is Mackenzie Joy Brennan;  lawyer, media commentator, and author of the upcoming book The Original ‘Original Intent,’ Recovering the Lost Consti...

For more than two hundred years Americans have tried to tame the Mississippi River. And, for that entire time, the river has fought back.  This week we present an episode of our sister podcast Outside/In.  Journalist and author Boyce Upholt has spent dozens of nights camping along the Lower Mississippi and knows the river for what it is: both a water-moving machine and a supremely wild place. His...

Today, we bring you a special bonus - a SMACKDOWN episode of NPR's It's Been a Minute featuring our own hosts Nick and Hannah!  IBAM host Brittany Luse has been taking this smackdown on the road  to cities all across the country.  Hear the other debates on the It's Been a Minute podcast. CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, ge...