Plain Civics

Send us a message Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they discuss the “freedom of expression” portion of the First Amendment. The First Amendment actually provides us with 5 freedoms, including freedom of religion, which we will examine in episode 24, and freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and petition. There is a reason the Framers included all of these in the very first amendment, so lis...

Send us a message Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they unwrap how polarization and civil discourse are related, tell about how we, as a nation, have been here before, and how we overcame those difficult episodes of civil discourse. What is different this time around and how we can still overcome the tough period of polarization and uncivil discourse. Support the show

Send us a message Joins hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they discuss political polarization in America.  They unwrap what is meant by polarization, possible reasons for it, why it seems worse right now, and what we can do to lessen it and why we need to. Support the show

Send us a message Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they take a deep dive into gerrymandering. They explain what it is, how it and the name came about, and how it it relates to the census and state redistributing after each census. Support the show

Send us a message Listen as hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery discuss what your duties and responsibilities are as citizens of the United States. Duties such as following laws and serving on a jury are required, and responsibilities such as voting and staying informed about the issues are expected. But there are more than these. So, listen and learn why civic engagement, civic education, and fulfil...

Send us a message In this special episode we are going to explore some common misconceptions about various topics related to civics. We tried to think of things we have heard people say that made us stop and think, “What?” Maybe the “what” meant, “That person doesn’t know what they are talking about,” or maybe it meant, ”Wow, I didn’t know that and I would almost bet other people don’t either.” So...

Send us a message Slavery definitely had an influence on the writing and wording of the U.S. Constitution and the history of our republic, not just in its earliest days but we can still see some of its lingering effects in our nation today…almost 250 years later. This episode discusses the truths about slavery in America and gives a first-hand look at what enslaved Africans endured in the so-calle...

Send us a message Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they delve into why and how the Bill of Rights was added to the original Constitution within just a couple years of its ratification. Included is what each amendment actually states, an explanation of the three categories of rights, and what is meant by positive and negative rights. Support the show

Send us a message Join hosts, Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher as they tackle the reason we use the Electoral College to elect the President, and explain how the process works. There is also a discussion of why people don’t vote and how to encourage them to. Support the show

Send us a message Join hosts Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher as they delve into the ratification process of the new Constitution, the purpose and meaning of the general welfare clause and habeas corpus, and dissect the Preamble of the Constitution because it’s not just a bunch of words. Support the show

Send us a message Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they discuss ratification of the new Constitution, Federalists and Anti-Federalists and their arguments for and against ratification, and what is the “necessary and proper clause?” Support the show

Send us a message Join the hosts, Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher as they put the wraps on the Constitutional Convention in September 1787. Find out what the final debates and discussions were about and why a few delegates refused to sign it. Also, don’t miss the Fast Five and Pop Quiz . Support the show

Send us a message Join the hosts, Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher, as they wrap up the making of our Constitution. Learn about the ins and outs of important debates and how they were resolved and incorporated into the new Constitution. As always, enjoy the Fast Five and Pop Quiz, as well. Support the show

Send us a message Join hosts Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher as they continue to explore why the Framers decided to ditch the Articles of Confederation and create our current U.S. Constitution. Support the show

Send us a message Join the hosts of Plain Civics , Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher, as they look at what the Continental Congress did right before issuing the Declaration of Independence and what our nation’s first constitution was like and what led to its revision. Support the show

Send us a message In this episode of Plain Civics , hosts Bobbi Fisher + Joe Ulery discuss how to sort out news and information in 2025. They look at journalistic ethics and how to try to figure out which news sources are accurate and reliable. Methods and websites are discussed to help sort through the mounds of information thrown at us in the 24/7 news cycle and where to fact-check it. Support t...

Send us a message In this episode of Plain Civics , hosts Bobbi Fisher + Joe Ulery discuss the purpose of one of our nation’s founding documents, the Declaration of Independence, and try to clear up the confusion that often surrounds this important document. Support the show

Send us a message In this episode of Plain Civics , hosts Bobbi Fisher + Joe Ulery discuss the five main forms of government and why the Framers chose to create a democratic republic. The five main forms of government are briefly explained with examples given. There is also a brief explanation of how economic terms sometimes are confused with forms of government. And, of course, our Pop Quiz quest...

Send us a message In this episode of Plain Civics , hosts Bobbi Fisher + Joe Ulery discuss what the U.S. being a democratic republic really means, and it has nothing to do with political parties. Support the show

Send us a message In this episode of Plain Civics , hosts Bobbi Fisher + Joe Ulery discuss the origins of civic education in the U.S. and its role in shaping informed citizens. This episode explores the early 1800s push for universal schooling, Horace Mann's vision, and the lasting impact on democracy. Learn how civics once formed the foundation of education...and why it still matters today....

Send us a message In this debut episode of Plain Civics , hosts Bobbi Fisher + Joe Ulery dive into the importance of civic knowledge. Learn how understanding government strengthens our democracy and empowers citizens of all ages to actively participate and make a difference. Support the show

Send us a message This is where our journey begins. Welcome to Plain Civics. Meet hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery. Bobbi and Joe describe their mission and begin to unravel the knotted ball of civics, thread-by-thread - so, you will know how the government works to make the government work for you. Buckle up and join us for our journey! Support the show