Civil Discourse

This episode continues the discussion of the Commerce Clause, including cases about farmers growing extra crops and grandmothers growing medicinal marijuana. 

This episode introduces the listeners to the Commerce Clause, including when and why it was included in the Constitution, what it regulates and its importance to the oversight of commercial intercourse in the United States. It also discusses the case of Bibb versus Navajo Freight Lines which challenged Illinois’ right to control the types of mud flaps that truckers could use when driving through t...

This podcast takes a look at the 25th Amendment, which was proposed after the death of President Kennedy and which provides the procedures for replacing the president or vice president in the event of death, removal, resignation, or incapacitation. The four sections of the amendment reviewed with examples.

This podcast reviews the Federal Register (AKA the bible for bureaucrats) which is defined as: "…the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents." Federal agencies must register their intentions with the Federal Registry for their future intentions to comply with the 1946 Admin...

This podcast reviews the process and internal working of what it takes to issue a presidential executive order and the subsequent issues including potential legal ramifications, injunctions, etc. It also includes examples of executive orders from Bush 43, Barack Obama and Donald Trump (and a fictitious executive order about banning Broccoli).

This podcast discusses the creation of the post office to unify the country, to create a way to connect sellers and buyers and also to help aid in the migratory patterns of the United States. The Pony Express, the Postmaster General, the Sears catalog, the censorship of mail during war times and the railroads are all part of the story of the US Post Office and its impact on American society.

This podcast reviews the process of getting a picture on a postage stamp. It all starts with the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee. According to the committee, you have to be dead and have had some kind of significant impact on American and have a widespread, and positive national appeal (so no serial killers allowed!). Also, copyright issues regarding stamps and their usage are discussed.

This podcast continues the conversation about the federal budget process but this time focuses on Congress’ role. It follows the path of the budget from the president’s office through Congressional leadership and the budget committee (that agrees to the total amount) and appropriations committee (that figures out who gets what) and how the budget is broken up into several appropriations bills to g...

This podcast reviews the federal budget process starting with the president (through the Office of Budget and Management, OMB), the OMB sending out memos to each federal agency for their requirements, the agencies responding and the revised budget going to Congress where it is scrutinized and perceived politically.

This podcast is a continuation of the podcast Eviction Part 1: the Short Take. It discusses cases of eviction, how the instability of housing impacts individuals and neighborhoods, section eight and how eviction is just the latest form of dispossession of people. It looks at neighborhoods in Richmond that have seen instability in some form over the last 100 years.

This podcast discusses the VCU Common Book, Evicted by Matthew Desmond, and the eviction process in general. It covers both the technical definition (the legal process that leads to someone to be physically removed from the place that they rent) as well as the broader “forced moves” that are enacted by landlords without the legal process as well as the creation of the RVA Eviction Lab as a way to...

This podcast, 15 Unicorns Part 1 , is one in a series of three about the process of becoming a cabinet secretary for the US Government. In this part, the key elements needed to be considered for the nomination are discussed. These include who they know and/or their importance to the ruling party, previous government expertise, connection to the president, and expertise in the field. In addition, t...

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This podcast, 15 Unicorns Part 2 , is the second in a series of three about the process of becoming a cabinet secretary for the US Government. In this part, the key elements needed to be considered for the nomination are discussed. These include who they know and/or their importance to the ruling party, previous government expertise, connection to the president, and expertise in the field. In addi...

This podcast, 15 Unicorns Part 3 , is the third in a series of three about the process of becoming a cabinet secretary for the US Government. In this part, the key elements needed to be considered for the nomination are discussed. These include who they know and/or their importance to the ruling party, previous government expertise, connection to the president, and expertise in the field. In addit...

This podcast is the first of two that delves into how to get a bill through Congress. The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 is used as an example of the process of creating a bill and what happens once it leaves the hands of the creator and moves through committee, to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) where it is scored, to the Congressional Research Service for further research, and then to the...

This podcast is the second of two that delves into how to get a bill through Congress. This podcast picks up where we left off last time – at the point where the Senate majority leader has almost the unilateral discretion to decide when a bill is going to get a vote by the Senate body as a whole. The process then moves to the floor for unlimited debate, aka the filibuster, to not take a vote or ma...