Civil Discourse

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This 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.

Nia Rodgers and Dr. John Aughenbaugh


    • May 9, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 55m AVG DURATION
    • 275 EPISODES
    • 7 SEASONS

    4.8 from 21 ratings Listeners of Civil Discourse that love the show mention: interesting, informative.



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    Latest episodes from Civil Discourse

    The Bureau of Engraving and Printing

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 62:05


    In the last episode of season 18, Aughie and Nia explore the long and storied history of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

    The Bureau of the Mint

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2025 69:24


    Nia and Aughie discuss the history and responsibilities of the Bureau of the Mint.

    Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 78:47


    Aughie and Nia learn about the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the many financial and banking boards that the Comptroller sits on or directs.

    The Children's Bureau

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 77:23


    Nia and Aughie discuss the rich and long history of the Children's Bureau, from its founding in 1912 to the modern era.

    In the News: Trump Targets Universities

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 52:38


    Aughie and Nia discuss the recent efforts of the Trump Administration to target the research efforts, curricula, and financial support of universities and colleges.

    Western Area Power Administration

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 54:08


    Nia and Aughe explain the history and work of the Western Area Power Administration.

    Transportation Security Administration

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 49:43


    Aughie and Nia explore the formation, responsibilities, and struggles of the Transportation Security Administration.

    In the News: Trump's First Seven Weeks

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 79:38


     Aughie and Nia take a look at the lawsuits, firings, and impoundments during President Trump's first seven weeks in office. 

    Voice of America

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 59:35


    Nia and Aughie turn their attention to the breadth, reach, and soft power of the Voice of America.

    ATF

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 59:18


    Aughie and Nia explore the history and responsibilities of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

    Unoccupied Territories

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 72:12


    In the sixth and final episode in this series, Nia and Aughie talk about the unoccupied, but still interesting, US territories.

    US Virgin Islands

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2025 53:19


    The US Virgin Islands are the topic of the fifth in this series, with Aughie and Nia discussing the rich history of the islands.

    American Samoa

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2025 52:03


    The fourth in this territorial series brings Aughie and Nia to American Samoa.

    Northern Mariana Islands

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2025 60:03


    In the third of this series, Aughie and Nia discuss the Northern Mariana Islands

    Puerto Rico

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2025 51:58


    Nia and Aughie continue their U.S. Territories series while exploring the history and culture of Puerto Rico.

    In the News: Trump's First Week

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2025 65:09


     Aughie and Nia explore some of the Executive Orders released by the Trump Administration in his first week in office. 

    Guam

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025 54:16


    Nia and Aughie discuss the Constitutional grounds upon which the U.S. might acquire a territory. They go on to discuss the territory of Guam.

    In the News: Presidential Inaugurations

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025 76:37


    Augie and Nia discuss the Constitutional and customary rules surrounding a Presidential Inauguration.

    Pardon Me!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2024 74:07


    Aughie and Nia discuss the Presidential pardon power - how it arises, how it has been used, and controversial pardons past and present.

    In the News: The First Round of Trump Appointments

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024 60:08


    Aughie and Nia discuss the first round of President Elect Trump's proposed appointments, and follow with a discussion of recess appointments.

    After Election 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2024 82:58


    Aughie and Nia discuss the immediate and potential long term ramifications of the 2024 election cycle.

    Election Certification Process

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2024 74:49


     Aughie and Nia outline the steps a Presidential election goes through, from voting at the booth to election certification at the U.S. Capitol. 

    Government Plagiarizers

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2024 52:47


    Aughie and Nia talk about famous government officials who have plagiarized writing and speeches. 

    Federalist 39

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2024 31:22


    Aughie and Nia discuss Federalist 39, Madison's defense of the Republic as a form of national government.

    Notable Thefts of Government Documents

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2024 55:43


    Aughie and Nia explore the known modern thefts of government documents and the punishments imposed on the thieves.

    SCOTUS Under Siege

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2024 65:38


    Aughie and Nia discuss the latest woes of the U.S. Supreme Court, including leaks, scandals, and public opinion.

    Secession, part 1: What is Political Secession?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2024 52:08


    AMBER and Other Alerts

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2024 59:29


    Aughie and Nia talk about the various local and national alert systems designed to reach Americans by television, telephone, and internet.

    SCOTUS Term Limit Debate

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2024 59:22


    Nia and Aughie consider the debate concerning imposing term limits on Supreme Court Justices. Can Congress enact a law, or does there need to be a Constitutional Amendment?

    The Global Engagement Center

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2024 51:37


    Aughie scares Nia with the mission of the Global Engagement Center, located in the State Department. 

    What is the Overton Window?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 55:27


    Aughie and Nia explore Joseph Overton's concept to explain when politicians will act to create public policy. This theory is named the Overton Window.

    What is the Superfund?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024 63:36


    Nia and Aughie explain the The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, also known as Superfund Act, of 1980. They consider its goals as well as the pros and cons of the program.

    In The News: Who the Heck is Tim Walz?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2024 39:11


    Aughie and Nia discuss a person in civics news - Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, the Democratic vice president pick. Aughie analyzes his pros and cons as a nominee. 

    SoS 2024: Wrap Up and What's Next

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 72:10


    Aughie and Nia wrap up the statstics for the 23-24 SCOTUS session and look forward to coming cases in the 24-25 SCOTUS session.

    SoS 2024: Case review, part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 59:07


    Aughie and Nia review the following rulings: Alexander v. NAACP; Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) v. Consumer Financial Services Association of America; Muldrow v. City of St. Louis; O'Connor Ratcliff v. Garnier and Lindke v. Freed; Donal Trump v. Norma Anderson; FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine.

    SoS 2024: Justice Oddities

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 69:30


    From eating habits to medical issues to marital involvements, Nia and Aughie discuss some of the Justices' interesting oddities.

    SoS 2024: Case review, part 5

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 49:18


    Aughie and Nia review the following cases: Fischer v. United States; Trump v. United States

    SoS 2024: Case review, part 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 61:30


    Nia and Aughie review the following cases: Murthy v. Missouri; NetChoice, LLC v. Paxton and Moody v. NetChoice, LLC; City of Grants Pass v. Johnson; Loper Bright Enterprises v Raimondo and Relentless, Inc. v Department of Commerce

    SoS 2024: Case review, part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 59:05


    Aughie and Nia review the following cases: Snyder v. U.S.; Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy; Idaho v. U.S.; Harrington v. Purdue Pharma

    SoS 2024: Case review, part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 50:07


    Nia and Aughie review the following rulings: Moore V. U.S.; Garland v. Cargill; U.S. v. Rahimi

    SoS 2024: Better at Other Stuff

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 62:50


    Aughie and Nia discuss the Supreme Court Justices that were overrated as Justices. Many of them were quite strong in other positions but were seen as less influential on the Court than their reputation might suggest.

    SoS 2024: Who Cares What the SCOTUS Ruled?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 56:56


    Aughie and Nia discuss instances where Presidents, Congress, the States, and the political parties have defied or ignored Supreme Court rulings.

    In the News: Biden Withdraws

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2024 48:15


    Nia and Aughie discuss the ramifications of President Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 Presidential Campaign.

    In the News: Trump Florida Case Dismissed

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2024 48:18


    Aughie and Nia discuss the importance of Judge Aileen Cannon's ruling in the Florida documents case against former President Donald Trump. The 93 page ruling relies heavily on a dissent written by Justice Scalia in Morrison v. Olson, one that has waxed and waned in support since 1988.

    In the News: JD Vance

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2024 37:03


    Former President Donald Trump has chosen Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate in the 2024 Presidential Election. Aughie and Nia discuss the pros and cons of bringing Senator Vance onto the ticket.

    In the News: Guilty on 34 Counts

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2024 28:00


    Aughie and Nia discuss the recent Donald Trump trial that resulted in 34 felony convictions. 

    In the News: Recognizing Palestine as a Nation

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2024 63:25


    Aughie and Nia welcome Dr. Bill Newmann to discuss the recent news that some nations have recognized Palestine as a nation. They also talk about unusual instances of recognition and de-recognition of countries in the past.

    In the News: TikTok Threatened in Federal Legislation

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2024 27:00


    Nia and Aughie discuss the federal legislation signed by President Biden that requires TikTok to sell to a different owner. They also discuss the national security implications as well as the Commerce Clause implications of the legislation. Episode was created May 1, 2024.

    In the News: College Student Protests

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2024 42:55


    Aughie and Nia discuss the college student protests currently taking place in the U.S. They explore time, place and manner restrictions imposed on the protestors. Episode was created May 1, 2024.

    Blue Laws

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2024 48:32


    Aughie and Nia discuss the origin of blue laws, laws that generally prevent some purchases on Sundays. Aughie showcases several instances where the SCOTUS has supported the Constitutionality of blue laws.

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