Slept in Government Class

The Supreme Court struggles with the word sex as it tries to grapple with the interpretation of the Civil Rights of Act 1964, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Frustrated when you here candidates promising you everything? I take a hard look at which promises you can beleive and which are worthless.

Are we asking the wrong questions about abortion? Should Abortion be “Off-Limits” in the Democratic Process? What is the role of the Supreme Court?

Words like "penumbras" and "emanations" are normally used to describe solar eclipses. So what do they have to do with the Constitution and contraception? We'll look at the Supreme Court landmark case of Grisworld v. Connecticut.

Does the Constitution require the State of Illinois to display a satanic statue along with their statehouse holiday display? I'll examine what the Constitution and the Supreme Court have to say about this hot, holiday, issue.

When did the first governments in world history appear - and why? This was a question the founding fathers were consumed by as they designed the system of government we all still live under -questions/ideas? sleptinclasspodcast@gmail.com

What's the secret to predicting elections? Why do the so-called "experts" seem to get it wrong sometimes? I'll explain how to successfully predict elections, what the "experts" frequently get wrong and why you can't always trust the polls.

Is there an objective way to rank countries? Is one better than another? We look at at three indices political scientists use to rank countries and see where the United States falls on the lists.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

The executive branch, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has been hard at work arresting immigrant employees hired illegally. Meanwhile, the 9th circuit court said that DACA isn't going anywhere - for now. Checks and balances at work!After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

States have been called "laboratories of democracy" so what experiments are underway in the form of new state laws starting this year. Marijuana, immigration, dog divorces, and barber house-calls. All this and more!After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

It's a New Year for the all of us including your government. What can we predict for this new year? I'll talk about what to expect from all three branches as we move through 2018!After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

Is the new tax law candy in your stocking or just a lump of coal? Is it good for the nation as a whole? What about our future national finances?After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

Does any mention of Christmas - rather than "the Holidays" - by the government violate the separation of church and state? What about religious displays of Christmas on public lands? As always, there's more to it than you think.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Masterpiece Cakeshop v. The Colorado Civil Rights Commission - the gay wedding cake case. The case took an interesting twist that got me to flip my opinion of the lightly outcome once I saw what was said by judgesAfter teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

The Constitution allows Congress to kick out its members for bad behavior but is this ever likely to happen?After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

The US Government had a lot to do with the creation of the internet as we know it today. It also holds the fate of the internet in its hands as it plans to do away with "net neutrality". After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

The Supreme Court will be hearing a case this term on a Minnesota case where a man was denied the right to vote for wearing a political t-shirt. Can states ban political clothing, buttons and other forms of speech from the polling place?After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the fre

Can Congress force some states to ban sports betting but not others? NJ is betting than can beat Congress in a Supreme Court contest to declare Congress' ban unconstitutional. Whom would you bet to win this case coming the winter to the Supreme Court? After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

There's a lot of different ways to rig an election - to put your opponent at an unfair disadvantage in a race. A common, and legal way the Supreme Court is looking at right now is partisan gerrymandering - rigging, by drawing electoral lines.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

Can you cut taxes and still increase the amount of money the government takes in? What does the government tax plan mean for you? Will you pay more in taxes next year?After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

America biggest challenge is something most people don't have a good understanding of and that is, in part, thanks to confusion caused by elected officials. Each year, America spends far more than it bring in - and the problem isn't going away.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

As people's thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of Hurricane Maria, they naturally also wonder about the status of Puerto Rico: state, territory, something else?After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

After a tragic mass shooting, people naturally look to what can be done to prevent it from happening again. Some call for massive gun control, others for none. I explore the truth that lies somewhere in between.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

Every year, the Annenberg Foundation conducts their civics survey to find out how much people know about government. Listen in to take the test and see if you did better than most of America. Good luck on the exam! After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

The Trump administration made the decision to rescind the "Dear Colleague" letter issued by the Obama administration regarding the issue of campus rape and Title IX. This is a major impact on how colleges handle reports of sexual violence.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

When Trump announced the end of DACA a firestorm erupted on social media. A lot of people know a little about DACA but what is this program really? What is the Dream Act? I give you the straight, non-partisan explanation. After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

When a hurricane or other disaster strikes we want our government to spring into action. How does it do it? Whose in charge? What happens when things go wrong? After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

The Constitution empowers presidents to pardon anyone accused of committing a federal crime and president have frequently done so - although not without controversy.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

Hate groups are a disturbing part of any democracy. They are a particularly difficult problem for local governments - from Skokie, Illinois in 1977 to Charlottesville, VA in 2017. After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

The idea of people abusing their basic freedom of association to form hate groups is, unfortunately, nothing new. James Madison dealt with this problem in his own time and wrote about the problems they cause in his commentary, Federalist #10.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

Why do some people become conservatives and others liberals, populists or libertarians? This episode I talk with psychology professor Dr. Amanda Walcott and we discuss the roots of political identity.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

With so much political intensity out there it's hard to get an honest answer to the questions about what different political ideologies actually stand for. It's not about good v. evil; it's about the best role for government.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

The process of a bill becoming a law isn't just something for Congress. Presidents have a lot of influence over the fate of bills since they can potentially put a lot of pressure on Congress. They can play nice or hardball.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

Treason happens to be the only crime defined in the Constitution. It isn't just doing something anti-American. I discuss it by looking at three examples from history - only one of which was treason. Can you guess? Aaron Burr? Tokyo Rose? the Rosenbergs?After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

North Korea has verified nuclear weapons and now, the capacity to fire a missile thousands of miles - even to the United States. What, if anything, can the U.S. do about it? In this episode I look at the dangers of past, present, and future in Korea.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointed to find a lack of objective, straight-forward talk in the media about how government works. This podcast is a non-partisan look at American government and how it impacts you and the freedoms you enjoy.

If you want to understand how to win an election in America you should realize that elections aren't really like rational debates - they're like pep rallies. The three most important things in elections are turnout, turnout, and turnout!After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointing to find a lack of objective talk out there on the straightforwards of how government works. This is a non-partisan look at government and politics that examines what our government can do, cannot do and how it does what it does.

One of the most important free speech cases to come out of the Supreme Court was released this past week. This episode we take a look at the US Patent and Trademark office versus the band, the Slants.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointing to find a lack of objective talk out there on the straightforwards of how government works. This is a non-partisan look at government and politics that examines what our government can do, cannot do and how it does what it does.

This is always a big month for the Supreme Court. Look in the near future to hear the Court announce some major opinions on Constitutional issues that affect you. In this episode we discuss the different types of opinions you are likely to hear.

Should the FBI director or government agency leaders in general be loyal to the president or independent? If you are thinking this is another one of those questions without an easy answer - you're right! Let's explore this question together!

With President Trump announcing the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord a lot of people are asking can the president just do that? I've got the answers as I talk about treaties v. executive agreements.

Pleading the Fifth or Taking the Fifth: What do these phrases actually mean and when can you use them and not use them. How far does the right to remain silent actually go and what does it have to with Congress?

Impeachment: An objective, non-partisan look by a government teacher at how impeachment works and whether it is about crimes or politics or both.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointing to find a lack of objective talk out there on the straightforwards of how government works. This is a non-partisan look at government and politics that examines what our government can do, cannot do and how it does what it does.

What is a special prosecutor? Do we need one? What makes them different from everybody else in government? Find out this week as we try to untangle the mess.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointing to find a lack of objective talk out there on the straightforwards of how government works. This is a non-partisan look at government and politics that examines what our government can do, cannot do and how it does what it does.

This episode we take a look at government shutdowns - what are they, what causes them, and how does this all complicated budget process work anyway?After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointing to find a lack of objective talk out there on the straightforwards of how government works. This is a non-partisan look at government and politics that examines what our government can do, cannot do and how it does what it does.

This episode we take a look at  the constitutionality of hate speech and how the United States Supreme Court has struggled to deal with it.After teaching high school government for fifteen years, I was disappointing to find a lack of objective talk out there on the straightforwards of how government works. This is a non-partisan look at government and politics that examines what our government can do, cannot do and how it does what it does.

An objective, non-partisan look by a government teacher at special elections - how much do they really matter?

An objective, non-partisan look by a government teacher at whether we should seek to limit or empower our own government. Hint: the answer depends on your priorities!

An objective, non-partisan look by a government teacher at the constitutional question of whether a president needs congressional approval to launch a military strike. What would James Madison have thought of cruise missiles?

An objective, non-partisan look by a government teacher at the way we interpret the Constitution. Should it be seen according to the original meaning of the framers or as a "living document".

An objective, non-partisan look by a government teacher at the judicial nomination process and the Senate "nuclear option". (Minor Correction: at one point while dicussing a bit of history I refer to Judge Bork as "Neil" - his first name is "Robert",  - apologies)

An objective, non-partisan look by a government teacher at wiretapping, FISA, and your Constitutional rights to privacy against government eavesdropping.