So what do we have?

Authority, immigration, deficits, and hypocrisy: these are the topics in the final episode of season two. Join Steph and Lathania in questioning the consistency of both party’s positions, and what it says about the ways we draw our own lines. We're going to be on a break until Fall 2021, but we'll be back at it next season with whatever political craziness awaits - and we know it will be there when we come back. In the meantime, keep in touch! Email us at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave or on Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media.

Evergreen episode: why does the U.S. struggle with gun violence and mass shootings on a scale so different from most modern nations? When nothing else feels constant, we know this topic will remain relevant until we figure out how to have really tough conversations. This wide-ranging conversation takes us everywhere from the 2nd Amendment to military spending to Sandy Hook. If nothing else, join us in our lament for change, even when we don't know how to accomplish it.NOTE: This episode was recorded before the conclusion of Derek Chauvin's trial and the death of Ma'Khia Bryant. We know we'll hit some nerves with this one, so send us your thoughts! Email us at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram@sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. And look for us - but really just Lathania -  on Clubhouse!Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media.

President Biden’s proposed Infrastructure bill proposed loads of money and federal spending on roads, bridges, clean water, and rebuilding schools. But those things we traditionally think of as infrastructure only comprise about half of the spending outlined in the bill. What do things like raising wages for caregiving professions have to do with infrastructure though? Is there some other motive for throwing it into the same legislation? And most importantly, can Congress even get this done? Steph and Lathania have a lot of questions, some skepticism, and also hope that positive things could get done. 

This week, Steph and Lathania discuss the vast contradictions in both America’s immigration policies and in the postures we as citizens take toward “the other.” What would it take for us to truly value others whom we see as outsiders? And as hostile as our public discourse is on this issue, immigrants continue to come - why? It’s almost too much for one episode but we try to cover it all. As always, we’d love to hear your feedback! Email us at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. And look for us - but really just Lathania -  on Clubhouse!Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media.

This episode comes at you as the result of listener requests! It's a tough one, and a long one. Steph and Lathania (but mostly Steph) talk about abortion, what it means to be pro-life, and how our politics get in the way of finding real solutions. Tell us what you think! We know you'll have thoughts on this one. Email us at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. Look for us on Clubhouse now, too! Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media.References: Source for the statistic that more Black babies are aborted than born in NYCJosh Mandel's (now-deleted) tweetThe Holy Post podcast with a quick history of abortion as a political wedge issue, from 2016

In our borderline-religious zeal to "cancel" leaders for violating American culture's rapidly-changing, sometimes ambiguous moral standards, are we sure we are truly holding leaders to account? Trying these figures in the court of public opinion feels satisfying in the short term, but do these "wins" amount to accountability that is likely to change the balance of power or the operation of our institutions long term? Lathania and Steph ask these questions in the debate over the politics and potential for justice in New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's rapid fall from grace amid a major ethical scandal and accusations of sexual harassment. Tell us what you think! Email us at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. Look for us on Clubhouse now, too! Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media.References: America without God, The Atlantic, April 2021The Rise and Fall of Andrew Cuomo, The New York Times, March 13, 2021

Last fall, Steph optimistically wrote an op-ed for her local newspaper asking the question, will this pandemic finally force America to reconcile with working motherhood? A year into the Covid-19 pandemic, school closures, remote learning and remote work, we are exploring the question again. How are American moms surviving while literally doing it all? (Spoiler alert: we are NOT okay.)Tell us what you think! Email us at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media.References:Column: Pandemic Shows its Past Time to Value Working Moms, The Columbus DispatchThe Primal Scream, a recent NYT series on motherhood in the pandemic

We have a guest! Lathania and Steph are joined this week by a new friend, writer and cultural commentator Sara Billups. Steph and Sara recently appeared together on a BBC Radio program discussing the American evangelical church in light of the events at the Capitol on January 6th. The experience inspired us to devote an episode to the topic. Here we explore - a little more personally than usual - the dynamics between the American evangelical church and our politics.Thanks again to our guest Sara for her time, expertise, and contributions to this episode!We love engaging with our listeners, and we know today's episode is a little different than normal. Tell us what you think! Email us at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. Special thanks to David Hartman/Black Bear Media for editing work this week.References: NPR Up First, Christian Nationalism and Disinformation*Apologies: We promised we would share the link to the BBC interview with Sara and Steph from last month, but are having trouble finding an archive link. We'll update this if we are able to locate one.

An exercise in debating upside-down logic: never has something so unprecedented amounted to so little. We love engaging with our listeners! Email us at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear MediaReferences: Videos shared at President Trump's second impeachment trial:Montage of January 6th Capitol Security footage

Lathania and Steph talked last week about looking for solutions, and this week, we have one to discuss! Sen. Mitt Romney has introduced the Family Security Act, a proposal to provide American families with direct cash assistance. It’s been decades since Congress last seriously debated childcare assistance for middle class families. Is there reason to hope it will be taken seriously this time? We love engaging with our listeners! Email us at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear MediaEpisode references (there are lot this week!):Romney’s Family Security Act summary, Notre Dame Study: How Americans Understand Abortion, the book Jesus and John Wayne, by Kristin DuMez, and The Washington Post on President Jimmy Carter's Conference on Families. And in reference to a correction from last week, this article re: immigration reform shared with us by a listener.

That’s not the right question. The real question is, why is Congress so ineffective? As a follow up to an episode on the trend toward governing through executive orders, Steph and Lathania attempt to take a deeper dive into the real causes of gridlock in the Legislative Branch.

We’re back! In the first episode of season two, Lathania and Steph talk about Biden’s first week in office, actions the new President has taken that give us reason to hope, and actions that make us worry we are stuck in a world of polarization still.We love listener feedback! Email us at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. And if you missed it, check out instagram for past live episodes we did while on break. Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media

Lathania and Steph take a look back at the last year and the last four years while answering lingering questions like "Will the President really step down?" and "What was accomplished during the Trump Administration?" and applaud both America and Americans for surviving 2020. Steph outs Lathania as a Bernie Bro (not really), and other surprises as we preview next season. We are still soliciting your most pressing questions about government and politics! Tell us what you would love to hear about next seasons on "So What Do We Have?" Email us at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear MediaRecommended listening while we take a break: More Perfect by Radiolab, and Presidential by the Washington Post

What is truth? And how can we know it?Fake news. “My truth.” Post-truth? A seemingly simple question evolves into a philosophical discussion about truth and shared reality, and a some surprising link between what the Left and Right have in common. We love to hear from our listeners, and this week we are soliciting your most pressing questions about government and politics! Tell us what you would love to hear in an upcoming episode of So What Do We Have. Email us at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear MediaEpisode references: Real Time with Bill Maher

This episode features Steph's and Lathania's final chance to give their thoughts ahead of November 3rd (Election Day). How do we think about the way we use our vote? Can a pro-life person vote for a pro-choice candidate? And at the very end, a glimmer of hope and defense of why your vote matters. We love to hear from our listeners! Email us questions at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @lathaniaband @stephkrider Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear MediaReferences: The Holy Post podcast, episode 223 “How Did We Get Here? A History of the Religious Right” “I’m a pro-life evangelical. In supporting Trump, my movement sold its soul.” (Stephanie Krider for the Washington Post) The Economist: Checks and Balances - Boomers KO’d

The debate continues. Lathania and Steph talked about the origins of the Electoral College last week, but with one glaring omission: the role slavery played in its creation. How big a role did it play? And even with so much opposition, is it realistic to abolish the Electoral College? How would our elections work without it? We love to hear from our listeners! Email us questions at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @lathaniaband @stephkrider Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear MediaEpisode resources: Akhil Reed Amar in Time and Vox

After notable mishaps with three presidential elections in the 1800s, we went more than a full century before hearing much at all about the Electoral College. Two decades into the 21st century, it has caused controversy and accusations of stolen elections not once, but twice. We're wondering if the Electoral College will be back in the news again soon. What exactly is it, and what does it say about our democracy that our founding fathers created it in the first place? Can we not trust a simple majority of voters to make the right choice?References: Five Presidents who lost the popular vote but won the election We love to hear from our listeners! Email us questions at info@sowhatdowehave.com, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media

We have all heard the term ‘silent majority’ by now. President Trump says it refers to overwhelming support for his candidacy by those who keep their opinions to themselves. Steph associates it with previous political moments, while Lathania wonders about their existence and their nature. If there is a silent majority, how can we get to know them? And how do they plan to vote?Reference: NYT "What if Facebook is the real silent majority?"Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider

Will this whole election be a fraud? Even as more Americans are making use of mail-in voting options due to the coronavirus, the President has made a habit of casting doubt on the security of mail-in ballots, even mentioning it in this week's debate. If we vote by mail, will it be counted? Is it all rigged like the President says? This episode contains unsolicited advice, an explainer on mail-in voting, and why we probably have to wait until days after November 3rd to know the real results. References: the worst case scenario, the Heritage Foundation Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media

The news of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death brought every American to mourning last week - for just a moment. Since then, the race to replace her has shot to the top of all the headlines. The legacy of the Notorious RBG notwithstanding, what makes the Supreme Court so important exactly that it spurs such a ruthless sense of competition among the two major parties?Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider Edited by David Hartman and Black Bear Media

The summer of 2020 is certain to be remembered as one of tumult and massive protests. All Americans have a protected right to free speech under the First Amendment, and public protests and demonstrations easily fit into that category. But are protests effective? Who gets to say how far is too far? Also, a look into a famous early American protest that suggests we may not know the story as well as we think. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider

It is difficult to talk about race. It often devolves into talking "at" each other instead of with each other, and because of the potential for tension, conflict or missteps, many of us avoid the conversation altogether. In this episode, we choose instead to engage in an honest, vulnerable conversation about it together, and you'll find we have some differing perspectives, because, spoiler alert: one of us is black, and one of us is... not.Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider

Lessons from history that show us many times over the ways Americans have banded together in times of illness and natural disaster make apparent the ways our current divisions are shortchanging our kids and our communities. How did we get here? If we can't do it for the sake of our children, what will it take?Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkriderEpisode references: Getting Around Brown by Gregory S. Jacobs, Coming Apart by Charles Murray

This week, we talk about the millions of children starting school across the U.S. on new terms, and the sacrifices parents are making to make it happen. The public debate on schools reopening has centered mainly on teacher safety vs. parents in need of childcare, but the debate and the lack of solutions presented made us wonder: do we even still believe in public education?Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider

Social unrest; congressional stalemate on pandemic funding decisions; and unsatisfactory political theatre have many of us wondering, can we keep this republic together?Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider

On the final day of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Elizabeth Powel asked Benjamin Franklin as he exited, ‘What do we have, a republic or a monarchy?’ Franklin famously replied, ‘A republic, if you can keep it.’ Our responsibility is to keep it - but can we?Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider