Podcasts about fair representation

Sam Wang is the Director of the Electoral Innovation Lab and a professor of neuroscience at Princeton University. We discuss how we can better understand the current state of district maps across the US, and how they can be made more fair and representative of their constituents.   Gerrymandering is not only unfair but also anti-democratic. It favors one party over another, effectively shutting out the possibility of accurate representation in a legislative body. The current electoral system forces voters into opposite camps and then rewards them for doing so. For example, primary elections reward a partisan loyalist who is unlikely to represent the views of the majority of voters. But, local and state elections are a hope for the future because voters are less polarized. Follow Sam on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/SamWangPhD    Follow Mila on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/milaatmos    Sponsor:  Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful.   Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/   Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey!  http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=6tI0Zi1e78vq&ver=standard    Take the Democracy Group's Listener Survey! https://www.democracygroup.org/survey   Want to support the show and get it early?  https://patreon.com/futurehindsight    Check out the Future Hindsight website!  www.futurehindsight.com   Read the transcript here:   https://www.futurehindsight.com/episodes/make-your-vote-pack-a-punch-sam-wang      Credits:  Host: Mila Atmos  Guests: Sam Wang Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

Software engineers, lawyers, even UX professionals - rarely are these a fair representation of every day people. But usually they're the ones tasked with designing the government services that millions need to use. Instead, as Shannon Salter points out, we shouldn't speculate about what 'the humans' want. We need to work and design with them. Only by empathising and co-designing can we create solutions that truly resonate and address genuine challenges. Learn more about empathy in design in this week's episode of the Public Sector Podcast.   Shannon Salter, Deputy Minister to the Premier, Cabinet Secretary, and the Head of the Public Service, Office of the Premier   For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co  

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 4, 2023New Hampshire Supreme Court Won't Hear Future Gerrymandering Cases, Abandoning Fair Representation for State's VotersSaying the state constitution doesn't specifically prohibit partisan gerrymandering, the New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled November 29th that state courts have no jurisdiction and would not hear future gerrymandering cases.Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.Today's LinksArticles & Resources:InDepthNH - State Supreme Court Upholds Dismissal of Gerrymandering Suit Democracy Docket - New Hampshire Supreme Court Shuts The Door On Partisan Gerrymandering ClaimsNHPR - In split ruling, NH Supreme Court says it can't review partisan gerrymandering claimsNH Union Leader/Yahoo News - High court upholds redistricting plansGroups Taking Action:Open Democracy, ACLU NH, League of Women Voters NHPlease follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering #NHPolitics

"Sometimes, people desire simplicity, but freedom is not a straightforward matter," remarks Michael Maibach, a Distinguished Fellow specializing in American Federalism at Save Our States. Maibach recently joined AMAC CEO Rebecca Weber for an exceptionally informative episode discussing the significance of the electoral college in elections and the ongoing debate about its elimination. One of the major concerns associated with adopting a national popular vote to determine the presidency is the potential for a few heavily liberal cities to sway the entire election outcome. Have you ever considered the idea of disaggregating your electors? Maibach refutes this point and proposes that we "move past this argument," drawing upon his extensive knowledge of the electoral college's historical context. Tune in to discover why the current electoral college system is, in fact, a democratic method for selecting our president.

In this episode Reggie and Doug unravel the of events leading up to the strike, exploring the underlying issues and grievances faced by actors and writers alike. We also shed light on the broader implications of the strike, examining its impact on the television and film landscape, as well as its far-reaching consequences for audiences around the world. 

Nebraska's Win Total set near 6 games. Is this a Fair Representation of your Expectations?Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Asian-American actress Michelle Yeoh won her first Oscar at this year's Academy Awards for her performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once. We speak with media expert April Reign about the continued push to improve diversity & equity in all aspects of Hollywood. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/is-hollwood-really-changing-the-diversity-debacle

A Massachusetts inmate says he deserves a new trial because his lawyer was racist, and the justices on his state's highest court aren't sure what to make of this argument. That was the takeaway from last week's oral argument in the closely-watched appeal of Anthony Dew. Dew is a Black Muslim man who says the discovery of extremely racist Facebook posts from his court-appointed lawyer should invalidate his 2016 guilty plea. Bloomberg Law's Allie Reed is covering this first-of-its-kind trial. She joins our weekly legal news podcast, On The Merits, to talk about what it would mean if an attorney's personal animus toward their client could, by itself, create a conflict of interest. Do you have feedback on this episode of On The Merits? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.

There's a flaw in CJI U.U. Lalit's recommendations for Supreme Court judges. It ignores some high courts, women, and ST judges.

QUESTION PRESENTED:Whether the state of Alabama's 2021 redistricting plan for its seven seats in the United States House of Representatives violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)Jan 28 2022 | Application (21A375) for a stay or injunctive relief pending appeal, submitted to Justice Thomas.Jan 28 2022 | Statement as to jurisdiction filed. (Response due March 9, 2022)Jan 28 2022 | Response to application (21A375) requested by Justice Thomas, due by noon on Wednesday, February 2, 2022.Jan 31 2022 | Motion for leave to file amici curiae brief filed by Louisiana, et al. VIDED.Jan 31 2022 | Motion for leave to file amicus curiae brief filed by John Wahl, Chairman, Alabama State Republican Executive Committee.Feb 01 2022 | Motion for leave to file amicus curiae brief filed by The National Republican Redistricting Trust.Feb 01 2022 | Motion for leave to file amici curiae brief filed by United States Representatives from Alabama. VIDED.Feb 01 2022 | Motion for leave to file amicus curiae brief filed by Alabama Center for Law and Liberty. VIDED.Feb 02 2022 | Response to application from respondents Evan Milligan, et al. filed.Feb 02 2022 | Reply of applicants John Merrill, et al. filed.Feb 07 2022 | Application (21A375) referred to the Court.Feb 07 2022 | Application (21A375) granted by the Court. The application is treated as a jurisdictional statement (No. 21-1086), and probable jurisdiction is noted. The district court's January 24, 2022 preliminary injunction in No. 2:21-cv-1530 is stayed pending further order of the Court. Justice Kavanaugh, with whom Justice Alito joins, concurring in grant of applications for stay. (Detached opinion). The Chief Justice dissenting from grant of applications for stay. (Detached opinion). Justice Kagan, with whom Justice Breyer and Justice Sotomayor join, dissenting from grant of applications for stays. (Detached opinion).Feb 22 2022 | This case is consolidated with No. 21-1087, and a total of one hour is allotted for oral argument. The question presented in these cases is: Whether the District Courts in these cases correctly found a violation of section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, 52 U. S. C. §10301.Feb 22 2022 | Because the Court has consolidated these cases for briefing and oral argument, future filings and activity in the cases will now be reflected on the docket of No. 21-1086. Subsequent filings in these cases must therefore be submitted through the electronic filing system in No. 21-1086. Each document submitted in connection with one or more of these cases must include on its cover the case number and caption for each case in which the filing is intended to be submitted. Where a filing is submitted in fewer than all of the cases, the docket entry will reflect the case number(s) in which the filing is submitted; a document filed in all of the consolidated cases will be noted as “VIDED.”Mar 01 2022 | Joint motion of the parties for an extension of time file the briefs on the merits. VIDED.Mar 04 2022 | Motion to modify or amend the question presented filed by appellees and respondents. VIDED.Mar 08 2022 | Joint motion of the parties to extend the time to file the briefs on the merits granted. The time to file the joint appendix, appellants', and petitioners' briefs on the merits is extended to and including April 25, 2022. The time to file appellees' and respondents' briefs on the merits is extended to and including July 11, 2022. VIDED.Mar 08 2022 | Application (21A493) of appellants/petitioners for leave to file consolidated opening and reply briefs on the merits, submitted to Justice Thomas. VIDED.Mar 08 2022 | Response of appellants and petitioners to the motion to modify or amend the question presented filed. VIDED.Mar 14 2022 | Application (21A493) granted by Justice Thomas for leave to file consolidated opening and reply briefs on the merits provided that the opening brief does not exceed 18,000 words and the reply brief does not exceed 10,000 words. VIDED.Mar 21 2022 | Upon consideration of the motion to modify or amend the question presented, the question presented in these cases is amended as follows: Whether the State of Alabama's 2021 redistricting plan for its seven seats in the United States House of Representatives violated section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, 52 U. S. C. §10301. VIDED.Mar 30 2022 | Blanket Consent filed by Respondent, Marcus Caster, et al.Mar 30 2022 | Blanket Consent filed by Respondent, Evan Milligan, et al.Mar 31 2022 | Blanket Consent filed by Petitioner, John H. Merrill, Alabama Secretary of State, et al.Apr 25 2022 | Joint appendix filed (three volumes). VIDED. (Statement of costs filed)Apr 25 2022 | Brief of appellants/petitioners John H. Merrill, Alabama Secretary of State, et al. filed. VIDED.Apr 29 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of Public Interest Legal Foundation filed. VIDED.Apr 29 2022 | Brief amici curiae of Senator John Braun, et al. filed. VIDED.Apr 29 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of Alabama Center for Law and Liberty filed. VIDED.May 02 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of American Legislative Exchange Council filed. VIDED.May 02 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of Project on Fair Representation filed. VIDED.May 02 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of The National Republican Redistricting Trust filed. VIDED.May 02 2022 | Brief amici curiae of Citizens United, et al. filed. VIDED.May 02 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of John Wahl, Chairman, Alabama State Republican Executive Committee filed. VIDED.May 02 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of Singleton Plaintiffs in support of neither party filed. VIDED.May 02 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of Lawyers Democracy Fund filed. VIDED.May 02 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of Republican National Committee filed. VIDED.May 02 2022 | Brief amici curiae of The State of Louisiana, et al filed. VIDED.May 02 2022 | Brief amici curiae of United States Representatives from Alabama filed. VIDED.May 02 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of America First Legal filed. VIDED.May 02 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of Coastal Alabama Partnership filed. VIDED.Jun 14 2022 | ARGUMENT SET FOR Tuesday, October, 4, 2022. VIDED.Jun 22 2022 | Record requested from the U.S.D.C. Northern District of Birmingham, Alabama.Jun 24 2022 | Application of Milligan, et al. (21A869) to file appellees' brief on the merits in excess of the word limit, submitted to Justice Thomas.Jun 24 2022 | Application (21A871) of Caster, et al. to file respondents' brief on the merits in excess of the word limit, submitted to Justice Thomas.Jun 30 2022 | Application (21A869) for leave to file appellees brief on the merits in excess of the word limit granted by Justice Thomas.Jul 01 2022 | Application (21A871) to file respondents' brief on the merits in excess of the word limit granted by Justice Thomas.Jul 11 2022 | Brief of respondents Marcus Caster, et al. filed. VIDED.Jul 11 2022 | Brief of appellees Evan Milligan, et al. filed (in 21-1086).Jul 18 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of American Bar Association filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of Bipartisan Group of Senators and Congressional Staff Member-Supporters of the 1982 Voting Rights Act Amendments and 2006 Voting Rights Act Reauthorization filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of Alabama Historians filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of Professors Jowei Chen, Christopher S. Elmendorf, Nicholas O. Stephanopoulos, and Christopher S. Warshaw filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of Campaign Legal Center filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of The Brennan Center for Justice filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of Computational Redistricting Experts filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of Republican Former Governors filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of Professor Travis Crum filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of Representative Terri Sewell, et al. filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of Local Governments filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of District of Columbia, et al. filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of United States filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of Constitutional Accountability Center filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of Voting Rights Practitioners filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of U.W. Clemon, Fred D. Gray, Henry Sanders, the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus, and Social Science Professors filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of UCLA Social Scientists filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, et al. filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of National Congress of American Indians filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of The Central Alabama Fair Housing Center, et al. filed. VIDED. (Distributed)Jul 18 2022 | Motion for divided argument filed by appellees and respondents. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae, for divided argument, and for enlargement of time for oral argument filed. VIDED.Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of The Southern Poverty Law Center, et al. filed. VIDED. (Distributed)Jul 18 2022 | Brief amici curiae of Press Robinson, et al. filed. (Distributed)Jul 21 2022 | CIRCULATEDJul 22 2022 | Application (22A82) to extend the time to file appellants/petitioners consolidated reply brief on the merits from August 10, 2022 to August 24, 2022, submitted to Justice Thomas. VIDED.Jul 29 2022 | Application (22A82) granted by Justice Thomas extending the time to file appellants'/petitioners' consolidated reply brief on the merits until August 24, 2022. VIDED.Aug 22 2022 | Motion for divided argument filed by appellees and respondents GRANTED. VIDED.Aug 22 2022 | Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae, for divided argument, and for enlargement of time for oral argument GRANTED. VIDED.Aug 24 2022 | Reply of appellants/petitioners John H. Merrill, Alabama Secretary of State, et al. filed. VIDED. (Distributed)

Join Michael VanDervort and Jon Hyman as they discuss some of the latest developments in the currently hot Labor Relations space.  In this episode, we discuss the controversy surrounding the Deshaun Watson arbitration ruling, Chipotle writing a $20 million dollar to settle a wage and hour case in New York, how the Duty of Fair Representation impacts the relationship between unions and employers, and what some common sense labor law reform might look like. 

In this episode - the first in a new series this year on testimonial privileges that can impede your efforts to depose witnesses - Jim Garrity explains the "legislative privilege," applicable to legislators and others who engage in legislative functions. It's not the same as "legislative immunity," and as with all privileges, there are ways to depose witnesses who can assert it. In this episode, there are fifteen cases cited in the show notes. If you can't see all fourteen, click through to our home page. (Some podcast sites don't accommodate longer show notes.) Thanks!SHOW NOTES:(Cases with an ** were published after this episode first aired and have been added to enhance the value of the show notes).Bogan v. Scott-Harris, 520 3U. S. 44, 53 (1972) (focus of the analysis is on the nature of the accused act; held, ordinance in question was legislative, because it reflected a discretionary, policymaking decision implicating the budget priorities of the city and the services the city provides to its constituents)McKnight v. Brown, et al., 2022 WL 488607, Case No. 120-cv-03678-PAB-SKC (S. D. Colo. Feb. 17, 2022) (plaintiff may not assert otherwise-valid Fifth Amendment privilege to avoid answering any deposition questions, such as background questions, questions concerning his criminal convictions (if any) consistent with Fed. R. Evid. 609; and questions regarding his damages and injuries claimed in the case)Bannum, Inc v. City of Beaumont, Texas, 236 F. Supp. 2d 633 (E. D. Texas December 12, 2002) (granting motion for protective order as to city clerk, city council, and planning and zoning commission, because discretionary decision on the issue - where a halfway house should best be placed - was a policy decision implicating the interests of the city as a whole)Bryan v. City of Madison, 213 F. 3D 267, 274 (5th Circuit 2000) (concluding that actions involving a decision to rezone a property were entitled to legislative immunity)Singleton V. Merrill, 2021 WL 5979516, Case No. 2:21-cv-1291-AMM, and 2:21- CV-1530 -AMM (immunity and privileges lost when legislators actively participated in litigation pertaining to legislation they helped draft)Gross v. Winter, 1989 WL 54866 (D.C. Circuit May 26, 1989) (District of Columbia Council member not entitled to absolute legislative immunity, because termination of legislative researcher was administrative, not legislative act)Rateree, et al. v. Rockett, et al., 852 F.2d 946 (7th Cir. 1988) (actions of city commissioners in approving budget decision to eliminate jobs were “legislative actions,” rather than administrative actions, and thus commissioners were entitled to absolute immunity)Forrester v. White, 108 S.Ct. 538 (1988) (termination of probation officer did not give rise to absolute immunity from suit)Page v. Virginia State Board of Elections, 15 F. Supp. 3d 657 (E. D. Virginia 2014) (legislative privilege did not apply to independently-contracted legislative consultant retained by a political party)Rodriguez v. Pataki, 280 F. Supp. 89 (S. D. N.Y. 2003) (collecting cases on the contours of the concept of legislative immunity and privilege; immunity and privilege are distinct concepts; privilege not always absolute)Marylanders for Fair Representation, Inc. v. Schaefer, 144 F.R.D. 292 (D. Maryland 1992) (mixing concepts of immunity and privilege, referring to protection for legislators as “testimonial legislative immunity”)Trammel v. United States, 445 U.S. 40, 50 (1980) (discussing the impact of privileges on litigation, and observing that testimonial privileges should be very narrowly construed)Florida Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, Inc. v. State of Florida, Department of Health and Rehabilitation, 164 F.R.D. 257 (N. D. Fla. 1995) (analyzing differences between legislative immunity and testimonial privileges)E. E. O. C. v. Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, 631 F. 3d 174 ( 4th Circuit 2011) (employment in personnel decisions by legislators are generally administrative acts and not protected by legislative immunity and privilege)Hicks v. Mount Airy-Surrey County Airport Authority, 2015 WL 8484453 (M. D. North Carolina 2015) (termination and nonrenewal of leases at airport was not legislative in nature because the decisions affect specific individuals rather than involving the formulation of broad policy or the adoption of perspective, legislative-type rules that affect the general policy affecting the larger population) **League of United Latin American Citizens, et al. v. Eddie Bernice Johnson, et al., No. EP21-CV-00259-DCG-JES-JVB, 2022 WL 1570858 (W.D. Tex. May 18, 2022) ( rejecting effort by Texas legislators to avoid deposition through invocation of legislative privilege; excellent discussion of the doctrine's contours)

The ubiquitous foot-soldiers of India's thriving internet economy are discontented. We're talking about your Ola/ Uber cab drivers and Swiggy/ Zomato delivery partners.  Some of them are now tasked with delivering your bread and milk in just 10 minutes! But as a recent report by the Fairwork Foundation, in collaboration with the Oxford Internet Institute has found the earnings of these app-based platform workers or gig workers in India have declined over the last two years. That's owing to the withering of incentives offered by companies and a reduction in take-home earnings due to a surge in out-of-pocket expenses. The Fairwork India Ratings 2021: Labour Standards in the Platform Economy, now in its third year of publication, serves as an indictment of the work conditions for this growing class of unorganised workers. This year, the report ranks 11 Indian startups which engage contract gig workers. It scores them out of 10, based on their performance against five principles, namely: Fair Pay, Fair Conditions, Fair Contracts, Fair Management and Fair Representation.  Notably, Ola's score has come down from 2/10 in 2020 to zero in 2021. This is, at a time, when it has become notoriously difficult to get a cab driver to accept your ride request on Ola platform. Uber has also slipped from one to zero. And Urban Company, which topped the list in 2020 with a stellar score of 8/10, has slipped three-points to five. We reached out to Ola, Uber and Urban Company to understand the reasons behind the fall in their scores, but didn't receive any responses. So, we asked the lead investigator for Fairwork in India, Professor Balaji Parthasarathy.  The decline in Urban Company's score has coincided with ongoing protests by its beauticians.  The first protest was in October last year, as beauticians complained against Urban Company's commissions of up to 30%-35% per job. Urban Company responded with some concessions, one of them being reducing its highest commission for beauty service professionals to 25% from 30%.  However, last month, Urban Company's beauticians again held a protest outside the company's Gurugram office. Their complain was about new work policies, which would have beauticians pay a subscription fee upfront to get ‘gigs' through Urban Company's portal. Beauticians would also have to take a minimum number of jobs each month, thus reducing their gig work flexibility.  This time, Urban Company responded to the protest by suing the protesting beauticians. This remains the first such instance of an Indian gig company suing its own workers.  At the heart of the growing discontent with gig work is the fact that this new model of work hasn't lived up to its core promises. Startups in the ride-hailing and food delivery sectors attracted their first bunch of gig workers with the promises of good pay and work flexibility. By paying these workers per task or ‘gig', companies did away with the burden of having to provide them with social security and other standard employee benefits.   However, wages have reduced over time, and gig work has become a permanent gig for Ola/Uber cab drivers and Swiggy/ Zomato delivery partners. Several testimonies in the Fairwork reports over the last three years highlight how most workers have to work 12-16 hours to make ends meet. And yet, they enjoy little in terms of social security that any employee would get.  A PIL in the Supreme Court by the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) seeks the classification of gig and platform workers as ‘unorganised workers' under the Unorganised Workers Act, 2008. This would entitle them to benefits such as provident fund, health and maternity benefits and old age protection.  This, even as the Centre has come up with the Code on Social Security which recognises gig and platform workers.  A counter-view to the criticism of gig work conditions in the Indian platform economy, is t

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We love to promote our democratic principles. We love to spread them across the globe as well. But there are three procedural quirks in our system that are so laughably undemocratic it's surreal. The Electoral College, filibuster and gerrymandering have been such integral parts of our system for so long that we barely recognize them for the travesties they are. Right now, Democrats have tenuous control over the system and the ability to change the course of democracy for decades to come. So why don't they? Today's episode digs into the racist history of these three significant aspects of our republic, the Republicans who will do anything to protect them, and the feckless Democrats who maintain the status quo. View this episode's site page by going to unftr.com/episodes/unftr31. Resources Congress: For the People Act Congress: Fair Representation Act Congressmen Beyer: House Democrats Reintroduce Fair Representation Act Brennan Center For Justice: Rucho v. Common Cause Brennan Center For Justice: Gerrymandering Explained Brennan Center For Justice: What Is Extreme Gerrymandering? Fair Vote: Ranked Choice Voting Legislation Fair Vote: 2021 State Legislation on Ranked Choice Voting Fair Vote: Details about Ranked Choice Voting Fair Vote: Gerrymandering Reform Innovations The Hill: Replacing 'winner-takes-all' system would end gerrymandering Common Cause: Fair Maps, Fair Representation and a Fair Say Common Cause: Gerrymander Gazette Newsletter Pod Love improv4humans with Matt Besser -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is written and hosted by Thornton Mellon and distributed by kickbacks and bribes. Podcast art description: Image of the US Congress ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Warren is a freelance horn player based in New York City. She has previously toured with the Dallas Brass and held positions with the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, and the Sinfonia Gulf Coast. Kate holds a Masters degree in horn performance from the New School, studying with Erik Ralske, and a BM in horn performance from Florida State University.  

141 Report: Frank A. Marco, Trusted Partner in Labor Law This week Dave speaks with Frank A. Marco, a partner at Gregorio & Marco who is the manager of the firm's Labor Law department. A skilled Labor lawyer is a necessary asset for any successful union. Navigating complex employment laws, labor contracts and changing conditions in the workplace often requires the advice of an experienced counsel. Their work is also valuable in issues related to organizing and union administration. Frank A. Marco is a graduate of Marquette University and Cornell Law School and has represented labor unions for over 25 years. Gregorio & Marco began their relationship with the IAM working for Local Lodge 1487 in Chicago and started representing District 141 ten years ago. He also works with a variety of building trades unions. “Labor unions are highly regulated, more so than any other business, so there's a lot of traps out there and a lot of areas for us to work with the leadership,” he said. Frank speaks about the Duty of Fair Representation and how important it is for Shop Stewards to gather information and properly document every case, to take thorough notes of statements and hearings, and to not pre-judge any situation. He also answers Dave's questions regarding mandates for vaccines and testing in the workplace, legal accommodations, how to safely navigate social media, and how union solidarity is a necessary tool today when we face constant attacks from powerful corporate and anti-union forces. The conversation also covers how unions create work environments that are understandable to a diverse group of workers, and how the culture of mutual trust they create helps secure healthy and long careers for working people. You can always watch our 141 Report video posted at http://facebook.com/iamawdistrict141/videos

Our electoral system — whoever has the most votes wins — is broken. The seemingly obvious solution is actually incredibly dysfunctional and destroys democracy: the Spoiler Effect works against accurate representation and voter choice, makes millions of votes simply "not count", gives almost absolute power to the two much-hated parties, and allows for gerrymandering and political polarization, encouraging divisiveness. Luckily, there is a solution. The Fair Representation Act proposes three simple fixes: independent redistricting commissions rather than partisanship, ranked choice voting to make races both more cooperative and more competitive, and multi-member districts to help with proportional representation.

Buckle up, friends, because this episode is FIRE. Kicking off Black History Month, we have yoga teacher and Capitol Hill activist, Reggie Hubbard. He shares bespoke and ancient wisdom on actionably creating peace in our country, diversifying the wellness space, and what we can do NOW to live a high vibrational, purpose-filled life.CONNECT WITH REGGIE:Active Peace YogaInstagram - @activepeaceyogaInstagram - @oreggieglobalFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/oreggieglobal/BOOKS MENTIONED:Be Here Now by Ram DasLove and Rage by Llama Rod OwensRadical Dharma by angel Kyodo Rev. Williams, Lama Rod OwensAutobiography of Malcom X KOMUSO DESIGN - SHIFT NECKLACE:https://www.komusodesign.com/jaclyn-steele , code: JACLYN for 15% offCONNECT:+ Website: jaclynsteele.com+ Instagram: @jaclynsteele+ Youtube: officialjaclynsteele+ Facebook: jaclynsteeleinternational+ Clubhouse: @jaclynsteele+ Sign up for THE SCOOP & get the skinny on the latest wellness, beauty, & self development trends, as well as exclusive email-only content.SUPPORT THE SHOW:PaypalLight, Love, & Peace,Jaclyn SteeleSupport the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=7SLKVGC37E8SU)

Meet Lin Chen, the founder of Pink Moon, an online market space that not only promotes wellness and self-care but that partners with and curates amazing natural skincare brands — skincare brands that value sustainability, philanthropy, and holistic wellness. In today’s episode Lin and I chat about: Her journey into the natural skincare space. The challenges around the stereotypes of asian women, especially in the skincare industry. Her mission to inspire more Asian women to enter the entrepreneurial space (even if it means possibly going against their parents wishes). How she selects the brands she partners with. Why supporting women-owned businesses is so important to her. The importance of self-care. What a Gua Sha tool is and how to use. How to implement a natural skincare routine even when you're on a budget. And so much more! Happy listening! Connect with Pink Moon: Pink Moon Instagram Facebook 

Our first of hopefully an ongoing series in which we examine how we as filmmakers and moviegoers can help push for Fair Representation of marginalized communities to enhance storytelling and our culture. Take a seat and listen up.

On this episode, Nick & Tobias ask whether 90-day fiance is toxic, why printers still suck, how long brutal sports, and what is fair representation in arts? Drink up?!

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

This evening, we chat with David Daley, a Senior Fellow at FairVote. FairVote, a nation-wide organization, is dedicated to advancing Fair Representation and Ranked Choice Voting. David, author of the book entitled “Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count,” describes how Fair Representation and Ranked Choice Voting will help end partisan politics, get rid of gerrymandering and help the American experiment in democracy return to a true representational government that works for all its citizens. Drop in and find out how FairVote has had tremendous success in the past year, and where FairVote will make positive changes in 2020.

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine 2019-11-24 Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine 2019-11-17 Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine 2019-10-20 Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine 2019-10-13 Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Mark Baird gives an update on the 2nd Amendment case in California on Free Fire Radio KCNR 1460 AM & 96.5 FM. Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Jefferson State of Mine Live every Sunday 9-10 on 96.5 FM and 1460 AM on KCNR in Redding, CA. KCNR1460.com Citizens for Fair Representation! Website: SOJ51.org Donate: www.gofundme.com/f/state-of-jefferson Archives of past episodes: http://apps.kcnr1460.com/Show/archive/jefferson_state

Topics: Mr Oh's New book, Fair Representation, Sex vs Gender, Marriage With a Twist, Awkward Relationship Moments, Brexit vs Carnival, Dodging Exes & much much more... Host: Rhys Waul - Twitter: @Raw_Like_Me - Instagram: Rawlikeme, Mark Brown - Twitter: @Mister2Drink - Instagram: Mister2Drink - MrOh - Twitter: @MrOhYes - Instagram: Misterohhhhh

Welcome back for another episode of Nick's Non-fiction! For August 2019 we have Enter Talking by Joan Rivers. Joan Rivers (1993-2014) was a pioneer female comedian specializing in self depreciating humor and shock comedy. Her autobiography follows how she paved her own autonomous comedy career during the old cut and dry days of showbiz. Upon my first open mic anniversary we dive into a personal topic sharing stories from my one years olds worth of experience on stage. Perfect commiseration for other aspiring comics out there and tips for beginners interested in the craft. Free nightly memes @hairysh1t on Instagram, now showing and growing at over 10k. I'll see you first thing in September for a brand new episode! 0:00:00 Introduction 0:02:30 Hairysh1t 10k followers 0:05:00 This Past Month 0:07:45 About the Author 0:17:00 Graduating Class 0:20:50 Chapter 1: Who is that Dumb? 0:24:30 Cauldron of Crazy 0:27:30 Raised Russian 0:32:15 Chapter 2: “Showbiz Found Me” 0:34:00 Levels of Involvement 0:39:30 Child Star 0:42:00 Chapter 3: 1940s Dating Scene 0:47:20 Joan’s Summer of Love 0:52:00 Chapter 4: Broadway Grindr 0:58:05 Chapter 5: Rogue Agent 1:01:10 Fair Representation 1:06:00 Enter Nicky 1:11:55 Chapter 6: Open Mic Maestro 1:15:30 Adventurous Venues 1:17:05 Chapter 7: Road Dog/Stories 1:24:15 Hecklers Happen 1:28:30 Chapter 8: Headline Honcho 1:30:50 Chapter 9: Speed Bumps 1:33:50 The ol’ Brick Wall 1:36:25 Chapter 10: On Tour 1:41:40 Chapter 11: Flashbacks 1:45:35 Chapter 12: Stop at Second City 1:49:40 Chapter 13: NYC Top Tier 1:50:30 Chapter 14: Comedy Drought 1:53:30 Chapter 15: Clocks Ticking 1:56:05 Chapter 16: Comedy Lifestyle 2:00:40 Carson Congratulations 2:04:00 Pit & Peak 2:07:20 Next Months Book & Goodbye! YouTube: youtu.be/3exWvMHqCIg iTunes/ApplePodcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nick…on/id1450771426 Thanks for stopping by!

In this episode, I discuss the importance of increasingly more representative programming like Netflix's new show Special, appreciating the vision and leadership of marginalized folks, and keeping their safe spaces safe.

Quote:  “The devil is always in the details, right?” —Mark Baird   About: If the State of Jefferson ever formed, it’s unlikely Anthony Bourdain would ever travel there for its pizza or burritos. Mark Baird, the “unofficial” leader of the State of Jefferson movement, likes to think they’d be known for their buffalo burgers. Though, he’ll admit, he’s in the minority. Most people behind this movement, he says, would probably prefer beef. Being in the minority is a feeling he’s had for quite some time. Living in Northern California with Baird’s heavy libertarian point-of-view would likely drive most people crazy, and out of the state. But Baird wants to stay. He’d just prefer he was living in a new state, a State of Jefferson. Feeling that he’s had no representation in how Sacramento operates, this semi-retired pilot and former buffalo rancher has spent the past several years convincing thousands of citizens along with cities, counties and mayors to join his grass-roots movement. In Part II of II of this story, we ask how Baird plans to form this new state and look into the financials, legality and likelihood of whether the State of Jefferson can ever live up to being more than just a state of mind. Show Notes: [00:25] Mark Baird’s speech on 05.31.17 in front of California State Capitol building in Sacramento [00:55] “Borough” by Blue Dot Sessions [02:25] See Citizens for Fair Representation et al. v. Padilla Recommended: A recent 60 Minutes profile of Gov. Brown (CBS News) [02:30] The photo of California Gov. Jerry Brown looking at a flag of the State of Jefferson [04:15] “This Land Is Your Land” performed by Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings [04:50] Recommended: Listen to Part I before listening to this episode [09:35] Light reading on Kevin Hendrick (The Union) Earlier profile of the movement (The Sacramento Bee) [11:45] One of the first counties the State of Jefferson movement made its case back in 2013 (Siskyou Daily News) Results of Ballot Measure A in 2014 on the matter of state-split question And an economic overview [12:00] Light reading on Tehama County [12:25] Results of Del Norte County’s state-split ballot measure (Associated Press) [13:05] “Jefferson State of Mind” performed by local musician CQ [13:20] Official map of the State of Jefferson and its declared counties Results of Measure G on state-split question The county’s Board of Supervisors placing issue on the ballot (The Sacramento Bee) A short news brief on the results of the vote (USA Today) And an economic overview [13:40] Light reading on Lassen County [13:45] Map of the State of Jefferson according to Keep It California [16:30] “Borough-Alternate Opening” by Blue Dot Sessions [16:55] Richard Seel’s presentation on the State of Jefferson’s financial model called “Show Me the Money” An earlier presentation of his model The latest spreadsheet detailing the financial model [17:00] Light reading on Steve Baird And on budgets and spending (NASBO) And on state budgets and the federal government (NASBO) And a break down of how state budgets are formed (California Budget Project) [17:45] A short primer on state taxes and revenue (National Association of State Budget Officers) [19:05] List of U.S. States by budget size [19:10] A bigger breakdown of state budgets including Nebraska Holistic overview of California’s total debt (California Policy Center) Related: An old report from 60 Minutes on the state budget crisis Unrelated: A primer on the federal debt and deficit [20:30] The $340 billion number comes from a 2014 report (Los Angeles Times) [20:55] “Borough Celeste-Solo” by Blue Dot Sessions [21:35] Light reading on zero-percent interest rates (Investopedia) And additional reading on the California wildfires (BBC News) [22:05] Light reading on Montana’s wildfires and its budget short fall (Rapid City Journal) Related: New Mexico’s list of state departments [22:30] California’s list of 343 state agencies [24:50] Light reading of an old profile on Peter Thiel (The New Yorker) [25:00] “Sunset on the Ganja Farm” by The State of Jefferson Band [25:10] More on the Colorado pot boom (The Denver Post) [26:15] More on Dan Walters (@DanCALmatters) here [27:00] An overview of California’s economic output by region (The Sacramento Bee) And an economic forecast (Calif. Department of Transportation) [28:30] Current breakdown of Siskyou County, where Baird lives [30:05] Light reading on U.S. history and the partitioning of states Additional reading on how to become a state (How Stuff Works) [30:25] Light reading on how admission into the Union And Puerto Rico (Newsweek) President Donald Trump comments on San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto (Fox News) [32:10] More on the Washington D.C.’s bid for 51 (NPR) A much deeper and thorough dive on how Tennessee became a state [32:40] Light reading on the Tennessee Plan (The Orlando Sentinel) [32:55] “Tennessee” by Jimmy Martin [34:05] Light reading on the City (Town) of Fort Jones [35:15] The original lawsuit filed against California Secretary of State Alex Padilla [36:20] “Lamb Drop-Minor Feel” by Blue Dot Sessions [38:05] “Coronea” by Blue Dot Sessions [38:20] Note: The Citizens for Fair Representation is technically a DBA for the State of Jefferson Formation, which is based in Nevada, as noted here. And confirmed here. (Yreka News) California’s State Constitution of 1879 (see: Article V) [38:50] California’s population growth over the years [39:15] Representation ratio based on California population in 1879 Additional reading here Recent column on the measure in the New York Times [39:40] Light reading on the Apportionment Act of 1929 [40:10] More on the Hamilton-Vinton Model Power In Numbers: Reapportionment and the Constitution (Constitution Center) Congressional Apportionment: Past, Present and Future (Duke University) The House of Representatives Apportionment Formula: An Analysis of Proposals for Change and Their Impact on States (Congressional Research Service) The 1911 House Reapportionment (House.gov) Op-ed for enlarging the number of representatives (The New York Times) Methods of Apportionment (US Census) [39:40] Related reading on Congressional Apportionment: [41:40] Herbert Hoover’s full speech in St. Louis, MO in 1932 (CSPAN) [42:50] Assemblymember Paul Fong on Local Edition [42:55] See Article XIX here [43:15] Light reading on the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 [43:30] More on California’s apology to the Chinese here (TIME) [46:10] “Velejo-Atmo” by Blue Dot Sessions [47:50] “Lord Weasel-Thoughtful Bridge” by Blue Dot Sessions [48:00] Full text of the Declaration of Independence (National Archives) [48:25] Background on Margalynne Armstrong [48:40] “March on Gumdrop Field-Cello Leader” by Blue Dot Sessions The 14th Amendment The impeachment of Andrew Johnson (Politico) Recommend Listen: More Perfect’s American Pendulum II [48:45] Light reading on: Recommend Listen: More Perfect’s The Political Thicket [50:15] Audio from Baker v. Carr (Oyez) [50:20] Audio from Reynolds v. Simms (Oyez) [50:40] “The Telling” by Blue Dot Sessions Related: The Guarantee Clause and California’s Republican Form of Government (UC Berkeley) [53:10] Guarantee Clause [53:30] Citizen for Fair Representation and Baird’s motion to intervene in LaVergne v. United States House of Representatives [52:10] More on the State of California’s motion to dismiss the Citizens for Fair Representation lawsuit (Siskyou Daily News) [54:25] More on Scott Stafne [01:00:40] “Velejo-Tense” by Blue Dot Sessions Historian Robert Calhoon polls support for the Revolution around 40 percent US Department of Veteran Affairs numbers Some additional forum chatter on Reddit’s r/AskHistorians Some light reading on Three Percenters Some recommended viewing on the Three Percenters (VICE) More additional reading on the Three Percenters (Anti Defamation League) And one last bit on the Three Percenters (politicalresearch.org) Light reading on the Oath Keepers (VICE) Additional reading on the Oath Keepers (Washington Post) A profile on the Oath Keepers (Mother Jones) [01:00:50] Some links to debunk the “three-percent myth” Excerpt played from this airing [01:01:55] “Jefferson State of Mind” on KCNR 1460 Southern Poverty Law Center’s spotlight on the State of Jefferson Oregon Public Broadcasting Quartz Gawker St. George News Los Angeles Times [01:03:30] More on LaVoy Finicum from [01:03:50] Light reading on the Malheur Standoff (The Oregonian) [01:04:10] Released video of Finicum’s traffic stop [01:07:00] “Olsted Harten” by Blue Dot Sessions [01:10:00] Recommended Podcast: Closer Than They Appear[01:10:10] Recommended Podcast Newsletter: Constant Listener

On this episode, we revisit Edward Blum, a self-described “legal entrepreneur” and former stockbroker who has become something of a Supreme Court matchmaker: he takes an issue, finds the perfect plaintiff, matches them with lawyers, and helps the case work its way to the highest court in the land. His target: laws that differentiate between people based on race — including ones that empower minorities. More Perfect profiled Edward Blum in season one of the show. We catch up with him to hear about his latest effort to end affirmative action at Harvard.  The key voices: Edward Blum, director of the Project on Fair Representation Sheila Jackson Lee, Congresswoman for the 18th district of Texas The key cases: 1977: Regents of the University of California v. Bakke 2003: Grutter v. Bollinger 2013: Shelby County v. Holder 2013: Fisher v. University of Texas (1) 2016: Fisher v. University of Texas (2) The key links: More Perfect Season 1: The Imperfect Plaintiffs Blum's websites seeking plaintiffs for cases he is building against Harvard University, the University of North Carolina, and the University of Wisconsin Students for Fair Admissions' complaint; and Harvard's response. “To become leaders in our diverse society, students must have the ability to work with people from different backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives. Many colleges across America – including Harvard College – receive applications from far more highly qualified individuals each year than they can possibly admit. When choosing among academically qualified applicants, colleges must continue to have the freedom and flexibility to consider each person’s unique backgrounds and life experiences, consistent with the legal standards established by the U.S. Supreme Court,  in order to provide the rigorous, enriching, and diverse campus environments that expand the horizons of all students. In doing so, American higher education institutions can continue to give every undergraduate exposure to peers with a deep and wide variety of academic interests, viewpoints, and talents in order to better challenge their own assumptions and develop the skills they need to succeed, and to lead, in an ever more diverse workforce and an increasingly interconnected world.”  - Robert Iuliano, senior vice president and general counsel of Harvard University  Special thanks to Guy Charles, Katherine Wells, and Matt Frassica. Leadership support for More Perfect is provided by The Joyce Foundation. Additional funding is provided by The Charles Evans Hughes Memorial Foundation. Supreme Court archival audio comes from Oyez®, a free law project in collaboration with the Legal Information Institute at Cornell.

FIRST WITH YESTERDAY'S NEWS (highlights from Wednesday on Newstalk ZB) Don't Believe Everything You Hear/Ardern Could Be Even More Annoying/Not All Refugees Are Crooks/Only Winston Can Save Us/Which Mop?

FIRST WITH YESTERDAY'S NEWS (highlights from Wednesday on Newstalk ZB) Don't Believe Everything You Hear/Ardern Could Be Even More Annoying/Not All Refugees Are Crooks/Only Winston Can Save Us/Which Mop?

In July 2017, Students for Fair Admissions, a non-profit membership organization comprised of over 21,000 students, parents, and others, filed a lawsuit in Texas state court against the University of Texas at Austin. The organization alleges that UT’s racial preferences in admissions violate the Texas Constitution and a Texas statute. In particular, the Texas Constitution provides that: “Equality under the law shall not be denied or abridged because of sex, race, color, creed, or national origin.” This Equal Rights Amendment was purportedly enacted by the people of Texas to provide more expansive protection against discrimination than the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. -- Edward Blum, the president of Students for Fair Admissions, joined us to discuss the use of race-based preferences in the admissions process and the organization’s new lawsuit against the University of Texas at Austin. -- Featuring: Edward Blum, Visiting Fellow, American Enterprise Institute, President, Students for Fair Admissions, President, Project on Fair Representation. -- Please visit the Students for Fair Admissions website for more information on this subject.

FAIR's Government Relations Manager, RJ Hauman, talks with Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) about the Fair Representation Amendment. If enacted, it would amend the Constitution to ensure that only U.S. citizens are counted for purposes of apportioning House seats amongst the states. To learn more visit: fairus.org

Last week, the court decided one of this term’s blockbuster cases — a case that could affect the future of affirmative action in this country. The plaintiff was Abigail Fisher, a white woman, who said she was rejected from the University of Texas because the university unfairly considered race as one of many factors when evaluating applicants. And while Fisher’s claims were the focus of the case, the story behind how she ended up in front of the Supreme Court is a lot more complicated. Edward Blum is the director of the Project on Fair Representation (AEI) On this episode, we visit Edward Blum, a 64-year-old “legal entrepreneur” and former stockbroker who has become something of a Supreme Court matchmaker — He takes an issue, finds the perfect plaintiff, matches them with lawyers, and works his way to the highest court in the land. He’s had remarkable success, with 6 cases heard before the Supreme Court, including that of Abigail Fisher. We also head to Houston, Texas, where in 1998, an unusual 911 call led to one of the most important LGBTQ rights decisions in the Supreme Court’s history. John Lawrence (L) and Tyron Garner (R) at the 2004 Pride Parade in Houston (J.D. Doyle/Houston LGBT History) Mitchell Katine (L) introduces Tyron Garner (Middle) and John Lawrence (R) at a rally celebrating the court's decision (J.D. Doyle/Houston LGBT History) The key links: - The website Edward Blum is using to find plaintiffs for a case he is building against Harvard University- Susan Carle's book on the history of legal ethics- An obituary for Tyron Garner when he died in 2006- An obituary for John Lawrence when he died in 2011- Dale Carpenter's book on the history of Lawrence v. Texas- A Lambda Legal documentary on the story of Lawrence v. Texas The key voices: - Edward Blum, director of the Project on Fair Representation- Susan Carle, professor of law at the American University Washington College of Law- Dale Carpenter, professor of Law at the SMU Dedman School of Law- Mitchell Katine, lawyer at Katine & Nechman L.L.P. - Lane Lewis, chair of the Harris County Democratic Party- Sheila Jackson Lee, Congresswoman for the 18th district of Texas The key cases: - 1896: Plessy v. Ferguson- 1917: Buchanan v. Warley- 1962: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. Button- 1986: Bowers v. Hardwick- 1996: Bush v. Vera- 2003: Lawrence v. Texas- 2009: Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District Number One v. Holder- 2013: Shelby County v. Holder- 2013: Fisher v. University of Texas (1)- 2016: Evenwel v. Abbott- 2016: Fisher v. University of Texas (2) Special thanks to Ari Berman. His book Give Us the Ballot, and his reporting for The Nation, were hugely helpful in reporting this episode.   More Perfect is funded in part by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The Charles Evans Hughes Memorial Foundation, and the Joyce Foundation. Supreme Court archival audio comes from Oyez®, a free law project in collaboration with the Legal Information Institute at Cornell.

Last week, the court decided one of this term’s blockbuster cases — a case that could affect the future of affirmative action in this country. The plaintiff was Abigail Fisher, a white woman, who said she was rejected from the University of Texas because the university unfairly considered race as one of many factors when evaluating applicants. And while Fisher’s claims were the focus of the case, the story behind how she ended up in front of the Supreme Court is a lot more complicated. Edward Blum is the director of the Project on Fair Representation (AEI)  On this episode, we visit Edward Blum, a 64-year-old “legal entrepreneur” and former stockbroker who has become something of a Supreme Court matchmaker — He takes an issue, finds the perfect plaintiff, matches them with lawyers, and works his way to the highest court in the land. He’s had remarkable success, with 6 cases heard before the Supreme Court, including that of Abigail Fisher. We also head to Houston, Texas, where in 1998, an unusual 911 call led to one of the most important LGBT rights decisions in the Supreme Court’s history. John Lawrence (L) and Tyron Garner (R) at the 2004 Pride Parade in Houston (J.D. Doyle/Houston LGBT History) Mitchell Katine (L) introduces Tyron Garner (Middle) and John Lawrence (R) at a rally celebrating the court's decision (J.D. Doyle/Houston LGBT History) The key links: - The website Edward Blum is using to find plaintiffs for a case he is building against Harvard University- Susan Carle's book on the history of legal ethics- Ari Berman's book on voting rights in America- An obituary for Tyron Garner when he died in 2006- An obituary for John Lawrence when he died in 2011- Dale Carpenter's book on the history of Lawrence v. Texas- A Lambda Legal documentary on the story of Lawrence v. Texas The key cases: - 1896: Plessy v. Ferguson- 1917: Buchanan v. Warley- 1962: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. Button- 1986: Bowers v. Hardwick- 1996: Bush v. Vera- 2003: Lawrence v. Texas- 2009: Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District Number One v. Holder- 2013: Shelby County v. Holder- 2013: Fisher v. University of Texas (1)- 2016: Evenwel v. Abbott- 2016: Fisher v. University of Texas (2) Special thanks to Ari Berman. His book Give Us the Ballot, and his reporting for The Nation, were hugely helpful in reporting this episode.   More Perfect is funded in part by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The Charles Evans Hughes Memorial Foundation, and the Joyce Foundation. Supreme Court archival audio comes from Oyez®, a free law project in collaboration with the Legal Information Institute at Cornell.