1A

First-term Congresswomen have been dominating national politics. A wave of female candidates are leading the Democratic pack for 2020. And Republicans say they need more women elected at every level.

What are female politicians on both sides of the aisle facing at the national level? And how does the public conversation change when women run?

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Grateful Dead front man Jerry Garcia died in 1995. But the band continues to inspire more than just new ice cream flavors.

What makes the Grateful Dead's words glow with the gold of sunshine? And how does a band formed over 50 years ago remain not only relevant today, but influential?

We discussed with a panel of Deadheads.

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Cliff Sims describes the White House power structure not as a flow chart, but a solar system — with President Trump as the sun, and everyone else orbiting him at varying distances. He says he was pretty close: more of a Mercury than a Jupiter.

We spoke with Sims about his time in the White House and his new book reflecting on "500 extraordinary days."

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This year, the film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz turns 80. It's considered one of the most influential films ever made — for the song "Over the Rainbow," for being made in Technicolor, for jumpstarting Judy Garland's career and for launching a cottage industry of people who believe it's much more than a modern fairy tale.

We discussed what makes this movie so beloved with Wizard of Oz expert John Fricke.

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At least 85 rural hospitals have closed since 2010. That's about five percent of the country's total.

What are lawmakers and citizens doing to address the dearth of healthcare for rural residents? We explored this question as part of our Across America partnership.

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President Trump has announced a deal to reopen the government for three weeks while negotiations over border security proceeded. Roger Stone, a close associate of President Trump, was arrested. And Michael Cohen will comply with a subpoena from the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Around the world, the uber rich and powerful gathered again in Davos. A government crackdown in Zimbabwe has many concerned that the country is slipping backwards. And who is in charge of Venezuela, really?

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The American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, has been around since 1973. Even if you're not sure what it does, chances are you've been impacted by laws it's helped pass at the state level.

We looked into ALEC's impact on our democracy as part of our week of audience-selected shows.

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Student loan borrowers in the U.S. collectively owe $1.5 trillion. And less than 16 percent of U.S. students are required to take a personal finance course to graduate high school.

How are we preparing young people to be smart consumers? And why isn't financial literacy a standard in our schools?
We discussed as part of our week of listener-selected show topics.

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The Pledge of Allegiance says that America is "one nation under God." But not everyone feels that way.

Surveys show the number of Americans who identify as atheists is growing. So what does the term "atheist" mean, both to believers and non-believers?

We kicked off our week of audience-selected shows with a chance to ask an atheist.

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With inequality still growing, who is carrying on Martin Luther King's economic fight today?

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