A Few Reasonable Words

The Dems took over the House of Representatives with an ambitious legislative agenda, but what are they actually proposing? And does it have any chance to pass? Why even suggest big, sweeping legislation if they know the Senate & President won't budge?

Seems like everybody's talking about electability, but what does that really mean? What can we actually know about a candidate's electability, and is thinking about it a good way to make decisions about who to support?

Happy Independence Day! To celebrate, we examine Frederick Douglass' "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" and discuss how it remains relevant to the ways we think about patriotism, tradition, and the founding ideals of the U.S.

We're back just in time for the enormous Democratic primary field's two-part debate extravaganza! Why are there so many candidates? Is it a good thing, or something to be fret about? Let AFRW guide you through the impenetrable forest of candidates!

Should election day be a national holiday? Maybe! We put the proposal through our reform corner ringer to see whether or not it would be a good idea to establish a Voting Day holiday.

How should we feel about sneaky partisan power maneuvers? Is it the beginnings of a tyrannical overthrow of democracy itself or just the normal push-and-pull of democratic politics? We explore recent events in Michigan & Wisconsin to try and figure it out.

Questions about legitimacy (stolen elections, fraud, voter suppression) have surrounded reactions to the recent election here in the U.S. What does it means to have a legitimate election and why do political scientists think this is such an important concept and value in a democratic system?

It's election time, America! You've certainly heard from the pundits and the campaigns, but what do political scientists think about midterm elections in general and this midterm election in particular? What should we expect? What is so important about midterms? And why should we (maybe) not call them "midterms" at all? 

Our first ever live episode! In front of an audience of real live human beings, we discuss the idea of mandatory voting. What is compulsory voting? Do other countries require their citizens to vote? Should we do that? Plus: Q&A with the audience! Fun!

Instant Runoff Voting or Ranked-Choice Voting: What is it, who does it, and is it a good idea? We'll answer all your questions in our most recent trip to the political science reform corner.