A Few Reasonable Words

This week we begin a month-long discussion of the connections between race, racial attitudes, and politics in the United States today. As our introduction we consider the prominent arguments from some who say that Democrats need to abandon identity politics. We ask: What is identity politics anyway? Is it possible or desirable to separate politics from identity?

New episodes coming soon! In the meantime, we want to hear your questions & ideas! Email [email protected] or tweet to @afrwpod 

Today we discuss partisanship and how it affects our views of politics, the world, and the Election of 2016. In case you’ve missed it, Democrats and Republicans have had really different reactions to the election of Donald Trump. Is that the new normal? Is there a way to reasonably understand this election and the Trump presidency that isn’t shaded by partisanship?

Election 2016: What happened? How should we understand the surprising results? Why were the polls wrong? Why did Trump and the Republicans win? What does it mean for the future?

What is the Electoral College? Why do we have it? Where did it come from? Is it a good thing? Or is it anti-democratic? What would happen if we got rid of it and went with a national popular vote? 

Should I vote, and if so, how should I vote? If my vote won't determine the election, does it matter if I vote? Do citizens have a civic duty to vote? If so, is there an ethical duty to vote a certain way? Should I still vote if I don't really know all the information? Is there ever an ethical justification for not voting at all? Are voters morally responsible for the causal effects of their votes? 

This week we continue a month long series considering the question, “Should I vote?” This week, we consider the questions: Should I vote for a third party candidate? Can my protest vote send a message? Does voting third party mean I am throwing my vote away? We explain why America has a two-party system (that isn’t going anywhere) and consider the good and not-so-good reasons for supporting third party candidates. http://Afrwpodcast.wordpress.com

This week we continue a month long series considering the question, “Should I vote?” We make the case that partisan margins in Congress matter at least as much as the presidency, and that state and local races probably matter more to our daily lives. http://Afrwpodcast.wordpress.com

This week we begin a month long series considering the question, “Should I vote?” We begin with the presidency. Is the presidency even that big a deal? Does the president have real power? Even if the office is important, are the two candidates basically the same? http://afrwpodcast.wordpress.com

Do the news media give American voters the information we need in order to make informed choices? If not, is it really the news media’s fault? Is there anything we can do about it?