What is a democracy? Bill and Sasha talk Texas voting laws, then Bill critiques the DC fiscal paralysis and comments on guns in America.

Guest commentator Melanie joins Bill to talk about the impact of having most Federal workers on unpaid leave from their jobs during the shutdown. Then Bill looks at food inspection problems in the U.S. Guest commentator Sarah discusses a court decision in Nebraska. Bill examines political mirroring between France and a former African colony.

Guest Luke Vargas reports from the United Nations. Then Bill examines the history of health reform in the U.S. and explains the Affordable Care Act and current shutdown.

Bill and guest host Sarah discuss health insurance exchanges, government shutdown, default, John Boehner, and Ted Cruz. Then we look at New Mexico's legal battles over marriage equality. Finally, Bill argues in favor of diplomacy with Iran.

Bill and guest host Sarah discuss tipping and restaurant minimum wage laws. Then we look at science education in Kentucky and the EPA's impending new coal power regulations.

Bill and Persephone discuss Russia's assertion that the UK is irrelevant to world affairs, then we examine the most successful global treaty of all time (and efforts to improve it), and we conclude by asking how individual cities and towns are possibly able to pass abortion bans on their own because that is crazy.

Bill and Persephone critique President Obama's proposed reforms to the cost of higher education. Then we discuss three military cases involving death penalty level crimes and the related issue of anti-Muslim attitudes in the U.S. Finally we look at the shocking number of squirrel-related power failures and what that says about America's infrastructure.

Bill and Persephone discuss the Justice Department's prosecution of financial crimes from the 2008 crisis and then examine the UN peacekeeping mission in the DR Congo.

Bill and Persephone discuss Arkansas Republican Tom Cotton and North Carolina voter suppression. Then Bill explores The Anatomy of Revolution, as Egypt slips into chaos.

Who has the right to rule in a society? What is a democracy? How do citizens get to participate in a civil society? In light of events in Egypt, Persephone and Bill discuss political theories of legitimacy, governance, and civil society. Then, they discuss what Boston is doing to prepare for global warming effects. Warning: This episode may be educational.