Civics on the Rocks

Steve defiles a chicken, Anne misrepresents Swedish fish, and Mack imitates a raven. Oh, and we talk about voting. MAKE YOUR PLAN TO VOTE: https://www.vote411.org/

REFERENCES

There has been a trend among both parties to encourage people to get out and vote:

Carnegie Corporation of New York. “Voting Rights: A Short History.” Updated March 2025. Andrew Carnegie Foundation. https://carnegie.org/article/voting-rights-timeline/

Public schools have a responsibility to make sure that high schoolers that are of age, that we get them registered to vote:

Texas Secretary of State. “High School Deputy Registrar FAQs.” https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/laws/high-school-frequently-asked-questions.shtml

The name of the multistate database to help coordinate voter rolls is the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC):

ERIC. “What is ERIC?” https://ericstates.org/about/

This is a far cry from where we started:

University of North Texas. “A Brief History of Voting in America.” https://guides.library.unt.edu/voting/history-of-voting-America

In the Constitution, this is still true, states on their own decide who gets to vote:

Constitution Annotated. “ArtI.S4.C1.2.1 States and Elections Clause.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S4-C1-2/ALDE_00013577/

There have been times that states allowed foreign residents to vote:

Castellanos Canales, Arturo. “The Myths and Truths of Noncitizen Voting in the United States.” May 7, 2024. Forum. https://forumtogether.org/article/the-myths-and-truths-of-noncitizen-voting-in-the-united-states/

There’s also been a change in the meaning of the word citizen throughout time:

National Museum of American History. “Defining Citizenship.” Smithsonian. https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-democracy/online/creating-citizens/defining-citizenship

The word citizen is mentioned several times in the Constitution including as a requirement to become a member of the House and Senate, or to serve as President. Read your Constitution, kids.

The Dred Scott case:

Oyez. “Dred Scott v. Sandford.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1850-1900/60us393

There was no secret ballot:

Wasley, Paula. “Back When Everyone Knew How You Voted.” Fall 2016. National Endowment for the Humanities. https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2016/fall/feature/back-when-everyone-knew-how-you-voted

Especially when you have political machines and bosses:

Britannica Editors. “Political Machine.” Updated February 20, 2026. https://www.britannica.com/topic/political-machine

And this brings us to Edgar Allen Poe:

Poetry Foundation. “Edgar Allan Poe.” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/edgar-allan-poe

It’s one theory:

Geiling, Natasha. “The (Still) Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe.” October 7, 2014. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/still-mysterious-death-edgar-allan-poe-180952936/

The practice of voter fraud that Mack describes was called cooping:

Lapham’s Quarterly. “Miscellany.” https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/democracy/miscellany/man-was-used

The case of Dred Scott v. Sandford:

Urofsky, Melvin I. “Dred Scott Decision.” Updated September 26, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Dred-Scott-decision

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at the time was a guy called Roger Taney:

Schumacher, Alvin J. “Roger B. Taney.” Updated July 9, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Roger-B-Taney

The idea of state’s rights:

Drake, Frederick Dean. “State’s Rights.” Updated August 5, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/states-rights

The Thirteenth,…:

Constitution Annotated. “Thirteenth Amendment.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-13/

…the Fourteenth,…:

Constitution Annotated. “Fourteenth Amendment.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-14/

…and Fifteenth Amendments:

Constitution Annotated. “Fifteenth Amendment.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-15/

It happened after the Civil War:

Weber, Jennifer L. “American Civil War.” Updated September 23, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Civil-War

When Ulysses S. Grant became President:

Simon, John Y. “Ulysses S. Grant.” Updated September 18, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ulysses-S-Grant

The rise of the KKK:

Frantz, Elaine S. “The Rise (and Fall) of the First Ku Klux Klan.” Fall 2019. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/rise-and-fall-first-ku-klux-klan

The first Civil Rights Act is passed in 1866:

National Constitution Center. “Civil Rights Act of 1866, ‘An Act to Protect All Persons in the United States in Their Civil Rights, and Furnish the Means of Their Vindication.” https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/historic-document-library/detail/civil-rights-act-of-1866-april-9-1866-an-act-to-protect-all-persons-in-the-united-states-in-their-civil-rights-and-furnish-the-means-of-their-vindication

We have Reconstruction:

Foner, Eric. “Reconstruction.” Updated September 26, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Reconstruction-United-States-history

It was during that time that you had Black enfranchisement, effectively:

National Archives. “Black Americans and the Vote.” https://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/vote

That’s when you have the first Blacks in Southern legislatures elected:

History.com Editors. “Black Leaders During Reconstruction.” Updated May 28, 2025. https://www.history.com/articles/black-leaders-during-reconstruction

The first Black man to serve in the Senate:

United States House of Representatives. “Revels, Hiram Rhodes.” https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/R/REVELS,-Hiram-Rhodes-(R000166)/

The first Black man to serve in the House of Representatives:

United States House of Representatives. “Representative Joseph Rainey of South Carolina, the First African American to Serve in the House.” https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1800-1850/Representative-Joseph-Rainey-of-South-Carolina,-the-first-African-American-to-serve-in-the-House/

Then, in the election of 1876:

Blackford, Sheila. “Disputed Election of 1876.” Miller Center. https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/educational-resources/disputed-election-1876

The corrupt bargain, allegedly:

History.com Editors. “Compromise of 1877.” Updated May 28, 2025. https://www.history.com/articles/compromise-of-1877

Hayes maintained to his dying day that there was no corrupt bargain:

Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museum. “Stubborn Myth of Corrupt Deal Regarding Hayes Persists 150 Years Later.” https://www.rbhayes.org/news/2026/02/26/general/stubborn-myth-of-corrupt-deal-regarding-hayes-persist-150-years-later/

Because we are in the midst of America’s industrial boom:

White, Richard. “The Rise of Industrial America, 1877–1900.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/rise-industrial-america-1877-1900

To call it voter intimidation against Blacks would be the least of what was happening. There were beatings and assaults and murders:

Equal Justice Initiative. “Reconstruction in America: Racial Violence After the Civil War, 1865–1876.” https://eji.org/report/reconstruction-in-america/

They would say, “Well, if you want to vote, then you have to pass a literacy test.”:

National Museum of American History. “Literacy Tests.” Smithsonian. https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-democracy/online/vote-voice/keeping-vote/state-rules-federal-rules/literacy-tests

The political leadership of Southern states, which was pulled from much the same class of society as from before the Civil War, were not really interested in Blacks or poor Whites being educated:

Delevingne, Lawrence and Lasseter, Tom. “Heirs of Power.” December 13, 2023. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-slavery-families/

Grandfather clause:

Britannica Editors. “Grandfather Clause.” Updated July 22, 2020. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/grandfather-clause

Registration requirements:

Cresswell, Stephen. “Mississippi Constitution Disfranchises Black Voters.” 2023. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/mississippi-constitution-disfranchises-black-voters/

Poll taxes:

National Museum of American History. “Poll Taxes.” Smithsonian. https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-democracy/online/vote-voice/keeping-vote/state-rules-federal-rules/poll-taxes

Occasional rises of the KKK:

Lay, Shawn. “Ku Klux Klan in the Twentieth Century.” Updated August 12, 2020. New Georgia Encyclopedia. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/ku-klux-klan-in-the-twentieth-century/

It was called the Australian ballot:

Britannica Editors. “Australian Ballot.” Updated May 3, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Australian-ballot

There was a Civil Rights Act that Congress passed in 1875:

Untied States Senate. “Landmark Legislation: Civil Rights Act of 1875.” https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/CivilRightsAct1875.htm

They’re called the Civil Rights Cases:

Oyez. “The Civil Rights Cases.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1850-1900/109us3

The Civil Rights Act of 1964:

National Archives. “Civil Rights Act (1964).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/civil-rights-act

The Commerce Clause:

Constitution Annotated. “ArtI.S8.C3.1 Overview of Commerce Clause.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C3-1/ALDE_00013403/

The Civil Rights Act of 1957:

United States House of Representatives. “The Civil Rights Act of 1957.” https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1951-2000/The-Civil-Rights-Act-of-1957/

Albert Gore, Sr.:

Neal, James H. “Albert Arnold Gore, Sr.” Updated March 1, 2018. Tennessee Encyclopedia. https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/albert-arnold-gore-sr/

Estes Kefauver:

Brown, Jr., Theodore. “Carey Estes Kefauver.” Updated March 1, 2018. Tennessee Encyclopedia. https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/carey-estes-kefauver/

Lyndon Johnson:

Britannica Editors. “Lyndon B. Johnson.” Updated September 29, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lyndon-B-Johnson

Creating the U.S. Civil Rights Commission:

U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. “Our Mission.” https://www.usccr.gov/about/mission

Then you have Freedom Riders:

Smith Holmes, Marian. “The Freedom Riders, Then and Now.” February 2009. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-freedom-riders-then-and-now-45351758/

Motor voter bills:

Department of Justice. “The National Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).” Updated November 1, 2024. https://www.justice.gov/crt/national-voter-registration-act-1993-nvra

Unlike some other countries in the world:

Pew Research Center. “Election Day Around the World.” July 2, 2026. https://www.pewresearch.org/chart/election-day-around-the-world/

To vote in American, most times, you have to take off from work:

Movement Advancement Project. “Election Day Holidays and Paid Time Off to Vote.” https://mapresearch.org/democracy-map/election-day-holidays-and-paid-time-off-to-vote/

Actually, one of the main reasons mail-in voting began was to accommodate soldiers who were stationed away from their polling places:

MIT Election Data & Science Lab. “Voting by Mail and Absentee Voting.” Updated June 24, 2026. https://electionlab.mit.edu/research/voting-mail-and-absentee-voting

When you consider how much our politics is influenced by money:

League of Women Voters. “Money in Politics.” https://www.lwv.org/voting-rights/money-politics

It’s Texas law:

Vote Texas. “Voters With Disabilities.” https://www.votetexas.gov/voters-with-special-needs/

Though, there are Federal guidelines as well:

USA.gov. “Voter Accessibility Laws.” https://www.usa.gov/voter-accessibility-laws

Steve is correct, you can vote at any polling place in Bexar County in both early voting and the general election:

Vote Texas. “What’s Allowed at the Polling Place?” https://www.votetexas.gov/voting/where.html

That was the big brouhaha in Dallas in the last primary election:

Contreras, Natalia. “Dallas Democrats Drop Lawsuit Seeking to Count Primary Ballots Cast During Extended Voting Hours.” March 12, 2026. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2026/03/12/dallas-county-democrats-lawsuit-withdrawal-march-primary-votes/

This is the drop box incident that Steve described:

Killough, Ashley; Lavandera, Ed; and LeBlanc, Paul. “Texas Governor Limits Election Drop Boxes to One Per County in Sprawling State. October 5, 2020. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/01/politics/texas-governor-drop-off-locations-ballots

President Trump, the whole, “The vote is rigged…”:

Lee, Ella. “‘Sowing Doubt’: Trump’s Attempt to Change Voting Causes Chaos for State Officials.” September 5, 2026. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/47ac914f-ab0e-441b-9152-9ef06dc17741?syn-25a6b1a6=1

Trump made the “stand back and stand by” comment during the 2020 election:

Ronayne, Kathleen and Kunzelman, Michael. “Trump Doesn’t Disavow White Supremacy, Tells Far-Right Extremist Group to ‘Stand By.’” September 30, 2020. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-trump-doesnt-disavow-white-supremacy-tells-far-right-extremist-group-to-stand-by

While there is no documentation that he has made a similar comment recently, he has made other statements to intimidate voters:

Anderson, Zac. “Trump Doesn’t Rule Out Invoking Insurrection Act Around Election.” October 1, 2026. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/10/01/trump-national-emergency-midterm-elections/92036013007/

You can be a poll watcher:

Vote Texas. “Poll Watchers.” https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/poll-watchers.html

They have demarcated the distance:

Vote Texas. “What’s NOT Allowed at the Polling Place.” https://www.votetexas.gov/voting/allowed-at-the-polling-place.html

Actual cases of voter fraud are so incredibly rare:

Abusaif, Yasmin. “Debunking the Voter Fraud Myth, Again.” September 9, 2026. American Bar Association. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/resources/human-rights/2026-september/debunking-voter-fraud-myth-again/

It gets referred to as voter suppression:

Duignan, Brian. “Voter Suppression.” Updated April 28, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/voter-suppression

Republican controlled legislatures are proposing certain measures:

Greene, Connor. “As the Senate Weighs the Trump-Backed SAVE Act, These States Are Advancing Their Own Voting Restrictions.” April 3, 2026. Time. https://time.com/article/2026/04/03/voting-restrictions-citizenship-proof-state-laws-ballot-measures-trump-save-act/

Not a nice autumnal Scotch:

Texas Parks and Wildlife. “Balmorhea State Park.” https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/balmorhea

Not a state park in Texas:

Edradour. “Welcome to Edradour.” https://www.edradour.com/

Some Voter ID laws:

Vote Texas. “Voter ID.” https://www.votetexas.gov/voting/need-id.html

You can get a state ID card:

Vote Texas. “Identification Requirements for Voting." https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/election-identification-certificate-eic

You can do a provisional ballot:

National Conference of State Legislatures. “Provisional Ballots.” Updated April 16, 2025. https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/provisional-ballots

Mail-in voting—some restrictions have been proposed but challenged:

Jones Capparell, Jessica. “What Happened With Mail-In Ballots at SCOTUS?” Updated September 17, 2026. League of Women Voters. https://www.lwv.org/blog/what-happened-mail-ballots-scotus

Some states have been turning them over voluntarily, like Texas:

Contreras, Natalia and Birenbaum, Gabby. “Texas Hands Over Complete List of Registered Voters to Trump Administration.” January 9, 2026. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2026/01/09/texas-voter-roll-trump-administration-justice-department-democrats-dnc/

Seriously, a lot of people are up for election in November:

Texas Secretary of State. “Offices Up for Election in 2026.” https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/guide/2026/offices2026.shtml

The Supreme Court effectively gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965:

Hoffman, Grayson. “SCOTUS’s Final Blow Dismantling the Voting Rights Act.” Updated May 21, 2026. League of Women Voters. https://www.lwv.org/blog/scotuss-final-blow-dismantling-voting-rights-act

They gerrymandered here in Texas right before the primaries:

Howe, Amy. “Supreme Court Allows Texas to Use Redistricting Map Challenged as Racially Discriminatory.” December 4, 2025. SCOTUSblog. https://www.scotusblog.com/2025/12/supreme-court-allows-texas-to-use-redistricting-map-challenged-as-racially-discriminatory/

Suddenly, all the voter ID cards were out of date:

Contreras, Natalia. “Texas’ Troubled Election Software and New Congressional Maps Delay Voter Registration Cards.” February 5, 2026. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2026/02/05/texas-voter-registration-card-delays-elections-2026/

Absolute props to Bexar County elections:

Bexar County Elections. https://elections.bexar.gov/

The first cocktail was a Trinidad Sour:

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/trinidad-sour/

Steve was closest. Orgeat is pronounced [or-zhat]:

Merriam-Webster. “Orgeat.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orgeat

All the way from Sweden, salted licorice:

Richdale, Andrew. “The Trick to Loving Scandinavian Salt Licorice is to Stop Thinking it’s Candy.” January 13, 2017. Saveur. https://www.saveur.com/scandinavian-salt-licorice-salmiak/

The best kind–Bilar:

Swedish Candy Store. “Ahlgrens Bilar Original.” https://swedishcandystore.com/products/ahlgrens-bilar-original?srsltid=AU7gw4UScZl-M8pQ-j6P7k-5Oom2VN4wK5YoQBe2Cf_0n5K0BYj-WNuy

So, Anne got this completely wrong. Swedish Fish were originally made by a Swedish company, but they were created and marketed specifically for North America. (Hence, her Swedish friends being unaware of their existence.) They are now made by Mondelēz, and Haribo remains uninvolved:

Rodriguez McRobbie, Linda. “A Brief History of Swedish Fish.” October 24, 2017. Mental Floss. https://www.mentalfloss.com/food/candy/brief-history-swedish-fish

Also, we at Civics on the Rocks would like to take this opportunity to apologize to anyone who suffers from misophonia.

You can look up Congressional records:

Congress.gov. “Congressional Record.” https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record

Anne had a Saratoga:

https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/2196/saratoga-cocktail

That’s not it:

https://youtu.be/ODmhPsgqGgQ?si=oYFbInyIr1symupd

The high/low–priority/urgency thing:

Eisenhower. “Introducing the Eisenhower Matrix.” https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/

Check if you’re registered:

Texas.gov. “Texas Voter Registration.” https://www.texas.gov/living-in-texas/texas-voter-registration/

Vote early. Early voting in Texas begins on October 19:

League of Women Voters. “2026 General Election Key Dates.” https://www.lwvtexas.org/#gsc.tab=0

And Abraham Lincoln was the vampire hunter, not Dwight D. Eisenhower. But you already knew that.

Hey y’all. We apologize but we will not be posting a full episode this month. We have a great one recorded for you, but our editing team has suffered a loss in the family. Thank you for your understanding and we’ll talk to you again in October.

Thanks for listening, folks! We love having you here! Our birthday gift to you is A Slightly Tipsy Squirrel. Cheers!

Mack gives examples from real life, Steves waxes philosophical about liberty, and Anne pursues happiness.

REFERENCES

The idea of liberty and justice for all has been a thing from the beginning, but the phrase is best known from the Pledge of Allegiance:

Greene, Charlotte. “The Pledge of Allegiance.” USConstitution.net. https://usconstitution.net/pledge-html/

Can we start with the property-owning white men:

Johnston, Mindy. “Timeline of Voting Rights in the United States.” August 28, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Timeline-of-Voting-Rights-in-the-United-States

A 700-year monarchy:

Britannica Editors. “Kings and Queens of Britain.” Updated December 5, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Kings-and-Queens-of-Britain-1856932

Many of the states, on their own by the early to mid-1800s, are expanding who can vote:

University of North Texas. “A Brief History of Voting in America.” https://guides.library.unt.edu/voting/history-of-voting-America

Take the free exercise of religion:

Constitution Annotated. “Amdt1.4.1 Overview of Free Exercise Clause.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/amdt1-4-1/ALDE_00013221/

Originally the Bill of Rights did not apply to states, that comes with the Fourteenth Amendment later:

Legal Information Institute. “Fourteenth Amendment.” Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/fourteenth_amendment_0

Public schools in Massachusetts were run by the church:

Roos, David. “What School Was Like in the 13 Colonies.” Updated March 19, 2026. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/13-colonies-school

On their own, states are going away from the connection between the government and the state-sanctioned churches that they had:

Baily, Ellen and Newton, Heather. “Separation of Church and State: Overview.” 2024. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/separation-church-and-state-overview

Around the time of the Civil War:

Weber, Jennifer L. “American Civil War.” Updated April 19, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Civil-War

We’re recording this on Juneteenth:

Britannica Editors. “Juneteenth.” Updated June 17, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Juneteenth/additional-info#history

Wyoming in 1869:

WyoHistory.org “Women’s Suffrage and Women’s Rights.” https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/topics/womens-suffrage-and-womens-rights

The Nineteenth Amendment:

National Archives. “19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Women’s Right to Vote (1920).” Reviewed February 8, 2022. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/19th-amendment

When that amendment was ratified, around half the states already let women vote:

Nelson Alexander, Brooke. “20 States Where Women Could Vote Before 1920.” Updated February 24, 2026. Reader’s Digest. https://www.rd.com/article/states-where-women-could-vote-before-1920/

Texas, nevertheless, ratified the Nineteenth Amendment:

Dallas Historical Society. “Suffrage in Texas.” https://www.dallashistory.org/suffrage-in-texas/

Unless you’re in the South:

Merrit, Keri Leigh. “Voting Rights and Restrictions in Pre-Emancipation America.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/voting-rights-and-restrictions-pre-emancipation-america

There was a lot of variability:

Olson, Grace. “The States Decide How Elections are Run.” July 9, 2025. National Conference of State Legislatures. https://www.ncsl.org/state-legislatures-news/details/the-states-decide-how-elections-are-run

There were some states that would even let foreign residents vote:

Espinoza Jaen, Caryl. “Can Green Card Holders Vote in U.S. Elections?” June 18, 2026. Manifest. https://manifestlaw.com/blog/can-green-card-holders-vote/

Citizenship as we understand it now was not a concept in the 1800s:

Pence Law Library. “The Fight for the Right to Vote.” Updated September 16, 2024. https://wcl.american.libguides.com/voting/history/timeline

Not necessarily better than it was 5 years ago:

Waldman, Michael. “Epic Corruption in Plain Sight.” May 19, 2026. Brennan Center for Justice. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/epic-corruption-plain-sight

That’s going to restrict some people’s voting rights:

Stone, Peter. “Experts Alarmed as Trump Launches Broad-Front Attack on U.S. Voting Rights.” June 16, 2026. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/16/trump-voting-rights-elections

The language is even in the Declaration:

National Archives. “Declaration of Independence: A Transcription.” https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

The letters between John and Abigail

Henderson Crane, Jennifer L. “Analysis: Letters of Abigail Adams to John Adams.” 2022. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/analysis-letters-abigail-adams-john-adams

There were women back then, there were even men back then, that thought women should vote:

Museum of the American Revolution. “When Women Lost the Vote: A Revolutionary Story, 1776–1807.” https://www.amrevmuseum.org/virtualexhibits/when-women-lost-the-vote-a-revolutionary-story

For that matter, there were even abolitionists back then:

Negussie, Tesfaye. “Quakers, One of the First Abolitionists, Renew Their Call for Resistance as America Turns 250.” July 3, 2026. ABC News. https://abcnews.com/US/quakers-1st-abolitionists-renew-call-resistance-america-turns/story?id=134422099

The Emancipation Proclamation:

National Archives. “Transcript of the Proclamation.” https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/emancipation-proclamation/transcript.html

People who may not know the history:

Gardullo, Paul. “Emancipation Proclamation: An Introduction.” 2022. National Museum of African American History and Culture. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/emancipation-proclamation-striking-mighty-blow-slavery/introduction

There were parishes in Louisiana that were under control of the Union Army:

Sacher, John M. “Civil War Louisiana.” Updated June 24, 2024. 64 Parishes. https://64parishes.org/entry/civil-war-louisiana

General Gordan Granger:

Schwartz, Allison. “Gordon Granger.” National Museum of the United States Army. https://www.thenmusa.org/biographies/gordon-granger/

He used his powers as Commander in Chief during time of rebellion:

Pinkster, Matthew. “Lincoln and War Powers.” 2013. Dickinson College. https://housedivided.dickinson.edu/sites/lincoln/warpowers/

The Thirteenth Amendment:

Constitution Annotated. “Thirteenth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-13/

It would be ratified:

National Archives. “13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (1865).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/13th-amendment

Later on, when there is a lot of internal migration:

Gregory, James. “The Great Migration (African American).” University of Washington. https://depts.washington.edu/moving1/black_migration.shtml

Opal Lee was one of these community members:

National Museum of African American History and Culture. “Who is Opal Lee? The Story Behind the Grandmother of Juneteenth.” https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/who-opal-lee

Like how Memorial Day started:

Waxman, Olivia B. “The Overlooked Black History of Memorial Day.” May 22, 2020. https://time.com/5836444/black-memorial-day/

There are people who are opposed to it:

Stewart, Celina. “Juneteenth and the Danger of Selective Memory.” June 19, 2026. League of Women Voters. https://www.lwv.org/blog/juneteenth-and-danger-selective-memory

The characterization of the last founding father:

Pierre, Don. “Martin Luther King, Jr. Was America’s Last Founding Father.” January 20, 2020. The National Interest. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/martin-luther-king-was-americas-last-founding-father-115381

He was murdered:

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute. “Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.” https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/assassination-martin-luther-king-jr

How many times was he thrown in jail:

Black History. “Martin Luther King, Jr. was Arrested 29 Times for These So-Called Crimes.” https://www.blackhistory.com/2019/11/martin-luther-king-jr-was-arrested-29-times-crimes.html

Everyone should read the letter from Birmingham jail:

Bill of Rights Institute. “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” https://billofrightsinstitute.org/primary-sources/letter-from-birmingham-jail/

We’re seeing that today with the queer community:

ACLU. “Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures in 2026.” https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights-2026

With trans folk:

Trans Legislation Tracker. “2026 Anti-Trans Bills Tracker.” https://translegislation.com/

Justice Scalia:

Houck, Aaron M. “Antonin Scalia.” Updated March 7, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antonin-Scalia/additional-info#history

We could not find the exact case that Mack was referencing, but here is another illustration of Justice Scalia’s opinion on rights:

Whitaker, Morgan. “Scalia: Supreme Court Shouldn’t ‘Invent New Minorities’.” August 20, 2013. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna52802025

Ninth Amendment:

Constitution Annotated. “Ninth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-9/

There’s this quote from Michelangelo:

Michelangelo. “The sculpture is already complete…” AZ Quotes. https://www.azquotes.com/quote/722675

Mack got this one all wrong (and Steve backed him). No one is sure who originally said, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,” but Civics at the Rocks couldn’t find anyone who thinks it might be Demosthenes or John Adams. Mostly, everybody agrees it wasn’t Thomas Jefferson:

Deis, Robert. “Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.” January 27, 2026. This Day in Quotes. https://www.thisdayinquotes.com/2026/01/eternal-vigilance-is-the-price-of-liberty/

And, in case you’re wondering:

Murphy, James J. “Demosthenes.” Updated February 27, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Demosthenes-Greek-statesman-and-orator

Orange Blossom cocktail:

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/orange-blossom/

There are, apparently, a lot of variations on the New Fashioned cocktail. This is the closest to what we had:

https://www.cocktailsdrinks.com/new-fashioned-cocktail-recipe/

Roosevelt cocktail:

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/roosevelt/

It’s vanillin:

National Library of Medicine. “Vanillin.” https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Vanillin

Rhum Barbancourt, which is from Haiti:

https://barbancourt.com/en

What’s happening in Haiti:

Dickinson, Daniel. “‘Hope’ for Haiti’s Political Future as Some 300 Groups Reportedly Register for Upcoming Elections.” March 16, 2026. United Nations. https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167143

It was a whole big thing:

Nawaz, Amna; Adwoa Antwi-Boasiako, Nana; and Merchant, Azhar. “How Americans are Welcoming World Cup Fans From Across the Globe.” June 18, 2026. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-americans-are-welcoming-world-cup-fans-from-across-the-globe

America’s big birthday:

https://america250.org/

The first of its kind (at least in the modern era):

Dutta, Somapika. “10 Oldest Democracies in the World.” Updated 2026. Oldest.org https://www.oldest.org/politics/democracies/

Many countries follow our model:

Bradertscher, Eric and Stingl, Alexandar. “The United States and World Democracy: An Overview.” 2024. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/political-science/united-states-and-world-democracy-overview

Some people are under attack:

Human Rights Watch. “U.S.: Trump Administration’s Pervasive Attacks on Rights.” February 4, 2026. https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/02/04/us-trump-administrations-pervasive-attacks-on-rights

The Bicentennial:

Kennedy, Leslie. “How Americans Celebrated the 1976 Bicentennial: Photos.” Updated June 25, 2026. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/american-bicentennial-1976-photos

The United States having to leave Vietnam very rapidly:

Spector, Ronald H. “The Fall of South Vietnam.” Updated February 6, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Vietnam-War/The-fall-of-South-Vietnam

The energy crisis:

National Museum of American History. “Energy Crisis.” https://www.americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-enterprise/online/consumer-era/energy-crisis

And Watergate:

Perlstein, Rick. “Watergate Scandal.” Updated June 12, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Watergate-Scandal

Carter ends up defeating Ford:

U.S. Polling Data. “1976 Presidential Election.” https://uspollingdata.com/elections/1976/

No, there were issues. For instance:

Britannica Editors. “Japanese American Internment.” Update May 11, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Japanese-American-internment/additional-info#history

E pluribus unum:

Kenny, Miles. “E Pluribus Unum.” Updated December 13, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/E-pluribus-unum-United-States-motto

The great American experiment:

Coens, Thomas. “Why Franklin, Jefferson, and Lincoln Considered American Democracy an ‘Experiment’—and Were Unsure if it Would Survive.” December 5, 2023. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/why-franklin-washington-and-lincoln-considered-american-democracy-an-experiment-and-were-unsure-if-it-would-survive-213852

The Great Depression:

Pells, Richard H. “Great Depression.” Updated May 20, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Great-Depression/additional-info#history

During Hoover’s presidency:

Britannica Editors. “Herbert Hoover.” Updated June 29, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Herbert-Hoover

You have the Dust Bowl:

Johnston, Mindy. “Dust Bowl.” Updated June 3, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Dust-Bowl

Roosevelt wins in ’32:

Leuchtenburg, William E. “Franklin D. Roosevelt: Campaigns and Elections.” Miller Center. https://millercenter.org/president/fdroosevelt/campaigns-and-elections

There were Americans who were like…I’m either going to be communist or fascist:

Gregory, James. “Great Depression in Washington State: Radicalism.” 2009. University of Washington. https://depts.washington.edu/depress/radicalism.shtml

We at Civics at the Rocks couldn’t find any inspirational speeches given by the mayor of New York for the week of June 19, 2026. If you feel so inclined to look, you might have better luck. In completely unrelated news: GO SPURS GO! POR VIDA!

Here’s Obama’s speech:

NBC Chicago Staff. “Read Barack Obama’s Full Speech at Grand Opening for his Namesake Center in Chicago.” June 18, 2026. 5 Chicago. https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/read-barack-obamas-full-speech-at-grand-opening-for-his-namesake-center-in-chicago/3950680/

Here’s Michele Obama’s speech:

NBC Chicago Staff. “‘Hope is All We Have’: Read Michelle Obama’s Full Speech at Obama Center Grand Opening.” June 18, 2026. 5 Chicago. https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/hope-is-all-we-have-read-michelle-obamas-full-speech-at-obama-center-grand-opening/3950620/

A cocktail called a Metropolitan:

https://www.cocktailwave.com/recipes/metropolitan

Mack is referencing Matthew 25:40:

Bible Analysis. “What Does Jesus' Teaching on Treating the 'Least of These' Reveal About Our Relationship With God and Our Understanding of Neighborly Love?” https://www.bibleanalysis.org/what-does-jesus-teaching-on-treating-the-least-of-these-reveal-about-our-relationship-with-god-and-our-understanding-of-neighborly-love/

And, unlike Mack and Steve, Anne was not alive for the Bicentennial. But you already knew that.

Steve shows up prepared, Mack drops a bombshell or two, and Anne gets wasted.

REFERENCES

It’s when the vase of flowers is suddenly on the left-hand side of the screen:

Film Draft. “What is Continuity in Film? Definitions, Types, and Examples.” August 26, 2025. https://filmdaft.com/what-is-continuity-in-film-definition-types-examples/

It really became a serious concern with the advent of the threat of nuclear war:

Tegmark, Max. “Here’s How Bad a Nuclear War Would Actually Be.” June 29, 2023. Time. https://time.com/6290977/nuclear-war-impact-essay/

During the Cold War:

Britannica Editors. “Cold War.” Updated February 18, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Cold-War

Including Washington, D.C.:

https://washington.org/

Sate, local, tribal, territorial:

FEMA. “Guide to Continuity of Government [PDF].” July 2021. https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_sltt-cog-guidance_070921.pdf

For Texas, it’s not a joke that we kind of rely on HEB:

HEB Newsroom. “HEB Disaster Relief.” https://newsroom.heb.com/disaster-relief/

Ye olde Continental Congress:

Britannica Editors. “Continental Congress.” Updated October 11, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Continental-Congress

We may have to leave Philadelphia and go to Baltimore because the British are coming:

United States House of Representatives. “Meeting Places for the Continental and Confederation Congresses.” https://history.house.gov/People/Continental-Congress/Meeting-Places/

Anne was just trying to be funny. It’s quite nice:

https://baltimore.org/

Basically, it’s an emergency plan. You could also call it a contingency plan:

This vs. That. “The Contingency Plan vs. The Emergency Plan: What’s the Difference?” https://thisvsthat.io/the-contingency-plan-vs-the-emergency-plan

In the previous episode:

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-n7xcc-1ad17a2

We talked about the Twenty-Fifth Amendment:

Constitution Annotated. “Twenty-Fifth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-25/

The presidential succession:

USA.gov. “Order of Presidential Succession.” https://www.usa.gov/presidential-succession

Think about royal houses of Europe:

Veldman, Sarah. “A Comprehensive Guide to the Royal Families of Europe.” Updated September 20, 2025. The List. https://www.thelist.com/1524478/royal-families-of-europe-guide/

That was “Designated Survivor,” the series:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5296406/

Mack is right. They did start doing it when Reagan was president:

Su, Amelia. “The Designated Survivor Explained—Why One Leader Stays Hidden.” February 24, 2026. Los Angeles Magazine. https://lamag.com/news-and-politics/the-designated-survivor-explained-why-one-leader-stays-hidden/

At the State of the Union Address, you have the president, vice president, speaker of the house, but you also have all of Congress, most of the Cabinet, and some of the Supreme Court justices, joint chiefs:

Mullery, Way and Chol, Annette. “Who Sits Where at Trump’s State of the Union Address: A Visual Guide.” February 23, 2026. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/23/politics/seating-chart-state-of-the-union-vis

There have been threats (note that this list is a brief summary from 2024 so it is not comprehensive and does not include the attacks on President Trump):

Congress.gov. “U.S. Secret Service: Threats to and Assaults on Sitting Presidents and Vice Presidents [PDF].” Updated October 23, 2024. https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IF/PDF/IF11732/IF11732.4.pdf

Mack is again correct. It was for Obama’s inauguration:

Reuters. “U.S. Probes Potential Obama Inauguration Threat.” January 20, 2009. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us-politics/us-probes-potential-obama-inauguration-threat-idUSTRE50J4RT/

The documentary about the presidents’ chiefs of staff is called The Presidents’ Gatekeepers:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2331119/

The line from Mars Attacks!:

https://youtu.be/HfcMl1OKJGw?si=IZwz2CgMPjVoqQ1X

Like the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia:

Matchar, Emily. “The Town That Kept Its Nuclear Bunker a Secret for Three Decades.” April 9, 2024. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-town-that-kept-its-nuclear-bunker-a-secret-for-three-decades-180984107/

Overnight, they lower them into a bomb shelter:

Kratz, Jessie. “Protecting the Bill of Rights: the Mosler Vault.” December 17, 2015. National Archives. https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2015/12/17/protecting-the-bill-of-rights-the-mosler-vault/

Soviets got the atomic bomb sooner than people thought:

Atomic Heritage Foundation. “Soviet Atomic Program—1946.” https://ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/ahf/history/soviet-atomic-program-1946/

And then the hydrogen bomb:

Britannica Editors. “Thermonuclear Bomb.” Updated February 6, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/thermonuclear-bomb

Eisenhower was really down and depressed about the threat of nuclear war:

Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home. “Atoms for Peace.” https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/research/online-documents/atoms-peace

The concept of ballistic missiles:

Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance. “Ballistic Missile Basics.” https://www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org/missile-threat-and-proliferation/missile-basics/ballistic-missile-basics/

Because the Nazis built the V-2:

Britannica Editors. “V-2 Rocket.” Updated April 24, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/V-2-rocket

Sooner or later, we’re going to have intercontinental ballistic missiles:

Britannica Editors. “ICBM.” Updated April 29, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/ICBM

They’re carrying gravity bombs:

International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. “What Are Gravity Bombs and Why is the U.S. Building the New B61-13 Nuclear Weapon?” https://www.icanw.org/faq_what_are_gravity_bombs_b6113

It’s not what was in “The Day After”:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085404/

The black-and-white movies:

https://youtu.be/P73Gz0TaJgE?si=tvYvoQQXg3KwHCZM

Our people knew about Bletchley Park:

Lewis, Robert. “Bletchley Park.” Updated April 6, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Bletchley-Park

And where Churchill ran the war from:

Imperial War Museums. “Cabinet War Rooms.” https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/churchill-war-rooms/cabinet-war-rooms

They also looked at what the Germans had:

Fraga, Kaleena. “Inside the Führerbunker, The Nazi Hideout Where Adolf Hitler Lived, Got Married, and Died in the Waning Days of World War II.” Updated April 3, 2024. All That’s Interesting. https://allthatsinteresting.com/fuhrerbunker

The Maginot Line:

Britannica Editors. “Maginot Line.” Updated March 6, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Maginot-Line

Turning into badgers:

Texas Parks and Wildlife. “American Badger.” https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/resources/texas-junior-naturalists/watching-wildlife/american-badger

Anne says mole people:

https://youtu.be/y-dAgOWtBwM?si=0qzvJ-7dfu33JjNX

We were building some fighter planes that were actually dedicated interceptor aircraft:

Britannica Editors. “Fighter Aircraft.” Updated October 16, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/fighter-aircraft

Testing that was being done out in Nevada:

Kautz, Justin. “Nevada Test Site.” Updated March 10, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Nevada-Test-Site/additional-info#history

Like if you can jump in a fridge and protect yourself:

https://youtu.be/jn4Vhkmb4Lw?si=9OteiSYh4lEBMnPU

The headquarters for the Strategic Air Command was at Offutt Airforce Base in Nebraska:

https://www.offutt.af.mil/

When they built NORAD into Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado:

North American Aerospace Defense Command. “Cheyenne Mountain Complex.” April 26, 2013. https://www.norad.mil/Newsroom/Fact-Sheets/Article-View/Article/578775/cheyenne-mountain-complex/

Raven Rock, also known as Site R:

Suciu, Peter. “What to Know About ‘Raven Rock,’ the U.S. Government’s Doomsday Bunker.” November 11, 2025. The National Interest. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/what-to-know-about-raven-rock-us-governments-doomsday-bunker-ps-111125

They also built the facility at Mount Weather:

Hughes, Trevor. “The U.S. Government is Upgrading a Secretive FEMA Bunker. Why? That’s Classified.” Updated May 1, 2025. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/04/30/federal-government-is-upgrading-a-secret-bunker-why-its-classified/83370527007/

Nope, it’s the Appalachian Mountains.

Camp David:

National Museum of American Diplomacy. “Camp David: Presidential Retreat and International Meeting Site.” July 12, 2021. https://diplomacy.state.gov/camp-david-presidential-retreat-and-international-meeting-site/

In a novel from the 1930s called Lost Horizon:

James Hilton. Lost Horizon. 1933. Macmillan.

FDR loved the movie:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029162/

The Dolittle Raid in April of ’42:

Britannica Editors. “Doolittle Raid.” Updated April 11, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Doolittle-Raid

There was an Essex-class aircraft carrier built in World War II called the USS Shangri-la:

Carlin, Maya. “Shangri-la: The Essex-Class Aircraft Carrier No Nation Wanted to ‘Test’” September 23, 2024. The National Interest. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/shangri-la-essex-class-aircraft-carrier-no-nation-wanted-test-209173

Where SAC was:

Britannica Editors. “Strategic Air Command.” Updated March 20, 2023. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Strategic-Air-Command-United-States-Air-Force

On September 11:

Bergen, Peter L. “September 11 Attacks.” Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/September-11-attacks/The-attacks

Where Airforce One went to after Florida:

The White House Historical Association. “President Bush Arrives at Offutt Air Force Base on September 11, 2001.” https://www.whitehousehistory.org/photos/fotoware?id=6052da61-c33a-4d96-8209-cb3bb90b7669

WarGames-type places:

https://youtu.be/s93KC4AGKnY?si=YTdCW6gQ1Y8Cqe88

A Soviet Tu-95:

Gitzgerald, Clare. “Tupolev Tu-95: The Soviet-Era Bomber That Could See Nearly 100 Years of Active Service.” January 15, 2024. War History Online. https://www.warhistoryonline.com/aircraft/tupelov-tu-95.html

They’re on springs:

Grundhauser, Eric. “Cheyenne Mountain Complex.” September 17, 2014. Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cheyenne-mountain-nuclear-bunker

Like the E-4B, it’s also known as Nightwatch:

Air Force. “E-4B.” June 2024. https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/article/104503/e-4b/

Then Air Force One:

Britannica Editors. “Air Force One.” Updated July 31, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Air-Force-One

So like, from Independence Day:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116629/

It was a pivotal scene:

https://youtu.be/yZk9abWlK5c?si=hjdW-qhe8bhAu4xx

Mack is correct. Independence Day was released in 1996.

The guy from “Taxi”:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002139/

Where Data worked at Area 51:

https://youtu.be/fantzIbRyaE?si=9T2I4utdA2mjbtmW

When Lyndon Johnson flew on the presidential Lockheed JetStar:

National Museum of the United States Air Force. “Lockheed VC-140B JetStar.” https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/195808/lockheed-vc-140b-jetstar/

Marine One:

Tikkanen, Amy. “Marine One.” Updated March 9, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Marine-One

Remember when President George W. Bush landed on the Abraham Lincoln:

History.com. “George W. Bush Declares Mission Accomplished [Video].” https://www.history.com/speeches/george-w-bush-declares-mission-accomplished

Mack was close. He was flying aboard an S-3B Viking:

National Naval Aviation Museum. “S-3B Viking ‘Navy One’.” https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/nnam/explore/collections/aircraft/s/s-3b-viking--navy-one-.html

There have been presidents that have had presidential yachts:

Knutson, Lawrence L. “The Floating White House.” May 21, 2015. The White House Historical Association. https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-floating-white-house

January 6th:

Duignan, Brian. “January 6 U.S. Capitol Attack. Updated January 5, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/January-6-U-S-Capitol-attack

When the plane hit the Pentagon:

PBS. “Attack on Pentagon [Video].” https://watch.whyy.org/show/911-inside-pentagon/video/911-inside-pentagon-attack-pentagon/?tab=extra

Rumsfeld:

U.S. Department of War. “Donald H. Rumsfeld.” https://www.war.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/602800/donald-h-rumsfeld/

Mall of America:

https://www.mallofamerica.com/

Golden Gate Bridge:

https://www.goldengate.org/

National laboratories:

U.S. Department of Energy. “National Laboratories.” https://www.energy.gov/national-laboratories

There was a book published in the early 2000s called Doomsday Scenario:

Is the phrase “continuity of government” used somewhere:

White House Info. “Continuity of Government.” https://whitehouse.gov1.info/continuity-plan/

Most of that is administered by FEMA, actually:

https://www.fema.gov/

FEMA was sort of the progeny of a couple of other agencies:

FEMA. “History of FEMA.” https://www.fema.gov/about/history

But for, “We’ve been nuked”:

FEMA. “Nuclear Detonation Response Guidance [PDF].” March 2023. https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_oet-72-hour-nuclear-detonation-response-guidance.pdf

Plans that would effectively suspend the Constitution:

Burr, William (Ed.). “The Presidential Nuclear ‘Football’ From Eisenhower to George W. Bush.” July 18, 2023. https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/nuclear-vault/2023-07-18/presidential-nuclear-football-eisenhower-george-w-bush

Like the War Production Board:

Purcell, Aaron D. “War Production Board.” 2021. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/military-history-and-science/war-production-board#full-article

The USDA:

https://www.usda.gov/

Steve was close. It’s the National Resource Conservation Service:

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/

They have a web soil map program:

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/soil/web-soil-survey-links

Let’s take COVID for an example:

CDC. “CDC Museum COVID-19 Timeline.” https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html

Most emergency management stuff is really run at the county level:

Bexar County. “Bexar County Office of Emergency Management.” https://www.bexar.org/672/Emergency-Management

Our first cocktail was Corpse Reviver (this isn’t the recipe we used, but it’s close):

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/corpse-reviver-no-1/

The 12 Bottle Bar Book:

David Solmonson and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson. The 12 Bottle Bar: Make Hundreds of Cocktails With Just 12 Bottles. 2014. Workman Publishing Company.

The next one was Atomic cocktail:

https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/115/atomic-cocktail

The Savoy Cocktail Book:

Harry Craddock. The Savoy Cocktail Book. 1930. Constable & Company, Ltd.

Absinthe and Champagne is called Death in the Afternoon:

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/death-in-the-afternoon/

Jonestown in the afternoon:

Eldridge, Alison. “Jonestown.” Updated April 16, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Jonestown

We at Civics on the Rocks (mostly Anne) would like to apologize for making jokes in poor taste about suicide and cults. We (again, it was pretty much Anne) meant no offense.

The Texas Water Conference:

https://www.txwater.org/

Treated biosolids from sewer plants:

EPA. “Biosolids.” https://www.epa.gov/biosolids

This isn’t from the conference Steve went to, but you know you want to see competitive hydrant assemblies:

https://youtu.be/JxDhqdD8aE4?si=7uwUPx72DbfSxhKv

The Edwards is not the only source of water for San Antonio:

San Antonio Water System. “Water Supplies.” https://www.saws.org/your-water/management-sources/#section-1

Primarily, it was always the Edwards Aquifer:

San Antonio Water System. “Edwards Aquifer.” https://www.saws.org/your-water/management-sources/edwards-aquifer/

Ground water not under the influence (yeah, no, that’s a term):

West Virginia Department of Health. “Groundwater Under Direct Influence of Surface Water (GWUDI).” https://oehs.wvdhhr.org/eed/source-water-assessment-wellhead-protection/groundwater-under-direct-influence-of-surface-water-gwudi/

It is very very hard here:

Hearst Newspaper Blogger Network. “How to Deal With San Antonio Hard Water in Your New Home.” March 2, 2023. https://www.mysanantonio.com/lifestyle/san-antonio-life/home/article/how-to-deal-with-san-antonio-hard-water-17816666.php

San Antonio Water System:

https://www.saws.org/

Softeners, which swap out the calcium and magnesium, but mostly calcium, for sodium:

Swistock, Bryan. “Water Softening.” https://extension.psu.edu/water-softening

One of the first, if not the first, direct potable reuse systems:

El Paso Water. “Pure Water Center.” https://www.epwater.org/our-water/water-resources/pure-water-center

We couldn’t find the study about the Rhine that Steve was talking about, but we believe it after learning a little bit about the river:

International River Foundation. “River Rhine.” https://www.riverfoundation.org.au/prizes/river-rhine/

Corpse Reviver #2:

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/corpse-reviver-no-2/

After Snowmageddon:

The Texas A&M University System. “Winter Storm Uri.” https://tdem.texas.gov/disasters/winter-storm-uri

Anne got a little prepper:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prepper

The Sierra Club has an excellent list of things to go in a go bag:

Sierra Club. “Ready to Pack an Emergency Go Bag?” https://www.sierraclub.org/emergency-go-bag

There is still a website called Ready.gov:

https://www.ready.gov/

And the Stargate is a stable wormhole device placed on the Earth in ancient times by aliens posing as gods. But you already knew that.

The Twenty-Fifth Amendment: Mack derides, Steve chides, Anne makes asides, and everyone switches sides.

REFERENCES

The great Constitutional scholars on the interwebs are talking about the Twenty-Fifth Amendment:

Constitution Annotated. “Twenty-Fifth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-25/

The idea of, “Oh, we’ll use the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to get rid of Trump”:

Common Cause. “Common Cause Calls on the Cabinet to Invoke the 25th Amendment.” https://www.commoncause.org/work/trump-is-unfit-to-serve/

Impeachment and expulsion:

History, Art, & Archives. “Impeachment.” https://history.house.gov/Institution/Origins-Development/Impeachment/

Which has failed twice:

Mascaro, Lisa; Jalonick, Mary Clare; Lemire, Jonathan; and Fram, Alan. “Donald Trump Becomes the First U.S. President to be Impeached Twice.”  January 13, 2021. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/majority-of-house-members-vote-for-2nd-impeachment-of-trump

It’s in Article II, Section 1, Clause 6:

Constitution Annotated. “Article II.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-2/section-1/clause-6/

The delegates of the Constitutional Convention:

National Archives. “Meet the Framers of the Constitution.” https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/founding-fathers

Since the Cold War began:

Britannica Editors. “Cold War.” Revised February 18, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Cold-War

The advent of nuclear…:

Office for Disarmament Affairs. “Nuclear Weapons.” United Nations. https://disarmament.unoda.org/index.php/en/our-work/weapons-mass-destruction/nuclear-weapons

…and ballistic weapons:

Britannica Editors. “Ballistic Missile.” Updated October 24, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/ballistic-missile

The Civics on the Rocks Team would like to acknowledge that in this episode we use various colloquialisms to describe mental illness that some may find problematic. No offense was intended and we apologize if any was taken.

King George III went a little nutso:

Watson, John Steven. “George III.” Updated April 17, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-III

There are a lot of really good theories as to why that happened and how that happened:

Putnam, Polly. “The King’s ‘Malady’: George III’s Mental Illness Explored.” March 22, 2024. Historic Royal Palaces. https://www.hrp.org.uk/blog/the-kings-malady-george-iiis-mental-illness-explored/

Did people in the colonies know? Well, King Geoge III’s illness became public around 1788, and the final draft of the Constitution was signed in 1787, so it probably was not an influence on Article II.

In the Declaration, the grievances are against the King:

Zagarri, Rosemarie. “The Declaration’s Grievances Against the King.” National Constitution Center. https://constitutioncenter.org/essays/the-declarations-grievances-against-the-king

They pinned everything on Parliament and wrote nice letters and missives to the King:

American Battlefield Trust. “Petitioning the King and Parliament.” Updated July 23, 2025. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/petitioning-king-and-parliament

The first Continental Congress and the Declaration of Rights and Grievances:

Horan, Katherine and Horecny, Zoie. “First Continental Congress.” Updated May 30, 2025. George Washington’s Mount Vernon. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/first-continental-congress

The presidency was a wholly new creation:

Marion, David. “The Creation of the American Presidency.” Bill of Rights Institute. https://billofrightsinstitute.org/essays/the-creation-of-the-american-presidency/

Were there examples of governors removed in case of inability? We didn’t do a big deep dive on this, but Virginia has an excellent archive documenting its colonial governors, so there was…

…Sir John Harvey, who was removed as royal governor of Virginia for alleged treason:

Tarter, Brent. “Sir John Harvey.” Updated December 22, 2021. Encyclopedia Virginia. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/harvey-sir-john-ca-1581-or-1582-by-1650/

…Francis Nicholson, who was removed as royal governor of Virgina for being uncouth and a jackass toward one particular woman (as well as political reasons):

Zacek, Natalie. “Francis Nicholson.” Updated December 22, 2021. Encyclopedia Virginia. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/nicholson-francis-1655-1728/

…and Lieutenant Governor Robert Hunter who never served in Virginia because he was kidnapped by the French whilst in transit (Don’t worry. They were nice to him and he later got to be governor of another colony.):

Find a Grave. “Lieutenant Governor Robert Hunter.” https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/124558546/robert-hunter

So we’ll go with, yeah, there was some precedent.

When Woodrow Wilson had a stroke:

Woodrow Willson Presidential Library and Museum. “Thomas Woodrow Wilson.” https://www.woodrowwilson.org/about-woodrow-wilson-1

His vice president was Thomas R. Marshall:

Britannica Editors. “Thomas R. Marshall.” Updated May 28, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-R-Marshall

But, also, Mrs. Wilson:

Markel, Howard. “When A Secret President Ran the Country.” October 2, 2015. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/woodrow-wilson-stroke

The impetus for the Twenty-Fifth Amendment was Eisenhower:

Weiss, Marcia J. “Constitution Provides for the Incapacity of the President.” 2023. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/constitution-provides-incapacity-president

He had a history of heart attacks while in office:

Merschel, Michael. “The Presidential Heart Attack That Changed America.” February 15, 2024. American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2024/02/15/the-presidential-heart-attack-that-changed-america

Kennebunkport(?):

The White House Historical Association. “Presidential Vacations & Retreats: President & Mrs. Bush in Maine.” https://www.whitehousehistory.org/photos/presidential-vacations-retreats-president-mrs-bush-in-maine

Bethesda (so close!):

Military.com. “National Naval Medical Center.” https://www.military.com/base-guide/national-naval-medical-center

Wilford Hall(?):

Military.com. “Lackland Air Force Base Wilford Hall Medical Facility.” https://www.military.com/base-guide/lackland-air-force-base/contact/wilford-hall-medical-facility/2397

Johns Hopkins(?):

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/

Kennedy’s assassination:

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. “November 22, 1963: Death of the President.” https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/november-22-1963-death-of-the-president

With Lyndon Johnson specifically:

Britannica Editors. “Lyndon B. Johnson.” Updated March 2, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lyndon-B-Johnson

He’d always been concerned about his health:

Nichter, Luke A. “Who Really Was Lyndon B. Johnson?” November 4, 2024. Yale Books. https://yalebooks.yale.edu/2024/11/04/who-really-was-lyndon-b-johnson/

He was majority leader in the Senate:

United States Senate. “Lyndon B. Johnson: Master of the Senate.” https://www.senate.gov/about/parties-leadership/johnson-b-lyndon.htm

Two years after the Cuban Missile Crisis:

Britannica Editors. “Cuban Missile Crisis.” Updated April 8, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Cuban-missile-crisis

Intercontinental ballistic missiles have a flight time of about 30 minutes, at the longest:

The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. “Fact Sheet: Ballistic vs. Cruise Missiles [PDF].” https://armscontrolcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Ballistic-vs.-Cruise-Missiles-Fact-Sheet.pdf

Didn’t Harrison die very slowly:

Bomboy, Scott. “What Really Killed the First President to Die in Office?” April 4, 2018. National Constitution Center. https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/what-really-killed-the-first-president-to-die-in-office

McKinley lingered for several days:

History.com Editors. “President McKinley Dies of Infection From Gunshot Wounds.” Updated May 28, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/september-14/mckinley-dies-of-infection-from-gunshot-wounds

Garfield did as well:

Markel, Howard. “The Dirty, Painful Death of President James A. Garfield.” September 16, 2016. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/dirty-painful-death-president-james-garfield

Mack is incorrect. Harrison was only president for 32 days:

Roos, Dave. “7 U.S. Presidents With the Shortest Stints in the Oval Office.” Updated May 28, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/us-presidents-shortest-terms-oval-office

Zachary Taylor drank the milk:

History.com Editors. “President Zachary Taylor Dies Unexpectedly.” Updated July 21, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/july-9/president-zachary-taylor-dies-unexpectedly

President Harrison is known for giving an exceptionally long inaugural address outside in the cold, but if you check the previous reference, most historians don’t believe that’s the only thing that contributed to his demise.

The were actually two years that the United States had three presidents. There is 1841 as Mack describes, and 1881:

Periodic Presidents. “Three Presidents, One Year.” https://periodicpresidents.com/2022/09/22/three-presidents-one-year/

President John Tyler succeeded President Harrison (and later died a Confederate traitor):

History.com. “President John Tyler Dies.” Updated May 28, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/january-18/john-tyler-dies

President Taylor both drank the milk and ate bad cherries, see previous reference.

WALTER REED(!):

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. “Our Rich History.” https://walterreed.tricare.mil/About-Us/Facilities/Our-Rich-History

Yes, it was ratified during Johnson’s presidency. We ramble a bit on this point, so here’s a nice summation of how the Twenty-Fifth Amendment came to be:

History.com “25th Amendment.” Updated May 21, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/25th-amendment

i.e., impeachment:

USA.gov. “How Federal Impeachment Works.” Updated November 13, 2025. https://www.usa.gov/impeachment

We’re not the only ones who find parts of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment murky. Despite Anne’s objections, most Constitutional scholars agree with Mack. The President would have to sign the review board into being:

Shanton, Karen L. “The Twenty-Fifth Amendment: Sections 3 and 4—Presidential Disability.” Congress.gov. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF11756

This is why Anne and some others think it is currently happening today:

Siette, Joyce and Strutt, Paul. “We Can’t Know if Donald Trump Has Dementia. Even if He Did, It Wouldn’t Excuse His Actions.” April 22, 2026. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/we-cant-know-if-donald-trump-has-dementia-even-if-he-did-it-wouldnt-excuse-his-actions-281131

Alas, there were quite a lot of people who voted for him:

Lindsay, James M. “The 2024 Election by the Numbers.” December 18, 2024. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/articles/2024-election-numbers

There are some Democrats who are proposing legislation to establish the very board that is called for in the Twenty-Fifth Amendment:

Stein, Chris. “House Democrats Call for Commission Led by J.D. Vance to Oust Trump.” April 14, 2026. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/14/congress-25th-amendment-commission-trump-jd-vance

He’s wildly unpopular in the polls right now:

Hartig, Hannah and Kiley, Jocelyn. “Confidence in Trump Dips, and Fewer Now Say They Support His Policies and Plans.” January 29, 2026. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/01/29/confidence-in-trump-dips-and-fewer-now-say-they-support-his-policies-and-plans/

His hardcore supporters are turning coat and going online and saying, “Oh, I was wrong to vote for him…”:

Nteta, Tatishe; Eichen, Adam; and Rhodes, Jesse. “Why A Growing Number of Trump Supporters are Experiencing Voter’s Remorse.” May 14, 2026. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/why-a-growing-number-of-trump-supporters-are-experiencing-voters-remorse-282230

J.D. Vance will be whoever his top dollar needs him to be:

Wendling, Mike. “J.D. Vance: The ‘Hillbilly’ MAGA Loyalist Who Became Vice President.” March 4, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn07dv4mrg2o

You let the wrong document out of the Epstein files:

Fowler, Stephon. “Justice Department Withheld and Removed Some Epstein Files Related to Trump.” Updated February 24, 2026. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2026/02/24/nx-s1-5723968/epstein-files-trump-accusation-maxwell

You don’t have to do it on the graft:

Waldman, Michael. “Epic Corruption in Plain Sight.” May 19, 2026. Brennan Center for Justice. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/epic-corruption-plain-sight

You don’t have to do it on the shambles that is his job as an executive:

Corbin, Steve. “Trump’s Troubled Appointees Face Scandals, Backlash, and Low Support [Opinion].” March 25, 2026. The Fulcrum. https://thefulcrum.us/ethics-leadership/trump-administration-scandals-2026

While Mack is correct that several million pages of the Epstein files are already out there, many contend that there are more that should be released under the auspices of the Epstein Files Transparency Act:

Matza, Max. “U.S. Government Watchdog to Investigate Epstein Files Release.” April 23, 2026. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg0rkvjlvvo

Unfortunately, Mack is right that the Epstein files are not a dealbreaker for some people:

Blake, Aaron. “How Polls Show Republicans Shifted Away From Caring So Much About Jeffrey Epstein.” February 10, 2026. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/10/politics/republicans-epstein-shift-polls

But for others, it very much is:

Iqbal, Nomia and Pigliucci, Cai. “Why This Disillusioned Trump Voter Spends Hours Searching Epstein Files.” April 11, 2026. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx237vmr2lyo

Not quite our first cocktail, the Metropolitan:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/metropolitan-cocktail-recipe-759325

Our second actual cocktail cocktail, the Pegu Club:

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/pegu-club-2/

Mack is reading “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

Wadsworth Longfellow, Henry. “Paul Revere’s Ride.” Poets.org. https://poets.org/poem/paul-reveres-ride

Poetry is poetry because it’s in meter:

Poets.org. “Meter.” https://poets.org/glossary/meter

Unless it’s in free verse:

The Oregon State Guide to Poetry. “‘What is Free Verse?’: A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers [Video].” https://youtu.be/13cW2vXOMxU?si=OojoLq3mpQTqKZDH

Several of his poems were written in dactylic hexameter:

Poetry Foundation. “Hexameter.” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/education/glossary/hexameter

An anapest:

Poetry Foundation. “Anapest.” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/education/glossary/anapest

A poem by Lord Byron, “The Destruction of Sennacherib”:

Lord Byron. “Destruction of Sennacherib.” Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43827/the-destruction-of-sennacherib

The song by Eminem that Mack references is “The Way I Am” (This one is interesting because most of the song is in anapestic tetrameter but the chorus is not. Can you hear the difference?):

https://youtu.be/82lB-gI-uuQ?si=dA4GbXXTcJGev9GG

“‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” was anapestic:

Clarke Moore, Clement. “A Visit From St. Nicholas.” Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43171/a-visit-from-st-nicholas

“Song of Hiawatha”:

Wadsworth Longfellow, Henry. “The Song of Hiawatha.” Gutenberg.org. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/19/19-h/19-h.htm

“Evangeline”:

Wadsworth Longfellow, Henry. “Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie.” https://poets.org/poem/evangeline-tale-acadie

The Artemis II mission:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

Outlook didn’t work:

White, Jeremy. “Even Artemis II Astronauts Have Microsoft Outlook Problems.” April 2, 2026. Wired. https://www.wired.com/story/artemis-ii-microsoft-outlook-problems/

There was a toilet problem:

Goodwin, Grace Eliza. “Artemis II Astronauts Have Toilet Trouble on Their Way Towards the Moon.” April 5, 2026. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87wy05wr4no

When they finally splashed down:

https://www.youtube.com/live/6No6LCFa-C8?si=TPjhKINQlttJSpUF

With such a diverse crew:

NASA. “Our Artemis Crew.” https://www.nasa.gov/feature/our-artemis-crew/

The farthest anybody has ever been from the Earth ever:

Taveau, Jessica. “NASA’s Artemis II Crew Eclipses Record for Farthest Human Spaceflight.” April 6, 2026. NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-artemis-ii-crew-eclipses-record-for-farthest-human-spaceflight/

Especially when they were on the far side of the Moon:

Los Angeles Times. “Photos From the Dark Side of the Moon by Artemis II.” April 7, 2026. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-04-07/photos-from-dark-side-of-moon-by-artemis-ii

There’s a bright spot on the moon and we would like to name it Carroll:

Treisman, Rachel. “Astronauts Suggest Naming a Moon Crater ‘Carroll’ After Their Commander’s Late Wife.” April 8, 2026. Houston PBS. https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/local/2026/04/08/548460/artemis-moon-crater-carroll-wiseman/

The one of Christina Koch sitting on the helicopter:

White, Matt. “How a Navy Photographer Snapped an Iconic Artemis II Astronaut Photo.” April 15, 2026. Task and Purpose. https://taskandpurpose.com/news/august-clawson-artemis-ii-photos/

She’s just giving it a big hug:

https://www.nasa.gov/image-detail/artemis-ii-recovery-61/

What did the administration or Republicans say about this:

Riddle, Katia. “What’s Behind Trump’s Seemingly Lackluster Response to Artemis II’s Lunar Mission [Audio and transcript].” April 9, 2026. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2026/04/09/nx-s1-5777551/whats-behind-trumps-seemingly-lackluster-response-to-artemis-iis-lunar-mission

The frickin’ service module was from the ESA:

European Space Agency. “Artemis II.” https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Orion/Artemis_II

The amount of group hugs:

https://www.nasa.gov/image-detail/amf-art002e013367/

The name of the capsule is Integrity but it is the Orion capsule:

Kraft, Rachel H. “Artemis II Crew Members Name Their Orion Spacecraft.” September 24, 2025. NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/09/24/artemis-ii-crew-members-name-their-orion-spacecraft/

The Artemis II escape capsule:

Lockheed Martin. “When Milliseconds Matter: How Orion’s Launch Abort System Protects Astronauts.” September 25, 2025. https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/news/features/2025/how-orion-s-launch-abort-system-protects-astronauts.html

It is Apollo, but also not:

NASA. “Apollo to Artemis.” February 27, 2024. https://www.nasa.gov/reference/apollo-to-artemis/

They’ve apparently learned a little more mythology since the ‘60s:

Britannica Editors. “Artemis.” Updated May 4, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Artemis-Greek-goddess

Draw the parallel with Appollo 8:

PBS. “The Event That Saved 1968.”  https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/moon-event-saved-1968/

‘Til Artemis IV:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-iv/

Here is the recipe for a Negroni, though Steve and Anne recommend making it with Peychaud’s Aperitivo rather than Campari:

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/negroni/

Science claims that denatonium is the bitterest substance on Earth, but Anne thinks that’s just because they haven’t tried Campari:

Science Direct. “Denatonium.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/denatonium

Within 5 years of it getting ratified, Nixon used it to replace Spiro Agnew:

History.com Editors. “Vice President Agnew Resigns.” Updated May 27, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/october-10/vice-president-agnew-resigns

The second time it got used was by Gerald Ford:

Bomboy, Scott. “Gerald Ford’s Unique Role in American History.” July 14, 2024. National Constitution Center. https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/gerald-fords-unique-role-in-american-history

This book was called The Night of Camp David:

Fletcher Knebel. Night of Camp David. 1965. Harper & Row.

Follows the law more often:

Lawfare. “Trump Administration Litigation Tracker.” Updated May 11, 2026. https://www.lawfaremedia.org/projects-series/trials-of-the-trump-administration/tracking-trump-administration-litigation

The midterms are coming up, real fast:

https://www.usvotefoundation.org/when-are-2026-midterm-elections-and-what-their-purpose

Doing a little research and voting:

https://www.vote411.org/

Making sure you’re registered to vote:

https://www.bexar.org/1701/Voter-Registration

It’s a food bank:

https://safoodbank.org/

It’s a diaper bank:

https://www.texasdiaperbank.org/

And several space captains from science fiction have been played by Canadian actors. But you already knew that.