Common Language

With the ongoing conflict in Iran and no clear end in sight -  what can public opinion polling data tell us about what might come next? Join us as we break down polling as well as historical context - explaining just how important public perception and comprehension is during wartime.

As always, take what resonates and leave the rest. Common Language Podcast breaks down complex policy issues into digestible information to help navigate everyday life..

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This week we have our first guest of the pod! TV Exec, Taylor Sumners joins us for a discussion about what it's like to be behind the scenes of what we see on TV and where policy comes into play.

We will discuss the recent release of FX/Hulu's Love Story and what a Paramount-Skydance x Warner Brother's merger would mean for the business of show business.

Thank you, Taylor for your inside scoop - you can follow her @taylorsumners on TikTok and Insta

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Policy or punchline? The SAVE Act wants your passport, your birth certificate, and a whole lot of your time just to cast a ballot. We’re breaking down the fine print of the new voter rights debate. Is this actually good legislation or even going to pass?

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works cited:

Gemini said 

Bipartisan Policy Center. "Five Things to Know About the SAVE Act." Bipartisan Policy Center, 24 July 2024, bipartisanpolicy.org/article/five-things-to-know-about-the-save-act/. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.

Movement Advancement Project. "2025 Democracy 101: Who Controls Our Elections?" MAP, 2025, www.mapresearch.org/2025-democracy-101-elections-control. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.

National Conference of State Legislatures. "Voter ID Laws." NCSL, 2024, www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.

The White House. "Save America." The White House, 2024, www.whitehouse.gov/saveamerica/. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.

Is America truly in a "Golden Age," or is that just the teleprompter talking? This week, we dissect the biggest moments from the 2026 State of the Union, ranging from the high-energy appearance of the USA Men’s Hockey team to the actual policy substance—or lack thereof. Tune in as we weigh in on the effects and effectiveness of the night.

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This week, Mak + Case break down the Epstein files — what we actually know, what we don’t, and why this case continues to expose uncomfortable truths about power and accountability. We’re zooming out from the scandal to the system, asking what it says about justice, how women are treated, and why consequences often shrink as influence grows.

Bad Bunny took the world stage — but the story goes far beyond halftime. This week, Mak + Case explore Puerto Rico’s political relationship with the United States, unpack the island’s history and status debate, and break down the cultural and political symbolism because sometimes the choreography says more than the headlines.

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works cited:

Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico (CEE). Resultados Oficiales – Plebiscitos de Estatus Político (1967, 1993, 1998, 2012, 2017, 2020). Gobierno de Puerto Rico, www.ceepur.org. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.

Congressional Research Service. Puerto Rico’s Political Status and the 2020 Plebiscite. CRS Report, Congressional Research Service, 2021, crsreports.congress.gov.

Congressional Research Service. Political Status of Puerto Rico: Brief Background. CRS Report, Congressional Research Service, various years, crsreports.congress.gov.

Cohn, Nate. “Puerto Rico Votes for Statehood, but Congress Holds the Cards.” The New York Times, 4 Nov. 2020, www.nytimes.com.

Rivera-Salgado, Gaspar. “Puerto Rico’s Status Debate: Statehood, Independence, or Status Quo?” Council on Foreign Relations, 2021, www.cfr.org.

It’s tax season, so we’re breaking it all the way down. This week, Mak + Case explain what taxes actually are, how the system works (and doesn’t), and who’s really footing the bill. From fairness and loopholes to what reform could look like, we’re talking about how taxes shape everyday life — and how they could work better for everyone.

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If you’ve been upset, so have we. Let’s break down ICE: what it does, who it affects, and where policy needs to go from here.

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Dive into the drama at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where tensions ran high between NATO allies and the U.S.

From the controversial Greenland deal to smaller nations pushing back, we’re unpacking whether Davos is a global triumph or just another flop.

Join us as we explore the power dynamics, the diplomatic challenges, and what it all means for the world stage.

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In case you missed it… the food pyramid got a makeover. This week, we dig into the latest nutrition guidance from the USDA and HHS, questioning whether this is really a W or an L for the MAHA coalition. From personal choice to public responsibility, we’re asking: who decides what’s on our plate?

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