Fireside Breakdowns

What are we talking about this week, you ask?  The Filibuster! I know, I know - how much more exciting can we get?! There’s an impeachment trial going on, cabinet members are being confirmed, and we decided to tackle… the filibuster. But the fact of the matter is that this is actually a really timely topic.  There is much discussion as to the fate of this legislative checkmate maneuver, and there’s a chance we could see significant decisions made concerning its use. Plus, it’s one of the few times we get to talk about full grown Senators peeing in trash cans on the Senate floor.

As always, our sources and script are here: https://firesidebreakdowns.podbean.com/p/e22-busting-the-filibuster-show-notes/ 

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Over the last few months we’ve taken a closer look at some of the trappings surrounding the end of a presidency - presidential transitions, presidential pardons… This week we want to chat about a concept that has come to define the beginning of an American presidency - The first 100 days.  We wanted to know just where this concept comes from, and why there’s so much pressure on an administration to accomplish so much in such a short time. And then we’ll also talk some about what incoming presidents (and their administrations) are trying to accomplish, and how the processes around these policy decisions work. 

Then we’ll talk about what President Biden’s administration has cooked up for the beginning of this term. We’ll hit you with some good news, too, because there’s bound to be a goldmine of it in this episode. 

In our last episode, we took a high level look at conspiracy theories. We talked about what exactly makes up a conspiracy theory, who’s likely to believe them, and why. This week, things are going to get a bit heavier as we talk about the ways in which these conspiracy theories affect the people who believe them (and the people around those people), and then how this kind of thinking paves the path to radicalized thinking for many.  We’ll talk about some historical examples, too.  And then we’ll end by summarizing just how a conspiracy theory can put someone on the track toward authoritarianism.  Oh, and we’ll try to find some good news to leave you with. 

As always, shownotes are available here: https://firesidebreakdowns.podbean.com/p/episode-20-getting-radical/

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This week we are talking about America’s National Embarrassment and the topic of the hour - conspiracy theories! So, if you’re a drinker, might we suggest something that pairs well with morbid curiosity.

But to be very clear, we’re not planning to talk about specific theories. Oh no, you’re perfectly capable of going out there and falling through those rabbit holes yourselves. We want to talk about the brass tacks of this stuff - what makes a conspiracy theory, who believes them and WHY.  And then in subsequent parts we’ll get into the fallout that comes from belief and participation in these theories - violence, radicalization, and authoritarianism. 

In part two of our discussion about the presidential clemency power, we discuss the often controversial history of the pardon power. Which presidents issued the most pardons, which issued the fewest, and some of the most significant, and repugnant, pardons in US history. There were definitely some surprises in there for both of us. Feelings were had.

As always, you can find supplemental info, episode promotions, and more on Facebook and Instagram (@FiresideBreakdowns). And, please, leave us a review if your platform allows! It would mean the world to us.  

We begin the episode with some whisk(e)y, some reflection, and some expletives as we discuss the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.  Then, we discuss the ins and outs of Presidential Pardons - well, clemency, to be exact. We talk about where the power comes from, and how the Department of Justice process works.  Oh, and we threw in some trivia just for fun. Because, who doesn't love trivia?!

Find cool supplemental info, episode promo, and more on Facebook and Instagram (@FiresideBreakdowns). And, leave us a review if your platform allows! It would mean the world to us.  

Shownotes: https://firesidebreakdowns.podbean.com/p/shownotes-episode-17-pardon-me-part1/

PC: David Hume Kennerly via Wikimedia Commons

A laid back episode in which we muse on the past 6 months and look ahead to what we'd like the podcast to look like in 2021. 

No show notes for this one, folks. Just our thoughts and feelings.  

PC: Matt Botsford on Unsplash

In this holiday season session, we’re breaking down a listener requested topic. JW Lindsey asked, “Can y'all do an episode on what exactly is considered a first, second and third world country (I actually think that's now considered an offensive term) and whether or not America could still be considered a first world country any more? And/or what the new technical terms are?”

So, that’s exactly what we’re going to do in this episode! We’ll look at where those terms came from in the first place, and what characteristics defined each group. Then we’ll talk about the problems with those classifications, and what terminology is considered more appropriate for the times we’re living in now.  And, of course, we’ll end with some good news. 

As usual, you can find us on Facebook and Instagram @FiresideBreakdowns. And all our resources are on the shownotes page for this episode. 

Image Credit: Danique on Unsplash

Sometimes, we get representation wrong. But we need to acknowledge our mistakes to learn from them, right? So, stereotypes, over-representation in negative contexts, and tokenism are the topics of conversation as we wrap up our discussion on why #representationmatters.  

Like what you hear? Find us on Facebook and Instagram, @firesidebreakdowns. And, if your favorite podcast platform allows, leave us a review! 

And, as usual, all our notes and sources are available on our Podbean site. 

#RepresentationMatters, part 2.

The discussion on representation continues with a look at major areas in which we should be looking for representation, and what the research says about under-represented groups in those areas. There are a lot of numbers, but in those numbers lies a wealth of opportunity.  

This episode covers:

• LGTBQ+ and Minority Representation in the media

And, as usual, some good news! 

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