We're closing out our series on Voter Rights with a potpourri of relevant topics: H.B. 85 (a bill from Missouri that essentially flaunts the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution to protect "gun rights"), H.R. 1 (which we touched on very lightly last week), and the idea of States Rights. 

If you want to check our sources, or find out where you can read the full text of any of these bills, check out our Shownotes: 

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Welcome  to the second half of our series breaking down issues impacting Americans' ability to vote. Last week, we talked at length about partisan gerrymandering and how that practice allows political parties to ostensibly control the outcomes of elections through shifty redistricting practices like packing, cracking, hijacking, kidnapping, and other tactics that sound like they belong in a Nice Cage movie. 

This episode… well, we're talking about legislation. Legislation that some folks believe protects American Democracy, and others believe threatens it. Our goal here is to break down some of the state and federal voting access bills from both sides of the aisle that are making news, so that you have a better understanding of what they say and what the key arguments are from each side. 

Our shownotes and all our sources are right here: https://firesidebreakdowns.podbean.com/p/shownotes-session-41-restriction-expansion-and-the-latest-in-voting-legislation/ 

If you'd like to leave us a review, you can do that here: https://ratethispodcast.com/fireside

And, you can find us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook by searching Fireside Breakdowns. 

This week we’re going to dive into another conundrum, and kick off another series. We’re bringing our focus back to the political realm again as we return to a topic that has the potential to reshape the United States for the next decade or more. 

Listen in as we tackle everyone's favorite debate... is it GIF or JIF. 

Just kidding. We're talking about Gerrymandering, folks. It's way more fun. 

Find our full shownotes (with all our sources) right here: https://firesidebreakdowns.podbean.com/p/shownotes-session-40-gerrymandering-stupid-name-serious-topic/

And, find us on social media to see more crazy gerrymandering maps! Just search Fireside Breakdowns. 

Our episode topic this week comes to us from a listener and friend who has found himself in a bit of a predicament. Someone close to him is profoundly convinced that America is on the fast-track to becoming the next Venezuela because of our progressive government and through rapidly rising inflation.  This listener would love to be able to have a well-thought out conversation with his loved one, using facts and research to steer the ship, but he doesn’t even know where to start.  So today, we’re going to do our civic duty and walk you (and him) through the primary talking points of the argument, how Venezuela got into the mess they’re in, what history tells us about inflation in the US, and how we can tell if we’re on the same track.

Want to know exactly where we got this information? You can find all 19 of our sources here: https://firesidebreakdowns.podbean.com/p/shownotes-session-39-highway-to-hyperinflation/

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And, you can check out that crazy comic book propaganda on our social media channels. Just search Fireside Breakdowns on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. 

Everyone knows that the D.C. in Washington, D.C. stands for District of Columbia. But what if it stood for Douglass Commonwealth - named after Black American abolitionist Frederick Douglass?  This week we're exploring the idea of statehood for Washington, D.C.  - especially when it comes to the Constitution, Representation, and Racial Justice. 

You can find our complete shownotes, with all our sources, right here: https://firesidebreakdowns.podbean.com/p/shownotes-episode-38-dc-statehood/

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We’re finally breaking down that complicated COVID Vaccine - 5G Tracker - Microchip - Population Culling theory.  Which actually turns out NOT to be all that complicated once you tease out all the pieces. And - by listener request - we’re taking a closer look at vaccine shedding and whether or not there’s evidence of it affecting women’s reproductive health. And, you know, a rant or two. Because that’s what we do around here. 

Find the detailed shownotes, with all our sources, here: https://firesidebreakdowns.podbean.com/p/shownotes-session-37-trackers-and-shedding-more-covid-myths/

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Here we are, part three of our series on private prisons. Parts one and two covered the history of and arguments for private prisons. In this episode, we’re going to be talking about the arguments AGAINST private prisons - or at least against private prisons as they currently stand.

You can find all the sources for this episode in our shownotes, here: https://firesidebreakdowns.podbean.com/p/shownotes-episode-36-private-prisons-definite-downsides/

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AND, if you'd like to see some of the supplemental information we mention in the episode, you can find us on social media - just search FiresideBreakdowns. 

This week, we're talking about who's included in the 116,000+ inmates serving time in for-profit prisons in the US.  Then we examine the list of purported pluses proffered by private prisons. Spoilers: We had a hard time gathering any definitive data. But it did give us the opportunity to talk about some of the challenges that thorough research presents.

If you need a reminder of something you hear, or you'd like to take a look at our sources, they're all available in our shownotes here: https://firesidebreakdowns.podbean.com/p/shownotes-episode-35-private-prisons-the-upsides/

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In the American private prison system, private enterprises purchase prisons from the government and become responsible for their staffing and upkeep needs. All staffing needs, from the warden to the correctional officer to the maintenance staff are employees of the company; contractors. The state or federal government provides funding to cover the costs of keeping the inmates incarcerated, and the company treats this funding like revenue and endeavors to run the prison at a profit. 

We have thoughts and feelings about the prison industry - especially private prisons - but before we can really break this topic down, we need to lay a foundation in the history of this system.

If you'd like to leave us a review (and man, would we appreciate it), you can do that at: https://ratethispodcast.com/fireside

Shownotes with all our sources are here: https://firesidebreakdowns.podbean.com/p/shownotes-episode-34-private-prisons-a-history/

And, you can find us on social media by searching Fireside Breakdowns.

This week we're breaking down 5 COVID myths and legends, exposing the science behind the rumors. We're talking about everything from water droplets trapped in masks, to whether the vaccines affect fertility, to why mRNA doesn't alter your DNA.  

You can find our full shownotes with sources here: https://firesidebreakdowns.podbean.com/p/shownotes-episode-33-covid-myths-and-legends/

You can file a grievance via social media by searching Fireside Breakdowns on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

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