Aubrey Menarndt, international election monitor, discusses her recent New York Times column comparing the United States to other countries regarding voting rights for felons, representing one of Senator Bernie Sanders's campaign issues.

"This is a feature of democracies around the world," says @AubreyMenarndt on prisoners' voting rights. Questions or comments? Tweet or give us a call now at 212-433-9692.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) May 13, 2019


"Over the last 40 years, our prison population has increased 500%. We went from slavery, to the civil rights debate, and now we’re imprisoning people," says @AubreyMenarndt on prisoner voting rights. "I think it’s obvious what’s happening here."
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) May 13, 2019


"People are going into prison because of structural issues of poverty, injustice, education, not knowing how to act properly in society. Voting is an important part of civic education, educating prisoners how to make their voices heard in a democratic society," @AubreyMenarndt.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) May 13, 2019

Ideas Festival 2020: Letting Prisoners Vote

Newsmakers meet New Yorkers as host Brian Lehrer and his guests take on the issues dominating conversation in New York and around the world. This daily program from WNYC Studios cuts through the usual talk radio punditry and brings a smart, humane approach to the day's events and what matters most in local and national politics, our own communities and our lives.  WNYC Studios is a listener-supported producer of other leading podcasts including Radiolab, On the Media, Death, Sex & Money, Nancy, and many others.

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This Earth Week, Liz Moran, policy advocate for Earthjustice's Northeast office, talks about the ways the new New York State budget does, and does not, address climate change.

The NYS Budget and Climate

As Passover begins, Noah Feldman, Harvard law professor, founding director of the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law, and the author of To Be a Jew Today: A New Guide to God, Israel, and the Jewish People (Macmillan, 2024), talks about his new book, inspired by his conversations with his children and even more relevant since 10/7, that tries to define what all Jews have in common.

On Being a Jew Today

WNYC / Gothamist Albany reporter Jon Campbell talks about what's in and what's out of the just-approved New York State budget, including housing incentives, zoning changes, limited tenant protections, mayoral control of the schools, and more.

New York's New Budget

Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics, professor at Bennington College and former EPA Region 2 administrator, talks about a new effort to keep New York State accountable to reduce single use plastics. Then, listeners call in to share an honest assessment of the single use plastics in their lives.

A #PlasticsChallenge for Albany (and Listeners!)

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul breaks down the state budget and WNYC/Gothamist's Jon Campbell offers analysis (First) | Council member Shaun Abreu on proposed changes to tipping on delivery apps—and a plan to curb the city's rat population (Starts at 32:15) | George Takei discusses his debut picture book, an age-appropriate personal history a childhood in Japanese American incarceration camps during WWII (Starts at 1:14:35)
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Ideas Festival 2020: Letting Prisoners Vote

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