Politics with Paul

By Paul Rader

Approachable, nonpartisan, and nonideological analysis of various political topics by nonpartisan political analyst, writer, researcher, and speaker Paul Rader.... more

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FAQs about Politics with Paul:

How many episodes does Politics with Paul have?

The podcast currently has 75 episodes available.

Politics with Paul episodes:

January 28, 2025 Politics with Paul #24: Is There a 2nd Term Curse on US Presidencies?
It has sometimes been remarked upon a president’s reelection that there is a “2nd term curse,” where presidential records and legacies take a hit due to lesser success than the 1st term. But are 2nd terms really less successful than 1st terms? What factors can we look at to examine the theory’s validity? What do other political observers have to say about the idea? Today’s episode covers these questions and more, including how Donald Trump (currently) compares to previous two-term presidents?
Today’s Random Fact of the Day: Donald Trump and Grover Cleveland are the two presidents to serve nonconsecutive terms, but did you know that there a bunch of other prominent offices in the US that have seen people serve nonconsecutive terms?
Purchase my book on Amazon (ebook and paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Why-Independents-Rarely-Win-Elections-ebook/dp/B09K8PYM5J/
Download my FREE 5-day educational email course: https://detoxifyamericanpolitics.com/
My website: https://paulrader.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulRaderWrites
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrader352/
Medium: https://paulrader-42650.medium.com/
Email: [email protected]
Matchmaker FM profile for booking me on your podcast: https://www.matchmaker.fm/podcast-guest/paul-rader-329e65
(0:00) Intro and today's topic: 2nd Term Curse?
(5:37) 1st vs. 2nd Terms: Presidential Approval Ratings
(10:30) 1st vs. 2nd Terms: Seats Gained/Lost in Congress by the President's Party
(16:28) 1st vs. 2nd Terms: Partisan Majority Control of Congress
(21:03) 1st vs. 2nd Terms: Scandals and Major Negative Events
(26:54) So...is There a 2nd Term Curse?
(31:37) Closing and Today's Random Fact of the Day
...more
36min
January 21, 2025 Politics with Paul #23: When Party Affiliations Change
As strong as political party attachments can be, there are times where elected officials, candidates, and voters can drift away to a different party or go independent. What are some of the reasons for this? Is it a fast or slow process? How have party affiliations shifted by demographics and region over time? Do we have statistics on elected officials that have changed party affiliation? All these questions and more are part of today's topic.
Today's Random Fact of the Day: Did you know that Inauguration Day for president was not always January 20th?
Purchase my book on Amazon (ebook and paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Why-Independents-Rarely-Win-Elections-ebook/dp/B09K8PYM5J/
Download my FREE 5-day educational email course: https://detoxifyamericanpolitics.com/
My website: https://paulrader.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulRaderWrites
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrader352/
Medium: https://paulrader-42650.medium.com/
Email: [email protected]
Matchmaker FM profile for booking me on your podcast: https://www.matchmaker.fm/podcast-guest/paul-rader-329e65
(0:00) Introduction and today's topic
(2:04) What Leads Someone to Change Their Party Affiliation?
(6:42) Critical Realignment Elections and Party Systems
(11:59) Statistics on Party Affiliation Changes
(18:35) Examples of Officials Who Switched Parties
(26:15) States that Have Noticeably Changed Party Support Over Time
(31:08) Conclusion and Random Fact of the Day
...more
35min
January 14, 2025 Politics with Paul #22: Variations Within the Democratic and Republican Parties
The Democratic and Republican Parties are often treated as monoliths that think almost if not entirely the same way on all issues. While Democrats are becoming more uniformly liberal and Republicans are becoming more uniformly conservative, you can find some noticeable differences within the parties in different parts of the country based on political necessity, upbringing and environment, and factional struggles to lead county and state-level affiliates of the two main parties. Today’s episode discusses why we see these variations, how we measure differences within the parties, and specific examples of state-level parties that differ from their counterparts and the national parties at large.
Today is our first iteration of Random Fact of the Day: Did you know that not every state has counties? Check out the episode for more details on this fact, including differences in county governments.
Purchase my book on Amazon (ebook and paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Why-Independents-Rarely-Win-Elections-ebook/dp/B09K8PYM5J/
Download my FREE 5-day educational email course: https://detoxifyamericanpolitics.com/
My website: https://paulrader.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulRaderWrites
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrader352/
Medium: https://paulrader-42650.medium.com/
Email: [email protected]
Matchmaker FM profile for booking me on your podcast: https://www.matchmaker.fm/podcast-guest/paul-rader-329e65
(0:00) Intro and today’s topic
(3:07) Why There is Variation Within the Democratic/Republican Parties
(10:41) How to Examine Differences Within the Parties
(23:26) An Overview of Intraparty Variation Over Time
(32:36) Specific Examples of State-Level Democratic and Republican Parties
(39:16) Closing and Today’s Random Political Fact of the Day
...more
45min
January 02, 2025 Politics with Paul #21: How Many Democrat, Republican, and Independent Voters are There?
Happy New Year, everyone! Have you wondered how exactly the electorate is divided between Democrats, Republicans, and Independents? The answer is sort of complicated, but we do have some sense of the divide. Today's episode covers how exactly we know what we do about voters' party affiliations, how each state handles parties on the ballot, survey data on the public's party identifications, and what states actually register their voters' party affiliations.
Today's random question: What is one of your New Year's resolutions?
Purchase my book on Amazon (ebook and paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Why-Independents-Rarely-Win-Elections-ebook/dp/B09K8PYM5J/
Download my FREE 5-day educational email course: https://detoxifyamericanpolitics.com/
My website: https://paulrader.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulRaderWrites
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrader352/
Medium: https://paulrader-42650.medium.com/
Email: [email protected]
Matchmaker FM profile for booking me on your podcast: https://www.matchmaker.fm/podcast-guest/paul-rader-329e65
(0:00) Intro and Today's Topic
(1:31) How Do We Know Voters’ Party Affiliations?
(4:47) What are the Different Identifications in Each State?
(9:23) Public Polling Data
(14:07) States that Don’t Track Voters' Party Affiliation Data
(17:34) States that Do Track Voters' Party Affiliation Data
(21:13) 2020 Party Affiliation Analysis
(23:18) 2024 Party Affiliation Analysis
(24:54) How Voters’ Party IDs Have Changed from 2020 to 2024
(34:06) Closing and Today's Random Question
...more
37min
December 19, 2024 Politics with Paul #20: Should SCOTUS Justices Have Term Limits?
Calls for implementing term limits on the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) are not new, but they have seen amplified calls in recent years. But would term limits fix the issues with the current appointment process? Are lifetime outdated? There are a bunch of practical and philosophical considerations to think about in this debate such as the arguments made for and against lifetime terms versus fixed terms, how state supreme courts handle selection for their justices, and how an amendment to the US Constitution implementing SCOTUS term limits would be added. Today’s episode covers all this and more, including the joint resolution proposed by US Senators Joe Manchin and Peter Welch.
Today’s random question: What common grammatical/pronunciation mistake really grinds your gears?
Purchase my book on Amazon (ebook and paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Why-Independents-Rarely-Win-Elections-ebook/dp/B09K8PYM5J/
Download my FREE 5-day educational email course: https://detoxifyamericanpolitics.com/
My website: https://paulrader.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulRaderWrites
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrader352/
Medium: https://paulrader-42650.medium.com/
Email: [email protected]
Matchmaker FM profile for booking me on your podcast: https://www.matchmaker.fm/podcast-guest/paul-rader-329e65
(0:00) Intro and today’s topic
(1:59) Why SCOTUS Justices Have Lifetime Appointments
(5:35) Comparing SCOTUS and State Supreme Courts
(10:03) Arguments Made For and Against SCOTUS Term Limits
(19:51) Practical Considerations for SCOTUS Term Limits
(24:17) The Joint Resolution by Senators Manchin and Welch
(28:45) What it Would Take to Implement SCOTUS Term Limits
(34:42) Closing and Today’s Random Question
...more
38min
December 12, 2024 Politics with Paul #19: Historical Party Divisions of Congress
The partisanship of Congress has ebbed and flowed over its history. Yet while majority control of the US House and US Senate tends to be hotly contested between the Democratic and Republican Parties these days, that wasn't always the case. Both parties have had periods where one has demonstrated dominance over the other. Today's episode is an overview of the partisan history of the US Congress, including a brief look before the Republican Party formed in the 1850s, Republican supremacy during the Civil War/Reconstruction Era and the 1890s/1900s/1920s, Democratic supremacy during the Great Depression/World War II and the 1960s/1970s, and the heightened division of the past 30 years.
Today's random question: Do you wish you could play every instrument in the world or speak every language in the world? Leave your answer in the comments below or comment on the video where available.
Purchase my book on Amazon (ebook and paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Why-Independents-Rarely-Win-Elections-ebook/dp/B09K8PYM5J/
Download my FREE 5-day educational email course: https://detoxifyamericanpolitics.com/
My website: https://paulrader.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulRaderWrites
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrader352/
Medium: https://paulrader-42650.medium.com/
Email: [email protected]
Matchmaker FM profile for booking me on your podcast: https://www.matchmaker.fm/podcast-guest/paul-rader-329e65
(0:00) Intro and Today’s Topic
(0:58) Caveats of This Analysis
(2:06) Party Systems in US Congress: Pre-Republican Party
(4:59) The Beginning of Democrats vs. Republicans, Civil War, and Reconstruction (1856-1877)
(7:23) The Gilded Age (1877-1890s)
(9:06) Turn of the Century, Progressive Era, and Roaring Twenties (1890s-1929)
(12:15) The Great Depression, World War II, and Post-War Boom (1929-1960s)
(14:39) The Great Sorting Out (1960s-Onward)
(18:48) Heightened Division from the 1990s to Now
(21:17) Democrats vs. Republicans in Congress: The Overall Results
(26:10) The Upcoming Congress and How it Compares to the Past
(28:43) Closing and Today’s Random Question
...more
31min
December 05, 2024 Politics with Paul #18: Expansion of Presidential Power and Controversies
US presidential power and prestige has expanded greatly since the Framers of the Constitution designed the new form of American government. Yet just as heavy debate ensued at that time as to what the president can and should do with his powers, controversies have continued all throughout US history through today. Today's looks at some of those debates (such as whether checks on presidential power should be relaxed in certain cases), how previous presidents have wielded their power, and how the president interacts with Congress (legislative) and Supreme Court (judicial) branches of government.
Today's random question: What is a word that is grossly overused and needs to be severely curbed?
Purchase my book on Amazon (ebook and paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Why-Independents-Rarely-Win-Elections-ebook/dp/B09K8PYM5J/
Download my FREE 5-day educational email course: https://detoxifyamericanpolitics.com/
My website: https://paulrader.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulRaderWrites
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrader352/
Medium: https://paulrader-42650.medium.com/
Email: [email protected]
Matchmaker FM profile for booking me on your podcast: https://www.matchmaker.fm/podcast-guest/paul-rader-329e65
(0:00) Intro and today’s topic
(1:57) The Framers’ Debate Over the Presidency
(5:55) The Constitution and the Presidency
(7:59) Presidents Who Expanded Power and Prestige of the Presidency
(18:30) Presidential Power and Relations with Congress
(21:24) Presidential Power and Relations with the Supreme Court
(25:11) Executive Orders
(28:15) Debating the Powers of the Presidency
(29:53) Debate: Has the President Usurped Congress’ War Powers?
(30:43) Does the War on Terrorism Require Relaxing Checks on Presidential Power?
(34:09) Does the President Have Too Much Power in the Selection of Judges?
(39:44) Debate Over Executive Orders
(41:42) Debate Over Recess Appointments
(43:57) Today’s Random Question and Closing
...more
47min
November 27, 2024 Politics with Paul #17: Why Incumbents Win Reelection So Often
Why do we hate politicians (particularly Congress) so much yet so often reelect the same ones? The incumbency advantage is a well-documented phenomenon in political science, and 2024 saw sky-high reelection rates for elected officials running for their same seats. Although incumbency advantage can vary by type of office (e.g. Congress, governors) and by state, those already in office tend to have an advantage by virtue of already holding the seat. Why do incumbents generally enjoy an advantage over challengers in this regard? How successful have recent and historical incumbent reelection bids been? That’s what today’s episode dives into.
Today’s random question: What is your ideal Thanksgiving meal?
Purchase my book on Amazon (ebook and paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Why-Independents-Rarely-Win-Elections-ebook/dp/B09K8PYM5J/
Download my FREE 5-day educational email course: https://detoxifyamericanpolitics.com/
My website: https://paulrader.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulRaderWrites
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrader352/
Medium: https://paulrader-42650.medium.com/
Email: [email protected]
Matchmaker FM profile for booking me on your podcast: https://www.matchmaker.fm/podcast-guest/paul-rader-329e65
(0:00) Intro and today’s random question
(1:17) Who is an incumbent?
(3:05) The Fenno Paradox
(8:54) The factors that help incumbents
(17:30) The factors that can hurt incumbents
(23:09) How incumbent win rates can vary depending on office
(27:07) Incumbent win rates in recent years and historically
(32:00) 2024 incumbent win statistics
(35:53) Closing and today’s random question
...more
39min
November 20, 2024 Politics with Paul Podcast #16 - 2024 Election Recap (Thus Far)
Another presidential election has come and gone, with Republicans walking away with generally more success than Democrats. Yet the 2024 results aren’t entirely settled. Some election winners have yet to be decided, and accurate vote totals still need to be certified. However, there are a lot of takeaways we can already glean. Today covers results for president, Congress, governor, state legislatures, and ballot measures, along with some instances of split-ticket voting.
Today's random question: Was Pluto’s demotion to dwarf planet justified, or should it be granted full planet status again? Leave your answer in the comments below or comment on the video where available.
Purchase my book on Amazon (ebook and paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Why-Independents-Rarely-Win-Elections-ebook/dp/B09K8PYM5J/
Download my FREE 5-day educational email course: https://detoxifyamericanpolitics.com/
My website: https://paulrader.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulRaderWrites
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrader352/
Medium: https://paulrader-42650.medium.com/
Email: [email protected]
Matchmaker FM profile for booking me on your podcast: https://www.matchmaker.fm/podcast-guest/paul-rader-329e65
(0:00) Intro and today’s topic
(1:33) Presidential election results
(8:17) US Senate election results
(14:36) US House election results
(18:12) Gubernatorial election results
(20:49) State legislative election results
(26:20) Split-ticket and straight-ticket voting
(30:58) Recap of overall balance of power
(33:14) Ballot measure election results
(41:15) Looking to the future
(43:37) Closing and today’s random question
...more
47min
November 04, 2024 Politics with Paul Podcast #15 - Election 2024 Preview Finale - The Presidency
It’s finally here. We’re on the cusp of the 2024 general election, and the next president of the United States is about to be decided. Either Democrat Kamala Harris will become the nation’s first female president or Republican Donald Trump will become the second president to serve nonconsecutive terms in office. Popular votes do not decide presidential elections, however: Electoral College votes do. But if someone doesn’t win a majority of the Electoral College, what happens next? Regardless of that, where are the least and most competitive states in the Electoral College? All this and more is today’s topic.
Today's random question: Who/what is your favorite musician/band? Leave your answer in the comments below or comment on the video where available.
Purchase my book on Amazon (ebook and paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Why-Independents-Rarely-Win-Elections-ebook/dp/B09K8PYM5J/
Download my FREE 5-day educational email course: https://detoxifyamericanpolitics.com/
My website: https://paulrader.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulRaderWrites
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrader352/
Medium: https://paulrader-42650.medium.com/
Email: [email protected]
Matchmaker FM profile for booking me on your podcast: https://www.matchmaker.fm/podcast-guest/paul-rader-329e65
(0:00) Intro and today’s topic
(1:07) Possibility of a contingent election
(3:14) Highlighted stats
(6:35) The non-competitive (or at least less competitive) states
(9:42) The most competitive states
(10:21) Arizona
(13:19) Georgia
(15:04) Michigan
(16:59) Nevada
(19:27) North Carolina
(21:44) Pennsylvania
(24:33) Wisconsin
(26:09) Closing and today’s random topic
...more
30min

FAQs about Politics with Paul:

How many episodes does Politics with Paul have?

The podcast currently has 75 episodes available.