In this episode of Constitutionally Speaking, Jay and Luke discuss the first federal election, held in 1788-1789. In many parts of the country, the contests were a proxy over whether the new Constitution was a good plan of government. This was especially the case in Virginia, where Governor Patrick Henry schemed to keep James Madison out of Congress by pitting him against James Monroe in an Anti-Federalist district. But Henry miscalculated. Madison won a comfortable victory, and nationwide the pro-Constitution forces triumphed. This landmark victory for the Federalists would set the stage for the policies of the new government.
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Ep. 22: The First Federal Election

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In this episode, Jay and Luke discuss procedures in the Senate. After giving a broad overview of how the institution works, they dig deep into the filibuster -- how it works, why it works, and some surprising answers as to whom it benefits.

Episode 77: Filibuster

In this episode of Constitutionally Speaking, Luke and Jay continue their explanation of Congress, this time looking at the party structure in the House of Representatives. After Jay offers some broad considerations about the function and structure of the parties, Luke takes a deep dive into how the majority party (right now, the Democrats) actually work in the House.

Episode 76: House Party!

In this episode of Constitutionally Speaking, Jay and Luke discuss the role of committees in Congress. Committees are the workhorses of Congress, where the real legislating happens. The guys evaluate different theories of committee organization, and Luke makes the case that their flexibility makes them still useful in the era of omnibus legislating.

Episode 75: Congressional Committees

Luke interviews Jay about his new book, ‘James Madison: America’s First Politician,’ which is out on November 9th.

Episode 74: Jay’s New Book!

In this week’s episode, Jay and Luke examine what makes members of Congress tick. The answer: paranoia. Specifically, the all-abiding fear that they might lose reelection. The congressional drive toward reelection frames their entire career in Congress, especially how they interact with their constituents back home. It determines how they view their districts and how they communicate with it. Those who are good at this job tend to win reelection. Those who don’t, don’t.

Ep. 22: The First Federal Election

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