The ACLU sets out to represent people who’s civil liberties have been unjustly taken away from them. ACLU Massachusetts Communications Director John Ward sat down with me to discuss where are civil liberties stand today.

Ep. 4 - Thoughts on our civil liberties from the ACLU Massachusetts.

The 2016 presidential election sparked something in America. Citizens on both sides of the aisle are seemingly more engaged and politically active than ever before. Our podcast seeks to educate those individuals on the most pressing and divisive public policy issues discussed in the news cycle by speaking with knowledgeable experts, activists and allies alike.

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The U.S. government has failed to measure maternal mortality rates since 2003, and since that time the issue of mothers dying due to complications have skyrocketed. But women of color have been hit extremely hard by this issue. They are 243% more likely to die in childbirth than any other race. That statistic transcends class lines, education lines, and any other line that could be used to categorize people. Gene Declercq has spent over a decade researching the trends of maternal mortality which has caused a public outcry about this problem. We were able to sit down with him to learn more about this issue.

Ep. 11 - Why are black women more likely to die in childbirth?

Year after year America’s voting system comes under scrutiny in response to elections. Whether it be voting machines not working, whispers of voter suppression or complaints about the electoral college - there is a lot of work to be done to overhaul America’s elections. After Maine was the first state to use ranked choice voting in a state wide election, supporters of the action are hoping to see something similar on a larger scale. Voter Choice MA is hoping that ranked choice voting will be a small step in making sure our elections are fairer in the future.

Ep. 10 - What is ranked choice voting?

A lot has changed since 1988 but how presidential elections are run are generally the same. I was able to talk with 1988 Democratic Presidential Nominee Michael Dukakis on how elections have changed since his own run, and what future candidates should keep in mind for their own go at it.

Ep. 9 - Campaign 2020: A conversation with Michael Dukakis.

The First Step Act is a shining light in a hyper polarized era. For the first time in what seems like forever, bipartisanship worked. The bill if a first step in fixing America’s broken criminal justice system. #Cut50 has been working tirelessly to pass bills that will help reduce prison population numbers and make communities safer. We talked with co founder of #Cut50 Jessica Jackson to see how this bill came to be and what areas still need improving.

Ep. 8 - How Donald Trump became a champion of criminal justice reform

This episode was produced and published by Danae Bucci and Christian Stafford. To find more information follow my socials! Socials: Facebook: Point of Contention Instagram: Point of Contention Twitter: @ContentionPoint

Ep. 4 - Thoughts on our civil liberties from the ACLU Massachusetts.

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