UChi In the Loop

The Senate is a mind-boggling institution. It has countless rules, moves at a snail's pace, and what in the world is a Parliamentarian? To help orient us is Laura Dove, the Secretary for the Majority under Mitch McConnell from 2013 to 2020. Her knowledge of the Senate is extensive, as she has worked on the floor for thirty years. Join us in determining whether the Senate is a "cooling saucer," as George Washington referred to it, or a broken institution. 

As the 2022 midterms come racing towards us, Nadya turns her gaze towards voters' rights. With all of the claims of election fraud in 2020, how will 2022 be different for voters? Can we still have faith in our institutions? The answer lies in state and local efforts to protect democracy, particularly by training poll observers and educating voters. As an expert in the field, Alejandra Pollak joins to discuss her work as Executive Director of the New York Democratic Lawyer's Council. Listen to their conversation to learn about the intricacies and challenges of the American voting system. 

How do advocacy groups work within government? Are they effective? What are the key policies that we need to enact to solve climate change? These are just a few of the questions Nadya tackles with her guest, Julie Tighe. As president of the New York League of Conservation Voters, Tighe has helped the state enact numerous climate legislation, including the $3 Billion Restore Mother Nature Bond Act, the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth & Community Benefit Act, and the Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act – the nation’s most progressive climate law.  Previously, she served as the Chief of Staff of New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation where she was a primary negotiator for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act, three successful Constitutional Amendments, and one of the most comprehensive electronics recycling laws in the country. Join the conversation to discover the heart of civics and climate change. 

Connect with Julie Tighe and the NYLCV on social media: 

• @julietighe17 
• @nylcv

Connect with us @uchi_intheloop 

To begin the second season of the podcast, Nadya wanted to talk about something timely: the fall of Afghanistan. Specifically, she wanted to discover the role of the media in Afghanistan in the past 20 years and its effect on the population and the government. To help offer some insight is Lotfullah Najafizada, the director of Afghanistan's top news channel, TOLONews. His international recognition includes Reporters Without Borders’s prestigious medal of Press Freedom Hero for his fight for free press in Afghanistan in 2016, TIME Magazine’s title of Next Generation Global Leader, and Forbes magazine 30 Under 30 Asia Influencers in Media. Tune into this riveting discussion to understand the connection between media, foreign policy, and civic engagement. 

In their last episode of the season, Emily and Nadya talk to Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood from 2006-2018. She now leads the non-profit Supermajority, which seeks to empower more women to enter politics, and is also the co-chair of American Bridge, a super PAC dedicated to opposition research. Join them as they discuss how non-governmental entities work within government structures to accomplish their agendas, the barriers to women entering politics, and how to view the recent country-wide voter suppression bills in relation to women. 

In this episode, Nadya and Emily seek to uncover the connection between civics and national security. To help them do this, Representative Will Hurd (R-TX-23) joins the conversation. Prior to his 2014 election to the House of Representatives where he was until recently the only African-American member of the Republican caucus, Hurd spent almost a decade at the CIA. He brought this intelligence experience to Congress, where he made national security and particularly cybersecurity a focus of his. Since deciding not to run for reelection in 2020, he has served as a fellow at the Institute of Politics right here at the University of Chicago. Listen for a discussion on the threats of China and Russia, balancing internal vs. external threats to national security, and why holding your elected officials accountable is necessary to the defense of the U.S.

As the 117th Congress begins to pass legislation, Nadya, Domenica, and Emily check in with Congressman Mike Quigley. They discuss the legislative process, environmental policy, and Chicago’s role in solving our climate crisis. Congressman Quigley represents Illinois’ 5th District, which includes much of Chicago’s north side. He’s held his seat in Congress since Rahm Emmanuel vacated the seat to join President Obama in the White House. Quigley is a graduate of The University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy.

Nadya and Domenica turn their attention to Illinois to explore the state court system in our March episode. They are joined by Agnes Bugaj to discuss the Illinois Attorney General's office, the court system, the differences between civil and criminal law, and more. Agnes Bugaj is an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois, working in the Sexually Violent Persons Bureau. She's previously worked as an Assistant State's Attorney for St. Clair County, IL, after graduating from the University of Iowa College of Law. Bugaj graduated from the University of Chicago in 2010 where she studied Linguistics and Political Science.

As the Biden administration begins, Nadya and Domenica dive deep into communications and messaging strategy with progressive pollster Anat Shenker-Osorio. Shenker-Osorio is a communications and messaging expert who has advised a myriad of Democratic clients including the Congressional Progressive Caucus. During the episode, Anat and our hosts reflect on President Biden’s inaugural address, discuss the race-class narrative, and explore what message Democrats should project ahead of the 2022 midterms.

As the election season draws to a close, we take a look at GOP legislation and the future of the Republican Party with Former Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (R-VA-10). Rep. Comstock is a legendary GOP insider who was a lobbyist, member of the Virginia House of Delegates, and Opposition Research leader for President Bush before serving two terms in Congress. In this episode, we take a look at Rep. Comstock’s time in Congress, her work for women’s empowerment, and how she transitioned from being a well-known Republican staffer to a candidate herself. We hope this episode provides a unique perspective from which to view our national political discourse as we further explore the future of partisan politics and effective legislation as a whole.