Summary
Sure, this podcast started with the idea of me running for President. But what if it’s you — and what if you’re not aiming for the White House? In this episode, we shift the focus from President to other national campaigns and state impact. We’ll talk about the real backgrounds of some folks who stepped into office — sometimes unexpectedly. From a Minnesota pro-wrestler to a fictional social studies teacher, we look at how regular people can lead, and what offices might actually be more accessible (and impactful) than you think. Because maybe you don’t have to run for President. Maybe you just have to run.

Resources & Links
- List of Presidents and their positions - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_United_States_by_previous_experience

- How Every Member Got to Congress - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/01/26/opinion/sunday/paths-to-congress.html 

- Fun Facts About Governors - https://governors.rutgers.edu/fast-facts-about-americas-governors/ 

- Harry S. Truman - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_S._Truman

- Pew Research Center - Age and generation in the 119th Congress - https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/01/16/age-and-generation-in-the-119th-congress-somewhat-younger-with-fewer-boomers-and-more-gen-xers

- Jesse Venture - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Ventura 

- Ballot Ready – Find out what’s on your local ballot - https://www.ballotready.org/

Listener Question

Have you ever thought about running for something — school board, city council, state rep? What would push you to take that step? What’s holding you back?

Send me a text (through the web site) or email ([email protected]) or Instagram message — I’d love to feature your story in a future episode.

Support the Show

If Why Not Me? is resonating with you, please follow, rate, or share the podcast.

And tell someone who’s never seen themselves in power — but probably should.

Use this link to send us a text, or email us at [email protected]

Graphics and editing by Rory Lawson

Music by Universfield from Pixabay

Summary
In this episode, Shana lays out the foundational beliefs and big-picture ideas that would shape her platform — from fair wages and affordable healthcare to housing, taxes, education, justice reform, and more. She reflects on how real-life experience, not just political theory, could inform leadership — and why it’s time to reimagine who belongs at the top.

Resources & References
Economic Inequality & Wages

- Economic Policy Institute: The Productivity–Pay Gap - https://www.epi.org/productivity-pay-gap/ 
- Forbes: CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratios - https://www.forbes.com/sites/annefield/2022/05/23/ceo-worker-pay-gap-widens-and-employees-arent-happy-about-it/

Healthcare History & Policy

- Kaiser Family Foundation: Public Opinion on Healthcare Reform - https://www.kff.org/
- National Health Law Program: Universal Healthcare and the U.S. System - https://healthlaw.org/

Housing & Affordability

- National Low Income Housing Coalition: Out of Reach Report - https://nlihc.org/oor

Tax Policy

- IRS Historical Data: Top Marginal Tax Rates - https://www.irs.gov/statistics/soi-tax-stats-historical-table-23

Immigration & Border Policy

- Migration Policy Institute: US Immigration Policy Facts - https://www.migrationpolicy.org/
- Cato Institute: The Case for Legal Immigration Reform - https://www.cato.org/

Education & Justice Reform

- Brookings Institution: School-to-Prison Pipeline - https://www.brookings.edu/articles/class-notes-the-school-to-prison-pipeline-the-economics-of-ai-and-more/
- Vera Institute of Justice: Ending Mass Incarceration - https://www.vera.org/
- National Education Association: Support for Teachers - https://www.nea.org/

Media & Corporate Conflicts

- Columbia Journalism Review: Media Ownership & Power - https://www.cjr.org/
- Free Press: Corporate Media and Democracy - https://www.freepress.net/

Small Business & Employee Ownership

- SBA: Access to Capital for Small Businesses - https://www.sba.gov/

Freedom & Civil Liberties

- Brennan Center for Justice: Protecting Democracy and Civil Rights - https://www.brennancenter.org/

Follow & Support

- Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts
- Leave a review if you like what you’re hearing
- Have a question, comment, or story to share? Reach out at [email protected]

Use this link to send us a text, or email us at [email protected]

Graphics and editing by Rory Lawson

Music by Universfield from Pixabay

Summary

Today I’m digging into the question behind the headlines: What does the President of the United States actually do? Beyond the big speeches and bigger headlines, what’s the real job description? We’ll look at the official powers, the practical limits, and whether someone like me — or maybe like you — could actually do it.

In This Episode, I Talk About

• What the Constitution actually says about presidential powers
  
  
• What the President can’t do (hint: it’s a lot)
  
  
• Why values matter more than slogans
  
  
• Whether a regular person could actually take on the role

Resources & Links

• Article II of the U.S. Constitution - https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-2/ 
  
  
• USA.gov – What the President Does - https://www.usa.gov/presidents 
  
  
• Brookings – What Presidents Can and Can’t Do - ““Do eroding presidential norms undermine constitutional principles?” - https://www.brookings.edu/articles/do-eroding-presidential-norms-undermine-constitutional-principles/ 

Listener Question

If you had to take over as President tomorrow, what’s the first thing you’d want to do — and the one thing you’d totally dread?

Support the Show

If you’re enjoying Why Not Me?, subscribe, share, and leave a quick rating or review. It helps new listeners find the show — and reminds the algorithm that everyday voices matter.

Use this link to send us a text, or email us at [email protected]

Graphics and editing by Rory Lawson

Music by Universfield from Pixabay

Episode Summary
You don’t need a law degree, a million Instagram followers, or a private jet to run for president. Legally, the bar is low. But in practice? That’s a different story.

In this episode, I unpack the real barriers to running for the highest office in the land — from fundraising and ballot access to party politics and media gatekeeping. It’s part behind-the-scenes explainer, part reality check, and part rallying cry for everyday people to imagine what might be possible if we rebuilt the system with us in mind.

In This Episode, I Talk About:

• What the Constitution actually requires (spoiler: it’s not much)
• The real costs of running — financially and emotionally
• What it takes to build a campaign team from scratch
• Fundraising fatigue and how much time candidates spend just asking for money
• Ballot access laws (like the 1M+ signatures you’d need to go nationwide)
• How political parties and media gatekeeping filter out “unserious” candidates
• Why regular people get left behind — and how that affects policy and democracy

Resources & Links:
Ballot Access & Requirements

• Ballot Access for Presidential Candidates – Ballotpedia

Campaign Costs & Fundraising Examples

• OpenSecrets – 2020 Election Costs
• RFK Jr. Ballot Access Costs – NY Post

Listener Prompt:
If you didn’t have to raise millions — or already be famous — would you ever consider running for something?
 What would make it feel possible? What’s keeping you — or someone you know — out?

Support the Show:
If this episode gave you something to think about, share it with someone. 
Leave a rating. Send a message. Start a conversation.
Because democracy isn’t just for the powerful — it’s for all of us.

Use this link to send us a text, or email us at [email protected]

Graphics and editing by Rory Lawson

Music by Universfield from Pixabay

Welcome to Why Not Me?, a podcast where I explore the wild idea of a regular person — me — running for President of the United States. In this first episode, I share my story: where I come from, what shaped me, and why I even started asking this question in the first place.

In This Episode:

• My Pennsylvania roots and working-class upbringing
• What I learned from nonprofits, government work, and higher ed
• Why I'm even thinking about this
• The big question: Could someone like me run — and should they?

Have you ever looked at a ballot and thought, “Seriously… these are my options?” What would it take for someone like you to run?

Use this link to send us a text, or email us at [email protected]

Graphics and editing by Rory Lawson

Music by Universfield from Pixabay