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PODCAST

Civics 101

How do landmark Supreme Court decisions affect our lives? What does the 2nd Amendment really say? Why does the Senate have so much power? Civics 101 is the podcast about how our democracy works…or is supposed to work, anyway.

government

All Episodes

39:32

How did federal income taxes get this way?

Civics 101 ·

2026/04/14

We haven't always had a federal income tax, and in the beginning, it only applied to the very richest Americans. So how did we end up with the permanent income tax we have today, with all its complicated rules about everything from pre-tax income to deductions and credits? And what does it actually pay for? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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29:16

What is the 25th Amendment?

Civics 101 ·

2026/04/09

Sometimes, news happens in the real world, and suddenly a political or civics topic becomes very top of mind for members of the public. And when that happens, we at Civics 101 often say, hey…we have an episode about that. One of those conversations happened this week, after a tweet from President Trump related to the war in Iran had some conservative, traditionally pro-Trump voices evoking a specific part of the Constitution - the 25th Amendment. Back in 2022, we made an episode breaking down

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36:56

The Raw Milk Question

Civics 101 ·

2026/04/07

Today we bring you a story from our sister podcast Outside/In, produced and reported by Marina Henke. In 2009, the state of Maine ordered farmer Dan Brown to stop selling his raw milk. It kicked off a five-year legal battle that stoked the flames of Maine’s dairy wars. But, after Farmer Brown lost his case and hung up his milking hat, things quieted down. Twenty years later, raw milk has surged back into the zeitgeist. Influencers are saying it tastes like ice cream, RFK Jr. is taking shots of

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34:28

Can American elections be "nationalized"? What does...

Civics 101 ·

2026/03/31

In this country, the states run elections. Congress is empowered to step in; the president is not. So what does it mean for the president to call on a political party to "take over." Is that allowed? What would that mean? And why is this happening now?We talk with Sarah Cooper from the Carter Center to understand who is in charge and whether anyone else can take charge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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22:06

Why are we paying more for gas right now?

Civics 101 ·

2026/03/24

Four years ago we made an episode about how the president has very limited powers when it comes to lowering the price of gas. Turns out, we hadn't considered every possibility.Today, we talk about how a president can make gasoline more expensive, by waging conflict in the middle east. Our guest is Robert Rapier, chemical engineer, investment writer, and energy sector expert. He came back on the show to tell us about the logistics of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz, and whether there are any ways

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30:11

Someone oughta open up a window

Civics 101 ·

2026/03/17

Today we take a field trip to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where Nick explains why he's like this via an obsession with 1776, the movie based on the musical based on the true events that launched a nation. Our nation. Also, Nick and Hannah get real using Dido as inspiration.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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30:34

The Civic Role of Religious Leaders

Civics 101 ·

2026/03/11

Why do religious leaders step out from behind the pulpit and take to the streets? What does it mean to practice what you preach? As faith groups across the nation stand alongside protestors and assert their beliefs, we talk to four religious leaders about how and why they take action.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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48:21

Are you really mad? What can you do about that?

Civics 101 ·

2026/03/03

As hosts of a civics podcast, we are not allowed to advocate for policy. But you can. Here are three things you can do to get your elected officials to listen when you're mad about something. By way of example, Nick reveals his pettiest, most apolitical gripe; and methods he would hypothetically use to address it. We talk lobbying, contacting your electeds, and getting (possibly famous) people together to advocate for change. This episode features Emily Gallagher, serving District 50 in the New

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35:55

What does "detention" mean?

Civics 101 ·

2026/02/24

We've used the word "detention" many times when we've talked about immigration laws and ICE. But what does that word actually mean? A listener wanted to know, so we got the answer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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38:03

Why did the FBI keep tabs on high school students?

Civics 101 ·

2026/02/17

About a week ago, host Hannah McCarthy stumbled on an article by an historian named Dr. Aaron Fountain Jr. What she read kind of blew her mind, so she decided to give him a call. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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31:28

When did immigrants become "illegal?"

Civics 101 ·

2026/02/10

The rules about who could and could not come and live in the United States have changed many times over the last 250 years, but exactly when restrictions were first put on immigration might surprise you. Today, walking us through the myriad qualitative and quantitative systems surrounding immigration policy is Muzaffar Chishti, Senior Fellow and Director of the Migration Policy Institute. Here are some links to our episodes on: The Chinese Exclusion Act, ICE, and Becoming a US Citizen

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38:23

What is ICE's job?

Civics 101 ·

2026/02/03

We examine what the current presidential administration tells us about Immigration and Customs Enforcement and what the numbers, courts and history of the agency have to say. For more information on the data referenced in this episode, you can check out this Politico fact check of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's statements about ICE, this CATO Institute analysis, this CBS report, and this TRAC report and this Deportation Data Project release. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

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33:47

Safe to Drink

Civics 101 ·

2026/01/30

Introducing “Safe to Drink:” A New Hampshire town finds out its water has been contaminated by a chemical. The most basic question — whether the water is safe to drink — doesn’t have a clear answer. Nobody seems to know much about this so-called forever chemical, which is weird because… this has all happened before.From the Document team at New Hampshire Public Radio, "Safe to Drink" is a four-part series about the water contamination story that keeps repeating in town after town — and about the

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32:39

What happens when it's not NASA bringing civilians to...

Civics 101 ·

2026/01/27

In 1985, high school teacher Christa McAuliffe was selected to become the first private citizen to travel to space. After the Challenger explosion that killed her and 6 other astronauts, NASA scrapped its Teacher in Space Project; it was still too risky to send private citizens to space. 40 years later, things are looking very different. Today, celebrities and billionaires are buying trips on commercial rockets. Private companies are designing new, private space stations. How is safety being

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27:36

What is the Monroe Doctrine?

Civics 101 ·

2026/01/20

After its inception in 1823, the Monroe Doctrine was largely ignored. But after a while, different administrations saw the value in maintaining control over the western hemisphere. And notably, it is having a renaissance in the Trump presidency. So what IS the Monroe Doctrine? How has it been interpreted in various presidencies? And, most importantly, is it legal under international law? Civics 101 regular Dan Cassino takes us from Monroe to Maduro. Click here to listen to our episode on

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42:24

How does asylum work? And what has changed?

Civics 101 ·

2026/01/13

On this episode, we’re talking about the history and evolution of United States’ refugee and asylum policy. We have been a country of exclusion for about as long as we’ve projected the image of a democratic refuge. We talk about what it actually takes to secure refugee or asylum status in the U.S. and how that gargantuan task has been made so much more difficult, if not impossible for some, under the second Trump Administration. This episode features Dr. Georgie Pisano. Learn more about your ad

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21:43

What's happening with Venezuela?

Civics 101 ·

2026/01/06

Sometimes, we just have to make a "101" episode of Civics 101. That is the case this week, in the wake of the arrest of Venezuela's sitting president by the United States. So, what's happening with Venezuela, Maduro, and the Trump administration's plan to "run" that country?CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, get free educational materials, and more! To see Civics 101 in book form, check out A User's Guide to Democracy:

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00:52:29

Restoring Civility in our Politics (on The Middle)

Civics 101 ·

2025/12/30

This week Nick appears on The Middle, with Jeremy Hobson. The topic is civility in politics, and they're joined by former New Hampshire State Legislator Doug Teschner and Citizens Count Executive Director Anna Brown. This episode was recorded live at the Bank of NH Stage in Concord, NH and features audience questions and comments. Write to us at civics101@nhpr.org to tell us what you think: is there a political middle?CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the

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00:23:26

Probable Claus: Is Santa a Criminal?

Civics 101 ·

2025/12/23

Today we answer this question from a listener, "Is Santa a criminal?"We get to the bottom of the myriad actions of the jolly old elf, and whether he could reasonably be tried for civil and criminal violations, including but not limited to trespassing, breaking and entering, voyeurism, stalking, surveillance, burglary, tax evasion, bad labor practices, emotional distress, and (in one instance) involuntary manslaughter.Taking us through this complex web of charges is Colin Miller, professor at

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00:27:51

What is the filibuster?

Civics 101 ·

2025/12/16

Why does it take, in practice, 60 votes for a bill to pass in the Senate? Why doesn't it seem like anyone is up there talking for days anymore? And why do we even have it in the first place?Today is all about the filibuster; from its benign origins to its use and misuse, the arguments for and against it, and what it would take to eliminate it entirely. Our guest is Molly Reynolds from the Brookings Institution.To learn about the tumultuous back and forth between the federal and state government in

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359 results

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