Unf*cking The Republic cover image

Unf*cking The Republic

Procedural F*ckery: Quirks of our "Democracy."

Aug 28, 2021
49:48

We love to promote our democratic principles. We love to spread them across the globe as well. But there are three procedural quirks in our system that are so laughably undemocratic it’s surreal. The Electoral College, filibuster and gerrymandering have been such integral parts of our system for so long that we barely recognize them for the travesties they are. Right now, Democrats have tenuous control over the system and the ability to change the course of democracy for decades to come. So why don’t they? Today’s episode digs into the racist history of these three significant aspects of our republic, the Republicans who will do anything to protect them, and the feckless Democrats who maintain the status quo.

View this episode's site page by going to unftr.com/episodes/unftr31.

Resources

Congress: For the People Act

Congress: Fair Representation Act

Congressmen Beyer: House Democrats Reintroduce Fair Representation Act

Brennan Center For Justice: Rucho v. Common Cause

Brennan Center For Justice: Gerrymandering Explained

Brennan Center For Justice: What Is Extreme Gerrymandering?

Fair Vote: Ranked Choice Voting Legislation

Fair Vote: 2021 State Legislation on Ranked Choice Voting

Fair Vote: Details about Ranked Choice Voting

Fair Vote: Gerrymandering Reform Innovations

The Hill: Replacing 'winner-takes-all' system would end gerrymandering

Common Cause: Fair Maps, Fair Representation and a Fair Say

Common Cause: Gerrymander Gazette Newsletter

Pod Love

improv4humans with Matt Besser

--

If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.

Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.

Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week.

Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP.

Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list.

Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.

Unf*cking the Republic is produced and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is written and hosted by Thornton Mellon and distributed by kickbacks and bribes.

Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, ‘Unf*cking the Republic.’

Support the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/unftr

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode