Why Not Me? 2028 - TopPodcast.com

*/ ?>

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

Why Not Me? 2028 — Government
Why Not Me? 2028

What if a regular person ran for President?

Why Not Me? is a smart, thoughtful, sometimes funny podcast about one woman’s journey to ask that question — out loud. Shana is not a celebrity, not a billionaire, and not backed by a political machine. She’s a former nonprofit worker and PTA fundraiser, and current higher ed employee who’s spent her life working, parenting, and trying to make things better from the ground up.

In each episode, she explores what it would actually take for someone like her to run for the highest office in the land — from policy ideas to campaign hurdles, from civic curiosity to systemic barriers. Along the way, she asks bigger questions about leadership, representation, and what democracy really means in 21st-century America.

This isn’t a show about bashing politicians or pushing an agenda. It’s about making space for new voices, honest conversations, and people who’ve never seen themselves in power. If you’ve ever looked at a ballot and thought, “Seriously? These are my choices?” — this podcast is for you.

Copyright: © 2025 Why Not Me? 2028

Latest Episodes:

What If It’s You...Running for Something Else? Jul 15, 2025

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 (shana@whynotme2028.com) 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 shana@whynotme2028.com

Graphics and editing by Rory Lawson

Music by Universfield from Pixabay

Okay, What Would I Run On? Jul 08, 2025

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 shana@whynotme2028.com

Use this link to send us a text, or email us at shana@whynotme2028.com

Graphics and editing by Rory Lawson

Music by Universfield from Pixabay

So, What Does a President Actually Do? Jul 01, 2025

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 shana@whynotme2028.com

Graphics and editing by Rory Lawson

Music by Universfield from Pixabay

So, What Does It Take to Run for President? Jun 23, 2025

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 shana@whynotme2028.com

Graphics and editing by Rory Lawson

Music by Universfield from Pixabay

Why Not Me? Jun 23, 2025

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 shana@whynotme2028.com

Graphics and editing by Rory Lawson

Music by Universfield from Pixabay

Related Podcasts