Civil Discourse

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The Department of Education Dec 14, 2022

Show notes

As with previous departments, the Department of Education was re-created recently, but goes back to 1867, when President Andrew Johnson signed legislation creating the first Department of Education. That original agency's main purpose was to collect information about the nation's schools. Thought to be potentially too powerful, the department was demoted to Office of Education until 1979, when it was re-established as a department. Aughie covers a few controversies and secretaries along with the organization of the department.

In the News: Kyrsten Sinema Dec 13, 2022

Show notes

Nia and Aughie explore the recent decision by Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona to change her party affiliation from Democrat to Independent.

The Department of Energy Dec 13, 2022

Show notes

Nia and Aughie move on to the lucky 13th department, the Department of Energy, formed in 1977. While it might seem like a recent department, Energy can trace its beginning agencies back to the Manhattan Project in World War II. The energy crisis of the 1970's also strongly influenced the bipartisan support for the creation of the DoE. Aughie covers the department's prominent secretaries and some criticisms leveled at the department.

The Department of Transportation Nov 29, 2022

Show notes

The next department in the series is also part of the Great Society, the Department of Transportation (DoT). Aughie explains how the many subagencies of the department work together in various ways to support public transportation, from the Federal Aviation Administration to the Federal Highway Administration. Aughie also reminds listeners that this department is a particularly good example of cooperative federalism. Discussion ends with secretaries and criticisms of the department.

In the News: Elections Nov 23, 2022

Show notes

Aughie and Nia discuss the statistics and implications of the 2022 midterm elections.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development Nov 22, 2022

Show notes

In 1965, we got the next department, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as part of President Johnson's Great Society. Nia and Aughie discuss the needs of the nation to find ways toward homeownership, fair housing, and assistance to the working poor to mitigate the costs associated with housing. They also discuss the secretaries and the criticisms of the department.

In the News: SCOTUS and Affirmative Action Nov 15, 2022

Show notes

Nia and Aughie discuss the recent Supreme Court hearings involving two cases from the Students for Fair Admissions versus Harvard (one case) and SFFA versus UNC (second case). The universities in these cases, heard together, argued that race may be considered in admissions to increase diversity of the student body. The SFFA argued that preference granted to one race for admissions by necessity brings inequity for other races.

The Department of HEW/HHS Nov 15, 2022

Show notes

Aughie and Nia move on to the next department in the series, the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, later the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). From Head Start to Medicare, HHS touches American lives from cradle to grave. Aughie covers the sprawling nature of the department, and then Nia and Aughie spend a fair bit of the episode discussing controversies and politics surrounding HHS.

In the News: Ye and Hate Speech Nov 08, 2022

Show notes

Nia and Aughie discuss government intervention, Supreme Court rulings, and hate speech. in light of recent anti-semitic comments made by Ye West.

The Department of Labor Nov 08, 2022

Show notes

Aughie and Nia discuss the Department of Labor as the next in the series. The Bureau of Labor was initially part of the Department of Interior, then its own Bureau but not part of the Cabinet, and then part of the Department of Commerce and Labor, and then in 1913 it becomes its own Department with a Cabinet Secretary as the head. From this convoluted start to the present, the Department of Labor has had to balance union and labor rights with employer desires to maximize profits. Aughie explains this tension within the mandate of the department.

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