The American Experiment: A Republic If You Can Keep It

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**The American Experiment: A Republic If You Can Keep It**

A podcast about government, politics, and the U.S Constitution.

Latest Episodes:

Congressional Structure and Leadership May 14, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, we give an overview of when and where Congress meets and who the leaders of Congress are.

Why Do We Have a Two-Party System? Mar 15, 2021

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Quiz

Which one of these political parties was not a real American political party?
1. The Whig Party
2. The Bull Moose Party
3. The Gold Party
4. The Know-Nothing Party
Which one of these parties has never won a presidential election?
1. The Republican Party
2. The Federalist Party
3. The Whig Party
4. The Progressive Party
How many times has a candidate not from one of the two major parties won the presidency?
1. Zero
2. Once
3. Twice
4. Eight
How many representatives, not from one of the two major parties, are currently serving in Congress?
1. Zero
2. Two
3. Fifteen
4. Thirty-four
Which one of these is not a current political party?
1. The Legal Marijuana Now Party
2. The Socialist Worker Party
3. The Freedom For All Party
4. The Green Party

Congressional Elections Feb 27, 2021

Show notes

Map of Georgia electoral districts: https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/map-georgia-congressional-districts/Et0YbsSE34JD6Xjo7FULSK/

The original gerrymander: https://bostonraremaps.com/inventory/gerrymander-broadside/

The Impeachment Process Feb 06, 2021

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Quiz Questions:

Which branch of government has the impeachment power?
- Legislative
- Executive
- Judicial
- Each branch shares the impeachment power
What percentage of Senators must vote to convict in an impeachment trial?
- Fifty percent
- Fifty-one percent
- Two-thirds
- Three-quarters
An official from which one of these offices has never been impeached?
- The President
- The Vice President
- A cabinet secretary
- A U.S. Supreme Court Justice
How many times has the House of Representatives approved Articles of Impeachment?
- 4
- 21
- 52
- 237
Which one of these presidents was not impeached?
- Andrew Jackson
- Andrew Johnson
- Bill Clinton
- Donald Trump

For some article's discussing the constitutionality of the impeachment process, see below:

https://reason.com/volokh/2021/01/28/impeaching-officials-while-theyre-in-office-but-trying-them-after-they-leave/

https://reason.com/volokh/2021/01/31/more-from-prof-michael-mcconnell-on-impeachment/

For a broader argument about the importance of the impeachment power, see:

https://thedispatch.com/p/the-case-for-more-impeachments

For the second articles of impeachment against President Trump, see:https://cicilline.house.gov/sites/cicilline.house.gov/files/documents/ARTICLES%20-%20Final%201030%20-%20011121.pdf

Why Do We Have a Bicameral Legislature? Jan 23, 2021

Show notes

Link to the Federalist Papers:

Link to the Antifederalist Papers, Brutus No. 1:

Q1. Which one of these is the chief responsibility of the Legislative Branch?

Make laws
Interpret laws
Enforce laws
Veto laws

Q2. How many voting members serve in the United States Congress?

Q3. Who serves as the tiebreaker vote in the Senate?

The President
The Vice President
The majority leader
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

Q4. Which one of these is not a unique task of the Senate?

Approve treaties
Confirm presidential appointments
Initiate legislation for appropriations
Hold a trial fo Dr. llowing impeachment

Q5. Which branch of government is the most unpopular?

Congress
The Presidency
The Supreme Court
They’re all equally unpopular

Season 1 Q&A Jan 23, 2021

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We answer your questions!

BONUS Episode: The Confirmation Process. Oct 12, 2020

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In this bonus episode, we walk you through what to expect with the upcoming confirmation process for Supreme Court Nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett.

BONUS Episode: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Oct 03, 2020

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Email us: theamericanexperimentpodcast@gmail.com

Recommended Resources:

Books

The Notorious RBG The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, A Life by Jane Sherron de Hart

Movies

RBG

On the Basis of Sex

What Are The Other Amendments? Sep 26, 2020

Show notes

Email: theamericanexperimentpodcast@gmail.com

Read the Constitution

QUIZ:

Under the 22nd Amendment, what is the longest someone can serve as president, even assuming he/or she ascends to the presidency through the line of presidential succession?
1. 4 years
2. 8 years
3. 10 years
4. 12 years
Prior to the enactment of the 17th Amendment, who chose Senators to serve in Congress?
1. State legislatures
2. State governors
3. The President
4. The people
Which one of these is not always an unconstitutional criterion to use to deny someone the vote?
1. Race
2. Age
3. Sex
4. Ability to pay a poll tax
Which one of these amendments was originally proposed as part of the Bill of Rights?
1. The 13th Amendment--outlawing slavery
2. The 19th Amendment--giving women the right to vote
3. The 22nd Amendment--limiting presidential terms
4. The 27th Amendment--limiting congressional pay raises
Which one of these has the Supreme Court not held to be a fundamental right protected by the 14th Amendment?
1. The right for interracial couples to marry
2. The right to an abortion
3. The right of physician-assisted suicide
4. The right for same-sex couples to marry

ANSWERS:

10 years
State legislatures
Age
27th amendment- Limiting constitutional pay raises
The right of physician-assisted suicide

What is the Bill of Rights? Sep 19, 2020

Show notes

Email: theamericanexperimentpodcast@gmail.com

QUIZ:

Which one of these men is known as the Father of the Bill of Rights?
1. George Mason
2. James Madison
3. Alexander Hamilton
4. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
How many amendments are in the bill of rights?
1. 6
2. 10
3. 13
4. 27
Which of the following is not a right explicitly protected by the First Amendment?
1. Freedom Press
2. Freedom of Speech
3. Right to Privacy
4. Free Exercise of Religion
Absent a warrant, which one of these actions by the police is an illegal search or seizure in violation of the 4th Amendment?
1. Searching someone when he or she goes through security at the airport.
2. Flying a surveillance helicopter over someone’s property
3. Searching someone’s trash placed on the curb for evidence of wrongdoing.
4. Looking at the contents of someone’s cellphone.
If you are accused of a crime, which one of these rights does the Constitution not guarantee you?
1. The right to a speedy trial
2. The privilege against self-incrimination
3. The right to confront those who are witnesses against you
4. All of the above.