Civil Discourse Podcast

This podcast uses government documents to illuminate the workings of the American government and offer context around the effects of government agencies in your everyday life. Civil Discourse is brought to you by VCU Libraries. Opinions expressed are solely the speakers' own, and do not reflect the views or opinions of VCU, or VCU Libraries. Find more information at https://guides.library.vcu.edu/discourse.

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S19, E02: Summer of SCOTUS 2025: JRob's Tough Year (Aired 7/18/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Aughie and Nia explore the rather difficult year Chief Justice John Roberts has had in keeping the SCOTUS on track and productive.
S19, E03: Summer of SCOTUS 2025: The First Set of Cases (Aired 7/18/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Nia and Aughie discuss the following case rulings: Oklahoma Statewide Charter Board v. Drummond, Smith & Wesson Brands v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos, Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin Labor & Industry Commission, Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, and Martin v. United States.
S19, E04: Summer of SCOTUS 2025: The Second Set of Cases (Aired 7/18/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Aughie and Nia discuss the following case rulings: United States v. Skrmetti, Diamond Alternative Energy v. EPA, Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, and Federal Communications Commission v. Consumers' Research.
S19, E05: Summer of SCOTUS: The Third Set of Cases (Aired 7/18/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Nia and Aughie discuss the following case rulings: Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, Mahmoud v. Taylor, and Trump v CASA.
S19, E06: Summer of SCOTUS 2025: Wrapping It Up (Aired 7/18/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Aughie gives Nia a run-down on all the statistics of the most recent SCOTUS session; who talked the most and least, who wrote the most and least, who agreed the most and least, and other statistics and observations.
S19, E07: Summer of SCOTUS 2025: Looking Ahead (Aired 7/18/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Aughie gives listeners a preview of some of the cases that have been accepted for adjudication in the next SCOTUS term, including: Louisiana v. Calais, Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections and Public Safety, Hamm v. Smith, Elingburg v. U.S., Chiles v. Salazar, National Republican Senatorial Committee v. FEC, Urias-Orellana v. Bondi, and a combination of two cases, Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.J.P.
S20, E01: Federalist 51 (Aired 9/5/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Aughie and Nia discuss Federalist Paper 51, which lays out checks and balances in the proposed federal government. James Madison is the author of Federalist 51. Centinel 1, by Samuel Bryan, responds.
S20, E02: Federalist 68 (Aired 9/12/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Nia and Aughie discuss Federalist Paper 68, the election of the President of the United States. Alexander Hamilton lays out the electoral college in Federalist 68. The response, Cato 4, was likely written by George Clinton.
S20, E03: Federalist 78 (Aired 9/19/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Aughie and Nia discuss the final Federalist Paper in this series, number 78. In this Federalist Paper, Alexander Hamilton tackles the appointment of judges and justices in the Judicial Branch of the proposed government. Brutus (likely Robert Yates) responds in Brutus papers 11, 12, and 15.
S20, E04: Can He Do That? Sinking Venezuelan Boats (Aired 9/22/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Aughie and Nia discuss the legal and Constitutional answers to the question: Can President Trump order the destruction of Venezuelan boats?
S20, E05: Can He Do That? Renaming the Defense Department (Aired 9/22/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Nia and Aughie discuss the legal and Constitutional answers to the question: Can President Trump rename the Department of Defense?
S20, E06: Can He Do That? Firing an Independent Regulator (Aired 10/06/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Aughie and Nia discuss the cases that support the SCOTUS decision to allow the firing of Lisa Slaughter to stand. Slaughter is a member of an independent regulatory agency.
S20, E07: Can He Do That? Firing a Federal Reserve Governor (Aired 10/6/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Aughie and Nia discuss the issues at stake when President Trump called for the firing of Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve Board Governor. SCOTUS will take up this issue in January of 2026.
S20, E08: Supreme Court Eras In the Beginning (Aired 10/10/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

In a new series, Aughie and Nia are exploring the United States Supreme Court Eras, usually defined by the name of the Chief Justice of the era. In this first episode the first eleven years of the Court (Chiefs Jay, Rutledge, and Ellsworth) are covered as a group.
S20, E09: SCOTUS Eras: Marshall Court, part 1 (Aired 10/17/2024)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Aughie and Nia explore the contributions and impact of the Marshall Court. In part one, they discuss Chief Justice John Marshall's personal history and the formalizing of the U.S. Supreme Court rules under his leadership.
S20, E10: Can He Do That? Remove O'Donnell's Citizenship (Aired 10/20/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

In this episode, Aughie and Nia explore the question of whether Donald Trump can remove Rosie' O'Donnell's American citizenship.
S20, E11: SCOTUS Eras: Marshall Court, part 2 (Aired 10/24/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Aughie and Nia explore the contributions and impact of the Marshall Court. In part two, they discuss the pivotal cases of the SCOTUS in this era, as well as the influence of Marshall on the institution of the Court.
S20, E12: Can He Do That? Demolish the East Wing (Aired 10/27/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Aughie and Nia discuss the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to make way for a new ballroom.
S20, E13: SCOTUS Eras: Taney Court (10/31/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Nia and Aughie talk about the fifth U.S. Supreme Court's Chief Justice, Roger Brooke Taney. Taney's Court lasted from 1836 - 1864, notably presiding over the Dred Scott case as well as cases that further defined the Commerce Clause and set into stone the idea that the Court should consider the Political Question Doctrine when taking a case.
S20, E14: SCOTUS Eras: Chase Court (Aired 11/7/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Aughie and Nia continue the SCOTUS Court eras discussion by talking about the Court of Chief Justice Salmon Portland Chase. The Chase Court era lasted from 1864 - 1873. Chase's Court tried to define the rights of formerly enslaved people as well as defining the immutability of the Union.
S20, E15: In the News: Virginia Election Results (Aired 11/10/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Aughie and Nia summarize the results of the 2025 Virginia elections.
S20, E16: SCOTUS Eras: The Waite Court (Aired 11/14/2025)

Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

Nia and Aughie discuss the Morrison Waite Court, years 1888 - 1910. The Waite Court had the opportunity several times to further civil rights, but did not; the Court found the Civil Rights Act of 1875 unconstitutional, and followed with similar judgments.