Civil Discourse Podcast

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  S09, E18: Tennessee Valley Authority

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Nia and Aughie discuss the Tennessee Valley Authority, a federally-owned electric utility corporation. The TVA also focused on economic development of the middle Appalachia region.

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  S09, In the News 01: SCOTUS and Vaccine Mandates

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Nia and Aughie give a quick take on two recent vaccine mandate rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court.

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  S09, In the News 02: Russia and Ukraine, February 18, 2022

  Nia Rodgers, John Aughenbaugh, and Judyth Twigg

  Dr. Judy Twigg joins Aughie and Nia to discuss the latest developments on the Russian/Ukrainian border. Dr. Twigg also gives us a primer on recent Russian history and the reasons for conflict between these nations.

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  S09, In the News 03: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Aughie and Nia briefly discuss President Joe Biden's nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.

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  S09, In the News 04: Oil Reserves

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Nia and Aughie discuss the Strategic Petroleum Reserves of the United States, and criticisms of it from all sides of the political spectrum.

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  S09, In the News 05: SCOTUS Leak

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Aughie and Nia discuss the recent leak of an opinion out of the U.S. Supreme Court.

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  S10, E01: Summer of SCOTUS2: Interpersonal Relationships

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Aughie and Nia discuss the interpersonal relationships of Justices of the US Supreme Court. From friendships to enemies, some of the more interesting relationships are revealed.

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  S10, E02: Summer of SCOTUS2: Religion

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Nia and Aughie discuss the religious makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court, historically and currently.

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  S10, E03: Summer of SCOTUS2: Tests of the Supreme Court, Part 1 of 2

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Aughie explains many of the tests that the U.S. Supreme Court uses in deliberation to arrive at their case opinions. In the first part, Aughie covers rational basis, intermediate scrutiny, strict scrutiny, void for vagueness, overbreadth, the Miller test, and the clear and present danger test.

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  S10, E04: Summer of SCOTUS2: Tests of the Supreme Court, Part 2 of 2

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Aughie explains many of the tests that the U.S. Supreme Court uses in deliberation to arrive at their case opinions. In the second part, the Lemon test, the trimester framework, the undue burden standard, and the Chevron test are covered, along with a discussion of intent.

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  S10, E05: Summer of SCOTUS2: Gravesites and Tombstones

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Nia and Aughie discuss the tombstone epithets and gravesites of Supreme Court Justices.

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  S10, E06: Summer of SCOTUS 2: The Myth of Merit, Part 1 of 2

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Aughie and Nia discuss the educational backgrounds of the Justices, as well as their career backgrounds, political affiliations, and administrative experience. There are also several tangents taken.

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  S10, E07: Summer of SCOTUS 2: The Myth of Merit, Part 2 of 2

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Aughie and Nia discuss the educational backgrounds of the Justices, as well as their career backgrounds, political affiliations, and administrative experience. There are also several tangents taken.

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  S10, E08: Summer of SCOTUS 2: Wrap Up: Overview

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  The first of the three part series is an overview of the general statistics of the term (vote rates, number of opinions written, etc.)

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  S10, E09: Summer of SCOTUS 2: Wrap Up: The Big Cases

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  The second episode of the three part series focuses on a few important rulings from the term.

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  S10, E10: Summer of SCOTUS 2: Wrap Up: What's Next

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  The final episode of the three part series explores the upcoming docket of the U.S. Supreme Court for the Oct 2022 through June 2023 term.

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  S11, E01: The Department of State

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Aughie and Nia start a new series discussing the cabinet level departments of the United States Government. The first episode starts with the first department created, the Department of Foreign Affairs. Two months later, it is renamed the Department of State, and Thomas Jefferson is named the Secretary of State. Aughie goes on to name notable Secretaries of State and changes to the department over time.

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  S11, E02: The Department of Treasury

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Nia and Aughie continue the Department series with part 2, the Department of the Treasury. They explore the Secretaries of the Treasury and their various roles and responsibilities throughout the years. The modern Department of the Treasury investigates counterfeiting schemes, mints money, and controls the Internal Revenue Service.

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  S11, E03: The Department of War/Defense, Part A

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Aughie and Nia introduce part A of two episodes regarding the 3rd of the Department Series, the Department of War/Defense. Historians often place the early seeds of the department in the Revolutionary War. Aughie takes listeners through the history of the Department of War from 1789 to WWI.

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  S11, E04: The Department of War/Defense, Part B

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Nia and Aughie conclude with part B of two episodes regarding the 3rd of the Department Series, the Department of War/Defense. Aughie sees listeners through World War I and into the renaming to the Department of Defense. The Pentagon, famous Secretaries of Defense, and controversies surrounding DoD are also explored.

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  S11, E05: The Department of Justice

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Aughie and Nia move on to the next department in the series, the Department of Justice. They discuss the various Attorneys General, the structure of the Department of Justice, and interesting tidbits about the history, political intrigues, and the people who have served within the DoJ.

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  S11, E06: The Postmaster General

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Aughie and Nia explore the position of Postmaster General from 1753 to modern times in this episode of the Cabinet departments. Aughie explains how the Postmaster General went from running a large patronage system to running a large corporation that funds its own retirement system separately from the rest of the federal government under the reorganization into the United States Postal Service in 1971.

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  S11, E07: The Department of the Interior

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Nia and Aughie continue to discuss the Cabinet Departments, in this case the Department of the Interior. The Department of the Interior, founded in 1849, arose from the need to manage most of the lands, territories, and natural resources of the United States. The Department of the Interior manages 500 million acres of surface land, approximately 20% of all land in the United States. Aughie also touches on the organization of the department and some of the more notorious Secretaries of the Interior.

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  S11, E08: The Department of Agriculture

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Aughie and Nia move on to the next in the series, the Department of Agriculture. At its founding in 1862, the Department of Agriculture was referred to as "The People's Department" by President Abraham Lincoln. From food stamps to farm subsidies, Aughie also covers controversies and leadership of the Department of Agriculture through the years.

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  S11, E09: In the News: Rank Choice Voting

  Nia Rodgers and John Aughenbaugh

  Aughie explains rank choice voting.