Nearly a decade ago, the Supreme Court effectively removed the "preclearance" process in its Shelby County v. Holder decision. That process had been implemented for decades as part of the Voting Rights Act and required places with a history of racial discrimination to get approval from the Justice Department before changing their voting procedures. When the ... Show More
Nov 14
Do Donors Punish Extremist Primary Nominees?
<p>What happens when a political party nominates a candidate in its primary who is ideologically extreme? Do donors, especially those outside the party’s base, react — and if so, how? That question is explored in a new paper by Andy Christopher Wayne Myers, Ph.D. Candidate in Pol ... Show More
59m 29s
Oct 30
The Economic Cost of Populism
<p>More than 25 percent of countries around the world are currently governed by populists, from Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey, to Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, and Donald Trump in the United States. Based on these findings, populism is at an all-time high, and taking a significan ... Show More
1h 16m
Mar 2024
Surprise! You Do Not Have the Right to Vote with Rick Hasen
The federal constitution neither explicitly nor implicitly includes the right to vote. Instead, the framers allowed the States to determine the “Time, Places, and Manner of holding Elections.” Rick Hasen, author of A Real Right to Vote: How a Constitutional Amendment Can Safeguar ... Show More
42m 29s
Mar 2021
An election system that puts voters (not politicians) first | Amber McReynolds
<p>From hours-long lines and limited polling locations to confusing and discriminatory registration policies, why is it so hard to vote in the US? Voting rights expert Amber McReynolds offers a proven alternative: a new process, already happening in parts of the country, that cou ... Show More
10m 55s
Sep 2023
SCOTUS Hostility Toward Voting Rights
The Roberts Court is an unelected body, but its recent decisions have led to more restrictions on Americans’ right to vote. In this episode of Making the Case, Senator Whitehouse is joined again by Rep. Hank Johnson, and former Attorney General Eric Holder. They walk through the ... Show More
24m 8s
Nov 2022
Why the Supreme Court Might End Affirmative Action
<p>For decades, many universities have used race as a factor when deciding which students to admit. In the past, the Supreme Court has backed that practice, called affirmative action, in the interest of creating a diverse student body.</p><p>This week, however, the majority-conse ... Show More
25m 46s