US History Repeated

The Primary Election Process

Primary elections help to narrow down the pool of candidates for a Political Party. Presidential candidates are selected at their respective party’s convention. We get into the process of how they come up with the number of delegates that each state has, delegates from American territories, as well as where to find the data online if you are really interested in the formulas. Primary elections are not marketed as much as the general election in November, but your voice is more important here as you can also determine who gets to run for your affiliated party in both National and Local roles.  
 

The Evolution of Voting in the United States

Today the voting requirements are: U.S. Citizen, 18 +.It wasn’t always this way. Over the course of our nation’s history, the right to vote has been extended to various groups and the age requirement has changed. The extension of the right to vote didn’t happen easily or wasn’t always achieved peacefully. People died, people were beaten, people were lynched, people were left to rot in jail cells, all because they wanted the right to vote.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau58% of eligible voters voted in the 2016 Presidential electionIn the midterm elections in 2018 – 47% of eligible voters actually voted.WHY AREN’T PEOPLE VOTING?
Find out all about the evolution right here1

The Creation and Evolution of the Two Major Political Parties

Political Parties first began to emerge during the creation of the Constitution. Supporters of a strong Central Government became known as Federalists and those that preferred the individual states to have the majority of the power were known as Democratic Republicans. During George Washington’s Presidency, political parties really began to take shape – Cabinet Adams (Federalist) Thomas Jefferson (Democratic Republican)
Washington warned of Political Parties in his farewell address. He felt they weakened the government and caused division (1796)
Federalists, Democrats, Republicans and More...
Sectional Conflicts and opponents of Andrew Jackson led to the creation of the Whig party. They would elect 2 Presidents (William Henry Harrison & Zachary Taylor) Supporters (business owners, wealthy white southerners, urban middle class). The issue of slavery eventually weakened the Whig party and many of its supporters joined the newly created  Republican party in the 1850s.
In the 1850s, the issue of slavery divided the nation. Northern Democrats – former whigs and abolitionists created the Republican Party in 1854
We also get into why some states came in as slave states vs free states. It was all political!
Example: Missouri wanted to join a free state – but the senate was the LAST place that southern states had an equal say as the northern states and would not allow it. How did that get solved? We tell you that as well as all about the compromise of 1850 and some new territories that were acquired.
 
We speak to how the parties have evolved over time and become what and how they are today

The Executive Branch Part 2: How a President is Elected and Removed from office

In this podcast we discuss how The President is elected, the electoral college, who got to vote and when. 
538 Electors - Pledged but not bound
Pros and Cons to the Electoral College
Presidential Succession - Illness, Impeachment, Death, Resignation. What happens and who is eligible to take over after the VP?

The Executive Branch Part 1: Roles and Restrictions of the President and VP

We  had to reload on Oct 12 2020 due to an error that needed to be removed. This is why this has less listens than part 2.
Some of the items we delve into include how the President enforces the laws, roles as commander-in-chief, Appointing of Officials, (Dept Heads, Judges, Cabinet), we delve into executive orders, proposing legislation, foreign policy, and other powers, and limitations of the office.
Role of the V.P.Constitution has a very limited descriptionPresident of the Senate – can’t vote unless there is a tieThe roles and influence of the VP is decided by the President. Usually take into account the strengths, talents and experience
Some have hated each other Ex: Andrew Jackson and John C. Calhoun - We discuss why.

The Federal Government: From Articles to the US Constitution

In this podcast we discuss why the Articles of Confederation failed and how the Constitution created a Federal System. We move into the structure of the US Constitution, Separation of Powers, Three Branches of Government, and spend some time on the Powers of the Legislative Branch, and the Judicial Branch.