Episode notes
Today we bring you a story from our sister podcast Outside/In, produced and reported by Marina Henke. DONATE TO THE PODCAST! In 2009, the state of Maine ordered farmer Dan Brown to stop selling his raw milk. It kicked off a five-year legal battle that stoked the flames of Maine’s dairy wars. But, after Farmer Brown lost his case and hung up his milking hat, things quieted down. Twenty years later, raw milk has surged back into the zeitgeist. Influencers are saying it tastes like ice cream, RFK Jr. is taking shots of it at the White House, and Gwyneth Paltrow is putting it in her coffee. All…
Civics 101
How do landmark Supreme Court decisions affect our lives? What does the 2nd Amendment really say? Why does the Senate have so much power? Civics 101 is the podcast about how our democracy works…or is supposed to work, anyway.
More from Civics 101
-
21 Apr 2026 · 24 min
What's the Strait of Hormuz? And how do blockades work?
You've been hearing about it in the news, but what exactly is the Strait of Hormuz? And as for those blockades...how do they work? DONATE TO THE PODCAST HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
14 Apr 2026 · 40 min
How did federal income taxes get this way?
We haven't always had a federal income tax, and in the beginning, it only applied to the very richest Americans. So how did we end up with the permanent income tax we have today, with all its complicated rules about everything from pre-tax income to deductions and credits? And what does it actually pay for? DONATE TO THE SHOW! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
9 Apr 2026 · 29 min
What is the 25th Amendment?
Sometimes, news happens in the real world, and suddenly a political or civics topic becomes very top of mind for members of the public. And when that happens, we at Civics 101 often say, hey…we have an episode about that. DONATE TO THE SHOW! One of those conversations happened this week, after a tweet from President Trump related to the war in Iran had some conservative, traditionally pro-Trump voices evoking a specific part of the Constitution - the 25th Amendment. Back in 2022, we made an episode breaking down the 25th Amendment, and it’s pretty thorough about its history and what it…
-
31 Mar 2026 · 34 min
Can American elections be "nationalized"? What does that mean?
In this country, the states run elections. Congress is empowered to step in; the president is not. So what does it mean for the president to call on a political party to "take over." Is that allowed? What would that mean? And why is this happening now? DONATE TO THE PODCAST! We talk with Sarah Cooper from the Carter Center to understand who is in charge and whether anyone else can take charge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
6 Oct 2026 · 44 minNew
What Does it Mean to Be a Democrat or a Republican?
Today we look at the creation and evolution of the two major parties in the US; the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. How did they come about? How did their ideals shift over the last 200+ years? And where might they go next? These episodes originally aired in 2020, and feature Keneshia Grant, George Will, Kathryn DePalo-Gould, Heather Wagner, Paddy Riley, and William Adler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
29 Sep 2026 · 28 min
How a Bill (REALLY) Becomes a Law
Our final "Back to School" episode is a nod to how we started in the first place. Our show was created to be "Schoolhouse Rock for adults," and no mention of Schoolhouse Rock is complete without a sad little scrap of paper hoping to become a bill. Today we're exploring how that bill, sitting there on Capitol Hill, becomes a law. This episode features the voices of Andy Wilson, Adia Samba-Quee, Alizah Ross, and Eleanor Powell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
22 Sep 2026 · 28 min
What is Federalism?
A tug of war, a balancing act, two dancers dragging each other across the floor. This is the perpetual ebb and flow of power between the states and the federal government. How can things be legal in a state but illegal nationally? Are states obstinate barricades to federal legislation? Or are they laboratories of democracy? Exclusive Coveron discount: : https://coveron.com/CIVICS or use the code CIVICS at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
15 Sep 2026 · 30 min
U.S. Versus: The Two Party System
Americans often take issue with our two-party system. So what other options are out there? Today, with the help of political scientists Guillermo Rosas and Robin Best, we explore the reason why we have (and may always have) such a system, and compare it to other democracies around the world. This episode contains an overabundance of Street Fighter 2 references. INCOGNI DEAL: They can't harm you, if they can't find you! To get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan, go to incogni.com/CIVICS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
8 Sep 2026 · 48 min
These United Hosts
In which we take an historical look at the interplay between marriage and democracy, and Hannah and Nick reveal a Civics 101 secret years in the making. INCOGNI DEAL: They can't harm you, if they can't find you! To get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan, go to incogni.com/CIVICS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
1 Sep 2026 · 31 min
Our 250th Annual Trivia Episode!
Not really. But we send one of our own out in style by asking (and answering) some very tough questions. Including one you might recognize. INCOGNI DEAL: They can't harm you, if they can't find you! To get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan, go to incogni.com/CIVICS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Take it with you
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
