Why Don’t D.C. Residents Count?
This episode originally aired in October 2019. Growing up in D.C. during the civil rights era made the fight for D.C. statehood deeply personal for civil rights advocate Wade Henderson. He’s said that being unable to secure a voting representative in Congress is one of his greatest disappointments. Christina Cauterucci speaks with Henderson about the fight for statehood and why he still has hope for the movement. This episode is a part of Slate’s Who Counts initiative. In the run-up to the 2020 election, Slate will be investigating who counts in the voting booth, who counts as an American, whose money counts in the democratic process, and whose doesn’t. And we need your help. Your support will let us assign more stories, travel to overlooked places, commission special podcast projects, and pay for reporting we otherwise would not be able to do. To learn more about this project and how to support our work, please go to slate.com/whocounts. Guest: Wade Henderson, former head of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
4 Feb 202027min
This Week In Impeachment: A ‘Bullet Proof’ President
On Friday, Senate Republicans blocked efforts to hear new witnesses and evidence in the impeachment trial of President Trump. The decision signals an unwillingness to challenge the executive branch, despite several Republican lawmakers conceding that Trump was wrong to launch a pressure campaign against Ukraine. And even though the Senate trial is drawing to a close, we may be headed for unending impeachment-related investigations. Guest: Dahlia Lithwick writes about law and the courts for Slate and hosts the podcast Amicus. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
3 Feb 202029min
WN TBD: Why Is the U.S. Scared of Huawei?
Recently a special delegation of senior Trump administration officials arrived in the U.K. Their mission? To convince prime minister Boris Johnson to bar Huawei from their new 5G network. Why is the U.S. so keen to influence Britain’s decision on 5G? And now that the U.K is officially withdrawing from the European Union, how will they manage competing pressures from the U.S. and China? Guest: Dan Sabbagh, defense and security editor at the Guardian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
31 Jan 202019min
Who's Excited About Joe Biden?
Joe Biden’s presidential campaign is making two arguments in the last few days before the Iowa caucuses. One is all about the heart—you know Joe, you love Joe. The other argument is all in the head—Democrats need to vote for a candidate who can beat Trump. But how does that argument fare when you look up close at voters in Iowa? Guests: Slate’s senior politics writer Jim Newell and What Next producer Mary Wilson. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
30 Jan 202024min
A Threat to the Separation of Church and State
Republican lawmakers in Montana came up with a plan to help taxpayers fund scholarships for private schools, including religious ones. But Montana’s constitution makes it clear that public funding for parochial schools is not allowed. Now, religious school parents have appealed their case to the Supreme Court. The resulting decision could undermine the separation of church and state. Guest: Mark Joseph Stern covers courts and the law for Slate. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
29 Jan 202024min
A Radical Voter Suppression Tactic
Back in July, President Trump addressed the nation from the Rose Garden. The Supreme Court had just ruled that the 2020 census could not ask the citizenship question and the president was there to acknowledge that fact. However, he was also there to issue an executive order. One that would try to count the number of citizens in the country by other means. “Trump Dropping Citizenship Question” was the headline that came out of the press conference, but Ari Berman saw a completely different story. One that could change political representation in America. Guest: Ari Berman, a senior reporter at Mother Jones, covering voting rights. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
28 Jan 202028min
This Week in Impeachment: Finally, Some Answers
The House impeachment managers have wrapped up their oral arguments. The president's legal team is getting started. The only question now, will key witnesses be able to testify? Guests: Dahlia Lithwick, covers the law and Washington for Slate. Jeremy Stahl, senior legal editor at Slate. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
27 Jan 202025min
WN TBD: Which Tech Companies Are Doing the Most Harm?
Last week, Slate published The Evil List, an expansive attempt to document the most concerning tech companies around the world, according to the experts. Some you’ve heard of, some you probably haven’t, and some you almost certainly use every day. Which of these deserve our attention? And why? Guests: Mutale Nkonde, public interest technologist and fellow at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society Felix Salmon, chief financial correspondent at Axios and host of Slate Money Lindsey Barrett, staff attorney and teaching fellow at the Institute for Public Representation Communications & Technology Clinic. Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
24 Jan 202022min
