How Do We Save The Republic?

Civics on the Rocks

Due to it being May, we decided to take our discussion to a galaxy far, far away. It went on a bit longer than intended. Also, somehow, we got to Oz. But stick with us, y’all. We eventually get back to this reality around the 18-minute mark. Enjoy, and may the force by with you.

References

Wookieepedia is a little vague on how the Jedi Council relates to the Galactic Senate, so the debate stands:

Star Wars Fandom. “Jedi High Council.” https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jedi_High_Council

But during the trial of the Ahsoka Tano, it looks like the Senate did indeed have some influence on the Jedi Council:

Star Wars Fandom. “Trial of Ahsoka Tano.” https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jedi_High_Council#Trial_of_Ahsoka_Tano

A little about the time limits on appropriations for the army:

Constitution Annotated. “Artl.S8.C12.2 Time Limits on Appropriations for Army.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C12-2/ALDE_00001074/

In case you don’t get the reference to our current timeline:

Davies, Dave. “How NYC is coping with 175,000 migrants from the Southern border.” February 15, 2024. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/02/15/1231712535/how-nyc-is-coping-with-175-000-migrants-from-the-southern-border

If you would like to learn more about some of the political interpretations of the Wizard of Oz:

History Collection. “16 Hidden Symbolic Messages in the Wizard of Oz You May Have Missed.” October 18, 2019. https://historycollection.com/16-hidden-symbolic-messages-in-the-wizard-of-oz-you-may-have-missed

What’s a republic?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary. “Republic.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/republic

What’s a democracy?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary. “Democracy.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/democracy

What’s a representative democracy?

Raikar, Sanat Pai. “Representative democracy.” February 29, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/representative-democracy

What’s an aristocracy?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary. “Aristocracy.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aristocracy

Wait, what does res publica mean?

Latdict. “Res.” https://latin-dictionary.net/search/latin/res

Latdict. “Publica.” https://latin-dictionary.net/search/latin/publica

Learn about the arrests of student protestors in Austin:

Simpson, Stephen, Dey, Sneha, and Melhado, William. “79 arrested amid second crackdown on UT-Austin campus.” April 30, 2024. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/30/ut-austin-protest-arrests/

McGlinchy, Audrey and McGaughy, Lauren. “UT Austin changes message again, says arrested students will be allowed on campus for any reason.” Updated May 3, 2024. KUT News. https://www.kut.org/education/2024-04-26/ut-austin-protest-arrests-campus-ban

Dey, Sneha. “Gov. Greg Abbott and UT-Austin shift from championing free speech to policing protesters’ intentions.” April 29, 2024. https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/29/ut-austin-pro-palestinian-demonstrations-free-speech/

In case you didn’t get the tiki torch reference:

Murphy, Paul P. “White nationalists use tiki torches to light up Charlottesville march.” August 12, 2017. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/12/us/white-nationalists-tiki-torch-march-trnd/index.html

Here is one story of a protestor carrying an AR-15:

Kim, Juliana. “A Maryland man has been carrying an AR-15-style rifle near a school bus stop.” May 20, 2023. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2023/05/20/1177315655/a-maryland-man-has-been-carrying-an-ar-15-style-rifle-near-a-school-bus-stop

Free speech versus university policy:

ACLU. “University Students’ Protest Rights.” https://www.aclutx.org/en/know-your-rights/university-students-protest-rights

What are the implications of a third-party candidate?

Kelly, Stephanie and Renshaw, Jarrett. “How could a third-party candidate put Trump in the White House?” March 21, 2024. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/how-third-party-candidate-could-put-trump-white-house-2024-03-20/

If you want to deep dive on the U.S. support of Israel:

Masters, Jonathan and Merrow, Will. “U.S. Aid to Israel in Four Charts.” Updated April 11, 2024. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/article/us-aid-israel-four-charts

A deep dive into Iran’s influence in the middle east:

International Institute for Strategic Studies. “Iran’s Networks of Influence in the Middle East.” November 2019. https://www.iiss.org/en/publications/strategic-dossiers/iran-dossier/

If you want to learn about the bill that recently passed to give money to Israel:

Jalonick, Mary Clare, Groves, Steven, and Amiri, Farnoush. “Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote.” Updated April 23, 2024. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/israel-ukraine-aid-tiktok-senate-8fe738b17e5c4b2636bc0de11b2620b7

Learn a little about the cluster that is the floating pier:

Magdy, Samy, Sewell, Abby, Knickmeyer, Ellen, and Madhani, Aamer. “Biden directs U.S. military to build temporary pier in Gaza for humanitarian aid.” March 7, 2024. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-biden-directs-u-s-military-to-build-temporary-pier-in-gaza-for-humanitarian-aid

Learn about O’Rourke versus Cruz:

Svitek, Patrick and Livingston, Abby. “How the race between Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke became the closest in Texas in 40 years.” November 9, 2018. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2018/11/09/ted-cruz-beto-orourke-closest-texas-race-40-years/

What happened in Florida in 2000:

NCC Staff. “On this day, Bush v. Gore settles 2000 presidential race.” December 12, 2023. National Constitution Center. https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/on-this-day-bush-v-gore-anniversary

Not a literal coin toss in Virginia, though that would have worked too:

McCammon, Sarah. “Virginia Republican David Yancey Wins by Tie-Breaking Drawing.” January 4, 2018. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2018/01/04/573504079/virginia-republican-david-yancey-wins-tie-breaking-drawing

How to make an Old Fashioned:

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/bourbon-old-fashioned/

Oh, wheated bourbon, not weeded bourbon:

Rabbit Hole Distillery. “What is a ‘wheated’ bourbon and why in demand?” https://www.rabbitholedistillery.com/blogs/bourbon-101/what-is-a-wheated-bourbon-and-why-in-demand

Woodford Reserve is, indeed, the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby:

Wiseman, Katie and Evans, Olivia. “What to know about Woodford Reserve and their exclusive $15,000 Derby 150 Baccarat Edition bottle.” May 4, 2024. Courier Journal. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/entertainment/events/kentucky-derby/2024/05/04/woodford-reserve-kentucky-derby-150-how-much-the-special-edition-bottle-costs/73570698007/

And, yes, some people did drink Woodford Reserve at Mar-a-Lago:

Kravitz, Derek. “How Taxpayers Covered a $1,000 Liquor Bill for Trump Staffers (and More) at Trump’s Club.” May 1, 2019. ProPublica. https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-inc-podcast-taxpayers-covered-liquor-bill-for-trump-staffers-and-more-mar-a-lago

How to make a Whiskey Sour:

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/whiskey-sour/

Donald Trump has been found in contempt:

Sisak, Michael R., Peltz, Jennifer, Offenhartz, Jake, and Long, Colleen. “Hush money trial judge raises threat of jail as he finds Trump violated gag order, fines him $9K.” April 30, 2024. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/trump-stormy-daniels-hush-money-election-2024-d2f9badee0b28a60d32bc98c0d4e783f

If you need some help with the timeline of the Trump trials:

Lawfare. “The Trump Trials.” https://www.lawfaremedia.org/current-projects/the-trump-trials

A little about the Supreme Court debating presidential immunity:

Sherman, Mark. “Supreme Court seems skeptical of Trump’s claim of absolute immunity but decision’s timing is unclear.” April 25, 2024. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-capitol-riot-prosecution-immunity-72c885c07c77970d4380206f87b2d8ca

If you want to get to know Lord Coke:

Jones, Gareth H. “Sir Edward Coke.” February 22, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edward-Coke

That time David Frost interviewed President Nixon:

Bailey, Jeremy D. “Transcript of Frost’s Interview with Richard Nixon.” Original interview in 1977. Teaching American History. https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/transcript-of-david-frosts-interview-with-richard-nixon/

Yes, apparently, Roger Stone has a Nixon tattoo:

Byers, Dylan. “The return of Roger Stone.” April 19, 2016. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2016/04/19/politics/roger-stone-donald-trump/index.html

Once more, how to make a Sazerac:

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/sazerac/

Wormwood? Absinthe? Poison? What?:

Hines, Nickolause. “What Is Wormwood and What Does It Do to Absinthe?” June 18, 2018. Thrillist. https://www.thrillist.com/spirits/absinthe-pastis/what-wormwood-does-to-absinthe

Oh, anise liquor, not a niece liquor:

Sazerac.com “Herbsaint.” https://www.sazerac.com/our-brands/sazerac-brands/herbsaint.html

What did Mack mean about section 5 of the 14th amendment:

Chemerinsky, Erwin and Maltz, Earl M. “Common Interpretation.” Constitution Center. https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/amendments/amendment-xiv/clauses/703#:~:text=Maltz&text=Section%20Five%20of%20the%20Fourteenth%20Amendment%20vests%20Congress%20with%20the,the%20provisions%20of%20Section%20One.

Here’s a little about the 15th amendment:

National Archives. “15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Voting Rights (1870).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/15th-amendment

Two Republicans still holding on:

Congress.gov. “Representative Adam Kinzinger.” https://www.congress.gov/member/adam-kinzinger/K000378

Congress.gov. “Representative Liz Cheney.” https://www.congress.gov/member/liz-cheney/C001109

Who voted for the aid package:

Stiles, Matt. “How each US senator voted on the $95 billion foreign aid package.” April 30, 2024. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/23/politics/senate-vote-israel-ukraine-aid-dg/index.html

It doesn’t have to be a two-party system, but there are reasons why it’s a two-party system:

Pruitt, Sarah. “Why Does the US Have a Two-Party System?” January 12, 2024. History. https://www.history.com/news/two-party-system-american-politics

And “trimming the verge” is a reference to The Fellowship Ring. But you already knew that.