What Are Our Primary Concerns?

Civics on the Rocks

Not to overstate the case, but the primary elections are where we can stage our revolution and overthrow the government! Listen to Mack and Steven discuss why the primaries are where it’s at.

If you need a refresher:

USA.gov. “Presidential primaries and caucuses.” https://www.usa.gov/primaries-caucuses

Because some people disagree with Mack’s opinion of the Iowa caucus:

Oliphant, James. “Iowa Caucus 2024: How does it work and why is it important?” January 2, 2024. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/iowa-caucus-2024-how-does-it-work-why-is-it-important-2023-12-19/

Who shot what in the Federalist Party?

American Experience. “The Federalist and the Republican Party.” PBS. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/duel-federalist-and-republican-party/

Apparently, it was a bit of a misnomer but:

U.S.History.org. “The Era of Good Feelings and the Two-Party System.” https://www.ushistory.org/us/23a.asp

If you are a bit fuzzy on the 1824 election:

Levy, Michael. “United States presidential election of 1824.” Last updated April 26, 2017. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/United-States-presidential-election-of-1824/additional-info#history

If you want to see John Quincy Adams’ really, really awesome facial hair:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/john-quincy-adams/

In case you don’t actually know them as Whigs:

Bomboy, Scott. “On this day, the Whig Party becomes a national force.” December 4, 2022. National Constitution Center. https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/on-this-day-the-whig-party-becomes-a-national-force

When the Republicans got created:

U.S.History.org. “The Origins of the Republican Party.” https://www.ushistory.org/gop/origins.htm

Some history of conventions and primaries:

Library of Congress. “Political Primaries: How Are Candidates Nominated?” https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/elections/presidential-election-process/political-primaries-how-are-candidates-nominated/

If you want to know more about Hubert Humphrey and his campaign in 1968:

Smith, Stephen and Ellis, Kate. “Campaign ’68.” APM Reports. https://features.apmreports.org/arw/campaign68/e1.html

What happened to the Republicans in 1964:

Perlstein, Rick. “How the 1964 Republican Convention Sparked a Revolution From the Right.” August 2008. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/1964-republican-convention-revolution-from-the-right-915921/

Some information about low voter turnout at primaries:

Ferrer, Joshua and Throning, Michael. “2022 Primary Turnout: Trends and Lessons for Boosting Participation.” March 6, 2023. Bipartisan Policy Center. https://bipartisanpolicy.org/report/2022-primary-turnout/

Was Joe Biden elected as a senator to Delaware before you were born?

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. “Biden, Joseph Robinette (Joe), Jr.” https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/B000444

Never spent much time thinking about Bill Clinton’s conservative policies?

Stein, Judith and Lichtenstein, Nelson. “Bill Clinton Campaigned as a Progressive. Why Didn’t He Govern Like One?” September 8, 2023. Mother Jones. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/09/bill-clinton-a-fabulous-failure-nelson-lichtenstein-judith-stein/

Some info about voter turnout in Texas primaries, in particular:

Cai, Mandi and Dey, Sneha. “Nearly 18% of registered Texas voters cast 2022 primary ballots.” Updated March 24, 2022. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2022/02/14/texas-primary-voting-turnout/

The last time a Democrat held a statewide office in Texas:

Selby, W. Gardner. “Texas Democrats shut out of statewide office longer than Democrats in other states.” September 26, 2012. PolitiFact. https://www.politifact.com/article/2012/sep/26/texas-democrats-have-lost-statewide-elections-long/

New to ranked-choice voting, too?

Ballotpedia. “Ranked-choice voting (RCV).” https://ballotpedia.org/Ranked-choice_voting_(RCV)

Primaries, coming fast:

National Conference of State Legislatures. “2024 State Primary Election Dates.” Updated December 11, 2023. https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/2024-state-primary-election-dates

The actual Supreme Court case that overturned Texas White primaries:

Smith v. Allwright, 321 U.S. 649 (1944)

If you would like to learn more about Smith v. Allwright:

Legal Defense Fund. “Landmark: Smith V. Allwright.” https://www.naacpldf.org/case-issue/landmark-smith-v-allwright/

Texas v. White was a completely different shining moment of Texas history:

Texas State Historical Association. “Texas v. White.” Updated August 4, 2020. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/texas-v-white

Wait, what happened with the 1948 election of Lyndon B. Johnson for senate?

Mangan, James W. “AP Was There: Uncovering Lyndon B. Johnson’s stolen election.” March 31, 2023. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/lbj-stolen-election-box-13-mangan-c818e478ec509c65585d3094bda69f96

If you would like to try a Lisbon flight:

French 75. https://www.liquor.com/recipes/french-75-2/

Champagne Cocktail. https://www.acouplecooks.com/the-classic-champagne-cocktail/

Cointreau. https://www.cointreau.com/us/en/

Bourbon.

The law’s the law:

Schiessel, Courtney. “Why You Shouldn’t Call Sparkling Wine ‘Champagne’.” October 18, 2018. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/courtneyschiessl/2018/10/18/champagne-sparkling-wine-difference/?sh=7b6157f02081

And if you want to get snooty with cheese:

Olmsted, Larry. “What You're Really Getting When You Buy Parmesan Cheese in America.” October 30, 2019. Serious Eats. https://www.seriouseats.com/best-parmesan-cheese-parmigiano-reggiano-labeling#:~:text=Among%20cheese%20aficionados%2C%20Parmesan%20is,Reggio%20in%20Italy's%20Emilia%2DRomagna.

What Mack is reading:

Annie Jacobsen. The Pentagon's Brain: An Uncensored History of DARPA, America's Top-Secret Military Research Agency. (Back Bay Books, 2016).

What Steve is reading:

Andy Weir. The Martian. (Broadway Books, 2014).

Richard Haass. The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens. (Penguin Press, 2023).

About Andrew Jackson and the Trail of Tears:

National Archives. “President Andrew Jackson’s Message to Congress ‘On Indian Removal’ (1830).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/jacksons-message-to-congress-on-indian-removal

Case where the Supreme Court sided with the Cherokee Nation:

Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, 30 U.S. 5 Pet. 1 1 (1831)

A history of voting rights in the U.S.:

Al Jazeera. “Who got the right to vote when? A history of voting rights in America.” Updated August 18, 2020. https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2016/us-elections-2016-who-can-vote/index.html

Scurvy?

MedlinePlus. “Scurvy.” https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000355.htm

“Play it, Sam.”

Interesting Facts. “Humphry Bogart never says ‘Play it again, Sam’ in ‘Casablanca’.” https://www.interestingfacts.com/fact/61f84432025e2c0009c02631

Malt is a grain product:

MasterClass. “What Is Malt? Discover How Malt is Made.” Updated May 5, 2022. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-malt

How do we get more people to vote?

Dionne Jr., E. J. and Rapoport, Miles. “A Dozen Ways to Increase Voting in the United States.” September 12, 2022. Carnegie Corporation of New York. https://www.carnegie.org/our-work/article/dozen-ways-increase-voting-united-states/

A little more info about the O’Rourke/Cruz election:

Ramsey, Ross. “Analysis: One last Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke Texas election headline.” November 6, 2018. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2018/11/06/analysis-last-ted-cruz-beto-orourke-texas-election/

Yes, older people are more likely to vote:

Brandon, Emily. “Why Older Citizens are More Likely to Vote.” October 5, 2020. U.S. News. https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/aging/articles/why-older-citizens-are-more-likely-to-vote

And people have been debating who Ilsa Lund was really in love with since the movie Casablanca debuted. But you already knew that.