Plain Civics
Hosted by Bobbi Fisher + Joe Ulery. A nonpolitical, educational podcast in which we highlight how our government works - so, you understand how to make the government work for you. From the Electoral College, to navigating Election Day, or how an idea becomes law, we simplify the mechanics of our government. Our goal is to empower you with knowledge and confidence to participate in the Great Experiment - the concept of the United States of America as a nation founded on the principles of democracy and self-governance. Join us as we unravel the complex ball of government and civics one thread at a time. Welcome to Plain Civics!
Episodes
47 episodes
Unraveling America’s Contradictions - Part 2
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they discuss moments in America’s 250-year history when the country didn’t live up to the ideals it was built on—like equality and segregation, limited government v expansive government, freedom of speec...
Unraveling America’s Contradictions - Part 1
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they discuss moments in America’s 250-year history when the country didn’t live up to the ideals it was built on—like equality, democracy, justice, freedom of religion and expression, etc. they explain t...
Why Does It Take a Tragic Event To Stir Our Patriotism?
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they talk about the events of 9/11/2001 and patriotism. After recapping the events of the morning of September 11th, when four airplanes were hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center twin towers,...
Is It Time For Term and Age Limits?
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they look at the pros and cons of both term limits and age limits for members of Congress and the President. We hear more and more citizens calling for one or both of these limits for our federal elected...
Why Is Real History So Important?
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they look at why “real” history is so important. This lesson in what type of historical narrative we are presented with in our museums, monuments, and history books goes hand-in-hand with civics because ...
Say What??? Part 3
Join hosts Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher as they tackle 5 more common misconceptions about our government. These misconceptions include Presidential power, whether every vote makes a difference, who government officials work for, isn’t my elected ...
What Is Civic Virtue and Why Is It Important?
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they discuss the important of civic virtue. At the beginning of the last several episodes we have been telling you about thirteen civic virtues that Benjamin Franklin felt were the most important qualiti...
America at 250 - What Are We Actually Celebrating?
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they look at why we celebrate the July 4th Independence Day. How did it come about and why? What does the Declaration of Independence mean? They break down the different parts of the document and what le...
Back to the Basics - What is Rule of Law?
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they dig into the concept of “rule of law.” What does it mean and how did it develop? Why did the Framers choose to create a government and judicial system based on “rule of law?” Why is it so important ...
Back to the Basics - What is Federalism? Part 3
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they continue their discussion of federalism. In Part 1 they discussed the origins of the idea of federalism and defined it, and in Part 2 they looked at most of the first era, known as Dual Federalism (...
Back to the Basics - What is Federalism? Part 2
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they continue their discussion of federalism. In Part 1 they discussed the origins of the idea of federalism and defined it. In this episode they look at the three eras of federalism in the U.S. thus far...
Back to the Basics - What is Federalism? Part 1
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they define federalism and discuss how it came about in the United States Constitution. The idea of a confederation and examples of confederations show how individual groups or states found the need to m...
Back To the Basics - Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they dig into the three branches of government and why the Framers established three branches. About half of Americans can name the three branches, but if you ask them to name the main duties of each bra...
Lots of Issues, But There Is Hope…Let’s Get Busy!
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they discuss civics education, or lack thereof, as well as voting percentages, detecting misinformation, improving civil discourse, and what happens to our nation if we fail to fix these things.
Let’s Get Ready To Vote!
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they discuss the steps citizens need to take to vote in the upcoming primary and general elections this year. They look at why exercising your right to vote is so important, when primary elections are he...
The Biggest Challenge to Democratic Institutions - On Tyranny, Part 2
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they continue with the fourth of Ben Franklin’s civic virtues and then continue the discussion of 20 signs of tyranny, using Professor Timothy Snyder’s 2017 book, On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons Fro...
The Biggest Challenge to Democratic Institutions - On Tyranny, Part 1
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they continue with the third of Ben Franklin’s civic virtues and then move into a discussion of liberal democracy v. authoritarianism. They will explain the difference between the two and prompt listener...
The Evolution of Political Parties in the U.S.
Join hosts Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher as they track the beginnings, development, an evolution of political parties in U.S. history. It hasn’t always been the Democratic and Republican Parties. Political parties in the U.S. actually started back...
Let’s Review Some Important Concepts
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they introduce a new opening feature called “Ben Franklin’s Virtues,” where they cover the 13 civic virtues that one of our famous Founders thought to be most important. One virtue will open each o...
Say What??? Part 2
Join hosts Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher as they tackle 5 more common misconceptions about our government. These misconceptions include the impeachment process, whether the U.S. is a democracy, use of the Bible for swearing in officials, straight ...
Christmas in the Continental Army in 1776
In this second special holiday episode of Plain Civics, join host Bobbi Fisher as she tells the story of an ambitious battle plan devised by General George Washington to take place on Christmas night 1776. Up to this point in the Revolutionary ...
Civics Belongs in the Holiday Season
The holiday season slows the country down — but civics doesn’t stop.In this special episode of Plain Civics, Joe Ulery looks at how holidays fit into American civic life. From early debates over Christmas in colonial America to ...
Why is Freedom of Religion in the First Amendment?
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they discuss the “freedom of religion” portion of the First Amendment. The First Amendment actually provides us with 5 freedoms, including freedom of religion, which includes the Establishment Clause and...
USA, USA, We’re For You Today! The Cheerleading Episode You Didn’t Know You Needed!
We will return in Episode 24 with the freedom of religion part of the First Amendment. In this episode, join the hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they discuss times in our almost 250-year history when the situation in the U.S. looked as blea...
Is Freedom of Expression the Most Important Part of the First Amendment? - Part 2
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they discuss the “freedom of expression” portion of the First Amendment. The First Amendment actually provides us with 5 freedoms, including freedom of religion, which we will examine in an upcoming epis...