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
24 episodes
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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54:15
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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47:58
Is Freedom of Expression the Most Important Part of the First Amendment? - Part 1
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 episode 23, and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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33:20
Peaceful Civil Discourse + Educated Citizens = Recipe for a Healthy Democracy or Can We Find the Better Angels of Our Nature???
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they unwrap how polarization and civil discourse are related, tell about how we, as a nation, have been here before, and how we overcame those difficult episodes of civil discourse. What is different thi...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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44:10
Political Polarization or Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Joins hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they discuss political polarization in America. They unwrap what is meant by polarization, possible reasons for it, why it seems worse right now, and what we can do to lessen it and why we need to...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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42:33
How are the Census, Redistricting, and Gerrymandering Related?
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they take a deep dive into gerrymandering. They explain what it is, how it and the name came about, and how it it relates to the census and state redistributing after each census.
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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36:23
Civic Responsibilities - What Are They and Why Should We Care?
Listen as hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery discuss what your duties and responsibilities are as citizens of the United States. Duties such as following laws and serving on a jury are required, and responsibilities such as voting and staying inf...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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41:37
Say What???
In this special episode we are going to explore some common misconceptions about various topics related to civics.We tried to think of things we have heard people say that made us stop and think, “What?” Maybe the “what” meant, “That per...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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47:17
Why is Slavery So Important to the Early History of Our Republic?
Slavery definitely had an influence on the writing and wording of the U.S. Constitution and the history of our republic, not just in its earliest days but we can still see some of its lingering effects in our nation today…almost 250 years later...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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37:06
Understanding the Bill of Rights
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they delve into why and how the Bill of Rights was added to the original Constitution within just a couple years of its ratification. Included is what each amendment actually states, an explanation of th...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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26:07
What is the Electoral College and Why Do We Elect Our President This Way?
Join hosts, Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher as they tackle the reason we use the Electoral College to elect the President, and explain how the process works. There is also a discussion of why people don’t vote and how to encourage them to.
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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28:21
Ratification of the Constitution, General Welfare Clause, Habeas Corpus, and the Preamble
Join hosts Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher as they delve into the ratification process of the new Constitution, the purpose and meaning of the general welfare clause and habeas corpus, and dissect the Preamble of the Constitution because it’s not ju...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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24:36
Ratification of the Constitution and the Elastic Clause
Join hosts Bobbi Fisher and Joe Ulery as they discuss ratification of the new Constitution, Federalists and Anti-Federalists and their arguments for and against ratification, and what is the “necessary and proper clause?”
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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25:12
Part IV: How Did Our Constitution Originate?
Join the hosts, Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher as they put the wraps on the Constitutional Convention in September 1787. Find out what the final debates and discussions were about and why a few delegates refused to sign it. Also, don’t miss the
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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24:06
Part III: How Did Our Constitution Originate?
Join the hosts, Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher, as they wrap up the making of our Constitution. Learn about the ins and outs of important debates and how they were resolved and incorporated into the new Constitution. As always, enjoy the Fast F...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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24:42
Part II: How Did Our Constitution Originate?
Join hosts Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher as they continue to explore why the Framers decided to ditch the Articles of Confederation and create our current U.S. Constitution.
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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26:12
Part I: How Did Our Constitution Originate?
Join the hosts of Plain Civics, Joe Ulery and Bobbi Fisher, as they look at what the Continental Congress did right before issuing the Declaration of Independence and what our nation’s first constitution was like and what led to its re...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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27:31
Sorting Out News & Information in 2025
In this episode of Plain Civics, hosts Bobbi Fisher + Joe Ulery discuss how to sort out news and information in 2025. They look at journalistic ethics and how to try to figure out which news sources are accurate and reliable. Methods a...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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29:29
What is the Declaration of Independence?
In this episode of Plain Civics, hosts Bobbi Fisher + Joe Ulery discuss the purpose of one of our nation’s founding documents, the Declaration of Independence, and try to clear up the confusion that often surrounds this important docum...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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26:21
Why the Framers Chose to Form a Democratic Republic
In this episode of Plain Civics, hosts Bobbi Fisher + Joe Ulery discuss the five main forms of government and why the Framers chose to create a democratic republic. The five main forms of government are briefly explained with examples ...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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24:56
The United States a Democratic Republic?
In this episode of Plain Civics, hosts Bobbi Fisher + Joe Ulery discuss what the U.S. being a democratic republic really means, and it has nothing to do with political parties.
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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22:50
The Origins of Civic Education in the United States
In this episode of Plain Civics, hosts Bobbi Fisher + Joe Ulery discuss the origins of civic education in the U.S. and its role in shaping informed citizens. This episode explores the early 1800s push for universal schooling, Horace Ma...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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19:21
The Civic Experiment: Understanding the Basics of Government
In this debut episode of Plain Civics, hosts Bobbi Fisher + Joe Ulery dive into the importance of civic knowledge. Learn how understanding government strengthens our democracy and empowers citizens of all ages to actively participate a...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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21:42