EP 84 WHAT IS ORIGINALISM AND HOW DOES IT PLAY INTO OUR ONGOING DEBATE ABOUT GUNS?
Do you think the Constitution is a living, breathing document meant to adapt to the times or one embedded in stone with principles that are sacrosanct and not malleable? It’s an age old question. One of the afherents of the latter interpretation of the Constitution, Ilan Wurman, joins us for a thoughtful discussion of what that means and how, in his view, progressives, libertarians and conservatives can claim the mantle of originalism. And as the conversation goes on we tie it to the 2nd Amendment and whether gun laws can be changed and still adhere to originalist doctrine. Get your thinking caps on and enjoy this nuanced exchange
https://www.amazon.com/Debt-Against-Living-Introduction-Originalism/dp/1108419801
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Did you hear about the New York City man who works, lives, eats, sleeps and exists in one building in the concrete jungle? It’s true. He never has to leave that environment because he has everything he needs under one roof. Or does he? While most of us like to get outside, at least once in a while, what have we done to the natural environments surrounding us? 
How well do you know the history of the United States or how the government really works? And do you think you would be capable of passing the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization test? We will put a few average Americans to the test along with author, Solomon Skolnick, on this episode. One aspect to this episode is exploring whether what we require of immigrants might not be a good thing to require of citizens born here given our roles in a self-governing democracy. This should be fun and enlightening–and revealing.
Amanda Litman headed up the e-mail operation(not that one)for the Hillary Clinton for President campaign in 2016. She was devastated by the loss but quickly re-grouped to found an organization and write a book encouraging millennials to ‘run for something’ on the state or local level. Thousands have come forward to seek practical advice from her on how a campaign needs to be organized and conducted. We talk to Amanda about the ways millennial’s look at public service and the unique contributions they can make the political offices they seek.
In truth, there is no country on earth that is gender- blind. Men dominate the politics and power around the globe. (Iceland comes closest in being gender- equal.) Catherine Mayer, founder of the Women’s Equality Party in the United Kingdom, imagines what it would be like if women were on the same footing as men so she designs Equalia and takes us there in her book, ‘Attack of the 50 ft. Women’, a title based on a B movie years back. We discuss with her whether the women she writes about could assume positions of power and make changes that undo some of the ‘man-made’ messes of today.