Month: December 2016

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Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts - Where We Draw the Line

On Monday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in McCrory v. Harris and Bethune-Hill v. Virginia Board of Elections, two challenges to Republican gerrymandering efforts that resulted in the creation of majority-minority voting districts. At issue is whether lawmakers in Virginia and North Carolina were motivated primarily by racial considerations or only secondarily so. Marc Elias, the lawyer who represented the challengers in both cases, joins us to explain why the distinction is so critical.

We also consider the revolt that’s underway in the Electoral College. A small group of electors calling themselves the Hamilton Electors are seeking to be unbound from state requirements that they vote as their state voted. Legal scholar Carolyn Shapiro explains why she believes the Hamilton Electors should be taken seriously.

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Our email is amicus@slate.com. Follow us on Facebook here. Podcast production by Tony Field.

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The Gist - Don’t Tell Kyle Kinane What To Do

Kyle Kinane doesn’t want your agreement applause. Or your voting boosterism. In fact, Kinane is quite prepared to disappoint you—he’s kind of built a brand on it. On The Gist, Kinane raises a hand in support of jokes about rich people and racists—just let him explain. Kinane’s latest stand-up special is Loose in Chicago, you can see him in the Netflix series Love, and his podcast is called Boogie Monster. 

For the Spiel, Mike goes trawling for another Lobstar.  

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The Gist - Getting Held Back in Racial Justice Class

Writer Jeff Chang went to Ferguson, Missouri, on the one-year anniversary of the shooting of Michael Brown. What he saw there helped inspire his latest collection of essays, We Gon’ Be Alright: Notes on Race and Resegregation (a book the Washington Post’s Carlos Lozada has called the year’s smartest). On The Gist, Chang explains why the calls for police accountability are valid even in cases when officers appear to follow protocol. 

For the Spiel, an evaluation of the Trump Cabinet according to age, demographic, and proximity to women in bikinis. 

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Bay Curious - Did the Emptying of Mental Hospitals Contribute to Homelessness?

After patients were released from mental hospitals, there wasn't always a place for them to go. On this week's episode, we explore if deinstitutionalization was a factor in the Bay Area's homeless crisis.


Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

Ask us a question at BayCurious.org.


Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

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The Gist - Boeing, Get Off My Plane!

On Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump decried the cost of a very important plane, tweeting, “Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!” Boeing then disputed Mr. Trump’s numbers, saying their contract was worth only $170 million. Turns out, unlike other Twitter rants, Trump was kind of right this time. But on The Gist, analyst Todd Harrison warns that lowering the cost of Air Force One might involve some compromises, like outsourcing the contract to a foreign company. Harrison is a director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 

For the Spiel, Mike works his sources to get you the latest on Canadian birds.

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Opening Arguments - OA26: Second Amendment Masterclass, Part 2

This week’s super-sized episode is literally jam-packed with five all-new segments for our listeners; six if you haven’t heard both parts of the Second Amendment Masterclass already.  And make sure you stay tuned all the way to the end for our exciting new segment! First, you get an all-new introduction with new quotes, many of which were … Continue reading OA26: Second Amendment Masterclass, Part 2 →

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