We love to promote our democratic principles. We love to spread them across the globe as well. But there are three procedural quirks in our system that are so laughably undemocratic it’s surreal. The Electoral College, filibuster and gerrymandering have been such integral parts of our system for so long that we barely recognize them for the travesties they are. Right now, Democrats have tenuous control over the system and the ability to change the course of democracy for decades to come. So why don’t they? Today’s episode digs into the racist history of these three significant aspects of our republic, the Republicans who will do anything to protect them, and the feckless Democrats who maintain the status quo.

View this episode's site page by going to unftr.com/episodes/unftr31.

Resources

Congress: For the People Act

Congress: Fair Representation Act

Congressmen Beyer: House Democrats Reintroduce Fair Representation Act

Brennan Center For Justice: Rucho v. Common Cause

Brennan Center For Justice: Gerrymandering Explained

Brennan Center For Justice: What Is Extreme Gerrymandering?

Fair Vote: Ranked Choice Voting Legislation

Fair Vote: 2021 State Legislation on Ranked Choice Voting

Fair Vote: Details about Ranked Choice Voting

Fair Vote: Gerrymandering Reform Innovations

The Hill: Replacing 'winner-takes-all' system would end gerrymandering

Common Cause: Fair Maps, Fair Representation and a Fair Say

Common Cause: Gerrymander Gazette Newsletter

Pod Love

improv4humans with Matt Besser

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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.

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Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week.

Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP.

Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list.

Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.

Unf*cking the Republic is produced and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is written and hosted by Thornton Mellon and distributed by kickbacks and bribes.

Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, ‘Unf*cking the Republic.’

We love to promote our democratic principles. We love to spread them across the globe as well. But there are three procedural quirks in our system that are so laughably undemocratic it’s surreal. The Electoral College, filibuster and gerrymandering have been such integral parts of our system for so long that we barely recognize them for the travesties they are. Right now, Democrats have tenuous control over the system and the ability to change the course of democracy for decades to come. So why don’t they? Today’s episode digs into the racist history of these three significant aspects of our republic, the Republicans who will do anything to protect them, and the feckless Democrats who maintain the status quo.
View this episode's site page by going to <a href="https://www.unftr.com/episodes/unftr31">unftr.com/episodes/unftr31</a>.
Resources
Congress: <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1/text?format=txt">For the People Act</a>
Congress: <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/4000?s=4&amp;r=1">Fair Representation Act</a>
Congressmen Beyer: <a href="https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5276">House Democrats Reintroduce Fair Representation Act</a>
Brennan Center For Justice: <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/court-cases/rucho-v-common-cause">Rucho v. Common Cause</a>
Brennan Center For Justice: <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/gerrymandering-explained">Gerrymandering Explained</a>
Brennan Center For Justice: <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/what-extreme-gerrymandering">What Is Extreme Gerrymandering?</a>
Fair Vote: <a href="https://www.fairvote.org/rcv_legislation">Ranked Choice Voting Legislation</a>
Fair Vote: <a href="https://www.fairvote.org/2021_state_legislation_advancing_ranked_choice_voting">2021 State Legislation on Ranked Choice Voting</a>
Fair Vote: <a href="https://www.fairvote.org/rcv#where_is_ranked_choice_voting_used">Details about Ranked Choice Voting</a>
Fair Vote: <a href="https://www.fairvote.org/gerrymandering_reform_innovations">Gerrymandering Reform Innovations</a>
The Hill: <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/473788-replacing-winner-takes-all-system-would-end-gerrymandering">Replacing 'winner-takes-all' system would end gerrymandering</a>
Common Cause: <a href="https://www.commoncause.org/our-work/gerrymandering-and-representation/gerrymandering-redistricting/#">Fair Maps, Fair Representation and a Fair Say</a>
Common Cause: <a href="https://www.commoncause.org/gerrymandergazette/">Gerrymander Gazette Newsletter</a>
Pod Love
<a href="https://www.earwolf.com/show/improv4humans/">improv4humans with Matt Besser</a>
--
If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://unftr.com/rate">unftr.com/rate</a> and follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Unfucking-The-Republic-102319714930389">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/unftrpod">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/unftrpod/">Instagram</a> at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at <a href="https://www.unftr.com/">unftr.com</a>.
Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at <a href="https://shop.unftr.com/">shop.unftr.com</a>.
Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at <a href="https://unftr.substack.com/">unftr.substack.com</a> to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week.
Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1PpzNXBub9FLngMradJByC?si=abaed3d396504fae">spoti.fi/3yzIlUP.</a>
Visit our bookshop.org page at <a href="https://bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod">bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod</a> to find the full UNFTR book list.
Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at <a href="https://www.unftr.com/accessibility">unftr.com/accessibility</a>.
Unf*cking the Republic is produced and engineered by Manny Faces Media (<a href="https://www.mannyfacesmedia.com">mannyfacesmedia.com</a>). Original music is by Tom McGovern (<a href="http://www.tommcgovern.com/">tommcgovern.com</a>). The show is written and hosted by Thornton Mellon and distributed by kickbacks and bribes.
Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, ‘Unf*cking the Republic.’

Unf*cking The Republic® (UNFTR) is dedicated to progressive politics, leftist economic theories, and social justice in the United States. Join us for deep dives into socialism, labor rights, climate justice, and the fight against inequality. Whether you're curious about Marxist ideas, modern social movements, or progressive policies, UNFTR delivers thoroughly sourced critiques, analyses, and interviews with the historical context mainstream media won't provide. Subscribe for informative and unabashedly progressive coverage of the leftist political and economic landscape.

Unf*cking The Republic&reg; (UNFTR) is dedicated to progressive politics, leftist economic theories, and social justice in the United States. Join us for deep dives into socialism, labor rights, climate justice, and the fight against inequality. Whether you're curious about Marxist ideas, modern social movements, or progressive policies, UNFTR delivers thoroughly sourced critiques, analyses, and interviews with the historical context mainstream media won't provide. Subscribe for informative and unabashedly progressive coverage of the leftist political and economic landscape.