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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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.

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