Not Another Politics Podcast

Jack Lucas, a political scientist at the University of Calgary, dives into the intriguing disconnect between how politicians perceive voter motivations and how voters see themselves. He reveals that politicians often adopt a cynical view, while citizens maintain a more optimistic perspective. The discussion highlights the impact of identity politics, the challenges of understanding voter behavior, and the surprising consistency in politicians' beliefs across democracies. Lucas raises crucial questions about campaign strategies and the future of political engagement.

Curtis Bram, a Political Scientist from UT Dallas and author of "Elitism vs. Populism," dives into the complexities of democratic commitment. He reveals that both politicians and the public often prioritize political gain over democratic principles. Through intriguing experiments, Bram illustrates how anti-democratic tendencies exist on both sides of the aisle. The discussion touches on gerrymandering, electoral reforms, and the surprising similarities in attitudes towards democracy among citizens and elites, urging a collective effort to uphold democratic values.

Giacomo Ponsetto, a political scientist specializing in the interplay between government performance and populism, delves into the surge of populism globally, particularly through Italy's Five Star Movement. He highlights how local governance quality and the educational background of officials can influence populist success. The discussion also examines the impact of politicians' pay on attracting diverse candidates and suggests that improving government effectiveness is key to restoring trust and countering populism.

The return of Trump to the White House sparks a deep dive into the surprising voter shifts and what they reveal about American discontent. The discussion ranges from the impact of inflation on trust in institutions to the nuanced dynamics of immigration and gender in politics. The hosts also analyze Kamala Harris's loss and its implications for populism. With a focus on the changing political landscape, they reflect on how Trump's outsider messaging may influence future elections and international relations.

Political scientist Jamie Druckman from the University of Rochester joins the discussion on the surprising consensus between Democrats and Republicans regarding hate speech censorship. They explore how both parties largely agree on what kinds of speech should be silenced, raising questions about the implications for free speech and authoritarianism. The conversation dives into the complexities of censorship in the digital age, touching on social media dynamics, content moderation challenges, and the nuanced relationship between societal norms and political beliefs.

Justin Grimmer, a political scientist and co-author of "An Evaluation of Fraud Claims from the 2020 Trump Election Contests," exposes the truth behind widespread fraud claims from the 2020 election. He systematically debunks over 1,000 allegations, revealing flaws in data interpretations and clerical errors behind accusations of underage voting in Georgia. Grimmer tackles myths of vote manipulation, analyzes statistical discrepancies, and emphasizes the integrity of U.S. elections, ultimately offering a hopeful perspective on the electoral process.

Ever thought about how your college degree might sway your political leanings? Voters with and without college degrees drifting apart, especially on issues like economics, social values, and foreign policy, but what's driving this shift, and how are party positions influencing voters across different education levels?A new paper from University of Pennsylvania’s William Marble, “What Explains Educational Realignment? An Issue Voting Framework for Analyzing Electoral Coalitions” gives some surprising answers to these questions and challenges the assumptions we often hear in the media. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We talk about it every election cycle…how can we get higher voter turnout? As part of the Center for Effective Government’s primer series focusing on the scholarship covering the pros and cons of different government reforms, University of Chicago Policy Professor Christopher Berry examined whether changing the timing of elections can result in higher turnout.But he also explored a much more contentious and complex question. Does higher voter turnout result in better policies? Is it possible that a higher turnout often results in less knowledgeable voters pushing elections in a direction that results in worse outcomes? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a recent paper by Washington University political scientist Michael Olson, he documents a very strange phenomenon. It seems that when legislators join committees, they’re voting record becomes less aligned with their constituents’ political preferences. The question is…why?Could it be that being on a committee means they’re just better informed about what good policy really would be, or could it be that they’re nefariously colluding with their colleagues? We explore all these possibilities and more on this episode. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Since Biden’s debate performance, America’s political elite have been engaged in a debate. How much does a President really matter for effective government? If his administration seems to work fine, how much of an affect can a President have? At the same time, we important Supreme Court decisions that seem to be giving more power to Presidents which makes finding answers to these questions even more pressing.Well, there is one famous political scientist who explored these questions long ago in one of the most well-known texts in the field “President Power and the Modern Presidents” by Richard Neustadt. It’s a book that sat bedside for several Presidents in the White House. It was meant to inform them about how they ought to exercise power and where they might actually be able to find power in a system that was stacked against them. It's worth taking stock of his argument and trying to make sense of both its elements and the extent to which it speaks to this president political moment. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.