Heather Cox Richardson. In the relative tranquility before the Presidential debate shitstorm, on 29 September Heather answered questions about the Supreme Court which, interestingly, up to Susan Day O’Connor always had someone sitting who was not a judge. Amy Coney Barrett is an originalist- someone who believes that the constitution cannot be changed and who rejects judicial activism. There was also a question about the First Amendment and lying, and she finishes off with the question “How do we heal?” which she answers by looking at other times in America’s history when society was similarly riven.
Her History of the Republican Party of 3rd September Part 14 looks at the history of the Clinton years, from the perspective of the Republicans. She follows through with the Movement Conservatives, who were disappointed with George H. W. Bush and who were horrified by Bill Clinton. She does quite a bit of editorializing in this episodes, I guess because it’s coming into living history.
America If You’re Listening (ABC). The last two episodes of this analysis of Trump’s first (oh, please let it be his last) term of office credited him somewhat in at least standing up initially to the NRA and not starting any wars. But in How Saudi Arabia Found an Ally in the White House there’s nothing redeeming at all in Saudi Arabia’s cultivation of Jared Kushner and Trump himself.
Conversations (ABC) Tracking the trial of a Mississippi murder is an older episode from 2013 where John Safran talks about his book Murder in Mississippi which I reviewed here. Listening to the podcast is quicker than reading the book.
The Resident Judge of Port Phillip 