Episode Details

Louisiana’s state senate has passed a new congressional map, eliminating one of two majority-Black districts in the state. On this week’s On the Media, hear why the Supreme Court’s blessing of that move rests on a basic statistical error. Plus, how an unprecedented storm of conspiracy theories beset FEMA during Hurricane Helene.

[01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone sits down with G. Elliott Morris, journalist, statistician, and author of the data-driven news website Strength in Numbers, to talk about the statistical error he found in the Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais ruling, and the widespread consequences for our democracy. 

[15:38]  Host Micah Loewinger presents the third part of our investigation American Emergency: The Movement to Kill FEMA. This week, Micah takes a deep dive into the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in 2024, when conspiracy theories surged online, including the old rumors about FEMA camps. And we hear from a library worker who was rescued by raft during the storm, about the greatest obstacle she faced after the storm: bureaucracy.

 Further reading / watching:

• “The simple statistical error Republican Supreme Court justices used to gut the VRA,” by G. Elliot Morris
• “This year’s U.S. House elections will be least competitive on record,” by G. Elliot Morris
• “Some N.C. residents distrust FEMA so much they’re hesitant to apply for hurricane aid,” by Brianna Sacks
• “How a conspiracy-fueled group got a foothold in this hurricane-battered town,” by Brianna Sacks

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