Podcast Episodes
Back to Search
What happens when political dissent is suppressed?
Season 6 Episode 3
It was a dramatic scene that made headlines across the country; Senator Alex Padilla lying on the floor in handcuffs for simply trying to ask a quest…
1 day, 8 hours ago
Are political loyalty and partisanship replacing the rule of law at the DOJ?
Season 6 Episode 2
An FBI counterintelligence agent loses his career over a friendship. A prosecutor gets fired by email because of who her father is. A civil rights at…
1 week, 1 day ago
What happens when the balance of power becomes unbalanced?
Season 6 Episode 1
When President Trump fired a Federal Trade Commission commissioner in 2025, it sparked a legal battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court — an…
2 weeks, 1 day ago
Democracy Decoded, Season 6: The Rule of Law Under Threat
Season 6
Our system of government is rooted in the Constitution and designed to ensure that power is shared, not concentrated in any one branch. But what happ…
4 weeks, 1 day ago
Special Announcement: We've been nominated for a Webby!
Season 5
We are beyond thrilled to announce Democracy Decoded once again has been nominated for a Webby Award in the category of Public Service & Activism pod…
5 months, 2 weeks ago
How New Voting Barriers Threaten Elections
Season 5 Episode 8
New voting restrictions across the country are threatening to make it harder for millions of Americans to participate in elections. In some states, t…
10 months, 1 week ago
The Latest: How the Erosion of Federalism Endangers Elections
Season 5 Episode 7
Under our Constitution, the federal government and the states have distinct powers — especially when it comes to elections. But the Trump administrat…
10 months, 2 weeks ago
A Quick Update from Democracy Decoded
Season 5
Host Simone Leeper shares a quick Election Day 2025 update — Campaign Legal Center staff worked to safeguard elections; millions of Americans exercis…
10 months, 3 weeks ago
How Gerrymandering Undermines Fair Representation
Season 5 Episode 6
Gerrymandering—the manipulation of voting maps for partisan gain—has been part of American politics since its founding, but today, the problem is rea…
11 months ago
How Democracy Is Impacted by the Expansion of Presidential Power
Season 5 Episode 5
Presidential power has expanded far beyond what the framers of the Constitution envisioned. From Lincoln and Roosevelt to Nixon and Trump, presidents…
11 months, 1 week ago