Teaching Kids to Read by Expanding Their World
Our guest offers suggestions to parents, educators and policymakers about how expanding our children’s knowledge base in school will help make them read better.
Government and Politics Sub-categories:
- Civics (3)
- Democracy and Elections (31)
- Federal Government (12)
- Foreign Policy (1)
- Government Accountability (1)
- Immigration and Deportation (30)
- International/Global Affairs (38)
- Legislation (4)
- Local Government (6)
- National Security (19)
- Politics (90)
- Public Assistance (3)
- Public Funding (2)
- Public Policy (38)
- Regulation (24)
- State Government (2)
- U.S. Constitution (11)
The Gatekeeper Missy LeHand and FDR
We discuss how Marguerite Missy LeHand influenced FDR, one of the greatest chief executives of our time.
Robert Kennedy: Remember a fallen icon (2016)
Although he never became president, Bobby Kennedy spearheaded a great deal of change in America with his work in civil rights and by combatting corruption.
Women Running for President
It might surprise you to know that hundreds of women have run for president. One of our guests introduces three prominent females who made progress in running for the White House.
High-Conflict Politicians (2016)
Throughout American history we’ve had politicians who stir up controversy during their campaigns: Bernie Sanders, Pat Buchanan, Joe McCarthy and now Donald Trump, to name just a few. These candidates are what one of our guests calls “high-conflict politicians.” What is the attraction some voters have for these candidates? Why are they so loyal to them? And …
A Memory of the Holocaust
A Holocaust survivor discusses the need for young people to learn about the Holocaust and the reasons why it happened.
Gun Violence and Gun Control
Two gun specialists talk about the history of guns in the U.S. and give suggestions on how to strengthen gun laws to promote safety and still guarantee American gun owners’ rights.
Juveniles Sent to Adult Prison (2016)
Should children be tried as adults and sent to adult prisons? Our guests discuss so many people are incarcerated and how juveniles should be given another chance.
Travel, People and Freedom: A journalist’s travels inform his life
Our guest has spent many years of his life traveling the world and he suggests that for a better and more memorable trip, you should rub shoulders with the locals.
The Business of Legalized Marijuana
We talk to a journalist to find out just how extensive the legalized marijuana industry is now, and how it could grow in the future.
What African Americans Think of the First Black President
We talk to an African American author about what Black Americans think about the president as he finishes his tenure as our first African American president.
Louisa Adams: The Extraordinary Life of the First Lady You Didn’t Know (2016)
We all know the names of famous First Ladies – Martha Washington, Mary Todd Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, Nancy Reagan – and they all left their marks on our country in one way or another. One of these ladies that you probably don’t know much about is Louisa Adams, wife of President John Quincy Adams. Our guest has researched this extraordinary woman and …
Encouraging Young People to Vote
Young people love political campaigns but, unfortunately, they don’t have the same enthusiasm about voting in elections. Why is this? And how can we encourage more young people to cast their votes on election day? We talk to two political specialists about the phenomenon and how we can make it easier for America’s youth to vote.
How do you know if someone is lying? (2016)
How do professionals question people to get the information they want? We talk to a specialist on interrogation and lying about this topic, and how law enforcement and job interviewers use the same tactics to get to the truth and find out if someone might be lying to them.
The Political Classroom: Teaching Civics (2016)
Civics classes in many grade schools and high schools aren’t the same as they were 20 years ago. These days, kids are more likely to discuss and debate some of the most pressing issues of the day. We talk to two educators about how some schools are teaching students how to debate correctly, how discussion of hot topics can foster understanding of diverse …
David Axelrod on Obama and Politics
The presidential election season is in full swing, and candidates are doing their best to make themselves attractive to the primary voters and to the general public for the November election. Our guest was in the thick of things during the last two election cycles and talks about how Barack Obama got elected to the highest office in the land. He also offers …
Immigrants: Why We Need Them in the U.S.
There is a lot of talk by politicians and others about immigration policy in the United States. Many Americans are all for open immigration for those fleeing poverty and oppression. Others think that we need to stem the tide of refugees and undocumented immigrants to our shores. Our guests talk about what immigrants to this country offer to all of us and our …
The American Revolution: When Did It Really Begin?
In school we learn that the American Revolution began with the battles of Lexington and Concord. But did it? We talk to a historian and author about the events that preceded those battles that effectively threw out British rule in Massachusetts and set the stage for the other colonies to revolt and fight for freedom from England.
Interpreting the Constitution: How Do We Know What the Framers Intended?
When Congress debates a constitutional point, or when the Supreme Court is considering a case brought before it, we often hear the question, “what did the framers intend?”
Henry Clay: America’s Greatest Statesman That You Don’t Know (2015)
Most of us have heard the name of Henry Clay, but he’s not one of the people we usually remember the way we do George Washington or Thomas Jefferson. Our guest says that Clay was just as important to our nation as the founding fathers, and he discusses the great contributions this Speaker of the House made to keep our country together, fight for justice, and …
Business Blunders: Cleaning Up the Mess
There have been a number of incidents recently where large companies or their spokespeople give the business a black eye by their manufacturing practices or illegal behavior. What can a business do to bounce back and once again create trust with its customers? Our two business specialist discuss the issue and offer advice about how companies can avoid …
Somewhere There Is Still a Sun: A Holocaust Memoir (2015)
Although their numbers are dwindling every year, there are still many people alive today who remember and lived through the Holocaust during World War II. One of these men spoke to us about his experience as a young boy in a Czechoslovakian work camp, and how his mother – through hard work, quick thinking and just pure luck – managed to keep herself and her …
In the Kingdom of Ice: The Voyage of the USS Jeannette
Back in the 1870s and 80s, the north and south poles were as mysterious and intriguing as the moon and planets are to us today. Many expeditions tried – and most failed – to reach the North Pole, leaving many courageous sailors and their ships encased in the snow and ice.
Belonging: Why It’s Important to Be From Somewhere
When you ask an American, “where are you from?” most of them will say it’s where they live now or where they were born. We talk to one man who thought long and hard about that question and went on a journey around the Midwest and Plains States to try to answer it. He learned a lot about his family’s heritage and the cost in lives, land and culture that …
