4 chapters across the catalog
Washington State Politics, Letter Writing Efficacy
A discussion on local governance in Washington State reveals that traditional letter-writing campaigns on physical paper are currently more effective at influencing legislators than emails or digital surveys. The hosts criticize Governor Jay Inslee's administration for pushing through a state income tax despite public opposition.
John C. Dvorak recounts his failed attempt to contact Senator Rand Paul's office to provide research on net neutrality. He expresses frustration that the office uses an answering machine and directs constituents to a website, calling the lack of engagement "ineffective" for a presidential candidate.
Military Sexual Assault, Miss New York Answer, Weakness Words
Miss New York Kira Kazantsev answered a question about female leadership in the Senate by focusing on sexual assault in the military. The hosts criticize her delivery and her use of the word "essentially," which they label a "weakness word." Despite their critique of her answer, Kazantsev ultimately won the competition.
Congressional Phone System Outage, Constituent Feedback
During the vote on the cap and trade legislation, the phone systems at the U.S. Capitol reportedly crashed due to a high volume of calls from concerned citizens. The hosts suggest this was a convenient failure to avoid listening to constituent opposition. Doubt is expressed regarding the Senate's ability or willingness to act as an impediment to the bill's final passage.
