Let’s face it: This is an unprecedented time for our democracy. Many of our government’s checks and balances are being challenged or outright ignored. We did not
arrive here because of one person or one policy, but rather the erosion of numerous
safeguards, which, over time, have allowed some persistent issues with our system of
government to be exploited.
Decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court in recent years have favored secretive political
donations and restrictive voting laws, reshaping our political landscape. Corruption and
executive overreach are on the rise, and gerrymandering in states across the country
continues to prevent many Americans from making their voices heard.
If you follow us at Campaign Legal Center, you’ll have heard us repeatedly calling out
these issues — and proposing ways to fix them. Because that’s what we’re all about:
solving the wide range of challenges facing American democracy.
This season of our award-winning podcast, Democracy Decoded, will focus on a
handful of key factors that have led us to this point — and we’ll outline solutions for how
we can begin to repair the cracks in our system.
Each episode will spotlight the story of an individual client, organization, case, or
specific problem indicating where these cracks have formed. Drawing from Campaign
Legal Center’s experts and other distinguished guests, we will diagnose the underlying
problems democracy faces and chart ways that we can hold our government
accountable, ensuring everyone can participate fully in our democracy and we continue
to have free and fair elections for years to come.
Listeners will come away understanding the solutions Campaign Legal Center is
advancing nationwide to shore up these crucial aspects of our democracy. Democracy
Decoded will encourage listeners to better grasp how we, as citizens, can change things
for the better.
📻 Siste episoder av Democracy Decoded
Her er de nyeste episodene tilgjengelige via RSS-feeden:
How New Voting Barriers Threaten Elections (00:42:43)
New voting restrictions across the country are threatening to make it harder for millions of Americans to participate in elections. In some states, these barriers have thrown long-registered voters in...
The Latest: How the Erosion of Federalism Endangers Elections (00:42:48)
Under our Constitution, the federal government and the states have distinct powers — especially when it comes to elections. But the Trump administration has repeatedly tried to interfere with how stat...
A Quick Update from Democracy Decoded (00:01:04)
Host Simone Leeper shares a quick Election Day 2025 update — Campaign Legal Center staff worked to safeguard elections; millions of Americans exercised their freedom to vote in states across the count...
How Gerrymandering Undermines Fair Representation (00:41:12)
Gerrymandering—the manipulation of voting maps for partisan gain—has been part of American politics since its founding, but today, the problem is reaching a breaking point.In this episode, host Simone...
How Democracy Is Impacted by the Expansion of Presidential Power (00:37:13)
Presidential power has expanded far beyond what the framers of the Constitution envisioned. From Lincoln and Roosevelt to Nixon and Trump, presidents have pushed the limits of executive authority — of...
How Corruption and Abuses of Power Threaten Democracy (00:34:12)
Corruption defines both the perception and reality of government, eroding trust and even threatening national security. Today, the safeguards meant to keep our government accountable are failing. From...
The Latest: How to Address Threats to the Rule of Law (00:34:15)
The foundation of our democracy is the Constitution, a system of checks and balances and the rule of law. But today, those cornerstones are being blatantly disrespected by a presidential administratio...
How Big Money Is Dominating American Politics (00:43:35)
Record-breaking sums of money are pouring into American politics — from billionaires spending hundreds of millions to dark money groups hiding their donors. These sums have given wealthy interests out...
How the U.S. Supreme Court Is Drastically Reshaping American Democracy (00:42:42)
The U.S. Supreme Court has vastly reshaped American democracy — rolling back voting rights, enabling secret money in politics and expanding presidential power. These decisions have a real impact on al...
Democracy Decoded, Season 5: How to Repair the Cracks in American Democracy (00:02:36)
How did American democracy reach such a precarious moment — and what can we do to fix things? Host Simone Leeper examines the fundamental threats to our democracy today, from gerrymandering and corrup...
The Latest: What Trump's First 100 Days Mean for American Democracy (00:42:22)
Donald Trump took office as president on January 20, 2025, having already served one term. Immediately, however, he made clear his second term would be even more unpredictable than his first. He put o...
The Latest: A Postelection Fight for Democracy (00:30:34)
In the end, the worst of everyone’s election fears — political violence, overt foreign interference or a razor-thin margin between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump leading to a hotly contested legal bat...
Today’s the Day — Go Vote! (00:02:27)
This week’s episode is short, sweet, and to the point: It’s Election Day, and if you haven’t yet cast your vote, let us be your friendly reminder. Like many of her CLC colleagues, Simone will spend th...
The Latest: The 2024 Election, in a Nutshell (00:32:04)
An incumbent president drops out, mid-race. A former president becomes a party’s nominee for the first time in more than a century. There are multiple occurrences of political violence against a candi...
Know Your Rights as a Voter (00:27:21)
Imagine you’re at home when you hear a knock. At your door are people who want you to share, in detail, who you voted for in the last election, months ago. When you ask them who they are and where the...
Navigating Election Facts in the AI Era (00:32:32)
When New Hampshire voters picked up the phone earlier this year and heard what sounded like the voice of President Joe Biden asking them not to vote in that state’s primary election, the stage was set...
The Latest: The Fights Over Election Certification (00:30:02)
Election certification has traditionally been a mostly symbolic process in the United States. You vote, your vote gets counted, your precinct and others get tallied together (“canvassed” is the term o...
Safeguarding America’s Electoral Process (00:26:25)
The peaceful transfer of power is a hallmark of American democracy that sets the United States apart — the so-called north star of our electoral system. Yet the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6...
The Latest: Attacks on Voter Registration (00:31:22)
Voter registration is the number one obstacle to voting in the United States. It should be easy, accessible and secure, but too often, states are moving backwards; making voter registration more diffi...
Democracy’s Frontline Workers (00:21:00)
Election workers are the people in your neighborhood. They’re our friends, neighbors and co-workers who help keep American democracy safe and secure... But in 2020, many of them were maligned, harasse...
Democracy Decoded, Season 4: The U.S. Election System Explained (00:02:03)
American elections work because we have tried-and-tested systems in place to make sure votes are cast fairly and counted correctly, and that when threats arise, everyone has their part to play: lawmak...
Bonus: Peeling Back the Curtain on Local Government (00:26:34)
In this bonus episode we’re featuring content from one of our favorite podcasts called “When the People Decide”. Host Jenna Spinelle explores what happens when neighbors and local government work toge...
Better Choices, Better Elections (00:26:13)
We want to hear from you! Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete our survey. Your feedback helps understand what you love about Democracy Decoded and how we can make it even better. To show ou...
Keeping an Eye on Ethics (00:21:33)
We want to hear from you! Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete our survey. Your feedback helps understand what you love about Democracy Decoded and how we can make it even better. To show ou...
Contribution Limits (and Lack Thereof) (00:29:19)
We want to hear from you! Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete our survey. Your feedback helps understand what you love about Democracy Decoded and how we can make it even better. To show ou...