November 15, 2023 • 51 mins
Hello, and welcome to Vetted Conversations - a podcast created and produced by We the Veterans and Military Families. We are a non-profit, non-partisan, pro-democracy and stridently patriotic organization created by veterans and their family members to promote positive, patriotic civic engagement, counter propaganda targeting the military and veteran community, and help veterans live their best lives as leaders in their communities following military service.
In this series, we explore what it means to be a citizen, what veterans and their families can do to defend our Constitution following military service, and provide ways veterans can get involved in helping create a more perfect union. We're all in this democracy thing together, so it's important for every American to know their rights, their responsibilities as citizens, and how their government is supposed to work so we can engage productively to help bring about the best version of America.
Oftentimes, members of the veteran community get more credit for knowledge of the Constitution than we deserve. Too many raise their right hands and swear an oath without even having read the Constitution! In this episode, founders Ellen Gustafson, Ben Keiser (USMC), and board members Jeremy Butler (USN) and Joe Plenzler (USMC) test their knowledge against the test questions on the U.S. Government's test for citizenship.
Have a listen and see if you can beat them with your knowledge of the United States in this fun and humorous episode.
For more, check us out at www.WeTheVeterans.us and on social media.
For more, check us out at www.wetheveterans.us and at https://linktr.ee/vettedconversations
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Episode Transcript
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SPEAKER_03 (00:00):
Hello and welcome to Vet Our Democracy Podcast,
(00:02):
created by us, the nonprofit,nonpartisan, pro-democracy
group.
We the veterans and militaryfamilies.
In this series, we explore whatit means to be a citizen, what
veterans and military families'roles are in supporting and
defending our constitutionfollowing military service, and
how you can get more involved tohelp create a more perfect
union.
We're all in this democracything together, and it's
(00:22):
important to know our rights andresponsibilities and how our
government is supposed to workso we can engage patriotically
and positively to help bringabout the best version of
America.
If you care about America,democracy, mom, baseball, and
apple pie, this is the podcastfor you.
Welcome everyone to uh our firstpodcast for Vet Our Democracy.
(00:46):
So uh to tee this all up, youknow, this whole series is going
to be about veterans and theirfamilies, what's our role in
American politics and democracyand civics?
Uh how do we carry this nationand help bring it together in a
productive and positive manner?
So I think for our very firstepisode, we wanted to do uh Ben
(01:07):
had the idea to do somethingaround like how America are you?
Ben, you want to explain that alittle bit?
SPEAKER_02 (01:12):
Well, yeah, so you know, my wife recently became a
citizen, and as part of that, wedid a lot of studying for the
citizenship test.
And I was kind of surprised tolearn that some of the questions
aren't that easy, and they'resort of relatively specific
answers.
Um, and so we thought, as a testof ourselves, folks who believe
(01:34):
themselves to be relatively wellinformed on matters of civics,
how how would we do on the test?
Now, I already have been throughthe answers multiple times, so I
can't I won't be testing myself,but I'll be asking the questions
to Joe, Jeremy, and Ellen, andwe'll see how everyone does, and
we'll see whether or not Ellencheated.
SPEAKER_01 (01:55):
I didn't cheat, I promise.
SPEAKER_03 (01:58):
And for the folks listening to play along too and
see if you can get to the answerfaster than us.
And just uh for it for um astatement of fact, like neither
Ellen, Jeremy, nor I have hadany advanced notice of the
questions or the answers tothis.
So we are coming to thiscompletely cold on a Monday
morning, uh poorly caffeinated,so we'll see how it goes.
SPEAKER_02 (02:20):
Yeah, it is still dark here because it is still
dark out here.
SPEAKER_03 (02:25):
Awesome.
Awesome.
Okay, so now we set that up.
SPEAKER_04 (02:28):
I feel like this is a little like taking your
driver's license written test,where it doesn't matter how good
of a driver you are, like if youdidn't study the material, you
know, you don't know how manyfeet from a higher fire hydrant
you're supposed to park.
You just kind of wing it.
Like uh I feel like this is kindof how this is gonna go.
SPEAKER_02 (02:44):
So some of them are gonna be really easy and some of
them are gonna not.
And uh we'll see how you guysanswer the not so easy ones.
Okay, so the the deal is thatyou to pass, you have to answer
six out of ten questionscorrectly.
There are a hundred there are ahundred possible questions.
Um, so we'll we'll try and runthrough all of them, but if
(03:05):
anyone gets less than six out oftheir first ten correct, you
have failed.
SPEAKER_03 (03:10):
Do we get deported?
Like do we get to stay if we getthis wrong?
SPEAKER_02 (03:16):
Oh, yeah, right.
SPEAKER_01 (03:18):
Do not translate's nervous too.
SPEAKER_02 (03:22):
So here's so here's the order.
We'll go Ellen Joe Jeremy.
Does that work for you all?
Okay.
SPEAKER_05 (03:29):
Yep.
SPEAKER_02 (03:30):
Ellen, you're getting a softball as the first
one.
So we jump into it, everyoneright here.
Let's do it.
I'm really nervous.
What is the supreme law of theland, Alan?
SPEAKER_01 (03:43):
The United States Constitution.
SPEAKER_02 (03:45):
Correct.
SPEAKER_03 (03:46):
Nice.
SPEAKER_04 (03:47):
That was a total softball.
SPEAKER_01 (03:49):
Oh, stop.
SPEAKER_02 (03:52):
Joe, what does the Constitution do?
Governs our laws.
I we can probably, you know, Ithink I don't know if they would
give you credit for that, butI'll tell you what the answers
are.
It sets up the government,defines the government, or
(04:14):
protects the basic rights ofAmericans.
SPEAKER_03 (04:16):
Protects the basic rights of Americans.
SPEAKER_02 (04:19):
There you go.
There you go.
We're gonna give you, Joe, we'llgive you one incorrect.
SPEAKER_04 (04:27):
That was a tough one.
I will I I'm yeah, that's I'm onyour side here, Joe.
That was that was a rough startfor you.
SPEAKER_02 (04:33):
There are a few of those.
There are a few of those.
Okay.
Um, Jeremy, the idea ofself-government is in the first
three words of the Constitution.
What are these words?
We the people.
Yes, sir.
Correct.
SPEAKER_04 (04:47):
Thank you.
I said with confidence, too,you'll notice.
SPEAKER_01 (04:50):
That was good.
Yeah, you get points for that.
SPEAKER_02 (04:52):
Thank you.
Ellen, what is an amendment?
SPEAKER_01 (04:56):
An addition to the original uh Bill of Rights of
the Constitution.
SPEAKER_02 (05:03):
I would actually say technically that is incorrect.
I agree.
SPEAKER_00 (05:08):
Wow.
Okay.
Okay.
SPEAKER_04 (05:09):
Any change that's the constitution, right?
And not just to the Bill ofRights.
It's exactly.
SPEAKER_02 (05:20):
Overthought.
SPEAKER_01 (05:21):
So what's the official what's the official?
SPEAKER_02 (05:23):
A change or an addition to the Constitution.
SPEAKER_01 (05:27):
Okay.
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (05:28):
But the Bill of Rights is already a series of
amendments.
And so you're not just changingthat, you're changing the full
constitution.
SPEAKER_03 (05:38):
Good to know.
SPEAKER_05 (05:39):
All right.
SPEAKER_02 (05:42):
Okay.
Joe.
Yes.
What do we call the first 10amendments to the Constitution?
SPEAKER_03 (05:52):
The gym of rights.
I mean the Bill of Rights.
Yeah.
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (05:56):
There you go.
Correct.
SPEAKER_03 (05:58):
All right.
I get to stay.
SPEAKER_02 (06:00):
You're in.
Yeah, you're still you're stillin the you're still in the hunt.
Um okay, Jeremy, what is oneright or freedom from the First
Amendment?
SPEAKER_04 (06:10):
Oh man.
See, this is the First Amendmentfreedom of speech being.
You tell me.
Alright, I'm going with freedomof speech.
SPEAKER_02 (06:24):
Correct.
You've got speech, religion,assembly, uh, freedom of the
press, and the right to petitionthe government.
unknown (06:33):
Nice.
SPEAKER_02 (06:33):
Well done, sir.
Okay.
Thank you.
Ellen, how many amendments doesthe Constitution have?
SPEAKER_03 (06:42):
Ooh.
SPEAKER_04 (06:42):
Ooh, that's that's tough.
SPEAKER_01 (06:46):
26?
SPEAKER_03 (06:48):
27?
SPEAKER_02 (06:49):
So close.
So close, Joe, it's not yourturn.
But Ellen, that is incorrect.
It is 27, Joe was right.
Oh man.
Do I get a point for?
SPEAKER_01 (07:02):
Do I get a point for being half a point for being
close?
SPEAKER_03 (07:05):
Afraid.
I'm afraid.
I think it's L tier.
SPEAKER_01 (07:09):
You guys.
I told you I didn't study.
I told you I didn't study.
SPEAKER_02 (07:15):
That's one of those ones like feet from a hydrant.
Although, you know, I mean, ifyou haven't taken your civics
class lately, that you wereclose though with 26.
Yep.
SPEAKER_04 (07:25):
Nice.
SPEAKER_02 (07:25):
Okay.
Who's up, Joe?
What did the Declaration ofIndependence do?
SPEAKER_03 (07:32):
Oh, it told it put uh King George III of Britain on
notice.
Like, we're up out of here.
We're not doing this colonything anymore.
SPEAKER_02 (07:41):
Is that your official answer?
SPEAKER_03 (07:43):
Yeah, we told the King of England to get stuffed.
It's it's said that, hey, we'rea sovereign country and we're
going to make our own laws andelect our own leaders, and we're
done with this monarchy BS.
We don't care about Charles orDiana or you know Elizabeth or
none of that junk.
We're we're done with Hanovariankings.
SPEAKER_02 (07:59):
Okay.
I think we'll give you creditfor that.
The official answers areannounced our independence,
declared our independence, um,and or said that the United
States is free from GreatBritain.
SPEAKER_03 (08:13):
Awesome.
SPEAKER_04 (08:15):
He added an Hanovarian in there, which, you
know, that's that is impressive,and I I don't even understand
what it means, but it soundedlike that.
SPEAKER_05 (08:22):
I was thinking of back to Hamilton, you know?
SPEAKER_04 (08:24):
Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_02 (08:26):
Yeah.
Jeremy, what are two rights inthe Declaration of Independence?
SPEAKER_04 (08:37):
Two rights in the Declaration of Independence.
Oh man.
We didn't set a timer on this.
(08:57):
I'm just gonna wave it.
I I don't know.
I'd be sitting here thinkingabout life, liberty, happiness.
Pursuit of happiness.
SPEAKER_00 (09:05):
Is that really?
SPEAKER_04 (09:06):
Pursuit of happiness.
Oh man, that's that's BS.
I thought it was something alittle bit more specific there.
Yeah, you're right, Joe.
SPEAKER_01 (09:14):
Pursuit of happiness.
You're not guaranteed happiness.
Pursuit of happiness.
SPEAKER_04 (09:18):
There you go.
SPEAKER_02 (09:18):
Jeremy's first wrong answer.
Yeah, that's painful.
Ellen, what is the freedom ofreligion?
SPEAKER_01 (09:27):
It is the ability to practice um any religion or not
practice a religion and togather with other people to
practice that religion, um, andfor other people to be able to
gather um separate from thestate and practice their own
religion.
SPEAKER_02 (09:44):
Are you reading that from somewhere else?
No.
SPEAKER_01 (09:47):
But was that good?
SPEAKER_02 (09:49):
Yeah.
Pretty much verbatim.
You can practice any religion ornot practice a religion.
SPEAKER_01 (09:55):
Nice.
SPEAKER_02 (09:56):
Well done.
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (09:57):
I'm back in the back.
I'm climbing up the shores.
SPEAKER_02 (10:03):
Um Joe, what is the economic what is the economic
system in the United States?
SPEAKER_03 (10:09):
We are a capitalist system.
SPEAKER_02 (10:11):
Correct.
Capitalist economy or marketeconomy is also correct.
Dollar dollar bill, y'all,right?
Um, yeah, it's interesting thatthey include, I mean, that's
gotta be like a Cold War vestigeor something.
SPEAKER_01 (10:27):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (10:29):
Um what is, Jeremy, the rule of law?
SPEAKER_05 (10:37):
That's hard.
unknown (10:38):
That's hard.
SPEAKER_04 (10:39):
Um I'm gonna wing it here completely.
Uh, and I'm starting to sweatbecause this could potentially
be two wrong answers in a row.
The rule of law, I was startingto think that it has something
to do with states' rights, but Idon't think so.
So I don't know.
Maybe it's something along thelines of if it's not stated in
the Constitution, it's not afederally mandated law.
(11:05):
I'm getting a lot of people.
SPEAKER_02 (11:07):
You're getting you're trying to get a little
too technical there.
Rule of law, it's uh thedefinition and the answer here
is the kind of the generaldefinition of rule of law, which
um is that everyone must followthe law, leaders must obey the
law, government must obey thelaw, and no one is above the
law.
Oh, interesting.
SPEAKER_01 (11:26):
Important, I like that.
SPEAKER_04 (11:27):
That's okay.
Is that s where is that stated?
Now this is a sidebar.
Like I'm not like uh contestingit, but um like and we can
follow up on that.
SPEAKER_01 (11:38):
But um, sounds like we all need to go to civics
class, everyone.
I mean, we've got somequestions.
SPEAKER_02 (11:46):
We're doing pretty good.
You know, so I wouldn't I don'tknow that I don't I don't know
that that is stated.
I don't think it's stated in theConstitution or any of our kind
of founding documents, but it'sa it's a kind of foundational
principle of a functioningdemocracy, right?
SPEAKER_04 (12:00):
Yeah, okay.
To the extent just for therecord, if I end up uh not
getting my six right, I mightwage a protest on this question.
SPEAKER_01 (12:09):
Just by thanks to the First Amendment, you are
allowed to because of yourfreedom of speech.
And your freedom of petitioningthe government and your freedom
of assembly.
So freedom to be ignorant.
SPEAKER_03 (12:25):
That's a good point, because it's like the antidote
to mob rule, right?
I mean, yeah, you know, it's weall we all decide to limit our
our autonomy and freedom to theextent that we respect the
rights of other people, right?
Like I remember like in highschool, Mr.
Modford was like, my right toswing my arms around ends at the
end of your nose, right?
Like, so you know, it's justlike you're not allowed to call
(12:49):
cause harm to other people.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (12:52):
Alright.
Moving on.
Okay, who's up?
Ellen is up, and you get anothersoftball.
Name one branch or part of thegovernment.
SPEAKER_01 (13:03):
Judicial branch.
SPEAKER_02 (13:05):
Correct.
Congress, legislative,president, executive, the
courts, judicial are all correctanswers.
Nice.
Joe, what stops one of thosebranches of government from
becoming too powerful?
SPEAKER_03 (13:19):
Checks and balances, as enumerated in the
Constitution of the UnitedStates.
SPEAKER_02 (13:24):
Correct.
Uh separation of powers is isalso a valid answer.
Jeremy, who's in charge of theexecutive branch?
SPEAKER_04 (13:33):
Oh, that's the president of the United States.
SPEAKER_02 (13:37):
Um Ellen, who makes federal laws?
SPEAKER_01 (13:42):
The Congress, the um legislative branch.
SPEAKER_02 (13:45):
Correct.
Congress, Senate, and House isalso correct.
Or the U.S.
or national legislature.
Um, Joe, what are the two partsof the Congress?
SPEAKER_03 (13:58):
Oh, the House of Representatives and the United
States Senate.
SPEAKER_02 (14:01):
Correct.
How many senators are there,Jeremy?
SPEAKER_04 (14:06):
100 senators.
Assuming you're not countingshadow senators and things like
that, which is gets complicated.
SPEAKER_02 (14:14):
Uh that's a concept I'm not even, I don't even know
what that is.
Are you talking about what areyou talking about there?
Uh it's DC or something?
SPEAKER_04 (14:24):
No, I think it does relate to DC.
I'm not even fully certain, butit's a phrase that's out there
somewhere.
SPEAKER_03 (14:29):
And uh well, I mean, there's is that in the house, or
like, you know, we when you getthe the folks from Guam, you
know, martial arts, they haverepresentation they can't vote
on anything, but they they havea seat, right?
SPEAKER_02 (14:44):
Like they can fill in hearings and comment, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (14:48):
Like that's on the house side.
Shadow senator, it's a phrase.
I don't know, I'll look it up,that'll be uh a little extra
credit thing, but it's somethingabout like you know, like DC has
a delegate uh that yeah can't uhcan't vote but can introduce
legislation.
I think it's the same with Guamand others.
SPEAKER_03 (15:04):
But uh which is why DC wasn't played for taxation
without representation, right?
SPEAKER_04 (15:08):
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
SPEAKER_02 (15:12):
Um okay, Ellen, how well we elect a senator for how
many years?
Six.
Correct.
Joe, this is one of the um thisis one of the location specific
questions.
Who is one of your state's U.S.
senators now?
SPEAKER_03 (15:31):
Oh, mine here in Virginia?
Yeah.
Tim Kane.
unknown (15:34):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (15:36):
Excellent.
Okay.
Do you know the other one?
Senator from Virginia.
SPEAKER_03 (15:42):
I just moved here, Ben.
I just moved here.
I was in Maryland.
SPEAKER_02 (15:46):
All right.
SPEAKER_03 (15:46):
I should I shouldn't have followed.
I knew it was Cardin and uh VanHolland in my last state.
You know, like uh I justliterally just moved here.
So don't worry, because you getcredit.
SPEAKER_02 (15:56):
You get credit.
SPEAKER_03 (15:58):
Um who to call.
SPEAKER_04 (16:02):
At least one of them.
That's right.
SPEAKER_02 (16:05):
Uh Jeremy, here's a semi-tough one.
The House of Representatives hashow many voting members?
SPEAKER_04 (16:13):
435.
SPEAKER_02 (16:15):
Bingo.
SPEAKER_04 (16:16):
Well, is that wait, was that correct, or what did
you say?
No, you're right.
Okay, good.
Yeah, I was making sure that Iwasn't counting what we just
talked about, with like I waslike, oh wait, I guess that
doesn't include.
I didn't realize that until wewere just started talking about
it that that number does notinclude those non-voting, but
that makes sense.
All right.
SPEAKER_02 (16:33):
Yeah, I think that's why they they add the word
voting in that question, right?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (16:38):
Mark Warner's my other one.
Synapse disconnected.
There we go.
All right.
SPEAKER_02 (16:44):
Um okay, Ellen, you get the same question again.
We elect a U.S.
representative for how manyyears?
Two.
Two years is correct.
Uh Joe, you get the same oneagain.
Name your U.S.
representative.
SPEAKER_03 (17:00):
Oh my god.
Sixth District, Virginia.
What's his name?
I was just on his website liketwo weeks ago.
We we haven't formed arelationship yet, then, so I'm
like, you know.
I'm gonna take L on that one.
I can't, it's not enough coffee,man.
I can't pull it out.
SPEAKER_02 (17:19):
You get five more seconds.
SPEAKER_03 (17:25):
Is it Klein?
I don't know if it is a Klein.
SPEAKER_04 (17:30):
If you say it with confidence, you're not gonna get
questioned.
SPEAKER_02 (17:33):
We will look that one up after we get through the
answers and we'll we'll find outif you get you get a correct one
or an incorrect one.
SPEAKER_03 (17:41):
Then Klein.
There we go.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (17:44):
Nice!
SPEAKER_03 (17:47):
I'm sweating that one.
SPEAKER_02 (17:51):
Um okay, Jeremy, who does a U.S.
senator represent?
The entire state.
SPEAKER_04 (17:59):
Is that the correct one?
Correct.
SPEAKER_02 (18:01):
Yeah, we'll give we'll give you we'll give you a
correct answer on that.
The technical answer here is allpeople of the state.
SPEAKER_03 (18:08):
Nice.
Good point.
SPEAKER_02 (18:11):
Okay.
Um, Ellen, why do some stateshave more representatives than
the others?
SPEAKER_01 (18:18):
Because the number of representatives is based on
population, or is the number ofsenators is equally distributed
across the states?
SPEAKER_02 (18:24):
Thank you for going above and beyond.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (18:28):
You guys, you you know I get extra credit for
that.
SPEAKER_02 (18:30):
That's like one of the things.
SPEAKER_00 (18:30):
You know I was sitting in the front row of
class, raising my hand, holdingmy hand up like this, being
like, come on, call on me again.
SPEAKER_03 (18:37):
Yeah, but I mean that's one of the big debates
about the electoral college.
If we should keep it, right?
So like you have a little statewith two senators, like, you
know, I think the entirepopulation of state like Wyoming
could fit inside uh lowerManhattan, right?
SPEAKER_04 (18:50):
I mean interesting.
Also, the the number of uhrepresentatives uh in theory
should be increasing as thenational population.
Because that's also gettingthrown off um by not changing
that number.
SPEAKER_03 (19:05):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (19:09):
Uh who's up, Joe?
How we we elect a president forhow many years?
Four.
Correct.
Uh Jeremy, in what month do wevote for president?
SPEAKER_04 (19:24):
November.
Correct.
Fast approaching.
It's a month.
We're not we're not voting forpresident this year, but
November is fast approaching.
SPEAKER_02 (19:31):
I mean November 2024 is fast approaching.
Yeah, it's true.
It's weekly approaching.
Yes.
Good point.
Um Alan, what is the name of thepresident right now?
SPEAKER_01 (19:45):
President Joe Biden Jr., I think.
SPEAKER_02 (19:50):
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.
I know.
SPEAKER_04 (19:52):
I was gonna say extra credit if you get his
middle name.
SPEAKER_01 (19:54):
Yeah, that was a good one.
SPEAKER_02 (19:56):
Uh Joe, who is the vice president?
SPEAKER_04 (19:58):
Right now?
unknown (19:59):
Oh.
SPEAKER_02 (20:00):
Vice President Harris.
Yes, Vice President Harris.
Jeremy, if the president can nolonger serve, who becomes
president?
SPEAKER_04 (20:13):
Vice President.
SPEAKER_02 (20:15):
Ellen, if both the president and the vice president
can no longer serve, who becomespresident?
SPEAKER_01 (20:21):
The uh what's the name?
The head of the Senate?
The person that's in charge ofthe Senate?
No?
Really?
The House?
Oh, the Speaker of the House?
Interesting.
I thought it was the head of theSenate.
I'm sorry.
Okay, Speaker of the House.
SPEAKER_02 (20:36):
I think we're gonna have to give you an incorrect on
that.
SPEAKER_01 (20:39):
That's fine.
You're right.
SPEAKER_02 (20:43):
Um close, though.
Just across the hall.
SPEAKER_01 (20:46):
Yeah, I thought it was the head.
That's interesting.
Okay.
Um people rule, man.
SPEAKER_02 (20:53):
Joe, who is the commander-in-chief of the
military?
The president of the UnitedStates.
Yes, sir.
Jeremy, who signs bills, junior.
Uh Jeremy, who who signs billsto become laws?
The president.
Yes, he does.
Uh Ellen, who vetoes bills?
SPEAKER_01 (21:15):
He or she.
The president of the UnitedStates.
He or she.
SPEAKER_02 (21:18):
Also the president.
He or she veto.
Allegedly.
Okay, here's a tough one.
Who's up, Joe?
What does the president'scabinet do?
SPEAKER_03 (21:36):
Oh, advises them on policy and executes the
decisions of the president.
And serves at at the at the willof the president, right?
At the pleasure of thepresident.
SPEAKER_02 (21:47):
I think we'll give you uh a correct on that.
It is simply the the theofficial answer is simply
advises the president.
SPEAKER_03 (21:54):
Okay.
All right.
SPEAKER_02 (21:55):
Everyone happy to give Joe credit on that.
Yeah, yeah, he gets credit.
They do things.
SPEAKER_04 (22:01):
They do.
SPEAKER_02 (22:04):
So, okay, so that's I I think we've everyone has
passed.
SPEAKER_04 (22:11):
I forgot about that part.
SPEAKER_03 (22:13):
I was worried.
You know, I thought they weregoing to kick me out of the
country when I went to the OhioState University for four years
and never once went to a Big Tenfootball game.
SPEAKER_04 (22:20):
Oh man.
SPEAKER_03 (22:21):
I know.
SPEAKER_04 (22:22):
Mike didn't.
SPEAKER_02 (22:23):
Well, you all get to keep your citizenship.
SPEAKER_03 (22:25):
Thank God.
SPEAKER_02 (22:28):
But we'll keep going and see, you know, how much more
we can embarrass ourselves.
Yes.
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (22:36):
Should we do like, you know, drunk Shakespeare?
SPEAKER_02 (22:38):
You know, everybody take a shot and then like I mean
it's you know, it's seveno'clock in the morning
somewhere, right?
SPEAKER_05 (22:46):
Well.
SPEAKER_02 (22:52):
I think Joe just answered.
Yeah.
Jeremy, what are two cabinetlevel positions?
SPEAKER_04 (22:59):
Oh, uh Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State.
SPEAKER_03 (23:03):
Nice.
SPEAKER_02 (23:04):
That is correct.
The secretaries are agriculture,commerce, defense, education,
energy, health and humanservices, homeland security,
housing and urban development,interior, labor, state,
transportation, treasury,veterans' affairs.
The attorney general is thecabinet level position, as is
the vice president.
(23:29):
Okay, next, Ellen.
What does the judicial branchdo?
SPEAKER_01 (23:35):
It decides uh debates over the law, cases,
debates.
Um, right?
Is that the way to say it?
SPEAKER_02 (23:45):
I think we'll we'll give you a correct on that.
It the official answers answersare reviews laws, explains laws,
resolves disputes, resolvedisputes, yeah.
Disagreements decides if a lawgoes against the Constitution.
(24:05):
Joe, what's the highest court inthe United States?
SPEAKER_03 (24:08):
The Supreme Court?
It is of the United States ofAmerica.
SPEAKER_02 (24:14):
Correct, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.
SPEAKER_03 (24:16):
I was gonna guess the people the people's court,
but you know the people's court.
SPEAKER_02 (24:23):
Um Jeremy, how many justices are on the court?
The Supreme Court?
SPEAKER_04 (24:28):
Nine.
Okay, yeah.
I feel like this is one of thosewhere it can be a trick
question, and you being thelawyer can like because like
what is it?
There's like eight and then thethe chief justice or something
like that, but I don't know.
SPEAKER_02 (24:42):
Yeah, nine is the answer to looking at the still
qualifies as a justice, but thatnumber is not like fixed in
stone.
SPEAKER_01 (24:49):
It right there's a debate about should we should we
have more.
SPEAKER_03 (24:52):
And it's grown and shrunk over the years, right?
But I think there's a goodreasonable push to say if we
have so many federal districts,right, we had to have a Supreme
Court justice for each one.
SPEAKER_02 (25:05):
I haven't heard that line of argument, but but yeah,
there's definitely certainelements are pushing for
expansion.
SPEAKER_03 (25:13):
Yeah, yeah.
Or in and should they belifelong appointments too,
right?
So that's the other debate.
SPEAKER_02 (25:21):
Yeah, and there, I mean, there's obviously two
sides to that, right?
Um you don't have a lifelongappointment, then you worry
about what the you know thejustices are are just
interviewing for their next job,right?
So okay, who who just answeredthat one?
Jeremy?
Yep.
(25:41):
Okay, Alan, who's the ChiefJustice?
SPEAKER_01 (25:46):
John Roberts.
Chief Justice John Roberts.
SPEAKER_04 (25:49):
Yeah, yes.
Of the Supreme Court of theUnited States.
SPEAKER_01 (25:52):
Of the Supreme Court of the United States, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (25:57):
Um, Joe, under our Constitution, some powers belong
to the federal government.
What is one power of the federalgovernment?
unknown (26:08):
Oh.
SPEAKER_02 (26:09):
This would be exclusive to the states.
Raise armies, collect taxes.
Yeah.
Uh both uh no, no.
One that the second one is notcorrect, but it is it is the
power of the federal governmentexclusively to create an army,
yes.
Um but states can levy taxes, ofcourse, right?
SPEAKER_03 (26:29):
Yeah, oh exclusive.
Okay, yeah, right, right, right.
SPEAKER_02 (26:32):
Yeah.
Um, although actually, no, inreading that question, I don't
know if it is exclusive, but umthat's not one of the recognized
answers for some person.
Um under the constitution, somepowers belong to the state.
I guess I mean it does saybelong, right?
So anyway, what is what is oneof the power of the states
exclusively?
(26:54):
Um sorry, that's not the R me.
SPEAKER_04 (26:56):
Uh exclusive to the states would be.
Well, I should I feel like Ishould be able to come up with
something right off the top ofmy head.
Um exclusive to the states.
SPEAKER_01 (27:13):
I have a good one.
Run elections.
SPEAKER_02 (27:17):
You gotta wait until Gary.
SPEAKER_04 (27:19):
I guess that is true.
I was thinking, I I mean, nowI've already lost because I was
gonna take that one, but um thethe elections one is a very good
point.
SPEAKER_01 (27:27):
Yeah, run elections, right?
SPEAKER_02 (27:28):
Yeah.
So that's not that's not arecognition.
SPEAKER_01 (27:32):
It is, it's 14th Amendment.
SPEAKER_02 (27:34):
It's not a recognized answer, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (27:35):
But um we're gonna go to I'm gonna talk to the
people that run the civics testand have a little chat.
SPEAKER_02 (27:41):
Is there any circumstance under which the
federal government runs anelection?
What about in any of theterritories?
I don't know.
Um, but that's not power to thestates.
Okay, so anyway, anyway, the therecognized answers are marriage
laws.
Yeah, I think that generallyfalls under the state, but so
(28:01):
there provide schooling andeducation, provide protection,
so police provide safety, firedepartments, give a driver's
license, approve zoning and landuse.
SPEAKER_03 (28:13):
But back to what Jeremy said earlier, and all
powers not enumerated in theConstitution go to the states,
right you go.
SPEAKER_04 (28:21):
Generally speaking, yeah, that's right.
So I should get credit because Isaid that earlier.
So Jeremy.
SPEAKER_01 (28:31):
And also the one that I cut you off with actually
was also not a right answer.
SPEAKER_03 (28:34):
So like I think between the between the three of
us we're doing pretty good,though.
SPEAKER_04 (28:41):
Like I think so, yeah, overall.
SPEAKER_03 (28:44):
Like if we walk around together, we'll be fine.
SPEAKER_02 (28:46):
Yep.
Um okay, Ellen, who is yourgovernor?
SPEAKER_01 (28:53):
My governor is Greg Yunkin.
I think it's Greg is his firstname.
Yunkin.
SPEAKER_02 (28:59):
Yunkin, yes.
Yes, that is.
Um Joe, what's the capital ofyour state?
Richmond.
Correct.
Uh Jeremy, who are the two majorpolitical parties in the United
States?
The Republicans and theDemocrats.
(29:20):
That is correct.
Um Ellen, what political partyis President Joseph Robin F.
Biden Jr.
a member of?
SPEAKER_01 (29:31):
The Democratic political party of the United
States of America.
SPEAKER_02 (29:35):
He is a Democrat.
Okay.
Here's an interesting one.
Um, it's also one of the currentand you know, specific
questions.
Uh, who's up, Joe?
Okay.
What is the name of the speakerof the House of Representatives?
SPEAKER_03 (29:53):
Right now?
There is no speaker of the HouseRepresentative.
There is no speaker.
SPEAKER_04 (29:57):
It's uh it's a temporary dude, what McGenry is
going to be.
I can't remember who thetemporary guy is.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (30:05):
Is that what it was?
Technically, he's not thespeaker, though, is he?
Right.
SPEAKER_04 (30:08):
No, he's like the interim.
The acting.
Yeah.
Acting, is that what his titleis?
Yep.
He's getting paid for jobs he'snot doing.
SPEAKER_03 (30:17):
Yeah.
Yeah.
No, the other way around.
He's doing a job, he's notgetting paid for doing a job.
Yeah.
I checked.
SPEAKER_02 (30:27):
That's right.
I checked the test, the the umthe temporary or like the update
answers, they'll they'llactually accept three correct
answers.
So that guy, um, Kevin McCarthy,and none are acceptable answers
right now.
I guess so that people whoaren't totally up on current
events don't get a right.
(30:49):
Yeah.
Um Jeremy.
SPEAKER_04 (30:58):
Oh, yeah, no, I think it is me.
Jeremy, sorry, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (31:02):
Uh Jeremy, there.
Alan does not want anotherquestion out of turn.
Um, there are four amendments tothe Constitution about who can
vote.
Describe one of them.
SPEAKER_04 (31:16):
Uh allowing women to vote.
Bingo.
Is that what you were lookingfor?
SPEAKER_02 (31:24):
Okay.
That's gotta be one of them.
Okay.
But it's not No, really?
It's not.
You know, I'm 19th.
SPEAKER_01 (31:33):
19th of the yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (31:36):
Any citizen can vote.
Yeah, it's captured in that.
Um the the answers are citizens18 and older can vote.
You don't have to pay a poll taxto vote.
Any citizen can vote.
In other words, women and mencan vote.
A male citizen of any race canvote.
I guess that was you know beforeany citizen.
SPEAKER_04 (31:58):
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (32:00):
Yeah.
Um Ellen, what is oneresponsibility that is only for
United States citizens?
SPEAKER_01 (32:13):
Responsibility that's only for United States
citizens?
SPEAKER_02 (32:16):
Yeah, we do have some responsibilities as
citizens.
SPEAKER_01 (32:29):
To vote would be a responsibility, but it's not
necessary, or it's a yeah, tovote is a responsibility.
It's not a law.
It's not a rule.
SPEAKER_02 (32:39):
Yeah, so right.
So there is one that is a rulethough.
You're correct.
That's a correct answer.
The one that is a rule though isserving on a jury unless you
know you have a yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (32:50):
Interesting.
Yeah, that's okay.
That's also a responsibility.
But uh wait, are there any more?
Like it's the list is probablyquite short.
Perhaps it should be longer, butis it quite short?
SPEAKER_02 (33:02):
That is the list.
It's those two.
There may, there may very wellbe more that I'm just not
thinking of, you know.
I don't know.
I was, you know.
Yeah, it's interesting.
I'm not sure what else wouldfall in there.
One we'll have to come back to.
(33:22):
Joe.
Uh name one right only for UScitizens.
One right only for US citizens.
SPEAKER_03 (33:32):
Uh oh yeah, to vote.
Ellen said it, right?
To vote in public elections.
SPEAKER_02 (33:39):
Correct.
Do you want to try for the otherone?
SPEAKER_03 (33:43):
Uh yeah, let's see.
Um it's not trial by jury,because if you're caught here
from another country doingsomething, you're gonna go to
trial, right?
At a jury trial.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (34:00):
Is it run for elected office?
Yeah, for federal office.
That's right.
Nice job, yeah.
Well, that one.
Jeremy, what are two rights ofeveryone living in the United
States?
SPEAKER_04 (34:17):
Rights of everyone living in the United States.
unknown (34:27):
Right.
SPEAKER_04 (34:28):
Uh I mean, can we go back to like free speech?
Yes, you can.
Okay.
And freedom of religion.
That's right.
Freedom of religion.
Pursuit of happiness.
I don't know.
I can go back to what I missed,though, you know.
Um, yeah, we'll stop.
SPEAKER_02 (34:43):
Yeah.
Expression, speech, assembly,petition the government,
religion, and they even includethe right to bear arms.
SPEAKER_04 (34:51):
Oh, interesting.
SPEAKER_01 (34:52):
I purposely didn't, I almost said that one, but I So
not e even non-citizens livingin the United States have that
right.
SPEAKER_02 (34:59):
Yeah.
According to this test.
And it's case law.
SPEAKER_01 (35:04):
That's interesting, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (35:05):
In rural Virginia, I reserve the right to arm bears,
so yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (35:14):
Um Ellen, to what do we show loyalty when we say the
Pledge of Allegiance?
SPEAKER_01 (35:22):
To the United States flag, to the flag of the United
States of America, to the emblemof the United States of America,
to the Constitution and theflag.
All of it.
SPEAKER_02 (35:35):
You only get 17 answers.
Both of which were wrapped upinto that word.
The United States and the flag.
SPEAKER_03 (35:45):
The Republic for which it stands.
SPEAKER_04 (35:50):
I thought you were just going to start reciting the
Pledge of Allegiance.
Just answer it by Don't make mesing.
I'll start.
SPEAKER_01 (35:57):
I mean, I'll start, I'll start in with the national
anthem.
You guys will all stand up.
It'll be great.
SPEAKER_03 (36:02):
You don't have colors out in front of your
house where it's 7 30 in themorning and you're running up
for this.
SPEAKER_01 (36:07):
No, but I think I've I've told some of you guys this
that my kids have started tojust out of the bloop ask Alexa
to play the Pledge ofAllegiance.
Sorry, the National Anthem.
So ask Alexa to play theNational Anthem.
And he they know that all of usare going to stop what we're
doing and stand up because we'reall that's what we do in our
house.
And they do it just to screwmess with us.
(36:27):
Like my husband and I are like,you guys stop playing the
national anthem because we haveto go on with our lives.
SPEAKER_03 (36:33):
I just remember walking around on a military
basis and it'd be like dun dundun dun and as soon as they
sounded colors, and then peoplewould be darting inside.
They're like, you have to standup with yeah, we're all
patriots, but yeah, if I didn'tplay.
SPEAKER_02 (36:49):
That's funny.
SPEAKER_05 (36:50):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (36:51):
Um who's up?
Jeremy?
Uh no, Ellen just answered thelast one.
SPEAKER_04 (36:58):
Yeah, I think that was oh yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (36:59):
There's a what is one promise you make when you
become citizen?
One promise?
Yeah, so I I'll give some color.
You know, you have to you haveto you have to say an oath,
right?
SPEAKER_03 (37:14):
So you solemnly swear to support and defend the
Constitution of the UnitedStates.
Yes, sir.
Against all that's for it.
SPEAKER_02 (37:22):
You also uh promise to give up loyalty to other
countries to obey the laws, toserve in the military if needed,
yeah, to serve the nation and beloyal to the United States.
SPEAKER_03 (37:35):
Yeah, I love that.
Because like I went on to theimmigration department's website
looking at rights andresponsibilities.
They talk about six rights andnine responsibilities.
SPEAKER_01 (37:43):
Because you were studying for this?
Did you just admit you werestudying for this?
Okay, fine.
SPEAKER_02 (37:51):
Joe does have the least wrong, the least number of
wrong answers.
SPEAKER_05 (37:55):
Yeah, I'm like, interested.
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (37:58):
Just out of yourself, Matt.
Um Jeremy, how old do citizenshave to be to vote for
president?
SPEAKER_04 (38:09):
18 years of age.
SPEAKER_02 (38:11):
Correct.
Alan, what are two ways thatAmericans can participate in
their democracy?
SPEAKER_01 (38:20):
They can vote and they can run for office.
SPEAKER_02 (38:23):
Yes.
Vote, join a political party,help with campaign, join a civic
group, join a community group,give an elected official your
opinion on an issue, call yoursenators and representatives,
publicly support or oppose anissue or policy, run for office,
write to a newspaper.
SPEAKER_01 (38:40):
I love it.
I also I love that civicsgroups, civic groups, so
community organizations and uhthe fourth estate, the press is
involved in that.
That's that's cool.
SPEAKER_03 (38:50):
Yeah.
Yeah, we're gonna have a futureepisode on on that, like the
role of the press in democracy.
Um, because I think a muchaligned maligned community, and
none of this function withoutthem.
So um really looking forward tothat conversation.
SPEAKER_02 (39:05):
Totally.
So um we're at question number56.
Do you do we think we've gottime to get through this?
Or should we do like 10 more?
There's you know, there's ahundred of these.
SPEAKER_01 (39:18):
Ellen, you had a few well, I my proposal was that
maybe we we first of all,because I think I'm gonna get
more answers wrong, um, and Idon't want to do that, you know,
on a recorded line, but alsobecause because you know it's
such an indication that um aspeople with you know a very deep
interest in this in this stuff,and um uh people who talk about
(39:41):
engaging in in civics and andeducating ourselves about
civics, that answering thesequestions is really hard.
And that you know, understandinghow the government works is not
something that you can like readon a blog, um but it's it's you
know it's it's deeper than that.
And I think that is a b a bigmotivation for this.
Organization, so I thought wecould even talk a little bit
(40:02):
about that.
SPEAKER_02 (40:03):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (40:04):
No, you want to you want to keep asking questions?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (40:07):
It's not intuitive, is it?
Right?
I mean, you you do kind of youhave to actually know the
answers.
Yeah.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_05 (40:16):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (40:16):
I mean, one of the best ways to understand how the
whole thing works is to play anactive part.
And you know, the minimum Ithink most people can do is vote
or show up for jury duty.
Um, you know, we we certainlyadvocate for people volunteering
to support elections as asvolunteers, right?
To understand that process andhand out ballots and help people
vote.
(40:36):
Um, but yeah, I think Alan andBen, I mean, you were here at
the start.
So, like, do you want to talk alittle bit about like we the
veterans of military families,how it came to be and and just
the why of the organization?
SPEAKER_01 (40:50):
Yeah, I mean, first of all, I think we as super
patriotic citizens, um, who, youknow, again, consider ourselves,
you know, educated about the waythe country works and and the
values and the rights andresponsibilities, um, you know,
even we didn't exactly know howthe intricacies of an election
worked, for example.
And we recognized as you know,patriots that that lack of
(41:14):
education about how it works canlead to people questioning and
also can lead to misinformation,and also can lead to, you know,
uh sort of cleavages in our inour society based on something
that we really could all justunderstand, and then it would it
would be it would be a loteasier.
Um and that was a motivation.
That was one of our motivations.
(41:35):
That's of course one of our coremotivations, Joe, with you about
starting uh the vet the votecampaign.
You know, let's get out thereand get into the elections and
see how it works so that wedon't have to be questioning
from afar.
But I think, you know, when whenBen and I were first talking
about this stuff, there's somany people that um want to
that, you know, the flag hasbecome a question.
(41:55):
Like, does that somehow indicateyour political party?
And who knows the constitutionbetter has become some form of
debate when really, I mean,Americans are not generally too
educated on these deepprincipled foundations of our of
our democracy and our society.
And one political party does nothold the key to how that all
happened.
(42:15):
The history is not a you knowsomething that one party has or
the other, but that really allof us should try to be involved
in the system and educateourselves because being
connected to the military makesus particularly patriotic folks.
SPEAKER_03 (42:31):
Yeah, yeah.
And I mean, at one point it waslike kind of required, a
required course in high schoolto take civics, and you know, a
lot of places that's fallen outof the way.
And you know, I I think the moreI think about it, I teach over
at James Madison, I think itought to be a required class at
the collegiate level, right?
You know, every college student,you know, before they enter the
professional workforce as afully fledged adult, probably
(42:51):
ought to know a little bit moreabout how our government is
supposed to work.
SPEAKER_02 (42:54):
So and in the military too, right?
Yeah, um, we talked about this alot.
It's there's just such anobvious opportunity.
We, you know, we do a lot oftraining on military history and
tradition um on induction.
You know, why not do a module oncivics?
Yeah, especially on your wayout, right?
SPEAKER_05 (43:14):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (43:15):
You know, Ellen's talked about like, okay, you're
you're about to transition tobecome a civilian.
Well, you know, here's part ofthe toolkit for being a really
good civilian and citizen.
Civics.
SPEAKER_03 (43:28):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (43:29):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (43:29):
Yeah.
I remember when General Krlichused to talk about we do three
things in the Marines.
We make Marines, we win battles,and we return quality citizens
back to their communities,right?
And and that last part is superimportant because it's like when
you take off the uniform for thelast time and go home, it's like
your oath to the constitutiondoesn't end.
Your responsibility to supportdemocracy doesn't end.
But like, how are you gonna knowhow to do that if you don't
(43:51):
really know like how all this isall this works, right?
You know, we're all to theconstitution, and and uh have
never read it, right?
You know, I've I've read throughit once, I've got the pocket,
you know, constitution up there,I know at least the first 10 uh
bill of rights, but like um, butyeah, it's important.
SPEAKER_01 (44:11):
Ben, what are you gonna say?
SPEAKER_02 (44:13):
Well, just that you know, we're we're all obviously
naturally inclined to serve,right?
So we're probably gonna findways to continue to do it, and
it ought to be you know, withthe best knowledge base to
figure out how to engage.
SPEAKER_05 (44:29):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (44:30):
Yes, yeah, and and it really is a national security
imperative that Americancitizens understand this stuff,
right?
Because I mean, there arehostile actors, Russia, China,
Iran, North Korea, you know,this whole campaign around the
globe to crack public faith andtrust in democracies.
Um, you know, you're seeing alot of it rolled back,
(44:50):
especially in you know, EasternEurope and uh, you know,
arguably even here at home,right?
So you know, it's uh it's not aspectacular.
SPEAKER_01 (44:59):
Yeah, and there's and I mean it's it's easy to be
it's easy to be looking at sortof current political parties and
be super frustrated and youknow, current politicians
themselves and be frustrated andfeel like, oh, I don't want to
get involved in that.
But when you when you actuallylook at the history of what the
the you know people that startedto think about what this country
(45:19):
could be did, first of all, theylaid an incredible foundation
for a new thing, which we allbenefit from, but they also
absolutely left open um theability for us to to make
changes and you know update whatneeded to be updated.
And I think there's there'sthere's not enough understanding
about how that's supposed toflow in a society, right?
(45:41):
I mean, eventually like it'sit's okay that women were
allowed to vote, I I say, as aas a woman, and it's good that
the constitution changed toallow that.
Um and and I you know I think Ithink that's it's equally
important to understand thefoundations as to understand um
you know how how we can continueto make the country uh, you
know, as involved citizens, wecan continue to invest back in
(46:03):
the country um and make itgreat.
And I love, love that one of theanswers to what your um, you
know, responsibilities are islike being involved in a civic
organization and being involvedin the process.
I mean, that is the part we wetalk about rights, we rarely
talk about responsibilities.
And so a lot of people sit, youknow, in front of their
computers or TVs to talk abouttheir rights instead of going
(46:26):
back and saying, but what's myresponsibility?
What's the other side of that?
SPEAKER_04 (46:29):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (46:30):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (46:30):
Yeah, it'd be good as as more people get frustrated
uh with the system.
It'd be nice if folks doubleddown on learning more about it
and how it should work so thatthey could improve it rather
than just checking out.
And I think that's too often theresult as people get frustrated,
they're just like, you knowwhat, it's uh it's not worth
paying attention to because it'sit's broken.
But the reality is, you know,it's it's it's not broken.
(46:52):
A lot of it, and we've talkedabout this in the past, a lot of
it is built into the system,it's designed to be correctable
and adjustable along the way.
And uh we have a long history asa country about fighting about
what uh what is the right thingto do.
Um and so uh hopefully folkswill stay involved.
And um I think this quiz testyou know was fun and hopefully
reminds people that uh theyshould go out and do it, and uh
(47:13):
it can lean to uh lean towardsuh learning a lot more about the
system.
SPEAKER_03 (47:17):
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
I think Jeremy, you know, youyour words remind me that you
know it's a more than 200-yearexperiment in democracy, and you
know, being an experiment, youknow, has the like Ellen said,
has the ability to change,right?
You know, it's like we trythings, see what the results
are.
Um if things don't produce theresults we want, we're free to
get together again anddeliberate and try something
(47:38):
else, right?
You know, so I think um my highschool AP history teacher once
said, he said, in a democracy,he said ultimately we get the
government we deserve.
You know, so it's yeah, youknow, it's it's on us, right?
If we don't like the waypolitics is, if we think it's
too polarized and tribal, thenthen we need to do something
about it to pull the country tothe center and work for the
(47:59):
common good.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (48:01):
Joe, you must have had some good teachers.
I know.
SPEAKER_01 (48:04):
Yeah, you remember all their names.
SPEAKER_02 (48:07):
I don't think I could definitely not.
SPEAKER_01 (48:11):
Yeah.
But it's no, but it I mean, I Ithink this is the other thing I
always love.
I mean, I we we talked aboutthis idea of doing this show uh
of of you know doing the actualtest is that you know, I mean, I
come from um I come fromimmigrants that that made me a
member of the DAR, and I comefrom immigrants that came a heck
of a lot more recently fromthat, uh, than that.
(48:34):
And the think that, you know,our immigrant relations had to
do this kind of work to becomecitizens, um, and especially
ones that are more recent had toprobably do more and and take
these tests.
I mean, it's it's pretty amazingwhat people will will learn and
will do and the effort they'lltake to become an American.
Um, and that should make us allfeel feel really good about the
(48:55):
country, that people are still,you know, like I was trying to,
climbing back up on the shorewhen I didn't get the answers
right, so that we can we canstay, we can we can stay uh a
part of this awesome country.
SPEAKER_03 (49:07):
That's awesome.
Mine came here in the 1880sfleeing Prussian authorities, so
like you know, I think uhdefinitely.
SPEAKER_02 (49:17):
Well, everybody gets to stay.
SPEAKER_03 (49:21):
Thanks, Ben.
Thanks for putting thistogether.
I think this was a fun way tokind of tee up our podcast
series here and looking forlooking forward to many more
conversations.
We're gonna have uh formerofficials, we're gonna have
members of the media, we'regonna have veterans who are
working in the democracy space,family members, like everyone
who we we run across in ourjourneys uh across the country
(49:42):
that's that's honestly reallytrying to put the country first,
pull Americans to the center,shoulder the hard burden of
doing the messy work ofconsensus building and you know
making compromise when we must.
Um and uh and really trying tofigure out like you know, and I
think most Americans are there.
I think you know, when I talk topeople around, even here in
rural Virginia, it's likethey're sick of tribalism,
(50:04):
bitter politics, you know,people standing on opposite ends
of the goal line, throwing pooat each other in in DC.
And they really want to seethings happen positively for the
country.
So um, yeah, this is great.
Thank you all for joining us onan early Monday morning.
Uh, Ben, especially for you.
I know it's hopefully I can seethe sun starting to peek a
little bit in your windows.
But uh this has been great.
(50:24):
Thank you all for doing this,and um we look forward to many,
many more fantasticconversations around veterans,
military families, anddemocracy.
SPEAKER_04 (50:33):
Excellent.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_03 (50:35):
Thank you so much for listening.
If you found this podcastepisode interesting or useful,
please share it with the peopleyou know.
This episode was co-hosted byJoe Plunzler, Ellen Gifteson,
and Jeremy Butler.
The audio and video were editedby Cameron King.
Bet Our Democracy is aproduction of We the Veterans
and Military Families, a 501c3non-for-profit, nonpartisan,
(50:57):
pro-democracy organization.
We are focused on promotingpositive and patriotic civic
engagement to strengthenAmerican democracy.
Find out more about us at we theveterans.us and follow us on
social media.
Until next time.
Hello and welcome to Vet Our Democracy Podcast,
(00:02):
created by us, the nonprofit,nonpartisan, pro-democracy
group.
We the veterans and militaryfamilies.
In this series, we explore whatit means to be a citizen, what
veterans and military families'roles are in supporting and
defending our constitutionfollowing military service, and
how you can get more involved tohelp create a more perfect
union.
We're all in this democracything together, and it's
(00:22):
important to know our rights andresponsibilities and how our
government is supposed to workso we can engage patriotically
and positively to help bringabout the best version of
America.
If you care about America,democracy, mom, baseball, and
apple pie, this is the podcastfor you.
Welcome everyone to uh our firstpodcast for Vet Our Democracy.
(00:46):
So uh to tee this all up, youknow, this whole series is going
to be about veterans and theirfamilies, what's our role in
American politics and democracyand civics?
Uh how do we carry this nationand help bring it together in a
productive and positive manner?
So I think for our very firstepisode, we wanted to do uh Ben
(01:07):
had the idea to do somethingaround like how America are you?
Ben, you want to explain that alittle bit?
SPEAKER_02 (01:12):
Well, yeah, so you know, my wife recently became a
citizen, and as part of that, wedid a lot of studying for the
citizenship test.
And I was kind of surprised tolearn that some of the questions
aren't that easy, and they'resort of relatively specific
answers.
Um, and so we thought, as a testof ourselves, folks who believe
(01:34):
themselves to be relatively wellinformed on matters of civics,
how how would we do on the test?
Now, I already have been throughthe answers multiple times, so I
can't I won't be testing myself,but I'll be asking the questions
to Joe, Jeremy, and Ellen, andwe'll see how everyone does, and
we'll see whether or not Ellencheated.
SPEAKER_01 (01:55):
I didn't cheat, I promise.
SPEAKER_03 (01:58):
And for the folks listening to play along too and
see if you can get to the answerfaster than us.
And just uh for it for um astatement of fact, like neither
Ellen, Jeremy, nor I have hadany advanced notice of the
questions or the answers tothis.
So we are coming to thiscompletely cold on a Monday
morning, uh poorly caffeinated,so we'll see how it goes.
SPEAKER_02 (02:20):
Yeah, it is still dark here because it is still
dark out here.
SPEAKER_03 (02:25):
Awesome.
Awesome.
Okay, so now we set that up.
SPEAKER_04 (02:28):
I feel like this is a little like taking your
driver's license written test,where it doesn't matter how good
of a driver you are, like if youdidn't study the material, you
know, you don't know how manyfeet from a higher fire hydrant
you're supposed to park.
You just kind of wing it.
Like uh I feel like this is kindof how this is gonna go.
SPEAKER_02 (02:44):
So some of them are gonna be really easy and some of
them are gonna not.
And uh we'll see how you guysanswer the not so easy ones.
Okay, so the the deal is thatyou to pass, you have to answer
six out of ten questionscorrectly.
There are a hundred there are ahundred possible questions.
Um, so we'll we'll try and runthrough all of them, but if
(03:05):
anyone gets less than six out oftheir first ten correct, you
have failed.
SPEAKER_03 (03:10):
Do we get deported?
Like do we get to stay if we getthis wrong?
SPEAKER_02 (03:16):
Oh, yeah, right.
SPEAKER_01 (03:18):
Do not translate's nervous too.
SPEAKER_02 (03:22):
So here's so here's the order.
We'll go Ellen Joe Jeremy.
Does that work for you all?
Okay.
SPEAKER_05 (03:29):
Yep.
SPEAKER_02 (03:30):
Ellen, you're getting a softball as the first
one.
So we jump into it, everyoneright here.
Let's do it.
I'm really nervous.
What is the supreme law of theland, Alan?
SPEAKER_01 (03:43):
The United States Constitution.
SPEAKER_02 (03:45):
Correct.
SPEAKER_03 (03:46):
Nice.
SPEAKER_04 (03:47):
That was a total softball.
SPEAKER_01 (03:49):
Oh, stop.
SPEAKER_02 (03:52):
Joe, what does the Constitution do?
Governs our laws.
I we can probably, you know, Ithink I don't know if they would
give you credit for that, butI'll tell you what the answers
are.
It sets up the government,defines the government, or
(04:14):
protects the basic rights ofAmericans.
SPEAKER_03 (04:16):
Protects the basic rights of Americans.
SPEAKER_02 (04:19):
There you go.
There you go.
We're gonna give you, Joe, we'llgive you one incorrect.
SPEAKER_04 (04:27):
That was a tough one.
I will I I'm yeah, that's I'm onyour side here, Joe.
That was that was a rough startfor you.
SPEAKER_02 (04:33):
There are a few of those.
There are a few of those.
Okay.
Um, Jeremy, the idea ofself-government is in the first
three words of the Constitution.
What are these words?
We the people.
Yes, sir.
Correct.
SPEAKER_04 (04:47):
Thank you.
I said with confidence, too,you'll notice.
SPEAKER_01 (04:50):
That was good.
Yeah, you get points for that.
SPEAKER_02 (04:52):
Thank you.
Ellen, what is an amendment?
SPEAKER_01 (04:56):
An addition to the original uh Bill of Rights of
the Constitution.
SPEAKER_02 (05:03):
I would actually say technically that is incorrect.
I agree.
SPEAKER_00 (05:08):
Wow.
Okay.
Okay.
SPEAKER_04 (05:09):
Any change that's the constitution, right?
And not just to the Bill ofRights.
It's exactly.
SPEAKER_02 (05:20):
Overthought.
SPEAKER_01 (05:21):
So what's the official what's the official?
SPEAKER_02 (05:23):
A change or an addition to the Constitution.
SPEAKER_01 (05:27):
Okay.
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (05:28):
But the Bill of Rights is already a series of
amendments.
And so you're not just changingthat, you're changing the full
constitution.
SPEAKER_03 (05:38):
Good to know.
SPEAKER_05 (05:39):
All right.
SPEAKER_02 (05:42):
Okay.
Joe.
Yes.
What do we call the first 10amendments to the Constitution?
SPEAKER_03 (05:52):
The gym of rights.
I mean the Bill of Rights.
Yeah.
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (05:56):
There you go.
Correct.
SPEAKER_03 (05:58):
All right.
I get to stay.
SPEAKER_02 (06:00):
You're in.
Yeah, you're still you're stillin the you're still in the hunt.
Um okay, Jeremy, what is oneright or freedom from the First
Amendment?
SPEAKER_04 (06:10):
Oh man.
See, this is the First Amendmentfreedom of speech being.
You tell me.
Alright, I'm going with freedomof speech.
SPEAKER_02 (06:24):
Correct.
You've got speech, religion,assembly, uh, freedom of the
press, and the right to petitionthe government.
unknown (06:33):
Nice.
SPEAKER_02 (06:33):
Well done, sir.
Okay.
Thank you.
Ellen, how many amendments doesthe Constitution have?
SPEAKER_03 (06:42):
Ooh.
SPEAKER_04 (06:42):
Ooh, that's that's tough.
SPEAKER_01 (06:46):
26?
SPEAKER_03 (06:48):
27?
SPEAKER_02 (06:49):
So close.
So close, Joe, it's not yourturn.
But Ellen, that is incorrect.
It is 27, Joe was right.
Oh man.
Do I get a point for?
SPEAKER_01 (07:02):
Do I get a point for being half a point for being
close?
SPEAKER_03 (07:05):
Afraid.
I'm afraid.
I think it's L tier.
SPEAKER_01 (07:09):
You guys.
I told you I didn't study.
I told you I didn't study.
SPEAKER_02 (07:15):
That's one of those ones like feet from a hydrant.
Although, you know, I mean, ifyou haven't taken your civics
class lately, that you wereclose though with 26.
Yep.
SPEAKER_04 (07:25):
Nice.
SPEAKER_02 (07:25):
Okay.
Who's up, Joe?
What did the Declaration ofIndependence do?
SPEAKER_03 (07:32):
Oh, it told it put uh King George III of Britain on
notice.
Like, we're up out of here.
We're not doing this colonything anymore.
SPEAKER_02 (07:41):
Is that your official answer?
SPEAKER_03 (07:43):
Yeah, we told the King of England to get stuffed.
It's it's said that, hey, we'rea sovereign country and we're
going to make our own laws andelect our own leaders, and we're
done with this monarchy BS.
We don't care about Charles orDiana or you know Elizabeth or
none of that junk.
We're we're done with Hanovariankings.
SPEAKER_02 (07:59):
Okay.
I think we'll give you creditfor that.
The official answers areannounced our independence,
declared our independence, um,and or said that the United
States is free from GreatBritain.
SPEAKER_03 (08:13):
Awesome.
SPEAKER_04 (08:15):
He added an Hanovarian in there, which, you
know, that's that is impressive,and I I don't even understand
what it means, but it soundedlike that.
SPEAKER_05 (08:22):
I was thinking of back to Hamilton, you know?
SPEAKER_04 (08:24):
Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_02 (08:26):
Yeah.
Jeremy, what are two rights inthe Declaration of Independence?
SPEAKER_04 (08:37):
Two rights in the Declaration of Independence.
Oh man.
We didn't set a timer on this.
(08:57):
I'm just gonna wave it.
I I don't know.
I'd be sitting here thinkingabout life, liberty, happiness.
Pursuit of happiness.
SPEAKER_00 (09:05):
Is that really?
SPEAKER_04 (09:06):
Pursuit of happiness.
Oh man, that's that's BS.
I thought it was something alittle bit more specific there.
Yeah, you're right, Joe.
SPEAKER_01 (09:14):
Pursuit of happiness.
You're not guaranteed happiness.
Pursuit of happiness.
SPEAKER_04 (09:18):
There you go.
SPEAKER_02 (09:18):
Jeremy's first wrong answer.
Yeah, that's painful.
Ellen, what is the freedom ofreligion?
SPEAKER_01 (09:27):
It is the ability to practice um any religion or not
practice a religion and togather with other people to
practice that religion, um, andfor other people to be able to
gather um separate from thestate and practice their own
religion.
SPEAKER_02 (09:44):
Are you reading that from somewhere else?
No.
SPEAKER_01 (09:47):
But was that good?
SPEAKER_02 (09:49):
Yeah.
Pretty much verbatim.
You can practice any religion ornot practice a religion.
SPEAKER_01 (09:55):
Nice.
SPEAKER_02 (09:56):
Well done.
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (09:57):
I'm back in the back.
I'm climbing up the shores.
SPEAKER_02 (10:03):
Um Joe, what is the economic what is the economic
system in the United States?
SPEAKER_03 (10:09):
We are a capitalist system.
SPEAKER_02 (10:11):
Correct.
Capitalist economy or marketeconomy is also correct.
Dollar dollar bill, y'all,right?
Um, yeah, it's interesting thatthey include, I mean, that's
gotta be like a Cold War vestigeor something.
SPEAKER_01 (10:27):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (10:29):
Um what is, Jeremy, the rule of law?
SPEAKER_05 (10:37):
That's hard.
unknown (10:38):
That's hard.
SPEAKER_04 (10:39):
Um I'm gonna wing it here completely.
Uh, and I'm starting to sweatbecause this could potentially
be two wrong answers in a row.
The rule of law, I was startingto think that it has something
to do with states' rights, but Idon't think so.
So I don't know.
Maybe it's something along thelines of if it's not stated in
the Constitution, it's not afederally mandated law.
(11:05):
I'm getting a lot of people.
SPEAKER_02 (11:07):
You're getting you're trying to get a little
too technical there.
Rule of law, it's uh thedefinition and the answer here
is the kind of the generaldefinition of rule of law, which
um is that everyone must followthe law, leaders must obey the
law, government must obey thelaw, and no one is above the
law.
Oh, interesting.
SPEAKER_01 (11:26):
Important, I like that.
SPEAKER_04 (11:27):
That's okay.
Is that s where is that stated?
Now this is a sidebar.
Like I'm not like uh contestingit, but um like and we can
follow up on that.
SPEAKER_01 (11:38):
But um, sounds like we all need to go to civics
class, everyone.
I mean, we've got somequestions.
SPEAKER_02 (11:46):
We're doing pretty good.
You know, so I wouldn't I don'tknow that I don't I don't know
that that is stated.
I don't think it's stated in theConstitution or any of our kind
of founding documents, but it'sa it's a kind of foundational
principle of a functioningdemocracy, right?
SPEAKER_04 (12:00):
Yeah, okay.
To the extent just for therecord, if I end up uh not
getting my six right, I mightwage a protest on this question.
SPEAKER_01 (12:09):
Just by thanks to the First Amendment, you are
allowed to because of yourfreedom of speech.
And your freedom of petitioningthe government and your freedom
of assembly.
So freedom to be ignorant.
SPEAKER_03 (12:25):
That's a good point, because it's like the antidote
to mob rule, right?
I mean, yeah, you know, it's weall we all decide to limit our
our autonomy and freedom to theextent that we respect the
rights of other people, right?
Like I remember like in highschool, Mr.
Modford was like, my right toswing my arms around ends at the
end of your nose, right?
Like, so you know, it's justlike you're not allowed to call
(12:49):
cause harm to other people.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (12:52):
Alright.
Moving on.
Okay, who's up?
Ellen is up, and you get anothersoftball.
Name one branch or part of thegovernment.
SPEAKER_01 (13:03):
Judicial branch.
SPEAKER_02 (13:05):
Correct.
Congress, legislative,president, executive, the
courts, judicial are all correctanswers.
Nice.
Joe, what stops one of thosebranches of government from
becoming too powerful?
SPEAKER_03 (13:19):
Checks and balances, as enumerated in the
Constitution of the UnitedStates.
SPEAKER_02 (13:24):
Correct.
Uh separation of powers is isalso a valid answer.
Jeremy, who's in charge of theexecutive branch?
SPEAKER_04 (13:33):
Oh, that's the president of the United States.
SPEAKER_02 (13:37):
Um Ellen, who makes federal laws?
SPEAKER_01 (13:42):
The Congress, the um legislative branch.
SPEAKER_02 (13:45):
Correct.
Congress, Senate, and House isalso correct.
Or the U.S.
or national legislature.
Um, Joe, what are the two partsof the Congress?
SPEAKER_03 (13:58):
Oh, the House of Representatives and the United
States Senate.
SPEAKER_02 (14:01):
Correct.
How many senators are there,Jeremy?
SPEAKER_04 (14:06):
100 senators.
Assuming you're not countingshadow senators and things like
that, which is gets complicated.
SPEAKER_02 (14:14):
Uh that's a concept I'm not even, I don't even know
what that is.
Are you talking about what areyou talking about there?
Uh it's DC or something?
SPEAKER_04 (14:24):
No, I think it does relate to DC.
I'm not even fully certain, butit's a phrase that's out there
somewhere.
SPEAKER_03 (14:29):
And uh well, I mean, there's is that in the house, or
like, you know, we when you getthe the folks from Guam, you
know, martial arts, they haverepresentation they can't vote
on anything, but they they havea seat, right?
SPEAKER_02 (14:44):
Like they can fill in hearings and comment, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (14:48):
Like that's on the house side.
Shadow senator, it's a phrase.
I don't know, I'll look it up,that'll be uh a little extra
credit thing, but it's somethingabout like you know, like DC has
a delegate uh that yeah can't uhcan't vote but can introduce
legislation.
I think it's the same with Guamand others.
SPEAKER_03 (15:04):
But uh which is why DC wasn't played for taxation
without representation, right?
SPEAKER_04 (15:08):
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
SPEAKER_02 (15:12):
Um okay, Ellen, how well we elect a senator for how
many years?
Six.
Correct.
Joe, this is one of the um thisis one of the location specific
questions.
Who is one of your state's U.S.
senators now?
SPEAKER_03 (15:31):
Oh, mine here in Virginia?
Yeah.
Tim Kane.
unknown (15:34):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (15:36):
Excellent.
Okay.
Do you know the other one?
Senator from Virginia.
SPEAKER_03 (15:42):
I just moved here, Ben.
I just moved here.
I was in Maryland.
SPEAKER_02 (15:46):
All right.
SPEAKER_03 (15:46):
I should I shouldn't have followed.
I knew it was Cardin and uh VanHolland in my last state.
You know, like uh I justliterally just moved here.
So don't worry, because you getcredit.
SPEAKER_02 (15:56):
You get credit.
SPEAKER_03 (15:58):
Um who to call.
SPEAKER_04 (16:02):
At least one of them.
That's right.
SPEAKER_02 (16:05):
Uh Jeremy, here's a semi-tough one.
The House of Representatives hashow many voting members?
SPEAKER_04 (16:13):
435.
SPEAKER_02 (16:15):
Bingo.
SPEAKER_04 (16:16):
Well, is that wait, was that correct, or what did
you say?
No, you're right.
Okay, good.
Yeah, I was making sure that Iwasn't counting what we just
talked about, with like I waslike, oh wait, I guess that
doesn't include.
I didn't realize that until wewere just started talking about
it that that number does notinclude those non-voting, but
that makes sense.
All right.
SPEAKER_02 (16:33):
Yeah, I think that's why they they add the word
voting in that question, right?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (16:38):
Mark Warner's my other one.
Synapse disconnected.
There we go.
All right.
SPEAKER_02 (16:44):
Um okay, Ellen, you get the same question again.
We elect a U.S.
representative for how manyyears?
Two.
Two years is correct.
Uh Joe, you get the same oneagain.
Name your U.S.
representative.
SPEAKER_03 (17:00):
Oh my god.
Sixth District, Virginia.
What's his name?
I was just on his website liketwo weeks ago.
We we haven't formed arelationship yet, then, so I'm
like, you know.
I'm gonna take L on that one.
I can't, it's not enough coffee,man.
I can't pull it out.
SPEAKER_02 (17:19):
You get five more seconds.
SPEAKER_03 (17:25):
Is it Klein?
I don't know if it is a Klein.
SPEAKER_04 (17:30):
If you say it with confidence, you're not gonna get
questioned.
SPEAKER_02 (17:33):
We will look that one up after we get through the
answers and we'll we'll find outif you get you get a correct one
or an incorrect one.
SPEAKER_03 (17:41):
Then Klein.
There we go.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (17:44):
Nice!
SPEAKER_03 (17:47):
I'm sweating that one.
SPEAKER_02 (17:51):
Um okay, Jeremy, who does a U.S.
senator represent?
The entire state.
SPEAKER_04 (17:59):
Is that the correct one?
Correct.
SPEAKER_02 (18:01):
Yeah, we'll give we'll give you we'll give you a
correct answer on that.
The technical answer here is allpeople of the state.
SPEAKER_03 (18:08):
Nice.
Good point.
SPEAKER_02 (18:11):
Okay.
Um, Ellen, why do some stateshave more representatives than
the others?
SPEAKER_01 (18:18):
Because the number of representatives is based on
population, or is the number ofsenators is equally distributed
across the states?
SPEAKER_02 (18:24):
Thank you for going above and beyond.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (18:28):
You guys, you you know I get extra credit for
that.
SPEAKER_02 (18:30):
That's like one of the things.
SPEAKER_00 (18:30):
You know I was sitting in the front row of
class, raising my hand, holdingmy hand up like this, being
like, come on, call on me again.
SPEAKER_03 (18:37):
Yeah, but I mean that's one of the big debates
about the electoral college.
If we should keep it, right?
So like you have a little statewith two senators, like, you
know, I think the entirepopulation of state like Wyoming
could fit inside uh lowerManhattan, right?
SPEAKER_04 (18:50):
I mean interesting.
Also, the the number of uhrepresentatives uh in theory
should be increasing as thenational population.
Because that's also gettingthrown off um by not changing
that number.
SPEAKER_03 (19:05):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (19:09):
Uh who's up, Joe?
How we we elect a president forhow many years?
Four.
Correct.
Uh Jeremy, in what month do wevote for president?
SPEAKER_04 (19:24):
November.
Correct.
Fast approaching.
It's a month.
We're not we're not voting forpresident this year, but
November is fast approaching.
SPEAKER_02 (19:31):
I mean November 2024 is fast approaching.
Yeah, it's true.
It's weekly approaching.
Yes.
Good point.
Um Alan, what is the name of thepresident right now?
SPEAKER_01 (19:45):
President Joe Biden Jr., I think.
SPEAKER_02 (19:50):
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.
I know.
SPEAKER_04 (19:52):
I was gonna say extra credit if you get his
middle name.
SPEAKER_01 (19:54):
Yeah, that was a good one.
SPEAKER_02 (19:56):
Uh Joe, who is the vice president?
SPEAKER_04 (19:58):
Right now?
unknown (19:59):
Oh.
SPEAKER_02 (20:00):
Vice President Harris.
Yes, Vice President Harris.
Jeremy, if the president can nolonger serve, who becomes
president?
SPEAKER_04 (20:13):
Vice President.
SPEAKER_02 (20:15):
Ellen, if both the president and the vice president
can no longer serve, who becomespresident?
SPEAKER_01 (20:21):
The uh what's the name?
The head of the Senate?
The person that's in charge ofthe Senate?
No?
Really?
The House?
Oh, the Speaker of the House?
Interesting.
I thought it was the head of theSenate.
I'm sorry.
Okay, Speaker of the House.
SPEAKER_02 (20:36):
I think we're gonna have to give you an incorrect on
that.
SPEAKER_01 (20:39):
That's fine.
You're right.
SPEAKER_02 (20:43):
Um close, though.
Just across the hall.
SPEAKER_01 (20:46):
Yeah, I thought it was the head.
That's interesting.
Okay.
Um people rule, man.
SPEAKER_02 (20:53):
Joe, who is the commander-in-chief of the
military?
The president of the UnitedStates.
Yes, sir.
Jeremy, who signs bills, junior.
Uh Jeremy, who who signs billsto become laws?
The president.
Yes, he does.
Uh Ellen, who vetoes bills?
SPEAKER_01 (21:15):
He or she.
The president of the UnitedStates.
He or she.
SPEAKER_02 (21:18):
Also the president.
He or she veto.
Allegedly.
Okay, here's a tough one.
Who's up, Joe?
What does the president'scabinet do?
SPEAKER_03 (21:36):
Oh, advises them on policy and executes the
decisions of the president.
And serves at at the at the willof the president, right?
At the pleasure of thepresident.
SPEAKER_02 (21:47):
I think we'll give you uh a correct on that.
It is simply the the theofficial answer is simply
advises the president.
SPEAKER_03 (21:54):
Okay.
All right.
SPEAKER_02 (21:55):
Everyone happy to give Joe credit on that.
Yeah, yeah, he gets credit.
They do things.
SPEAKER_04 (22:01):
They do.
SPEAKER_02 (22:04):
So, okay, so that's I I think we've everyone has
passed.
SPEAKER_04 (22:11):
I forgot about that part.
SPEAKER_03 (22:13):
I was worried.
You know, I thought they weregoing to kick me out of the
country when I went to the OhioState University for four years
and never once went to a Big Tenfootball game.
SPEAKER_04 (22:20):
Oh man.
SPEAKER_03 (22:21):
I know.
SPEAKER_04 (22:22):
Mike didn't.
SPEAKER_02 (22:23):
Well, you all get to keep your citizenship.
SPEAKER_03 (22:25):
Thank God.
SPEAKER_02 (22:28):
But we'll keep going and see, you know, how much more
we can embarrass ourselves.
Yes.
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (22:36):
Should we do like, you know, drunk Shakespeare?
SPEAKER_02 (22:38):
You know, everybody take a shot and then like I mean
it's you know, it's seveno'clock in the morning
somewhere, right?
SPEAKER_05 (22:46):
Well.
SPEAKER_02 (22:52):
I think Joe just answered.
Yeah.
Jeremy, what are two cabinetlevel positions?
SPEAKER_04 (22:59):
Oh, uh Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State.
SPEAKER_03 (23:03):
Nice.
SPEAKER_02 (23:04):
That is correct.
The secretaries are agriculture,commerce, defense, education,
energy, health and humanservices, homeland security,
housing and urban development,interior, labor, state,
transportation, treasury,veterans' affairs.
The attorney general is thecabinet level position, as is
the vice president.
(23:29):
Okay, next, Ellen.
What does the judicial branchdo?
SPEAKER_01 (23:35):
It decides uh debates over the law, cases,
debates.
Um, right?
Is that the way to say it?
SPEAKER_02 (23:45):
I think we'll we'll give you a correct on that.
It the official answers answersare reviews laws, explains laws,
resolves disputes, resolvedisputes, yeah.
Disagreements decides if a lawgoes against the Constitution.
(24:05):
Joe, what's the highest court inthe United States?
SPEAKER_03 (24:08):
The Supreme Court?
It is of the United States ofAmerica.
SPEAKER_02 (24:14):
Correct, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.
SPEAKER_03 (24:16):
I was gonna guess the people the people's court,
but you know the people's court.
SPEAKER_02 (24:23):
Um Jeremy, how many justices are on the court?
The Supreme Court?
SPEAKER_04 (24:28):
Nine.
Okay, yeah.
I feel like this is one of thosewhere it can be a trick
question, and you being thelawyer can like because like
what is it?
There's like eight and then thethe chief justice or something
like that, but I don't know.
SPEAKER_02 (24:42):
Yeah, nine is the answer to looking at the still
qualifies as a justice, but thatnumber is not like fixed in
stone.
SPEAKER_01 (24:49):
It right there's a debate about should we should we
have more.
SPEAKER_03 (24:52):
And it's grown and shrunk over the years, right?
But I think there's a goodreasonable push to say if we
have so many federal districts,right, we had to have a Supreme
Court justice for each one.
SPEAKER_02 (25:05):
I haven't heard that line of argument, but but yeah,
there's definitely certainelements are pushing for
expansion.
SPEAKER_03 (25:13):
Yeah, yeah.
Or in and should they belifelong appointments too,
right?
So that's the other debate.
SPEAKER_02 (25:21):
Yeah, and there, I mean, there's obviously two
sides to that, right?
Um you don't have a lifelongappointment, then you worry
about what the you know thejustices are are just
interviewing for their next job,right?
So okay, who who just answeredthat one?
Jeremy?
Yep.
(25:41):
Okay, Alan, who's the ChiefJustice?
SPEAKER_01 (25:46):
John Roberts.
Chief Justice John Roberts.
SPEAKER_04 (25:49):
Yeah, yes.
Of the Supreme Court of theUnited States.
SPEAKER_01 (25:52):
Of the Supreme Court of the United States, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (25:57):
Um, Joe, under our Constitution, some powers belong
to the federal government.
What is one power of the federalgovernment?
unknown (26:08):
Oh.
SPEAKER_02 (26:09):
This would be exclusive to the states.
Raise armies, collect taxes.
Yeah.
Uh both uh no, no.
One that the second one is notcorrect, but it is it is the
power of the federal governmentexclusively to create an army,
yes.
Um but states can levy taxes, ofcourse, right?
SPEAKER_03 (26:29):
Yeah, oh exclusive.
Okay, yeah, right, right, right.
SPEAKER_02 (26:32):
Yeah.
Um, although actually, no, inreading that question, I don't
know if it is exclusive, but umthat's not one of the recognized
answers for some person.
Um under the constitution, somepowers belong to the state.
I guess I mean it does saybelong, right?
So anyway, what is what is oneof the power of the states
exclusively?
(26:54):
Um sorry, that's not the R me.
SPEAKER_04 (26:56):
Uh exclusive to the states would be.
Well, I should I feel like Ishould be able to come up with
something right off the top ofmy head.
Um exclusive to the states.
SPEAKER_01 (27:13):
I have a good one.
Run elections.
SPEAKER_02 (27:17):
You gotta wait until Gary.
SPEAKER_04 (27:19):
I guess that is true.
I was thinking, I I mean, nowI've already lost because I was
gonna take that one, but um thethe elections one is a very good
point.
SPEAKER_01 (27:27):
Yeah, run elections, right?
SPEAKER_02 (27:28):
Yeah.
So that's not that's not arecognition.
SPEAKER_01 (27:32):
It is, it's 14th Amendment.
SPEAKER_02 (27:34):
It's not a recognized answer, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (27:35):
But um we're gonna go to I'm gonna talk to the
people that run the civics testand have a little chat.
SPEAKER_02 (27:41):
Is there any circumstance under which the
federal government runs anelection?
What about in any of theterritories?
I don't know.
Um, but that's not power to thestates.
Okay, so anyway, anyway, the therecognized answers are marriage
laws.
Yeah, I think that generallyfalls under the state, but so
(28:01):
there provide schooling andeducation, provide protection,
so police provide safety, firedepartments, give a driver's
license, approve zoning and landuse.
SPEAKER_03 (28:13):
But back to what Jeremy said earlier, and all
powers not enumerated in theConstitution go to the states,
right you go.
SPEAKER_04 (28:21):
Generally speaking, yeah, that's right.
So I should get credit because Isaid that earlier.
So Jeremy.
SPEAKER_01 (28:31):
And also the one that I cut you off with actually
was also not a right answer.
SPEAKER_03 (28:34):
So like I think between the between the three of
us we're doing pretty good,though.
SPEAKER_04 (28:41):
Like I think so, yeah, overall.
SPEAKER_03 (28:44):
Like if we walk around together, we'll be fine.
SPEAKER_02 (28:46):
Yep.
Um okay, Ellen, who is yourgovernor?
SPEAKER_01 (28:53):
My governor is Greg Yunkin.
I think it's Greg is his firstname.
Yunkin.
SPEAKER_02 (28:59):
Yunkin, yes.
Yes, that is.
Um Joe, what's the capital ofyour state?
Richmond.
Correct.
Uh Jeremy, who are the two majorpolitical parties in the United
States?
The Republicans and theDemocrats.
(29:20):
That is correct.
Um Ellen, what political partyis President Joseph Robin F.
Biden Jr.
a member of?
SPEAKER_01 (29:31):
The Democratic political party of the United
States of America.
SPEAKER_02 (29:35):
He is a Democrat.
Okay.
Here's an interesting one.
Um, it's also one of the currentand you know, specific
questions.
Uh, who's up, Joe?
Okay.
What is the name of the speakerof the House of Representatives?
SPEAKER_03 (29:53):
Right now?
There is no speaker of the HouseRepresentative.
There is no speaker.
SPEAKER_04 (29:57):
It's uh it's a temporary dude, what McGenry is
going to be.
I can't remember who thetemporary guy is.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (30:05):
Is that what it was?
Technically, he's not thespeaker, though, is he?
Right.
SPEAKER_04 (30:08):
No, he's like the interim.
The acting.
Yeah.
Acting, is that what his titleis?
Yep.
He's getting paid for jobs he'snot doing.
SPEAKER_03 (30:17):
Yeah.
Yeah.
No, the other way around.
He's doing a job, he's notgetting paid for doing a job.
Yeah.
I checked.
SPEAKER_02 (30:27):
That's right.
I checked the test, the the umthe temporary or like the update
answers, they'll they'llactually accept three correct
answers.
So that guy, um, Kevin McCarthy,and none are acceptable answers
right now.
I guess so that people whoaren't totally up on current
events don't get a right.
(30:49):
Yeah.
Um Jeremy.
SPEAKER_04 (30:58):
Oh, yeah, no, I think it is me.
Jeremy, sorry, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (31:02):
Uh Jeremy, there.
Alan does not want anotherquestion out of turn.
Um, there are four amendments tothe Constitution about who can
vote.
Describe one of them.
SPEAKER_04 (31:16):
Uh allowing women to vote.
Bingo.
Is that what you were lookingfor?
SPEAKER_02 (31:24):
Okay.
That's gotta be one of them.
Okay.
But it's not No, really?
It's not.
You know, I'm 19th.
SPEAKER_01 (31:33):
19th of the yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (31:36):
Any citizen can vote.
Yeah, it's captured in that.
Um the the answers are citizens18 and older can vote.
You don't have to pay a poll taxto vote.
Any citizen can vote.
In other words, women and mencan vote.
A male citizen of any race canvote.
I guess that was you know beforeany citizen.
SPEAKER_04 (31:58):
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (32:00):
Yeah.
Um Ellen, what is oneresponsibility that is only for
United States citizens?
SPEAKER_01 (32:13):
Responsibility that's only for United States
citizens?
SPEAKER_02 (32:16):
Yeah, we do have some responsibilities as
citizens.
SPEAKER_01 (32:29):
To vote would be a responsibility, but it's not
necessary, or it's a yeah, tovote is a responsibility.
It's not a law.
It's not a rule.
SPEAKER_02 (32:39):
Yeah, so right.
So there is one that is a rulethough.
You're correct.
That's a correct answer.
The one that is a rule though isserving on a jury unless you
know you have a yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (32:50):
Interesting.
Yeah, that's okay.
That's also a responsibility.
But uh wait, are there any more?
Like it's the list is probablyquite short.
Perhaps it should be longer, butis it quite short?
SPEAKER_02 (33:02):
That is the list.
It's those two.
There may, there may very wellbe more that I'm just not
thinking of, you know.
I don't know.
I was, you know.
Yeah, it's interesting.
I'm not sure what else wouldfall in there.
One we'll have to come back to.
(33:22):
Joe.
Uh name one right only for UScitizens.
One right only for US citizens.
SPEAKER_03 (33:32):
Uh oh yeah, to vote.
Ellen said it, right?
To vote in public elections.
SPEAKER_02 (33:39):
Correct.
Do you want to try for the otherone?
SPEAKER_03 (33:43):
Uh yeah, let's see.
Um it's not trial by jury,because if you're caught here
from another country doingsomething, you're gonna go to
trial, right?
At a jury trial.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (34:00):
Is it run for elected office?
Yeah, for federal office.
That's right.
Nice job, yeah.
Well, that one.
Jeremy, what are two rights ofeveryone living in the United
States?
SPEAKER_04 (34:17):
Rights of everyone living in the United States.
unknown (34:27):
Right.
SPEAKER_04 (34:28):
Uh I mean, can we go back to like free speech?
Yes, you can.
Okay.
And freedom of religion.
That's right.
Freedom of religion.
Pursuit of happiness.
I don't know.
I can go back to what I missed,though, you know.
Um, yeah, we'll stop.
SPEAKER_02 (34:43):
Yeah.
Expression, speech, assembly,petition the government,
religion, and they even includethe right to bear arms.
SPEAKER_04 (34:51):
Oh, interesting.
SPEAKER_01 (34:52):
I purposely didn't, I almost said that one, but I So
not e even non-citizens livingin the United States have that
right.
SPEAKER_02 (34:59):
Yeah.
According to this test.
And it's case law.
SPEAKER_01 (35:04):
That's interesting, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (35:05):
In rural Virginia, I reserve the right to arm bears,
so yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (35:14):
Um Ellen, to what do we show loyalty when we say the
Pledge of Allegiance?
SPEAKER_01 (35:22):
To the United States flag, to the flag of the United
States of America, to the emblemof the United States of America,
to the Constitution and theflag.
All of it.
SPEAKER_02 (35:35):
You only get 17 answers.
Both of which were wrapped upinto that word.
The United States and the flag.
SPEAKER_03 (35:45):
The Republic for which it stands.
SPEAKER_04 (35:50):
I thought you were just going to start reciting the
Pledge of Allegiance.
Just answer it by Don't make mesing.
I'll start.
SPEAKER_01 (35:57):
I mean, I'll start, I'll start in with the national
anthem.
You guys will all stand up.
It'll be great.
SPEAKER_03 (36:02):
You don't have colors out in front of your
house where it's 7 30 in themorning and you're running up
for this.
SPEAKER_01 (36:07):
No, but I think I've I've told some of you guys this
that my kids have started tojust out of the bloop ask Alexa
to play the Pledge ofAllegiance.
Sorry, the National Anthem.
So ask Alexa to play theNational Anthem.
And he they know that all of usare going to stop what we're
doing and stand up because we'reall that's what we do in our
house.
And they do it just to screwmess with us.
(36:27):
Like my husband and I are like,you guys stop playing the
national anthem because we haveto go on with our lives.
SPEAKER_03 (36:33):
I just remember walking around on a military
basis and it'd be like dun dundun dun and as soon as they
sounded colors, and then peoplewould be darting inside.
They're like, you have to standup with yeah, we're all
patriots, but yeah, if I didn'tplay.
SPEAKER_02 (36:49):
That's funny.
SPEAKER_05 (36:50):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (36:51):
Um who's up?
Jeremy?
Uh no, Ellen just answered thelast one.
SPEAKER_04 (36:58):
Yeah, I think that was oh yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (36:59):
There's a what is one promise you make when you
become citizen?
One promise?
Yeah, so I I'll give some color.
You know, you have to you haveto you have to say an oath,
right?
SPEAKER_03 (37:14):
So you solemnly swear to support and defend the
Constitution of the UnitedStates.
Yes, sir.
Against all that's for it.
SPEAKER_02 (37:22):
You also uh promise to give up loyalty to other
countries to obey the laws, toserve in the military if needed,
yeah, to serve the nation and beloyal to the United States.
SPEAKER_03 (37:35):
Yeah, I love that.
Because like I went on to theimmigration department's website
looking at rights andresponsibilities.
They talk about six rights andnine responsibilities.
SPEAKER_01 (37:43):
Because you were studying for this?
Did you just admit you werestudying for this?
Okay, fine.
SPEAKER_02 (37:51):
Joe does have the least wrong, the least number of
wrong answers.
SPEAKER_05 (37:55):
Yeah, I'm like, interested.
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (37:58):
Just out of yourself, Matt.
Um Jeremy, how old do citizenshave to be to vote for
president?
SPEAKER_04 (38:09):
18 years of age.
SPEAKER_02 (38:11):
Correct.
Alan, what are two ways thatAmericans can participate in
their democracy?
SPEAKER_01 (38:20):
They can vote and they can run for office.
SPEAKER_02 (38:23):
Yes.
Vote, join a political party,help with campaign, join a civic
group, join a community group,give an elected official your
opinion on an issue, call yoursenators and representatives,
publicly support or oppose anissue or policy, run for office,
write to a newspaper.
SPEAKER_01 (38:40):
I love it.
I also I love that civicsgroups, civic groups, so
community organizations and uhthe fourth estate, the press is
involved in that.
That's that's cool.
SPEAKER_03 (38:50):
Yeah.
Yeah, we're gonna have a futureepisode on on that, like the
role of the press in democracy.
Um, because I think a muchaligned maligned community, and
none of this function withoutthem.
So um really looking forward tothat conversation.
SPEAKER_02 (39:05):
Totally.
So um we're at question number56.
Do you do we think we've gottime to get through this?
Or should we do like 10 more?
There's you know, there's ahundred of these.
SPEAKER_01 (39:18):
Ellen, you had a few well, I my proposal was that
maybe we we first of all,because I think I'm gonna get
more answers wrong, um, and Idon't want to do that, you know,
on a recorded line, but alsobecause because you know it's
such an indication that um aspeople with you know a very deep
interest in this in this stuff,and um uh people who talk about
(39:41):
engaging in in civics and andeducating ourselves about
civics, that answering thesequestions is really hard.
And that you know, understandinghow the government works is not
something that you can like readon a blog, um but it's it's you
know it's it's deeper than that.
And I think that is a b a bigmotivation for this.
Organization, so I thought wecould even talk a little bit
(40:02):
about that.
SPEAKER_02 (40:03):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (40:04):
No, you want to you want to keep asking questions?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (40:07):
It's not intuitive, is it?
Right?
I mean, you you do kind of youhave to actually know the
answers.
Yeah.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_05 (40:16):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (40:16):
I mean, one of the best ways to understand how the
whole thing works is to play anactive part.
And you know, the minimum Ithink most people can do is vote
or show up for jury duty.
Um, you know, we we certainlyadvocate for people volunteering
to support elections as asvolunteers, right?
To understand that process andhand out ballots and help people
vote.
(40:36):
Um, but yeah, I think Alan andBen, I mean, you were here at
the start.
So, like, do you want to talk alittle bit about like we the
veterans of military families,how it came to be and and just
the why of the organization?
SPEAKER_01 (40:50):
Yeah, I mean, first of all, I think we as super
patriotic citizens, um, who, youknow, again, consider ourselves,
you know, educated about the waythe country works and and the
values and the rights andresponsibilities, um, you know,
even we didn't exactly know howthe intricacies of an election
worked, for example.
And we recognized as you know,patriots that that lack of
(41:14):
education about how it works canlead to people questioning and
also can lead to misinformation,and also can lead to, you know,
uh sort of cleavages in our inour society based on something
that we really could all justunderstand, and then it would it
would be it would be a loteasier.
Um and that was a motivation.
That was one of our motivations.
(41:35):
That's of course one of our coremotivations, Joe, with you about
starting uh the vet the votecampaign.
You know, let's get out thereand get into the elections and
see how it works so that wedon't have to be questioning
from afar.
But I think, you know, when whenBen and I were first talking
about this stuff, there's somany people that um want to
that, you know, the flag hasbecome a question.
(41:55):
Like, does that somehow indicateyour political party?
And who knows the constitutionbetter has become some form of
debate when really, I mean,Americans are not generally too
educated on these deepprincipled foundations of our of
our democracy and our society.
And one political party does nothold the key to how that all
happened.
(42:15):
The history is not a you knowsomething that one party has or
the other, but that really allof us should try to be involved
in the system and educateourselves because being
connected to the military makesus particularly patriotic folks.
SPEAKER_03 (42:31):
Yeah, yeah.
And I mean, at one point it waslike kind of required, a
required course in high schoolto take civics, and you know, a
lot of places that's fallen outof the way.
And you know, I I think the moreI think about it, I teach over
at James Madison, I think itought to be a required class at
the collegiate level, right?
You know, every college student,you know, before they enter the
professional workforce as afully fledged adult, probably
(42:51):
ought to know a little bit moreabout how our government is
supposed to work.
SPEAKER_02 (42:54):
So and in the military too, right?
Yeah, um, we talked about this alot.
It's there's just such anobvious opportunity.
We, you know, we do a lot oftraining on military history and
tradition um on induction.
You know, why not do a module oncivics?
Yeah, especially on your wayout, right?
SPEAKER_05 (43:14):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (43:15):
You know, Ellen's talked about like, okay, you're
you're about to transition tobecome a civilian.
Well, you know, here's part ofthe toolkit for being a really
good civilian and citizen.
Civics.
SPEAKER_03 (43:28):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (43:29):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (43:29):
Yeah.
I remember when General Krlichused to talk about we do three
things in the Marines.
We make Marines, we win battles,and we return quality citizens
back to their communities,right?
And and that last part is superimportant because it's like when
you take off the uniform for thelast time and go home, it's like
your oath to the constitutiondoesn't end.
Your responsibility to supportdemocracy doesn't end.
But like, how are you gonna knowhow to do that if you don't
(43:51):
really know like how all this isall this works, right?
You know, we're all to theconstitution, and and uh have
never read it, right?
You know, I've I've read throughit once, I've got the pocket,
you know, constitution up there,I know at least the first 10 uh
bill of rights, but like um, butyeah, it's important.
SPEAKER_01 (44:11):
Ben, what are you gonna say?
SPEAKER_02 (44:13):
Well, just that you know, we're we're all obviously
naturally inclined to serve,right?
So we're probably gonna findways to continue to do it, and
it ought to be you know, withthe best knowledge base to
figure out how to engage.
SPEAKER_05 (44:29):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (44:30):
Yes, yeah, and and it really is a national security
imperative that Americancitizens understand this stuff,
right?
Because I mean, there arehostile actors, Russia, China,
Iran, North Korea, you know,this whole campaign around the
globe to crack public faith andtrust in democracies.
Um, you know, you're seeing alot of it rolled back,
(44:50):
especially in you know, EasternEurope and uh, you know,
arguably even here at home,right?
So you know, it's uh it's not aspectacular.
SPEAKER_01 (44:59):
Yeah, and there's and I mean it's it's easy to be
it's easy to be looking at sortof current political parties and
be super frustrated and youknow, current politicians
themselves and be frustrated andfeel like, oh, I don't want to
get involved in that.
But when you when you actuallylook at the history of what the
the you know people that startedto think about what this country
(45:19):
could be did, first of all, theylaid an incredible foundation
for a new thing, which we allbenefit from, but they also
absolutely left open um theability for us to to make
changes and you know update whatneeded to be updated.
And I think there's there'sthere's not enough understanding
about how that's supposed toflow in a society, right?
(45:41):
I mean, eventually like it'sit's okay that women were
allowed to vote, I I say, as aas a woman, and it's good that
the constitution changed toallow that.
Um and and I you know I think Ithink that's it's equally
important to understand thefoundations as to understand um
you know how how we can continueto make the country uh, you
know, as involved citizens, wecan continue to invest back in
(46:03):
the country um and make itgreat.
And I love, love that one of theanswers to what your um, you
know, responsibilities are islike being involved in a civic
organization and being involvedin the process.
I mean, that is the part we wetalk about rights, we rarely
talk about responsibilities.
And so a lot of people sit, youknow, in front of their
computers or TVs to talk abouttheir rights instead of going
(46:26):
back and saying, but what's myresponsibility?
What's the other side of that?
SPEAKER_04 (46:29):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (46:30):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (46:30):
Yeah, it'd be good as as more people get frustrated
uh with the system.
It'd be nice if folks doubleddown on learning more about it
and how it should work so thatthey could improve it rather
than just checking out.
And I think that's too often theresult as people get frustrated,
they're just like, you knowwhat, it's uh it's not worth
paying attention to because it'sit's broken.
But the reality is, you know,it's it's it's not broken.
(46:52):
A lot of it, and we've talkedabout this in the past, a lot of
it is built into the system,it's designed to be correctable
and adjustable along the way.
And uh we have a long history asa country about fighting about
what uh what is the right thingto do.
Um and so uh hopefully folkswill stay involved.
And um I think this quiz testyou know was fun and hopefully
reminds people that uh theyshould go out and do it, and uh
(47:13):
it can lean to uh lean towardsuh learning a lot more about the
system.
SPEAKER_03 (47:17):
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
I think Jeremy, you know, youyour words remind me that you
know it's a more than 200-yearexperiment in democracy, and you
know, being an experiment, youknow, has the like Ellen said,
has the ability to change,right?
You know, it's like we trythings, see what the results
are.
Um if things don't produce theresults we want, we're free to
get together again anddeliberate and try something
(47:38):
else, right?
You know, so I think um my highschool AP history teacher once
said, he said, in a democracy,he said ultimately we get the
government we deserve.
You know, so it's yeah, youknow, it's it's on us, right?
If we don't like the waypolitics is, if we think it's
too polarized and tribal, thenthen we need to do something
about it to pull the country tothe center and work for the
(47:59):
common good.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (48:01):
Joe, you must have had some good teachers.
I know.
SPEAKER_01 (48:04):
Yeah, you remember all their names.
SPEAKER_02 (48:07):
I don't think I could definitely not.
SPEAKER_01 (48:11):
Yeah.
But it's no, but it I mean, I Ithink this is the other thing I
always love.
I mean, I we we talked aboutthis idea of doing this show uh
of of you know doing the actualtest is that you know, I mean, I
come from um I come fromimmigrants that that made me a
member of the DAR, and I comefrom immigrants that came a heck
of a lot more recently fromthat, uh, than that.
(48:34):
And the think that, you know,our immigrant relations had to
do this kind of work to becomecitizens, um, and especially
ones that are more recent had toprobably do more and and take
these tests.
I mean, it's it's pretty amazingwhat people will will learn and
will do and the effort they'lltake to become an American.
Um, and that should make us allfeel feel really good about the
(48:55):
country, that people are still,you know, like I was trying to,
climbing back up on the shorewhen I didn't get the answers
right, so that we can we canstay, we can we can stay uh a
part of this awesome country.
SPEAKER_03 (49:07):
That's awesome.
Mine came here in the 1880sfleeing Prussian authorities, so
like you know, I think uhdefinitely.
SPEAKER_02 (49:17):
Well, everybody gets to stay.
SPEAKER_03 (49:21):
Thanks, Ben.
Thanks for putting thistogether.
I think this was a fun way tokind of tee up our podcast
series here and looking forlooking forward to many more
conversations.
We're gonna have uh formerofficials, we're gonna have
members of the media, we'regonna have veterans who are
working in the democracy space,family members, like everyone
who we we run across in ourjourneys uh across the country
(49:42):
that's that's honestly reallytrying to put the country first,
pull Americans to the center,shoulder the hard burden of
doing the messy work ofconsensus building and you know
making compromise when we must.
Um and uh and really trying tofigure out like you know, and I
think most Americans are there.
I think you know, when I talk topeople around, even here in
rural Virginia, it's likethey're sick of tribalism,
(50:04):
bitter politics, you know,people standing on opposite ends
of the goal line, throwing pooat each other in in DC.
And they really want to seethings happen positively for the
country.
So um, yeah, this is great.
Thank you all for joining us onan early Monday morning.
Uh, Ben, especially for you.
I know it's hopefully I can seethe sun starting to peek a
little bit in your windows.
But uh this has been great.
(50:24):
Thank you all for doing this,and um we look forward to many,
many more fantasticconversations around veterans,
military families, anddemocracy.
SPEAKER_04 (50:33):
Excellent.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_03 (50:35):
Thank you so much for listening.
If you found this podcastepisode interesting or useful,
please share it with the peopleyou know.
This episode was co-hosted byJoe Plunzler, Ellen Gifteson,
and Jeremy Butler.
The audio and video were editedby Cameron King.
Bet Our Democracy is aproduction of We the Veterans
and Military Families, a 501c3non-for-profit, nonpartisan,
(50:57):
pro-democracy organization.
We are focused on promotingpositive and patriotic civic
engagement to strengthenAmerican democracy.
Find out more about us at we theveterans.us and follow us on
social media.
Until next time.
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