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Swamp Stories

Podglomerate

A new series brought to you by Issue One that dives into political reform with a conservative lens. It follows our host Weston Wamp — millennial Republican and former candidate for Congress — as he shines a light on the swampiest practices in Washington that repulse Republicans and Democrats alike: Slush funds in Congress, dark money in elections, gerrymandered districts, foreign interference in our elections, dialing for dollars, and more. Voices from the left and right are accompanied by leading reformers who discuss bipartisan solutions to fixing the broken political system and how to take back our government. Swamp Stories is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

A new series brought to you by Issue One that dives into political reform with a conservative lens. It follows our host Weston Wamp — millennial Republican and former candidate for Congress — as he shines a light on the swampiest practices in Washington that repulse Republicans and Democrats alike: Slush funds in Congress, dark money in elections, gerrymandered districts, foreign interference in our elections, dialing for dollars, and more. Voices from the left and right are accompanied by leading reformers who discuss bipartisan solutions to fixing the broken political system and how to take back our government. Swamp Stories is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

Location:

United States

Networks:

Podglomerate

Description:

A new series brought to you by Issue One that dives into political reform with a conservative lens. It follows our host Weston Wamp — millennial Republican and former candidate for Congress — as he shines a light on the swampiest practices in Washington that repulse Republicans and Democrats alike: Slush funds in Congress, dark money in elections, gerrymandered districts, foreign interference in our elections, dialing for dollars, and more. Voices from the left and right are accompanied by leading reformers who discuss bipartisan solutions to fixing the broken political system and how to take back our government. Swamp Stories is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

Language:

English

Episodes

20. Firewall

10/30/2020
COVID-19 has changed many aspects of everyday life, including the way many Americans are voting. Because of this, people have increasingly begun to wonder about delayed election results, or contested outcomes, or even the possibility that a candidate may not concede. But in the middle of all this, a group of well-respected Americans has come together to defend the integrity of our elections, ensure that every American's vote is counted this November, and instill confidence that we can hold a...

Duration:00:15:26

19. Recounting 2000

10/19/2020
This year, many Americans are worried that the 2020 elections will be contested, chaotic, and drawn out, leading to comparisons with the infamous 2000 Bush vs. Gore election that was ultimately decided by the Supreme Court. Weston sat down with Leonard Downie Jr., Executive Editor of the Washington Post during the 2000 election, to unpack what happened in 2000, what if any parallels there are to this year's election, and how politics and journalism has changed since 2000.

Duration:00:15:51

18. Conversations: Justin Giboney

10/12/2020
This is the second episode in a periodic series of conversations between Swamp Stories host Weston Wamp and leaders in the political reform movement. This week, AND Campaign’s Co-founder Justin Giboney joins Weston to discuss the intersection of faith and politics, separating identity from political party, and how people of faith can put their faith in action in this election and beyond.

Duration:00:30:08

17. Setting the Record Straight

9/29/2020
Running an election amidst a pandemic presents historic challenges — a problem made even more difficult by a new and unprecedented controversy about absentee voting, a well-established method of casting a ballot which is expected to double this election. Voters on both sides of the aisle are left wondering what the facts are, and whether or not we'll be able to trust the outcome because of it. Host Weston Wamp sets the record straight by talking with two election experts about absentee...

Duration:00:17:33

Bonus Episode: "People of Faith: Engage 2020"

9/14/2020
Issue One hosted a roundtable with faith leaders to explore how people of faith and church communities can engage civically to promote shared values and integrity in a volatile election year. The “People of Faith: Engage 2020” summit featured Christian musician Michael W. Smith, longtime Southern Baptist leader Dr. Richard Land, President Obama’s evangelical outreach leader Michael Wear, & Campaign Co-Founder Justin Giboney, and young author and theologian, Kaitlyn Schiess. The conversation...

Duration:01:26:49

16. Whistleblowers

8/31/2020
A unique bipartisan group of over 200 former members of Congress, governors, and Cabinet officials has come together to build off their experiences while in office and advocate for solutions to fix our broken political system. Weston chats with a few of these ReFormers about their time in Washington, their personal swamp stories, and what they’re doing to help increase transparency, improve civic participation, and make our political leaders more accountable to the American people. Guests:

Duration:00:20:12

15. The Conservative Case for Reform

8/6/2020
Host Weston Wamp examines the history of conservatives opposing political reform over the years, and looks at how a new wave of Republican reformers is turning the tide when it comes to fixing the political system. Listen to this episode to hear Weston speak with some of these reformers, including a member of Congress, to build the conservative case for reform. Guests:

Duration:00:20:39

Bonus from Democracy Works: The People Who Choose the President

7/31/2020
At the end of its 2020 term, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling on what might seem like an obscure question in Constitutional law, but could have huge ramifications in elections this November and beyond. Democracy Works, Swamp Stories' partner in the Democracy Group podcast network, dives into the ruling on “faithless electors” in this episode featuring Issue One’s Executive Director Meredith McGehee.

Duration:00:42:28

14. Conversations: Nick Penniman

7/27/2020
We’re introducing the first episode in a periodic series of conversations between Swamp Stories host Weston Wamp and leaders in the political reform movement. This episode's guest: Nick Penniman, Founder and CEO of Issue One

Duration:00:40:55

13. Hidden Trillions

6/25/2020
The CARES Act, which was signed into law in March, was intended to help with the crippling economic effects America was experiencing due to COVID-19. But it also opened the floodgates to a lobbying frenzy by big businesses attempting to influence where funds should go. In episode 13, Weston looks at those efforts to shape the CARES Act, and the critical importance of ensuring that these kind of programs are transparent and that taxpayers can see where their money is going. Guests:

Duration:00:16:16

12. Shadow Lobbying

6/1/2020
The influence industry looms large in policymaking in Washington, DC, and the big players are lobbyists. Because of legal loopholes, more people than ever who make a living lobbying Congress are skirting the rules with impunity to avoid registering as a lobbyist and wearing the scarlet "L." On episode 12, Weston wades into the world of “shadow lobbying” to give listeners an inside look into what lobbying actually means, how influencers are able to easily get around the rules, and introduces...

Duration:00:17:58

11. Fixing the People's House

5/18/2020
Congressional approval ratings have been at an all-time low in recent years. But a small group of members in Congress — and dedicated political reform groups — are trying to turn that around and make Congress more functional and responsive to the American people. This week, we’re taking you behind the scenes for an up-close look at one of the few bright spots in Washington — the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. This episode has been updated with additional...

Duration:00:24:39

Making Congress Great Again

5/12/2020
Guest List:

Duration:00:26:18

Bonus Episode: COVID-19 and Democracy

4/30/2020
We joined some of our fellow Democracy Group members for a special bonus episode about COVID-19's impact on politics at the local, state, national, and international levels. On this episode: Democracy WorksIn the ArenaThis is DemocracyOut of OrderSwamp Stories

Duration:00:54:34

10. The Show Must Go On

4/24/2020
One of the biggest challenges COVID-19 poses to our democracy? Holding safe, secure, and fair elections this year. Our democracy is at risk if states don’t adequately prepare for the various threats that this viral outbreak presents to the smooth running of our elections. In this episode, we talk with leading voices at the state and national level about how coronavirus affects voting, the task ahead for states and election administrators, and how our elections can be held safely this...

Duration:00:15:15

9. Profiting from Public Service

4/13/2020
Recent news reports have exposed that some members of Congress dumped stock after receiving classified congressional briefings on COVID-19. We're going to talk about how lawmakers are able to use their positions of power for personal financial gain through insider trading — and what Congress can do to stop it. Episode Guests: Resources: Issue One Report: The Ethics Blind Spot (February 2018)How Congress can prevent conflicts of interest (April 2020)Insider Trading by Members of Congress...

Duration:00:22:17

8. The Russians are Coming

3/30/2020
In 2016 and 2018, foreign actors including Russia, China, and Iran interfered in our elections and tried to disrupt our political system. Here’s how we can stop them from succeeding in 2020. Guests: Learn more about Issue One's "Don't Mess With US" project and solutions to help prevent foreign interference in our political system at https://www.dontmesswithus.org. You can find all episodes of Swamp Stories at https://www.swampstories.org.

Duration:00:22:27

7. Beating the Machine

3/16/2020
Conventional wisdom says the candidate who has the most money wins on election night. But that’s not always true, and we’ll talk about how David has beaten Goliath in recent years as candidates turn to small-dollar fundraising, digital-first campaigns, and grassroots armies to beat the system.

Duration:00:18:46

Introducing: Democracy Works

3/9/2020
This is a guest episode from the "Democracy Works" podcast. Swamp Stories will return on March 16 with a new episode. Full notes at www.swampstories.org. Follow Issue One on Twitter.

Duration:00:39:24

6. Dark Money Shell Game

3/2/2020
In 2010, the Supreme Court opened the floodgates to record amounts of secret cash flowing into our elections. Here’s how it works - and why we have to stop it. Guests: More show notes at www.swampstories.org. Follow Issue One on Twitter. Follow Weston Wamp on Twitter.

Duration:00:25:28

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