Politics with Paul

Paul Rader
  • 0.0 (0)
  • GOVERNMENT

Approachable, nonpartisan, and nonideological analysis of various political topics by nonpartisan political analyst, writer, researcher, and speaker Paul Rader.

  1. 7H AGO

    Are Campaigns About Mobilization or Persuasion? Why it Matters | Politics with Paul #73

    One of the most fundamental questions a political campaign must ask themselves is this: How much are you trying to persuade voters and how much are you trying to mobilize them? Some voters are never going to vote for your side, some voters are always going to vote for your side, some are up for grabs, and some are rarely (or never) going to participate at all. Knowing who is who, and how to appeal to them, is one of the keys to winning elections. There is no clear checklist that tells you how much your campaign must mobilize and how much it must mobilize. You can also have multiple people look at the same exact campaign and give you different answers about how to mobilize and/or persuade. However, today's episode covers many of the electoral factors to consider, how they impact your mobilization and persuasion strategies, and why it's important for you to know - even if you are not involved in politics for a living.

    47 min

  2. DEC 23

    How Federal and State Laws and Legislation are Interpreted: A Crash Course | Politics with Paul #72

    Have you ever wondered how to make sense of the text of legislation and laws but you didn't know where to begin, or you felt the task too intimidating or daunting? Then this episode is for you! It's a crash course to introduce you to how legislation is interpreted at the federal and state levels so that is more accessible and understandable. Understanding how laws are interpreted is incredibly important for civic knowledge and the ability of citizens to hold government and political commentators accountable. Today's episode shows how the debates about interpretation have evolved from the very beginnings of US Constitutional debates to the tools used to interpret federal and state statutes - including information pulled from my own webinar I give to civics and public affairs organizations on how to understand legislation for themselves and their clients.

    57 min

  3. DEC 16

    "Voter Dollars": the Solution to Our Campaign Finance Woes? w/ Dan McMillan | Politics with Paul #71

    Could a plan called "Voter Dollars" be the key to solving the issues with campaign finance laws in American politics? The exorbitant levels of spending in political campaigns have dismayed Americans across parties and ideologies, contributing to the disenchantment many voters (and would-be voters) feel about politics. Despite concern about politicians being bought by special interests, campaign finance reform has been particularly difficult to implement in America. However, today's guest, Dan McMillan of Make Voters the Donors, makes his case for why "Voter Dollars" is the answer we've all been looking for and how his organization plans to implement it.

    1h 14m

  4. DEC 9

    How to Promote Pluralism in American Politics w/ Liz Vogel (New Pluralists) | Politics with Paul #70

    Pluralism is a core part of American politics--or at least, it's supposed to be. Our civic life is meant to be a blend of varied backgrounds and viewpoints coming together to improve our political system. Yet far too often, we are siloed into echo chambers and see divisiveness and polarization reign in our discourse. So how do we get back to upholding pluralism in America? That's what Liz Vogel, co-executive director of New Pluralists, discusses on today's episode, including what pluralism looks like today, what challenges to pluralism we must overcome, and how we individually can promote pluralism.

    57 min

  5. DEC 2

    What is Democracy—And How is it Working in America? | Politics with Paul #69

    Democracy in America is fragile, yet a lot of the rhetoric surrounding it is fraught with biases and appeals that are about winning elections and political battles rather than truly preserving democracy. There are also a lot of misunderstandings and debate about what democracy is and should be. To truly uphold and preserve democracy in this country, we must truly understand what it means and the challenges that face it. Today's episode of Politics with Paul explores what the core of American democracy is about, including whether we truly are a democracy, public perceptions of American democracy, and threats that we must wary of and address.

    1h 5m

  6. NOV 25

    Does the Supreme Court Need to Rein in Presidential Power? w/ Peter Cohen | Politics with Paul #68

    The power of the US presidency has expanded considerably over 235 years. But has it gone too far and broken our system of separation of powers? If so, how do we (and especially the US Supreme Court) rein it back in? Retired attorney Peter Cohen looks at these questions in his new book, "In the Supreme Court's Own Words: First Principles for Checking Presidential Power and Preserving the Republic." Our conversation includes discussion about how to make legal rulings more understandable, constitutional restraints that presidents of both parties have tested, whether the "activist judge" argument has caused problems in our political discourse, and how we change our opinion on expanded presidential power based on whether we support the president.

    1h 23m

  7. NOV 18

    Empowering Citizens Across Political Beliefs to Overcome Divisions | Politics with Paul #67

    Imagine a one-stop shop for political research where every candidate is seen, every citizen is heard, and every journalist is free to speak. Is such a thing possible? Can we create a level playing field for candidates, citizens, and journalists all through one central hub? That is what today's guest, Travis Misurell, is building through the Future is Now Coalition (FiNC). Included in our discussion are the difference between power-first and people-first candidates, how FiNC seeks to fix the ballot information problem without overwhelming voters, and incentivizing a more unified sense of purpose and action.

    1h 3m

  8. NOV 11

    How Polling Can Move Political Conversations Forward w/ Doug Kaplan | Politics with Paul #66

    How do various organizations benefit from polling? How can targeted communication and unbiased polling move conversations forward? Seasoned pollster Doug Kaplan discusses these questions and more, including whether political betting markets are a threat to pollsters, public misconceptions about polling, and what polling and market research in other countries can tell us about engaging American communities in civil political dialogue.

    36 min
See All (74)

About

Approachable, nonpartisan, and nonideological analysis of various political topics by nonpartisan political analyst, writer, researcher, and speaker Paul Rader.

Information

  • Creator
    Paul Rader
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    74
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Politics with Paul
  • Show Website
    Politics with Paul