Civics on the Rocks

Anne Trominski

A history teacher and an engineer walk into a bar…ouch! Except there isn’t a bar. But there are dad jokes. And whiskey. Two guys who know a few things, have been around a few blocks, and a few cocktails, discuss politics, science, history, technology, and the planet Earth. They also warp through rabbit holes in both the Federation and the Galactic Empire, and toast the ashes of the Twelve Colonies. And did I mention dad jokes? Yeah. Grab a drink, pull up a chair, and join us for Civics on the Rocks. Oh, and if you want some merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/CivcsRocks/shop?asc=u

  1. 2d ago

    Untethered Tangent on Voting

    Civics on the Rocks

  2. Oct 5

    Why is it so Hard to Vote?

    Steve defiles a chicken, Anne misrepresents Swedish fish, and Mack imitates a raven. Oh, and we talk about voting. MAKE YOUR PLAN TO VOTE: https://www.vote411.org/ REFERENCES There has been a trend among both parties to encourage people to get out and vote: Carnegie Corporation of New York. “Voting Rights: A Short History.” Updated March 2025. Andrew Carnegie Foundation. https://carnegie.org/article/voting-rights-timeline/ Public schools have a responsibility to make sure that high schoolers that are of age, that we get them registered to vote: Texas Secretary of State. “High School Deputy Registrar FAQs.” https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/laws/high-school-frequently-asked-questions.shtml The name of the multistate database to help coordinate voter rolls is the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC): ERIC. “What is ERIC?” https://ericstates.org/about/ This is a far cry from where we started: University of North Texas. “A Brief History of Voting in America.” https://guides.library.unt.edu/voting/history-of-voting-America In the Constitution, this is still true, states on their own decide who gets to vote: Constitution Annotated. “ArtI.S4.C1.2.1 States and Elections Clause.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S4-C1-2/ALDE_00013577/ There have been times that states allowed foreign residents to vote: Castellanos Canales, Arturo. “The Myths and Truths of Noncitizen Voting in the United States.” May 7, 2024. Forum. https://forumtogether.org/article/the-myths-and-truths-of-noncitizen-voting-in-the-united-states/ There’s also been a change in the meaning of the word citizen throughout time: National Museum of American History. “Defining Citizenship.” Smithsonian. https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-democracy/online/creating-citizens/defining-citizenship The word citizen is mentioned several times in the Constitution including as a requirement to become a member of the House and Senate, or to serve as President. Read your Constitution, kids. The Dred Scott case: Oyez. “Dred Scott v. Sandford.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1850-1900/60us393 There was no secret ballot: Wasley, Paula. “Back When Everyone Knew How You Voted.” Fall 2016. National Endowment for the Humanities. https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2016/fall/feature/back-when-everyone-knew-how-you-voted Especially when you have political machines and bosses: Britannica Editors. “Political Machine.” Updated February 20, 2026. https://www.britannica.com/topic/political-machine And this brings us to Edgar Allen Poe: Poetry Foundation. “Edgar Allan Poe.” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/edgar-allan-poe It’s one theory: Geiling, Natasha. “The (Still) Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe.” October 7, 2014. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/still-mysterious-death-edgar-allan-poe-180952936/ The practice of voter fraud that Mack describes was called cooping: Lapham’s Quarterly. “Miscellany.” https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/democracy/miscellany/man-was-used The case of Dred Scott v. Sandford: Urofsky, Melvin I. “Dred Scott Decision.” Updated September 26, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Dred-Scott-decision The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at the time was a guy called Roger Taney: Schumacher, Alvin J. “Roger B. Taney.” Updated July 9, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Roger-B-Taney The idea of state’s rights: Drake, Frederick Dean. “State’s Rights.” Updated August 5, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/states-rights The Thirteenth,…: Constitution Annotated. “Thirteenth Amendment.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-13/ …the Fourteenth,…: Constitution Annotated. “Fourteenth Amendment.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-14/ …and Fifteenth Amendments: Constitution Annotated. “Fifteenth Amendment.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-15/ It happened after the Civil War: Weber, Jennifer L. “American Civil War.” Updated September 23, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Civil-War When Ulysses S. Grant became President: Simon, John Y. “Ulysses S. Grant.” Updated September 18, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ulysses-S-Grant The rise of the KKK: Frantz, Elaine S. “The Rise (and Fall) of the First Ku Klux Klan.” Fall 2019. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/rise-and-fall-first-ku-klux-klan The first Civil Rights Act is passed in 1866: National Constitution Center. “Civil Rights Act of 1866, ‘An Act to Protect All Persons in the United States in Their Civil Rights, and Furnish the Means of Their Vindication.” https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/historic-document-library/detail/civil-rights-act-of-1866-april-9-1866-an-act-to-protect-all-persons-in-the-united-states-in-their-civil-rights-and-furnish-the-means-of-their-vindication We have Reconstruction: Foner, Eric. “Reconstruction.” Updated September 26, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Reconstruction-United-States-history It was during that time that you had Black enfranchisement, effectively: National Archives. “Black Americans and the Vote.” https://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/vote That’s when you have the first Blacks in Southern legislatures elected: History.com Editors. “Black Leaders During Reconstruction.” Updated May 28, 2025. https://www.history.com/articles/black-leaders-during-reconstruction The first Black man to serve in the Senate: United States House of Representatives. “Revels, Hiram Rhodes.” https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/R/REVELS,-Hiram-Rhodes-(R000166)/ The first Black man to serve in the House of Representatives: United States House of Representatives. “Representative Joseph Rainey of South Carolina, the First African American to Serve in the House.” https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1800-1850/Representative-Joseph-Rainey-of-South-Carolina,-the-first-African-American-to-serve-in-the-House/ Then, in the election of 1876: Blackford, Sheila. “Disputed Election of 1876.” Miller Center. https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/educational-resources/disputed-election-1876 The corrupt bargain, allegedly: History.com Editors. “Compromise of 1877.” Updated May 28, 2025. https://www.history.com/articles/compromise-of-1877 Hayes maintained to his dying day that there was no corrupt bargain: Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museum. “Stubborn Myth of Corrupt Deal Regarding Hayes Persists 150 Years Later.” https://www.rbhayes.org/news/2026/02/26/general/stubborn-myth-of-corrupt-deal-regarding-hayes-persist-150-years-later/ Because we are in the midst of America’s industrial boom: White, Richard. “The Rise of Industrial America, 1877–1900.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/rise-industrial-america-1877-1900 To call it voter intimidation against Blacks would be the least of what was happening. There were beatings and assaults and murders: Equal Justice Initiative. “Reconstruction in America: Racial Violence After the Civil War, 1865–1876.” https://eji.org/report/reconstruction-in-america/ They would say, “Well, if you want to vote, then you have to pass a literacy test.”: National Museum of American History. “Literacy Tests.” Smithsonian. https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-democracy/online/vote-voice/keeping-vote/state-rules-federal-rules/literacy-tests The political leadership of Southern states, which was pulled from much the same class of society as from before the Civil War, were not really interested in Blacks or poor Whites being educated: Delevingne, Lawrence and Lasseter, Tom. “Heirs of Power.” December 13, 2023. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-slavery-families/ Grandfather clause: Britannica Editors. “Grandfather Clause.” Updated July 22, 2020. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/grandfather-clause Registration requirements: Cresswell, Stephen. “Mississippi Constitution Disfranchises Black Voters.” 2023. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/mississippi-constitution-disfranchises-black-voters/ Poll taxes: National Museum of American History. “Poll Taxes.” Smithsonian. https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-democracy/online/vote-voice/keeping-vote/state-rules-federal-rules/poll-taxes Occasional rises of the KKK: Lay, Shawn. “Ku Klux Klan in the Twentieth Century.” Updated August 12, 2020. New Georgia Encyclopedia. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/ku-klux-klan-in-the-twentieth-century/ It was called the Australian ballot: Britannica Editors. “Australian Ballot.” Updated May 3, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Australian-ballot There was a Civil Rights Act that Congress passed in 1875: Untied States Senate. “Landmark Legislation: Civil Rights Act of 1875.” https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/CivilRightsAct1875.htm They’re called the Civil Rights Cases: Oyez. “The Civil Rights Cases.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1850-1900/109us3 The Civil Rights Act of 1964: National Archives. “Civil Rights Act (1964).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/civil-rights-act The Commerce Clause: Constitution Annotated. “ArtI.S8.C3.1 Overview of Commerce Clause.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C3-1/ALDE_00013403/ The Civil Rights Act of 1957: United States House of Representatives. “The Civil Rights Ac

  3. Sep 7

    Note to Our Listeners

    Hey y’all. We apologize but we will not be posting a full episode this month. We have a great one recorded for you, but our editing team has suffered a loss in the family. Thank you for your understanding and we’ll talk to you again in October.

  4. Aug 17

    Untethered Tangent on Hitler

    Civics on the Rocks

  5. Aug 3

    We’re Three!

    Thanks for listening, folks! We love having you here! Our birthday gift to you is A Slightly Tipsy Squirrel. Cheers!

  6. Jul 20

    Untethered Tangent on a Cocktail Idea

    Civics on the Rocks

  7. Jul 6

    Liberty and Justice for All

    Mack gives examples from real life, Steves waxes philosophical about liberty, and Anne pursues happiness. REFERENCES The idea of liberty and justice for all has been a thing from the beginning, but the phrase is best known from the Pledge of Allegiance: Greene, Charlotte. “The Pledge of Allegiance.” USConstitution.net. https://usconstitution.net/pledge-html/ Can we start with the property-owning white men: Johnston, Mindy. “Timeline of Voting Rights in the United States.” August 28, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Timeline-of-Voting-Rights-in-the-United-States A 700-year monarchy: Britannica Editors. “Kings and Queens of Britain.” Updated December 5, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Kings-and-Queens-of-Britain-1856932 Many of the states, on their own by the early to mid-1800s, are expanding who can vote: University of North Texas. “A Brief History of Voting in America.” https://guides.library.unt.edu/voting/history-of-voting-America Take the free exercise of religion: Constitution Annotated. “Amdt1.4.1 Overview of Free Exercise Clause.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/amdt1-4-1/ALDE_00013221/ Originally the Bill of Rights did not apply to states, that comes with the Fourteenth Amendment later: Legal Information Institute. “Fourteenth Amendment.” Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/fourteenth_amendment_0 Public schools in Massachusetts were run by the church: Roos, David. “What School Was Like in the 13 Colonies.” Updated March 19, 2026. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/13-colonies-school On their own, states are going away from the connection between the government and the state-sanctioned churches that they had: Baily, Ellen and Newton, Heather. “Separation of Church and State: Overview.” 2024. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/separation-church-and-state-overview Around the time of the Civil War: Weber, Jennifer L. “American Civil War.” Updated April 19, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Civil-War We’re recording this on Juneteenth: Britannica Editors. “Juneteenth.” Updated June 17, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Juneteenth/additional-info#history Wyoming in 1869: WyoHistory.org “Women’s Suffrage and Women’s Rights.” https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/topics/womens-suffrage-and-womens-rights The Nineteenth Amendment: National Archives. “19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Women’s Right to Vote (1920).” Reviewed February 8, 2022. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/19th-amendment When that amendment was ratified, around half the states already let women vote: Nelson Alexander, Brooke. “20 States Where Women Could Vote Before 1920.” Updated February 24, 2026. Reader’s Digest. https://www.rd.com/article/states-where-women-could-vote-before-1920/ Texas, nevertheless, ratified the Nineteenth Amendment: Dallas Historical Society. “Suffrage in Texas.” https://www.dallashistory.org/suffrage-in-texas/ Unless you’re in the South: Merrit, Keri Leigh. “Voting Rights and Restrictions in Pre-Emancipation America.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/voting-rights-and-restrictions-pre-emancipation-america There was a lot of variability: Olson, Grace. “The States Decide How Elections are Run.” July 9, 2025. National Conference of State Legislatures. https://www.ncsl.org/state-legislatures-news/details/the-states-decide-how-elections-are-run There were some states that would even let foreign residents vote: Espinoza Jaen, Caryl. “Can Green Card Holders Vote in U.S. Elections?” June 18, 2026. Manifest. https://manifestlaw.com/blog/can-green-card-holders-vote/ Citizenship as we understand it now was not a concept in the 1800s: Pence Law Library. “The Fight for the Right to Vote.” Updated September 16, 2024. https://wcl.american.libguides.com/voting/history/timeline Not necessarily better than it was 5 years ago: Waldman, Michael. “Epic Corruption in Plain Sight.” May 19, 2026. Brennan Center for Justice. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/epic-corruption-plain-sight That’s going to restrict some people’s voting rights: Stone, Peter. “Experts Alarmed as Trump Launches Broad-Front Attack on U.S. Voting Rights.” June 16, 2026. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/16/trump-voting-rights-elections The language is even in the Declaration: National Archives. “Declaration of Independence: A Transcription.” https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript The letters between John and Abigail Henderson Crane, Jennifer L. “Analysis: Letters of Abigail Adams to John Adams.” 2022. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/analysis-letters-abigail-adams-john-adams There were women back then, there were even men back then, that thought women should vote: Museum of the American Revolution. “When Women Lost the Vote: A Revolutionary Story, 1776–1807.” https://www.amrevmuseum.org/virtualexhibits/when-women-lost-the-vote-a-revolutionary-story For that matter, there were even abolitionists back then: Negussie, Tesfaye. “Quakers, One of the First Abolitionists, Renew Their Call for Resistance as America Turns 250.” July 3, 2026. ABC News. https://abcnews.com/US/quakers-1st-abolitionists-renew-call-resistance-america-turns/story?id=134422099 The Emancipation Proclamation: National Archives. “Transcript of the Proclamation.” https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/emancipation-proclamation/transcript.html People who may not know the history: Gardullo, Paul. “Emancipation Proclamation: An Introduction.” 2022. National Museum of African American History and Culture. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/emancipation-proclamation-striking-mighty-blow-slavery/introduction There were parishes in Louisiana that were under control of the Union Army: Sacher, John M. “Civil War Louisiana.” Updated June 24, 2024. 64 Parishes. https://64parishes.org/entry/civil-war-louisiana General Gordan Granger: Schwartz, Allison. “Gordon Granger.” National Museum of the United States Army. https://www.thenmusa.org/biographies/gordon-granger/ He used his powers as Commander in Chief during time of rebellion: Pinkster, Matthew. “Lincoln and War Powers.” 2013. Dickinson College. https://housedivided.dickinson.edu/sites/lincoln/warpowers/ The Thirteenth Amendment: Constitution Annotated. “Thirteenth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-13/ It would be ratified: National Archives. “13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (1865).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/13th-amendment Later on, when there is a lot of internal migration: Gregory, James. “The Great Migration (African American).” University of Washington. https://depts.washington.edu/moving1/black_migration.shtml Opal Lee was one of these community members: National Museum of African American History and Culture. “Who is Opal Lee? The Story Behind the Grandmother of Juneteenth.” https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/who-opal-lee Like how Memorial Day started: Waxman, Olivia B. “The Overlooked Black History of Memorial Day.” May 22, 2020. https://time.com/5836444/black-memorial-day/ There are people who are opposed to it: Stewart, Celina. “Juneteenth and the Danger of Selective Memory.” June 19, 2026. League of Women Voters. https://www.lwv.org/blog/juneteenth-and-danger-selective-memory The characterization of the last founding father: Pierre, Don. “Martin Luther King, Jr. Was America’s Last Founding Father.” January 20, 2020. The National Interest. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/martin-luther-king-was-americas-last-founding-father-115381 He was murdered: The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute. “Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.” https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/assassination-martin-luther-king-jr How many times was he thrown in jail: Black History. “Martin Luther King, Jr. was Arrested 29 Times for These So-Called Crimes.” https://www.blackhistory.com/2019/11/martin-luther-king-jr-was-arrested-29-times-crimes.html Everyone should read the letter from Birmingham jail: Bill of Rights Institute. “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” https://billofrightsinstitute.org/primary-sources/letter-from-birmingham-jail/ We’re seeing that today with the queer community: ACLU. “Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures in 2026.” https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights-2026 With trans folk: Trans Legislation Tracker. “2026 Anti-Trans Bills Tracker.” https://translegislation.com/ Justice Scalia: Houck, Aaron M. “Antonin Scalia.” Updated March 7, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antonin-Scalia/additional-info#history We could not find the exact case that Mack was referencing, but here is another illustration of Justice Scalia’s opinion on rights: Whitaker, Morgan. “Scalia: Supreme Court Shouldn’t ‘Invent New Minorities’.” August 20, 2013. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna52802025 Ninth Amendment: Constitution Annotated. “Ninth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-9/ There’s this quote from Michelangelo: Michelangelo. “The sculpture is already complete…” AZ Quotes. https://www.azquotes.com/quote/722675 Mack got this one all wrong (and Steve backed him). No one is sure who originally said, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,” but Civics at the Rocks couldn’t find anyone who thinks it might be Demosthenes or John Adams. Mostly, everybody agrees it wasn’t Thomas Jefferson: Deis, Robert. “Eternal vigilance is the price of

  8. Jun 22

    Untethered Tangent on Quoting the Constitution

    Civics on the Rocks

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About

A history teacher and an engineer walk into a bar…ouch! Except there isn’t a bar. But there are dad jokes. And whiskey. Two guys who know a few things, have been around a few blocks, and a few cocktails, discuss politics, science, history, technology, and the planet Earth. They also warp through rabbit holes in both the Federation and the Galactic Empire, and toast the ashes of the Twelve Colonies. And did I mention dad jokes? Yeah. Grab a drink, pull up a chair, and join us for Civics on the Rocks. Oh, and if you want some merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/CivcsRocks/shop?asc=u

Information

  • Creator
    Anne Trominski
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    64
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved
  • Show Website
    Civics on the Rocks

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