{"podcast":{"title":"Civics on the Rocks","slug":"civics-on-the-rocks-6598827","podcast_index_feed_id":6598827,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/civicsontherocks/feed.xml","website_url":"https://CivicsOnTheRocks.podbean.com","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/1381621/CivicsOnTheRocks_Art_v7_3000x3000_9m36fc.png","author":"Anne Trominski","episode_count":54,"summary":"A history teacher and an engineer walk into a bar...ouch! Except there isn’t a bar. But there are a few 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—*gestures wildly*—, all while drinking and dropping pop culture references. Did we mention the dad jokes? Grab a drink, pull up a chair, and join us for Civics on the Rocks.","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/civics-on-the-rocks-6598827"},"episode":{"title":"Should the Justice Department be Independent?","slug":"should-the-justice-department-be-independent","published_at":"2025-09-01T15:01:46+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/civics-on-the-rocks-6598827/should-the-justice-department-be-independent","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/civics-on-the-rocks-6598827","url":"https://CivicsOnTheRocks.podbean.com/e/should-the-justice-department-be-independent/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/azgjg9bswu3iedtc/ShouldTheJusticeDepartmentBeIndepend.mp3","summary":"Mack, Steve, and Anne debate Constitutional law and look to fix the problems of our country in our first episode of season 3. References What is independent? Merriam-Webster. “Independent.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/independent What is justice? https://youtu.be/wEBlaMOmKV4?si=difVAzt3cTdBuLvG So, we have three branches: USA.gov. “Branches of the U.S. Government.” https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government The power of the executive is vested in one person: Legal Information Institute. “Executive Power.” Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/executive_power At the Constitutional Convention: Office of the Historian. “Constitutional Convention and Ratification, 1787–1789.” https://history.state.gov/milestones/1784-1800/convention-and-ratification William Paterson’s New Jersey plan: Metych, Michele. “New Jersey Plan.” December 21, 2024. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/New-Jersey-Plan The Garden State: NJ.gov. “Nickname.” https://www.nj.gov/nj/about/facts/nickname.shtml Under the Virginia plan: Metych, Michele. “Virginia Plan.” March 7, 2023. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Virginia-plan They weren’t there: Kratz, Jessie. “‘Rogue Island’: The last state to ratify the Constitution.” May 18, 2015. National Archives. https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2015/05/18/rogue-island-the-last-state-to-ratify-the-constitution/ A plural executive: Center for the Study of the American Constitution. “The Debate Over the President and the Executive Branch.” University of Wisconsin-Madison. https://csac.history.wisc.edu/document-collections/constitutional-debates/executive-branch/ The Romans had two consuls: The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Consul.” April 30, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/con…","meta_description":"Mack, Steve, and Anne debate Constitutional law and look to fix the problems of our country in our first episode of season 3. References What is independe…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":4801,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/civics-on-the-rocks-6598827/episodes/should-the-justice-department-be-independent/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/civics-on-the-rocks-6598827/should-the-justice-department-be-independent.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}