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Good (insert time of day), and welcome to The Pod. Below is a comprehensive collection of all our podcasts, from Day One when we sat down at Three O'Four's kitchen table, to now, with conversations spanning from Santa Barbara to State College (with a pit stop in Bloomington).
Podcast#1 - The Introduction
Recorded December 1st, 2016
Here Dan and Seamus discuss the recent election of Donald Trump, what they believe it implies for the nation, and the purpose of this podcast.
Podcast#2 - The Change
Recorded January 13th, 2017
Here Dan and Seamus discuss Climate Change: the evidence for Climate Change, the argument against, DOE, EPA, and GOP strategies to address the issue, as well as local level solutions the average person can do to counteract climate change.
Podcast#3 - Education in America
Recorded January 21st, 2017
Joined by Matt Crager and Caitlin Kushnir, Seamus talks about public education in America. The discussion focuses on the different types of schools in America, the voucher system, the Department of Education Secretary nominee, Betsy DeVos, and education in other countries.
Podcast#4 - University Funding
Recorded January 27, 2017
Dan and Seamus discuss the various sources of funding for Universities, both public and private, as well as the resulting spending and why only a small portion of higher education institutions have sufficient funding.
Podcast#5 - Centre Daily Times Op-Ed
Recorded February 4th, 2017
Dan and Seamus talk to Jack Swab, a senior at Penn State, about the Centre Daily Times Op-Ed published Jan 29th, proposing to put heterosexual couples ahead of gay parents in the adoption process. Dan, Seamus, and Jack discuss the claims made in the letter, what the CDT can do in such a situation, and the role of the state legislature in LGBTQA+ initiatives.
Podcast#6 - The Supreme Court Nomination
Recorded February 9th, 2017
Dan and Seamus talk about the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, the obstacles to his confirmation process, what his previous rulings show about his interpretation of the Constitution, and the implications of the Executive Order being challenged by Federal Courts.
Podcast#7 - The Anti-Vaxxer Movement
Recorded February 24th, 2017
Dan and Seamus talk about the rise of the Anti-Vaxxer Movement, the science behind immunization and herd immunity, and public policy regarding vaccinations.
Podcast#8 - The Bill Nye/Tucker Carlson Debate
Recorded March 3rd, 2017
Dan and Seamus discuss the 9 minute Climate Debate between Tucker Carlson and BIll Nye, held on Carlson's Fox News program on February 27th. Dan talks about debate framing, and Seamus goes through the claims and questions set forth by Nye and Carlson. Then Dan and Seamus discuss the problems of our current discussions around climate change.
Podcast#9 - The Resignation
Recorded March 13th, 2017
Dan and Seamus talk about the recent impeachment and resignation of South Korean President Park Geun-hye, both the allegations which triggered the impeachment and the political backlash of instability in the government of a United State's ally.
Podcast#10 - The American Healthcare Act
Recorded March 16th, 2017
Dan and Seamus talk about the American Healthcare Act and break down the Congressional Budget Office's evaluation of the bill.
Podcast#11 - Sammy Geisinger
Recorded March 24th, 2017
Seamus and Dan sit down with UPUA Presidential Candidate, Sammy Geisinger, to talk about her platform and how she plans to implement some big proposals for the campus and the student body.
Podcast#12 - Katie Jordan and Alex Shockley
Recorded March 26th, 2017
Dan and Seamus talk to Katie Jordan and Alex Shockley about their UPUA President/VP platform and how they plan to implement many aspects of their platform.
Podcast#13 - Connecting with the Community and Oneself: with Harnoor Singh
Recorded April 3rd, 2017
Seamus and Dan sit down with Harnoor Singh to talk about how to build inclusive communities and connect with self truths. Harnoor talks about his experiences with R.A.M. squad and the Penn State Acro-Yoga community, leading to talks about self discovery and how to work effectively in groups.
Podcast#14 - The American Media with Sarah Vasile
Recorded April 12th, 2017
Dan and Seamus talk to The Daily Collegian News Editor, Sarah Vasile, to talk about the failings of the American News Media during the 2016 Election. The group talks about coverage bias, the lack of reporting on Trump supporters, and the presence of fake news in everyday life.
Podcast#15 - BUGPAC with Terry Ford
Recorded April 14th, 2017
Dan and Seamus talk to former UPUA President Terry Ford about the upcoming Democratic Primary in State College. Terry talks about the low voter turnout (0.6%), and how his new creation, BUGPAC, is meant to increase student participation in local elections, hopefully leading to the election of more student-friendly council members.
Podcast#16 - International Relations with Megan Cichocki
Recorded April 26th, 2017
Seamus and Dan talk to Megan Cichocki, a senior majoring in Political Science and Economics, about her senior thesis, which examines the lethality of non-state terrorist groups. Megan talks about her findings, and how she started on her path to studying U.S. international relations.
Podcast#17 - Women in STEM
Recorded May 3rd, 2017
Dan and Seamus sit down with four highly accomplished Penn State Seniors: Sarah Bevilacqua (Chemistry), Kokila Shankar (Biology), Marisa Borusiewicz (Mechanical Engineering), and Syliva Biscoveanu (Physics, Spanish). The group talks about various issues facing women in STEM fields, both in early development, the university setting, and in the workforce.
Podcast#18 - Elections After Trump
Recorded May 9th, 2017
Dan and Seamus sit down to look at Congressional elections and international elections after the Trump victory in November to gain a sense of voters attitudes.
Podcast#19 - University Mental Health with Mike Makowski
Recorded May 10th, 2017
Dan and Seamus sit down with Mike Makowski to discuss the Mental Health resources available to Penn State Students, both with personal anecdotes and general statistics. The three talk about the funding of the CAPS program and the stigma associated with mental health on a college campus.
Podcast#20 - The American Healthcare Act, Redux
Recorded May 26th, 2017
Live from Honda Civic Studios and US 322, Dan and Seamus talk about the American Healthcare Act, examining what has changed to allow for passage through the House, and going through the CBO evaluation of the bill.
Correction: The bill was passed on May 4th, 2017, not March 4th as mentioned in the beginning of the podcast.
Podcast#21 - Sustainable Practices Abroad with Adam Uliana
Recorded June 2nd, 2017
Seamus talks to Adam Uliana about his research experience with sustainable practices in various countries, from Belgium to Rwanda. Adam details how the international perspective on green initiatives and climate change is different from those in America. Finally, Seamus and Adam talk about the ramifications of the U.S. withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accords.
Podcast#22 - Sustainability in Peru with Mark Goldy Brown
Recorded June 14, 2017
Dan and Seamus FaceTime their longtime friend and mentor, Mark Goldy Brown, who is finishing up his second year as a Peace Corp Volunteer in Ancash, Peru. The trio discuss the Peace Corp's mission abroad, Mark's efforts to improve sustainability in his municipality, and the Peruvian perception of recent American actions with regards to Climate Change.
Podcast#23 - Disappearing Island States with McQuillin Murphy
Recorded June 22, 2107
Dan and Seamus talk to McQuillin Murphy about the effects of climate change on small island nations, and how the countries are planning to respond to future threats of global warming.
Podcast#24 - State Senate Campaigns with Carver Murphy
Recorded July 2nd, 2017
Seamus and Dan sit down with Carver Murphy to talk about his work as an Assistant Campaign Manager for the Adam Hinds State Senate campaign in Western Massachusetts. Carver talks about the role he played in the campaign, how the State Senate race differs from national elections, and the relationship State Senators have with their constituents.
Podcast#25 - Money in Politics with Tori Bertocci
Recorded July 13th, 2017
Seamus talks to Tori Bertocci about the Republican's changing stance on climate change, the unpopular healthcare bills circulating through Congress, and the Georgia 6th Special Election, and how campaign finance has played a major role in all of these issues.
Podcast#26 - The Future of the GOP Healthcare Bill
Recorded July 18th, 2017
Dan and Seamus sit down in 304 Studios one last time to discuss the future of the GOP effort to repeal Obamacare. The two go through the events which lead to the current state of the Republican effort, and read notable commentary from key GOP lawmakers.
Next, Dan and Seamus talk about the future of the Podcast, and also look back at what has already been accomplished.
Podcast#27 - Science Can't "Prove" Anything
Recorded July 29th, 2017
Seamus and Dan talk about the fact that science can't "prove" anything, and how that works its way into discussions. The two get into how our scientific understanding changes through time and how the scientific community attaches certainties to beliefs and observations. Dan and Seamus try to resolve how our technical discussions should address these issues, especially when talking to a general audience.
Podcast#28 - GIS and Gerrymandering with Jason Karian
Recorded August 7th, 2017
Dan and Seamus sit down with Jason Karian to talk about the capabilities and uses of GIS, a geography based technology which has recently been employed by some politicians to gerrymander districts. The three talk about how bad the gerrymandering problem actually is, and what normal citizens can do to prevent such practices in the future.
Podcast#29 - The Climate Science Special Report
Recorded August 14th, 2017
Seamus and Dan look at the multi-author, 673 page report on Climate Change titled "The Climate Science Special Report". The two talk about the main points of the report, as well as conservative criticism of the report and previous government climate reports.
Podcast#30 - The First Amendment with Roni Joyce
Recorded August 23rd, 2017
Seamus and Dan talk to Veronica (Roni) Joyce about her First Amendment advocacy work with F.I.R.E. in Philadelphia. Roni talks about what it means to defend the first amendment for all American citizens, and the three discuss current events where freedom of speech has been an issue.
Podcast#31 - Defending DACA
Recorded September 10th, 2017
In the first cross continental podcast, Dan and Seamus discuss the Trump administration's recent decision to end DACA, how DACA is different from the DREAM Act, and how those protected by DACA impact the U.S. economy. Finally, the two talk about current proposed legislation which will protect DREAMers, and ways people can get involved and support DACA and the DREAM Act.
Podcast#32 - Verrit
Recorded Sept. 18th, 2017
Dan, Seamus, and Tori get together to talk about the new Pro-Hilary website Verrit. The three go through the pitfalls of the website, and the negatives of having a left-leaning media outlet.
Podcast#33 - The GOP Healthcare Bill Returns
Recorded September 24th, 2017
Dan, Seamus, and Tori talk about the implications of the most recent GOP Healthcare bill, as well as the politics and Congressional rules surrounding any future Repeal and Replace efforts.
Podcast#34 - The American Gun Problem
Recorded October 9th, 2017
Seamus, Dan, and Tori reflect on the recent massacre in Las Vegas, the stigma both ends of the political isle attach to gun control, and how more guns in a society correlates to violence in the community. The three discuss how the 2nd amendment conversation should change in America.
Podcast#35 - Gerrymandering
Recorded October 22nd, 2017
Dan, Seamus, and Tori talk about the case recently heard by the Supreme Court involving partisan gerrymandering in Wisconsin. The three talk about how computer data, a legal paper, and a little bit of math may cause the Supreme Court to rule in favor of Wisconsin Democrats, who are trying to show that district lines are so unfairly drawn there is almost no way Democrats could hold a majority of seats in the state government, even when they win a majority of the votes.
Podcast#36 - Title IX and ABTS with Sammy Geisinger
Recorded November 2nd, 2017
Dan and Seamus talk to returning Friend of the Pod, Sammy Geisinger, about her efforts as the director of the Association of Big Ten students to petition the Department of Education; asking that students be a part of the process of the recently announced Title IX revisions. The three also talk about other ways the ABTS interact with governing bodies.
Podcast#37 - The 2017 Elections and GOP Taxes
Recorded November 20th, 2017
Seamus and Dan sit down to discuss the recent November 8th elections, and what they could spell out for the immediate political future. Next, the two talk about the contents of the GOP tax plan, the rhetoric behind it, how the recent elections play into the politics, and ask why the hell our nation's grad students should be financing the Estate Tax repeal?
Podcast#38 - One Year Reflection
Recorded Dec 1st, 2017
Dan and Seamus reflect on one year of podcasting, and how the media environment has changed throughout the year.
Podcast#39 - The CDC and Taxes
Recorded December 18th, 2017
Seamus, Dan, and Tori discuss how the Trump Administration banned seven words from the CDC's budget proposal, and then talk about how the tax plan is shaping up in Congress.
Podcast#40 - The 115th Congress
Recorded Jan 2nd, 2018
The Three O'Fours bring in the new year by reflecting on the nation's legislative agenda at the one-year mark of the 115th US Congress taking office. The three share the accomplishments of the Congress in 2017, and look ahead to the main goals of 2018 and how midterms will shape the actions of members. Also, the three talk about much more important stuff, like the legitimacy of a Federalist government in today's economy.
Podcast#41 - The Immigration Debate
Recorded January 16th, 2018
Dan and Seamus discuss the different immigration policies which have been swirling around the national conversation, from ending of DACA, Temporary Protected Status, and Sanctuary Cities to the proposal of a merit based immigration system. Also, the two reflect on Trump's comments from weekend.
Podcast#42 - The (Science) Shutdown
Recorded January 22nd, 2018
Seamus and Tori discuss what has brought about the current government shutdown and the compromises Democrats made to open up the government again. Then the two walk through a few ways the Trump Administration has been shutting down climate change research in Executive Agencies.
Podcast#43 - The Trump Economy
Recorded February 5th, 2018
Dan and Seamus sit down to discuss the recent drop in the stock market, and the implications for a president who has tied so much political capital to the recent success of the market. The two then take a look into the uncertainty of the jobs report, and how that might play a role in economic policy moving forward.
Podcast#44 - The PA Gerrymandering Case
Recorded February 15th, 2018
Dan and Seamus Skype from across the country to talk about something close to home, Pennsylvania gerrymandering, and the State Supreme Court case which recently ruled the Commonwealth's Congressional districts unconstitutional. The two go over some of the expert testimony used in the trial, and talk about the Constitutional arguments surrounding the ruling and how it can be used as a blueprint for future gerrymandering cases in other states.
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