According2Sam Podcast

'Ballot Harvesting'

One of the biggest criticisms of mail-in voting is ballot harvesting—the practice of collecting completed ballots from voters and delivering them to election officials by third parties rather than having voters return their ballots directly. Republicans have long criticized ballot harvesting. Following the 2020 election, many Republicans alleged that widespread illegal ballot harvesting affected the outcome, when mail-in voting increased due to the pandemic. Those allegations became the focus of Dinesh D’Souza’s 2022 documentary ‘2000 Mules’, which argued that organized ballot trafficking influenced the election. Democrats have discounted these accusations as ‘conspiracy theories’, but this week Republicans appeared to gain an unexpected ally in their criticism of ballot harvesting. Who was this unexpected ally, and how does his accusation of illicit ballot harvesting add credibility to the concerns Republicans have raised? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #428. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Slave Patrols'

Slave patrols played an important role in the Antebellum South. They were groups of armed men who monitored, controlled, and policed slaves while enforcing the system of slavery. One of their primary functions was to prevent slaves from escaping. They conducted patrols along rivers and in remote areas to stop escape attempts by boat or along less-traveled routes. If a slave did manage to escape, slave patrols were responsible for tracking them down and returning them to captivity. They also participated in the punishment of captured runaways, often through public acts of violence intended to deter others from attempting to escape. What is a modern-day equivalent to slave patrols, and how is it actively working to stop more black men from leaving the Democratic Party? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #427. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Agitate'

It has been nearly a decade since Colin Kaepernick began sitting on the bench during the national anthem of NFL preseason games in 2016. That year was also an election year. As Kaepernick's protest evolved from sitting on the bench to kneeling on the sideline, the reasons behind the protest also started to change. Players on other teams joined him by kneeling during the anthem, and the demonstration quickly became a national topic of debate. Many everyday citizens posted photos of themselves kneeling on social media. The protest became increasingly controversial, with some viewing it as a stand against racial injustice, while others saw it as disrespectful to the flag and the military. As a result, the issue became deeply racial, and during a presidential election year, it also became a political issue. How was Kaepernick's protest co-opted and used by political actors to mobilize voters in the 2016 election? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #426. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Socialist Democrats'

The rise of Marxist influence within the Democratic Party is not only threatening the party's chances of regaining power in this year's midterm elections, but it could also pose a broader challenge to its long-term unity. Several prominent moderates, including Bill Maher and Senator John Fetterman, have suggested that they would leave the party if the Marxists gained control of it. They are not the only centrist Democrats to express such concerns. Congressman Steve Cohen also left the Congressional Progressive Caucus after nearly half of House Democrats voted in favor of legislation that would end U.S. aid to Israel, an issue that has become a major priority for members of the party's left wing. What other policies supported by the Marxist Democrats are leading some moderates to question their future in the party? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #425. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Foreign & Domestic'

The phrase “against all enemies, foreign and domestic” appears in the oath of office taken by U.S. military personnel, federal employees, and members of Congress, committing them to defend the Constitution against threats from both outside and within the United States. Yet, as a nation, we tend to focus primarily on external enemies and foreign threats, while rarely considering the possibility of domestic threats to our way of life. When someone does raise concerns about a potential domestic threat, those concerns are often quickly dismissed as conspiracy theories. We assume that all serious threats come from abroad and that none exist at home. If that were truly the case, however, why does the oath require defending the Constitution against enemies who are domestic? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #424. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]