- 57 minutes 57 secondsIn the Making: How to Buy a Political Movement
This week, I speak with Adam Swart, founder of Crowds on Demand, in an extended conversation ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
He explains how political rallies are funded, why “grassroots” movements rarely exist in the way people imagine, and how his company navigates ethics, safety, and influence in an increasingly polarised America.
We also explore Adam’s proposed Transparency in Political Demonstrations Act - a push to force major rallies to disclose who’s paying for them.
This is a pretty mindblowing conversation that reframes how political pressure is manufactured in the 21st century.
Visit Crowds on Demand: https://crowdsondemand.com/
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
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22 October 2026, 1:00 am - 59 minutes 52 secondsWho Owns Democracy?
Democracy is often described as a system in which power ultimately rests with the people. But history shows that democratic power is never guaranteed - it must be structured, protected, and constantly renewed.
The relationship between citizens and government is shaped by laws, institutions, norms, and behaviours that can either sustain democracy or allow it to erode. Across the world, democracies have collapsed not only through coups or revolutions, but through gradual shifts: weakened checks and balances, concentrated executive power, politicised courts, and citizens who stop paying attention.
Today, in the final part of our series on democracy, we explore how democratic systems distribute power, how governments earn and lose legitimacy, how authoritarianism emerges from within democratic structures, and what warning signs citizens should recognise.
So in this episode, I’m asking… who owns democracy?
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Special Guest:
Ira Chaleff, author of To Stop a Tyrant and one of the leading thinkers on power, followership, and resisting authoritarian behaviour.
His work examines how systems break down, how leaders accumulate dangerous levels of authority, and how citizens and institutions can prevent democratic backsliding.
Buy Ira's book: https://a.co/d/0coCQuEs
. Join our new 24/7 SOTUS community now: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
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Highlights:
02:19 - Did the Framers Believe in Democracy?
07:13 - The Benevolent Dictator
15:34 - Too Much People Power?
18:59 - Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
26:02 - Can't We All Get Along?
30:21 - The Danger of Complacency
39:34 - The Normalization of Deviance
44:25 - Protecting Today's Democracy
49:24 - A Blind Spot in the System
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Contact us: [email protected]
Team SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Brands & advertisers: [email protected]
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Credits:
Producer - Liam Heffernan
Host - Liam Heffernan
Editor - Liam Heffernan
In Partnership with the British Association for American Studies
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20 October 2026, 1:00 am - 12 minutes 13 secondsStudy Notes: The Presidents - Zachary Taylor (1849–1850)
America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.
Today, the twelfth President of the United States, Zachary Taylor - his election, his presidency, his key achievements and challenges, and his lasting legacy.
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
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16 October 2026, 1:00 am - 1 hour 19 minutesIn the Making: The Pope, Katie Zacharia, and America’s Silent Killer
This week, we discuss a debut to forget for the White House's new press secretary, and the sad news that Pope Leo has lung cancer.
Plus, the latest from Cornell University as they impose bans on frat parties and introduce new support for victims of sexual assault.
To discuss this and the other big stories from the US this week, I'm joined by Emma Long, Associate Professor of American History and Politics at the University of East Anglia.
Plus, I speak to Daniel Cox, the director and founder of the Survey Center on American Life and a senior fellow in polling and public opinion at the American Enterprise Institute. His new book, Generation Uncoupled pulls together years of research and data to address these big questions facing America today.
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02:01 - Nobel Peace Prize
08:27 - Pope Leo
15:12 - Cornell University
24:49 - Daniel Cox
1:08:02 - Katie Zacharia
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News Sources:
Generation Uncouple by Daniel Cox: https://danielcoxbook.com/
American Storylines newsletter: https://www.americanstorylines.com/
2026 Nobel Peace Prize: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2026/press-release/
Pope Leo Diagnosed with Lung Cancer: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2026/10/13/pope-leo-diagnosed-with-lung-cancer-successful-surgery/92237630007/
Cornell University Suspends Frat Parties: https://metro.co.uk/2026/10/14/cornell-bans-frat-parties-rest-year-gang-rape-claims-29708717/
Reaction to New Press Secretary: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/13/katie-zacharia-trump-press-briefing
Highlights from Katie Zacharia’s Debut: https://youtu.be/bfvq1eta_aM?si=9ws_p4gmowXfXhXB
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Get in touch: [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
15 October 2026, 10:47 am - 1 hour 17 secondsHow Much Power Does the US Supreme Court Have?
Americans elect their political leaders, but some of the most consequential decisions about their lives are made by judges they cannot vote out. The Supreme Court justices can overturn laws passed by their elected representatives, decide the boundaries of their rights, and determine how far a president’s authority extends.
That independence can protect people from abuses of political power. It also raises a difficult democratic question: how do you hold powerful judges accountable when you cannot vote them out?
Today, we’ll explore why America gave its Supreme Court this authority, what it has done with it, and what its future could mean for American democracy.
So in this episode, I’m asking… how much power does the Supreme Court have?
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Special Guest:
Emma Long, Associate Professor in American History and Politics at UEA and an expert on the US Supreme Court.
. Join our new 24/7 SOTUS community now: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
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Highlights:
02:57 -
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Contact us: [email protected]
Team SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Brands & advertisers: [email protected]
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Credits:
Producer - Liam Heffernan
Host - Liam Heffernan
Editor - Liam Heffernan
Researcher - Michelle Poole
In Partnership with the British Association for American Studies
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13 October 2026, 1:00 am - 11 minutes 21 secondsStudy Notes: The History of Mormonism in the United States
America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.
Today, The History of Mormonism in the United States - how the movement began, how it grew, the challenges it faced, and the place it occupies in American life today.
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Get in touch: [email protected]
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9 October 2026, 1:00 am - 57 minutes 38 secondsIn the Making: Has the US Dragged the UK into the Iran War?
This week, following the attempted terrorist attack at RAF Fairford, can the UK keep up the pretence of neutrality in the Iran War anymore?
Plus, the crisis at Cornell University deepens as students protest and faculty take a no confidence vote in the administration due to failings in the Cornell 7 case.
And, Virginia is the latest state to adopt Clean Slate laws, giving minor convicts a chance to hide their criminal record and avoid discrimination.
To discuss this and the other big stories from the US this week, I'm joined by Liz Covart, host of Ben Franklin's World.
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JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
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02:27 - Jim Bakker Dies
06:48 - Cornell University
16:23 - RAF Fairford and the War in Iran
46:35 - Virginia's Clean Slate Laws
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News Sources:
Jim Bakker dies: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/06/jim-bakker-us-televangelist-fraud-sex-scandal-dead-at-86
Cornell protests: https://apnews.com/article/cornell-university-rape-investigation-70d74249bc779480975f3b2a4166ee97
Cornell rape allegations to be investigated: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/06/us/cornell-no-confidence-vote-rape-case-hnk
What we know about RAF Fairford: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c85ydnwqpzyzo
Virginia’s Clean Slate Law: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/virginia-becomes-latest-state-to-enact-clean-slate-law-to-help-residents-move-on-from-minor-offenses/
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Get in touch: [email protected]
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8 October 2026, 1:00 am - 1 hour 7 minutesDemocracy Part II - Does God Have the Right to Vote?
Religion has shaped American democracy from the very beginning; the founders debated the role of faith in public life, citizens invoked scripture to justify revolution, and early political movements drew heavily on religious identity. Over the next 250 years, religion influenced abolition, suffrage, civil rights, foreign policy, and nearly every major election.
Americans still wrestle with the same questions: what role should faith play in politics? How does religion shape our understanding of democracy? And what happens when religious conviction collides with democratic decision‑making?
So today, we explore the long relationship between religion and American politics, the advantages and challenges of religious influence, and how faith continues to shape elections, administrations, and public policy, as I’m asking… does God have the right to vote?
So in this episode, continuing our four part democracy special, I’m asking… does God have the right to vote?
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Special Guests:
Caleb Lines, a progressive Christian Leader from California who speaks openly about the intersection between religion, politics. He's amassed six figure followings on social media.
. Join our new 24/7 SOTUS community now: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
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Highlights:
02:57 - Religion's role in the founding of the US
11:05 - Slavery, religion and power
18:10 - Religious leaders and their political influence
22:11 - Religion as a force for good
29:23 - Religious freedom
35:41 - The President & God
41:57 - Faith and activism
44:24 - 9/11 and Islamophobia
53:25 - A generational change
57:09 - Free speech vs hate speech
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Contact us: [email protected]
Team SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Brands & advertisers: [email protected]
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Credits:
Producer - Liam Heffernan
Host - Liam Heffernan
Editor - Liam Heffernan
In Partnership with the British Association for American Studies
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
6 October 2026, 1:00 am - 11 minutes 5 secondsStudy Notes: The Founding Fathers
America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.
Today, The Founding Fathers - who they were, how they came together, what they believed, and why they remain so consequential to the creation of the United States.
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Get in touch: [email protected]
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2 October 2026, 1:00 am - 59 minutes 17 secondsIn the Making: AI, Death Row, and College Football
This week, tech bros unite to sign an accord that means they pinky promise to not destroy humanity with AI.
The likes of OpenAI, Meta, Google and Elon Musk's xAI have agreed to create more robust internal checks on themselves, after OpenAI announced the postponement of their latest model due to safety failures.
Meanwhile, Google are launching AI satellites into orbit, with Elon Musk's help, which is reassuring.
Plus, the Senate pass new laws giving college athletes more earning potential, while on the same day Donald Trump and Linda McMahon reverse Biden-era definitions of sexual misconduct, essentially removing protections for women and the LGBTQ+ community.
And, new DNA evidence has exonerated a man who was spent nearly 40 years on Death Row.
To discuss this, I am joined by Jared Bahir Browsh, a cultural historian, commentator and author from the University of Colorado Boulder. He studies the relationship between culture, money, power, and identity in the United States, specifically focused on sport and pop culture.
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JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
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01:48 - Media Ban Update
06:16 - Protect College Sports Act
19:21 - Sexual Misconduct Laws
24:34 - AI Accord
46:43 - Death Row Inmate Freed
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News Sources:
Trump reinstates sexual misconduct rule: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/28/trump-administration-finalizes-repeal-of-biden-era-title-ix-rule-01094990
OpenAI halts release of new model: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/openai-halts-release-next-generation-223702291.html
SpaceX launch prototype Google AI satellite: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/spacex-launching-prototype-google-ai-satellite-next-week/ar-AA2cXFTd?ocid=BingNewsSerp
Tech firms sign AI governance accord: https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-anthropic-musk-595796511f110fc006cca0d01329733e
Utah man freed after nearly 40 years on death row: https://apnews.com/article/utah-death-row-douglas-carter-eva-olesen-10c0bf7603c87b214e0179ecf7a4be94
Senate overwhelmingly passes Protect College Sports Act: https://www.commerce.senate.gov/press/rep/release/senate-overwhelmingly-passes-protect-college-sports-act/
Trump reinstates sexual misconduct rules: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/28/trump-administration-finalizes-repeal-of-biden-era-title-ix-rule-01094990
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Get in touch: [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 October 2026, 7:05 am - 55 minutes 27 secondsDemocracy Part I - What Does Democracy Mean?
When Americans talk about democracy, they often invoke the Founding Fathers, the Revolution, and the Constitution. But the United States did not begin as a fully democratic nation, and the framers themselves disagreed profoundly about what democracy meant and how it should be structured.
The Revolution was a fight against monarchy, but it was also a moment of contradiction: a struggle for liberty in a society that permitted slavery, limited political participation, and feared the dangers of popular rule. The framers built a republic that blended democratic principles with safeguards against what they saw as instability and faction.
Today, we explore how the United States chose its form of government, what alternatives were possible, and how those early choices still shape American politics.
So in this episode, in the first of a four part special, I’m asking… what does democracy mean?
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Special Guests:
Lindsay Chervinsky, one of the leading historians of the early American republic and Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library.
. Join our new 24/7 SOTUS community now: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
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Highlights:
02:16 - What Did Democracy Mean to the Framers?
08:35 - Is the American Revolution Radical?
12:29 - The Articles of Confederation
16:16 - State vs Federal Governance
21:12 - Passions of the Mob
25:57 - Vice President vs Deputy Prime Minister
30:59 - Different Types of Democracy
37:02 - Gerry Mandering & King George
42:40 - What Does Democracy Mean to Americans Today?
46:19 - Trust in Democracy
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Contact us: [email protected]
Team SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Brands & advertisers: [email protected]
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Credits:
Producer - Liam Heffernan
Host - Liam Heffernan
Editor - Liam Heffernan
In Partnership with the British Association for American Studies
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
29 September 2026, 9:16 am - More Episodes? Get the App