#1784 Who Gets to Be American, Who Gets to Vote, and Who Decides

Air Date: 4–14-2026

Today we examine the legal battles shaking the foundations of American citizenship and voting rights as Trump's legal team uses the courts as a weapon against democratic participation — and how advocates are fighting back. We'll hear about the three-D playbook of deceive, disrupt, and deny used by authoritarians and being deployed by Trump ahead of the midterms, and what ordinary people can do right now to protect their votes before November.

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TOP TAKES

KP 1: SCOTUS Hears Birthright Citizenship Arguments - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 4-1-26

KP 2: Will SCOTUS Join the GOP War on Mail-in Ballots Part 1 - Strict Scrutiny - Air Date 3-30-26

KP 3: Arizona Secretary of State Trump Is Trying to Pick His Own Voters by Restricting Mail-in Ballots - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-3-26

KP 4: Desperate Election STUNT in California BLOCKED by Supreme Court - Legal AF - Air Date 4-9-26

KP 5: Mark Joseph Stern of Slate on SCOTUS Arguments to Block Late Arriving Mail Ballots Part 1 - The Bradcast - Air Date 3-24-26

KP 6: Voting Rights & Wrongs, According to SCOTUS with Steve Vladeck - Stay Tuned with Preet - Air Date 3-25-26


(00:52:29) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Conservatives' Judicial Originalism Isn't Principle — It's a 40-Year Political Project


DEEPER DIVES

(01:07:20) SECTION A: BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP

A1: Trump's Supreme Court DISASTER Relies on DARK PAST - Legal AF - Air Date 4-9-26

A2: Catholic Bishops Back Birthright Citizenship Ahead of SCOTUS Decision - Morning Edition - Air Date 3-30-26

A3: So What Is the Deal with This Birthright Citizenship Case at the Supreme Court - Takes by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 3-31-26

A4: This Man's Great-grandfather Made Millions of People Americans - Mother Jones - Air Date 4-1-26

A5: SCOTUS Takes On Birthright Citizenship - What A Day - Air Date 4-2-26


(01:39:42) SECTION B: ELECTION INTERFERENCE

B1: Daily Take If They Kill Your Vote, They Kill Your Wage, Your Healthcare, and Your Future Part 1 - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 3-30-26

B2: Arizona's Voting Rights Win and Washington's Millionaires Tax Triumph - Good News for Lefties - Air Date 4-1-26

B3: Will Trump Succeed in Changing the US Voting System - Americast - Air Date 3-25-26

B4: Daily Take If They Kill Your Vote, They Kill Your Wage, Your Healthcare, and Your Future Part 2 - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 3-30-26


(02:03:37) SECTION C: MAIL-IN VOTING

C1: Mueller's Legacy, Press Freedom, and the Showdown Over Mail-In Voting - Main Justice - Air Date 3-25-26

C2: Mark Joseph Stern of Slate on SCOTUS Arguments to Block Late Arriving Mail Ballots Part 2 - The Bradcast - Air Date 3-24-26

C3: Will SCOTUS Join the GOP War on Mail-in Ballots Part 2 - Strict Scrutiny - Air Date 3-30-26

C4: Trump Has a Plan for the Midterms, SCOTUS May Help - Amicus with Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 3-28-26


SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

Description: Composite image of a raised hand painted with the imagery of the American flag against a dark image of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Credit: Internal design. Component images: Pixabay

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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