Vetted Conversations

Ep. 1: How M'urica Are You? A civics challenge.

• We the Veterans & Military Families • Season 1 • Episode 1

Share episode

Hello, and welcome to Vetted Conversations - a podcast created and produced by We the Veterans and Military Families. We are a non-profit, non-partisan, pro-democracy and stridently patriotic organization created by veterans and their family members to promote positive, patriotic civic engagement, counter propaganda targeting the military and veteran community, and help veterans live their best lives as leaders in their communities following military service. 

In this series, we explore what it means to be a citizen, what veterans and their families can do to defend our Constitution following military service, and provide ways veterans can get involved in helping create a more perfect union. We're all in this democracy thing together, so it's important for every American to know their rights, their responsibilities as citizens, and how their government is supposed to work so we can engage productively to help bring about the best version of America. 

Oftentimes, members of the veteran community get more credit for knowledge of the Constitution than we deserve. Too many raise their right hands and swear an oath without even having read the Constitution! In this episode, founders Ellen Gustafson, Ben Keiser (USMC), and board members Jeremy Butler (USN) and Joe Plenzler (USMC) test their knowledge against the test questions on the U.S. Government's test for citizenship.

Have a listen and see if you can beat them with your knowledge of the United States in this fun and humorous episode.

For more, check us out at www.WeTheVeterans.us and on social media.


Support the show

For more, check us out at www.wetheveterans.us and at https://linktr.ee/vettedconversations

SPEAKER_03:

Hello and welcome to Vet Our Democracy Podcast, created by us, the nonprofit, nonpartisan, pro-democracy group. We the veterans and military families. In this series, we explore what it means to be a citizen, what veterans and military families' roles are in supporting and defending our constitution following military service, and how you can get more involved to help create a more perfect union. We're all in this democracy thing together, and it's important to know our rights and responsibilities and how our government is supposed to work so we can engage patriotically and positively to help bring about the best version of America. If you care about America, democracy, mom, baseball, and apple pie, this is the podcast for you. Welcome everyone to uh our first podcast for Vet Our Democracy. So uh to tee this all up, you know, this whole series is going to be about veterans and their families, what's our role in American politics and democracy and civics? Uh how do we carry this nation and help bring it together in a productive and positive manner? So I think for our very first episode, we wanted to do uh Ben had the idea to do something around like how America are you? Ben, you want to explain that a little bit?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, yeah, so you know, my wife recently became a citizen, and as part of that, we did a lot of studying for the citizenship test. And I was kind of surprised to learn that some of the questions aren't that easy, and they're sort of relatively specific answers. Um, and so we thought, as a test of ourselves, folks who believe themselves to be relatively well informed on matters of civics, how how would we do on the test? Now, I already have been through the answers multiple times, so I can't I won't be testing myself, but I'll be asking the questions to Joe, Jeremy, and Ellen, and we'll see how everyone does, and we'll see whether or not Ellen cheated.

SPEAKER_01:

I didn't cheat, I promise.

SPEAKER_03:

And for the folks listening to play along too and see if you can get to the answer faster than us. And just uh for it for um a statement of fact, like neither Ellen, Jeremy, nor I have had any advanced notice of the questions or the answers to this. So we are coming to this completely cold on a Monday morning, uh poorly caffeinated, so we'll see how it goes.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, it is still dark here because it is still dark out here.

SPEAKER_03:

Awesome. Awesome. Okay, so now we set that up.

SPEAKER_04:

I feel like this is a little like taking your driver's license written test, where it doesn't matter how good of a driver you are, like if you didn't study the material, you know, you don't know how many feet from a higher fire hydrant you're supposed to park. You just kind of wing it. Like uh I feel like this is kind of how this is gonna go.

SPEAKER_02:

So some of them are gonna be really easy and some of them are gonna not. And uh we'll see how you guys answer the not so easy ones. Okay, so the the deal is that you to pass, you have to answer six out of ten questions correctly. There are a hundred there are a hundred possible questions. Um, so we'll we'll try and run through all of them, but if anyone gets less than six out of their first ten correct, you have failed.

SPEAKER_03:

Do we get deported? Like do we get to stay if we get this wrong?

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, yeah, right.

SPEAKER_01:

Do not translate's nervous too.

SPEAKER_02:

So here's so here's the order. We'll go Ellen Joe Jeremy. Does that work for you all? Okay.

SPEAKER_05:

Yep.

SPEAKER_02:

Ellen, you're getting a softball as the first one. So we jump into it, everyone right here. Let's do it. I'm really nervous. What is the supreme law of the land, Alan?

SPEAKER_01:

The United States Constitution.

SPEAKER_02:

Correct.

SPEAKER_03:

Nice.

SPEAKER_04:

That was a total softball.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, stop.

SPEAKER_02:

Joe, what does the Constitution do? Governs our laws. I we can probably, you know, I think I don't know if they would give you credit for that, but I'll tell you what the answers are. It sets up the government, defines the government, or protects the basic rights of Americans.

SPEAKER_03:

Protects the basic rights of Americans.

SPEAKER_02:

There you go. There you go. We're gonna give you, Joe, we'll give you one incorrect.

SPEAKER_04:

That was a tough one. I will I I'm yeah, that's I'm on your side here, Joe. That was that was a rough start for you.

SPEAKER_02:

There are a few of those. There are a few of those. Okay. Um, Jeremy, the idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words? We the people. Yes, sir. Correct.

SPEAKER_04:

Thank you. I said with confidence, too, you'll notice.

SPEAKER_01:

That was good. Yeah, you get points for that.

SPEAKER_02:

Thank you. Ellen, what is an amendment?

SPEAKER_01:

An addition to the original uh Bill of Rights of the Constitution.

SPEAKER_02:

I would actually say technically that is incorrect. I agree.

SPEAKER_00:

Wow. Okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_04:

Any change that's the constitution, right? And not just to the Bill of Rights. It's exactly.

SPEAKER_02:

Overthought.

SPEAKER_01:

So what's the official what's the official?

SPEAKER_02:

A change or an addition to the Constitution.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_02:

But the Bill of Rights is already a series of amendments. And so you're not just changing that, you're changing the full constitution.

SPEAKER_03:

Good to know.

SPEAKER_05:

All right.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay. Joe. Yes. What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution?

SPEAKER_03:

The gym of rights. I mean the Bill of Rights. Yeah. Right.

SPEAKER_02:

There you go. Correct.

SPEAKER_03:

All right. I get to stay.

SPEAKER_02:

You're in. Yeah, you're still you're still in the you're still in the hunt. Um okay, Jeremy, what is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?

SPEAKER_04:

Oh man. See, this is the First Amendment freedom of speech being. You tell me. Alright, I'm going with freedom of speech.

SPEAKER_02:

Correct. You've got speech, religion, assembly, uh, freedom of the press, and the right to petition the government.

unknown:

Nice.

SPEAKER_02:

Well done, sir. Okay. Thank you. Ellen, how many amendments does the Constitution have?

SPEAKER_03:

Ooh.

SPEAKER_04:

Ooh, that's that's tough.

SPEAKER_01:

26?

SPEAKER_03:

27?

SPEAKER_02:

So close. So close, Joe, it's not your turn. But Ellen, that is incorrect. It is 27, Joe was right. Oh man. Do I get a point for?

SPEAKER_01:

Do I get a point for being half a point for being close?

SPEAKER_03:

Afraid. I'm afraid. I think it's L tier.

SPEAKER_01:

You guys. I told you I didn't study. I told you I didn't study.

SPEAKER_02:

That's one of those ones like feet from a hydrant. Although, you know, I mean, if you haven't taken your civics class lately, that you were close though with 26. Yep.

SPEAKER_04:

Nice.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay. Who's up, Joe? What did the Declaration of Independence do?

SPEAKER_03:

Oh, it told it put uh King George III of Britain on notice. Like, we're up out of here. We're not doing this colony thing anymore.

SPEAKER_02:

Is that your official answer?

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, we told the King of England to get stuffed. It's it's said that, hey, we're a sovereign country and we're going to make our own laws and elect our own leaders, and we're done with this monarchy BS. We don't care about Charles or Diana or you know Elizabeth or none of that junk. We're we're done with Hanovarian kings.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay. I think we'll give you credit for that. The official answers are announced our independence, declared our independence, um, and or said that the United States is free from Great Britain.

SPEAKER_03:

Awesome.

SPEAKER_04:

He added an Hanovarian in there, which, you know, that's that is impressive, and I I don't even understand what it means, but it sounded like that.

SPEAKER_05:

I was thinking of back to Hamilton, you know?

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. Jeremy, what are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

SPEAKER_04:

Two rights in the Declaration of Independence. Oh man. We didn't set a timer on this. I'm just gonna wave it. I I don't know. I'd be sitting here thinking about life, liberty, happiness. Pursuit of happiness.

SPEAKER_00:

Is that really?

SPEAKER_04:

Pursuit of happiness. Oh man, that's that's BS. I thought it was something a little bit more specific there. Yeah, you're right, Joe.

SPEAKER_01:

Pursuit of happiness. You're not guaranteed happiness. Pursuit of happiness.

SPEAKER_04:

There you go.

SPEAKER_02:

Jeremy's first wrong answer. Yeah, that's painful. Ellen, what is the freedom of religion?

SPEAKER_01:

It is the ability to practice um any religion or not practice a religion and to gather with other people to practice that religion, um, and for other people to be able to gather um separate from the state and practice their own religion.

SPEAKER_02:

Are you reading that from somewhere else? No.

SPEAKER_01:

But was that good?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. Pretty much verbatim. You can practice any religion or not practice a religion.

SPEAKER_01:

Nice.

SPEAKER_02:

Well done. Okay.

SPEAKER_01:

I'm back in the back. I'm climbing up the shores.

SPEAKER_02:

Um Joe, what is the economic what is the economic system in the United States?

SPEAKER_03:

We are a capitalist system.

SPEAKER_02:

Correct. Capitalist economy or market economy is also correct. Dollar dollar bill, y'all, right? Um, yeah, it's interesting that they include, I mean, that's gotta be like a Cold War vestige or something.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Um what is, Jeremy, the rule of law?

SPEAKER_05:

That's hard.

unknown:

That's hard.

SPEAKER_04:

Um I'm gonna wing it here completely. Uh, and I'm starting to sweat because this could potentially be two wrong answers in a row. The rule of law, I was starting to think that it has something to do with states' rights, but I don't think so. So I don't know. Maybe it's something along the lines of if it's not stated in the Constitution, it's not a federally mandated law. I'm getting a lot of people.

SPEAKER_02:

You're getting you're trying to get a little too technical there. Rule of law, it's uh the definition and the answer here is the kind of the general definition of rule of law, which um is that everyone must follow the law, leaders must obey the law, government must obey the law, and no one is above the law. Oh, interesting.

SPEAKER_01:

Important, I like that.

SPEAKER_04:

That's okay. Is that s where is that stated? Now this is a sidebar. Like I'm not like uh contesting it, but um like and we can follow up on that.

SPEAKER_01:

But um, sounds like we all need to go to civics class, everyone. I mean, we've got some questions.

SPEAKER_02:

We're doing pretty good. You know, so I wouldn't I don't know that I don't I don't know that that is stated. I don't think it's stated in the Constitution or any of our kind of founding documents, but it's a it's a kind of foundational principle of a functioning democracy, right?

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, okay. To the extent just for the record, if I end up uh not getting my six right, I might wage a protest on this question.

SPEAKER_01:

Just by thanks to the First Amendment, you are allowed to because of your freedom of speech. And your freedom of petitioning the government and your freedom of assembly. So freedom to be ignorant.

SPEAKER_03:

That's a good point, because it's like the antidote to mob rule, right? I mean, yeah, you know, it's we all we all decide to limit our our autonomy and freedom to the extent that we respect the rights of other people, right? Like I remember like in high school, Mr. Modford was like, my right to swing my arms around ends at the end of your nose, right? Like, so you know, it's just like you're not allowed to call cause harm to other people. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Alright. Moving on. Okay, who's up? Ellen is up, and you get another softball. Name one branch or part of the government.

SPEAKER_01:

Judicial branch.

SPEAKER_02:

Correct. Congress, legislative, president, executive, the courts, judicial are all correct answers. Nice. Joe, what stops one of those branches of government from becoming too powerful?

SPEAKER_03:

Checks and balances, as enumerated in the Constitution of the United States.

SPEAKER_02:

Correct. Uh separation of powers is is also a valid answer. Jeremy, who's in charge of the executive branch?

SPEAKER_04:

Oh, that's the president of the United States.

SPEAKER_02:

Um Ellen, who makes federal laws?

SPEAKER_01:

The Congress, the um legislative branch.

SPEAKER_02:

Correct. Congress, Senate, and House is also correct. Or the U.S. or national legislature. Um, Joe, what are the two parts of the Congress?

SPEAKER_03:

Oh, the House of Representatives and the United States Senate.

SPEAKER_02:

Correct. How many senators are there, Jeremy?

SPEAKER_04:

100 senators. Assuming you're not counting shadow senators and things like that, which is gets complicated.

SPEAKER_02:

Uh that's a concept I'm not even, I don't even know what that is. Are you talking about what are you talking about there? Uh it's DC or something?

SPEAKER_04:

No, I think it does relate to DC. I'm not even fully certain, but it's a phrase that's out there somewhere.

SPEAKER_03:

And uh well, I mean, there's is that in the house, or like, you know, we when you get the the folks from Guam, you know, martial arts, they have representation they can't vote on anything, but they they have a seat, right?

SPEAKER_02:

Like they can fill in hearings and comment, yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

Like that's on the house side. Shadow senator, it's a phrase. I don't know, I'll look it up, that'll be uh a little extra credit thing, but it's something about like you know, like DC has a delegate uh that yeah can't uh can't vote but can introduce legislation. I think it's the same with Guam and others.

SPEAKER_03:

But uh which is why DC wasn't played for taxation without representation, right?

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_02:

Um okay, Ellen, how well we elect a senator for how many years? Six. Correct. Joe, this is one of the um this is one of the location specific questions. Who is one of your state's U.S. senators now?

SPEAKER_03:

Oh, mine here in Virginia? Yeah. Tim Kane.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Excellent. Okay. Do you know the other one? Senator from Virginia.

SPEAKER_03:

I just moved here, Ben. I just moved here. I was in Maryland.

SPEAKER_02:

All right.

SPEAKER_03:

I should I shouldn't have followed. I knew it was Cardin and uh Van Holland in my last state. You know, like uh I just literally just moved here. So don't worry, because you get credit.

SPEAKER_02:

You get credit.

SPEAKER_03:

Um who to call.

SPEAKER_04:

At least one of them. That's right.

SPEAKER_02:

Uh Jeremy, here's a semi-tough one. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

SPEAKER_04:

435.

SPEAKER_02:

Bingo.

SPEAKER_04:

Well, is that wait, was that correct, or what did you say? No, you're right. Okay, good. Yeah, I was making sure that I wasn't counting what we just talked about, with like I was like, oh wait, I guess that doesn't include. I didn't realize that until we were just started talking about it that that number does not include those non-voting, but that makes sense. All right.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, I think that's why they they add the word voting in that question, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Mark Warner's my other one. Synapse disconnected. There we go. All right.

SPEAKER_02:

Um okay, Ellen, you get the same question again. We elect a U.S. representative for how many years? Two. Two years is correct. Uh Joe, you get the same one again. Name your U.S. representative.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh my god. Sixth District, Virginia. What's his name? I was just on his website like two weeks ago. We we haven't formed a relationship yet, then, so I'm like, you know. I'm gonna take L on that one. I can't, it's not enough coffee, man. I can't pull it out.

SPEAKER_02:

You get five more seconds.

SPEAKER_03:

Is it Klein? I don't know if it is a Klein.

SPEAKER_04:

If you say it with confidence, you're not gonna get questioned.

SPEAKER_02:

We will look that one up after we get through the answers and we'll we'll find out if you get you get a correct one or an incorrect one.

SPEAKER_03:

Then Klein. There we go. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Nice!

SPEAKER_03:

I'm sweating that one.

SPEAKER_02:

Um okay, Jeremy, who does a U.S. senator represent? The entire state.

SPEAKER_04:

Is that the correct one? Correct.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, we'll give we'll give you we'll give you a correct answer on that. The technical answer here is all people of the state.

SPEAKER_03:

Nice. Good point.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay. Um, Ellen, why do some states have more representatives than the others?

SPEAKER_01:

Because the number of representatives is based on population, or is the number of senators is equally distributed across the states?

SPEAKER_02:

Thank you for going above and beyond. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

You guys, you you know I get extra credit for that.

SPEAKER_02:

That's like one of the things.

SPEAKER_00:

You know I was sitting in the front row of class, raising my hand, holding my hand up like this, being like, come on, call on me again.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, but I mean that's one of the big debates about the electoral college. If we should keep it, right? So like you have a little state with two senators, like, you know, I think the entire population of state like Wyoming could fit inside uh lower Manhattan, right?

SPEAKER_04:

I mean interesting. Also, the the number of uh representatives uh in theory should be increasing as the national population. Because that's also getting thrown off um by not changing that number.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Uh who's up, Joe? How we we elect a president for how many years? Four. Correct. Uh Jeremy, in what month do we vote for president?

SPEAKER_04:

November. Correct. Fast approaching. It's a month. We're not we're not voting for president this year, but November is fast approaching.

SPEAKER_02:

I mean November 2024 is fast approaching. Yeah, it's true. It's weekly approaching. Yes. Good point. Um Alan, what is the name of the president right now?

SPEAKER_01:

President Joe Biden Jr., I think.

SPEAKER_02:

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. I know.

SPEAKER_04:

I was gonna say extra credit if you get his middle name.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that was a good one.

SPEAKER_02:

Uh Joe, who is the vice president?

SPEAKER_04:

Right now?

unknown:

Oh.

SPEAKER_02:

Vice President Harris. Yes, Vice President Harris. Jeremy, if the president can no longer serve, who becomes president?

SPEAKER_04:

Vice President.

SPEAKER_02:

Ellen, if both the president and the vice president can no longer serve, who becomes president?

SPEAKER_01:

The uh what's the name? The head of the Senate? The person that's in charge of the Senate? No? Really? The House? Oh, the Speaker of the House? Interesting. I thought it was the head of the Senate. I'm sorry. Okay, Speaker of the House.

SPEAKER_02:

I think we're gonna have to give you an incorrect on that.

SPEAKER_01:

That's fine. You're right.

SPEAKER_02:

Um close, though. Just across the hall.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I thought it was the head. That's interesting. Okay. Um people rule, man.

SPEAKER_02:

Joe, who is the commander-in-chief of the military? The president of the United States. Yes, sir. Jeremy, who signs bills, junior. Uh Jeremy, who who signs bills to become laws? The president. Yes, he does. Uh Ellen, who vetoes bills?

SPEAKER_01:

He or she. The president of the United States. He or she.

SPEAKER_02:

Also the president. He or she veto. Allegedly. Okay, here's a tough one. Who's up, Joe? What does the president's cabinet do?

SPEAKER_03:

Oh, advises them on policy and executes the decisions of the president. And serves at at the at the will of the president, right? At the pleasure of the president.

SPEAKER_02:

I think we'll give you uh a correct on that. It is simply the the the official answer is simply advises the president.

SPEAKER_03:

Okay. All right.

SPEAKER_02:

Everyone happy to give Joe credit on that. Yeah, yeah, he gets credit. They do things.

SPEAKER_04:

They do.

SPEAKER_02:

So, okay, so that's I I think we've everyone has passed.

SPEAKER_04:

I forgot about that part.

SPEAKER_03:

I was worried. You know, I thought they were going to kick me out of the country when I went to the Ohio State University for four years and never once went to a Big Ten football game.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh man.

SPEAKER_03:

I know.

SPEAKER_04:

Mike didn't.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, you all get to keep your citizenship.

SPEAKER_03:

Thank God.

SPEAKER_02:

But we'll keep going and see, you know, how much more we can embarrass ourselves. Yes. Okay.

SPEAKER_03:

Should we do like, you know, drunk Shakespeare?

SPEAKER_02:

You know, everybody take a shot and then like I mean it's you know, it's seven o'clock in the morning somewhere, right?

SPEAKER_05:

Well.

SPEAKER_02:

I think Joe just answered. Yeah. Jeremy, what are two cabinet level positions?

SPEAKER_04:

Oh, uh Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State.

SPEAKER_03:

Nice.

SPEAKER_02:

That is correct. The secretaries are agriculture, commerce, defense, education, energy, health and human services, homeland security, housing and urban development, interior, labor, state, transportation, treasury, veterans' affairs. The attorney general is the cabinet level position, as is the vice president. Okay, next, Ellen. What does the judicial branch do?

SPEAKER_01:

It decides uh debates over the law, cases, debates. Um, right? Is that the way to say it?

SPEAKER_02:

I think we'll we'll give you a correct on that. It the official answers answers are reviews laws, explains laws, resolves disputes, resolve disputes, yeah. Disagreements decides if a law goes against the Constitution. Joe, what's the highest court in the United States?

SPEAKER_03:

The Supreme Court? It is of the United States of America.

SPEAKER_02:

Correct, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.

SPEAKER_03:

I was gonna guess the people the people's court, but you know the people's court.

SPEAKER_02:

Um Jeremy, how many justices are on the court? The Supreme Court?

SPEAKER_04:

Nine. Okay, yeah. I feel like this is one of those where it can be a trick question, and you being the lawyer can like because like what is it? There's like eight and then the the chief justice or something like that, but I don't know.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, nine is the answer to looking at the still qualifies as a justice, but that number is not like fixed in stone.

SPEAKER_01:

It right there's a debate about should we should we have more.

SPEAKER_03:

And it's grown and shrunk over the years, right? But I think there's a good reasonable push to say if we have so many federal districts, right, we had to have a Supreme Court justice for each one.

SPEAKER_02:

I haven't heard that line of argument, but but yeah, there's definitely certain elements are pushing for expansion.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, yeah. Or in and should they be lifelong appointments too, right? So that's the other debate.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, and there, I mean, there's obviously two sides to that, right? Um you don't have a lifelong appointment, then you worry about what the you know the justices are are just interviewing for their next job, right? So okay, who who just answered that one? Jeremy? Yep. Okay, Alan, who's the Chief Justice?

SPEAKER_01:

John Roberts. Chief Justice John Roberts.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, yes. Of the Supreme Court of the United States.

SPEAKER_01:

Of the Supreme Court of the United States, yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Um, Joe, under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?

unknown:

Oh.

SPEAKER_02:

This would be exclusive to the states. Raise armies, collect taxes. Yeah. Uh both uh no, no. One that the second one is not correct, but it is it is the power of the federal government exclusively to create an army, yes. Um but states can levy taxes, of course, right?

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, oh exclusive. Okay, yeah, right, right, right.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. Um, although actually, no, in reading that question, I don't know if it is exclusive, but um that's not one of the recognized answers for some person. Um under the constitution, some powers belong to the state. I guess I mean it does say belong, right? So anyway, what is what is one of the power of the states exclusively? Um sorry, that's not the R me.

SPEAKER_04:

Uh exclusive to the states would be. Well, I should I feel like I should be able to come up with something right off the top of my head. Um exclusive to the states.

SPEAKER_01:

I have a good one. Run elections.

SPEAKER_02:

You gotta wait until Gary.

SPEAKER_04:

I guess that is true. I was thinking, I I mean, now I've already lost because I was gonna take that one, but um the the elections one is a very good point.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, run elections, right?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. So that's not that's not a recognition.

SPEAKER_01:

It is, it's 14th Amendment.

SPEAKER_02:

It's not a recognized answer, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

But um we're gonna go to I'm gonna talk to the people that run the civics test and have a little chat.

SPEAKER_02:

Is there any circumstance under which the federal government runs an election? What about in any of the territories? I don't know. Um, but that's not power to the states. Okay, so anyway, anyway, the the recognized answers are marriage laws. Yeah, I think that generally falls under the state, but so there provide schooling and education, provide protection, so police provide safety, fire departments, give a driver's license, approve zoning and land use.

SPEAKER_03:

But back to what Jeremy said earlier, and all powers not enumerated in the Constitution go to the states, right you go.

SPEAKER_04:

Generally speaking, yeah, that's right. So I should get credit because I said that earlier. So Jeremy.

SPEAKER_01:

And also the one that I cut you off with actually was also not a right answer.

SPEAKER_03:

So like I think between the between the three of us we're doing pretty good, though.

SPEAKER_04:

Like I think so, yeah, overall.

SPEAKER_03:

Like if we walk around together, we'll be fine.

SPEAKER_02:

Yep. Um okay, Ellen, who is your governor?

SPEAKER_01:

My governor is Greg Yunkin. I think it's Greg is his first name. Yunkin.

SPEAKER_02:

Yunkin, yes. Yes, that is. Um Joe, what's the capital of your state? Richmond. Correct. Uh Jeremy, who are the two major political parties in the United States? The Republicans and the Democrats. That is correct. Um Ellen, what political party is President Joseph Robin F. Biden Jr. a member of?

SPEAKER_01:

The Democratic political party of the United States of America.

SPEAKER_02:

He is a Democrat. Okay. Here's an interesting one. Um, it's also one of the current and you know, specific questions. Uh, who's up, Joe? Okay. What is the name of the speaker of the House of Representatives?

SPEAKER_03:

Right now? There is no speaker of the House Representative. There is no speaker.

SPEAKER_04:

It's uh it's a temporary dude, what McGenry is going to be. I can't remember who the temporary guy is. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Is that what it was? Technically, he's not the speaker, though, is he? Right.

SPEAKER_04:

No, he's like the interim. The acting. Yeah. Acting, is that what his title is? Yep. He's getting paid for jobs he's not doing.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah. Yeah. No, the other way around. He's doing a job, he's not getting paid for doing a job. Yeah. I checked.

SPEAKER_02:

That's right. I checked the test, the the um the temporary or like the update answers, they'll they'll actually accept three correct answers. So that guy, um, Kevin McCarthy, and none are acceptable answers right now. I guess so that people who aren't totally up on current events don't get a right. Yeah. Um Jeremy.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh, yeah, no, I think it is me. Jeremy, sorry, yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Uh Jeremy, there. Alan does not want another question out of turn. Um, there are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.

SPEAKER_04:

Uh allowing women to vote. Bingo. Is that what you were looking for?

SPEAKER_02:

Okay. That's gotta be one of them. Okay. But it's not No, really? It's not. You know, I'm 19th.

SPEAKER_01:

19th of the yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Any citizen can vote. Yeah, it's captured in that. Um the the answers are citizens 18 and older can vote. You don't have to pay a poll tax to vote. Any citizen can vote. In other words, women and men can vote. A male citizen of any race can vote. I guess that was you know before any citizen.

SPEAKER_04:

Right.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. Um Ellen, what is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?

SPEAKER_01:

Responsibility that's only for United States citizens?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, we do have some responsibilities as citizens.

SPEAKER_01:

To vote would be a responsibility, but it's not necessary, or it's a yeah, to vote is a responsibility. It's not a law. It's not a rule.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, so right. So there is one that is a rule though. You're correct. That's a correct answer. The one that is a rule though is serving on a jury unless you know you have a yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Interesting. Yeah, that's okay. That's also a responsibility. But uh wait, are there any more? Like it's the list is probably quite short. Perhaps it should be longer, but is it quite short?

SPEAKER_02:

That is the list. It's those two. There may, there may very well be more that I'm just not thinking of, you know. I don't know. I was, you know. Yeah, it's interesting. I'm not sure what else would fall in there. One we'll have to come back to. Joe. Uh name one right only for US citizens. One right only for US citizens.

SPEAKER_03:

Uh oh yeah, to vote. Ellen said it, right? To vote in public elections.

SPEAKER_02:

Correct. Do you want to try for the other one?

SPEAKER_03:

Uh yeah, let's see. Um it's not trial by jury, because if you're caught here from another country doing something, you're gonna go to trial, right? At a jury trial. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Is it run for elected office? Yeah, for federal office. That's right. Nice job, yeah. Well, that one. Jeremy, what are two rights of everyone living in the United States?

SPEAKER_04:

Rights of everyone living in the United States.

unknown:

Right.

SPEAKER_04:

Uh I mean, can we go back to like free speech? Yes, you can. Okay. And freedom of religion. That's right. Freedom of religion. Pursuit of happiness. I don't know. I can go back to what I missed, though, you know. Um, yeah, we'll stop.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. Expression, speech, assembly, petition the government, religion, and they even include the right to bear arms.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh, interesting.

SPEAKER_01:

I purposely didn't, I almost said that one, but I So not e even non-citizens living in the United States have that right.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. According to this test. And it's case law.

SPEAKER_01:

That's interesting, yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

In rural Virginia, I reserve the right to arm bears, so yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Um Ellen, to what do we show loyalty when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?

SPEAKER_01:

To the United States flag, to the flag of the United States of America, to the emblem of the United States of America, to the Constitution and the flag. All of it.

SPEAKER_02:

You only get 17 answers. Both of which were wrapped up into that word. The United States and the flag.

SPEAKER_03:

The Republic for which it stands.

SPEAKER_04:

I thought you were just going to start reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Just answer it by Don't make me sing. I'll start.

SPEAKER_01:

I mean, I'll start, I'll start in with the national anthem. You guys will all stand up. It'll be great.

SPEAKER_03:

You don't have colors out in front of your house where it's 7 30 in the morning and you're running up for this.

SPEAKER_01:

No, but I think I've I've told some of you guys this that my kids have started to just out of the bloop ask Alexa to play the Pledge of Allegiance. Sorry, the National Anthem. So ask Alexa to play the National Anthem. And he they know that all of us are going to stop what we're doing and stand up because we're all that's what we do in our house. And they do it just to screw mess with us. Like my husband and I are like, you guys stop playing the national anthem because we have to go on with our lives.

SPEAKER_03:

I just remember walking around on a military basis and it'd be like dun dun dun dun and as soon as they sounded colors, and then people would be darting inside. They're like, you have to stand up with yeah, we're all patriots, but yeah, if I didn't play.

SPEAKER_02:

That's funny.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Um who's up? Jeremy? Uh no, Ellen just answered the last one.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, I think that was oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

There's a what is one promise you make when you become citizen? One promise? Yeah, so I I'll give some color. You know, you have to you have to you have to say an oath, right?

SPEAKER_03:

So you solemnly swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. Yes, sir. Against all that's for it.

SPEAKER_02:

You also uh promise to give up loyalty to other countries to obey the laws, to serve in the military if needed, yeah, to serve the nation and be loyal to the United States.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, I love that. Because like I went on to the immigration department's website looking at rights and responsibilities. They talk about six rights and nine responsibilities.

SPEAKER_01:

Because you were studying for this? Did you just admit you were studying for this? Okay, fine.

SPEAKER_02:

Joe does have the least wrong, the least number of wrong answers.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah, I'm like, interested. Okay.

SPEAKER_02:

Just out of yourself, Matt. Um Jeremy, how old do citizens have to be to vote for president?

SPEAKER_04:

18 years of age.

SPEAKER_02:

Correct. Alan, what are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

SPEAKER_01:

They can vote and they can run for office.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes. Vote, join a political party, help with campaign, join a civic group, join a community group, give an elected official your opinion on an issue, call your senators and representatives, publicly support or oppose an issue or policy, run for office, write to a newspaper.

SPEAKER_01:

I love it. I also I love that civics groups, civic groups, so community organizations and uh the fourth estate, the press is involved in that. That's that's cool.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah. Yeah, we're gonna have a future episode on on that, like the role of the press in democracy. Um, because I think a much aligned maligned community, and none of this function without them. So um really looking forward to that conversation.

SPEAKER_02:

Totally. So um we're at question number 56. Do you do we think we've got time to get through this? Or should we do like 10 more? There's you know, there's a hundred of these.

SPEAKER_01:

Ellen, you had a few well, I my proposal was that maybe we we first of all, because I think I'm gonna get more answers wrong, um, and I don't want to do that, you know, on a recorded line, but also because because you know it's such an indication that um as people with you know a very deep interest in this in this stuff, and um uh people who talk about engaging in in civics and and educating ourselves about civics, that answering these questions is really hard. And that you know, understanding how the government works is not something that you can like read on a blog, um but it's it's you know it's it's deeper than that. And I think that is a b a big motivation for this. Organization, so I thought we could even talk a little bit about that.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

No, you want to you want to keep asking questions? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

It's not intuitive, is it? Right? I mean, you you do kind of you have to actually know the answers. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

I mean, one of the best ways to understand how the whole thing works is to play an active part. And you know, the minimum I think most people can do is vote or show up for jury duty. Um, you know, we we certainly advocate for people volunteering to support elections as as volunteers, right? To understand that process and hand out ballots and help people vote. Um, but yeah, I think Alan and Ben, I mean, you were here at the start. So, like, do you want to talk a little bit about like we the veterans of military families, how it came to be and and just the why of the organization?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I mean, first of all, I think we as super patriotic citizens, um, who, you know, again, consider ourselves, you know, educated about the way the country works and and the values and the rights and responsibilities, um, you know, even we didn't exactly know how the intricacies of an election worked, for example. And we recognized as you know, patriots that that lack of education about how it works can lead to people questioning and also can lead to misinformation, and also can lead to, you know, uh sort of cleavages in our in our society based on something that we really could all just understand, and then it would it would be it would be a lot easier. Um and that was a motivation. That was one of our motivations. That's of course one of our core motivations, Joe, with you about starting uh the vet the vote campaign. You know, let's get out there and get into the elections and see how it works so that we don't have to be questioning from afar. But I think, you know, when when Ben and I were first talking about this stuff, there's so many people that um want to that, you know, the flag has become a question. Like, does that somehow indicate your political party? And who knows the constitution better has become some form of debate when really, I mean, Americans are not generally too educated on these deep principled foundations of our of our democracy and our society. And one political party does not hold the key to how that all happened. The history is not a you know something that one party has or the other, but that really all of us should try to be involved in the system and educate ourselves because being connected to the military makes us particularly patriotic folks.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, yeah. And I mean, at one point it was like kind of required, a required course in high school to take civics, and you know, a lot of places that's fallen out of the way. And you know, I I think the more I think about it, I teach over at James Madison, I think it ought to be a required class at the collegiate level, right? You know, every college student, you know, before they enter the professional workforce as a fully fledged adult, probably ought to know a little bit more about how our government is supposed to work.

SPEAKER_02:

So and in the military too, right? Yeah, um, we talked about this a lot. It's there's just such an obvious opportunity. We, you know, we do a lot of training on military history and tradition um on induction. You know, why not do a module on civics? Yeah, especially on your way out, right?

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

You know, Ellen's talked about like, okay, you're you're about to transition to become a civilian. Well, you know, here's part of the toolkit for being a really good civilian and citizen. Civics.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah. I remember when General Krlich used to talk about we do three things in the Marines. We make Marines, we win battles, and we return quality citizens back to their communities, right? And and that last part is super important because it's like when you take off the uniform for the last time and go home, it's like your oath to the constitution doesn't end. Your responsibility to support democracy doesn't end. But like, how are you gonna know how to do that if you don't really know like how all this is all this works, right? You know, we're all to the constitution, and and uh have never read it, right? You know, I've I've read through it once, I've got the pocket, you know, constitution up there, I know at least the first 10 uh bill of rights, but like um, but yeah, it's important.

SPEAKER_01:

Ben, what are you gonna say?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, just that you know, we're we're all obviously naturally inclined to serve, right? So we're probably gonna find ways to continue to do it, and it ought to be you know, with the best knowledge base to figure out how to engage.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Yes, yeah, and and it really is a national security imperative that American citizens understand this stuff, right? Because I mean, there are hostile actors, Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, you know, this whole campaign around the globe to crack public faith and trust in democracies. Um, you know, you're seeing a lot of it rolled back, especially in you know, Eastern Europe and uh, you know, arguably even here at home, right? So you know, it's uh it's not a spectacular.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and there's and I mean it's it's easy to be it's easy to be looking at sort of current political parties and be super frustrated and you know, current politicians themselves and be frustrated and feel like, oh, I don't want to get involved in that. But when you when you actually look at the history of what the the you know people that started to think about what this country could be did, first of all, they laid an incredible foundation for a new thing, which we all benefit from, but they also absolutely left open um the ability for us to to make changes and you know update what needed to be updated. And I think there's there's there's not enough understanding about how that's supposed to flow in a society, right? I mean, eventually like it's it's okay that women were allowed to vote, I I say, as a as a woman, and it's good that the constitution changed to allow that. Um and and I you know I think I think that's it's equally important to understand the foundations as to understand um you know how how we can continue to make the country uh, you know, as involved citizens, we can continue to invest back in the country um and make it great. And I love, love that one of the answers to what your um, you know, responsibilities are is like being involved in a civic organization and being involved in the process. I mean, that is the part we we talk about rights, we rarely talk about responsibilities. And so a lot of people sit, you know, in front of their computers or TVs to talk about their rights instead of going back and saying, but what's my responsibility? What's the other side of that?

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, it'd be good as as more people get frustrated uh with the system. It'd be nice if folks doubled down on learning more about it and how it should work so that they could improve it rather than just checking out. And I think that's too often the result as people get frustrated, they're just like, you know what, it's uh it's not worth paying attention to because it's it's broken. But the reality is, you know, it's it's it's not broken. A lot of it, and we've talked about this in the past, a lot of it is built into the system, it's designed to be correctable and adjustable along the way. And uh we have a long history as a country about fighting about what uh what is the right thing to do. Um and so uh hopefully folks will stay involved. And um I think this quiz test you know was fun and hopefully reminds people that uh they should go out and do it, and uh it can lean to uh lean towards uh learning a lot more about the system.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, yeah, definitely. I think Jeremy, you know, you your words remind me that you know it's a more than 200-year experiment in democracy, and you know, being an experiment, you know, has the like Ellen said, has the ability to change, right? You know, it's like we try things, see what the results are. Um if things don't produce the results we want, we're free to get together again and deliberate and try something else, right? You know, so I think um my high school AP history teacher once said, he said, in a democracy, he said ultimately we get the government we deserve. You know, so it's yeah, you know, it's it's on us, right? If we don't like the way politics is, if we think it's too polarized and tribal, then then we need to do something about it to pull the country to the center and work for the common good. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Joe, you must have had some good teachers. I know.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, you remember all their names.

SPEAKER_02:

I don't think I could definitely not.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. But it's no, but it I mean, I I think this is the other thing I always love. I mean, I we we talked about this idea of doing this show uh of of you know doing the actual test is that you know, I mean, I come from um I come from immigrants that that made me a member of the DAR, and I come from immigrants that came a heck of a lot more recently from that, uh, than that. And the think that, you know, our immigrant relations had to do this kind of work to become citizens, um, and especially ones that are more recent had to probably do more and and take these tests. I mean, it's it's pretty amazing what people will will learn and will do and the effort they'll take to become an American. Um, and that should make us all feel feel really good about the country, that people are still, you know, like I was trying to, climbing back up on the shore when I didn't get the answers right, so that we can we can stay, we can we can stay uh a part of this awesome country.

SPEAKER_03:

That's awesome. Mine came here in the 1880s fleeing Prussian authorities, so like you know, I think uh definitely.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, everybody gets to stay.

SPEAKER_03:

Thanks, Ben. Thanks for putting this together. I think this was a fun way to kind of tee up our podcast series here and looking for looking forward to many more conversations. We're gonna have uh former officials, we're gonna have members of the media, we're gonna have veterans who are working in the democracy space, family members, like everyone who we we run across in our journeys uh across the country that's that's honestly really trying to put the country first, pull Americans to the center, shoulder the hard burden of doing the messy work of consensus building and you know making compromise when we must. Um and uh and really trying to figure out like you know, and I think most Americans are there. I think you know, when I talk to people around, even here in rural Virginia, it's like they're sick of tribalism, bitter politics, you know, people standing on opposite ends of the goal line, throwing poo at each other in in DC. And they really want to see things happen positively for the country. So um, yeah, this is great. Thank you all for joining us on an early Monday morning. Uh, Ben, especially for you. I know it's hopefully I can see the sun starting to peek a little bit in your windows. But uh this has been great. Thank you all for doing this, and um we look forward to many, many more fantastic conversations around veterans, military families, and democracy.

SPEAKER_04:

Excellent. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03:

Thank you so much for listening. If you found this podcast episode interesting or useful, please share it with the people you know. This episode was co-hosted by Joe Plunzler, Ellen Gifteson, and Jeremy Butler. The audio and video were edited by Cameron King. Bet Our Democracy is a production of We the Veterans and Military Families, a 501c3 non-for-profit, nonpartisan, pro-democracy organization. We are focused on promoting positive and patriotic civic engagement to strengthen American democracy. Find out more about us at we the veterans.us and follow us on social media. Until next time.

Head Shot

Anil Nathan

Host
Head Shot

Ben Keiser

Host
Head Shot

Ellen Gustafson

Host
Head Shot

Jermaine Clark

Host
Head Shot

Madison Hale

Host