America: The Story of the USA

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.

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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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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.

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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.

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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: america@podcastsbyliam.com

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Brands & advertisers: matt@mercurypodcasts.com

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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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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: america@podcastsbyliam.com
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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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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: america@podcastsbyliam.com
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