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 the U.S. Attorney General - where the role came from, why it was created, what it does, and the most consequential Attorneys General in American history.

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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, 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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Get in touch: america@podcastsbyliam.com
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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

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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: america@podcastsbyliam.com

Team SOTUS: ⁠⁠⁠https://sotus.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠community

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 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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Get in touch: america@podcastsbyliam.com
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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: america@podcastsbyliam.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices