Interview Episodes

Feb. 6, 2023

Episode 114: Leadership in Washington with Respect and Trust in Publi…

Presidents' Day is a federal holiday, but what is its significance in American history and culture? What qualities does a good leader have in the Pentagon, White House, or any American institution? Gen. (ret.) Mark Welsh, for...

Episode page
Jan. 2, 2023

Episode 112: Reconnecting Congress - Breaking Down Partisan Divisions…

Far too often, Americans hear about how polarized the U.S. Congress has become in recent decades. The bitter divisiveness among Members has major ramifications on the federal legislative process and the political climate, and...

Episode page
Dec. 5, 2022

Episode 110 Part 1: A Guiding Light of Healing for America's Veterans

A call to service may be imminent, but we never know when it will come. Maura Spence-Carroll, a former intelligence analyst and a former Miss Colorado, found her calling as an active duty soldier of the United States Army jus...

Episode page
Dec. 5, 2022

Episode 110 Part 2: 2022 Winter Holiday Trivia Special

In Part 2, follow along as Sherman and Maura play a short game of holiday trivia and converse about all kinds of topics! A great way to cap off the interviews of 2022 with some holiday cheer! You can find …

Episode page
Nov. 7, 2022

Episode 108: Modernizing the Patchwork of State Tax Codes

As much as people dislike paying taxes, they have been a significant policy issue since the founding of the United States. While the Stamp Act is old history, debates on taxation continue, particularly at the state level. Kat...

Episode page
Oct. 3, 2022

Episode 106: The Final Struggle Across the Taiwan Strait

Once an economically-deprived police state as recently as 1987, Taiwan has become one of the most significant economic wonders in East Asia. But the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has threatened Taiwan's independence for decad...

Episode page
Sept. 5, 2022

Episode 104 Part 2: The Noble Mission to Catch a Spy

Click HERE for Part 1! With the contemporary rise of China as an intelligence threat, the global espionage landscape has become more sophisticated, more dangerous, and more uncertain for U.S. national security and democracy a...

Episode page
Sept. 5, 2022

Episode 104 Part 1: The Noble Mission to Catch a Spy

Throughout the Cold War, a war of espionage raged between the U.S. and Soviet Union. While espionage may not always be like James Bond or The X-Files, there is still much below the surface that defines global competition of p...

Episode page
Aug. 1, 2022

Episode 102: Restoring Power to Parents for Our Children's Education

In recent years, we have been hearing much about schools closed during the pandemic. But school closures are far from the only political battles as pandemic-era restrictions subside. From San Francisco to suburban Virginia, t...

Episode page
July 18, 2022

Episode 100: A Milestone to Celebrate

Almost two years since the first episode of Friends & Fellow Citizens, we have finally made it to our 100th episode! This is truly a major milestone for the listeners, guests, and everyone who has made this program possible. ...

Episode page
July 4, 2022

Episode 98: Unearthing Civics Connections Outside the History Classro…

History is often taught in the classroom, but perhaps the real history is outside for students to learn and put into action. Paul LaRue, a retired history teacher, currently serves on Ohio's State Board of Education and is de...

Episode page
June 20, 2022

Episode 96: Building a Matter-of-fact Grounding for Constructive Deba…

In this day and age of convoluted politics, news, and technology, perhaps we can relate to Sergeant Joe Friday from the TV show Dragnet . If he had to sift through the overwhelming information on the Internet, he too might …

Episode page
June 6, 2022

Episode 94: How Ascents and Descents of the Supreme Court Shaped Amer…

The U.S. Supreme Court started with just a few cases and lackluster careers, but a political and judicial genius John Marshall was determined to change that forever. Amid countless episodes of political turmoil in American hi...

Episode page
May 23, 2022

Episode 92: Finding the News Industry's Footing in an Increasingly Di…

As technology continues to modernize in record time, public trust in media has yet to thrive in the modern era. What sort of models or ideas can improve credibility in information dissemination? Leigh Munsil, Editor-in-chief ...

Episode page
May 9, 2022

Episode 90: Making American Politics More Local and Civil

Former House Speaker Tip O'Neill is often credited with the phrase "all politics is local," and it may be more relevant to this day and age than ever in recent memory. But to what extent has the COVID-19 pandemic made …

Episode page