Why does American democracy look the way it does?

And how can we make it more responsive to the people it was formed to serve?

Democracy Decoded, a podcast by Campaign Legal Center,

examines our government and discusses innovative ideas that could lead to a stronger, more transparent,

accountable and inclusive democracy.

In season two, host Simone Leeper covers everything you need to know about voting in the US.

Listen to the latest season at democracydecoded.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hi and welcome back to Amicus. This is Slate. I'm going to say it.

Gracie award-winning. Thank you. Legal podcast about the courts and the law.

This past week brought us the opening of the term with the first Monday in October at the

Supreme Court. Justice is hearing in-person argument for the first time since the winter of 2020.

Brett Kavanaugh calling in because he tested positive for COVID.

The court heard arguments in several cases including one in which some of them appeared to have

forgotten about the existence of Guantanamo Bay. Why is he there? That's a question to put to

the government. We don't know the answer. I mean have you filed a habeas or something get him out?

There's been a habeas proceeding pending in DC for the last 14 years.

Go ahead. We don't think it's our action. They don't decide. I'm sorry.

I mean you just let it sit there. I guess this is not relevant. I'm just curious.

Personally I'm not handling that proceeding but no. My understanding is that we've done everything

we could to move it forward but it simply has not moved forward.

And the term previews and curtain razors this past week skewed quite heavily into the realm of

politics with bracing reminders that the justices approval ratings are in the tank

...