Episode 3: Our Political System & Our Expectations of Politicians with Michael Gaudini
At the same time as the 2024 DNC, we dive into our first political episode. In today’s episode, I sit down with dynamic policy professional Michael Gaudini. During our time together, we explore our political system including the structure of our government, the difference between the Senate and House and how elections work for both, the really big Senate races to pay attention to (super important this year), why our government looks the way it does, what we expect of our politicians (and what they have to juggle), and some important things to look out for in voting.
This episode is sure to leave you with a deeper understanding of our political landscape and actionable insights to make a difference in such a critical time.
Tune in to hear:
- How the Voting Rights Act of 1965 provided crucial protections for historically disadvantaged communities and the implications of recent Supreme Court reinterpretations
- How innovative election reforms can improve democratic outcomes and reduce barriers for candidates from diverse backgrounds
- The importance of being informed about local elections, the structure of legislative bodies, and the high impact of volunteerism in political campaigns
- How to navigate a partisan Congress as we enter into the upcoming Senate elections and potential shift in control
ABOUT THE GUEST: Michael Gaudini is a policy professional with a decade of experience in state and local government, including in zoning and land use policy. He currently works remotely as a land use consultant in Austin, Texas, with prior experience as a policy advisor at the Austin City Council and in the Texas House of Representatives. Michael lives in Narberth, PA, his hometown, where he previously served as a member of the Planning Commission and currently serves as a Council Member.
In addition to all of that, he also has extensive experience in politics, including serving as the president of the Central Austin Democrats and as a campaign manager for an Austin City Council Member -- and has volunteered on various different state and local campaigns (including traveling to Georgia in 2020 to knock on doors in Atlanta and Savannah during the run-off elections in which Warnock and Ossoff won and delivered the Senate majority to the Democrats)! You can follow him on Instagram @mgaudini
Specific resources from this show:
- Senate Elections Breakdown
- US Senate Races to Watch 2024
- House of Reps Breakdown State to State
- House of Reps Partisan Split
- Understanding the Implications of Full Time & Part Time Legislature
- Understanding “Straight Ticket Voting”
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