Radiolab | The Most Perfect Album: Episode 6 | Radiolab Presents: More Perfect Podcast | Season 3 @Radiolabpod | Uploaded June 2022 | Updated October 2024, 22 hours ago.
On first read, the 16th and 22nd Amendments are at best sleepers and at worst, stinkers. In this episode we take these forgotten Constitutional gems and make them shine.
In a list of Constitutional hits like the right to free speech, the right to bear arms, and birthright citizenship, the amendments covering taxes and term limits tend to fall by the wayside.
The 16th Amendment sets up the income tax, sinking dread into the hearts of millions of Americans every April. But if the income tax is so hated, why did we vote to put it in the Constitution? And why do so many people willingly pay? In this episode we take on those questions and contemplate whether the 16th Amendment might be less about money or law, than is about deciding what it means to belong.
Next we move on to the 22nd Amendment and presidential term limits. If we as U.S. citizens are happy with our leadership, why shouldn't we be able to keep electing the same president for as many terms as we want? The ghost of George Washington comes back to give Franklin Delano Roosevelt some major side-eye as we explore the roots of the rule, and why it matters today.
When you're done with the episode, check out songs by:
Post Animal: youtu.be/mjkFAwM4OoM
Pavo Pavo: youtu.be/lF9piAuRZiM
🎧 Subscribe to Radiolab wherever you listen to podcasts: bit.ly/3trXDLe
🔎 Subscribe to Radiolab on YouTube: bit.ly/3I9KI53
🌱 Check out Radiolab's Starter Kit Playlist: bit.ly/3sX8f4P
👍 Like this video ✏️ and leave us a comment!
Follow Radiolab:
Instagram — instagram.com/radiolab
Twitter — twitter.com/Radiolab
Facebook — facebook.com/Radiolab
This season, More Perfect is taking our camera lens off the Supreme Court and zooming in on the words of the people: the 27 Amendments that We The People have made to our Constitution. We're taking on these 27 Amendments both in song and in story. This episode is best listened to alongside 27: The Most Perfect Album, an entire album (an ALBUM!) of original music and art inspired by the 27 Amendments. Think of these episodes as the audio liner notes.
27: The Most Perfect Album: youtube.com/watch?v=WC4pipL-NwI&list=PLLHAUHF-RPhlzK3b_5ddE9BcX5abtjaNM
Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab today: wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership
Illustration by Mitch Boyer.
Video by Michael Snyder, Kim Nowacki and Andrea Latimer.
On first read, the 16th and 22nd Amendments are at best sleepers and at worst, stinkers. In this episode we take these forgotten Constitutional gems and make them shine.
In a list of Constitutional hits like the right to free speech, the right to bear arms, and birthright citizenship, the amendments covering taxes and term limits tend to fall by the wayside.
The 16th Amendment sets up the income tax, sinking dread into the hearts of millions of Americans every April. But if the income tax is so hated, why did we vote to put it in the Constitution? And why do so many people willingly pay? In this episode we take on those questions and contemplate whether the 16th Amendment might be less about money or law, than is about deciding what it means to belong.
Next we move on to the 22nd Amendment and presidential term limits. If we as U.S. citizens are happy with our leadership, why shouldn't we be able to keep electing the same president for as many terms as we want? The ghost of George Washington comes back to give Franklin Delano Roosevelt some major side-eye as we explore the roots of the rule, and why it matters today.
When you're done with the episode, check out songs by:
Post Animal: youtu.be/mjkFAwM4OoM
Pavo Pavo: youtu.be/lF9piAuRZiM
🎧 Subscribe to Radiolab wherever you listen to podcasts: bit.ly/3trXDLe
🔎 Subscribe to Radiolab on YouTube: bit.ly/3I9KI53
🌱 Check out Radiolab's Starter Kit Playlist: bit.ly/3sX8f4P
👍 Like this video ✏️ and leave us a comment!
Follow Radiolab:
Instagram — instagram.com/radiolab
Twitter — twitter.com/Radiolab
Facebook — facebook.com/Radiolab
This season, More Perfect is taking our camera lens off the Supreme Court and zooming in on the words of the people: the 27 Amendments that We The People have made to our Constitution. We're taking on these 27 Amendments both in song and in story. This episode is best listened to alongside 27: The Most Perfect Album, an entire album (an ALBUM!) of original music and art inspired by the 27 Amendments. Think of these episodes as the audio liner notes.
27: The Most Perfect Album: youtube.com/watch?v=WC4pipL-NwI&list=PLLHAUHF-RPhlzK3b_5ddE9BcX5abtjaNM
Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab today: wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership
Illustration by Mitch Boyer.
Video by Michael Snyder, Kim Nowacki and Andrea Latimer.
