Trump's Death Penalty Push and Gen Z's Political Divide

Resources

Resources & Recommendations

Podcasts

• Amicus (Slate's legal podcast) - Hosted by Dalia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern, it provides legal knowledge and helps make sense of the chaos in the courts.
• Advisory Opinions - Hosted by Sarah Isgur, she is a co-host of this podcast.

Articles & Papers

• "Unabashedly Authoritarian Political Project" (Liz Bruenig in The Atlantic) - Discusses President Trump's motivations and push for more executions in the United States, linking it to an authoritarian political project.

Research & Studies

• Survey of 68,000 college students across the country (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) - Found that a third of college students believe violence is acceptable to shut down speech they find offensive.
• Study on sexlessness since 1982 (Institute for Family Studies) - Measured the skyrocketing numbers of men, particularly between 22 and 34, who have not had sex in the last three months or year.
• Research on Gen Z's political views (Harvard Kennedy School) - Polled Gen Z respondents before the 2024 election, finding that only 27% strongly agree that democracy is the best form of government.
• Reporting on young voters in rural communities (NPR, Elana Moore) - Highlighted feelings of hopelessness among young people in rural areas, exemplified by the story of 22-year-old Julie Hill in Pennsylvania.

People Mentioned

• Dalia Lithwick (Host of Amicus podcast) - Co-hosts Slate's legal podcast, Amicus.
• Mark Joseph Stern (Host of Amicus podcast) - Co-hosts Slate's legal podcast, Amicus.
• Donald Trump (Former US President) - His policies and views on executions and capital punishment are a central topic of discussion.
• Bill Barr (Former US Attorney General) - Mentioned in conjunction with Trump's federal execution spree in 2020.
• Joe Biden (US President) - Commuted the sentences of everyone on federal death row before exiting office.
• Luigi Mangione - Mentioned as someone for whom federal death sentences have been sought.
• Ron DeSantis (Governor of Florida) - Infuriated by the outcome of the Parkland school shooter's trial, leading to legislation eliminating jury unanimity for death sentences.
• Nicholas Cruz (Parkland school shooter) - His trial and sentencing are discussed in the context of changes to Florida's death penalty laws.
• Curits Yarvin (Right-winger) - Mentioned as someone who "fled the country" due to fear of political backlash.
• Nancy Pelosi (Member of Congress) - Mentioned as one of the 20 members of Congress retiring after the 2026 midterms.
• Mitch McConnell (Member of Congress) - Mentioned as one of the 20 members of Congress retiring after the 2026 midterms.
• Dick Durbin (Member of Congress) - Mentioned as one of the 20 members of Congress retiring after the 2026 midterms.
• Ken Clippenstein (Reporter) - Has reported on the phenomenon of gerontocracy.
• Rachel Jenfaza (Political Analyst) - Focuses on Gen Z and has a Substack called "Up and Up."
• Elana Moore (NPR Reporter) - Did reporting on young voters in rural communities in the United States.
• Julie Hill (22-year-old from Pennsylvania) - Her story of hopelessness is shared as an example of young Americans' struggles.
• Avi Loeb (Harvard Astrophysicist) - Quoted in a CBS News article regarding the object 'Oumuamua.
• Justice Jackson - Joined the Supreme Court in 2022.

Websites & Online Resources

• kcrwlc.substack.com - Website for joining the community conversation on Substack for the podcast.
• vanguard.com/audio - Website for financial advisors to learn more about Vanguard's bond offerings.
• Up and Up (Substack by Rachel Jenfaza) - A Substack focusing on Gen Z.
• lrc.kcrw.org - Email address for sending voice memos to the podcast.

Other Resources

• 3i Atlas (Oumuamua) - An object from another solar system that is currently in our solar system, discussed by scientists as potentially being an alien ship.