As the U.S. gears up for another presidential election this Fall, it's crucial to understand the ins and outs of how Americans elect their leaders. What is the electoral college? And what happens if there is a contested election? This week, we're revisiting a past conversation with Professor Edward Foley, Director of Election Law at Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law. Ned dives in on how Americans elect our federal officers, and how the law and the courts have ruled on voting; from naming electors to deciding Bush v. Gore in 2000.

Professor Edward Foley is the Ebersold Chair in Constitutional Law at The Ohio State University and director of the school's election law program:

References:

Edward Foley "Think the Constitution protects your right to vote? That’s not really true — but it should." Washington Post, October 19, 2020

Presidential Elections and Majority Rule: The Rise, Demise, and Potential Restoration of the Jeffersonian Electoral College. Edward Foley, 2020

Ballot Battles: The History of Disputed Elections in the United States. Edward Foley, 2016

Bush v. Gore 531 US 98 (2000)

Chiafalo v. Washington 591 US_ (2020)

Republican Party of Pennsylvania v. Boockvar

Edward Foley "The Supreme Court ruling on ballot deadlines may be more of a reprieve for Democrats than a win." Washington Post, October 20, 2020

This week in Washington, leadership from NATO's 32 member nations convene for the annual NATO summit, marking the alliance's 75th anniversary. On the docket are contemporary challenges and controversies, all of which will influence the future direction of NATO. In honor of the summit we're re-airing two previous conversations, featuring NATO experts Erwan Lagadec and Simon Miles. Separately they discuss the formation of the NATO alliance, how it has transformed since its inception, and what may come in its future.

Dr. Erwan Lagadec is Associate Research Professor at the George Washington University's Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (IERES)

Simon Miles is Assistant Professor in the Sandford School of Public Policy at Duke University

References:

Sarotte, M. E. Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate, Yale University Press, 30 Nov. 2021

NSLT Ep. 228, "Ukraine Series: The Power of NATO with Dr. Erwan Lagadec"

NSLT Ep. 314, "NATO, the Warsaw Pact, and Understanding Today's Geopolitical Climate with Simon Miles"

Hirsh, Michael. “Trump’s Plan for NATO Is Emerging.” POLITICO, 7 Feb. 2024

The North Atlantic Treaty, Article 5

Miles, Simon. A View from Brussels: Secret NATO Reports about the East European Transition, 1988–1991. Historical Studies on Central Europe, 2022

The Warsaw Pact, 1955

Vance, J.D. Europe Must Stand on Its Own Two Feet on Defence, 19 Feb. 2024

This week, Elisa tackles hot-button issues in national security law: threats to the SWIFT system, Taiwan's semiconductor industry, and the uncertain future of NATO as we inch our way towards the U.S. presidential election this fall.

References:

NSLT Ep. 217, "Crackdown on Russia's Dirty Money with Brian Egan"

NSLT Ep. 325, "Security Lessons from Sci-Fi Worlds: Total Recall with Sunita Patel (Part 1)"

NSLT Ep. 228, "Ukraine Series: The Power of NATO with Dr. Erwan Lagadec"

Reiff, Nathan. “Swift and Sanctions: How Banking System Impacts International Relations.”Investopedia, Investopedia, 19 July 2022

Baazil, Diederik. “ASML and TSMC Can Disable Chip Machines If China Invades Taiwan.”Bloomberg.Com, 21 May 2024

Masafumi, IIDA. “China’s Chilling Cognitive Warfare Plans.” The Diplomat, The Diplomat, 7 May 2024

NATO Article 5