Sharing fake news may seem harmless because you’re merely clicking a “share” button. But it’s deeper than that. Think about how many times an article is shared — or how many times people who see that article actually fact-check it. A lot of people make decisions in their day-to-day life based on what they know. But what if what they know is actually based on fiction, not fact (a.k.a. Fake News)?  Here’s an example for context: At the beginning of the pandemic, tons of fake news stories about how to treat or prevent coronavirus circulated around the internet. These fake news stories sug ..read more

Climate change is actually a really big and kind of complex issue that affects all of us every single day.  In S2E5, we cover: What climate change is Why it’s a political issue What our political leaders are doing about it How you can make your voice heard on the issue Hit play to get the deets. Learn more about climate change in this episode's Show Memo. Follow us on Instagram @americandreamoncaffeine Have questions about our government or its systems, laws, or policies? Send an email to americandreamoncaffeine@gmail.com or call (260) MY-DREAM For those of you who would rather watch a ..read more

Supreme Court decisions change the ways are laws work. Although these changes may seem small — like changes to a tax code or to a specific element of criminal procedure — these small changes add up to big differences in how our rights work in the real world.  The Supreme Court term runs from October through early July; the Court hears cases from October through April, and all decisions must be made on those cases by early July.  So we thought we'd give you a heads up on U.S. Supreme Court cases we've been following (so you don't have to). Find out more in S2E4. Additional topics we c ..read more

Sick of dodging potholes on your daily commute? Good news. It's not a fate you have to accept forever. There IS something you can do to change it. That's because the quality of the roads you drive on is controlled at the state and local levels, like lots of decisions that affect our daily lives. And our state and local politicians make these decisions based on what we the people vote for in local elections — from how your tax dollars are spent to the hours of operation at your child's favorite park.  Think adding a stop sign to a specific block in your neighborhood will make it more safe ..read more

There are more than 44 million documented immigrants in the United States of America. That means this community represents nearly 14 percent of our country's population. And whether you know it or not, both documented and undocumented immigrants provide our country with several positive benefits, from contributing to our economy to adding new perspectives to the melting pot our country was built on.  Tune in to S2E2 to hear real stories from real people affected by our country's immigration policies and how our immigration systems altered the trajectory of their lives. We won't lie; their ..read more

The First Amendment protects the freedom of speech, religion, and press. It also protects the right to peacefully protest and to petition the government. But what does that really mean? Can you say whatever you want, whenever you want, wherever you want? No, it doesn't. And knowing the difference between what counts as free speech and what doesn't can help to protect your First Amendment rights whenever you exercise them.  In S2E1, we cover exactly what this means, as it relates to organizing a protest. But let's start with the basics: There are many forms of free speech, including polit ..read more

After an election, people start to experience what's known as voter fatigue. This is just a fancy way of saying people stop paying attention to politics because they're tired of being inundated with election noise like political ads, news, rallies — you name it. We get it. Staying up-to-date on the news is stressful, especially in today's climate. But even though the election is over, the politicians and laws we voted for are only at the beginning of their journey. Our civic duty starts with voting; it doesn't end there. During the pandemic, so many of us hoped and begged for change — a better ..read more

The United States of America is one of the only countries in the world that uses a system like the Electoral College to choose its fearless leader. So, how do democracies in other countries elect their leader? Nearly 70 percent of them leave it up to voters to choose (a.k.a. the national popular vote). But regardless of what other countries do, it's the system we use to count our votes in America right now. If we want to change aspects of it or get rid of it altogether—like most things it life—it's easier said than done. But, it is possible, and the only way to do it is by understanding how it ..read more

The Electoral College is a group of people known as "electors," who get together every four years to select the next president. Now, some of you may be asking yourself, "But I thought we the people vote for the president?" And the best answer to that questions is: kind of. That's because each party has a group of electors. And when votes are counted in a state, the party that wins the most votes in that state sends their chosen electors to the national Electoral College. Although electors are expected to vote for the candidate that won the popular vote in their state, most states don't requir ..read more

After Ruth Bader Ginsburg's passing, the Supreme Court and its open seat have been getting a lot of media attention — and for good reason. But to understand the gravity of what it all means and how this open seat can affect our daily lives, we must first understand the basics of what the Supreme Court does.  And that's exactly what we cover in S1E3 of the American Dream on Caffeine podcast. We also break down everything we cover into easy-to-understand graphics, downloadable at nocreamnosugar.org: Find out what the Supreme Court Does — Supreme Court Basics Get the scoop on the Supreme C ..read more