The Trump administration recently proposed dramatic changes to the U.S. Census that could erase millions of people from the official count and obscure vital demographic data.

If these plans move forward, the 2030 Census could include new questions related to citizenship and a ban on questions about race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. These changes would have profound implications for politics, policy, and national identity, argues Margo J. Anderson, the nation’s pre-eminent historian on the U.S. Census.

Host: Anne Kim

Guest: Margo Anderson, Distinguished Professor Emerita, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: The Power and Significance of the Census

02:04 Origins of the US Census in the 1780s

03:55 Census Data and Policy: Medicaid, Representation, and Public Health

05:24 The Census as a Marker of American History and Identity

09:02 The Politicization of the Census and Slavery

11:22 Current Debates: Changes Proposed by the Trump Administration

14:08 Excluding Non-Citizens and Its Implications

15:57 Race, Ethnicity, and the Evolution of Census Questions

21:04 The 2030 Census: Discrimination or Liberation?

28:49 Potential Impact of Proposed Changes on Policy and Society

Democrats won big. Can they deliver?

Voters handed Democrats a midterm win on affordability, and now they expect results. That won’t be easy with Trump still in the White House.

Ed Kilgore, political columnist at New York magazine, joins Anne Kim to talk about the quick wins Democrats need. They cover the “double haters” who decided the election, the party’s surprising gains across the South, and whether Democrats can work with a president they don’t trust. They also look ahead to 2028: the fate of the GOP and what Democrats should look for in their next nominee.

Guest: Ed Kilgore, political columnist, New York magazine

Chapters

00:00 Why midterms are a referendum, but 2028 is a choice

03:05 The “double haters” and Democrats’ affordability challenge

06:25 Governing trifectas, overreach, and anti-government sentiment

08:10 Can Democrats work with Trump? The trust problem

10:37 Democratic gains across the South

13:58 Who is powering the new Southern coalition?

15:48 Balancing affordability with investigations and impeachment

18:20 The GOP’s post-election divisions and Vance’s prospects

21:38 Trump’s legacy and the risks of the next two years

23:26 What Democrats should look for in a 2028 candidate

Ten Miles Square is a Washington Monthly podcast hosted by Anne Kim.

The GOP is putting up a bumper crop of subpar candidates this cycle. Here’s our countdown of the five worst.

Host: Anne Kim, Washington Monthly

Guest: Nate Weisberg

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to problematic congressional candidates

02:01 Common traits among problematic candidates: racism and white supremacy ties

03:56 Top five candidates: Brandon Herrera and Texas 23

05:28 Number four: Scott Perry and anti-Semitic associations

08:54 Number two: Max Miller and family/political drama

10:09 Number one: Ken Paxton and Texas corruption

12:14 The race for Texas Senate and the threat of Ken Paxton

13:00 A Democrat on the list: Darializa Chevalier

14:34 Candidates with moral character: Dan Osborne, Roy Cooper, Adam Hamilton

15:52 Candidates who inspire hope and positive change