Episode 50: The Year in Law and Politics

By Charley Moore and Justin Tenuto | December 29, 2011

Mind the sign, everyone. And have a great new year.

In this week’s podcast we look back at 2011. Join us as we survey the past twelve months of legal triumph, tragedy, farce (Kardashian, anyone?) and everything in between. We’ll also make some spirited (and sure to be wrong!) prognostications about what 2012 will bring.

So, what were the big stories this past year? Well, according to our Facebook fans, it was simple: Occupy Wallstreet. Or, more generally, the Occupy movement as a whole. Eva and Charley have been covering it all year — including a trip to Occupy Oakland where they interviewed protesters, shop keepers, and union leaders — and they reflected on the progress the movement’s made as well as the challenges that lie ahead.

For Eva, the big story this year was the broken U.S. government. 2011 was a year dominated by infighting, squabbling, and a Congress with a historically low approval rating (yes, lower than Nixon’s on the day he resigned).

For Charley, the big story was the Supreme Court. Starting with Citizens United and continuing with AT&T v. Conception and the Walmart decisions, our current bench seems markedly aligned with business interests. Charley looks ahead to this next term, where GPS-tracking devices and Obama’s Health Care bill will be two of the focal points.

Lastly, we’d just like to send a big thanks to all our listeners. We had a ton of fun doing this all year and look to 2012 with high hopes and big plans. Have a safe and fantastic New Year’s, all. We’ll talk to you again next year!