PBS's 'Civics Made Easy' on political parties, Electoral College, and fundraising

I'm taking a break from Emmy Awards nominations with three videos from PBS's Civics Made Easy series beginning with the one that caught my attention, How America Became a Two-Party Nation.

In this episode of "Civics Made Easy," Ben Sheehan unpacks America's complex relationship with political parties, from George Washington's wariness to today's two-party dominance. Through a conversation with Independent Senator Angus King and an exploration of various state’s voting systems, Ben explains how our current system evolved, why third parties struggle to compete, and what reforms could change the political landscape.
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Civics Made Easy
Hosted by Ben Sheehan, breaks down the complex world of American government and civic participation. Each episode transforms intricate concepts into clear, digestible lessons, equipping viewers with the essential knowledge to actively participate in their democracy. Designed to empower and inform, the series makes understanding civics both accessible and engaging for all.

This is the same story I told first in Duverger's Law works, a response to Kunstler eleven years ago and again in Vox explains 'Why US elections only give you two choices' and Amy Shira Teitel of The Vintage Space explains 'When Republicans Were Democrats: The Party Flip' last year. It also gives the same solution I outlined in two of the most read posts in the history of this blog, Vox explains how proportional representation can solve gerrymandering and help minor parties and Update to 'Vox explains how proportional representation can solve gerrymandering and help minor parties,' the second most read entry for the seventh year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News, plus minor parties. We know what the problems are and their solutions; we just need enough popular will to implement them.

I jump back to the first video in the series, which is also the most viewed, How Do We REALLY Elect The President?

Ben Sheehan unpacks the Electoral College's intricate complicated history and current complexities in this episode of “Civics Made Easy.” From its founding in 1787 to the modern debates surrounding it, Ben explains why it was created, how it operates today, and the potential for reform. This episode offers an engaging and accessible exploration of one of the most misunderstood parts of our electoral system.

This covers the same ground as CNBC explains why the Electoral College exists and Vox explains how the U.S. counts votes and how the Electoral College works, although it gives more detail on the creation of America's peculiar electoral institution than I recall any of those videos gave. Since this series is a celebration of the 250th anniversary of America's independence, I shouldn't be surprised.

It also shouldn't surprise my readers that I don't like the Electoral College.

I agree with O'Donnell; the Electoral College is an anti-democratic institution has become a target for manipulation. It's why I wrote "The real election is the Electoral College, which votes on December 14, 2020. That's followed by a joint session of the new Congress on January 6, 2021," followed by "Trump is trying to game those steps to get electors who will vote for him." It's also why I support a patchwork reform: "The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is a work-around that will make the Electoral College more democratic, both upper- and lower-case d, without a constitutional amendment." I'd rather eliminate the Electoral College, but "I consider it extremely difficult, while not impossible. That's a long-term effort that I may not live to see accomplished." Sigh. In the meantime, it's important to elect state and local office-holders that will support fair elections.

Of course, I have lots of new readers who haven't encountered this opinion of mine; July 2025 has been the best month for page views on this blog by far with 3,230,000+ and counting, 3,050,000+ from Vietnam alone. I hope they're learning a lot about America.

I conclude with How Do Political Donations Work?

In this episode of "Civics Made Easy," Ben Sheehan demystifies the complex world of political fundraising. From the surge in campaign texts to the intricacies of donation limits, PACs, and dark money groups, he explains how modern campaign finance works. With expert insight from the Federal Election Commission Chair Ellen Weintraub, Ben shows how money flows through American politics while reminding viewers that votes, not dollars, decide elections.

I was aware of the limits on individual contributions, but not of the limits on all the other opportunities to donate money. More than $1.5 million for all possible contributions to the national party and its presidential candidate? I used to be an officer of Coffee Party USA, which was very interested in campaign finance reform, and I didn't know that! It's always a good day when I learn something new, which makes today a good day.

That's a wrap for today's civics lessons. Stay tuned as I cover the Outstanding Talk Series Emmy nominees tomorrow.