Ep. 231: Creeping In The Shadows with Supreme Court Justices
EQ: What does the recent NYT investigation in the shadow docket and this year’s Supreme Court cases reveal about the current state of the U.S. Constitution and what might they signal for the future of our democracy?
Using a major New York Times investigation into the Supreme Court’s “shadow docket,” in this episode we unpack how a process originally meant for urgent, temporary decisions has increasingly become a powerful, opaque tool shaping national policy without full arguments or clear reasoning. Alongside that, we preview a slate of high-stakes 2026 cases from birthright citizenship and federal regulatory power to gun laws, voting rights, and deportation protections. This episode explores what these developments reveal about the current state of the Constitution, the growing influence of expedited and unreasoned rulings, and what all of it might signal for the future of democratic norms, public trust, and the balance of power in the United States.
Related Resources:
Do Your Fudging Homework:
Hope: Read the NYT piece “Inside the 5 Days that Made the Supreme Court” and the Brian Lamar Stoke’s song “Don’t Crash Out”
Annie: Go read about Neil Gorusch and his weird obsession.