Beleaguered Staffers

By: News Sidequest
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  • Summary

  • Laura Finch and Sean Magers both worked in Congress. One for a Republican and one for a Democrat. Now they’ll explain to Keith Conrad and you, what’s really going on there behind the scenes

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    News Sidequest
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Political Science Politics & Government
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Episodes
  • The Fallout from USAID’s Shutdown

    The Fallout from USAID’s Shutdown
    Feb 24 2025
    In this episode of The Beleaguered Staffers Podcast, Keith Conrad, Laura Finch, and Sean Magers discuss the abrupt shutdown of USAID and the chaotic approach of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). They explore how foreign aid cuts could lead to a resurgence of global crises, destabilization, and unintended consequences. The conversation highlights the flawed logic behind slashing entire agencies without a plan, the spread of misinformation about government spending, and how a more responsible zero-based budgeting approach could have been a better alternative. With USAID as the first casualty, they speculate on what—and who—might be next.

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    26 mins
  • The Transition from Campaign to Congress

    The Transition from Campaign to Congress
    Feb 17 2025
    In this episode of Beleaguered Staffers, Keith Conrad, Laura Finch, and Sean Magers dive into the chaotic transition from campaign to Congress. They discuss the scramble to secure jobs, the congressional office lottery, and infamous office decor scandals—like Aaron Schock’s Downton Abbey-inspired redesign. Laura and Sean also share insights on finding housing in D.C. on a congressional staffer’s salary and the unofficial perks of working on the Hill, including a rooftop view of the Fourth of July fireworks

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    29 mins
  • How Did We End Up In This Situation?

    How Did We End Up In This Situation?
    Feb 8 2025
    In this inaugural episode of The Beleaguered Staffers Podcast, host Keith Conrad is joined by former congressional staffers Laura Finch and Sean Magers to pull back the curtain on life behind the scenes in Congress. They discuss how they landed their jobs, the chaotic reality of working on the Hill, and the never-ending campaign mentality that defines congressional work. Along the way, they share surprising insights about state vs. federal politics, the role of C-SPAN, and how travel budgets impact a representative’s time in D.C.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    20 mins

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