Look back through historic quotes from comedians and pundits and you’ll find lots of jokes about congress. Which tells us one thing. The workings of our government have always been a source of frustration. SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor, an assistant professor of Public Policy and Politics at the University of Virginia and the author of Echo Chambers: How Partisan Communication Took Over Congress, joins host Steve Fisher to discuss How Congress is Working...Or isn’t.

One of the first rules of journalism is to not become part of the story. But nothing’s been said about letting the story become part of the journalist. That’s Kara Kavensky, host of the podcast Record Scratch with Kara and author of the new book, Tell Me About Joy, about the time an interview of a World War II vet turned into a mission for Kara. One that would have a profound effect on both of them. She joins host Steve Fisher to Tell Us About Joy.

Friends. No, not the TV show. Our actual friends. Do you ever wonder what made you friends in the first place. Or what they bring to your life? Jessica Ayers, an Assistant Professor of Psychological Science at Boise State University, has been looking into those question and says there’s more to friendship than meets the eye. She joins host Steve Fisher for Lifeslices: The One About Friends.