385 avsnitt • Längd: 45 min • Veckovis: Måndag
Welcome to The Democracy Group – a network of podcasts about democracy, civic engagement, and civil discourse. In this feed you will find a sampling of episodes from our podcasts in the Democracy Group as well recordings from our events. If you enjoy this podcast, please visit democracygroup.org to find all of our podcast shows, events, topic guides, and newsletter.
The podcast The Democracy Group is created by The Democracy Group. The podcast and the artwork on this page are embedded on this page using the public podcast feed (RSS).
We claim to be a nation founded on an idea. But, especially in these times of civic rupture, are we even all talking about the same idea?
Contributing Washington Post opinion writer Dr. Ted Johnson joins us again to discuss his beautiful, powerful new book “If We are Brave: Essays of Black Americana.”
The program is faciliated by Dr. Nashid Madyun, Executive Director of Florida Humanities. Find the program online here.
This program is part of the series in partnership with Florida Humanities — “UNUM: Democracy Reignited,” a multi-year digital offering exploring the past, present and future of the American idea — as it exists on paper, in the hearts of our people, and as it manifests (or sometimes fails to manifest) in our lives.
We discuss what we can all do to say "no" to Project 2025, including getting Democrats to play hardball in local, city, and state offices, and to protect and win elections this year and in the midterms next year.
Ezra’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:
Ezra Levin is the Co-Executive Director of Indivisible, which he co-founded with Leah Greenberg in the wake of the 2016 presidential election. He’s also the co-author of We Are Indivisible: A Blueprint for Democracy After Trump.
In this week’s episode, host Ryan Coonerty speaks with New Jersey Senator Troy Singleton, who is working alongside Governor Phil Murphy and his legislative colleagues to address the housing crisis. New Jersey is one of the most densely populated states in our union, which poses unique challenges and unique opportunities to increase housing. Ryan and Senator Singleton explore misconceptions about what affordable housing is and who it serves, and they discuss why the senator believes it's more effective to market affordable housing as workforce housing. Singleton also talks about New Jersey’s November elections, which along with results in Virginia, will be seen as a barometer of the national mood in the first year of the Trump Administration. Tune in to learn about Singleton’s career path from intern to senator and how he manages his time to ensure he doesn’t get burnt out while serving his neighbors.
IN THIS EPISODE:
• The foundational role of housing in light of the affordable housing crisis.
• Senator Troy Singleton’s perspective on the status of affordable housing in New Jersey.
• Housing initiatives in New Jersey.
• Challenging dynamics around affordable housing.
• His journey into working in government.
• What changed for Senator Troy when he moved into a leadership position.
• Two tips to manage time and balance responsibilities.
• How people are feeling in New Jersey following the recent elections.
• Interests of different demographics.
How Do We Fix It? raises questions about solutions to divisive topics of politics and public policy: Decidedly secular matters. In this episode we look at how religious groups and institutions can help bring people together across divides. Braver Faith is our focus. The Right Rev. Mark Beckwith is our guest.
Braver Faith is one the newest and most vibrant groups within Braver Angels— America's largest cross-partisan, volunteer-led movement that works to push back against rigid polarization. Led by faith leaders from many different religious backgrounds and beliefs, Braver Faith is a civic organization that develops educational tools to build bridges between people who are divided over politics.
Mark Beckwith speaks with us about the group's goals and principles. "So many people that I talk to within Braver Angels tell me their commitment emerges from their particular faith", he tells us.
Ordained in the Episcopal Church in 1979, Mark Beckwith has served parishes in Connecticut, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Elected Bishop of Newark, New Jersey, he served in that capacity for 12 years before retiring in 2018. Bishop Beckwith is a liaison for Bishops United Against Gun Violence, and is the co-founder of Faith Leaders for Ending Gun Violence, a national ecumenical group of diverse leaders. He is the author of "Seeing the Unseen: Beyond Prejudices, Paradigms and Party Lines."
Braver Faith organized an online gathering the evening before President Trump's inaugural January 20. Here's a link. Three speakers shared their thoughts about how faith can play a role in building bridges. Prayers from a range of faith traditions were offered. We include short extracts in this podcast.
"How Do We Fix It?" publishes frequently. We report on the projects, people, and ideas of Braver Angels.
In this episode, host Corey Nathan addresses the pressing issue of how pro-democracy patriots - the large coalition of folks who believe in this American experiment - can endure during times when anti-democratic tendencies are metastasizing. Drawing from personal experiences, philosophical insights, and cultural reflections, we explore ways of maintaining hope, practicing discernment, and fostering meaningful connections amid political division.
What We Discuss:
Episode Highlights:
Featured Quotes:
Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other Podcast
Instances of political violence around the 2024 election and vote certification on January 6, 2025 did not come to fruition the way some experts feared they would throughout last year. But that doesn't mean that we can forget about threats of political violence until it's time for the next election. In fact, political violence continues to rise in the United States and throughout western Europe.
Our guests this week, Rachel Kleinfeld of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Nicole Bibbins Sedaca of Freedom House and the George W. Bush Institute, are two of the leading voices on how to prevent political violence and create a healthier democracy. They join us to discuss what causes political violence and what democracies around the world can do to prevent it by addressing both cultural and structural issues in politics.
After the interview, Chris Beem and Cyanne Loyle discuss whether non-violent protest movements can successfully combat political violence amid growing polarization and support for political violence from some elected officials and political leaders.
Kleinfeld and Bibbins Sedaca are the authors of the article "How to Prevent Political Violence," which appeared in the fall 2024 issue of The Journal of Democracy.
Journal of Democracy article: How to Prevent Political Violence
Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy welcome the Spring 2025 CPF Fellows to USC for a virtual discussion of Donald Trump’s inauguration and what a second Trump term may look like. The conversation features: Bob Shrum (moderator) - Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future Ed Goeas – Republican Pollster and Strategist Betsy Fischer Martin – Executive Director, Women & Politics Institute at American University; Former "Meet the Press" Executive Producer Jonathan Martin - Senior Political Columnist and Politics Bureau Chief at POLITICO Anthony Rendon – Former Speaker of the California State Assembly Cameron Trimble – Former White House Director of Digital Engagement; Founder of Hip-Politics
This week we bring you a special episode from Jenny Marquez, one of our 2024 Podcast Fellows.
In the season premiere of Democracy Determined, host Jenny Marquez delves into the crucial topic of youth involvement in democracy. Special guest Aliza Lifshitz, a coalition organizer and strategist for youth movements like Youth and Gov and Voters of Tomorrow, discusses her inspiring journey into political activism, her roles in youth-led organizations, and the unique challenges young leaders face. Aliza emphasizes the importance of resisting external narratives, the role of mentorship, and the need for coalition building. The episode concludes with reflections on the future of youth engagement and the legacy of current young activists.
00:00 Welcome to Democracy Determined
00:41 Meet Aliza Lifshitz: Youth Movement Leader
01:18 Aliza's Journey into Political Activism
02:37 Youth and Gov: A Coalition for Change
03:40 Voters of Tomorrow: Empowering Gen Z
04:26 The Unique Role of Young People in Politics
07:06 Challenges Faced by Young Leaders
08:47 The Importance of Mentorship
10:45 Ensuring Sustainability in Youth Movements
13:24 Equipping Young People for Success
16:10 Building a Legacy of Coalition and Unity
18:09 Final Thoughts and Reflections
Know a student interested in democracy and podcasts? Send them over to our fellowship to apply: https://www.democracygroup.org/fellowship
This week we bring you a special episode from Dashiell Quinn, one of our 2024 Podcast Fellows.
In this inaugural episode of 'Democracy on Fire,' host Dashiell Quinn discusses the vulnerabilities and challenges facing democracy with special guest Mr. Hauser, an experienced lawyer and former federal prosecutor. The conversation dives into key issues such as political polarization, media manipulation, misinformation, and the integrity of politicians. Through insightful dialogue, they explore the current state of democracy, the historical context of political division, and potential paths forward. This episode underscores the importance of understanding our founding principles and emphasizes the need for a more informed and engaged public.
00:00 Introduction to Democracy on Fire
00:58 Understanding Democracy's Fragility
01:21 Meet Our Special Guest: Mr. Hauser
01:46 Mr. Hauser's Background and Experience
03:33 Discussing Polarization and Partisanship
09:06 Media Manipulation and Misinformation
13:49 The Issue of Lying Politicians
18:01 Maintaining Integrity and Honor in Democracy
23:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Know a student interested in democracy and podcasts? Send them over to our fellowship to apply: https://www.democracygroup.org/fellowship
This week we bring you a special episode from Sabrina Tomei Gonzalez, one of our 2024 Podcast Fellows.
In this episode of Town Hall Conversations, Sabrina from Fairfield, Connecticut, interviews Jen Leeper, a state representative from the 132nd district of Connecticut. Jen shares insights into her background, journey to office, and passion for public policy. She discusses the importance of state government, outlines the process of how a bill becomes law, and responds to questions from Sabrina's classmates about her role and responsibilities. The conversation covers Jen's motivations, challenges, and achievements, including the significance of community engagement and young people's voices in shaping future policies.
00:00 Introduction to Town Talk Conversations
01:06 Meet State Representative Jen Leeper
02:50 Jen Leeper's Journey to Office
04:39 The Role and Responsibilities of a State Representative
06:29 The Legislative Process Explained
14:00 Community Engagement and Policy Priorities
30:58 Challenges and Reflections
38:29 Closing Remarks and Call to Action
Know a student interested in democracy and podcasts? Send them over to our fellowship to apply: https://www.democracygroup.org/fellowship
This week we bring you a special episode from Claire Baek, one of our 2024 Podcast Fellows.
In this episode of Dear Government, host Claire Baek and guests from Shansley High School's newspaper, The Purple Tide, analyze and discuss the unexpected results of the 2024 presidential election. The conversation dives into the electoral and popular vote outcomes that led to President Donald Trump's victory and the reactions of young voters. They also touch on the importance of the working class, the role of media and marketing in campaigns, the effectiveness of Kamala Harris's debate performance, and the value of voting in a democracy. Personal voting experiences and reflections on what democracy means to students are shared.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Introductions
01:06 Election Results and Initial Reactions
02:16 Trump's Appeal to the Working Class
04:12 Media and Marketing Strategies
05:01 Presidential Debate Analysis
08:27 Young People's Perspective on Voting
13:35 Defining Democracy and Student Involvement
18:49 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Know a student interested in democracy and podcasts? Send them over to our fellowship to apply: https://www.democracygroup.org/fellowship
We continue our Best of 2024 episodes with an episode from the Democracy Decoded podcast, with host Simone Leeper.
In the end, the worst of everyone’s election fears — political violence, overt foreign interference or a razor-thin margin between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump leading to a hotly contested legal battle — did not come to pass. Instead, Donald Trump won a plurality of votes for president, and did so decisively. On January 20, 2025, he will once again become the country’s most powerful executive.
His victory raises weighty questions for the experts at Campaign Legal Center. Trump ran explicitly on a platform of behaving like an authoritarian, promising to fire U.S. civil servants, threatening opponents with jail, and brandishing military force against would-be dissenters. As his return to power approaches, we grapple with a paradoxical election, in which voters declared their preference for the candidate who repeatedly threatened the American system as we know it.
Joining Simone in this episode are Trevor Potter, CLC’s president and founder, and CLC senior vice presidents Paul M. Smith and Bruce Spiva. They offer their forecasts for the uncertain years ahead and explain what this election did (and did not) signify about the health of American democracy.
Host and Guests:
Simone Leeper litigates a wide range of redistricting-related cases at CLC, challenging gerrymanders and advocating for election systems that guarantee all voters an equal opportunity to influence our democracy. Prior to arriving at CLC, Simone was a law clerk in the office of Senator Ed Markey and at the Library of Congress, Office of General Counsel. She received her J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2019 and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Columbia University in 2016.
Trevor Potter is President at Campaign Legal Center. A Republican former Chairman of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Trevor was general counsel to John McCain’s 2000 and 2008 presidential campaigns and an adviser to the drafters of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law. To many, he is perhaps best known for his recurring appearances on The Colbert Report as the lawyer for Stephen Colbert’s super PAC, Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, during the 2012 election, a program that won a Peabody Award for excellence in reporting on money in politics.
The American Bar Association Journal has described Trevor as “hands-down one of the top lawyers in the country on the delicate intersection of politics, law and money.” Trevor is the author of several books and manuals on lobbying regulation and disclosure, campaign finance and federal election law. He has provided testimony and written statements to Congress on federal election proposals, campaign finance regulation and, recently, the effects of the January 6th attack on our democracy. He has also taught campaign finance law at the University of Virginia School of Law and Oxford University, and he has appeared widely in national broadcast and print media. During the 2020 election season, Trevor was named to the cross-partisan National Task Force on Election Crises.
Bruce Spiva is Senior Vice President at Campaign Legal Center. He is an attorney and community leader who has spent his over 30-year career fighting for civil rights and civil liberties, voting rights, consumer protection, and antitrust enforcement.
Over the past three decades, he has tried cases and argued appeals in courtrooms across the country, including arguing against vote suppression in the United States Supreme Court in 2021. In 2022, in his first run for public office, Bruce mounted a competitive run in the primary election for Washington, D.C. Attorney General.
In addition to founding his own law firm where he practiced for eleven years, Bruce has held several leadership and management positions as a partner at two national law firms. Most recently, Bruce served as the Managing Partner of the D.C. Office and on the firm-wide Executive Committee of Perkins Coie LLP, where he also had an active election law practice. He first-chaired twelve voting rights and redistricting trials across the country, and argued numerous voting rights appeals in U.S. circuit courts and state supreme courts during his tenure at Perkins.
Paul M. Smith is Senior Vice President at Campaign Legal Center. He works directly with CLC’s talented team of litigators to protect and advance American democracy through innovative litigation strategies.
Paul has four decades of experience litigating a wide range of cases. He has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court 21 times and secured numerous victories, including in the important cases advancing civil liberties and civil rights, Lawrence v. Texas, the landmark gay rights case, and Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Ass’n, which established First Amendment rights of those who produce and sell video games.
In addition, Paul has argued several voting rights cases at the Supreme Court, including Vieth v. Jubelirer and Gill v. Whitford, involving partisan gerrymandering, LULAC v. Perry, involving the legality of Texas’s mid-decade redrawing of congressional districts and Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, involving the constitutionality of a voter identification law. He served as counsel for amici in several key campaign finance merits cases including McCutcheon v. FEC (on behalf of Democratic House members), Arizona Free Enterprise Club’s Freedom Club PAC v. Bennett (on behalf of the Committee for Economic Development) and Citizens United v. FEC (on behalf of the Committee for Economic Development).
We continue our Best of 2024 episodes with an episode from An Honorable Profession podcast, with hosts Debbie Cox Bultan and Ryan Coonerty.
In this week’s episode, host Ryan Coonerty speaks with Pittsburgh, PA, City Controller Rachael Heisler. Heisler explains the role of the controller, which consists of three core functions: accounting, accounts payable, and auditing. She also discussed her role in making sure that tax dollars are used responsibly and effectively and that they are spent in accordance with legislation that was passed and contracts that were signed. They talk about the challenges of urban budgets as office buildings and downtowns remain empty in the aftermath of the pandemic, as well as how to build trust within your community, fight for what is right, and campaign in swing states. Tune in to learn about Controller Heisler’s approach to her role in government and as a community leader, how she has stood against antisemitism, and why she has so much hope for Pittsburgh’s future.
IN THIS EPISODE:
• [01:04] Pittsburgh Controller Rachael Heisler, her role, and why the City Controller is especially important in Pittsburgh.
• [03:08] Navigating the interplay of holding office members accountable while serving in office.
• [05:40] Delivering tricky news in a swing state.
• [08:55] What Controller Heisler would like to see change in Pittsburgh’s working environment.
• [12:14] Her career path up to this point which started in education before she fell in love with public service.
• [16:13] Why running for office is truly the most humbling thing you could do.
• [18:41] Pittsburgh community members attunement with maintaining the city’s fiscal health.
• [19:41] How Controller Heisler experienced moving from a Deputy role to occupying the position of Controller.
• [22:38] Her approach to speaking out against antisemitism in Pittsburgh and why she believes this is important.
• [30:47] Sentiment in Pittsburgh leading up to the elections and the incredible energy on the ground.
We continue our Best of 2024 episodes with an episode from the Future Hindsight podcast, hosted by Mila Atmos.
We discuss deepening our understanding of the climate crisis, the urgent need for decarbonization, and our role in speaking truth about phasing out fossil fuels.
Genevieve Guenther is the founding director of End Climate Silence and affiliate faculty at The New School. Her most recent book is The Language of Climate Politics: Fossil-Fuel Propaganda and How to Fight It.
Genevieve’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:
Call your elected representatives and demand policies to phase out fossil fuels.
If extreme weather comes up in conversation, connect the dots to climate change and say: “We really need to phase out fossil fuels so we can halt global heating.”
Follow Genevieve on X:
Read The Language of Climate Politics:
https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight
Follow Mila on X:
We continue our Best of 2024 episodes with an episode from The Great Battlefield podcast, with hosts Nathaniel Pearlman.
Regina Wallace-Jones joins The Great Battlefield podcast to talk about her career in tech, politics and business and her current role as CEO of ActBlue, a nonprofit fundraising platform for progressives, and where she wants to take it.
We continue our Best of 2024 episodes with an episode from the Democracy Works podcast, hosted by Jenna Spinelle, Christopher Beem, Michael Berkman.
Cynthia Miller-Idriss, one of America's leading experts on the far right, joins us this week to discuss what draws people to political extremism online and offline — and what we can do to combat it.
Miller-Idriss is the director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL) at American University and author of the book Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right. As you'll hear, PERIL takes a public health approach to preventing violent extremism and provides tools and resources to help communities create resilient democracies.
In the interview, Miller-Idriss discusses how extremism and political violence are linked to our desire for community. This dynamic means that extremist ideas can pop up in seemingly innocuous places from martial arts groups to online wellness communities. She says understanding this dynamic is key to moving people away from extremist spaces and into constructive communities.
Miller-Idriss visited Penn State as part of the Mellon-funded Sawyer Seminar exploring the theme, "Birthing the Nation: Gender, Sex and Reproduction in Ethnonationalist Imaginaries."
We continue our Best of 2024 episodes with an episode from the Village SquareCast podcast, hosted by the Village Square.
We wanted you wonderful SquareCast listeners to know that we didn't plan for this episode to drop on Leap Day and we didn't plan on it being (we kid you not) Episode 100. But both things just happened. At the very least, we think that's a sign that you really ought to listen. Were we "the universe has a plan" maximalists, though, we'd say it means you need to quit your day job and follow bridge builders like Jon Haidt and The Village Square around like Jack Kerouac groupies.
You pick. Here's our blurb to help inform your imminent life choice:
What if, at a pinnacle of our civilization’s technological achievement, everything just broke — the institutions we’ve come to rely upon in navigating a modern complex world, the shared stories that hold a large and diverse democratic republic together, and even a common language through which to navigate the rising tide of crisis. According to renowned social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt, this describes our current reality, one that he calls “After Babel.” In this new normal, we are scattered by a digital environment into feuding tribes that are governed by mob dynamics and driven by a minority of ideological outliers, made stupid at warp speed by group think, and — thanks to social media — armed with billions of metaphorical “dart guns” with which to immediately wound “the enemy” in ways that are hardly only metaphorical. What could go wrong?
Our very special guest, Dr. Jonathan Haidt, will delve into the profound impact of social media on democratic societies, dissecting the intricate web of challenges it poses to civic trust and civil discourse. Don’t miss this chance to hear from one of the foremost thought leaders of our time — one who has generously given his counsel to The Village Square, and countless efforts like ours — on this existential challenge of our time. Read Why the Past Ten Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid in The Atlantic and learn more about Dr. Haidt by clicking the MORE button, below.
We continue our Best of 2024 episodes with an episode from the Bad Watchdog podcast, hosted by Maren Machles.
For the past few episodes, Maren has explored the reality of immigration detention, uplifting the conditions in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) centers where thousands are held under the presumption that they may be threats to national security. In the season finale of Bad Watchdog, we return to where we started, with the DHS’s counterterrorism mission. Maren breaks down the current landscape of terrorism in the United States, where the most dangerous threat isn’t posed by those who’ve crossed our borders illegally, but by homegrown, far-right, violent extremists. And, as Maren learns, domestic violent extremism isn’t just a problem across the country — it’s a problem in DHS’s own ranks as well.
Domestic terrorism experts Daryl Johnson and Alejandro Buetel walk Maren through the rise of far-right violent extremism in the U.S. and interrogate whether DHS is taking the threat seriously. Maren discusses both shortfalls and potential solutions for how DHS could address far-right violent extremism with the Brennan Center for Justice’s Liberty’s Spencer Reynolds. POGO Senior Investigator Nick Schwellenbach shares his investigation into just how many Oath Keepers are or were employed at DHS. And Maren connects with people who are working to make this broken system more humane, including activists Arely Westley and Berto Hernandez, Las Americas Director of Cross-Border Strategies Crystal Sandoval, former POGO Senior Researcher Freddy Martinez, and POGO Senior Paralegal Lance Sims.
To report waste, fraud, or abuse in the federal government, please visit us at https://www.pogo.org/send-us-a-tip.
Democracy Works host Michael Berkman, director of the McCourtney Institute for Democracy and professor of political science at Penn State talks with Christopher Claassen, a political scientist at the University of Glasgow, about how to measure support for democracy across countries and across generations.
Claassen grew up in South Africa and was 16 when the country held its first democratic elections. His interest in democracy continued through college and into his career as a political scientist. Today, he is a professor of political behavior at the University of Glasgow. One area of his research focuses on how to measure support for democracy. In a recent paper, he and colleagues developed 17 survey questions that cover all eight components of liberal democracy as defined by the V-Dem project in an effort to refine what people mean when they say the support or don't support democracy.
Berkman and Claassen also discuss how support for democracy is part of the 2024 U.S. election. Note that this interview was recorded in late October 2024 before the election took place.
Referenced in this episode:
McCourtney Institute for Democracy Mood of the Nation Poll
Episode with Cynthia MIller-Idriss on communities and political extremism
Do you believe what you see in newspapers, websites and on TV? Most Americans don't trust the people who are supposed to truthfully report the news. A new Gallup poll says Americans have record-low trust in mass media. Only one-in-three adults has a "great deal" or a "fair amount" of confidence in the media to report the news "fully, accurately and fairly."
More than 150,000 readers each day turn to Tangle, a website read by liberals, conservatives and independents. Every day Tangle tackles one current debate in American politics, and summarizes arguments from left, right, and center. All Sides Bias Checker gives Tangle a "middle" rating, which means the site neither leans left nor right.
Our guest, politics reporter Isaac Saul, started Tangle in 2019 as an independent, ad-free, nonpartisan newsletter. He grew up in Bucks County Pa. — one of the most politically divided counties in America — where he was exposed to a huge range of political opinions and values. As a young journalist, Isaac learned the media ecosystem was broken when he found that he wasn’t being judged based on his writing, but where it was being published.
On Tangle "you will encounter a wide range of views, including some you really disagree with," Isaac tells us.
"We're trying to be a big tent news organization and we are succeeding at that... Our readership is split almost evenly between conservative and liberal readers."
"I'm working from the premise that the reds and blues don't understand each other," he says. "I really do want to bring people under one roof with a shared set of arguments to analyze and talk about, and a shared set of facts to work from."
About this show: Every couple of weeks we release a new episode hosted by Richard Davies about the work, the ideas, and the people of Braver Angels, a remarkable band of brothers and sisters who get together across political divides in person and online: Reds and Blues who do battle against toxic polarization. In this show we speak with a fellow traveler of this effort.
Links to news sites that feature a range of opinions on a single issue:
Tangle, All Sides, and Ground News.
In this week’s episode of Politics In Question, Lee and James explore the role of the Senate and the dysfunction we see today with Sean Theriault. Theriault is a Professor at the Department of Government at the University of Texas, Austin and the author of Disruption?: The Senate During the Trump Era (Oxford University Press, 2024).
Do we need the Senate? What has caused gridlock in the Senate? What would the Senate look like during a second Trump term? These are some of the questions Sean, Lee, and James ask in this week’s episode.
Mike talks with Stephen J. Ducat, an author, political psychologist, psychoanalyst, and former psychology professor in the School of Humanities at New College of California. They discuss Professor Ducat’s most recent book, Hatreds We Love: The Psychology of Political Tribalism in Post-Truth America.
Topics Mike and Stephen discuss include:
- why tribal loyalty often overrides material self-interest
- demonizing outsiders to reinforce in-group virtue
- conservative disgust vs liberal disdain
- the ‘malignant, intuitive genius’ of Donald Trump
- the dark side of political purity
- the importance of being morally multi-lingual
The Politics Guys on Facebook | X
We discuss why American democracy should not treat the Latinx community as a monolith, what actually matters to this community, and how the strength of their engagement in U.S. democracy will play out in this year’s presidential election.
Maria Teresa’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:
VOTE!
Share your excitement to vote with everyone you know, especially young people.
Maria Teresa Kumar is the President and CEO of Voto Latino, a civic engagement organization focused on educating and empowering a new generation of Latinx voters, as well as creating a more robust and inclusive democracy.
When New Hampshire voters picked up the phone earlier this year and heard what sounded like the voice of President Joe Biden asking them not to vote in that state’s primary election, the stage was set for an unprecedented election year. The call was a deepfake — and the first major instance of artificial intelligence being used in the 2024 election. With the rise of AI tools that can credibly synthesize voices, images and videos, how are voters supposed to determine what they can trust as they prepare to cast their votes?
To find out how lawmakers and civil society are pushing back against harmful false narratives and content, we talked with experts engaging the problem on several fronts. Stephen Richer, an elected Republican in Phoenix, posts on X (formerly Twitter) to engage misinformation head-on to protect Arizona voters. Adav Noti, the executive director of CLC, explains how good-governance advocates are hurrying to catch up with a profusion of new digital tools that make the age-old practices of misinformation and disinformation faster and cheaper than ever. And Mia Hoffman, a researcher who looks at the effects of AI on democracies, reminds voters not to panic — that bad information and malicious messaging don’t always have the power to reach their audience, let alone sway people’s opinions or actions.
Host and Guests:
Simone Leeper litigates a wide range of redistricting-related cases at CLC, challenging gerrymanders and advocating for election systems that guarantee all voters an equal opportunity to influence our democracy. Prior to arriving at CLC, Simone was a law clerk in the office of Senator Ed Markey and at the Library of Congress, Office of General Counsel. She received her J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2019 and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Columbia University in 2016.
Stephen Richer is the 30th Recorder of Maricopa County. He was elected in November 2020 and took office in January 2021. His office of approximately 150 employees records hundreds of thousands of public documents every year, maintains a voter registration database of 2.4 million voters -- the second largest voting jurisdiction in the United States -- and administers the mail voting component of all elections in Maricopa County. Prior to his time as Recorder, Stephen worked in various business sectors and, later, as an attorney at the law firms Steptoe & Johnson LLP and Lewis Roca LLP. He holds a J.D. and M.A. from The University of Chicago and a B.A. from Tulane University. He is completing his PhD at Arizona State University.
Adav Noti is Executive Director at Campaign Legal Center. He has conducted dozens of constitutional cases in trial and appellate courts and the United States Supreme Court. He also advises Members of Congress and other policymakers on advancing democracy through legislation. Prior to joining CLC, Adav served for more than 10 years in nonpartisan leadership capacities within the Office of General Counsel of the Federal Election Commission, and he served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. Adav regularly provides expert analysis for television, radio, and print journalism. He has appeared on broadcasts such as The Rachel Maddow Show, Anderson Cooper 360, PBS NewsHour, and National Public Radio's Morning Edition, and he is regularly cited in publications nationwide, including the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Politico, Slate, and Reuters.
Mia Hoffmann is a Research Fellow at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology. Her research focuses on AI harm incidents, aiming to provide a deeper understanding of failure modes and the efficacy of risk mitigation practices. In recent work, she examined the uses of AI in US election administration and their risks to electoral integrity. Prior to joining CSET, Mia worked at the European Commission and as a researcher in Brussels, where she studied AI adoption and its implications. She holds a MS in Economics from Lund University and a BS in International Economics from the University of Tuebingen.
Links:
How Artificial Intelligence Influences Elections, and What We Can Do About It - Campaign Legal Center
How 2024 presidential candidates are using AI inside their election campaigns - CNBC
Nonprofit group plans ad campaign using AI misinfo to fight AI misinfo - Politico
CLC Op-Ed Examines Artificial Intelligence Disinformation in Elections - Campaign Legal Center
Congress should pass bipartisan bills to safeguard elections from AI - Campaign Legal Center
In today’s episode, NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan speaks with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) President, Heather Williams. Heather explains how the DLCC works to elect more Democrats to the House and Senate and win legislative majorities. She walks us through the DLCC’s strategy of targeting key states and legislature chambers, the opportunities she is most excited about this year, and the organization’s important work to raise awareness of legislative candidates and ensure that voters vote down the ballot. Tune in to learn about the many issues being shaped by state legislatures, including reproductive rights, housing, and climate, and why this year’s elections matter more than ever.
IN THIS EPISODE:
• [01:03] Introducing Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) President Heather Williams who joins us to discuss state legislative elections.
• [02:55] President Williams shares the three buckets that her work falls into this year.
• [06:55] An overview of the DLCC’s work and the cycle it follows.
• [09:54] How enthusiasm for the Harris-Walz Campaign differs from state-specific voting sentiment.
• [12:20] Factors that currently drive voter turnout including access to information.
• [15:01] Why it is important to give voters a clear option to vote for issues such as reproductive healthcare.
• [17:48] The important moment created by the Dobbs decision and how it widened people’s understanding of Roe.
• [19:34] The experience of recruiting candidates in 2024.
• [22:35] President Williams’ journey to public service.
• [25:55] What sparked a transition in representation in 2010 and how that has unfolded today.
These final days before the election are tense times. Today’s toxic politics are hurtful and heart breaking for many of us.
Maybe we all need a hope vaccine. An injection of kindness, curiosity and understanding for those who see the world differently than we do.
In our latest report on the work, ideas, and people of Braver Angels, the nationwide citizen-led campaign against political polarization, we learn more about its Election Day Initiative: A volunteer-led effort to push back against political climate change— the hurricane of hate resentment and disdain that many on the left and right feel for the other side.
Our guests in this episode are liberal Dorsey Cartwright and conservative Roger Haynes. They are two of many red/blue pairs of citizens who will sit and stand together outside polling places across America.
M. Dorsey Cartwright is a retired marriage and family therapist in Austin, Texas. She travelled internationally leading workshops for couples, individuals, adult children and parents, as well as for communities. Valuing the healing of relationships, Dorsey has turned her attention to America’s political environment. First as an active member of No Labels and its mission to depolarize the House and Senate, and then Braver Angels, with its mission to depolarize our citizenship. Her politics lean blue.
Red-leaning Roger Haynes is a retired Chief Master Sergeant with 23 years of active military service and he recently left a civil service appointment with the government. He has served in his community in various roles including HOA, City Commission, and is also active helping local Friends of NRA committees raise grant funding in areas such as youth education, women-focused clinics, law enforcement training, hunter safety, range improvement, firearms and marksmanship training and safety. He’s passionate about the First and Second Amendments.
Election officials have always played a critical role in ensuring that our votes are cast and counted fairly. But in recent years, the landscape of election work has dramatically changed. No longer seen as a quiet, behind-the-scenes service, election officials are now on the front lines of an increasingly toxic environment, facing harassment, threats, and a flood of misinformation.
In this episode of Democracy Fix, two seasoned election officials, Tonya Wichman, Director of Elections in Defiance County, Ohio, and Wesley Wilcox, Supervisor of Elections in Marion County, Florida join Dr. Carah Ong Whaley and Angelina Clapp to discuss the evolving role of election administration, and how they’re standing up against the tide of misinformation and political interference to ensure the integrity of our elections. Both Tonya and Wesley are featured in the powerful new documentary, The Officials, which shines a light on the pressures and challenges they and their colleagues across the country face as they prepare for the 2024 presidential election.
Links in this episode:
The Officials film and companion toolkit
What does it mean to be a conservative? (And no, Donald Trump is not a conservative.) Can the Republican Party be redeemed? What implications does any of this have on the 2024 election and beyond?
In this episode, we’re joined by Mona Charon, Policy Editor at The Bulwark and host of the podcasts Just Between Us and Beg to Differ. We explore the state of democracy, the role of media, and the evolving definitions of conservatism. Mona reflects on her experiences living in Israel, the challenges of peace negotiations, and her perspective on the Biden administration's policies. We discuss the extremism in both U.S. political parties, the impact of Trump's leadership, and the Republican Party's future post-Trump. Mona also details her work at The Bulwark and advocates for media integrity and accountability.
The Democracy Group listener survey
Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other Podcast
As we barrel toward America’s 250th, one could argue that if we crack up before we get there (some bad days we’d take even odds), it’ll have something to do with the complexity of being in charge of executing one of the founders’ biggest ideas — that the church and the state were to be separate in this new nation of theirs. (It had been so much “easier” when the king told all us peasants what religion we were.)
Our framers, for the first time in history, asserted that a citizenry had “natural rights” as human beings, given to them only by God, to follow (and be responsible for) our individual consciences — including the right to not believe at all. These rights could then not be taken by the government. Those dudes in tights, both Christian and Deist, had birthed a country where all sorts of religious belief would thrive.
Turns out high principles about freedom for everyone all at the same time wouldn’t be a piece of cake and after 250-ish years of disagreement, we’re still haggling over those darn specifics — partly because we’re masters of not seeing the log in our own eyes. God Squad goes right to the real conversation on this age-old prickly topic.
Learn more about the program and meet the God Squad here.
The Democracy Group listener survey
In this week’s episode of Politics In Question, Lee and James explore America’s reliance on direct primaries in federal elections with Nick Troiano. Troiano is the Executive Director of Unite America and the author of The Primary Solution: Rescuing Our Democracy from the Fringes (Simon & Schuster, 2024).
What are direct primaries? Why do Americans rely on them? When did they first start using direct primaries in federal elections? And what are the consequences? These are some of the questions Nick, Lee, and James ask in this week’s episode.
Chris Beem talks with political theorist Alexandre Lefebvre about why liberalism is more than just a political ideas and procedures, and how abiding by liberal principles can enhance your life far beyond politics.
In his book Liberalism as a Way of Life, Lefebvre argues that liberalism isn’t just a set of neutral procedures; it’s a comprehensive way of life that shapes the way we live and think and work and love in innumerable ways. He also argues that it’s a way of life worth robustly defending, drawing on examples from pop culture and recent history.
Lefebeve is a professor of politics and philosophy at the University of Sydney. He teaches and researches political theory, the history of political thought, modern and contemporary French philosophy, and human rights.
Mike talks with Matt Grossmann, Director of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research and Professor of Political Science at Michigan State University. Matt was on the show in 2019 when we talked about his book on public policy change, Artists of the Possible, and he’s back again for a discussion of his latest book, co-authored with David Hopkins, Polarized by Degrees: How the Diploma Divide and the Culture War Transformed American Politics.
Topics Mike & Matt Discuss Include:
- the educultural realignment in American Politics
- the degree divide as an international phenomenon
- if the progressive left has moved too fast
- the dangerous ramifications of destroying institutional trust
- the political right and ‘woke capitalism’
- why liberals dominate popular culture
- conservatives’ attempts to set up parallel institutions
The Politics Guys on Facebook | X
Voter registration is the number one obstacle to voting in the United States. It should be easy, accessible and secure, but too often, states are moving backwards; making voter registration more difficult and less equitable. Here, we introduce a new type of episode: an up-to-the-minute interview with an expert to help you better understand some of the most important issues affecting elections. Danielle Lang, a voting rights attorney at CLC, joins Simone to explain why major actions in Arizona and Texas involve what should be a straightforward component of elections: voter registration.
Danielle explains voter purges, mass challenges to voter registrations, and their effects on voters. And she lays out actions that states and individuals alike can take to ensure registering to vote is safe and secure ahead of Election Day.
Host and Guests:
Simone Leeper litigates a wide range of redistricting-related cases at CLC, challenging gerrymanders and advocating for election systems that guarantee all voters an equal opportunity to influence our democracy. Prior to arriving at CLC, Simone was a law clerk in the office of Senator Ed Markey and at the Library of Congress, Office of General Counsel. She received her J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2019 and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Columbia University in 2016.
Danielle Lang is Senior Director for Voting Rights at Campaign Legal Center. Danielle has worked as a civil rights litigator her entire career. At CLC, she has led litigation against Texas's racially discriminatory voter ID law, Florida's modern-day poll tax for rights restoration, Arizona's burdensome registration requirements, North Dakota's voter ID law targeting Native communities, and numerous successful challenges to signature match policies for absentee ballots. Previously, Danielle served as a Skadden Fellow in the Employment Rights Project of Bet Tzedek Legal Services in Los Angeles, where she represented low-wage immigrant workers in wage and hour, discrimination, and human trafficking matters. From 2012 to 2013, Danielle clerked for Judge Richard A. Paez on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Links:
Frivolous Mass Challenges to Voter Eligibility Damaging to Democracy - Campaign Legal Center
Our Strict Laws Ensure Only U.S. Citizens Vote in Federal Elections - Campaign Legal Center
How To Prevent Unfair Voter Purges - Campaign Legal Center
Modernizing Voter Registration - Campaign Legal Center
What Does the U.S. Supreme Court’s Recent Arizona Decision Mean for Voters? - Campaign Legal Center
Texas Expands Push to Halt Democratic Voter Registration Efforts - Bloomberg Law
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Bexar County Voter Registration Case - The New York Times
We discuss the power and the promise of public schools, the universal rejection of book bans by parents across the country, and an inclusive vision for democracy.
Their civic action toolkit recommendations are:
Jennifer Berkshire and Jack Schneider are co-hosts of the education podcast Have You Heard. Their new book is The Education Wars: A Citizen’s Guide and Defense Manual.
Follow Jennifer on X:
Follow Jack on X:
Read The Education Wars:
https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight
Follow Mila on X:
Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/
Progressive talk show host Thom Hartmann returns to The Great Battlefield podcast to talk about his latest book "The Hidden History of the American Dream: The Demise of the Middle Class―and How to Rescue Our Future".
In this episode, hosts Carah Ong Whaley, Angelina Clapp, and Mia Minkin sit down with King County, WA Director of Elections Julie Wise for a deep dive into the county’s award-winning initiatives to ensure all voices are heard in elections. Known for her passionate advocacy for voter accessibility and election transparency, Wise discusses the critical role of trained, nonpartisan election administrators in preserving democracy.
She highlights the challenges faced by election officials across the country, including the need for consistent and reliable federal funding, the impact of the spread of false election information, and the rise in threats against election workers. Despite the challenges, Wisee’s dedication to increasing voter participation and improving election systems remains unwavering.
Whether you're a policy wonk or just curious about what goes on behind the scenes in our elections, this episode is packed with insights on how to build a more inclusive and transparent democratic process.
Tune in to hear about the inspiring work being done in King County, WA to strengthen the foundation of our democracy.
Episode links:
In this week's episode, producer Rachel Walsh joins co-hosts Ryan Coonery and Debbie Cox Bultan to recap the past few months of this exciting election cycle. They discuss last week's Democratic National Convention, highlighting key themes and standout moments from speakers, including many NewDEAL leaders and alumni. They also reflect on our Road to November 2024 Messaging series, which featured insights from political strategists, policy experts, and state and local elected officials. Ryan, Debbie, and Rachel analyze how to address voters' top concerns and strategies for a strong performance up and down the ballot, and they explore the growing momentum within the Democratic Party, outlining the crucial steps leaders must take to keep this energy through the fall. Tune in to hear their takeaways and better understand the road ahead.
IN THIS EPISODE:
• [04:08] What it was like to be on the floor of the DNC this year.
• [09:13] Freedom as a central narrative of the Democratic campaign.
• [12:41] Congresswoman Annie Kuster on the framing of freedom by the Democratic Party.
• [13:39] Ilana Rubel’s insights on how attacks on reproductive rights impact broader freedoms.
• [17:52] Jesse Ferguson on campaigning on the subject of reproductive rights.
• [18:42] Passing the torch to a younger generation within the party; appealing to young voters.
• [20:58] Olivia Julianna’s insights on what young people are most concerned about.
• [23:47] Mike Madrid on reaching Latino voters and the importance of a pro-housing agenda.
• [27:06] Why it’s so important to build a broad coalition from the middle out.
• [29:28] Simon Rosenberg on patriotism as an antidote to MAGA’s nationalism.
• [32:19] Karen Finney’s thoughts on acknowledging the daily anxieties of Americans.
• [35:00] The role of An Honorable Profession and NewDEAL going forward.
The Democracy Group listener survey
In the 20th Century, we had Cold War adversaries. In the early 2000s, George W. Bush talked about the Axis of Evil. But are those frameworks the most accurate way to understand the forces attempting to undermine not just democratic nations but democratic ideas? And to what degree have these antagonists - those that are fundamentally opposed to our core principles such as the freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and basic human rights - pervaded U.S. politics?
In this episode we welcome Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer-prize winning historian, staff writer at The Atlantic and senior fellow at the Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University. After discussing her motivations, experiences, and insights into the autocratic regimes and their impacts on global democracy, we dive into Anne’s new book Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World. We explore how autocracies collaborate, ways the rest of the world is complicit in autocratic behaviors, and strategies to combat these influences. The conversation also touches on Anne's personal history and initial fascination with the history, literature, culture and politics of the “Borderlands,” a region that includes Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia and beyond.
The Democracy Group listener survey
Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other Podcast
Jay, Justin, and Mike open the preview of this supporters’ midweek episode with a discussion of the recent economic speeches by Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Jay is unhappy with what he’s hearing from both sides, and Mike makes the case that if you like Biden’s policies, you’ll like Harris’ even more. Justin points out that much of what we’re hearing from Trump isn’t new, but it’s the first major policy speech from Harris. As such, they spend some time debating her plans to combat ‘price gouging’, raise the child tax credit, increase the housing supply, and forgive student loan and medical debt. They all take issue with one policy proposal on which Harris and Trump seem to agree – eliminating taxation of tips.
They close with Mike introducing his presidential prediction model, which Jay rightly pokes fun at, and then consider the utility of these models more generally.
The Politics Guys on Facebook | X
Barbara McQuade is a legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, co-host of the podcast #SistersinLaw, and a professor at the University of Michigan Law School. Her first book is Attack From Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America. We discuss the dangers of disinformation and how we can defeat it.
Democracy depends on truth, and as Americans we should prize truth over tribe. A lot of disinformation is hiding behind the First Amendment – telling lies as a right to free speech. We are overrun with disinformation. One of the strategies is to exhaust us by constantly pumping false claims into the media ecosphere, so that we become cynical or disengage. That is fertile ground for would-be authoritarian regimes. For example, in response to the big lie that the 2020 election was stolen, a number of states have passed laws making it more difficult to vote. Defending truth is vitally important when it is under attack.
Follow Barbara on X:
Follow Mila on X:
Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/
In this week’s episode of Politics In Question, Lee discusses the history of primary elections and options for reform with Robert Boatright. Boatright is professor of political science at Clark University and the world’s leading expert on the American primary system. He is also the director of research for the National Institute of Civil Discourse at the University of Arizona. His most recent book is Reform and Retrenchment: A Century of Efforts to Fix Primary Elections (Oxford University Press, 2024).
Why did the United States become the only democracy in the world that gives its voters a decisive voice in candidate selection? When did Americans begin using primary elections to select a party’s candidates for office? What is the difference between open and closed primaries? How did primary elections change in the 1960s and 1970s? Did the Democratic and Republican parties sideline reformers and take over primary elections during that period? How do different factions within each party view primary reform? These are some of the questions Robert and Lee ask in this week’s episode.
Toxic polarization is "the problem that eats all other problems... It's the sludge at the base of everything else," says our guest Mónica Guzmán. Think how much progress could be made on the great problems of today if politics were much more about discovering nuance than shouting slogans.
This show is our second episode on the work, people, and ideas of the volunteer-led cross-partisan campaign, Braver Angels. In the coming months, we'll report on their initiatives and projects.
Americans who are pissed off with politics are sometimes called "the exhausted majority." Many are tuning out toxic, divisive rhetoric that aims to settle scores instead of solving what's broken. Our guest, Braver Angels senior fellow Mónica Guzmán, has suggestions about how to be truly curious and have better conversations with those who see things differently.
This loving liberal daughter of conservative immigrant parents who came to the US from Mexico, is a bridge builder, journalist and author. Her podcast is "A Braver Way". Modi’s recent book is “I Never Thought of It That Way." Our "How Do We Fix It?" interview was recorded a couple years ago. This show includes highlights and also an extract from Móni's podcast.
"When you want to ask why people believe what they believe, instead ask how they came to believe what they believe," she tells us. When you ask how instead of why, you're asking for their story and then what people do is take you on a tour instead of being put on trial."
In this week’s episode, host Ryan Coonerty sits down with Representative Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, the youngest member of the Oklahoma legislature. Instead of pursuing a high-paying job as a mechanical engineer, Alonso-Sandoval decided to run for office during his senior year of college to serve the community where he grew up. Rep. Alonso-Sandoval talks about his motivation for getting into politics, ideas for drawing more young people to elected office, his advocacy for underserved communities, his fight against draconian anti-immigrant laws, and his efforts in shaping AI policy. Tune in to learn why Representative Alonso-Sandoval believes effective policy making requires having diverse voices at the table.
IN THIS EPISODE:
• [01:04] Introducing today’s guest, Oklahoma’s Representative, Arturo Alonso-Sandoval.
• [01:15] What listeners can expect to hear during today’s conversation.
• [02:00] He unpacks his decision and motivation to run for office in his senior year of college.
• [06:20] We discuss ideas on how to get more people, like Representative Alonso-Sandoval to run for office (at all levels).
• [10:00] Representative Alonso-Sandoval describes in detail his experience running for office.
• [12:48] He talks about his slogan “The Future is Ours” and the heart behind it.
• [13:50] What it’s like serving in office in Oklahoma.
• [15:15] His thoughts on creating sustainable systems using his engineering concepts.
• [17:55] How he advocates for his community and breaks down assumptions about himself.
• [21:54] We look at anti-immigration measures, mobilizing communities against them, and the prospects going forward.
• [28:36] He expounds on one of the projects he’s involved with: You Have a Voice.
• [29:16] He sheds light on his concerns with anti-immigration laws.
• [32:00] We discuss AI regulations and his work with AI in the legislature.
The Democracy Group listener survey
What are some of the weakest arguments against Kamala Harris's candidacy for president? As our brilliant guest Jonathan Rauch put it, "There's some really stupid sh!t." At the same time, there are some more justified concerns. Let's talk about all of it! We also get into rank prognostication on who the Democratic VP pick will be, as well as how we think the 2024 presidential election will end up.
But before we get into all that, we dive into Jon's two most recent pieces in THE ATLANTIC: One from 7/1/24 titled "The World Is Realigning | An emerging Axis of Resistance confronts the Liberal Alliance;" and the other from the 7/23/24 edition titled "The Party Is Not Over | Nominations belong to parties, not to candidates."
The Democracy Group listener survey
Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other Podcast
Mike, Ken, and Trey open with a discussion of President Biden’s decision to leave the race and the potential running mates and policies for presumptive nominee Kamala Harris. Ken argues that Biden would have done just fine against Trump and that Harris will also win in November, whereas Trey and Mike are far less bullish on her chances. They all agree that a potential Harris administration would be somewhat to the left of what we’ve seen from Joe Biden.
They close the episode by looking at the Secret Service failures and congressional testimony that led to the resignation of director Kimberly Cheatle. Mike and Trey think Cheatle should have resigned sooner, with Mike arguing that President Biden should have called for her resignation shortly after the magnitude of the failure became evident.
The Politics Guys on Facebook | X
A.J. Jacobs is a journalist and author. His most recent book is The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning. We discuss how the Founding Fathers prized humility, experimentation, and a willingness to change their own minds.
The heart of our democracy is for the community to come together and cooperate. One example is to advocate for democratic reforms, which are nonpartisan. Being apathetic or cynical helps the slide into autocracy. Resisting the allure of quick, hot takes and practicing slower thinking are also crucial to democracy. The founding fathers were deeply invested in balance, especially when it comes to the power of a president being balanced by Congress. A.J. reminds us that everyday citizens can control whether the sun is rising or setting on democracy.
Follow A.J. on X:
Follow Mila on X:
Jeremy Smith returns to The Great Battlefield podcast to talk about Civitech's new product, RunningMate, software for running a political campaign and what he thinks we need to do to fix the ongoing voter registration deficit.
Content note: This episode discusses suicide and sexual violence.
After a years-long legal fight from the Department of Homeland Security, a court order finally gave Nick and other investigators access to 33 reports detailing conditions in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities. The documents showed a disturbing pattern of abuse that extended far beyond the gates of Adelanto Detention Center, spreading throughout ICE detention facilities across the United States. In this episode, Maren gets into the conditions in ICE detention and raises the question: What needs to change for this broken system to be fixed?
Maren breaks down the reports with POGO’s Senior Investigator Nick Schwellenbach and former Senior Researcher Freddy Martinez. She talks with activists Berto Hernandez and Arely Westley about their experiences of the conditions in ICE detention, and she visits a Louisiana airport with LA-AID volunteer Sarah Jones to meet people who were recently released from ICE facilities. Finally, to untangle just how immigration policy became entwined with counterterrorism — and how we can fix it — Maren talks with POGO’s Katherine Hawkins, the Brennan Center for Justice’s Spencer Reynolds, and The Ohio State University Professor César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández.
In this week’s episode, Ryan Coonerty sits down with Illinois State Representative Bob Morgan. They reflect on the horrific mass shooting in the representative's community of Highland Park during a 4th of July Parade in 2022 – a timely topic as he returns from a visit to the White House, as he co-chairs the Illinois House Firearm Safety Reform Working Group. Morgan shares his experience working on this crucial issue and the personal ties that ignited his passion for combating gun violence. In addition, Ryan and Representative Morgan delve into his highly debated efforts to eliminate junk fees in Illinois, his commitment to reducing healthcare costs, and his approach to building strong relationships within the legislature, as well as his experience as a Jewish leader during a surge of antisemitism across the country. Tune in to learn about his push to end daylight savings time and the obstacles to making this a reality.
IN THIS EPISODE:
• [01:04] Introducing Illinois State Representative Bob Morgan and his efforts to work on gun safety.
• [02:36] The stories of gun violence that ignited his passion for taking this issue seriously.
• [05:23] Prospects for reducing these kinds of incidents in US communities.
• [07:43] Representative Bob’s journey to public service.
• [13:17] Building and maintaining relationships with colleagues by building your understanding of them.
• [14:26] Issues he has worked on and why healthcare is a focus for him.
• [20:04] Why no changes have been made to daylight savings.
• [22:40] Facing the rise of antisemitism as a member of the Jewish caucus.
• [27:26] Predictions for the upcoming convention and the elections to follow.
The Democracy Group listener survey
In this week’s episode of Politics In Question, Jake Grumbach joins Lee and James to consider whether American democracy is in crisis. Grumbach is an associate professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. He studies the political economy of the United States, with interests in democratic institutions, labor, federalism, racial and economic inequality, and statistical methods. And he is the author of Laboratories Against Democracy: How National Parties Transformed State Politics (Princeton University Press, 2022).
What is the state of American democracy? Are concerns that it is failing overblown? Or are they justified? What is the best standard to evaluate the quality of representation in the United States? How does that standard change based on the different types of democracy? These are some of the questions Jake, Lee, and James ask in this week’s episode.
Melanie D’Arrigo is the Executive Director of the Campaign for New York Health, which aims to win universal single-payer healthcare for all New Yorkers. We discuss the intersection of democracy and healthcare and what is necessary to create better health outcomes.
The New York Health Act is a current bill in the New York State Legislature that would implement a single payer healthcare system in New York, similar to Medicare for All. Instead of accessing health insurance, this bill would provide access to health care without the middleman, which is the insurance industry. The United States is the only industrialized country in the world that does not have universal health care. We spend the most amount of money with worse health outcomes. In addition, we allow millions of Americans to go into medical debt. More information on the Campaign for NY Health is here: https://www.nyhcampaign.org/
Follow Melanie on X:
https://twitter.com/DarrigoMelanie
Follow Mila on X:
At colleges across America this spring, thousands of students and many faculty called on their institutions to recognize Israel’s war in Palestine as a genocide, and to disclose their interests in arms, oil and violence. Administrators did not take kindly to the students’ demands or their tactics, and called in the police instead. Today on the show — our final episode for now — historian Lauren Lassabe Shepherd says these events fit a pattern of campus conflict going back decades to the Vietnam War.
Mike and Jay open with a discussion of President Biden’s disastrous performance in the first presidential debate. Mike was actually hoping for a worse outcome that would all but force Biden from the race, which he doesn’t think will happen, despite multiple calls for Biden to step aside. Jay wonders how Biden’s closest confidants and top advisors allowed things to get to this point. Mike suggests that Biden may still be able to handle the non-public-facing parts of the job, which Jay doubts, particularly in the event of a national security emergency.
After that, they turn to the Supreme Court ending Chevron deference, in a ruling that will have major implications for government agencies, Congress, and the courts. Mike has long been a supporter of Chevron but thinks that the Court made the right call here, which both surprises and pleases Jay, who’s never been a fan of Chevron.
Following that they discuss two other major decisions of the Court – one that allows women in Idaho to obtain abortions to preserve their lives and health and another in which the Court decided that plaintiffs arguing the government censored their social media posts don’t have standing to sue.
"Disinformation. Spam and Scams. Trolls." For those of us paying attention, one thing is clear: We got problems! Fortunately, Renée DiResta is helping with exactly that by studying online manipulation, and what we can do about it. And yeah, we get quite a primer on the concept of "bespoke realities."
Renée DiResta is the Technical Research Manager at Stanford Internet Observatory. In this conversation we delve into the challenges of misinformation, online manipulation, and the impact of algorithmic curation on public discourse. Renée discusses her career journey, her work on election integrity, and the concept of "bespoke realities." The episode explores how media ecosystems shape our perception and the importance of fostering meaningful dialogue across differing viewpoints.
The Democracy Group listener survey
Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other Podcast
Established in the wake of September 11, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was entrusted with protecting the U.S. from national security threats. Since then, much of the agency’s focus has been on the southern border — with tens of thousands of people held in its detention centers on a daily basis. Host Maren Machles explores how this came to be and delves into what happens to people held in immigration detention centers with the presumption that they may be national security threats. And she asks the question: How does this relate to the way DHS addresses the most dangerous threat currently facing our nation — far-right violent extremism?
To find out, Maren talks with Daryl Johnson, who recounts his work as the former lead analyst for domestic terrorism at DHS. She also speaks with Alejandro Beutel, a criminologist who focuses on domestic terrorism, and Berto Hernandez, who shares their story of being brought into the U.S. as a child and held in detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement years later.
Abortion is one of the most passionate, divisive, and emotional issues in the 2024 election campaign. The debate is often dominated by extremes on both sides.
But what if passionate pro-life and pro-choice movement leaders could get together in the same room and learn how to disagree better? That is exactly what happened in Massachusetts, beginning in the mid 1990's. Leaders on both sides held secret discussions over the course of several years .
These wrenching conversations began in the mid 1990’s at a very difficult time— after two women were murdered by an anti-abortion extremist in Brookline, Massachusetts.
We hear from The Reverend Anne Fowler, an Episcopal Priest who served on the board of directors for the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, and lawyer Fran Hogan, who's been President of Women Affirming Life. They’re among the six women profiled in the 2023 documentary, "The Abortion Talks".
This interview was first published last year.
The Democracy Group listener survey
In this week’s episode, NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan talks with Newport News, VA’s youngest elected mayor Philip Jones. They discuss his first State of the City Address, where he proclaimed 2024 as the Year of the Youth, thanks to his initiatives like Night Nets and the Summer Youth Employment Program, as well as investments in expanded childcare throughout his city. Debbie and Mayor Jones also talk about his journey to becoming an “Education Mayor,” his work on climate justice, and what has surprised him the most about the job of Mayor. Tune in to listen to Mayor Jones' tips on how to engage young people in government and his insights into what will motivate Virginia voters this November.
• [01:04] Welcome to Virginia Mayor Phillip Jones, the youngest person to be elected Mayor of his hometown.
• [02:36] His favorite thing about being Mayor so far and why his parents are his toughest constituents.
• [05:08] The two initiatives that funding allocated to the youth is going towards: Night Nets and Youth Career Program.
• [08:52] Why education is always top of mind for Mayor Phillip and the results he has seen.
• [11:55] His efforts to impact climate change.
• [13:06] What Mayor Phil loves most about his city.
• [15:05] How service became such a major theme in his life.
• [16:21] The journey to running for office.
• [20:29] How education became a priority prior to his appointment as mayor.
• [21:58] Which issues Mayor Phil hears about the most and how he is responding to them.
• [23:10] Advice for young people looking to get involved in politics.
The Democracy Group listener survey
Michael Sifry returns to The Great Battlefield podcast to discuss an article he recently published called "Living with VANxiety: The Present and Future of Progressive Movement Tech".
Madiba Dennie is Deputy Editor and Senior Contributor at the critical legal commentary outlet Balls and Strikes. Her debut book is The Originalism Trap: How Extremists Stole the Constitution and How We The People Can Take it Back. We discuss a fresh way to interpret the Constitution.
Inclusive Constitutionalism interprets the Constitution in a way that makes inclusive democracy real. By contrast, originalism interprets the meaning of the Constitution as fixed in time in the 1800s. However, the Reconstruction Amendments that were enacted in the wake of the Civil War tried to address the status of newly freed, formerly enslaved people. The Amendments were designed to foster a multiracial democracy for the first time. In addition, the public has a role in articulating what it believes the Constitution means.
Follow Madiba on X:
Follow Mila on X:
In this week’s episode of Politics In Question, Congressman John Sarbanes, D-Md., joins Lee to talk about the health of American democracy. Sarbanes has represented Maryland’s third congressional district in the House of Representatives since 2007. He serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and is chair of the Democracy Reform Task Force. Sarbanes was born and raised in Baltimore and has experience working in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
What does it mean to live in a democracy? What is the state of American democracy? Is it a flawed democracy? If so, what can be done to fix it? These are some of the questions Rep. Sarbanes and Lee ask in this week’s episode.
We've reached the end of another school year and another season of Democracy Works. Before we go on summer break, Michael Berkman, Chris Beem, and Candis Watts Smith reflect on recent events and what's to come this summer. We do this by taking a look back at some of our previous episodes:
The real free speech problem on campus: Penn State's Brad Vivian on the problems with "campus free speech" discourse and media coverage. We discuss how this narrative has been applied to protests about the war in Gaza that happened on some campuses near the end of the spring semester. Follow Brad's Substack for his more recent work on the Gaza protests and more.
A different kind of political divide - Yanna Krupnikov from the University of Michigan on the divide between people who follow politics closely and those who don't. We're seeing this divide play out in recent polling that shows support for Donald Trump is higher among people who say they are not politically engaged, while support for Biden is higher among those who follow news and politics more closely.
Debating the future of debates: John Hudak from Brookings talks about the value of presidential debates to democracy. We recorded this episode in 2022 after the RNC announced it would not participate in events organized by the Commission for Presidential Debates. Now that two debates are scheduled for the next few months, we discuss whether they'll actually happen and how much they'll matter.
This is our last new episode until early September. We'll use the next few months to plan for our fall season. Please send us an email if you have ideas for topics we should tackle or guests we should interview. Have a great summer!
Simone Leeper litigates a wide range of redistricting-related cases at Campaign Legal Center, challenging gerrymanders and advocating for election systems that guarantee all voters an equal opportunity to influence our democracy. She is the host of Democracy Decoded, a Campaign Legal Center podcast.
Liz Joyner is the executive director of the Village Square, a nonprofit dedicated to reviving civic connections across divisions inside American communities. She oversees the Village SquareCast, a Village Square podcast.
Corey Nathan started out as a stockbroker by day while studying at a theatre conservatory at night. Corey loves theology, politics and culture and enjoys invigorating conversations with renowned experts of these subjects on his podcast, Talkin’ Politics & Religion Without Killin’ Each Other.
Mila Atmos, a global citizen based in New York City, is the producer and series host of Future Hindsight, a weekly podcast that aims to spark civic engagement through in-depth conversations with citizen changemakers.
Michael Baranowski is a political scientist with a Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky. His focus is American political institutions, public policy, and media. He spends most of his time indoctrinating students at Northern Kentucky University.
To learn more about each of the featured podcasts, visit the Shows page at democracygroup.org/shows.
To read the full Q&As with each of the featured podcasts, visit the Meet the Hosts section at democracygroup.org/blog.
This week we bring you a special episode from Maggie LeBeau, one of our 2024 Podcast Fellows.
Using a solutions-based approach, Uneven Grounds will discuss inequalities in geography and navigate geographic social issues in each episode. Host Maggie LeBeau wants to bring attention to the many problems people across America encounter daily because of where they live with a solution to each of the issues. The first episode explores election inequality and how they are related to geography, such as through gerrymandering. LeBeau recently graduated from Glenbard East High School in Lombard, Illinois, where she served as editor-in-chief of the school’s newspaper, the Echo. Outside of school, she is a part of the Media Wise Teen Fact-Checking Network and PBS Student Reporting Labs.
Know a student interested in democracy and podcasts? Send them over to our fellowship to apply: https://www.democracygroup.org/fellowship
This week we bring you a special episode from Simran Gupta, one of our 2024 Podcast Fellows.
With Simran Gupta’s network of friends from all over the world, Laws Across Borders will explore educational topics like the school systems, technology or academic pressure and how they vary from country to country. The first episode will talk about school environments, touching on both the technological and academic sides.Gupta is a rising high school senior in Georgia She believes that life is all about learning new things, but interpreting information in a way that’s meaningful is difficult, especially in this day and age where news is readily available and shared whether it’s accurate or not.
Know a student interested in democracy and podcasts? Send them over to our fellowship to apply: https://www.democracygroup.org/fellowship
This week we bring you a special episode from Kayla Anderson, one of our 2024 Podcast Fellows.
Make America Great For Everyone will take a deep dive into the American justice system through conversations with policemen, ex-prisoners and people who experienced the injustice firsthand. Host Kayla Anderson will talk about all of the different issues currently plaguing the American system that is supposed to be just, starting with a heartfelt conversation with her brother in the first episode. Anderson is a rising fourth-year political science major on the pre-law track at Ohio State. She currently serves as the vice president of the Undergraduate Black Law Student Association, treasurer of the Minority Collegiate Outreach and Support Team, and DEI committee co-chair for her Law and Society Scholars Program.
Know a student interested in democracy and podcasts? Send them over to our fellowship to apply: https://www.democracygroup.org/fellowship
This week we bring you a special episode from Virginia Jones, one of our 2024 Podcast Fellows.
Virginia Jones is a student at the University of South Carolina majoring in Public Relations with a minor in Political Science. A few years ago, she discovered her interest in politics, particularly in political media, and decided to incorporate this passion into her education. When searching for a way to approach political issues, she found podcasts to be the best form because these dialogues helped her understand nuanced and complex political conversations better than any other method of consumption. She is excited about the potential of podcasting to facilitate meaningful discussions, bridge divides, and foster positive change in our democracy.
Know a student interested in democracy and podcasts? Send them over to our fellowship to apply: https://www.democracygroup.org/fellowship
This week we bring you a special episode from Aprile Kim, one of our 2024 Podcast Fellows.
Drawing from host Aprile Kim’s experience of growing up and living in Guam, Democracy Beyond Borders seeks to explore the complexities of democracy in the modern world and examine the impact of American policies beyond the country's borders. The podcast will take listeners through America's current affairs and political ideas to examine democracy starting with episode 1 where we hear about the contradictory behaviors in American politics and the intricacies of American democracy. Kim is a rising fourth-year student at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor pursuing a double major in political science and philosophy and a double minor in Japanese and international studies, with a thematic focus on international security, norms, and cooperation.
Know a student interested in democracy and podcasts? Send them over to our fellowship to apply: https://www.democracygroup.org/fellowship
Kelly has worked in nonprofits for many years. She has served in some capacity as a volunteer, board member, or development staff member for over twenty-eight years after teaching middle schoolers in Southern Appalachia. In addition to a BS in education from Appalachian State University, she holds a certificate in nonprofit management from Duke University. While new to election administration, she is not new to elections. Kelly served on several local and state election campaigns as a volunteer, including state senate campaigns in 2006, 2008, and 2010 where she served as the assistant campaign manager and public relations liaison. Kelly has spent the past three years learning about RCV reform and election administration. She oversees fundraising, development, and communications for RCVRC and co-produces the RCV Clips podcast with Chris Hughes & Melissa Hall. Kelly lives with her family on the coast of North Carolina.
To learn more about ranked choice voting and the Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center, visit rcvresource.org.
To read the full Q&A with Kelly Sechrist, visit https://www.democracygroup.org/blog/meet-kelly-sechrist-from-rcv-clips
Bill Weir is CNN’s Chief Climate Correspondent and the author of Life As We Know It (Can Be). We discuss Carbon Godzilla, decarbonization, and the many existing and accessible technologies to mitigate climate change.
Decarbonization must start with big industry, but there are many ways for individuals to make a difference, too. Clean energy can be had with tax incentives, reducing costs for consumers. Energy efficient homes – passive houses and innovations in heating and cooling – reduce or even eliminate monthly energy bills. At the same time, utility and power companies in the US function as legal monopolies whose primary incentive is to build more infrastructure and raise rates. Fossil fuel companies – despite being the most profitable companies in human history – are still getting billions in direct and indirect subsidies.
Follow Bill on X:
https://twitter.com/BillWeirCNN
Follow Mila on Twitter:
Unlike the vast majority of journalists who cover American politics, Salena Zito lives far away from the centers of power and wealth. She writes about small-town America and the parts of the country that much of the media doesn’t cover. Zito's commitment to understanding the heartland of America is evident in her frequent trips along the nation’s back roads. She drives thousands of miles, avoiding interstates and major cities, to grasp the pulse of rural and small-town America
Her insights about American voters are especially valuable in this election year. In this podcast, we learn why so many people who live in rural and small-town America support Donald Trump and the populist coalition that reshaped the Republican Party.
Salena Zito writes columns and reports on politics for the Washington Examiner, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, and the New York Post. She is coauthor of "The Great Revolt: Inside the Populist Coalition Reshaping American Politics.”
The Democracy Group listener survey
Please join us in welcoming a special guest host for this episode! Cyanne Loyale is Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at Penn State and a Global Fellow at the Pease Research Institute Oslo. Her research focuses on transitional justice and democratic rebuilding after conflict, which makes her the perfect person to reflect on South Africa's democratic transition.
One additional programming note — Chris Beem lost power during this recording so the closing segment is Cyanne and Jenna reflecting on the interview.
At the end of April, South Africa marked the 30th anniversary of its first post-Apartheid election — the first in the country where everyone could vote. South African writer and scholar Antjie Krog join us for a look at the state of South African democracy today, the impact of the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and how South Africa has served as a model for other countries in democratic transition.
Krog is a South African writer, scholar, and activist. She covered the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for the South African Broadcasting Corporation and wrote about the experience in the book Country of My Skull. She has published more than a dozen volumes of poetry and translated Nelson Mandela's biography into Afrikaans. She is currently a professor at the University of the Western Cape.
We all have opinions. And there are more ways than ever to voice those opinions. But before expressing those opinions, have we really taken the time to understand the complexity of any given issue? More specifically, have we taken the time to speak with and consider the views of folks who are on the “other side” of that issue?
In this edition, we’ll be looking at the widespread phenomenon of campus protests across the country and the world. The initial plan was to compare campus protesters to January 6th insurrectionists; but instead, it was more valuable to explore the topic more thoughtfully, aiming to avoid fueling conflicts. So we examine diverse aspects of protests, including their objectives, the media's focus on sensational aspects (“nut picking”), and the potential ineffectiveness of disruptive tactics as well as the historical record that indicates how many such protests ultimately did more harm than good to their own cause. It was helpful to share the personal account from a friend who participated in peaceful demonstrations, offering insights into the protesters' perspectives and demands. We also review the importance of understanding and respecting the rights to free speech and assembly while considering reasonable restraints on those rights such as “time, place and manner” restrictions, as well as the impacts of protests on broader society. More broadly, it’s important to emphasize the need for balanced and informed conversations around contentious issues, advocating for empathy and open-mindedness in evaluating differing viewpoints.
01:31 A Deep Dive into Campus Protests;
05:58 Exploring the Other Side: Conversations with a Protest Participant;
07:43 Understanding the Demands and Goals of Campus Protests;
11:04 Reflecting on Free Speech and Its Complexities;
27:45 The Role of Universities in Nurturing Democracy;
35:26 Concluding Thoughts and Encouragement for Dialogue
The Democracy Group listener survey
Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other Podcast
Host Jenna Spinelle explores the intersection between business and democracy, highlighting the crucial role of business in supporting democracy through consumer trust and solving problems. It features insights from Patrick McGinnis, who advocates for businesses to stand up for the defense of democracy. The episode also delves into Patrick's efforts with organizations like Leadership Now and BridgeUSA to drive democracy reforms and fight political division. Patrick emphasizes the importance of disrupting entrenched systems and building sustainable solutions to combat forces seeking to destabilize democracy. Throughout the episode, there is a focus on the commitment to long-term, sustained work for the success of democracy.
Hear more at democracygroup.org
As a cross-interview with Sustainable Planet, Kimberly Weir, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Northern Kentucky University and co-host of Sustainable Planet talks with Akshat Rathi, award-winning senior reporter for Bloomberg News and the host of Zero, a climate-solutions podcast for Bloomberg Green and author of Climate Capitalism: Winning the Race to Zero Emissions and Solving the Crisis of Our Age.
Topics Kimberly & Akshat discuss include:
How a misinformed campaign marketing slogan about ‘clean coal’ led Akshat into the year-long pursuit of uncovering the truth about climate technology
Why economists feel the way to address climate change is to put a price on carbon
How to achieve negative carbon emissions since zero emissions alone isn’t enough
Why, when it comes to electric cars, you’ve never heard of Wan Gang, though Elon Musk is a household name
Why the very industries that created lithium-ion batteries, solar cells, and carbon capture and storage are so resistant to employing that technology
How private capital from billionaires like Bill Gates and anyone with a 401K plan is a key part of pursuing climate technology
That climate justice is both ethically the right path but also reaps global economic benefits
The need to shift from ‘shareholder’ to ‘stakeholder’ if we’re going to meet the less-ambitious Paris Conference climate change goals
Listen to Part 2 of the interview on Sustainable Planet.
In this week’s episode of Politics In Question, Thomas Schaller and Paul Waldman join Lee and James to discuss the urban-rural divide in American politics. Schaller is a professor of political science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Waldman is a journalist and author whose writing has appeared in numerous publications, including MSNBC. Their new book is White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy (Random House, 2024).
Why is Mingo County, West Virginia important? How has the decline of political parties shaped America’s present rural-urban divide? What is rural America? Do rural white Americans all think the same thing? Are rural Americans unique in their frustration with the federal government? Or are people from all walks of life frustrated with their government? These are some of the questions Tom, Paul, Lee, and James ask – and argue about – in this week’s episode.
CPF Co-Director Mike Murphy joins Albert Gore, Zero Emissions Transportation Association Executive Director, and David Schwietert, Alliance for Automotive Innovation Chief Policy Officer, for a conversation on the polarized politics of electric-powered vehicles and what polling around this big divide reveals about the future of transportation. Featuring:
We were honored to hang out with our intellectural hero, Dr. Jonathan Haidt, a few weeks before the release of his recent book The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.
Unsurprisingly, since its release, it became an instant #1 New York Times bestseller. If you have kids, if you know kids — heck, if you've ever seen a kid — you're just going to have to read this book. It gives us no less than a chance to rescue the coming generations from the devastating effects of an accidental social experiment run amok.
Haidt argues we're overprotecting children in the real world — where they need to play, be exposed to challenge and freedom in order to learn to self-govern — and severely underprotect them in the digital world. He gives us concrete specific steps we can all take now to roll back the psychologically dangerous phone-based childhood.
Don't miss this chance to hear from one of the foremost thought leaders of our time — one who has generously given his counsel to The Village Square, and countless efforts like ours — on this existential challenge of our time.
The Democracy Group listener survey
Diversity equity and inclusion: Sounds like a good thing in an incredibly diverse country such as ours, especially when teaching young people at American colleges and universities.
But the DEI industry - or DEI Inc. — has arguably gone off the rails. There’s a big difference between the intentions behind a lot of diversity training and the results. We learn about the crucial difference between training and education, and hear the case against the Stop WOKE Act in Florida.
History professors Amna Khalid and Jeff Snyder share their deep concerns about a growing industry. There is no reliable evidence that diversity, equity and inclusion training sessions at colleges, non-profits, and large corporations actually work. In many places, DEI could be making things worse, imposing an ideological litmus test and encouraging cynicism and dishonesty at places of learning.
Amna specializes in modern South Asian history, the history of medicine and the global history of free expression. Growing up under a series of military dictatorships in Pakistan, she has a strong interest in issues relating to free speech.
Jeff is also a Professor at Carleton: A historian of education, who studies questions of race, national identity and the purpose of public education in a diverse, democratic society. He’s the author of Making Black History: The Color Line, Culture and Race in the Age of Jim Crow.
Jeff and Amna released this YouTube video about DEI. They speak regularly together about academic freedom, free speech and campus politics at colleges and universities. They also write frequently on these issues for newspapers and magazines, including The Chronicle of Higher Education, The New Republic and TheWashington Post. Amna hosts a podcast and blog called “Banished,” which explores censorship controversies in the past and present.
Tom Lopach joins The Great Battlefield podcast to talk about his career in politics and his role as CEO at the Voter Participation Center, where they're dedicated to large scale voter registration work.
Mike talks with historical anthropologist Nicholas Dirks, Chancellor of UC Berkeley from 2013-2017, about his book City of Intellect: The Uses and Abuses of the University.
Topics Include:
- the public’s decline of faith in higher education
- if higher ed is focused on the right kind of diversity
- free speech as privileging dominant views
- what elite institutions are doing with their massive endowments
- rising education costs and administrative bloat at universities
- if public universities should take positions on political issues
The Politics Guys on Facebook | X
Argentina’s new president is a libertarian populist and, by his own account, an anarcho-capitalist. To tackle his county’s deep economic troubles, Javier Milei wants to dismantle state institutions, implement severe austerity measures and strip protections for workers. He also wants to outlaw abortion. But in a country with a strong tradition of organized labor and women’s movements, so far he has sown mainly chaos. We speak with a journalist and a sociologist who say Milei’s methods are madness.
Today we feature interviews with three religious organizations. These organizations share their current programs that promote civic duties and community engagement across the country.
Harbonim Dror Camp Galil is a summer camp in Ottsville, Pennsylvania. Executive Director David Weiss joins us to discuss their daily programs for campers aged 7-17. These programs include staging protests and holding forums to discussing any topics of their choice, which can range from a later bedtime and more muffins to climate change and gender imbalance.
The Reform Congregation Oheb Sholom has been a part of Reading, Pennsylvania for nearly 160 years. Rabbi Brian Michelson talks about the decision to maintain a polling site on their campus throughout the Passover holiday in Jewish beliefs. He emphasizes the importance of religious observance but also celebrates the American right to express freedom through voting.
The Mormon Women for Ethical Government has a two-part mission, to advocate for ethical governance and empower women to be independent, ethical, and political actors. Co-Executive Director Jennifer Thomas touches on their faith-based values that have guided thousands of members in MWEG’s local chapters across 49 states to serve their local communities one way or another.
These organizations express a commitment to empowering voters, children, and women and encourage involvement in local communities through spiritual values.
Timestamps:
0:00 Democracy's Good News
1:34 David Weiss, the executive director of Camp Galil
3:52 Rabbi Brian, Reform Congregation Oheb Sholom
7:08 Director Jennifer Thomas, Mormon Women for Ethical Government
Hear more at democracygroup.org
Braxton Brewington is the Press Secretary of the Debt Collective. We discuss the origins of the Debt Collective in the Rolling Jubilee and its history in canceling student debt. Their example is a powerful model for canceling student debt, which continues to be important for all Americans in this election cycle and beyond.
Education is a public good, yet the cost of college over the past couple of decades has risen eight times faster than the average wages. The average student debt is $30,000-$35,000. Two thirds of student debt is owed by women, and a large number of student loan borrowers don't have a college degree. This means that they are paying down student debt on non-college degree wages. The Debt Collective started out as the Rolling Jubilee, which canceled tens of millions of dollars of debt and gave instant relief to borrowers. Canceling student debt creates millions of jobs, boosts the economy, and advances racial and gender justice. Although the Biden administration has canceled billions in student debt, it is only making a small dent in over $1.7 trillion worth of student loans.
Follow Ken on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/Team_Harbaugh
Follow Mila on Twitter:
CPF Director Bob Shrum joins education experts, Pedro Noguera, Macke Raymond, and Dr. Darline Robles, for a conversation on education reform and policy. They discuss the politics of public education, the role of parental rights, why some public schools are failing, what makes some charter schools successful when others struggle, whether or not taxpayer funds should be used to provide vouchers to parents who send students to private schools or home school, and which educational reforms should be supported, studied, or rejected. In partnership with USC Rossier School of Education, USC Price Center for Inclusive Democracy, USC Political Union (a Bridge USA chapter), and USC Political Student Assembly. Featuring:
Trey talks with constitutional law professor Maxwell Stearns about his new book Parliamentary America which argues the U.S. needs to adapt the U.S. House to include proportional representation.
Topics Trey and Max Cover Include
- how the median voter theory is inaccurate
- why American parties are tending in extreme directions
- proposals to double the size of the House of Representatives
- proposals to transform the selection of president and vice president
- proposals to change how to remove a president
- the historic necessity of convincing relevant actors to agree to these changes.
Follow Max on X, and check out Parliamentary America
This month, we're joined by Stephanie Gnoza, Boulder County's Elections Director, to discuss the first ever risk-limiting audit of a ranked choice voting election! Stephanie breaks down what a risk-limiting audit is, and the steps that Boulder took to pull off this landmark achievement in election security.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- 2023 Election Results Page: https://bouldercounty.gov/elections/results/
- RCV RLA Tool Github Repository: https://github.com/BoulderCounty/rcv-rla/
- Post-Election Press Release: https://bouldercounty.gov/news/official-results-for-2023-coordinated-election-posted-following-successful-risk-limiting-audit/
- Canvass + RLA Report: https://assets.bouldercounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2023C-Canvass-Documents.pdf
- Podcast listener survey: https://form-usa.keela.co/rcv-clips-podcast-listener-survey-2023
How do we harness the power of communication in bridging societal divides? We spoke with Elliot Kirschner, an Emmy award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker, to help us “Through the Fog…”
Elliot shares his journey from CBS to his Substack “Through the Fog,” his dedication to science communication, and reflections on the role of journalism and science in democracy. We delve into his collaboration with Dan Rather, his academic pursuits in history and literature, and his current endeavors that strive to make science accessible to the public. Elliot also espouses the transformative potential of national service programs, science communication, and storytelling in healing our divisions, underlining the power of optimism and collaborative efforts in facilitating dialogue and understanding.
The Democracy Group listener survey
Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other Podcast
Last year, there were 645 mass shootings in the United States, according to the Gun Violence Archive. In the latest major tragedy, at the Kansas City Super Bowl parade, one person was killed and 22 others — half of them children — suffered gunshot wounds. But here’s something you may not know: since then, there have been another 26 mass shootings. Historian Andrew McKevitt and sociologist Jennifer Carlson join Will for a conversation about the history, politics and economics of America’s deadly gun culture.
Sasha Issenberg returns to The Great Battlefield podcast to talk about his new book "The Lie Detectives: In Search of a Playbook for Winning Elections in the Disinformation Age".
News coverage of Super Tuesday and other party primaries focused mainly on base voters— Democrats and Republicans. But most Americans are actually on the political sidelines or somewhere in the middle. Many have a mix of conservative and liberal views.
This episode is about them. Our guest is Shannon Watson, the Founder and Executive Director of Majority in the Middle. Her Minnesota-based non-profit group works to give voters and elected officials a place to gather outside the extremes. "We try to elevate the people who are demonstrating the behavior we want to see", Shannon tells us.
"When it's only the rabble-rousers who get the coverage then there is an incentive to be one of them." Majority in the Middle also promotes structural changes in governing that will remove barriers to cooperation across the political aisle.
While the two parties have a stranglehold on many aspects of elections and governance, record numbers of Americans no longer register as Republican or Democrat. They prefer the label "independent".
At the same time, the right and left have changed. Among pro-Trump conservatives, we see a decline in support for free trade and military spending to help traditional allies. The former president has also resisted calls to limit spending on Medicare and social security.
Younger Democrats are much less likely to support Israel. The rise of identity politics has also pushed the party to the left.
While we've always had partisan division the level of vitriol can obscure the fact that Americans are much more closely aligned on issues such as gun rights, abortion, and immigration than we are led to believe.
"Not all Democrats agree with all Democrats, and not all Republicans agree with all Republicans," says Shannon Watson.
Our podcast conversation mentions the Political Typology Quiz, conducted by Pew Research Center. Polling of more than 10,000 U.S. adults showed that while partisan polarization remains a dominant fact of political life, "the gulf that separates Republicans and Democrats sometimes obscures the divisions and diversity of views that exist within both partisan coalitions – and the fact that many Americans do not fit easily into either one."
You can take the Typology Quiz here and see your personal views fit in with nine broad categories of left and right.
Acclaimed musician and recording artist Daryl Davis has interviewed hundreds of KKK members and other White supremacists and influenced many of them to renounce their racist ideology.
We hear his brave and remarkable story. Daryl's personal quest began many years ago, after a concert when he was in a country music band. A card-carrying member of the Ku Klux Klan praised his piano playing. Daryl recognized that he had an opportunity to ask an important question about racism: “How can you hate me when you don’t even know me?”
Daryl Davis is the author of "Klan-Destine Relationships"— the first book written about the Ku Klux Klan by a Black writer. His work in race relations has been highlighted in speaker series across the country. His documentary film, "Accidental Courtesy", features his process of conversation and understanding to bridge differences and promote racial reconciliation.
The Democracy Group listener survey
What if, at a pinnacle of our civilization’s technological achievement, everything just broke — the institutions we’ve come to rely upon in navigating a modern complex world, the shared stories that hold a large and diverse democratic republic together, and even a common language through which to navigate the rising tide of crisis. According to renowned social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt, this describes our current reality, one that he calls “After Babel.” In this new normal, we are scattered by a digital environment into feuding tribes that are governed by mob dynamics and driven by a minority of ideological outliers, made stupid at warp speed by group think, and — thanks to social media — armed with billions of metaphorical “dart guns” with which to immediately wound “the enemy” in ways that are hardly only metaphorical. What could go wrong?
Our very special guest, Dr. Jonathan Haidt, will delve into the profound impact of social media on democratic societies, dissecting the intricate web of challenges it poses to civic trust and civil discourse. Don’t miss this chance to hear from one of the foremost thought leaders of our time — one who has generously given his counsel to The Village Square, and countless efforts like ours — on this existential challenge of our time. Read Why the Past Ten Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid in The Atlantic and learn more about Dr. Haidt by clicking the MORE button, below.
The program includes a preview of Haidt’s highly anticipated upcoming book The Anxious Generation, available at the end of March. You’re not going to want to miss it.
The Democracy Group listener survey
We've talked about social media a lot on this show over the years — usually focusing on algorithms, echo chambers, polarization, and the other ways it's damaging to democracy. This week, however, we hear a different take from V Spehar, who has more than 3 million followers on the TikTok account Under the Desk News.
V built a reputation providing recaps of the daily news for an audience who might not consume news anywhere else. The Under the Desk News audience is politically diverse and V talks about some of the conversations that happen in the comments section. V's also seen how social media can bring people together in real life and encourage people to become civically informed and engaged.
Check out V’s new podcast, American Fever Dream.
In this week's episode of Politics In Question, Lee and James ask Representative Chip Roy, R-Texas, if the House of Representatives is broken. Roy is a devoted husband and father of two, serving his third term in Congress representing Texas's 21st Congressional District. He serves on the House Judiciary, Rules, and Budget Committees and is the House Freedom Caucus Policy Chair. Roy previously served as First Assistant Attorney General of Texas under Ken Paxton, Chief of Staff to Sen. Ted Cruz, senior advisor to Texas Governor Rick Perry, Senate Judiciary Committee staff director under Sen. John Cornyn, and as a federal prosecutor. Prior to the public sector, he worked for nearly three years as an investment banking analyst. He holds a B.S. and M.A from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from the University of Texas.
Is the House broken? What does a functioning House look like? What do lawmakers need to fix it? How does the House's institutional dynamic make it harder to form cross-party coalitions? Are cross-party coalitions the solution to what ails the institution? What is the "uni-party" and how is it preventing the House from addressing America's problems? These are some of the questions that Roy, Lee, and James ask in this week's episode.
Host Jenna Spinelle highlights the positive efforts of individuals and organizations working to build a healthier democracy in our short series, Democracy's Good News.
Today we feature interviews with two civics teachers, Kimberly Huffman and Allison Sheridan, recipients of the 2023 American Civic Education Teacher Award. The teachers share their experiences and perspectives on teaching civics, civil discourse, and civic engagement.
Kimberly Huffman, teaching in Ohio, discusses her personal connection to government assistance, which influenced her decision to become a civics teacher. She emphasizes the importance of civil dialogue, understanding diverse opinions, and appreciating the freedom to disagree in shaping informed citizens.
Allison Sheridan, teaching in Florida, reveals her passion for teaching social studies to combat the lack of knowledge about government among Americans. She incorporates interactive activities and strives to equip students with skills to discuss politics civilly, especially in the age of new technology.
Both teachers express a commitment to empowering students and instilling a sense of political efficacy. The episode encourages listeners to learn more about the movement to strengthen civics education in the U.S. by visiting icivics.org and participating in Civic Learning Week events.
Ken Harbaugh is the host of the Burn the Boats podcast, a former United States Navy pilot, and executive producer of Against All Enemies, a documentary film that explores the critical role of military veterans in domestic violent extremist groups.
We discuss why veterans are equally sought out to work in Fortune 500 companies and to be in leadership positions of extremist groups. Most veterans make a successful transition to civilian life, but a small minority become radicalized. Anger and resentment is a common through line for them. Fueled by the big lie about the 2020 election, extremists continue to become more popular. In fact, the big lie has torn our country apart. Ken stresses that “fundamentally, our elections are secure and the will of the people will be honored in November of 2024, as it was in November of 2020.”
Follow Ken on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/Team_Harbaugh
Follow Mila on Twitter:
Before the Chinese Communist Party came to power in 1949, Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists played a key role in fighting the Japanese during World War II. In the decades after, China’s role as an ally to the West was largely erased from its domestic politics — and all but forgotten everywhere else. Lately, Chinese leaders are revisiting “the Good War” and reframing that past to serve new interests. On this Season 8 debut, Harvard scholar Rana Mitter reminds us that history is always about the present.
Cynthia Miller-Idriss, one of America's leading experts on the far right, joins us this week to discuss what draws people to political extremism online and offline — and what we can do to combat it.
Miller-Idriss is the director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL) at American University and author of the book Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right. As you'll hear, PERIL takes a public health approach to preventing violent extremism and provides tools and resources to help communities create resilient democracies.
In the interview, Miller-Idriss discusses how extremism and political violence are linked to our desire for community. This dynamic means that extremist ideas can pop up in seemingly innocuous places from martial arts groups to online wellness communities. She says understanding this dynamic is key to moving people away from extremist spaces and into constructive communities.
Miller-Idriss visited Penn State as part of the Mellon-funded Sawyer Seminar exploring the theme, "Birthing the Nation: Gender, Sex and Reproduction in Ethnonationalist Imaginaries."
Hillary Lehr returns to the Great Battlefield podcast to talk about her time at Higher Ground Labs and then joining Quiller as CEO where they help Democratic campaigns produce fundraising emails and other content through the use of AI.
Download our free guide on 5 ways to take action!
In this week’s episode of Politics In Question, Lee and James talk about Bonnie Tyler, Tina Turner, and Americans’ views of democracy. What is democracy? How do Americans view it? Do they think about democracy differently when it gets in their way? Does that make them “democracy hypocrites?” Why are Americans holding out for a hero in such moments? And does democratic self-government need another hero to make it work? These are some of the questions Lee and James ask in this week’s episode.
Guest host Mara S. Campo, Anchor and Managing Editor at Revolt Black News, looks at the ongoing national mental health crisis and talks to people who are working outside the box to make a difference.
What is the point of a good education? Do we need it to learn a narrow set of skills ro help us get ahead in the workplace, or should knowledge and learning to be used over a lifetime to acquire wisdom that enables us to think more deeply about our place in the world?
This question has profound resonance at a time of angry divides over American politics and moral confusion at elite American universities. The President of Harvard, Claudine Gay, resigned after months of campus unrest and controversy. In December, Gay and two other university presidents faced widespread criticism for their testimony at Congressional hearings about antisemitism on their campuses.
In this episode, we hear from an university educator who makes the case for liberal education that gives students the tools needed to have a deeper sense of purpose. Roosevelt Montás is the author of "Rescuing Socrates: How The Great Books Changed My Life And Why They Matter For a New Generation".
He believes that the ideas and writings of Plato, Socrates, Shakespeare, Ghandi and many others aren't just for a few privileged students. They're for everybody, and that encountering these thinkers as a poor immigrant teenager changed his life.
Montás is senior lecturer in American Studies and English at Columbia University, and director of the Center for American Studies Freedom and Citizenship Program, which introduces low-income high school students to primary texts in moral and political thought, as well as seminars in American Studies including “Freedom and Citizenship in the United States.” From 2008 to 2018, he was director of Columbia’s Center for the Core Curriculum.
"There is a prevailing cultural attitude that liberal education— the study of literature and philosophy — is appropriate only to the elite," Roosevelt tells us. "That is a really pernicious idea." He argues that the students who benefit the most from the foundational wisdom in the "great books" come from poor and marginalized backgrounds.
Recommendation: Richard watched and greatly enjoyed the Anglo-Japanese Netflix TV series, "Giri / Haji", — duty/shame in Japanese— a thriller about a Tokyo detective scouring the London underworld to find his allegedly deceased brother. The series was filmed in Tokyo and London.
In this episode of SquareCast we're joined by the extraordinary Rachel Brown, the Founder of Over Zero—named in reference to the “zero sum game” that exists in sporting events, but becomes dangerous when it overtakes a society, as it has ours. Over Zero was founded to prevent identity-based violence and other forms of group-targeted harm around the world—and here at home. Rachel is one of the wisest, steadiest voices of our time in guiding us away from dangerous (but human) reactions, and toward calmer times.
The program is facilitated by Dr. Theodore R. Johnson, previous UNUM guest and author of the book “When The Stars Begin to Fall.” Find the program online at The Village Square here.
The Democracy Group listener survey
American politics are often dominated by the loudest voices on the left and right. In this episode, we learn the crucial difference between what Americans get from their elected representatives and what they really want to hear.
Professor Sean Westwood of Dartmouth College is our guest. As Director of The Polarization Research Lab, he studies American political behavior and public opinion, examining how partisanship and information from political elites affect the behavior of citizens.
"There is an absolute need for common ground," Sean Westwood tells us. The research shows that most Democrats and Republicans "know very little about the other side and have significant misperceptions."
We learn why elites, including political leaders and celebrities, have a powerful impact on public behavior. "When we humanize the opposition and bring politicians together and demonstrate how they can have civil disagreement, you set norms that the public will follow," he says.
The Democracy Group listener survey
CPF Co-Directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy join Spring 2024 CPF Fellows, Douglas Brinkley, Jane Coaston, Ron Galperin, and Tim Miller for a lively discussion on the 2024 primary elections, presidential race, and campaigns.
Featuring:
In this conversation, we're joined by Greg Lukianoff, the President of FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. As illiberal tendencies are on the rise among extreme factions of our democracy, it was refreshing to speak with Greg whose organization is on the front lines of protecting the basic freedoms outlined in the First Amendment. We discussed:
Greg Lukianoff is President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, aka FIRE, and one of the country’s most passionate defenders of free expression. He is an accomplished author of several books including Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate, The Coddling of the American Mind with Jonathan Haidt and his most recent book The Canceling of the American Mind with Rikki Schlott. He has also written on free speech issues on his Substack and for such outlets as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, and was executive producer of the documentaries Can We Take a Joke? and Mighty Ira. Greg earned his undergraduate degree from American University and his law degree from Stanford.
The Democracy Group listener survey
Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other Podcast
The past few years haven't been easy for election officials and their teams. They had to pivot during the pandemic and face ongoing threats that have resulted in unprecedented staff turnover. This turmoil brings more scrutiny of errors that occur when people make honest mistakes.
Despite these challenges, Tammy Patrick, CEO for programs at the National Association of Election Officials, is confident that the tens of thousands of people charged with election administrators across the country this year will deliver free, fair, and secure elections. She's also optimistic about their ability to rise above threats and uphold their commitment to democracy.
Patrick has been working in the election administration space since 2003, most recently as the Senior Advisor to the Elections Program at Democracy Fund. Focusing on modern elections, she works to foster a voter-centric elections system and support election officials across the country.
In this conversation, we dive deeper into what's in store for election workers this year and how Patrick and her team are helping them prepare to stand up against everything from misinformation campaigns to threats of physical violence.
Lala Wu is the co-founder and executive director of Sister District, an organization that works to build enduring progressive power in state legislatures. We discuss how state races will continue to be important during the presidential election cycle and why the battle for redistricting will be center stage.
State legislatures are where a lot of impactful policy made, such as abortion laws. They’re also critical because in most states, state legislatures control redistricting. Building progressive power is about winning elections, passing legislation, and then telling the story about legislative successes so that voters want to keep you in power and continue the work.
Lala Wu on Twitter:
Follow Mila on Twitter:
As we commemorate the third anniversary of the attacks on the U.S. Capitol, we talk with DC Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges. On January 6, 2021, Ofc. Hodges responded with Civil Defense Unit 42 to the attacks on the U.S. Capitol as Capitol Police units were overrun. Ofc. Hodges fought those who assaulted the Capitol on the west lawn, the west terrace, and in the tunnel leading out to the inaugural platform, sustaining many injuries in the process. While fighting in the tunnel he was crushed by rioters in the west terrace doors of the Capitol and beaten. He returned to full duty within a month and continues to serve as an officer. Not only does he continue to serve, he also has testified in court cases about January 6 and in a case in the Colorado Supreme Court, which recently ruled that Donald Trump is disqualified from the state's 2024 ballot under the Constitution's “insurrectionist ban.” Former President Donald Trump formally asked the US Supreme Court to reverse that decision on January 3.
Along with others who defended democracy on January 6, 2021, Officer Hodges received a Congressional medal, the Presidential Citizens Medal and the Center for Politics’ 2023 Defenders of Democracy award.
Hodges joined the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department in 2014. Hodges has also received multiple awards for his services with MPD, including a Commendation medal for responding to a man brandishing a gun and threatening MPD Officers and talking him into disarming and surrendering. Civil Disturbance Unit 42 is a "rapid response" platoon that is equipped with non-standard defensive gear and is activated for policing a variety of First Amendment assemblies, protests, and riots.
Links in this episode:
Officer Daniel Hodges testifies to Congress about the January 6, 2021 attacks on the U.S. Capitol.
The Democracy Group listener survey
This week we bring you a special episode from Sean Schrader, one of our 2023 Podcast Fellows.
Sean Schrader is currently a final-year MBA candidate at the University of South Florida, and has been fortunate to work on social impact projects focused on tackling our most significant challenges at the local, state, and national levels. Sean is passionate about civility, and is excited to strengthen his podcasting skills in hopes to bolster civic engagement more broadly.
Know a student interested in democracy and podcasts? Send them over to our fellowship to apply: https://www.democracygroup.org/fellowship
This week we bring you a special episode from Kabod Mauwong, one of our 2023 Podcast Fellows.
KJ Mauwong is a political science major at Swarthmore College, and he studys political theory, comparative politics, and American foreign policy. He loves talking with people and engaging in conversation. Discussion is what drives democracy, and in this day and age, it's good to be able to do so civilly and productively. He wants to create an environment of growth and learning so that everyone listening in can walk away with something to think about or maybe even joke about. In my spare time, I like to play guitar, powerlifting, legos, and badminton.
Know a student interested in democracy and podcasts? Send them over to our fellowship to apply: https://www.democracygroup.org/fellowship
We continue our Best of 2023 episodes with an episode from Politics is Everything, hosted by Carah Ong Whaley & Kyle Kondik.
Center for Politics Professor of Practice Liz Cheney sat down with Center for Politics Director Larry J. Sabato and other members of our team this week for a discussion about the challenges facing American politics and democracy. She speaks out for the first time about the new Speaker of House Mike Johnson (R-LA-4) and why he is dangerous. Cheney’s forthcoming book, Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning, is now available for pre-order and will be released on December 5, 2023. Cheney, former chair of the House Republican Conference, joined the Center for Politics as Professor of Practice in March.
The Democracy Group listener survey
Download our free guide on 5 ways to take action!
Across the country, voters are organizing to protect their right to elect candidates of their choice. In the final episode of Season 3 of Democracy Decoded, host Simone Leeper explores the changing landscape of state and local elections, and some of the initiatives that can help ensure voters can choose candidates who truly represent their interests. This forward-looking episode offers a glimpse into innovative reforms that hold the promise of strengthening democracy.
Simone speaks with Susan Soto Palmer, a community advocate and plaintiff that Campaign Legal Center represented in a landmark discrimination case in Yakima County, Washington. Mark Gaber, Senior Director for Redistricting at CLC delves into the problems with at-large districts and how they dilute the voting power of communities of color. Then, the Executive Director of Alaskans for Better Elections, Juli Lucky, explains to Simone how Alaska has enacted ranked choice voting and why states around the country are using this tool to improve democratic elections. Alexandra Copper, Legal Counsel for Litigation at CLC, breaks down how ranked choice voting can ensure that voters' voices are being heard.
We continue our Best of 2023 episodes with an episode from The Great Battlefield podcast, with hosts Nathaniel Pearlman.
Jahnavi Rao joins The Great Battlefield podcast to talk about her start in political activism, founding New Voters, which registers high school students to vote and now running New Voters Research Network where they use behavioral science tools to solve challenging problems.
We continue our Best of 2023 episodes with an episode from Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other, hosted by Corey Nathan.
You might recognize David Brooks from his columns in The New York Times or his essays in The Atlantic. Perhaps you’ve seen him on PBS NewsHour or Meet the Press. He’s also a prolific author. In fact, his 2019 book The Second Mountain was a major inspiration for this program. We discuss that as well as David’s new book, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen (Penguin Random House).
Our conversation with "Brooksie" went in a number of surprising directions:
Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.
Please support our wonderful sponsor Meza Wealth Management: www.mezawealth.com
And you can find Corey on all the socials @coreysnathan such as www.threads.net/@coreysnathan.
David's new book HOW TO KNOW A PERSON: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/652822/how-to-know-a-person-by-david-brooks
The Democracy Group listener survey
Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other Podcast
We continue our Best of 2023 episodes with an episode from the How Do We Fix It? podcast, hosted by Richard Davies and Jim Meigs.
Toxic polarization is "the problem that eats all other problems... It's the sludge at the base of everything else," our guest Mónica Guzmán tells us. In this really useful repeat episode from 2022, we learn how to fight back against the confusion and heartbreak of living with rigid divides.
This show is a curtain raiser for a series we are doing this fall with funding from Solutions Journalism Network. We will be examining threats to our society from polarization and recent efforts to build a national movement to bridge divides.
Monica is a bridge builder and author of the highly-praised book "I Never Thought Of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times". She serves as a Senior Fellow for Public Practice at the national depolarization organization, Braver Angels.
This interview contains surprises. One of them, says Monica, is that "the anger and the rage that we see out there that defines our division doesn't actually exist that much on the one-to-one level,"
She argues that the best tool we can use to have successful conversations with those we disagree with is our own curiosity. We also learn about Monica's personal story as the loving liberal daughter of Mexican immigrants who strongly supported Donald Trump. We hear how Mónica discovered ways to overcome divisions that hurt our relationships and society.
In this episode, Monica discusses how we can put our natural sense of wonder to work, finding the answers needed to work with people,
rather than score points against them. Bridging the gap involves asking questions that help you get across the difficult divides that are causing so much pain in our families and communities.
We also learn about the work and practice of Braver Angels and its current campaign, "Rise For America."
We continue our Best of 2023 episodes with an episode from the When the People Decide podcast, hosted by Jenna Spinelle.
Librarians have spoken for years about “library faith,” the belief that public libraries are central to democracy because they contribute to an informed citizenry. Today, the idea is gaining even more traction, and even conservative crackdowns on what’s permitted in libraries reinforce the idea that they’re more than just “book warehouses” but centers for community engagement and representativeness.
This week, hear from two librarians working to enhance the role libraries of libraries democracy and civic engagement. Shamichael Hallman explains how he brought his experience in tech and faith leadership to bear when he ran a branch of the Memphis Public Libraries, including bringing Civic Saturdays to his community, a program of Citizen University. And public policy advocate Nancy Kranich of Rutgers University shares the high hopes she has that libraries remain crucial institutions that allow us to engage with our government–and each other.
Learn more about the podcast at thepeopledecide.show and follow us on Twitter @PeopleDecidePod.
We continue our Best of 2023 episodes with an episode from the Democracy Matters podcast.
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Anthony Fauci about the tensions between expertise and democratic decision-making during the pandemic, and his advice for navigating apathy and misinformation during the next major public health crisis.
See the show notes with links mentioned in this episode at
We continue our Best of 2022 episodes with an episode from the Democracy Works podcast, hosted by Jenna Spinelle, Christopher Beem, Michael Berkman.
Chris Beem talks with former Republican political operative Tim Miller about the party's loyalty to Donald Trump and where it might go in 2024 and beyond. Miller is a writer-at-large for The Bulwark and the author of the best-selling book Why We Did It: A Travelogue from the Republican Road to Hell. He was previously political director for Republican Voters Against Trump and communications director for Jeb Bush 2016. He also appears on MSNBC and The Circus on Showtime.
Miller's book is a reflection on both his own past work for the Republican Party and the contortions of his former peers in the GOP establishment. He draws a straight line between the actions of the 2000s GOP to the Republican political class's Trumpian takeover, including the horrors of January 6th.
In this conversation, Miller and Beem also discuss alarming trends among young conservatives and how they may continue, or even exacerbate, some of what Miller observed after the 2016 election.
We continue our Best of 2023 episodes with an episode from the Future Hindsight podcast, hosted by Mila Atmos.
Jocelyn Simonson is Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School, a former public defender, and the author of Radical Acts of Justice: How Ordinary People Are Dismantling Mass Incarceration. We discuss how certain radical acts of justice challenge the legitimacy of the criminal system and form the underpinning of a new collective legal thought.
The four pillars of this work comprise of court watching, community bail funds, participatory defense, and people’s budgets. Bail funds are pulling the rug out from the system's justification for what it's doing. Defunding the system in this way shows that the combination of carceral and economic forces that we currently use to “do justice” is not inevitable. A big part of the power of these acts of justice is that they’re done collectively. Abolition has two sides: breaking down and building up. Jocelyn shared that “we need to simultaneously decarcerate, stop spending our resources, and start building it out.”
Follow Jocelyn on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/j_simonson
Follow Mila on Twitter:
We continue our Best of 2023 episodes with an episode from the Village SquareCast podcast, hosted by the Village Square.
This is when you meet a living legend and get the benefit of his thinking on the topic he’s been brilliantly, prophetically right about for more than three decades: the deterioration of our connectedness with each other across almost every demographic and every aspect of our lives—our loss of social capital. And yet here we are, painfully and tragically paying the price for our failure to put our shoulders to this wheel when it was (almost eerily) knowable when Dr. Robert Putnam first articulated the societal trend in his iconic book “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of America Community” (we’ve just re-read it, and we’re still not sure he’s not secretly a time-traveler). Joined by Shaylyn Romney Garrett, his co-author on “The Upswing: How America Came Together A Century Ago and How We Can Do It Again,” they’re beseeching us to do it now (and we’re doing just that, until the end of 2024). Bonus: they’re showing us that what we need to do is actually fun, fills our souls—and might just save our country.
Learn more about Dr. Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett in the full program description online here. Pick up a copy of The Upswing and Bowling Alone (you'll thank us) at our partner bookseller Midtown (wherever you live).
Please also take a moment to watch the trailer of "Join or Die: A film about why you should join a club - and why the fate of America depends on it," produced and directed by Rebecca Davis and Pete Davis.
Note that in the discussion Dr. Putnam references a chart in the discussion - you can find the two-slide chart here (the first is the imaginary picture we have in our minds about how race in America changed and is not correct; the second is correct).
We continue our Best of 2023 episodes with an episode from the Let's Find Common Ground podcast, hosted by Richard Davies & Ashley Milne-Tyte.
We speak with two women from opposing sides of the bitter and often toxic debate over abortion. Frances Hogan and The Rev. Anne Fowler were involved in a series of years-long intensive, secret talks. Their candid conversations began after a gunman opened fire at two Massachusetts abortion clinics nearly thirty years ago. The attack left two women dead and five people injured.
In this episode, we learn the extraordinary story of how Anne and Frances gained a much deeper understanding and respect for one another. They didn’t change their views about the abortion issue, but they did become friends.
We share moments of compassion, kindness, and humor.
Both Frances and Anne were among those profiled in the new documentary, "Abortion Talks", about what happened after the deadly attacks. On "Let's Find Common Ground", both of them explain how incredibly difficult it was to be part of many hours of exhausting conversations. We hear how they learned to overcome fear, stereotyping, misunderstandings, and anger.
Please tell us what you think! Share your feedback in this short survey. For every survey completed, we’ll plant 5 trees.
We continue our Best of 2023 episodes with an episode from the The Bully Pulpit podcast, hosted by Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy
CPF Director Bob Shrum joins former U.S. Representatives Val Demings and Adam Kinzinger for a conversation on the politics of climate with the goal of finding common ground. They discuss political barriers to enacting climate action, climate legislation passed by Congress, and how environmental legislation can help achieve climate justice. Featuring:
We continue our Best of 2023 episodes with an episode from the Democracy in Danger podcast, hosted by Will Hitchcock & Siva Vaidhyanathan.
Law enforcement is among the most undemocratic institutions in America, says New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie. And the effect this has on communities of color is especially stark. Bouie visits Will and Siva’s class for another live recording with their students, to discuss police brutality, the country’s culture of violence, and the shifting ground of racial oppression in U.S. history. How citizens experience government, he says, depends a lot on what they look like and what levers of power they hold.
On this episode of Our Body Politic, guest host Karen Grigsby Bates talks with Virginia Kase Solomón, CEO of the League of Women Voters, about the threats and issues poll workers face protecting democracy. Karen then speaks with Melissa Murray, NYU law professor and host of the podcast Strict Scrutiny about some of the cases SCOTUS will hear this term. We round out the show with Karen discussing how to navigate medical bias with artist, author and doctor, Shirlene Obuobi.