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.

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Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other Podcast

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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.

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The Village SquareCast Podcast

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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.

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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.

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Democracy Works Podcast

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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

Matt Grossmann on X

The Politics Guys on Facebook | X

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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

Tweet from Kyle Huddleston

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Bexar County Voter Registration Case - The New York Times

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Democracy Decoded Podcast

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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: 

1. Have a conversation with people with whom you disagree
2. Remain open-minded.

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: 

https://x.com/BisforBerkshire

Follow Jack on X: 

https://x.com/edu_historian

Read The Education Wars: 

https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight

Follow Mila on X: 

https://x.com/milaatmos

Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/

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Future Hindsight Podcast

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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".

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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: 

• King County, WA Elections
• Voter Education Fund

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Democracy Fix Podcast

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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.

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An Honorable Profession Podcast

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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.

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Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other Podcast

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