Podcast

Is Corporatocracy Unstoppable?
Corporations have their own interests at heart. From post-Civil War America through to Germany in 1933 to America today. And knowing public image counts, many try to have it both ways: bragging that they support reproductive and LGBTQ rights as

From Rockefeller Republicanism to Trumpism: How Did We Get Here?
“People think of Nelson Rockefeller as the epitome of moderate Republicanism.” But what appears to be a clean break from this tradition is really an evolution. Author Professor Marsha E. Barrett explains how the shift to the right was something

Architecture as the Ultimate Expression of Power: Gaza 2035
It was only discovered in an architectural trade journal: Netanyahu’s “Gaza 2035.” Architects were hired to provide models of a new Gaza , the old one having been flattened. Steel and glass high risers being erected where once a people

Nuts and Bolts: What Needs to be Learned to Make Our Agenda Reality
As Americans, we want what we want right now. But it doesn’t work that way to make real political change. As with any mechanism, there are certain things that must be learned to make it work and achieve our goals.

Criminalizing The Unhoused Gets Us Nowhere
Some might call it “cruel and unusual punishment,” arresting, sweeping the parks, bulldozing homeless encampments. Others believe if people are poor it’s their own fault. On this show, the Reverend Dr. Liz Theoharis of The Kairos Center discusses an essay

A Military Security State and the Erosion of Freedom
They love to say America has the strongest military of any nation ever. But boasting usually leads to disaster. On this show, we hear from William J. Astore, a retired lieutenant colonel of the US Air Force and professor of

What is the 9/11 Generation?
History professor Matt Warshauer argues in his new book that the 9/11 generation is the most unique in American history, and he explains how. The title is Creating and Failing the 9/11 Generation. This generation has seen a nonfunctional government,

Evangelicals Souring on Trump: Why It Took So Long.
He got 81% of the evangelical vote in key swing states in 2016. Our guest today the Reverend Doug Pagitt is exceptionally familiar with what goes on with evangelical Christians, and he says he expects Trump to get less than

Gen Z, Millennials and The 2024 Presidential Election
They weren’t there for Biden. A large chunk of young men are for Trump, but with a new presidential candidate, the Democratic Party is connecting with young people. One millennial voice is Josh Lafasan, on today’s show he says the

Waving Goodbye to Neoliberalism?
It may have the word “liberal” in it but it’s anything but. Until the Biden/Harris years, the corporate wing of the Democratic Party had its deserved image of serving the richest among us. Trump understood raw populist anger to win

Hawley And the Right: Terrified About Their Manhood
Now with the nomination of not just a woman, but a woman of color, they feel even more threatened. Today’s right encourages and seeks to use men’s anger in the culture war, even though those very policies actually harm working

With Walz, Can Democrats Win Back Rural America?
Since at least 2016, the Democratic policy has been driven by big contributors, yielding rural voters to Trump who at least pretended to hear them. With Minnesota Governor Tim Walz nominated as VP for Harris, middle America people who had

Avi Chomsky: 21st Century Colonialism and Extractivism
Colonialism: Now it’s called corporate globalization. As the energy appetite of the west continues to accelerate, so does extractivism, without the consent of the people directly affected. In this revealing discussion, Professor Avi Chomsky explodes the many myths we white

Jails and Prisons Were a Hotbed of Covid. Needlessly.
The ideal breeding ground for the Covid virus: A place where people were forced to have constant close contact with each other and with the wider community. In other words: prisons. You know how awful it was for us on
Make the Winner of the Popular Vote President
We were taught in elementary school that every vote counts in America. But as we all know the 2016 winner of the popular vote did not become president. The truth is the presidential candidates will spend a billion dollars this

The Term “MAGA” Acknowledges US Empire is Over
Make America great “again?” What does that phrase assume? Our guest today, retired Lt Col. William Astore served 20 years in the military. No, he’s not a stereotypical macho militarist, far from it. He says our “full spectrum global empire”

White Male Supremacists Fear and Hate it But “Romance” and Nuclear Families Aren’t the Only Option
We assume our picture of romance and marriage has always been there, but according to our guest author and professor Sabrina Strings, it was invented in the 12th century as a myth about Sir Lancelot. Marriage was about power, domination,

Dems Need the Middle Class: Why is the DNC Still So Corporatized?
There is a palpable movement under Kamala Harris; so why is party leadership still so out of touch with working people as they were in 2016? Our returning guest, veteran party insider Norman Solomon, says the DNC is still top-down

What’s Behind Trumpism: The Open Attack on Democracy
As Trump heads into the 2024 campaign, you might wonder who is behind it, who benefits from destroying our republic. Here is the story. The religious nationalists see him as a fierce leader. They believe God sends such kings to

The Power of Pardons and Democracy
It’s not high on people’s reason to choose a president, but the power of pardons today is often corrupt and the promise of a pardon has been known to encourage crimes. In this discussion of her forthcoming book, Law Professor

Union Curious in the Mid-2020s
Unions have achieved some historic victories recently. But though many workers are curious, there’s still reluctance to joining a union. As co-author of a new report called “Union Curious,” UC San Diego’s political economy professor John Ahlquist explains on this

After The Shooting of July 13, Is it Over?
Today, more than ever, politics is theater. On today’s big stage we see Biden as an old weakened man, and then we have Trump with blood on his face, standing strong, defiant, fist in the air. On today’s show national

The Challenges of Being Muslim Today
In 21st Century Western Culture, there’s a variety of impressions average white people get when you say the word Muslim. Most of them wrong. On this edition of Keeping Democracy Alive, Toronto author Saqib Qureshi brings some needed clarity to

How Liberation is Only Found In Community
Today’s guest is Dr. Rachelle Winkle-Wagner, author of the new book The Chosen We. She’s a professor of Educational Leadership and Policy a U.Wisconsin-Madison. Over a period of ten years she interviewed 105 Black women from five selected cities about

In Our Climate Threat, There Are Opportunities
Many still think “We don’t have to deal with it now,” but a new report from the Union of Concern Scientists is titled “Looming Deadlines for Coastal Resilience” for a reason. As co-author Dr. Rachel Cleetus explains on this show,
US Africa Policy: “Willful Disregard of Reality”
So much history of over-reliance on military solutions when governments don’t have the support of the people, yet we’re doing it again in Africa. Our guest who has major experience in the White House and Defense Department is Dr. Gordon

On the French Election: First Far Right Regime Since WWII?
In phase one of French elections, the far right of Marine LePen did very well, winning about a third of the total. The next and crucial vote is July 7. According to on-the-ground reporter, Oliver Haynes, President Macron is likely

Ministry of Risk is it’s Own Reward
Many Americans say they are people of faith. But how many of us integrate our faith into our daily lives? Philip Berrigan was one of America’s most faith-driven people. Our guest is Brad Wolf, author of the new book on

Do We Really Want to Get Back to America’s Founding Ideals?
This book actually changed my view of US History. The author says the Confederates and the January 6th assault are the inheritors of the original intent! He argues that the standard story is not the truth. The surprising reality of

Dan Ellsberg Died One Year Ago. Long May He Live.
What do we mean by the word “hero?” Is it not a person of extraordinary courage, putting the good of the country above his or her own safety? That’s Daniel Ellsberg, most famous for the Pentagon Papers which he released