Indivisible Chicago Podcast

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR APRIL 12, 2021 The most pressing issue we are facing the country at this moment is defending our freedom to vote. Forty-three states across the country have introduced legislation intended to strip that freedom from Black and brown voters. And Republicans in Georgia have gone so far as to make it illegal to hand out water to people in line to vote. On Wednesday, April 7, 2021, Tom Moss and Marj Halperin co-hosted the Indivisible Chicago Alliance educational panel: Demand Democracy: Fighting for the Freedom to Vote -- a discussion about S1, the For the People Act, a sweeping pro-democracy bill that will ensure that ALL Americans are free to vote. Guest included: Dan Weiner is deputy director of the Brennan Center’s Election Reform Program, where he helps to lead the Center’s work on money in politics, election security, government ethics, and other democracy and rule of law issues. More at brennancenter.org Angela Lang is a community organizer in Milwaukee and executive director of BLOC: Black Leaders Organizing for Communities. More at blocbybloc.org/ Jonah Minkoff-Zern is co-director of Public Citizen’s Democracy is For the People campaign to build a national, grassroots movement to get money out of politics and ensure all voters have access to the ballot. More at citizen.org. Barbara Arnwine is President & Founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition. She is a longtime activist for voting rights issues, and many of you will know her Voting Rights “Map of Shame” released in 2011, which exposed the new modern wave of voter suppression in the states. More at tjcoalition.org, Learn more about how you can get involved at indivisiblechicago.com. The podcast will be on hiatus until September. Have a great summer!

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, APRIL 5, 2021 1. Number one, remove Trump from office. Check. Number two, demand democracy and the freedom to vote. To learn more about what's at stake, and what we can do about it, join Marj Halperin and Tom Moss on Wednesday, April 7, at 7pm on Facebook for a panel discussion featuring Dan Weiner from the Brennan Center; Angela Lang from Black Leaders Organizing for Change in Milwaukee; Jonah Minkoff-Zern from Public Citizen; and Barbara Arnwine from the Transformative Justice Coalition. Demand Democracy: Fighting for the Freedom to Vote. More at http://bit.ly/ICP_Apr7 2. Jennifer Nagda from The Young Center joins to discuss the current situation on the southern border. The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights protects and advances the rights and best interests of immigrant children according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and state and federal law. More information at theyoungcenter.org.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 29, 2021 1. As more people are vaccinated, the prospect of returning to "normal" creates a new kind of stress. Licensed Clinical Social worker and Erickson Institute adjunct faculty member Lili Gray joins the podcast to help start thinking about the stress of this next transition. 2. Members of Indivisible Chicago will recognize this week's guest. She has been a fixture at a number of our events, rallies, our events at the Athenaeum Theatre back when we were able to that kind of thing, and just last August at one of our Blue Mondays events on the Indivisible Chicago Podcast. She is a musician, an activist, a documentarian, and a runner for justice. Melody Justice joins the podcast to talk music, politics, and so much more. Stream her albums in all the usual places, or at melodyangelmusic.com. On Instagram @melodyangelmusic. Her non-profit is blackrevolutionarycollective.com. Member of the DemCast Podcast Network

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MARCH 22, 2021 Most of us grew up believing that Democracy was unassailable —  that especially in America, Democracy was so embedded in our being  that nothing and no one could tear it down. The last several years have proven how misguided that thinking was. But there are reasons to be optimistic about the future. Benjamin Page, a professor of Political Science at Northwestern and co-author of Democracy in America? What has gone wrong and what we can do about it, joins the podcast to discuss the book and shine some light in the darkness.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2021 1. Reflecting on all that has been lost over the past year, perhaps it’s the casual encounters with not-so-close acquaintances that will do us the most good. The article referred to is here: http://bit.ly/3exHQnf. 2. After a year of pandemic living, things seem to be looking up. This week's guests reflect on the year of living cautiously, with a look ahead to what we generally agree is a light at the end of the tunnel and not another oncoming train. Dr. Rachel Rubin is Senior Medical Officer and co-lead of Cook County Department of Health, and Dr. Ellen Mason is an attending physician at Cook County Hospital and adjunct faculty at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 8, 2021 _1. Distribution of vaccines is up. More and more people say they are going to get the vaccine. Consumer confidence is up. Biden remains popular with approval ratings the previous president never saw. Something we haven't been able to say for a long time: This week was a pretty good week. _2. Indivisible grew from a Google Doc in December, 2016, to a going concern with an office, a cadre of employees, and a national network within a matter of months. The goal of Indivisible from Day 1 was to remove Trump from office. Mission Accomplished. So now what? There's still a democracy to protect, and progressive policies to enact, so the work is far from over. And that work is the topic of this week's interview with Indivisible co-founder and co-executive director Leah Greenberg. Find the new Indivisible Guide at indivisible.org.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2021 _1. 2020 was such a bad year, it's hard sometimes to recognize when good things happen. But a few good things are happening. Articles referenced: Michael Grunwald - Politico Newsletter - http://politi.co/3dPyOla Zeynep Tufekci - The Atlantic - http://bit.ly/3ks45vQ Tom Nichols - The Atlantic - http://bit.ly/3q0Uvkz _2. Ann Williams is a longtime member of the state legislature, representing her Northside district. She has been key in moving all sorts of legislation on topics near and dear to our hearts including those involving data privacy, gun control, ethics and  accountability, and of course the Reproductive Health Act. She serves on a number of committees, and--key to our conversation about the Clean Energy Jobs Act-- she is the chair of the Energy and Environment Committee. We also discuss her role in the conclusion of Michael Madigan's tenure as Speaker of the House.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR FEBRUARY 22, 2021 1. To make American's lives better, we may need to end the filibuster. But Democrats always focus on the second part -- the process -- and not the first part -- the good stuff. We need to get it right this time. More about Hozier's song Nina Cried Power here: https://songexploder.net/hozier. More about Anat Shenker Osario here: https://bit.ly/37v0GH5. 2. A month or so ago, Mike Simmons had a full plate as deputy director of the My Brother's Keeper Alliance as the policy and urban planning consultant through his firm, Blue Sky Strategies. Less than two weeks later, as we record, he is one of the newest state Senators, appointed on February 6 to replace retiring Heather Steans. This week's guest represents the 7th, a diverse district that includes parts of Uptown, Andersonville, Lincoln Square, and Ravenswood.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR FEBRUARY 15, 2021 1. Indivisible Chicago Alliance Exec Director Darcey Regan joins to podcast to discuss our Valentines for Democracy project. 2. Renato Mariotti is a CNN Legal Analyst and the host of the podcast, On Topic.  He is the Legal Affairs Columnist for Politico Magazine, and has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time Magazine, and other publications.  We turn to Renato whenever we want to get into the weeds on legal issues, and he is our go to expert every time a president is impeached. Subscribe to his podcast, On Topic, wherever you get your podcasts. ontopicpodcast.com

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR FEBRUARY 8, 2021 _1. The former President pushed the internet's tall tales, gaslit the country, and denied science and reality. And it took him a long way. But there’s evidence this week that fabulist thinking has its limit. The article referenced is here: https://nyti.ms/3jnYCp8. _2. Many of us have any number of options for how and where we buy our food. Others, especially people living on the south and west sides, live as much as four miles from the nearest major grocery store. These circumstances are not just natural, but developed over time as a result of all sorts of influences -- from economic to technological to political. And these are the circumstances that are the subject of this week's interview. Andrew Deener is Professor of Sociology at the University of Connecticut and author of the new book: The Problem with Feeding Cities: The Social Transformation of Infrastructure, Abundance, and Inequality in America (University of Chicago Press, 2020).

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2021 For nine days in October of 1960, a drama unfolded in Georgia that would determine the future of the civil rights movement, the political fortunes of Kennedy and Nixon, and would steel the determination of Martin Luther King, Jr. whose life literally hung in the balance. This week, Paul Kendrick, co-author of Nine Days: the race to save Martin Luther King's Life and Win the 1960 Election, joins the podcast. Paul is also Executive Director of Rust Belt Rising --rustbeltrising.com.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR JANUARY 25, 2021 This week, excerpts from the Indivisible Chicago Inauguration Celebration extravaganza, featuring a panel co-hosted by Tom and ICA's Marj Halperin with Representatives Lauren Underwood, Sean Casten, and Marie Newman. The show was produced by Chicago4Real and hosted by Justin Kaufmann. Musical guests included Michael McDermott (featured in this week's podcast), Jeff Tweedy, and Jon Langford. Music produced by the Hideout Inn. Find the complete video presentation, including all music, comedy and MAGIC segments at http://bit.ly/ICA_Inaug. Support Chicago4Real at www.twitch.tv/chicago4real. Support The Hideout Inn at hideoutchicago.com. Also sponsored by WCPT 820 AM at wcpt820.com. ICP is a member of the DemCast Podcast Network.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR JANUARY 18, 2021 After the George Floyd murder, there was a new commitment among White Americans to confront our national crisis of racism. Eight months later, have we made much progress? Maybe, if we're looking to confront racism, we are not looking in the right places. In a new book, this week's guest argues that the kind of racism that may be doing US the most damage is also the kind we don't even recognize.  The book is Tacit Racism from University of Chicago Press, and my guest is Anne Rawls, Professor of Sociology at Bentley University, who is co-author with University of Pittsburgh sociology professor Waverly Duck. Link to article mentioned in the interview: https://www.routledge.com/go/black-lives-matter-an-ethnomethodology-freebook Member of the DemCast Podcast Network

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2021 _1. The failed coup on January 6 was not a surprise. In fact many of us saw it coming as early as 2015. _2. Excerpts from 2020 episodes focusing on protecting democracy: --William Howell and Terry M. Moe, authors of Presidents, Populism, and the Crisis of Democracy. --David Daley, author of Ratf***ed and Unrigged. --Rachel Blum, author of How the Tea Party Captured the GOP --Benjamin Page, co-author of Democracy in America? What has gone wrong and what we can do about it. Member of the DemCast Podcast Network.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021 This is the time of year that we the a look back on the year that was, celebrate the good times and look ahead. While it's been tough, there were a number of things to celebrate this year. Three friends join the podcast this week to reflect on the year that was and look forward to the work that remains. Darcey Regan is executive director of the Indivisible Chicago Alliance; Jessica Droeger is a leader of Indivisible Lincoln Square and ICA board member; and Jason Rieger is founder and ICA board member.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR DECEMBER 28, 2020 1. ICYMI: Celebrating President-elect Biden, and reflections on riding the emotional roller coaster from November 2 to November 7, 2020. While there may be trouble ahead, for today, let's face the music and dance. 2. On Thanksgiving Day in 2016, at a holiday gathering in Austin, Texas, Indivisible was born. Three years later, an Indivisible organization exists in every congressional district in America. This week, an encore presentation with founders Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin, and an interview recorded in November 2019. We talk about the evolution of Indivisible, some of the lessons learned over the past three years, and what’s happening to ensure electoral reform — all of which is cleverly recounted in their book, We are Indivisible.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2020. Starting this week, the days start getting longer. Hope returns. ICA board member Marj Halperin joins the podcast to talk Georgia phone-banking. Learn more at indivisiblechicago.com. Also, save the date. Marj and Tom will be hosting Indivisible Chicago's Inaugural Celebration: Everything New is Blue Again on January 20, 2021 at 5:30. Stay tuned for more information. In early December, the League of Women Voters Chicago celebrated the centennial of that organization, which was founded right here in Chicago in 1920. At that celebration, Lance Gough, outgoing executive director of the Cook County Board of Election, was honored for a remarkable career in the service of democracy. Mr. Gough joins the podcast this week along with League of Women Voters Chicago executive vice president, Catherine Mardikes.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2020 1. With the current president's assault on democracy, one wonders what the ghosts of those who died in wars to protect our democratic way of life might expect of us. 2. For those of us who grew up believing that democratic values would be simply impossible to subvert in this country -- well, Donald Trump, you have our attention. This week, to help explain how we got here and what we need to do now, the authors of the new book Presidents, Populism, and the Crisis of Democracy (University of Chicago Press). William H. Howell is the Sydney Stein Professor in American Politics at the University of Chicago. He is currently chair of the Department of Political Science and Director of the Center for Effective Government. Terry M. Moe is the William Bennett Munro Professor of Political Science at Stanford University and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020 1. With incredible ratings in one demographic, you might be able to stay on TV, but you can't remain president. This is the lesson the current President is having trouble learning. 2. The ComEd scandal that has gotten everyone's attention over the last few months is really a story of two scandals -- one is a bribery scandal that seems to be closing in around Speaker of the House Madigan. But what of the legislation that was at the heart of the bribery scandal in the first place -- one that promises to deliver services to consumers but failed to do so. Joining the podcast this week, Abe Scarr, director of Illinois PIRG. In Springfield he leads the charge for stronger consumer protections, utility accountability, and good government. In 2017, Abe led a coalition to pass legislation to implement automatic voter registration in Illinois.  Just this week, PIRG released a report, *Guaranteed Profits, Broken Promises*, which  details how ComEd has managed to stay profitable while failing its customers. Find the report at illinoispirg.org

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 1. The US Constitution was  not delivered to the founders on a mountaintop; it was the product of bitter negotiations and tough compromises. The Electoral College was one such compromise, and we're living with the consequences to this day. Originally posted February 17, 2020.  2. After the election in 2016, Michigan resident Katie Fahey posted on Facebook to see if anyone was interested in taking on gerrymandering in Michigan. People were interested. Over the next two years, she led the successful fight to end gerrymandering, and is now executive director of The People — thepeople.org. Originally posted August 15, 2020. Member of the DemCast Podcast Network.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2020 1. While Trump will certainly be remembered as the worst president, this transition may only be the second worst. What happened in 1861 was, so far, worse. 2. As Americans, we are invested in the idea that our fellow citizens accused of a crime are innocent until proven guilty. At the same time, we are invested in a bail system in which those accused are able to be released only if they can pay the price. Is it fair that the wealthy who are accused walk while the poor remain in jail awaiting their day in court? This week's guests do not think that it is fair, and they are working to end the cash bail system. Sharone Mitchell, Jr. is the Director of the Illinois Justice Project, and State Senator Robert Peters is sponsoring the Pretrial Fairness Act which aims to put an end to the cash bail system. Learn more at endmoneybond.org. Member of the DemCast Podcast Network.

1. Does America need a Truth Commission or would a Works Project do the trick? 2, The Tea Party emerged coincidentally with America's first Black president. Initially promoting libertarian values, they attracted broad swaths of the disaffected, those with libertarian concerns, but also those with isolationist, nationalist, and racist concerns. And then came Trump. Today's guest has researched the Tea Party, how it started, how it ate the Republican party, and where it might go from here. Rachel Blum is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Oklahoma University and author of *How the Tea Party Captured the GOP: Insurgent Factions in American Politics*, from University of Chicago Press. Member of the DemCast Podcast Network.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2020 1. Celebrating President-elect Biden, and reflections on riding the emotional roller coaster from November 2 to November 7, 2020. While there may be trouble ahead, for today, let's face the music and dance. 2. Three States. One Mission. 1500 volunteers and more than half a million phone calls. We go behind the scenes with Indivisible Chicago's Get-Out-the-Vote All-Stars -- Kathleen Long, Bill Mengebier, and Kathy Tholin. Member of the DemCast Podcast Network

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY OCTOBER 26, 2020 1. 8 days until voting ends. Do you remember where you were four years ago? 2. Indivisible Chicago founder Jason Rieger on The Last Weekend. Learn more at 3states1mission.com. 3. Chicago media legend and friend of the podcast Ken Davis joins to talk emails and laptops, and life after Trump. Spoiler: One way or the other, he’s not going away. Member of the DemCast Podcast Network

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020 1. The only thing the GOP oppo research has done so far is demonstrate Joe Biden’s decency. Last week, a Trump aide compared Biden to Mr. Rogers. Yeah? So? 2. After a months-long hiatus, Indivisible Chicago is heading back (safely) to the doors. ICA board member Denise Poloyac joins to discuss. Sign up for canvassing, phone banking, and more at 3states1mission.com. 3. All roads to the White House lead through Wisconsin, but there is also much at stake for the state—and the country—in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Deb Andraca is a candidate in the north Milwaukee suburbs trying to flip that district blue. Learn more and get involved at debforwi.com.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2020 _1. What could happen if -- under the terms of the 12th Amendment -- an inconclusive election were to end up before the House of Representatives to decide? Spoiler: nothing good if a majority of states are not represented by a majority of Democratic members. Congressman Jamie Raskin joins to explain. Raskin will keynote a fundraiser on Friday, 10/16, at 6pm CT to support six candidates across the country to ensure the House is in good hands. The event is sponsored by our friends at Indivisible Hawaii. Register here: https://bit.ly/3dngyNJ _2. Twenty-two days before election day, but 107 days before inauguration, we are prudent to prepare for a contested election. Congressman Mike Quigley from IL05 joins this week to talk about what could go wrong at the polls and what we need to do to get ready. Sign up for notifications at protecttheresults.com.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR OCTOBER 5, 2020 _1. We need to stay positive and we need to get out the vote. But we have to be prepared should the president follow through on what he has already said he might do and reject the results of the election. Indivisible Chicago Alliance Executive Director Darcey Regan joins the podcast to discuss contingency planning. To get notifications, visit protecttheresults.com. _2. With less than a month, it’s all hands on deck. Time to step up, if you haven’t already. Joining to discuss opportunities, with an eye toward Wisconsin this time, Kathleen Long and Laura Tanner, co-leaders Indivisible Evanston and Sandra Sullivan-Dunbar, Sister District Greater Chicago. Sign up for phone banking shifts at 3states1mission.com. Sign up to a poll observer at wisdems.org/voter-protection. Sign up to drive people to the polls at soulstothepollsmke.org.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 1. With claims of electoral fraud, a disputed election is thrown to Congress, where Republicans hold a slim edge. The year is 1876, and the compromise that leads to a Rutherford Hayes administration is catastrophic. What can we do to avoid such an outcome in 36 days? Hint: 3states1mission.com. 2. “The Imperial Presidency” is a term coined by Arthur Schlesinger in the 70s to describe the Nixon Administration, though it certainly has currency today. But what role does public opinion play in checking that power? This week, we take a step back from the election, from the Supreme Court fight, to think about how the Presidency works — or fails to — in these times. Dino Christenson is associate professor in the Department of Political Science at Boston University and an institute fellow at the Hariri Institute for Computational Science and Engineering. Douglas Kriner is the Clinton Rossiter Professor in American Institutions in the Department of Government at Cornell University. They are co-authors of The Myth of the Imperial Presidency, from University of Chicago Press. Member of the DemCast Podcast Network.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 _1. Remembering Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. _2. David Daley spent a year documenting the ways that the Republicans, starting after Obama won election in 2008, set in motion REDMAP, a long-term strategy to win key state legislative victories in time to redraw lines after the 2010 census and secure power, while the Democrats weren’t paying attention. It worked, and his book Ratf**ked documents that part of the story. His next book, Unrigged, published last March, documents how citizens across America fought to take back their Democracy. That fight is just getting started. Member of the DemCast Podcast Network.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 This week, the Return of Blue Mondays with co-hosts Marj Halperin and Tom Moss. This week, Protecting the Vote in Wisconsin. Guests include: Renato Mariotti, CNN legal analyst, former federal prosecutor, host of the podcast On Topic, and friend of Indivisible Chicago. Reverend Greg Lewis, leader of Souls to the Polls, a statewide Wisconsin coalition of faith leaders that mobilizes ministers and their congregations to strengthen the voting power of the Black community. More at soulstothepollsmke.org. JP Thomas, Regional Voter Protection Director for the Wisconsin Coordinated Campaign. Volunteer to be a poll observer at wisdems.org/voter-protection. Member of the DemCast Podcast Network. Blue Mondays is jointly sponsored by Indivisible Chicago Alliance (ICA), which is registered under 501(c)(4) and the Indivisible Chicago Alliance Political Action Committee, a separate non-profit organization connected to ICA. This program is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Additional sponsors: Blue Beginning and The Hideout.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 This week, Marj Halperin and Tom Moss wrap up Blue Mondays with a deep dive into Illinois politics with guest, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood - underwoodforcongress.com. To discuss the Fair Tax, Anders Lindall, communications co-chair of Vote Yes for Fair Tax - www.YesForFairTax.org And reporter Dave McKinney, who spent nearly 20 years covering the Illinois Statehouse for the Chicago Sun Times. He’s still on the beat, now for WBEZ. Special musical guest, Jon Langford. Member of the DemCast Podcast Network.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020 As the presidential campaigns approach the post-Labor Day sprint to November, few states loom as large as Wisconsin. This week, Marj Halperin and Tom Moss take a deep dive into the politics of the state that may decide this race. Ben Wikler, Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party of Wisconsin wisdems.org/volunteer Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Founding Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera, and recently named one of USA Today’s Women of the Century vdlf.org Paul Kendrick, Executive Director of Rust Belt Rising rustbeltrising.com/ Musical guest, Jon Langford Volunteer to phone bank today at 3states1mission.com Member of the DemCast Podcast Network Blue Mondays is jointly sponsored by Indivisible Chicago Alliance (ICA), which is registered under 501(c)(4) and the Indivisible Chicago Alliance Political Action Committee, a separate non-profit organization connected to ICA. This program is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Additional sponsors: Blue Beginning and The Hideout.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2020 As the Democratic National Convention begins, as some of the polls begin to tighten, Indivisible Chicago’s Blue Mondays continues this week with a deep dive into four Southwest Michigan races. This week, Marj Halperin and Tom Moss welcome Michigan-6 Congressional candidate Jon Hoadley, who is seeking to unseat a 34-year Congressional incumbent. Learn more at jonhoadley.com. Also, there is much at stake in the Michigan House of Representatives, and three candidates join the program to explain. Christine Morse - Running for State Rep in District 61, which includes Kalamazoo County - vote4morse.com Chokwe Pitchford - Candidate for State Legislature - 79th district, which includes Benton Harbor, St. Joe, and surrounding areas- www.chokwefor79th.org/ Abigail Wheeler - Candidate for State Rep in Michigan’s 66th district - wheelerforthe66th.com Musical guest: Jeff Tweedy Volunteer to phone bank today at 3states1mission.com. Member of the DemCast Podcast Network. Blue Mondays is jointly sponsored by Indivisible Chicago Alliance (ICA), which is registered under 501(c)(4) and the Indivisible Chicago Alliance Political Action Committee, a separate non-profit organization connected to ICA. This program is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Additional sponsors: Blue Beginning and The Hideout.

A special edition of the Indivisible Chicago Podcast After the election in 2016, Michigan resident Katie Fahey posted on Facebook to see if anyone was interested in taking on gerrymandering in Michigan. People were interested. Over the next two years, she led the successful fight to end gerrymandering, and is now executive director of The People — thepeople.org. In this special edition of the ICP, Katie shares her story. Katie will also be present at an Indivisible Chicago event on Sunday, August 23, 2020 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM CT Sign-up for our virtual Zoom movie theater on Sunday, August 23, as we come together starting at 4:00 to watch what Variety called “the most important political film of the year," Slay the Dragon. Immediately following the film, at 6:00, Katie Fahey, will join us for a panel discussion, along with Ratf**ed author, David Daley, and the film's Ruth Greenwood, a leader in the ongoing fight against voter disenfranchisement in Wisconsin. More information and sign up at bit.ly/ICP_SLAY Member of the DemCast Podcast Network.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020 Indivisible Chicago's Blue Mondays continues this week as Marj Halperin and I welcome four journalists to discuss the political landscape across the Three States, One Mission area. Monroe Anderson is a political analyst and journalist who’s written for Triibe, the Defender, Newsweek, Chicago Sun-Times, and the Tribune. He is currently featured on the Ben Joravsky podcast every Wednesday. Malachi Barnett is Public Interest Reporter at MLive Media Group, and knows well the political landscape of Michigan Shia Kapos is a reporter for POLITICO and author of POLITICO's Illinois Playbook, the most indispensable morning newsletter for influencers in Illinois government and politics. Dan Simmons, a Wisconsin State Journal reporter, writes extensively on Wisconsin politics. Musical guest: Michael McDermott. Find Michael’s music at michael-mcdermott.com. All proceeds from the event supports the GoFundMe set up by the Hideout to keep their staff paid until they can reopen. Donations made during the musical segment go directly to the musical guest. The Indivisible Chicago Podcast is a member of the DemCast Podcast Network Blue Mondays is jointly sponsored by Indivisible Chicago Alliance (ICA), which is registered under 501(c)(4) and the Indivisible Chicago Alliance Political Action Committee, a separate non-profit organization connected to ICA. This program is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Additional sponsors: Blue Beginning and The Hideout.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020 When your grandchildren ask you what you did to protect democracy in the Trump era, what will you say? For ideas, check out Blue Mondays, where you'll learn more about what you need to know, AND DO, now that the election is mere moments away. Every Monday in August -- there are five of them this year -- Marj Halperin and Tom Moss will host a LIVE show at The Hideout's virtual performance space -- hideoutchicago.online. The audio recording of that show will appear as an episode of the Indivisible Chicago Podcast. The inaugural episode was recorded on Monday night, August 3, and focused on electoral politics and the pursuit of racial justice. This week's guests: Christian Perry, a community organizer with Black Millennial Renaissance, www.blackmillennialrenaissance.com/ Ashley Perkins, Nonviolence Training Coordinator and Lead Trainer at the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago, www.nonviolencechicago.org/ Angela Lang, Executive Director, Black Leaders Organizing for Communities in Milwaukee, WI, www.blocbybloc.org/ All proceeds from the event supports the GoFundMe set up by the Hideout to keep their staff paid until they can reopen. Donations made during the musical segment go directly to musical guest Melody Angel. The Indivisible Chicago Podcast is a member of the DemCast Podcast Network Blue Mondays is jointly sponsored by Indivisible Chicago Alliance (ICA), which is registered under 501(c)(4) and the Indivisible Chicago Alliance Political Action Committee, a separate non-profit organization connected to ICA. This program is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Additional sponsors: Blue Beginning and The Hideout.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR JULY 27, 2020 1. Eight hundred years ago, “law and order” didn’t mean to King John of England what it meant to Richard Nixon or what it means to Donald Trump. How did “law and order” go from the language of rebellion to the language of racism and reactionaries? 2. Joey Andrews is organizing for political candidates in southwest Michigan, and he joins the podcast this week to talk about the political landscape there and exactly why we should care. And more important, what we can do to help. 3. State Assembly Representative Robyn Vining is running for re-election in a district she won last time by just 132 votes, and Indivisible Chicago has been phone banking for her to help ensure the margin is far greater this time around. Learn more about her campaign at www.robynforwi.com and follow her on Instagram at @robynvining.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, JULY 20, 2020 1. Remembering John Lewis. 2. Since 1988, Northwestern Law professor Andrew Koppelman has been arguing that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects LGBTQ employees from workplace discrimination. It took a while, but last month, the US Supreme Court finally agreed. Professor Koppelman is theJohn Paul Stevens Professor of Law at Northwestern University. His latest book is Gay Rights vs. Religious Liberty: An Unnecessary Conflict, from Oxford Press. The article mentioned in the interview is available here: bit.ly/3fIitwD

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR JULY 13, 2020 1. With pressure mounting to take down the statues of the Confederacy, it’s worth considering why these monuments were put up in the first place. 2. Michael Fassnact was CEO of the advertising firm Foote Cone and Belding until late 2019 when he started doing ad hoc work with the city. On April 1, 2020, he was named Chief Marketing Officer of the City of Chicago. Over a remarkably successful career, Fassnacht has worked on developing brand trust in the public and private sector. His latest challenge, the brand of Chicago and its mayor. 3. Christine Morse is running for state representative in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, a race that is part of Indivisible Chicago’s effort to help our friends in Michigan and Wisconsin flip their legislatures blue. Find out more at vote4morse.com. Sign up to help at 3states1mission.com

1. 3states1mission.com returns! Chokwe Pitchford is a candidate for Michigan State Rep. He joins from his home in Benton Harbor, Michigan, to discuss the campaign, his community, and why this is such an important race. Learn more at chokwefor79th.org. Sign up to phone bank for Chokwe’s campaign and many others at 3states1mission.com. Remember when you said you’d do anything to defeat Trump? Well? 2. When there is a shooting on the West Side, members of the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago show up to mediate, deescalate, and work with the victims family. As we work to imagine better ways of addressing gun violence and public, it must include programs like this. Senior Director of Programs and Policy Chris Patterson joins this week to discuss this effort, which is built on the teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. Learn more and get involved at nonviolencechicago.org.

1. Public opinion can be static for years, and then something changes. That’s what happened with public opinion support for gay marriage—support was static for years, and then, one day, things changed. Similarly, over the past few weeks, public opinion for Black Lives Matter has shifted dramatically. Can we now imagine real change in race relations in America? 2. In 2016, Kim Foxx ran for State’s Attorney against an incumbent who had drawn criticism in the wake of the Laquan McDonald murder. This year, she won her bid for re-election after a bitter primary campaign. The Indivisible Chicago Alliance endorsed her in this race. And then came the pandemic, and then the George Floyd murder and subsequent outpouring of grief and rage. This week, the State’s Attorney joins the podcast to discuss the events of the past several weeks, as well as her record of criminal justice reform over the last four years. 3. Jon Hoadley is running for Congress in southwest Michigan, one of the campaigns Indivisible Chicago is supporting as part of our Three States, One Mission campaign. An openly gay candidate, this week, he returns to the podcast to discuss last week’s Supreme Court decision upholding the rights of LGBTQ employees. Learn more about his campaign at jonhoadley.com. Join the campaign’s Summer of Action kickoff on July 9 at https://bit.ly/3dlNt3J.

This week's guest is Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson. 1. The current president initially planned his first pandemic rally to be held in Tulsa, Oklahoma — of all places — on June 19th — of all dates. Tom talks about the Tulsa Race Massacre, and what it means for the president to choose this place for his first MAGA rally for months. 2. This week’s guest is Brandon Johnson, Cook County Commissioner for the first district, where he serves on a number of committees, including the Criminal Justice Committee—of which he is vice chair. Commissioner Johnson joins the podcast this week to talk about the aftermath of the George Floyd murder, the impact is has had on his district, and how we must not squander this moment when real change is possible. We are broadcast on WCPT AM-820 Monday nights at 7pm. The Indivisible Chicago Podcast is a member of the DemCast Podcast Network.

LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, AND RATE Every week, Indivisible Chicago Podcast host Tom Moss talks to politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists about resisting the Trump agenda. The ICP is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Indivisible Chicago. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen online at IndivisibleChicago.com/podcast. Take a minute to rate us on iTunes. It helps us get the word out about the ICP. https://apple.co/2oR4UlH INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, JUNE 8, 2020 _1. Some fear saying the wrong thing, so say nothing at all. The world of clinical psychology offers a model that might help: The Silk Ring Theory. More here: https://bit.ly/3h4xTMM _2. AS a former civil rights attorney, supporter of CPAC, and co-author of the State consent decree, Alderman Matt Martin is in a unique position to help sort out some of the policy positions regarding reforming the police department. Has your Alderman signed on to support CPAC? Find out here: bit.ly/ICP_CPAC

LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, AND RATE Every week, Indivisible Chicago Podcast host Tom Moss talks to politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists about resisting the Trump agenda. The ICP is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Indivisible Chicago. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen online at IndivisibleChicago.com/podcast. Take a minute to rate us on iTunes. It helps us get the word out about the ICP. https://apple.co/2oR4UlH INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2020 _1. The killing of George Floyd is a tragedy that should compel us to do more. Peaceful protests are a start. Educating ourselves is another — Indivisible National’s reading list is here: bit.ly/INDIVISIBLE_Antiracism. _2. So much depends on leadership, and right now that is in short supply. The fight for democracy runs through Michigan, and right now, Indivisible Chicago leader Bill Mengebier is leading the effort with phone banks. Bill joins the podcast with an update. It’s all hands on deck. Get involved at 3states1mission.com. _3. Jon Hoadley, candidate for Congress in Michigan 6, Zoomed by the phone bank to share some good news about polling in his district. Find out more about his campaign at jonhoadley.com. _4. Dani Brzozowski is the first candidate in Illinois 16 to be endorsed by Planned Parenthood. She’s running as a true progressive in a district currently represented by a man who votes with Trump 93% of the time. Learn more at daniforillinois.com. The Indivisible Chicago Podcast is a member of the DemCast Podcast Network.

LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, AND RATE Every week, Indivisible Chicago Podcast host Tom Moss talks to politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists about resisting the Trump agenda. The ICP is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Indivisible Chicago. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen online at IndivisibleChicago.com/podcast. Take a minute to rate us on iTunes. It helps us get the word out about the ICP. https://apple.co/2oR4UlH INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, MAY 25, 2020 _1. I thought the pandemic would finally give Democrats and Republicans something to agree emphatically about — the desire to avoid our own demise. Not so fast. The PEW Research study discussed is here pewrsr.ch/2zZRBZg. _2. Lawrence Lessig is the Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership at Harvard Law School. He was the co-founder of Creative Commons, and was a candidate for president in 2016. He is the author of numerous books, most recently They Don’t Represent Us published by Dey Street and America: Compromised from the University of Chicago Press. He hosts the podcast Another Way. Professor Lessig joins to talk electoral reform, finance reform, our dire circumstances, and glimmers of hope.

LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, AND RATE Every week, Indivisible Chicago Podcast host Tom Moss talks to politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists about resisting the Trump agenda. The ICP is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Indivisible Chicago. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen online at IndivisibleChicago.com/podcast. Take a minute to rate us on iTunes. It helps us get the word out about the ICP. https://apple.co/2oR4UlH INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, MAY 18, 2020 _1. Each Monday for now, Indivisible Chicago opens a Zoom room and welcomes all comers to a virtual phone bank -- Michigan Mondays. Indivisible Chicago is organizing calls into a southwest Michigan state legislative district which is key to flipping the Michigan State House Blue. This week, a reluctant activist faces his fears and gets with the program. You can get with the program at 3state1mission.com. _2. We start in Michigan, and then cross the Lake to Milwaukee to hear from Angela Lang, Executive Director of BLOC — Black Leaders Organizing for Communities — which is dedicated to organizing communities in Milwaukee. Learn more at blocbybloc.org. The New Yorker article discussed can be found here: https://bit.ly/3675hgL. Angela will be headlining a virtual event on Wednesday, 5/20: How Milwaukee Could Decide the Next President: An Indivisible IL9 Salon. RSVP here: bit.ly/mke-rsvp.

LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, AND RATE Every week, Indivisible Chicago Podcast host Tom Moss talks to politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists about resisting the Trump agenda. The ICP is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Indivisible Chicago. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen online at IndivisibleChicago.com/podcast. Take a minute to rate us on iTunes. It helps us get the word out about the ICP. https://apple.co/2oR4UlH INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, MAY 11, 2020 _1. Remember Hope? This week, Becoming, the documentary chronicling Michelle Obama’s book tour, premiered on Netflix. The documentary is partly a book tour, partly biography, partly a peek behind the scenes. The key, however, lies in the conversations the former First Lady has with young people. _2. For 71 years, except for a two year gap, Illinois 9 has been represented by just two people: current Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, of course, and prior to her, elected in 1948, Sidney Yates. Authors George Van Dusen and Michael Dorf wrote Clear it with Sid: Sidney Yates and fifty years of presidents, pragmatism, and public service. This interview was recorded January 10, 2020.

LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, AND RATE Every week, Indivisible Chicago Podcast host Tom Moss talks to politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists about resisting the Trump agenda. The ICP is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Indivisible Chicago. * Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen online at IndivisibleChicago.com/podcast. * Take a minute to rate us on iTunes. It helps us get the word out about the ICP. https://apple.co/2oR4UlH INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, MAY 4, 2020 _1. Recently the Indivisible Chicago Alliance signed on to support the Illinois Fair Tax Amendment. It is not surprising that powerful forces have aligned to oppose it, but fortunately, powerful forces are organizing to support it as well. Amisha Patel, is the Executive Director of the Grassroots Collaborative, and she joins this week to offer common sense responses to arguments listeners might hear from certain family and friends. More info is at yesforfairtax.org and grassrootscollaborative.org. _2. Cecilia Muñoz was a senior member of Obama’s White House Leadership team. She’s also the author of a new book: More than Ready: Be Strong and Be You and Other Lessons for Women of Color on the Rise. With most of the country still on lockdown, with cruelty and injustice emanating from the White House, and with a difficult election year ahead, there is no better time to talk about the qualities of leadership.

LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, AND RATE Every week, Indivisible Chicago Podcast host Tom Moss talks to politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists about resisting the Trump agenda. The ICP is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Indivisible Chicago. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen online at IndivisibleChicago.com/podcast. Take a minute to rate us on iTunes. It helps us get the word out about the ICP. https://apple.co/2oR4UlH INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020 _1. The president’s scientific musings sound perfectly reasonable, if it’s 1985 and you are Tom’s college dorm-mates. Some thoughts about Disinfect-gate. The New York Times article referred to is here: https://nyti.ms/356h7r7. _2. Six weeks ago, the Indivisible Chicago Alliance was up to its eyeballs in canvassing, in-person trainings, and carpools to Wisconsin and Michigan. Now, like everything else, the activism has migrated online. Joining the podcast this week — via Zoom — Indivisible Chicago founder and Alliance executive board member Jason Rieger, and Reid McCollum, co-leader of the Coalition for a Better Illinois 6. Learn more about how to get involved with the Postcard Posse, phone banking, and other projects at indivisiblechicago.com. Also, see postcards2wi.com, postcards2mi.com and ICA’s 3states1mission.com.

LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, AND RATE Every week, Indivisible Chicago Podcast host Tom Moss talks to politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists about resisting the Trump agenda. The ICP is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Indivisible Chicago. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen online at IndivisibleChicago.com/podcast. Take a minute to rate us on iTunes. It helps us get the word out about the ICP. https://apple.co/2oR4UlH INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020 _1. Most of us grew up believing that Democracy was unassailable — that especially in America, Democracy was so embedded in our being that nothing and no one could tear it down. The last several years have proven how misguided that thinking was. But there are reasons to be optimistic about the future. Benjamin Page, a professor of Political Science at Northwestern and co-author of Democracy in America? What has gone wrong and what we can do about it, joins the podcast to discuss the book and shine some light in the darkness. _2. Jared Launius with a firsthand account of what Democracy under siege looks like — he’s the Swing Left Wisconsin and Illinois Field Director and he has some highs and lows from the Wisconsin primary. Contact Jared at jared@swingleft.org. Also get involved at 3states1mission.com.

LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, AND RATE Every week, Indivisible Chicago Podcast host Tom Moss talks to politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists about resisting the Trump agenda. The ICP is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Indivisible Chicago. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen online at IndivisibleChicago.com/podcast. Take a minute to rate us on iTunes. It helps us get the word out about the ICP. https://apple.co/2oR4UlH INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR APRIL 13, 2020 _1. The impact of the pandemic, with the weight of an uncertainty that is off the scales, will affect Generation Z in ways we don’t yet comprehend. For more, check out the Axios article here: bit.ly/ICP_GenZ. Odds Are from the Barenaked Ladies can be found here: https://bit.ly/2RusvYa. _2. Personal PAC is an organization dedicated to protecting a woman’s reproductive rights in Illinois. An upcoming Supreme Court decision will most likely effectively overturn Roe. What does that mean for the future of abortion rights? Back in February, Tom sat down with Personal PAC President and CEO Terry Cosgrove. Just last Friday, Tom and Terry checked in to discuss what has and hasn’t changed regarding abortion rights since then. The Vox article mentioned can be found here bit.ly/ICP_VoxRoe. Information about the virtual town hall on Monday 4/13 here: www.personalpac.org/events/