Podcasts about citizens united

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

A growing bipartisan movement wants to amend the U.S. Constitution to take back control of the amount of money in American politics. In this episode, Mosheh sits down with Jeff Clements, CEO of ⁠American Promise⁠, to unpack how Supreme Court decisions like Buckley v. Valeo and Citizens United transformed campaign finance, helping usher in an era of $20 billion election cycles, super PACs, and dark money. They explore why the U.S. has become such an outlier among democracies when it comes to campaign spending, why Congress has repeatedly failed to change the system, and how the courts—not lawmakers—have largely dictated the rules for the past 50 years. Clements explains why his organization is pursuing a constitutional amendment instead of another campaign finance law, how 25 states have already backed the effort, and why he believes the movement is gaining momentum. They also debate whether money should be considered protected speech under the First Amendment—and what could change if Americans, rather than the courts, once again had the power to set the rules governing money in elections. Mosheh Oinounou (⁠⁠@mosheh⁠⁠) is an Emmy and Murrow award-winning journalist. He has 20 years of experience at networks including Fox News, Bloomberg Television and CBS News, where he was the executive producer of the CBS Evening News and launched the network's 24 hour news channel. He founded the @mosheh Instagram news account in 2020 and the Mo News podcast and newsletter in 2022.

Episode 1006 uses the beloved 1990 teen rebellion movie "Pump Up the Volume" to ask a deeper question: what happens when you take "Truth is a virus" and unrestricted free speech into the real world, where the fascists aren't outsiders trying to break in—they're already running the show? Driftglass and Blue Gal trace the death of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 through the rise of Hate Radio, Gingrich's language wars, Citizens United, and the collapse of every institution that was supposed to protect democracy from tyranny. The episode explains why lying became profitable, why corporate media's "Both Sides" obsession taught citizens that democracy was somebody else's job, and why an uninformed public is the only thing tyranny has ever needed. It's about how free speech got inverted, and why the FCC villain in a 1990 teen movie may have been onto something after all.Links for this episode: The movie “Pump Up The Volume” (1990) is streaming ($) on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home.  Clips are available on YouTube.  Music from the “Pump Up The Volume” soundtrack can be found at this YouTube playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjDvaXwceFJTg_uhw4cymaJGtBdJZT7OJ&si=RxUS9h7X1OeGsbY2 Music clips from this episode: Was Not Was:  Dad, I'm In Jail   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MZKkz4xefk Above the Law: Freedom of Speech  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q338zPrnwGw The movie “Pump Up The Volume” (1990) is streaming ($) on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home.  Clips are available on YouTube.  Driftglass on other podcasts!   Nicole Sandler   https://nicolesandler.com/7-8-26/ Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Frank Schaeffer speaks with Maya Kornberg about her book Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress.They discuss how Congress has been weakened by money, social media, political violence, understaffing, and decades of institutional neglect. This is a conversation about why Congress often fails, and why strengthening it may be one of the most urgent democratic tasks we face._____LINKShttps://www.mayakornberg.com/https://bookshop.org/a/99692/9781421454580_____I have had the pleasure of talking to some of the leading authors, artists, activists, and change-makers of our time on this podcast, and I want to personally thank you for subscribing, listening, and sharing 100-plus episodes over 100,000 times.Please subscribe to this Podcast, In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer, on your favorite platform, and to my Substack, It Has to Be Said. Thanks! Every subscription helps create, build, sustain and put voice to this movement for truth. Subscribe to It Has to Be Said. The Gospel of Zip will be released in print and on Amazon Kindle, and as a full video on YouTube and Substack that you can watch or listen to for free.Support the show_____In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer is a production of the George Bailey Morality in Public Life Fellowship. It is hosted by Frank Schaeffer, author of The Gospel of Zip.Learn more at https://www.thegospelofzip.com/Follow Frank on Substack, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and YouTube.https://frankschaeffer.substack.comhttps://www.facebook.com/frank.schaeffer.16https://twitter.com/Frank_Schaefferhttps://www.instagram.com/frank_schaeffer_arthttps://www.threads.net/@frank_schaeffer_arthttps://www.tiktok.com/@frank_schaefferhttps://www.youtube.com/c/FrankSchaefferYouTubeIn Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer Podcast

This week, Andrea and I dive straight into the chaos - starting with Mitch McConnell, the myth‑making already happening around him, and the very real damage he leaves behind. From Kentucky politics to gun violence, hypocrisy, and the endless parade of mediocre men clinging to power, we break down why voters keep choosing people who work against their own interests.Then we head to Maine, where Graham Platner's Nazi tattoo, mustache, and mess of allegations somehow haven't pushed him out of the Senate race. We talk DEI, toxic masculinity, and why the bar for leadership should be higher than “not a walking red flag.”And yes… we eventually get to Disclosure Day — Spielberg's wonder, aliens, Catholicism, and whether humanity could handle the truth. (Spoiler: probably not.)It's sharp, it's honest, it's hilarious, and it's very us.As always, remember it really is All About The Joy.Thank you for stopping by.  Please visit our website: All About The Joy and add, like and share.  You can now watch the livestream version of the show on YouTube at @CarmenLezeth You can also support AATJ by shopping at our STORE - Or by and buying us a coffee. We'd appreciate that greatly.  Also, if you want to find us anywhere on social media, please check out the link in bio page. Music By Geovane Bruno, Moments, 3481Editing by Team A-JHost, Carmen Lezeth DISCLAIMER:  As always, please do your own research and understand that the opinions in this podcast and livestream are meant for entertainment purposes only. States and other areas may have different rules and regulations governing certain aspects discussed in this podcast.  Nothing in our podcast or livestream is meant to be medical or legal advice. Please use common sense, and when in doubt, ask a professional for advice, assistance, help and guidance. 

Last time it was the crypto industry; now the AI industry is stepping up to join it. Molly White joins Paris Marx to discuss how the tech sector is spending big to buy influence in the US midterm elections to ensure new laws serve its interests over those of the public.Molly White is the creator of Tech Influence Watch and Web3 is Going Just Great. She writes the Citation Needed newsletter.The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Kyla Hewson. Support the show on Patreon.Also mentioned in this episode:You can now pre-order Paris's new book Hyperscale.Molly just wrote about Trump's $1.4 billion crypto disclosure.Molly wrote about the crypto industry's recent election spending.Molly also wrote about how the Citizens United decision is affecting elections today.Support the show

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

A growing bipartisan movement wants to amend the U.S. Constitution to take back control of the amount of money in American politics. In this episode, Mosheh sits down with Jeff Clements, CEO of ⁠American Promise⁠, to unpack how Supreme Court decisions like Buckley v. Valeo and Citizens United transformed campaign finance, helping usher in an era of $20 billion election cycles, super PACs, and dark money. They explore why the U.S. has become such an outlier among democracies when it comes to campaign spending, why Congress has repeatedly failed to change the system, and how the courts—not lawmakers—have largely dictated the rules for the past 50 years. Clements explains why his organization is pursuing a constitutional amendment instead of another campaign finance law, how 25 states have already backed the effort, and why he believes the movement is gaining momentum. They also debate whether money should be considered protected speech under the First Amendment—and what could change if Americans, rather than the courts, once again had the power to set the rules governing money in elections. Mosheh Oinounou (⁠⁠@mosheh⁠⁠) is an Emmy and Murrow award-winning journalist. He has 20 years of experience at networks including Fox News, Bloomberg Television and CBS News, where he was the executive producer of the CBS Evening News and launched the network's 24 hour news channel. He founded the @mosheh Instagram news account in 2020 and the Mo News podcast and newsletter in 2022.

pWotD Episode 3353: Mitch McConnell Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 461,984 views on Tuesday, 7 July 2026 our article of the day is Mitch McConnell.Addison Mitchell McConnell III ( mə-KON-əl; born February 20, 1942) is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Kentucky, a seat he has held since 1985. A member of the Republican Party, McConnell is in his seventh Senate term, making him the longest-serving senator in Kentucky history. He served from 2007 to 2025 as the leader of the Senate Republican Conference, including two stints as minority leader (2007 to 2015 and 2021 to 2025), and was majority leader from 2015 to 2021, making him the longest-serving Senate party leader in U. S. history.McConnell holds conservative political positions, although he was known as a pragmatist and a moderate Republican early in his political career. He led opposition to stricter campaign finance laws, culminating in the U. S. Supreme Court decision Citizens United v. FEC, which partially overturned the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold) in 2010. McConnell worked to withhold Republican support for major presidential initiatives during the Obama administration, making frequent use of the filibuster, and blocked many of President Barack Obama's judicial nominees, including Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland.During the first Trump administration, the Senate Republican majority under McConnell's leadership passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act in 2018, the First Step Act, and the Great American Outdoors Act, and confirmed a record number of federal appeals court judges during a president's first two years. McConnell invoked the nuclear option to eliminate the 60-vote requirement to end a filibuster for Supreme Court nominations, after his predecessor Harry Reid had eliminated the filibuster for all other presidential nominations; Trump subsequently won Supreme Court confirmation battles over Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. While supportive of most of Trump's domestic and foreign policies, McConnell criticized Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and despite voting to acquit in Trump's second impeachment trial for reasons related to the constitutionality of impeaching a former president, deemed him "practically and morally responsible" for the January 6 United States Capitol attack.In 2015, 2019, and 2023, Time listed McConnell as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. On February 28, 2024, McConnell announced that he would step down as the Senate Republican Conference Leader in January 2025, but would serve the remainder of his Senate term. An internal election to fill the post of Senate Republican Leader was held on November 13, in which South Dakota senator John Thune was selected. On February 20, 2025, McConnell announced he would not run for an eighth Senate term in 2026 and would retire from politics. This came after increasing concerns about his health and ability to continue serving following multiple public episodes and health scares. McConnell has made no appearances or statements since his hospitalization after being found unconscious on June 14, 2026, and very little information has been given about his whereabouts or condition, leading some to question the severity of his condition.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:54 UTC on Wednesday, 8 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Mitch McConnell on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Aria.

The Supreme Court just expanded Citizens United yet again, striking down federal limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with their candidates—opening the door to even more money in politics. But Hawaii and Montana are fighting back with groundbreaking laws designed to challenge the Court's campaign finance doctrine. Dina Doll breaks down today's blockbuster ruling and what it means for the future of American elections. Visit https://meidasplus.com for more! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steve Hassan: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show The Ken Harbaugh Show: https://meidasnews.com/tag/the-ken-harbaugh-show Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered

Advertisement Get More at LVwithLOVE.com! End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller joins George Wacker on the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast to talk about Citizens United, dark money, super PACs, outside spending, and how campaign finance issues are showing up in Pennsylvania races. Muller explains why the 2010 Supreme Court decision remains central to modern political spending, how outside groups can influence local and national races, and what voters can look for when they see political ads, mailers, or digital messages. The conversation also covers End Citizens United's work, its support for campaign finance reform candidates, and why transparency, accountability, and voter trust remain central to the organization's mission. Learn more at endcitizensunited.org.  Advertisement Sign up for our Newsletter!  Thank you to our Partners! WDIY 88.1 FM QuoteAhead.com Wind Creek Event Center Michael Bernadyn of RE/MAX Real Estate Banko Beverage Company Email your news release to info@lehighvalleywithlovemedia.com Subscribe to our email list

Wednesday, July 1, 2026 Today, Today, Birthright Citizenship hangs on by a thread while transgender rights and campaign finance are gutted by the Supreme Court; the Justice Department is now zero for eleven in voter roll smash and grab; Donald gave a secret $500m no-bid contract to Clark Construction for his ballroom; Meta contractors posed as teenagers to prompt rival chatbots about suicide, sex, and drugs; a federal judge orders Donald to end his efforts to kill Hudson Tunnel funding; a judge rules that nursing is a professional degree for student loan purposes but drops theology; former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper holds a 14-point lead over Republican Michael Whately in the state's open US Senate race; the Alaska Supreme Court rules that Dan Sullivan can be on the state's primary ballot; the New Jersey Rep that has been missing for months - Tom Kean - has reappeared; DC will pay $50k to a man detained while protesting the National Guard using the Star Wars Imperial March; plus Allison and Dana deliver your Good News. Thank You, IQBAR Text DAILYBEANS to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply.  Thank You, Fast Growing Trees Get 20% off your first purchase  FastGrowingTrees.com/dailybeans Join The Daily Beans and give a gift today to ensure The Trevor Project can continue its crucial work in the face of continued challenges. Donate to The Trevor Project - Daily Beans Podcast The Latest Breakdown:The Breakdown | Trump DOJ in Crisis after Major Epstein Ruling StoriesBirthright citizenship ruling: Supreme Court rejects Trump's proposed limits | AP News Supreme Court Rules Title IX Means "Biological Sex" In Devastating Anti-Trans Ruling | Erin In The Morning DOJ voter roll grab is now 0-11 as judge dismisses New Hampshire lawsuit | Democracy Docket Trump is using a $500M no-bid contract to build his White House ballroom | The Washington Post Meta Contractors Posed as Teens to Prompt Rival Chatbots About Suicide, Sex, and Drugs | WIRED Judge Orders Trump to End Efforts to Kill Hudson Tunnel Funding | The New York Times Poll: Cooper holds 14-point lead over Whatley as Trump stays underwater | Carolina Journal Alaska Supreme Court says a man with the same name as US Sen. 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In the premiere episode of “Project 2029: A Reimagining,” host Molly Jong-Fast explores the critical role of campaign finance reform in reviving American democracy and redirecting the Democratic Party's future. Featuring expert voices such as Lawrence Lessig, Tiffany Muller (End Citizens United), Michael Waldman (Brennan Center) and Tom Moore (Center for American Progress), the episode details how decisions like Citizens United have enabled unchecked corporate influence and created a deeply corrupt political environment, where billionaires and super PACs drown out the voices of ordinary voters. It also examines how this broken system undermines public trust, outlines promising legal and grassroots strategies for reform, and makes the case that no meaningful progress on climate, healthcare, or civil rights is possible without first confronting the corrosive role of money in politics. Through historical parallels and potential state-level solutions, the conversation pushes toward a future where political power is rebalanced and truly representative of the people. Subscribe to Fast Politics and listen 4x a week for interviews just like this on your favorite podcast app: https://episodes.fm/1645614328See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

────────────────────────────────────────[00:02:09]EMS Worker Reports "Chronic Cancer" as New Medical Term — Knight: It's Turbo Cancer Being NormalizedA patient with three COVID jabs developed rapidly spreading colon cancer and leukemia within months of his last shot; Knight: the industry is rebranding what it caused.────────────────────────────────────────[00:14:00]Sony Deleting 551 Movies Customers Paid Full Price For — Buy Button Was a LieDeletion begins September 1 with no refunds; Knight: same model as CBDCs — they can delete your money the same way they're deleting your movies.────────────────────────────────────────[00:22:06]GTA 6 Ships as a Download Code in an Empty Box — Physical Discs Eliminated$80 for a cardboard sleeve; the game lives on their cloud and can be revoked at any time; Knight: "you will own nothing" is already the video game business model.────────────────────────────────────────[00:41:18]Trump's Advisors Openly Praise Caesarism — His Harvard Law Appointee Says Liberty Is Not the GoalAdrian Vermule wrote the constitutional order exists to promote "good rule," not protect liberty; Notre Dame advisor Patrick Deneen calls for Platonic aristocracy.────────────────────────────────────────[00:49:03]Trump Signed 143 Executive Orders in First 100 Days — More Than Any President in History21 national emergencies declared; troops sent to cities without local authority; immigrants shipped overseas to prisons in defiance of courts.────────────────────────────────────────[01:03:28]Supreme Court Loosens Campaign Finance Restrictions — Knight: AIPAC Corruption Now Has Fewer GuardrailsKnight reversed his position on Citizens United after watching AIPAC openly buy congressional seats; political money is a magnet for prostitutes, not politicians.────────────────────────────────────────[01:25:25]NY Post Calls Out Trump Crime Family's Biden-Esque CorruptionTrump's net worth tripled to $6.5B; $1.4B in crypto ventures; Salente: the Lutnik-Witkoff-Trump network is a crime syndicate operating in plain sight.────────────────────────────────────────[01:31:10]92% of Israelis Believe Iran Won the War — Trends Journal vs. US Media NarrativeCelente's polling contradicts everything Hegseth and Trump claimed; Knight: they lied about destroying Iran's missiles, wiping out their military, and forcing a surrender.────────────────────────────────────────[01:51:35]Real US Debt Is $176 Trillion When Unfunded Liabilities Are IncludedUnfunded Medicare, Social Security, pensions, and retirement healthcare dwarf the official figure; Salente: the plan is to tokenize public lands and launch a digital currency to paper over the collapse.────────────────────────────────────────[01:54:09]Quantitative Easing Is Roaring Back — Nobody Is Reporting ItMoney supply is expanding rapidly while the Fed fixates on interest rates; Knight: they always pump QE just before the next economic lockdown or crisis. ──────────────────────────────────────── Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silver For 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code “KNIGHT” For high quality made in America products go to HomeSteadProducts.shop and use promo code “Knight” for 10% off your purchases Find out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-show Or you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-david-knight-show--2653468/support.

────────────────────────────────────────[00:02:09]EMS Worker Reports "Chronic Cancer" as New Medical Term — Knight: It's Turbo Cancer Being NormalizedA patient with three COVID jabs developed rapidly spreading colon cancer and leukemia within months of his last shot; Knight: the industry is rebranding what it caused.────────────────────────────────────────[00:14:00]Sony Deleting 551 Movies Customers Paid Full Price For — Buy Button Was a LieDeletion begins September 1 with no refunds; Knight: same model as CBDCs — they can delete your money the same way they're deleting your movies.────────────────────────────────────────[00:22:06]GTA 6 Ships as a Download Code in an Empty Box — Physical Discs Eliminated$80 for a cardboard sleeve; the game lives on their cloud and can be revoked at any time; Knight: "you will own nothing" is already the video game business model.────────────────────────────────────────[00:41:18]Trump's Advisors Openly Praise Caesarism — His Harvard Law Appointee Says Liberty Is Not the GoalAdrian Vermule wrote the constitutional order exists to promote "good rule," not protect liberty; Notre Dame advisor Patrick Deneen calls for Platonic aristocracy.────────────────────────────────────────[00:49:03]Trump Signed 143 Executive Orders in First 100 Days — More Than Any President in History21 national emergencies declared; troops sent to cities without local authority; immigrants shipped overseas to prisons in defiance of courts.────────────────────────────────────────[01:03:28]Supreme Court Loosens Campaign Finance Restrictions — Knight: AIPAC Corruption Now Has Fewer GuardrailsKnight reversed his position on Citizens United after watching AIPAC openly buy congressional seats; political money is a magnet for prostitutes, not politicians.────────────────────────────────────────[01:25:25]NY Post Calls Out Trump Crime Family's Biden-Esque CorruptionTrump's net worth tripled to $6.5B; $1.4B in crypto ventures; Salente: the Lutnik-Witkoff-Trump network is a crime syndicate operating in plain sight.────────────────────────────────────────[01:31:10]92% of Israelis Believe Iran Won the War — Trends Journal vs. US Media NarrativeCelente's polling contradicts everything Hegseth and Trump claimed; Knight: they lied about destroying Iran's missiles, wiping out their military, and forcing a surrender.────────────────────────────────────────[01:51:35]Real US Debt Is $176 Trillion When Unfunded Liabilities Are IncludedUnfunded Medicare, Social Security, pensions, and retirement healthcare dwarf the official figure; Salente: the plan is to tokenize public lands and launch a digital currency to paper over the collapse.────────────────────────────────────────[01:54:09]Quantitative Easing Is Roaring Back — Nobody Is Reporting ItMoney supply is expanding rapidly while the Fed fixates on interest rates; Knight: they always pump QE just before the next economic lockdown or crisis. ──────────────────────────────────────── Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silver For 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code “KNIGHT” For high quality made in America products go to HomeSteadProducts.shop and use promo code “Knight” for 10% off your purchases Find out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-show Or you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-david-knight-show--5282736/support.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for July 2, 2026U.S. Supreme Court's Conservative Majority Unleashes Political Party Coordinated Campaign Money – And Likely More Big Donor InfluenceIn the tradition of Citizens United, the U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority decided National Republican Senatorial Committee v. FEC, allowing political parties to spend unlimited funds on behalf of a  federal candidate. It could unleash even more campaign money and more big donor influence.Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:U.S. Supreme Court - Opinion in Republican Senate Campaign Committee v. FEC Federal Election Commission - Supreme Court issues opinion in National Republican Senatorial Committee, et al. v. FEC, et al. SCOTUSblog - Justices strike down campaign finance lawCovington & Burling Law Firm - Supreme Court Decision in National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission Empowers Political Parties, Calls Other Restrictions into Question End Citizens United - ECU Blasts SCOTUS for Siding With Billionaires and Special Interests Over Voters in NRSC v. FECRelated ADM Reports:American Democracy Minute - (2025)  U.S. Supreme Court Hears Challenge to Coordinated Campaign Finance Limits for Political Parties.  It Could Unleash Another Torrent of Election Cash.Groups Taking Action:Issue One, Public Citizen, Campaign Legal Center/League of Women Voters/Common CauseFind all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org Subscribe for FREE at Apple Podcasts, Spotify and most podcasting platforms.#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #BigMoney #MoneyinPolitics #USSupremeCourt #SCOTUS #DNC #RNC

Today on the Saturday special, we present Mike's full, two-part appearance on the public radio show and podcast The Middle with host Jeremy Hobson and California Congressman Ro Khanna. As America approaches its 250th anniversary, the panel tackles the ultimate question: what would you change about the country? Congressman Khanna champions a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and eliminate dark money from politics, while Mike argues for a structural fix to expand human representation by uncapping the total seats in the House of Representatives. Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠ For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.com/ Follow us on Social Media:⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pescagist/ X https://x.com/pescami TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@pescagist To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠sales@amplitudemediapartners.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Air Date: 6/24/2026 The Monthly-ish Mix™ is here to get you caught up on recent news without being overwhelming! If you've been pulling back from the news for your own sanity, this one's built for you — a quick recap and reference guide to the past month or two, organized around a single idea: when power can't earn legitimacy, it manufactures it. The performance. Spectacle, religion, and health branding standing in for real consent: Trump collecting a FIFA "peace prize," Christian nationalism worn as a costume the actual church refuses to bless, and RFK Jr. dressing up a gutted vaccine agenda as "moderate," scapegoating immigrants as he goes, while the USAID cuts run up a body count. The machinery. The infrastructure that keeps the performance going while real consent drains away underneath: a legal system bent toward self-dealing and a $1.8 billion slush fund, billionaire money rewriting the rules since Citizens United, an AI gold rush sold as inevitable before anyone voted on it, and an economy booming on paper while the ground shifts under everyone's feet. The vacuum and the reclaiming. What rushes in when legitimacy collapses, from normalized political violence to a manifesto born of that collapse — and then the democratic answer: why the rupture hasn't come, why revolutions tend to devour themselves, and why the slower work wins. Nonviolent movements draw eleven times the participation, and the ballot box the Supreme Court is fighting hardest to narrow is the same one that just turned out 78% of Hungary to remove Orbán. Full Show Notes Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! Join our Discord community! SECTION 1: THE PERFORMANCE OF LEGITIMACY (00:01:31) #1798 - FIFA Sportswashing Fascism: The World Cup from Mussolini to Trump 1: Trump Is a 'master Marketer' Symone Reacts to President Getting FIFA Peace Prize - Chris Jansing Reports - Air Date 12-5-25 2: Jules Boykoff on World Cup and Sportswashing Part 1 - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-15-26 3: Trump LOSES IT as FIFA SUFFERS MAJOR CRISIS!! Part 1 - MeidasTouch - Air Date 5-6-26 (00:23:20) #1787 - The American President vs The American Pope: Leo XIV, Trump, and the MAGA-Catholic Rift 4: Someone Tell Pete Hegseth That "Pulp Fiction" Isn't in the Bible - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 4-18-26 5: "Two Versions of Christianity": Pope Leo Calls for Peace as U.S. Uses Religion to Justify Iran War - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-1-26 6: Why America and the Vatican Have Fallen Out - TLDR News Global - Air Date 4-11-26 (00:46:03) #1794 - From MAHA to Measles: RFK's Public Health Purge Will Make America Sick Again 7: Why RFK Jr. Is Projecting a More 'Moderate' MAHA Stance - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-27-26 8: RFK Jr Goes Full Eugenics to Congress; IMMIGRANTS BRING DISEASE - Brittany Page - Air Date 4-22-26 9: As WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak a Global Health Emergency, Did USAID Cuts Worsen the Crisis - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-18-26 SECTION 2: THE MACHINERY & THE LEAK (01:13:10) #1796 - 1.8 Billion for the Mob and a Kill List for Dissent: Trump's payout fund and counterterrorism strategy, decoded 10: We Will Find You and We Will Kill You Part 1 - The Intercept Briefing - Air Date 5-15-26 11: Congress Strikes Back as Trump Rushes $1.8 Billion Scam - Legal AF by MeidasTouch - Air Date 5-18-26 12: Dictatorship in Action David Cay Johnston on $1.8B Slush Fund Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-20-26 (01:34:00) #1792 - Capitalist Class Warfare: AI, Billionaire Capture, and the How to Fight Back 13: The Case Against Billionaires | Chuck Collins - Washington Monthly - Air Date 1-5-26 14: How Oligarchs Hijacked America in Just 16 Year - Benaminute - Air Date 4-30-26 15: It Will Be 17 Times Worse Than the .com Crash - Upper Echelon - Air Date 5-7-26 (02:04:29) #1797 - AI Spent $540 Billion to Make You Lonelier: Betting Against Jobs, Art, and Community 16: Will SpaceX and OpenAI Starve the Market? - UNFTR Media - Air Date 5-26-26 17: Astra Taylor on AI Data Center Resistance & Fighting "Billionaire Big Tech Agenda"- Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-13-26 18: The AI Backlash Just Got VERY Public - House of El - AI - Air Date 5-24-26 (02:33:22) #1789 - Boomcession: Why the Economy Looks Great on Paper and Hurts in Real Life 19: Monday Morning Economy Politics Inflation Soars Part 1 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-13-26 20: Economic Implications of the U.S. War on Iran Part 1 - Economic Update with Richard Wolff - Air Date 4-14-26 21: These Georgia Swing Voters Do Not Like the Iran War - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 4-16-26 (02:58:12) #1793 - Anti-Immigrant Brutality Costs Countries More Than Their Morals: ICE, Mass Deportation, and the Global Far-Right 22: Trumps Brutal Immigration Crackdown Continues Part 1 - Velshi - Air Date 3-21-26 23: 'Buyer's Remorse' This Trump Stronghold TURNS on Massive ICE Facility Part 1 - MS Now - Air Date 4-20-26 SECTION 3: THE VACUUM & THE RECLAIMING (03:15:42) #1790 - Assassin Nation: How Political Violence Got Normalized And How To Reverse It 24: "Slow Civil War" Author Jeff Sharlet on the Growing NormalAation of Violence at Home & Abroad - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-27-26 25: The Cole Hard Truth - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 4-28-26 26: The White House Correspondents Dinner Shooting: What the "Political Violence" Framing Is Hiding - Resistance History with Tad Stoermer - Air Date 4-26-26 (03:42:14) #1795 - You Say You Want A Revolution: Successful Revolutions are the Boring Ones 27: Why the Epstein Files Didn't Start a Revolution - Uncivilized - Air Date 4-21-26 28: Is The US In Its French Revolution Era? - Leeja Miller - Air Date 5-13-26 29: Why Nonviolence Wins - Degenerate Art by Andrea Pitzer - Air Date 5-14-26 (04:14:56) #1791 - Jim Crow 2.0 — SCOTUS Kills the Voting Rights Act and Unleashes the Gerrymandering War 30: Louisiana Is Ground Zero for Voting Rights, Abortion Pill Access Part 1 - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 5-7-26 31: Elie Mystal Supreme Court Gutting Voting Rights Act Is About Again Making US an Apartheid State Part 1 - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 5-1-26 32: What Stacey Abrams Thinks About a Recent SCOTUS Decision and the Voting Rights Amendment Part 2 - Soundside - Air Date 5-526   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

In our 42nd episode of This F*cking Guy, Erin and Alyssa dive deep into the past of the most uptight motherf*cker on the planet, Chief Justice John Roberts. From his early days as a “soberpuss” scholar, to playing the long game to gut the Voting Rights Act, to being the ringleader of malicious intent on the Citizens United ruling, to his obsession with being perceived as a Fancy Law Boy Institutionalist, this may be one of our most phony guys yet.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast, episode title, and episode date.Sources:Roberts started on path to success at young age (The Washington Times)The Supreme Court's Power Grab (The New York Review)Entering a new Supreme Court term, John Roberts is as enigmatic as ever (The Christian Science Monitor)Biographies of the Robes: John Glover Roberts (Thirteen PBS) No More Mr. Nice Guy (The New Yorker)Court Nominee's Life Is Rooted in Faith and Respect for Law (New York Times)In the Rough (Slate)Portrait of the Chief Justice as a Family Man (The Washington Post)Does John Roberts' Whites-Only Childhood Home Explain the Supreme Court's Callais Ruling? (Slate)Roberts' Conflicts Of Interest (CBS News)Roberts's Rules (The Atlantic)Did Roberts Help Fuel AIDS Scare? (Science)Chief justice tumbles after seizure (CNN)The Pro-Money Court: How the Roberts Supreme Court Dismantled Campaign Finance Law (Brennan Center)John Roberts: Supreme Court Nomination Hearings from PBS NewsHour and EMK Institute (YouTube)Money Unlimited (The New Yorker)‘They come to me': Jane Roberts' legal recruiting work involved officials whose agencies had cases before the Supreme Court (Politico)Trump v. CASA Inc. (Oyez)Citizens United, Explained (Brennan Center)

Bill talks with legal scholar and former U.S. attorney Barbara McQuade about her book, "The Fix: Saving America from the Corruption of a Mob-Style Government," arguing that core democratic principles—rule of law and equality before the law—are eroding under Donald Trump. McQuade describes Trump's tactics as extortionate and mob-like, pressuring institutions such as law firms, media, universities, and allies, and warns that Congress has failed to check executive overreach while the Supreme Court's shadow docket and unitary-executive approach can enable it. She says DOJ independence has been damaged by political payback efforts and cites examples of alleged lawbreaking and self-dealing, including tariffs, Iran action, emoluments-style profiteering, and a proposed tax-related settlement. McQuade outlines “fixes” including restoring DOJ norms, extending ethics rules, and structural reforms like ranked-choice voting, independent redistricting, and overturning Citizens United, emphasizing elections and accountability, including reviving the election-interference case after Trump leaves office. You can get McQuade's great new book at Bookshop.org. Today Bill directs listeners to ACTBlue.com, your one stop shop for donating to the causes and candidates you support. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today I speak with Dr. Nina Schwalbe, a public health scientist and former senior leader at UNICEF and Gavi who helped lead a Biden-appointed $7B global COVID vaccine effort, about why she's running for Congress in New York's District 12 in a crowded, money-dominated primary (June 23). We unpack how fundraising, media coverage, Democratic club endorsements, and super PACs shaped by Citizens United create a self-fulfilling "arms race," and she proposes reforms like campaign finance limits, matching funds, and equal-time standards. We also discuss evidence-based, systems-oriented policy priorities: expanding community health centers, lowering drug prices via pooled purchasing and single-payer, restoring CDC/FDA capacity, strengthening Medicare/Medicaid/ACA, investing in public housing, improving transparency and constituent services, and rebuilding trust in science through listening and primary care.(01:59) Why She Ran(05:55) Money And Primaries(08:26) Minimum Viable Campaign(12:08) Machine And Super PACs(16:13) Fixing Campaign Finance(17:06) Public Health Mindset(20:52) Transparency And Accountability(23:45) Street Level Messaging(26:08) NYC Infrastructure Priorities(27:49) Hyperlocal Transit Problems(28:06) What Congress Controls(30:46) Abundance Agenda Debate(32:46) Fixing Public Housing(33:23) Trust in Institutions(35:38) Rebuilding Health Trust(37:12) Community Health Centers(38:13) Why Drugs Cost More(39:42) Restore Public Health Agencies(41:35) Economics Shapes Health(43:39) Single Payer and Prevention(45:58) Chronic Illness Care Gaps(48:58) Working With Paul Farmer(52:23) Vision for Healthcare JusticeNina's campaignFollow Nina on Instagram

PODCAST NOTES BEAST SYSTEM OF CONTROL The Intelligence agencies are working against our liberties. In my case they have stolen money in a couple ways. Not a little but to me it was a lot. They have electronic control over your banking. They have set lower prices of my investments than it shows for others trying to run me out of money. If you keep trusting your phone, you are at their mercy. They totally control what you see and what they allow you to make on line. They create fake charges to run you out of money! Everything we have thought was coming in future, is already here. They just don't have the amount of internet storage and speed to hold us captive. But they are building it against the will of the people and without car for the effects it's going to have on our livelihood.The beast system is here!GENOCIDE THROUGH VACCINES https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1PKSyRJy2J/?mibextid=wwXIfr ——-THEY WANT TO BE GOD!!!Tulsi Gabbard: "They Want to Be God" https://youtu.be/z3sIsoHJuyY———PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE TO RULE THEMSELVES!!!!!!!Hawaii just found a way around Citizens United. Other states are following. https://youtu.be/oBGpEcPrbso——-LEARN ABOUT THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF PROTESTANT / VATICAN CONFLICT Chick Tracts Official YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@chicktracts?si=LG2eMDPY8VxyUnj8——-They are harvesting your ideas and mind. Controling your feelings and beliefs using electronic frequencies. They are removing books they don't want you reading and creating a false history they are feeding you AI AND DATA CENTERS What IS More Disturbing Than Lizard People https://youtu.be/rNQ9MCbDaXM——-Who are these gangstalkers? The Truth No one is Telling You https://youtu.be/EaK9tJfU2fM——-SCRIPTURE SAYS DURING THIS PERIOD THEY WILL SCAM THE WORLD CLAIMING OWNERSHIP OF EVERYTHING. That they will join house to house until there is no place for a man to lay his head! You will be denied medicine scripture says You have no healing medicine! The people will become an obstacle and to avoid helping others! They will design methods to eliminate people! "Assisted Dying is Monetising Death" — Kelsi Sheren https://youtu.be/F_CXsmvukfs——-You listen to the plans of the antichrist globalists. You start to see things happen that will force your life into their plan. People want to avoid their plans and go to woods. We have all the sudden, ticks and other things to make you afraid. Now this!These Junkyard Fires Don't Add Up https://youtu.be/A9Ta9RJiSJw——-Foreign Conspiracy Against The Liberties Of The United States Part 1 https://youtu.be/FNFhO2DgjK0——-The Jesuit Agenda of Control | Chris Pinto https://youtu.be/VskVKQBML2Q——-“Secret Manuscripts, Satanic Elites & the Alleged War on God” https://youtu.be/0ojZAhFnn1U——- The Gavel, Ep. 56https://www.youtube.com/live/1-ayxBmDqak?si=bBkUMLvq3wPpz704——- 14 DEC 2013  Jesuit Oath, False Prophet, & Mystery, Babylon the Greathttps://youtu.be/rOaMLHGRBSU——- American Jesuits - History Of The Jesuits In America | Chris Pintohttps://youtu.be/XbLZS4TpyIM——-

This week, BJ is joined by Dr. Robert Lustig. A Professor emeritus of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology at UCSF, and the author of numerous books you should read, including The Hacking of the American Mind, which is the subject of this week's interview. Dr. Lustig had a lot to say about the power corporations wield over us, Citizens United, and why you should cut as much sugar from your diet as you can. That's because, like the end result of Citizens United, sugar could kill you. Politically speaking of course.

Subscribe for more: https://thinkfuture.comConnect with Travis: https://hub.futureis.org---What if the biggest problem in politics isn't left vs. right—but the middlemen in between?In this episode of thinkfuture, host Chris Kalaboukis speaks with Travis Misurell, founder of the FINC Coalition, about an ambitious effort to upgrade democracy through a citizen-owned civic internet.Travis argues that American democracy has become increasingly dominated by gatekeepers—big money, political parties, media organizations, and institutional interests that shape which candidates voters see and which ideas gain traction.His solution?A platform designed to bypass the middlemen.The Fink Coalition aims to create a citizen-owned political infrastructure that helps voters make more informed decisions through candidate report cards, conflict-of-interest tracking, promise accountability, and journalist transparency.We explore:- Why Travis believes democracy is failing ordinary citizens- The impact of the Citizens United ruling on modern elections- How campaign spending exploded from millions to billions- Why voters often face a “false choice” between establishment candidatesVThe vision for a citizen-owned civic internet- Candidate report cards and promise tracking- Journalist accountability and credibility scoring- Why FINC is movement-first and technology-second- A future where citizens—not corporations—own the platformLooking ahead to 2036, Travis envisions FINC becoming the primary hub for American political engagement, with ownership distributed through a unique one-person, one-share cooperative model.Whether you agree with the vision or not, this conversation raises important questions about trust, transparency, and the future of democratic participation.

Tiffany Muller talks to me about what Citizens United enabled, how crypto and AI fit into the bigger picture of money in politics, and what it would actually take to fix this broken system. Originally published on June 10, 2026.

Chuck Todd opens with the resolution of a story he's been tracking for weeks: Graham Platner cruised to victory in Maine, comfortably clearing 70% even with Janet Mills' name still on the ballot — which he says means the scandals that had Platner in "save my campaign" mode turned out to be far less than a five-alarm fire. The deeper lesson, Chuck argues, is uncomfortable but revealing: for a significant share of Democratic primary voters, high character has become a luxury item, because the base is so exhausted by losing and capitulating to the establishment that it will forgive a flawed candidate who actually seems willing to fight. He notes that Maine has gotten meaningfully bluer since Susan Collins was last on the ballot (Harris underperformed nationally but actually drew more raw votes in Maine than Biden did), that a generic Democrat should win this seat by six or seven points, and that the only real question left is how many squeamish Democrats sit the race out rather than pull the lever for Platner. He runs through the rest of the night — Lindsey Graham narrowly avoided a runoff in South Carolina, the GOP gubernatorial race there is headed to a runoff that knocked out both Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman — and pulls back to identify the defining theme of the entire 2026 cycle: everyone, in both parties, is running on a message of change, with no candidate anywhere running on restoration the way Biden did in 2020. The messaging this cycle is relentlessly future-focused, the exact opposite of Trump's nostalgia, and Chuck reiterates his running observation that the worst possible first name to have in politics right now is "congressman" — because Washington experience carries zero value to voters this cycle. The split-screen between the parties remains stark: Republican voters still reward confrontation while Democratic primary voters are gravitating toward electability and consensus, Democratic turnout is rising while GOP turnout is flat or falling, and the throughline that's held for a decade is only intensifying — voters are demanding major change, and they'll punish anyone who doesn't offer it. Then, Lauren Pinkston — the independent candidate for governor of Tennessee — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case that the deepest problem in her state isn't left versus right, it's the near-total absence of two-party competition that has allowed one-party rule to calcify into something genuinely unhealthy. Pinkston, who was raised in an evangelical environment where she was taught that voting Democrat meant going to hell, offers a fascinating personal and political journey: she lived in communist Laos where people were persecuted for their faith, which gave her a firsthand understanding of why the Founders deliberately kept Christianity out of the Constitution, and she's now running explicitly against the kind of Christian nationalism that teaches America was divinely ordained. She argues Citizens United is a major reason Tennessee became so uncompetitive, walks through the mechanical difficulties of mounting a serious independent campaign, and contends that Marsha Blackburn isn't nearly as strong a candidate as she thinks she is. The conversation digs into Pinkston's actual governing vision and her theory of how an independent can build a winning coalition in one of the reddest states in the country. She wants to reform education and make teaching a genuinely fun profession again, and she's passionate about the way Nashville soaks up all the state's political investment while Memphis gets neglected — pointing out that crime in Memphis is at a 20-year low yet the city still can't attract investment, and that St. Jude is struggling to recruit talent because of H1-B visa denials. Pinkston is candid about the structural obstacles: Tennessee's constitution doesn't even allow for ballot measures, the GOP holds a stranglehold on the statehouse, and Republican leadership has been kicking moderate candidates off the ballot entirely. But she argues there's a real opening — Republicans in the state are looking for an offramp that isn't a Democrat, and even staunch Democrats are frustrated with their own party. Pinkston is energized about working with the Working Families Party and the Forward Party to build toward a more moderate, genuinely competitive two-party system, argues this is the strongest group of independent candidates to run in years, and wonders aloud whether being "too educated" has perversely become a negative quality in a candidate. She closes with a sharp observation that cuts to the heart of the whole project: Americans demand more than two options for literally everything in their lives except politics, politicians increasingly rely on performance over substance, and the stakes couldn't be higher. Finally, Chuck updates his ToddCast Top 5 list of senate seats most likely to flip parties and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:15 Graham Platner cruised to victory will Janet Mills still on the ballot 04:15 Platner comfortably cleared 70%, it’s not a five alarm fire 05:45 Will there be more scandals from Platner? If so, what type? 06:30 For some primary voters, high character is a luxury item 08:15 The Democratic base is tired of losing & capitulating to establishment 08:45 A Platner election victory could change perception of the Democrats 10:30 Maine has gotten bluer since the last time Collins was on the ballot 11:30 Harris underperformed nationally, but had more raw vote in Maine than Biden 13:30 How many Dems will sit out the race rather than vote for Platner? 15:00 A generic Dem should win this race by 6-7 points 16:00 Lindsey Graham manages to avoid a runoff 16:45 South Carolina GOP gubernatorial race headed to runoff 17:15 Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman didn’t make the runoff 18:30 Everybody running in 2026 is running on a message of change 19:30 There’s no message of restoration similar to Biden’s campaign 20:30 Messaging is more future focused, the opposite of Trump 21:30 The worst first name to have in politics is congressman 24:45 Washington experience won’t carry value to voters this cycle 26:00 GOP voters still seemingly reward confrontation 27:00 Dem primary voters looking to electability/consensus candidates 28:45 Dem turnout on the rise, GOP turnout stagnant or down 29:30 For a decade, voters are demanding major change 36:45 Lauren Pinkston joins the Chuck ToddCast 37:45 Why run for governor as an independent? 39:00 There’s a lack of two party competition in Tennessee 40:45 Some of the barriers for an insurgent candidacy have been removed 42:45 Citizen’s United was a big reason for TN becoming uncompetitive 43:30 Lauren was raised to feel that voting Dem meant going to hell 45:30 Politics has courted the evangelical vote & leaders for decades 46:15 Jimmy Carter’s pure faith made it harder for him to govern 47:00 Churches teach nationalism & that America was ordained by god 48:00 Founders specifically didn’t put christianity & religion into the constitution 49:00 Lauren lived in communist Laos, where people were persecuted for their faith 50:00 The mechanical difficulties of running as an independent 51:15 Businesses afraid to support a non-Republican candidate in TN 52:45 Democratic opponent has been receiving calls to drop out 54:00 Any chance Marsha Blackburn isn’t the GOP nominee? 54:45 Blackburn isn’t as strong of a candidate as she thinks she is 55:15 Three leading candidates are white women with colors in their name 56:45 What big ideas are you proposing that you hope stick with voters? 57:15 Want to reform education and make it a fun field for teachers to work 58:45 Nashville gets all the political support and Memphis gets neglected 59:30 Crime is at a 20 year low in Memphis, but it still doesn’t get investment 1:00:30 St. Jude struggling to recruit due to denial of H1-B visas 1:01:00 How would you govern with a Republican stranglehold on the statehouse? 1:01:45 State constitution doesn’t even allow for ballot measures 1:02:30 Need to invest in Chief Information Officers are the county level 1:04:00 Attracting support from disaffected Democrats and Republicans 1:06:30 There’s a deep history of good governance out of east Tennessee 1:07:45 Need leaders and not party puppets 1:08:45 GOP leadership in the state has kicked moderate candidates off the ballot 1:09:45 Republicans in the state are looking for an offramp that isn’t a Democrat 1:10:15 What does your winning coalition look like? 1:12:30 Can you succeed without winning? 1:13:00 Want to give people an onramp to political engagement 1:14:15 Excited about working with WFP and Forward Party 1:14:45 Want to create a more moderate two party system 1:16:30 Strongest group of independent candidates running in years 1:17:30 Possible that being too educated will be a negative quality in a candidate 1:19:00 Voter turnout is pretty low in both Nashville and Memphis 1:20:45 Even the most staunch Democrats are frustrated with their party 1:22:00 It will be hard to get either opponent to agree to a debate 1:24:00 People demand more than two options for everything except politics 1:26:00 Politicians rely more on performance now than substance 1:27:45 People will die if governing isn’t taken seriously 1:29:15 Lack of competition in one party states isn’t good for democracy 1:30:30 Independents have better chance to win in one party states 1:32:30 ToddCast Top 5 senate seats most likely to flip 1:33:45 More senate seats are creeping to “in play” status 1:36:00 #1 North Carolina 1:37:45 #2 Ohio 1:40:45 #3 Michigan 1:44:15 #4 Iowa 1:47:15 #5 Maine 1:52:15 Ask Chuck 1:52:30 Could politicians' investments be limited by law to index funds? 1:54:15 Correction on Jeri Ryan’s Star Trek series 1:55:45 If candidates like Platner and El-Sayed lose, could progressives change course? 2:01:45 Will Trump’s disciples try to be too much like him once he leaves politics? 2:05:30 Are you seeing a real shift in coverage from CBS News? 2:10:45 Thoughts on Brendan Soresby being reinstated after gambling on himselfSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lauren Pinkston — the independent candidate for governor of Tennessee — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case that the deepest problem in her state isn't left versus right, it's the near-total absence of two-party competition that has allowed one-party rule to calcify into something genuinely unhealthy. Pinkston, who was raised in an evangelical environment where she was taught that voting Democrat meant going to hell, offers a fascinating personal and political journey: she lived in communist Laos where people were persecuted for their faith, which gave her a firsthand understanding of why the Founders deliberately kept Christianity out of the Constitution, and she's now running explicitly against the kind of Christian nationalism that teaches America was divinely ordained. She argues Citizens United is a major reason Tennessee became so uncompetitive, walks through the mechanical difficulties of mounting a serious independent campaign, and contends that Marsha Blackburn isn't nearly as strong a candidate as she thinks she is. The conversation digs into Pinkston's actual governing vision and her theory of how an independent can build a winning coalition in one of the reddest states in the country. She wants to reform education and make teaching a genuinely fun profession again, and she's passionate about the way Nashville soaks up all the state's political investment while Memphis gets neglected — pointing out that crime in Memphis is at a 20-year low yet the city still can't attract investment, and that St. Jude is struggling to recruit talent because of H1-B visa denials. Pinkston is candid about the structural obstacles: Tennessee's constitution doesn't even allow for ballot measures, the GOP holds a stranglehold on the statehouse, and Republican leadership has been kicking moderate candidates off the ballot entirely. But she argues there's a real opening — Republicans in the state are looking for an offramp that isn't a Democrat, and even staunch Democrats are frustrated with their own party. Pinkston is energized about working with the Working Families Party and the Forward Party to build toward a more moderate, genuinely competitive two-party system, argues this is the strongest group of independent candidates to run in years, and wonders aloud whether being "too educated" has perversely become a negative quality in a candidate. She closes with a sharp observation that cuts to the heart of the whole project: Americans demand more than two options for literally everything in their lives except politics, politicians increasingly rely on performance over substance, and the stakes couldn't be higher. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Lauren Pinkston joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:00 Why run for governor as an independent? 02:15 There’s a lack of two party competition in Tennessee 04:00 Some of the barriers for an insurgent candidacy have been removed 06:00 Citizen’s United was a big reason for TN becoming uncompetitive 06:45 Lauren was raised to feel that voting Dem meant going to hell 08:45 Politics has courted the evangelical vote & leaders for decades 09:30 Jimmy Carter’s pure faith made it harder for him to govern 10:15 Churches teach nationalism & that America was ordained by god 11:15 Founders specifically didn’t put christianity & religion into the constitution 12:15 Lauren lived in communist Laos, where people were persecuted for their faith 13:15 The mechanical difficulties of running as an independent 14:30 Businesses afraid to support a non-Republican candidate in TN 16:00 Democratic opponent has been receiving calls to drop out 17:15 Any chance Marsha Blackburn isn’t the GOP nominee? 18:00 Blackburn isn’t as strong of a candidate as she thinks she is 18:30 Three leading candidates are white women with colors in their name 20:00 What big ideas are you proposing that you hope stick with voters? 20:30 Want to reform education and make it a fun field for teachers to work 22:00 Nashville gets all the political support and Memphis gets neglected 22:45 Crime is at a 20 year low in Memphis, but it still doesn’t get investment 23:45 St. Jude struggling to recruit due to denial of H1-B visas 24:15 How would you govern with a Republican stranglehold on the statehouse? 25:00 State constitution doesn’t even allow for ballot measures 25:45 Need to invest in Chief Information Officers are the county level 27:15 Attracting support from disaffected Democrats and Republicans 29:45 There’s a deep history of good governance out of east Tennessee 31:00 Need leaders and not party puppets 32:00 GOP leadership in the state has kicked moderate candidates off the ballot 33:00 Republicans in the state are looking for an offramp that isn’t a Democrat 33:30 What does your winning coalition look like? 35:45 Can you succeed without winning? 36:15 Want to give people an onramp to political engagement 37:30 Excited about working with WFP and Forward Party 38:00 Want to create a more moderate two party system 39:45 Strongest group of independent candidates running in years 40:45 Possible that being too educated will be a negative quality in a candidate 42:15 Voter turnout is pretty low in both Nashville and Memphis 44:00 Even the most staunch Democrats are frustrated with their party 45:15 It will be hard to get either opponent to agree to a debate 47:15 People demand more than two options for everything except politics 49:15 Politicians rely more on performance now than substance 51:00 People will die if governing isn’t taken seriouslySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hawaii just enacted a groundbreaking law challenging Citizens United, the Supreme Court decision that unleashed unlimited corporate spending in elections. It's a major victory against big money's grip on democracy — but powerful interests are already gearing up for a legal showdown. On today's Lever Time, David Sirota speaks with Hawaii state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, one of the law's architects, about how the measure works, why Hawaii is leading the fight against Citizens United, and why reformers believe they finally have a path to victory. Get ad-free episodes, bonus content and extended interviews by becoming a member at levernews.com/join. To leave a tip for The Lever, click here. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Corporations are people in the eyes of the law. But how did that happen, and why does it hand them rights you don't have?  UCLA law professor Adam Winkler, author of "We the Corporations", traces a 200-year campaign by business to win the constitutional rights of human beings. Bethany McLean and Luigi Zingales press him on what Zingales calls an incredible trick. Corporations insist they're separate from their owners when that shields owners from blame, then argue they're like people when they want to spend on elections or dodge a rule.  Winkler traces how the Fourteenth Amendment, written after the Civil War to protect the newly freed, became a tool for railroads and banks instead. He even describes a lawyer who, by his account, lied to the Supreme Court, producing a journal he claimed proved the amendment was meant for corporations.  Zingales pushes on what comes next: could AI itself qualify for legal personhood, and would that shield big tech from blame? When we ask Winkler for a shred of hope that the long arc doesn't simply keep favoring business, the answer is far shorter and blunter than expected.  Connect with us:

What Would America Look Like Without Citizens United?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Since the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, special interest groups have funneled millions into elections, including $79M in the California governor's race.

The Lincoln Project's Rick Wilson joins us to discuss Trump kneecapping JD Vance presidential aspirations. Then we'll talk to The Center For American Progress Tom Moore about his plan to overturn Citizens United that one state has already passed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Look Forward breaks down the Texas Senate race turning ugly fast: Ken Paxton's first general election ad calls Democrat James Talarico "too Low-T for Texas," Stephen Miller falsely called the straight, cisgender Talarico Democrats' "first transgender senate candidate." GOP nicknames include "Tofu Talarico," "Six Gender Jimmy," and "Tala-freako." Talarico raised $600,000 in the two hours after Paxton clinched the nomination.The Iran war may be nearing its end, NYTimes reports the deal is 95% complete with the final 5% oddly being the entirety of the reason the conflict is continuing. But Trump's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is threatening Oman, raising fears of a new front in the conflict. The Trump administration is considering disrupting international airline travel for passengers from sanctuary cities. Hawaii finds a clever constitutional workaround to limit Citizens United's corporate campaign finance dominance. A North Carolina GOP lawmaker pulls their name from a radical abortion bill after social media backlash.The DOJ opens a case against E. Jean Carroll which is clearly a transparent retaliation against Trump's rape accuser. Trump's team pushes to put his face on a new $250 bill. The National Park Service spends America 250th anniversary funds on golden horse statues. And artists immediately bail on DC's 250th birthday bash. We cover the Texas race, Iran's endgame, DOJ retaliation, and golden corruption.Look Forward is a weekly progressive political podcast covering U.S. politics, government policy, Democratic strategy, elections, voting rights, Supreme Court rulings, and political news. Featuring progressive commentary, political analysis, and unapologetic opinions on the fight for democracy. Hosted by Jay and Brad. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Black on Black Cinema (Black film reviews), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

Tonight on GeekNights we consider cinema. We both love movies, and have for our entire lives. In the news, the K-shaped economy means the Steam Deck is expensive and also sold out, chemical disasters are occurring in the US, Hawaii is using state power to fight back against the disastrous Citizens United ruling, and Delaware is doing the literal opposite.Related LinksForum ThreadCinemaDiscord ChatCinemaBluesky PostCinemaThings of the DayRym - Incentive per diemScott - hallucinate: Massively Multiplayer Online Rave

The Governor of Hawaii, Josh Green, just signed into law a landmark piece of legislation that has the power to undo corporate moneyed interference in politics.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2010, two landmark decisions transformed American campaign finance law. The first was Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The second was SpeechNow.org v. FEC. Together, these cases cleared the way for corporations and so-called Super PACs to raise and spend unlimited sums of money in elections. What followed was a new era in American politics where individuals, corporations, and industries increasingly spent more and more money to influence campaigns and public opinion. To debate the constitutional, political, and historical questions surrounding money in politics, we are joined by Larry Lessig and Paul Sherman. Lessig is a Harvard Law professor and the founder of Equal Citizens, one of the country's leading advocates for campaign finance reform. Sherman is a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice who served as co-counsel in SpeechNow.org. Read Larry's paper "If Roe, then Buckley" here. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:43 How Larry and Paul became interested in political speech and campaign finance 05:33 Citizens United, political speech, and quid pro quo corruption 18:34 What was the SpeechNow case? 32:31 Elon Musk and billionaire influence in the 2024 election 49:06 History of campaign finance regulation 51:26 First Amendment originalism, Federalist 52, and Federalist 57 01:07:07 Does money actually influence election outcomes? 01:14:20 Outro Enjoy listening to the podcast? Donate to FIRE today and get exclusive content like member webinars, special episodes, and more. If you became a FIRE Member through a donation to FIRE at fire.org and would like access to Substack's paid subscriber podcast feed, please email sotospeak@fire.org.

The Central California Blood Center is asking for more donors because it faces a seasonal shortage, especially as summer approaches and fewer people donate. Officials say donations drop when schools are out and blood drives slow down, but hospitals still need a steady supply for emergencies, surgeries, and cancer treatment—making donations critical since one donation can help save up to three lives. States are increasingly trying new ways to limit corporate money in elections, despite the long‑standing impact of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which allows unlimited independent political spending by corporations and unions. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Central California Blood Center is asking for more donors because it faces a seasonal shortage, especially as summer approaches and fewer people donate. Officials say donations drop when schools are out and blood drives slow down, but hospitals still need a steady supply for emergencies, surgeries, and cancer treatment—making donations critical since one donation can help save up to three lives. States are increasingly trying new ways to limit corporate money in elections, despite the long‑standing impact of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which allows unlimited independent political spending by corporations and unions. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good news on the environment, the public option, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and Citizens United! Donald returns to Walter Reed for yet another non-annual annual physical. Donald's remarks at Arlington were a train wreck. CNN expert questions Donald's constant sleeping in public. Donald's record of doctor visits over the last year. The non-ceasefire continues to be a non-ceasefire. Iran threatens retaliation. The Iran War is a tax on MAGA. Iran knows when the midterms will be held. Newsmax, Tomi Lahren, and Ted Cruz challenge the regime on Iran non-ceasefire. Court of appeals rejects Alabama's racist map. With Jody Hamilton, David Ferguson, music by Seth Adam, Keturah Allgood, and more! Brought to you by Russ Rybicki, SharePower Responsible Investing. Support our new sponsor and get free shipping at Quince.com/bob!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This bill in Hawaii (which embraces a strategy known as "Corporate Power Reset") is meant to sidestep Citizens United and the dark money it injected into our democracy. Other states are taking notice. Ali Velshi explains.

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie was decisively ousted on Tuesday night in his Kentucky primary, a win for President Donald Trump, who had launched an all-out attack on the congressman for his role in pushing for the release of the Epstein files. But in Pennsylvania, the left had a lot to celebrate. Chris Rabb won by nearly 15 points in Philadelphia in a major win for progressives. And Bob Brooks, a retired firefighter and union head, sailed to victory with the support of both the left and moderates. Mysterious super PACs with ties to Republican donors poured millions into influencing the election results in both states with varying degrees of success. In Kentucky, AIPAC's super political action committee and two other groups backed by pro-Israel donors spent more than $15 million in opposition to Massie or in support of his opponent, according to Federal Election Commission reports released through Tuesday. In Pennsylvania, advertisements from Lead Left — a super PAC that reportedly has ties to Republican donors — dropped ads attacking two of the candidates as not progressive enough, leading to speculation that Republicans were trying to prop up a weaker candidate for the general election. This week on The Intercept Briefing, host Jessica Washington and politics reporter Matt Sledge break down the contentious primary races, the record-level campaign spending and how obscure groups funding the midterm elections are hiding donors' tracks.“Groups can kind of game campaign finance deadlines and create super PACs to funnel money to other super PACs so that reporting deadlines are missed and use these ‘pop-up super PACs' to ensure that ordinary voters never find out who is funding ads before a campaign happens,” says Sledge. “Sometimes there's even a second layer of pop-up super PACness where those bland-sounding groups send money to other bland-sounding groups. God help you if you're an ordinary voter trying to track all this money.”The consequential U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United 16 years ago has allowed courts to chip away at campaign financing restrictions. “Now here we are where any industry that's facing regulation or any donors who support an unpopular cause can really just open the spigots and try to throw primaries their way,” adds Sledge. Certain industries have gotten smart about how to hide where the money is coming from. “Ordinary voters don't generally like crypto, AI or gambling. They may tolerate it at a maximum, but they're not motivated by the idea of electing pro-crypto, pro-AI, pro-gambling people,” notes Sledge. “But all of these industries have realized, ‘OK, we can use super PACs that run ads that have nothing to do with our industry and get our friends elected to Congress, and they are going to remember that we spent a lot of money on their races.'”For more, listen to the full conversation of The Intercept Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.Keep our investigations free and fearless at theintercept.com/join. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Citizens United

Send us Fan MailThe American Dream depends on something we rarely measure directly: whether ordinary people can still shape the rules they live under. When wealth concentrates into the hands of a tiny elite, the damage isn't just economic. It changes what democracy can even do. We dig into how today's inequality is driven by “super wealth,” why that concentration is historically familiar, and how it quietly kills class mobility by making stable work, home ownership, and upward movement harder to reach.We follow the money as it moves from boardrooms into politics, turning elections into high-priced contests that pull parties toward major donors and corporate power. Along the way, we connect the dots between financialization, offshoring, wage pressure, and the deliberate use of worker insecurity to weaken bargaining power. We also get specific about the policy pipeline: tax shifts away from wealth and toward wages, deregulation that invites crashes, and a bailout cycle where the public absorbs the risk while the gains stay private. If you've ever wondered why public opinion can feel irrelevant, this is the mechanism.Then we step back and ask what's happening to solidarity itself. Social Security and public schools aren't just programs; they're shared commitments, and they become targets when the goal is to turn citizens into isolated consumers. We also unpack corporate personhood, money as speech, and Citizens United, plus how advertising logic bleeds into political messaging to produce an uninformed electorate. The episode ends where it should: with the practical lesson that rights and reforms are won through organizing, sustained pressure, and countless small deeds that build real movements.If this connects with what you're seeing in your community, subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review so more people can find it. What part of this cycle do you think is most urgent to break first? Support the show

Send us Fan MailHawaii did not “fix” Citizens United, but it did something rarer: it picked a fight with the idea that corporations get to buy our politics without consequence. We dig into Hawaii's Senate Bill 2471 and the legal theory behind it, then ask the question sitting under all the court doctrine and campaign finance jargon: are voters still the basic unit of democracy, or are we just the background noise behind donor checks and corporate influence?From there we head to Louisiana, where redistricting battles and suspended primaries show how power can rewrite the rules while people are trying to participate. We break down why gerrymandering and vote dilution are not abstract problems, especially for Black voters, Latino voters, and communities that keep getting cracked up or packed in. If representatives can choose their voters, what are elections even for?Then we confront a moment that exposes elite politics in plain language: Trump's remark that Americans' financial situations are “not even a little bit” motivating decisions around Iran. We talk through the moral problem of treating working families as a footnote, connect it to inflation data like wholesale prices and energy shocks, and look at warning signs like credit card delinquencies and rising food price risk. We also hit the War Powers fight over congressional authorization and end with a hard look at SNAP cuts and the way “dignity of work” gets used as cover for cruelty.If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share the episode with someone who argues with you in good faith, and leave a review so more people can find independent media that refuses tribalism. Support the show

Former Department of Justice pardon attorney Liz Oyer describes being pulled out of a meeting, told to pack up her belongings, and walked out by security the same day. Her offense, she said, was refusing to recommend that the attorney general restore gun rights to a politically connected celebrity without the information she believed was necessary to make that judgment safely. “Once you compromise your integrity, you cannot get it back,” she said. That moment sets the tone for a candid conversation about what it means to serve inside the Department of Justice, and what happens when career lawyers believe the institution they devoted themselves to has changed. Moderated by Stanford Law professor Pam Karlan, this episode brings together Oyer, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Rosen, and former DOJ civil rights lawyer Stacey Young for a discussion of public service, prosecutorial independence, clemency, civil rights, professional ethics, and the difficult questions of when to stay, when to leave, and when to speak out. The panel, recorded at a live law school event and presented by the Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession and the Neukom Center for the Rule of Law, offers a close look at the professional obligations of government lawyers from people who spent years doing the work: Rosen supervising more than 1,000 prosecutions stemming from January 6; Oyer overseeing the federal pardon process and thousands of clemency petitions; and Young working in the Civil Rights Division while also founding the DOJ Gender Equality Network. Karlan, herself a former DOJ official, draws out the deeper questions behind their stories. Links: Former DOJ Lawyers Discuss Duty, Integrity, and Public Service During Stanford Law Panel >>> Stanford Law page Connect: Episode Transcripts >>> Stanford Legal Podcast Website Stanford Legal Podcast >>> LinkedIn Page Rich Ford >>>  Twitter/X Pam Karlan >>> Stanford Law School Page Stanford Law School >>> Twitter/X Stanford Lawyer Magazine >>> Twitter/X (00:00:00) Introductions and what drew each panelist to DOJ (00:08:24) Loyalty inside the institution (00:11:19) January 6th pardons: impact on prosecutors and lack of vetting (00:32:04) Liz Oyer's firing over the Mel Gibson gun-rights recommendation (00:43:23) The "stay or go" dilemma and the bifurcated job market (00:47:15) Rebuilding DOJ: norms vs. enforceable laws and the communications problem [00:57:00) Student Q&A: red lines, accountability, and the Epstein files Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SEASON 4 EPISODE 84: COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN A-Block (3:00) SPECIAL COMMENT: Back from a week off just in time to put the podcast on health hiatus...details within today's supersized edition. Plus, befitting the time off, some meta pictures on how Democrats should plan for what they want this country to look like on its 300th anniversary, if it lasts that long. Will we have jailed Trump and gotten back the money he took? Undone his damage? Eliminated the anachronistic idea that Wyoming should have as many senators as California? Let the Supreme Court continue to lie, cheat and steal the democracy from under us? As John Candy said in "Splash": Think big, be big, my friend. MORE IMMEDIATELY: Whaddya mean the Governor of Virginia hasn't been BRIEFED on the way to overturn her state's Supreme Court's usurpation of redistricting? Why the hell not Hakeem Jeffries? Anybody notice Trump is simply rotating the same three lies about Iran? Why are only independent journalists like Garrett Graff still covering the WHCD non-shooting when the New York Times is doing 31 paragraphs on the future of the dinner like anybody gave a crap? AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: stop saying Trump is painting everything GOLD. That color is not GOLD. It is the color of WEE WEE. Say it. Use the clinical terms, use the gutter terms. The gutter terms define this idiot president. Stop saying gold when you mean whizzzzzzzzzzzzzz. B-Block (56:00) ON THE PASSING OF TED TURNER: Hard to believe few of the obituaries mentioned how he also invented 7-day-a-week sports on national television. Or how Jane Fonda kept him from destroying himself in, like, 1982. One particularly harrowing saga had him telling the lowest ranking staffer at CNN's Washington Bureau which way, when he finally decided he'd do it, he'd do it. And this is said with admiration and affection for the man who created the place where I and so many of the figures of the last 45 years began our TV careers. C-Block (1:30:00) ALL TED ALL THE TIME: I was holding back until I was certain I wouldn't jinx him. My beloved first rescue dog, Ted, was up against it last fall. I took him to the University of Florida for life-saving open heart surgery and boy, did they! Eight hours on the table, eight hours of SICU, all for an eight pound dog and now - he's not even on any medications! It's a long story and I would insist it's worth hearing it. And if you have a dog (or know of one) moving from Mitral Valve Disease to Heart Failure, maybe this will provide you with hope - and an option.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On episode 101, Charles talks to Sarah Isgur about her new book, Last Branch Standing: A Potentially Surprising, Occasionally Witty Journey Inside Today's Supreme Court. What is the role of the Court? Do Americans understand it? Why has it survived? Do the justices get along? Why does everyone hate Citizens United? Is it a paradox that to get the Court to change the law, one often has to break the law? The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Montana Supreme Court has just cleared the way for a groundbreaking voter initiative that could effectively neuter Citizens United without overturning it and potentially spread nationwide. Dina Doll breaks down the Montana's Transparent Election Initiative, headed to the November 2026 ballot and the novel approach it takes to cutting off corporate money in political campaigns. Lola Blankets: Get 40% off select Lola Blankets products at https://Lolablankets.com by using code MISSTRIAL at checkout. Experience the world's #1 blanket with Lola Blankets. Visit https://meidasplus.com for more! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steve Hassan: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show The Ken Harbaugh Show: https://meidasnews.com/tag/the-ken-harbaugh-show Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered

Welcome to the Awakening Podcast, where we delve into the deeper truths shaping our world. In this compelling episode, we sit down with Stu Strumwasser, a novelist whose fictional thrillers bravely expose the intricate socio-political issues of our time. Stu, a self-proclaimed polymath with a background in music and finance, shares his journey from a young writer to an author challenging the very foundations of American democracy. We explore the philosophical dangers of political parties, the impact of Citizens United on campaign finance, and the surprising ways in which the two major parties collude to maintain their power. Stu also touches on the critical organ shortage crisis, offering a powerful example of a fixable systemic issue. This conversation is a call to conscious citizenship, urging listeners to question the narratives and envision a more authentic democracy. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that will challenge your perceptions and inspire you to seek real change.   Join my PodFather Podcast Coaching Community https://www.skool.com/podfather/about   Start Your Own SKOOL Community https://www.skool.com/signup?ref=c72a37fe832f49c584d7984db9e54b71     About my Guest Stu Strumwasser Stu Strumwasser is a modern-day muckraker who writes literary novels that address important sociopolitical issues. His first novel, The Organ Broker, was published by Skyhorse (distributed by Simon & Schuster) and shortlisted as one of five finalists for the Hammett Prize for literary excellence in crime writing. Strumwasser was also the primary songwriter and drummer for the indie rock band Channeling Owen. He is a longtime investment professional (investing in sustainable technology that improves the manner in which we make food) and hails from Brooklyn NY. His new novel, A Real Collusion, is both an exposé and analysis of broken government and a fictional David Vs. Goliath(s) story of the man who almost took down the two-party system in America.     Awakening Podcast Social Media / Coaching My Other Podcasts   ⁠⁠⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠⁠     What we Discussed: 0:00 Welcome & Introduction to Stu Strumwasser 0:35 Stu Strumwasser: Author, Musician, Polymath 1:02 Stu's Journey as a Writer: From Childhood to Published Author 2:02 The Organ Broker: Stu's First Published Novel 3:07 The Two-Party System: A Global Perspective and its Flaws 3:51 The Elephant and the Donkey: Origins of US Political Symbols 4:50 George Washington's Farewell Address: Warning Against Political Parties 6:43 The Danger of Political Parties: From Totalitarianism to Fascism 8:01 The Founders' Vision: A Republic, Not a Democracy 9:01 The Electoral College: Why it Exists and its Impact 10:01 The Problem with the Two-Party System: Lack of Choice 11:01 The Illusion of Choice: How Two Parties Control the Narrative 12:01 The Need for a Third Party: Breaking the Duopoly 13:01 The Power of the People: How Grassroots Movements Can Effect Change 14:01 The Role of Money in Politics: Citizens United and its Consequences 15:01 The Billion-Dollar Campaign: Why Running for Office is So Expensive 16:01 The Unlikely Leader: How an Ordinary Person Can Spark a Movement 17:01 The Zeitgeist Moment: When Society is Ready for Change 18:01 The Impact of a CEO: How One Person Can Transform an Organization 19:01 The Need for a Real Leader: Capturing the Frustration of the Electorate 20:01 Social Media and Censorship: The Challenges of Organizing Movements 21:01 Blockchain Technology: A Solution for Decentralized Movements 22:01 The Collusion of Parties: How Republicans and Democrats Cooperate 23:01 The Epstein List: A Symbol of Bipartisan Corruption 24:01 Suppressing Third-Party Movements: An Unethical Practice 25:01 Un-American Practices: The Opposite of What the Country Stands For 26:01 America's Imperfection: A Loss of Pride and Nationalism 27:01 The Presidential Debates: A Critical Part of the Election Cycle 28:01 Nixon vs. Kennedy: The Impact of Television on Politics 29:01 The Commission on Presidential Debates: A Private Organization 30:01 The Two-Party Monopoly: How Debates Exclude Third Parties 31:01 The Unfair System: Why Third Parties Can't Compete 32:01 The Organ Shortage Crisis: A Fixable Problem 33:01 21 Deaths a Day: The Human Cost of a Broken System 34:01 Solutions for Organ Donation: A Call to Action 35:01 Stu's Offer: A Three-Way Conversation on Organ Donation 36:01 The Power of Awareness: Doing Good Through Discussion 37:01 Stu's Book: A Real Collusion - Where to Find It 38:01 Reading the First Chapters for Free: Arealcollusion.com 39:01 Stu's Band: A Conversation for Another Day 40:01 The Importance of Reviews: Helping Algorithms and Authors 41:01 Final Thoughts and Call to Action 41:16 Outro: RoyCoughlan.com and VA.world 41:24 The First Televised Debates: Nixon vs. Kennedy and their massive impact 42:13 The League of Women Voters: Non-partisan debate hosts 42:59 The Commission on Presidential Debates: Created by RNC and DNC to exclude third parties 43:26 Federal Election Laws and the 5% Vote Barrier for Third Parties 44:22 The 15% Debate Threshold: An impossible bar for third parties 44:34 Ross Perot: The billionaire who broke the 5% barrier 45:18 The End of the Commission on Presidential Debates: Parties negotiate directly with networks 45:41 Is this Freedom? Is this Democracy? Questioning the current system 46:16 Trump's Nuts: An illustration of the problem with severe partisanship 46:42 Why We Don't Need Parties: Stu's unique viewpoint 47:08 Senators and Representatives: How they should represent the people 48:43 Why Hate? Disagreeing without animosity in politics 49:06 George Washington's Warnings: Factionalism, Sectionalism, Foreign Influence 49:54 Party Loyalty vs. Representing the People: The corruption of voting records 50:22 The Independence Center: Supporting independent candidates to break gridlock 51:31 Hillary Clinton vs. Donald Trump: Stu's protest vote for Jill Green 52:46 The Electoral College: Why votes are meaningless in certain states 53:29 The Need for Updates: Amending the Constitution for a modern society 53:51 Pathetic Political Parties: Voting along party lines in Ireland and the UK 54:39 Direct Democracy: Accountability and immediate removal for non-performance 55:09 Global Suffering: Politicians ignoring local needs for international conflicts 55:37 Insider Trading & Corruption: Pelosi, Trump, and the meme coin 56:06 Citizens United: The linchpin that removed campaign finance guide rails 56:32 Minimizing Wealth's Influence: The key to real democracy 56:51 A Real Collusion: Stu's book as a roadmap for political reform 57:22 John Campbell: The regular guy leading an independent movement 58:09 The American Coalition: Inviting all to join, country over party 59:17 Why the System Worked: Nobility and magnanimity in early government 60:45 Well-Intentioned Politicians: The attorneys who could make more in private practice 61:24 Term Limits: A solution for professional politicians and corporate influence 63:20 Corporate Donations: Democrats are also the party of money 64:07 Change is Inevitable: The power of a fictional novel as a catalyst for reform 65:21 Organ Donation Crisis: A call for a future discussion and awareness 65:54 Where to Find Stu: Arealcollusion.com and his bio 66:33 Stu's Passion for Organ Donation: 21 deaths a day and fixable solutions 67:39 Invitation for a Three-Way Conversation: Raising awareness for organ donation 67:59 Roy's Outro: Links, virtual assistants, and supporting Stu's book         Contact  http://www.arealcollusion.com   www.instagram.com/stuthemeddler     More about the Awakening Podcast: All Episodes can be found at www.awakeningpodcast.org   Our Facebook Group can be found at https://www.facebook.com/royawakening     #AwakeningPodcast #StuStrumwasser #PoliticalThriller #Democracy #TwoPartySystem #CitizensUnited #OrganDonation #SocialChange #ConsciousCitizenship #PoliticalCorruption #ThirdPartyPolitics #AmericanPolitics #RealCollusion #AuthorInterview #PodcastRecommendations #Empowerment #TruthSeeking #SystemicChange #BeyondTheNarrative