Podcasts about Democracy

Hey BillOReilly.com Premium and Concierge Members, welcome to the No Spin News for Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Stand Up for Your Country.  Talking Points Memo: Bill examines the coverage of recent news stories from Rhode Island and Canada, arguing that the media is protecting certain groups. Which media outlets failed to mention Trump's post on Jesse Jackson's death. John O. McGinnis, author and law professor, joins the No Spin News to discuss income disparity in the U.S. and explains how wealthy Americans help the country instead of harming it. Bill looks at Iran's Supreme Leader's latest statement threatening to sink U.S. warships. The latest on Ukraine, will a negotiation between Russia and Ukraine ever happen? Final Thought: Ash Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Headlines for February 19, 2026; “Predatory Tech”: Silicon Valley on Trial in Landmark Youth Social Media Addiction Case; Social Media Addiction: Facebook Whistleblower Says Big Tech Has Known & Ignored Problem for Years; Courts Have Ruled 4,400+ Times That ICE Jailed People Illegally; Despite Rebukes, ICE Keeps Doing It; Former Prince Andrew Arrested in U.K. as Global Fallout from Epstein Files Grows

President Trump tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and he's already laying the groundwork to undermine our confidence in the midterm elections. Kara brings together three experts to map out how Trump is trying to tilt the November elections before a single ballot is cast, and what he might do during and after election day to maintain his grip on power. She's joined by: Natalie Adona, the registrar of voters for Marin County, California. Adona is the co-author of the books “Understanding the Voter Experience” and “Stewards of Democracy,” and a contributing author to the recently published book, “Local Election Administrators in the United States: The Frontline of Democracy."  Susan B. Glasser is a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine. She writes a weekly column on life in Washington and is a host of the Political Scene podcast. Her recent article on this topic, “Donald Trump Already Knows the 2026 Election Is ‘Rigged,'” is essential reading for those who want to understand the threat Trump poses.  And Nate Persily is the James B. McClatchy Professor of Law at Stanford Law School and the co-director of the Stanford Law AI Initiative. He is an expert on election law and redistricting, and he's the co-author of the leading election law casebook, “The Law of Democracy.”  Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Democracy Now! Thursday, February 19, 2026

When strongmen can't crush the press outright, they simply get their billionaire friends to buy it, bend it, and cash in…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jeremi Suri, Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs and Professor of Public Affairs and History at the University of Texas at Austin, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss President Richard Nixon's historic 1972 visit to China, which ushered in a new era of U.S.-Sino relations and altered the course of world politics.   To mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. declaration of independence, CFR is dedicating a year-long series of articles, videos, podcasts, events, and special projects that will reflect on two and a half centuries of U.S. foreign policy. Featuring bipartisan voices and expert contributors, the series explores the evolution of America's role in the world and the strategic challenges that lie ahead.   Mentioned on the Episode:   James M. Lindsay, The Ten Best and Ten Worst U.S. Foreign Policy Decisions, CFR.org   Richard Nixon, “Asia After Vietnam,” Foreign Affairs   Jeremi Suri, Henry Kissinger and the American Century   Jeremi Suri and Zachary Suri, Democracy of Hope   Jeremi Suri and Zachary Suri, This Is Democracy   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President's Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/america-250-nixon-goes-to-china Opinions expressed on The President's Inbox are solely those of the host or our guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

If we want to understand why capitalism feels broken, do we need to stop looking at the economy and start looking at the legal code that underpins it? In our system, capital is often described as money, machinery, or raw materials. But Columbia Law School professor Katharina Pistor argues that capital is actually a legal invention. An asset, whether it's a plot of land, an idea, or a promise of future pay, only becomes capital when it is given the right legal coding.  Pistor suggests that lawyers are the true coders of capitalism. They use the law to "enclose" assets, from land to user data, giving owners the power to exclude others and monetize that value. She argues for injecting principles of "fairness and reciprocity" back into private law, ensuring that contracts aren't just tools for the powerful to extract value from the weak. Luigi Zingales suggests that large corporations have become so powerful we may need a new branch of "quasi-public law" to govern the asymmetry between an individual consumer and a corporate giant. This episode explores the deep, often invisible architecture of our economic system and asks whether we can ever truly tame corporate power without rewriting the rules of the game. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We chat with Bruce Schneier — renowned security technologist and, most recently, co-author of Rewiring Democracy — to discuss the relationship between technology and democracy. We get into how people with money/power use systems like AI to create a flywheel of more money/power. But importantly, as an advocate of public-interest technology, Bruce also lays out how AI is being used to empower citizens and strengthen democracy, and the techno-political conditions needed to build these democratic systems. ••• Check out all of Bruce's work https://www.schneier.com/ ••• Rewiring Democracy | Bruce Schneier and Nathan Sanders https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262049948/rewiring-democracy/ ••• The Promptware Kill Chain: How Prompt Injections Gradually Evolved into a Multi-Step Malware https://www.schneier.com/academic/archives/2026/01/the-promptware-kill-chain-how-prompt-injections-gradually-evolved-into-a-multi-step-malware.html Standing Plugs: ••• Order Jathan's book: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520398078/the-mechanic-and-the-luddite ••• Subscribe to Ed's substack: https://substack.com/@thetechbubble ••• Subscribe to TMK on patreon for premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/thismachinekills Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (bsky.app/profile/jathansadowski.com) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (www.x.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (bsky.app/profile/jebr.bsky.social)

Democracy Is Not Passive: Chris Melody Fields Figueredo on Ballot Power in 2026 When we think about elections, we think about candidates. But some of the most consequential fights in 2026 won't be about who's on the ballot — they'll be about what's on it. Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, Executive Director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, joins me to break down the 24 democracy-related ballot measures already approved for November — and the wave of defensive measures, voter suppression tactics, and anti-trans initiatives emerging across the country. We discuss Missouri lawmakers overturning voter-approved minimum wage and paid leave, how supermajority thresholds weaken majority rule, and why ballot initiatives remain one of the most powerful tools for multiracial democracy — even in red states. Democracy cannot be passive. And this year, it's on the ballot. From this Episode: Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC) BALLOT MEASURE HUB LUCHA AZ —Living United for Change in Arizona is an organization led by changemakers fighting for social, racial, and economic transformation. Missouri Jobs With Justice: A place for people who want to stop the wealthy few from mistreating and dividing us - and who want to start getting the dignity we deserve.  Voices of Florida: Voices of Florida is a Florida-based 501(c)(4) nonprofit formerly known as Women's Voices of Southwest Florida Fund dedicated to defending reproductive freedoms and human rights, and empowering our communities through education, outreach and direct action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Atlantic's Charlie Warzel published a piece titled "This Is What It Looks Like When Nothing Matters," and Hawk reads through it, unpacking how internet nihilism has moved from the fringes of 4chan straight into mainstream politics and culture. The article traces how trolling, once confined to anonymous message boards, became the dominant language of the internet and a tool of political power. Steve Bannon saw the trolls as a political constituency and helped pipeline their energy into the MAGA movement, and that same anarchic, rules-don't-apply attitude now shows up in everything from Department of Homeland Security social media posts to Trump sharing content depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes.Hawk walks through the rise of figures like Clavvicular, a live streamer who hits his face with a hammer for attention and openly associates with white supremacist Nick Fuentes and alleged sex trafficker Andrew Tate. The concept of "nihilism by default" -- where the only purpose is self-promotion and feeding the social media machine -- connects these influencers to the chaos coming out of Washington.The Epstein files get the same treatment: three million pages released with no context, quickly turned into memes, AI slop, and fabricated screenshots. The files revealed just enough institutional rot to breed more cynicism without delivering justice to any of Epstein's victims or accountability for those connected to him. The kirkification phenomenon, the GameStop short squeeze, and ironic 9/11 memes all point to the same cultural collapse: events no longer have meaning, only content value. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Headlines for February 18, 2026; Jesse Jackson Fought for Justice at Home & Abroad: Juan González & Bishop William Barber; “Extremely Dangerous Situation”: Trita Parsi Warns U.S. & Iran Have Incentives to Escalate Conflict; CFPB Staffer Alexis Goldstein Fired for Confronting DOGE Members, Announces Run for Congress; Meet Analilia Mejía, Who Won NJ Congressional Primary After Speaking Out Against ICE & Genocide in Gaza

Alejandro Peña Esclusa details his transition from businessman to Venezuela's first political prisoner as Hugo Chávez, aided by the São Paulo Forum, dismantled democracy, recounting cacerolazo pot-banging protests and how the regime systematically destroyed the economy and persecuted dissenters.1870 CARACAS

Democracy Now! Wednesday, February 18, 2026

The Cycle's Dr Rachel Bitecofer joins Thom for a deep dive- was manipulating Trump to deeply undermine America from the oval office the most successful foreign policy intervention is human history?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From Hitler to Putin to Orbán and Trump, the first step is always the same: act illegally, dare anyone to stop you, and behave like losing in court is only a delay…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is among the leading pro-democracy figures attending the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy this week and discusses the goals of the Belarusian opposition in exile. Also, a new bridge between the US and Canada is on the verge of a long-awaited opening, despite President Donald Trump's recent threats to keep it closed. And, the EU has made it illegal to destroy clothing that's been manufactured, but not purchased, in a wider effort to promote sustainability. Plus, a deep underwater camera reveals that sharks are swimming in the Antarctic Ocean for the first time. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The Trump administration has revoked the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to regulate greenhouse gases, a major cause of climate change and millions of premature deaths from air pollution every year. Professor Richard Wolff and Brian Becker discuss why this is happening, and the even more dire level of air and water pollution in the United States before the EPA.Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com.Join the The Socialist Program community at http://www.patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to get exclusive content and help keep this show on the air.

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

Steve Bannon is having a very bad month. A Missouri investor named Andrew Bar has filed a lawsuit against Bannon and fellow MAGA operative Boris Epstein over the now-defunct FJB coin cryptocurrency, alleging nearly $59,000 in losses on a $60,000 investment. Hawk walks through the details of the FJB coin operation, including the suspicious 8% transaction fee structure that promised charitable donations to causes like veterans care but allegedly redirected funds to high-risk investments in obscure coins. With $2.7 million in transaction fees reportedly unaccounted for and investor wallets frozen since early 2025, the lawsuit is seeking class action status.This is not Bannon's first financial scandal. He was pardoned by Trump after a federal indictment tied to the fraudulent We Build the Wall fundraiser, which raised tens of millions in small-dollar donations from Trump supporters before Bannon and associates allegedly pocketed the money. He later pleaded guilty to felony fraud charges at the state level brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, and served four months in federal prison for contempt of Congress.Meanwhile, newly released Jeffrey Epstein files reveal that on the very day Epstein was arrested for sex trafficking in July 2019, Bannon was texting him about filming a documentary on Epstein Island. Months earlier, Bannon had advised Epstein to "crush the pedophilia trafficking narrative." The texts have triggered a wave of condemnation from figures across the conservative media landscape, including Elon Musk, Roger Stone, and radio host Erick Erickson. MAGA is turning on one of its own. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Hawk breaks down the growing revolt inside MAGA world over the Epstein files. Former Navy SEAL and pro-Trump podcaster Shawn Ryan publicly torched Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Trump administration for failing to prosecute anyone connected to Jeffrey Epstein, calling out the broken promise to drain the swamp and demanding Congress get to work. Hawk notes that Bondi served as Florida attorney general for the entirety of Epstein's sweetheart deal period and did nothing.Dan Bongino is under fire after returning to podcasting and attempting to position himself as an Epstein files crusader, despite having signed off on the July 6th letter that closed the DOJ and FBI investigation, declared there was no client list, and stated there was no evidence of blackmail. Critics including former FBI agent Kyle Seraphin called out the contradiction directly.Marjorie Taylor Greene told fitness podcaster Jillian Michaels that Donald Trump called her personally and screamed at her over the discharge petition, warning her that releasing the Epstein files would hurt his friends. Greene was one of only four Republicans, along with Thomas Massie, Lauren Boebert, and Nancy Mace, who signed the discharge petition that forced the vote.Hawk also covers the 5,300 documents in the Epstein files that mention Donald Trump, including allegations of sexual misconduct, with Trump's name reportedly appearing over one million times across three million pages. Trump responded to reporters on Air Force One claiming total exoneration while deflecting toward Bill and Hillary Clinton, who have their own documented connections to Epstein. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Humble Area Democrats' President John Cotter explains: From open primaries to seven-page ballots, here's what Harris County voters must know before casting a 2026 Democratic Primary vote.Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://politicsdoneright.com/newsletterPurchase our Books: As I See It: https://amzn.to/3XpvW5o How To Make AmericaUtopia: https://amzn.to/3VKVFnG It's Worth It: https://amzn.to/3VFByXP Lose Weight And BeFit Now: https://amzn.to/3xiQK3K Tribulations of anAfro-Latino Caribbean man: https://amzn.to/4c09rbE

Humble Area Democrats' President John Cotter explains: From open primaries to seven-page ballots, here's what Harris County voters must know before casting a 2026 Democratic Primary vote.Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://politicsdoneright.com/newsletterPurchase our Books: As I See It: https://amzn.to/3XpvW5o How To Make AmericaUtopia: https://amzn.to/3VKVFnG It's Worth It: https://amzn.to/3VFByXP Lose Weight And BeFit Now: https://amzn.to/3xiQK3K Tribulations of anAfro-Latino Caribbean man: https://amzn.to/4c09rbE

'BradCast' 2/17/2026: GOP's 'SAVE America Act' Designed to Disenfranchise Voters, Undermine Democracy by Progressive Voices

Headlines for February 17, 2026; “Keep Hope Alive”: Remembering Rev. Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Icon Who Twice Ran for President; Bernie Sanders on Jesse Jackson: One of the Most Significant Political Leaders of “Last 100 Years”; Jesse Jackson’s Legacy: From Marching with MLK to Building the Rainbow Coalition; When ICE Agents Lie: DOJ Drops Charges Against 2 Minneapolis Men Falsely Accused of Attempted Murder

This week, Julie & Brandy continue to try and wade thru the river of sh*t in the Epstein Files.*******CHECK OUT FREE EPISODES OF JULIE & BRANDY'S PATREON PODCAST**********FOLLOW JULIE ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER****FOLLOW BRANDY ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER***CHECK OUT THEIR T-SHIRTS!***EMAIL THEM! JulieBrandyPodcast@gmail.com******* Dumb Gay Politics with Julie & Brandy **** Dumb Gay Podcast with Julie & Brandy **** Julie Goldman **** Brandy Howard **** Julie and Brandy *** The People's Couch *** DGP *** Gay Podcast *** Political Podcast *** Lesbian *** Bravo *** Housewives *** Queer *** Liberal **** LGBTQ **** Killer Burlesque *** Host *** Portland *** Denver *** Nightmare on Strip Street *** Funny *** Comedy *** Democrat *** Progressive *** Comedian *** Jewish *** Politics *** Left *** San Francisco ***See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's organize a union and help our communities with a new TTRPG!REMINDER: next week is our final episode, so send in Afterparty questions about this campaign and JTP as a whole via jointhepartypod@gmail.com, social media, or Patreon.Sponsor- Democracy By Dice! This episode was brought to you by the World Builders Club, a project of Working Families Power. Join the club and build a better world with them by visiting worldbuildersclub.substack.com Find Us Online- website: https://jointhepartypod.com- patreon: https://patreon.com/jointhepartypod- instagram: https://instagram.com/jointhepartypod- twitter: https://twitter.com/jointhepartypod- tumblr: https://jointhepartypod.tumblr.com- facebook: https://facebook.com/jointhepartypod- merch & music: http://jointhepartypod.com/merchCast & Crew- Facilitator, Co-Host, Co-Producer, Sound Designer, Composer: Brandon Grugle- Co-Host, Co-Producer: Julia Schifini- Co-Host, Co-Producer: Amanda McLoughlin- Co-Host, Co-Producer: Eric Silver- Artwork: Allyson Wakeman- Multitude: https://multitude.productionsAbout UsJoin the Party is an actual play podcast with tangible worlds, genre-pushing storytelling, and collaborators who make each other laugh each week. We welcome everyone to the table, from longtime players to folks who've never touched a roleplaying game before. Hop into our current campaign: the drama and excitement of a superhero high school! Or marathon our completed stories: Campaign 3 for a pirate story set in a world of plant- and bug-folk, the Camp-Paign for a MOTW game set in a weird summer camp, Campaign 2 for a modern superhero game, and Campaign 1 for a high fantasy story. And once a month we release the Afterparty, where we answer your questions about the show and how we play the game. New episodes every Tuesday.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Headlines for February 17, 2026; “Keep Hope Alive”: Remembering Rev. Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Icon Who Twice Ran for President; Bernie Sanders on Jesse Jackson: One of the Most Significant Political Leaders of “Last 100 Years”; Jesse Jackson’s Legacy: From Marching with MLK to Building the Rainbow Coalition; When ICE Agents Lie: DOJ Drops Charges Against 2 Minneapolis Men Falsely Accused of Attempted Murder

Will Republican women in the Senate stop the virulently anti-female SAVE Act? The Epstein Files: It's now officially a cover-up...But, wait - there's more. Christopher Armitage - What would happen if insurance companies were banned? Most Americans still assume elections alone will decide whether this stops, but our allies abroad — who've seen this movie before in their own countries in their grandparents' lifetimes — appear far less certain. They're acting as if the United States has entered a phase nations rarely reverse once fully established.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The American Revolution Started Over This Kind of Abuse: Have We Forgotten?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stacey Abrams has published more than a dozen books over the last 25 years. Those include thrillers, romance novels, children’s books and political memoirs and manifestos. That would be a full career for most people, but Stacey Abrams seems to have more energy than most people.   While she has always been a writer, she has also been a tax attorney, a Georgia state lawmaker, the minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives and the first Black woman in U.S. history to become the gubernatorial nominee of a major political party.   Abrams has launched multiple nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies, with a longstanding focus on voter registration and voter’s rights. Her new book is “Coded Justice.” She spoke with “Think Out Loud” host Dave Miller in front of an audience at the 2025 Portland Book Festival.  

Kim Lane Scheppele joins Valerie Nannery to discuss how America's slide into autocracy is similar to and different from autocratic shifts around the world, how far America is on the path to autocracy, and what we can all do to stop the descent. Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today: ACSLaw.orgHost: Valerie Nannery, Senior Director of Policy and ProgramGuest: Kim Lane Scheppele, Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Sociology and International Affairs & Director of the Program in Law and Normative Thinking at the University Center for Human Values, Princeton University Link: Autocratic Legalism, by Kim Lane ScheppeleLink: Trump's Counter Constitution, by Kim Lane ScheppeleLink: The ‘Big Lie's' Autocratic Assault on the Rule of Law: Attorneys Can Stop It, by Jim SaranteasLink: Become a Poll WorkerVisit the Podcast Website: Broken Law Podcast Email the Show: Podcast@ACSLaw.org Follow ACS on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Bluesky | LinkedIn | YouTube -----------------Broken Law: About the law, who it serves, and who it doesn't.----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of American Constitution Society 2025.

The Constitution isn't just a statement of ideals. It's a framework for power - built to divide authority so that no single institution can fully control the law.But that design has a consequence: it slows decisions and complicates action. Is that inefficiency a weakness - or the very mechanism that protects liberty?Drawing on his experience at the center of federal rule-making, Harvard Law School's Cass Sunstein explores how these constitutional guardrails actually work, why they were designed to restrain concentrated authority, and what we risk losing when they begin to erode.This isn't abstract theory. It's about the quiet architecture that shapes who can act, and how a system of divided power ultimately protects self-government.

The Charlie Kirk assassination continues to divide the conservative movement as Candace Owens promotes conspiracy theories suggesting Turning Point USA involvement in the September 10th killing. TPUSA has responded with employee terminations, cease and desist letters, and heightened internal paranoia as leaked videos and audio recordings reach Owens from inside sources. Former TPUSA staffer Aubrey Lech claims she was fired for questioning the Charlie Kirk murder narrative, joining other employees dismissed in what critics call a purge.The Zionism debate fractures MAGA further as Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes, and Candace Owens challenge pro-Israel conservatives. The White House Religious Liberty Commission meeting devolved into chaos when Commissioner Carrie Prejean Bowler defended Candace Owens against antisemitism charges, arguing Catholic opposition to Zionism doesn't equal antisemitism. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick fired Bowler from the commission, but she refuses to recognize his authority and plans to attend future meetings.Will Saletan's Bulwark reporting exposes how Candace Owens conspiracy theories penetrate Turning Point USA staff, creating workplace suspicion and legal threats. Andrew Egger documents the coalition crisis as Trump administration officials navigate between philosemites and antisemites within MAGA ranks, unable to satisfy both groups simultaneously. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Trump's February 5th National Prayer Breakfast speech exposed the complete moral collapse of evangelical Christianity in America. At an event founded in 1953 to bring leaders together in reconciliation, Trump delivered 75 minutes of grievances, insults, and praise for dictators. He called critics lunatics, labeled Representative Thomas Massie a jerk, praised El Salvador's authoritarian president Nayib Bukele and his cruel prison system, and claimed Democrats cheat while saying no person of faith could vote for them. The 3,500 attendees, mostly evangelical Christians, responded with standing ovations.Pete Wehner's Atlantic article examines how evangelicals abandoned Jesus's teachings for Trump's viciousness. Leaders like Robert Jeffress openly declared they wanted the meanest, toughest fighter rather than someone who follows biblical principles. Jerry Falwell Jr. called for street fighters instead of nice guys. Tony Perkins admitted evangelicals gave Trump a mulligan on affairs and hush money because they wanted someone willing to punch back. These Christians now see Trump's cruelty as virtue when directed at perceived enemies.The Prayer Breakfast highlighted Trump's authoritarian tendencies. He praised dictators, attacked political opponents, and claimed persecution of Christians before his presidency. Meanwhile, many evangelical pastors remain silent, afraid to speak prophetically against injustice. Some Christians are resisting, including Catholic leaders, mainline denominations, and individual pastors standing against cruelty and oppression. The question remains whether evangelical Christianity can recover its moral foundation or has permanently embraced authoritarianism over Christian ethics. Martin Luther King Jr.'s letter from Birmingham Jail reminds us the church must be the conscience of the state, not its servant. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

CBS lawyers ordered Stephen Colbert to cancel a live interview with Texas State House member and Democratic Senate candidate James Tallarico, citing pressure from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and a newly threatened expansion of the equal time rule to late night entertainment programming. Colbert filmed the interview anyway in front of his live studio audience, then was told he could not air it, could not mention it, and could not even show a photo of James Tallarico during the broadcast. He did all three.The decision is widely seen as CBS pre-emptively complying with the Trump administration to protect the pending merger between Paramount and David Ellison's Skydance Media. Sherry Redstone already declined to renew Colbert's contract, with the show ending in May, a move many view as direct appeasement of Donald Trump. This follows ABC and Disney paying Trump $16 million to settle a defamation suit involving George Stephanopoulos, and previously pulling Jimmy Kimmel off the air under the same FCC pressure from Brendan Carr.Tallarico posted the banned interview himself, framing it as the interview Trump didn't want you to see. Polling shows both Tallarico and Jasmine Crockett performing strongly against John Cornyn and Ken Paxton, and Anderson Cooper simultaneously announced he is leaving 60 Minutes after nearly 20 years over editorial interference tied to the Trump-aligned direction of CBS under its new Ellison ownership. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

In Drama of Democracy: Political Representation in Mumbai (U Minnesota Press, 2025), Lisa Björkman invites our attention to political form and how they allow us to appreciate the various mediums through which representation is negotiated. Drawing on a decade of research in the city of Mumbai closely following the movements of corporation election candidates, protesting crowds, political rally organisers, and social workers, the book maps the linguistic, visual, sonic, and semiotic tools used to construct the spectacle of democracy. It asks: how does the figure of the crowd subvert what euromodern conceptions of political representation? How do films and their constructions of the public, the organising of rallies, election season cash flows, garlanding, placards and slogans in protests inform new meanings of representation? Through this richly engaging and genre-breaking work, Bjorkman offers new ways – originating from Mumbai – to explain the reorganisation of political authority around the world. Lisa Björkman is an Associate Professor in Urban and Public Affairs at the University of Louisville. She is the author of Pipe Politics, Contested Waters: Embedded Infrastructures of Millennial Mumbai, Waiting Town: Life in Transit and Mumbai's Other World-Class Histories, and Bombay Brokers. Lisa is also a research associate at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology in Halle. Raghavi Viswanath is a postdoctoral researcher and teaching fellow at SOAS, University of London. Her research, supported by the Leverhulme Trust, examines how pastoralists claim grazing rights under India's Forest Rights Act 2006 and how the everyday processes of staking such claims has been impacted by the authoritarian turn in India. LinkedIn. Email:rv13@soas.ac.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Is the UK REALLY a democracy?  #CancelElections #UKPolitics #Starmer #LabourParty #ReformUK #NigelFarage #Brexit #BrexitBetrayal #PoliticalElite #JonGaunt #JonGauntTV If Keir Starmer can try to cancel elections without a mandate, what does your vote actually mean? Is the UK REALLY a democracy? Let's stop pretending. This week, Reform UK blocked a move that should have alarmed every voter in the country — Keir Starmer attempting to cancel local elections. Yes — cancel elections.  In a country that never stops lecturing the world about democracy. Starmer has no mandate to do this. No manifesto promise. No referendum. No public consent. And yet here we are — again.  We've seen this movie before. In 2016, the Brexit referendum delivered a result the political elite didn't like. What followed wasn't acceptance — it was years of obstruction, delay, re-runs, legal manoeuvres, and media pressure, all designed to wear the public down and soften the outcome. Voters spoke. Westminster panicked.  Now history looks like it's repeating itself — elections questioned, democratic processes treated as optional, and major national direction shifted without asking the people.  So let's ask the question politicians hate: If elections can be cancelled — is this still a democracy? If referendums are ignored — what's the point of voting? If governments only respect results they agree with — who is really in charge?  As the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band once joked: "There is no point in voting — the government always gets in." It was satire. But does it now sound uncomfortably accurate? Jon Gaunt takes this head-on: Are voters being sidelined? Is democracy being hollowed out by the political class? And if elections can be cancelled today — what gets cancelled tomorrow?

Democracy Now! titulares en español de 17 de febrero de 2026

In Drama of Democracy: Political Representation in Mumbai (U Minnesota Press, 2025), Lisa Björkman invites our attention to political form and how they allow us to appreciate the various mediums through which representation is negotiated. Drawing on a decade of research in the city of Mumbai closely following the movements of corporation election candidates, protesting crowds, political rally organisers, and social workers, the book maps the linguistic, visual, sonic, and semiotic tools used to construct the spectacle of democracy. It asks: how does the figure of the crowd subvert what euromodern conceptions of political representation? How do films and their constructions of the public, the organising of rallies, election season cash flows, garlanding, placards and slogans in protests inform new meanings of representation? Through this richly engaging and genre-breaking work, Bjorkman offers new ways – originating from Mumbai – to explain the reorganisation of political authority around the world. Lisa Björkman is an Associate Professor in Urban and Public Affairs at the University of Louisville. She is the author of Pipe Politics, Contested Waters: Embedded Infrastructures of Millennial Mumbai, Waiting Town: Life in Transit and Mumbai's Other World-Class Histories, and Bombay Brokers. Lisa is also a research associate at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology in Halle. Raghavi Viswanath is a postdoctoral researcher and teaching fellow at SOAS, University of London. Her research, supported by the Leverhulme Trust, examines how pastoralists claim grazing rights under India's Forest Rights Act 2006 and how the everyday processes of staking such claims has been impacted by the authoritarian turn in India. LinkedIn. Email:rv13@soas.ac.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comSociologist Ruth Braunstein joins Faithful Politics to examine how Americans use faith and moral language to interpret citizenship, protest, and public life. Drawing on her research into religious activism across the political spectrum, Braunstein explains why democracy in the United States is often framed as a “sacred project” and how two competing moral narratives — one rooted in prophetic critique and another in patriotic preservation — shape today's political conflicts. The conversation explores Christian nationalism, motivated reasoning, and the internal dynamics of white evangelical communities, while also highlighting progressive faith activism that often goes unseen. Braunstein argues that pluralism is difficult but necessary, and that meaningful democratic engagement starts by moving from partisan abstractions to shared local concerns. This discussion provides a sociological framework for understanding how faith communities influence politics and how citizens can hold strong convictions while navigating deep disagreement. Learn more: https://www.ruthbraunstein.comDemocracy is Hard Substack: https://substack.com/@ruthbraunsteinGuest BioRuth Braunstein is a sociologist who studies religion, politics, and democratic life in the United States. She is the author of Prophets and Patriots: Faith and Democracy Across the Political Divide and writes the Substack Democracy Is Hard. Her research examines how Americans across ideological lines use faith to interpret public responsibility, citizenship, and protest. She also hosts the documentary podcast When the Wolves Came, which explores internal debates within evangelical communities about extremism and political identity.Support the show

County of Hawaiʻi Mayor Kimo Alameda lays out his priorities for 2026; University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Professor Karl Kim shares takeaways from a conference on democracy in South Korea

Parker Palmer believes that if taken together, the 5 habits are critical to sustaining a democracy. The habits are described as deeply ingrained ways of seeing, being and responding to life that involve our minds, emotions, our self-images, our concepts of meaning and purpose in life. This podcast explores Habit 3: An ability to hold tension in life-giving ways. Resources To hear Parker talk about each of the 5 habits or his full interview Non-violent communication resources Dance of the Me and We by Dr Ginny Belden Charles Power and Love – Bringing Out the Best Ourselves The post BOO509 – Encore –  Healing the Heart of Democracy – Habit 3 appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Headlines for February 16, 2026; Why Is ICE Still Jailing Leqaa Kordia? Palestinian Protester Suffers Seizure After 11 Months Locked Up; “The Alabama Solution”: Oscar-Nominated Film Uses Prisoner Cellphones to Show U.S.’s Deadliest Prisons

Most Americans now get at least some of their news from social media. But these days, the internet can seem less a place for humans to connect and more a playground for AI-powered bots.One estimate found around 20 percent of accounts on social media are automated, while another study found that, for controversial topics, nearly half of the posts could be bot–generated.Experts are sounding the alarm. Large-scale automated social media campaigns could threaten our democracy and the next presidential election.We know conversations we have online can influence how we experience this political moment, but what happens when bad actors fan the flames with AI-generated photos, bot campaigns, and misinformation?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

For Presidents' Day, Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian and the author of American Struggle: Democracy, Dissent, and the Pursuit of a More Perfect Union (Random House, 2026), puts today's political conflicts in the historical context of tensions going back to the country's founding.=> EVENT: Jon Meacham will be in conversation with John Dickerson at 92Y on Tuesday, February 17th, 7 pm (tickets here).cover image courtesy of the publisher

Democracy Now! Monday, February 16, 2026

At 3:07 in the morning the pounding started...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michael Wriston of Project Salt Box details alleged abuse at Baltimore ICE Facility as protests grow - New allegations of corporal punishment, unsanitary conditions emerge as demonstrators gather outside federal building - Plus - What Is an ICE Processing Center? Lawyers of a Chicago woman shot by federal agents say documents show how DHS lies about investigations. Crazy Alert! RFK Jr. boasts he's “not scared” of germs because he “used to snort cocaine off of toilet seats.” Did we need to know this?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nazis Invade AmericaEpisode 464Jump to Ad-Free Safe House EditionIn the summer of 1942, the war was supposed to be a distant conflict. But that illusion shattered when German U-boats, the predators of Operation Drumbeat, brought the fight to the American home front, sinking ships within sight of Long Island. This episode dives into the extraordinary story of Operation Pastorius, Hitler's audacious plan to cripple the “Arsenal of Democracy.”Eight German agents—all fluent in English and trained in sabotage—landed on American beaches carrying a staggering $175,000 in cash and their most terrifying weapon: the disguised coal torpedo. Their mission: to blow up aluminum plants, railways, and bridges, and sow terror across the nation.The entire operation, however, pivoted on a foggy beach encounter with an unarmed 21-year-old Coast Guardsman, John Cullen, and the stunning betrayal of the mission's leader, George John Dasch. His self-surrender to the FBI exposed the entire plot, leading to a frantic manhunt and the capture of all eight men within two weeks.We explore the secret military tribunal that followed—the first since the Lincoln assassination—which resulted in the swift execution of six saboteurs and set a profound legal precedent that would return sixty years later in the War on Terror. Discover how J. Edgar Hoover transformed an internal catastrophe into an institutional triumph, and the devastating, lifelong cost of "heroism" for the man branded “The Judas of Speyer.”This is the true story of incompetence, constitutional crisis, and the moment American security hung by a thread.Hear more stories about CAPITAL CRIMES!!!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.You can pay more if you want to, but rent at the Safe House is still just a buck a week, and you can get access to over 400 ad-free episodes from the dusty vault, Safe House Exclusives, direct access to the Boss, and whatever personal services you require.We invite you to our other PULPULAR MEDIA podcasts:If disaster is more your jam, check out CATASTROPHIC CALAMITIES, telling the stories of famous and forgotten tragedies of the 19th and 20th centuries. What could go wrong? Everything!For brand-new tales in the old clothes from the golden era of popular literature, give your ears a treat with PULP MAGAZINES with two new stories every week.This episode includes AI-generated content.

On a day when we celebrate the United States' most important historical leaders, a look at the fights faced by past presidents compared to the present.On Today's Show:Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian and the author of American Struggle: Democracy, Dissent, and the Pursuit of a More Perfect Union (Random House, 2026), puts today's political conflicts in the historical context of tensions going back to the country's founding.