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Here's something many Democrats and Republicans agree on: The way we debate and discuss politics is messed up. We talk past each other instead of getting things done. Huge amounts of time and money are wasted on bickering and bravado. Neither political party has built a lasting coalition to deal with the most urgent problems of the day. In this podcast we look something local and practical: New Hampshire's experiment in bi-partisan cooperation. Dozens of state legislators are part of the nation's first Braver Angels-inspired cross partisan caucus where elected officials put aside political combat and learn skills of cooperation. Our guests are Democrat Patricia Higgins and Republican Doug Teschner. Patricia served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 2012 to 2018. Doug is also a former state legislator, and co-author of the recent book, “Beyond the Politics of Contempt: Practical Steps to Build Positive Relationships in Divided Times.”Both work with New Hampshire politicians at workshops and other events where caucus members learn how to disagree better and listen closely to the views of the other side.“It's not easy and it has its ups and downs, but we're excited we found people who are committed to the idea that we need to get along and have relationships,” Doug told us. “It's not that we can't disagree. We should disagree, but do it respectfully.”Political polarization is part of everyday life in America. Families are divided, friendships have been torn apart, public meetings can descend into shouting matches, and the work of elected officials can be stalled or disrupted when the political becomes the personal. “We know that fundamentally Americans need to learn how to talk with one another,” says Patricia Higgins. “This has to part of all the work that we do.”In this podcast we also discuss courageous citizenship, what Doug and Patricia learned as civic renewal activists, and the many challenges facing the national movement to bridge bitter partisan divides. How Do We Fix It? is a member of the Democracy Group network of podcasts and media publications. Our latest podcasts cover the people, projects and ideas of Braver Angels.Journalist Richard Davies is the host of “How Do We Fix It?” During four decades as an ABC News Radio Correspondent, Richard covered breaking news in 35 states and filed reports from more than ten nations in Europe, The Middle East and Latin America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Navy SEAL commander on identity, faith, and why we fight the wars we fight.Captain Robert "Gus" Gusentine spent nearly 30 years in the Navy, commanding SEAL Team 10 and leading special operations forces from the Philippines to the Pacific. He joins Corey to talk about faith, painting, moral injury, and what it means to defend your identity without losing your soul.Calls to Action✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on it.Key Takeaways:Identity is the last citadel of the soul. Gus argues that when you back someone into a corner over their identity, there's nowhere left for the conversation to go. That's why wars of religion cut so deep.Faith and religion aren't the same fight. Drawing on a mentor's line, "we never go to war over faith, we always go to war over religion," Gus distinguishes belief itself from the practice and politics built around it.Moral injury outlasts the battlefield. Gus and Corey discuss what happens when service members carry out orders that conflict with their conscience, and why caring for that wound is a command responsibility.Art forces you to see differently. Gus talks about painting as a discipline that trained his eye long before it trained his hand, and how that same habit of seeing applies to leadership and writing.About Our Guest:Captain Robert "Gus" Gusentine served nearly 30 years in the Navy, including as an exchange officer with Germany's Kamphschwimmer Company, commander of SEAL Team 10, operations chief (J3) for Special Operations Command Pacific, and commander of Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines. After retiring in 2014, he led the Strategic Leaders International course at the Naval Special Warfare Schoolhouse, teaching senior military officers and diplomats from around the world. He is also a painter and writes on Substack alongside Roger Herbert.Links and Resources:gusentineandherbert.substack.comrvgusentine-art.comHome Base Veteran and Family Care - homebase.orgConnect with usSubstack: coreysnathan.substack.comYouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligionInstagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn: @coreysnathanPartnersProud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.Clarity, charity, and conviction can live in the same room. Yes, really.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Terms of Service with Future CaucusA Rhode Island Democrat and a West Virginia Republican, both serving in supermajorities, on why the toughest fights are sometimes within your own party.Terms of Service is a limited series from Future Caucus and TP&R, hosted by Future Caucus CEO Layla Zaidane. People run for state legislature to serve their communities, then find the fine print. This episode brings together Sen. Tiara Mack (D-RI) and Del. Andy Shamblin (R-WV), two lawmakers serving in supermajority chambers, on building coalitions across factions, pay that doesn't match the job, and what it takes to keep good people in office.This series is a partnership between Scan Media and Future Caucus. Executive Producers: Future Caucus and Layla Zaidane. CALLS TO ACTION✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligionKEY TAKEAWAYSA supermajority has its own fault lines. Both Mack and Shamblin serve in chambers where their own party holds overwhelming control, and both say their fiercest fights happen within the party, not across the aisle.The fine print of the paycheck. West Virginia delegates earn around $24,000 a year plus per diem, a disruption to career and family that Shamblin says surprises most people who assume lawmakers get rich in office.Building the next generation of lawmakers. Both point to campaign funds covering childcare as a bipartisan fix that's opened the door for more young parents, especially women, to run.ABOUT OUR GUESTSSen. Tiara Mack (D) represents District 6 in Providence, Rhode Island, now in her third term after unseating a 30-year incumbent in 2020 to become the state's first openly queer Black state legislator. She is a former teacher and community organizer. Del. Andy Shamblin (R) represents District 59 in Kanawha County, West Virginia, now in his second term. He teaches history at Nitro High School and has served on Nitro City Council since 2012. Host Layla Zaidane is president and CEO of Future Caucus.LINKS AND RESOURCESWatch on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@FutureCaucusFuture Caucus: futurecaucus.orgCONNECT WITH USSubstack: coreysnathan.substack.comYouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligionInstagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn: @coreysnathanPARTNERSProud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.Clarity, charity, and conviction can live in the same room. Yes, really.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A buddy at the dive bar hit Corey with "you guys and your TDS." The label stung less than the move behind it: getting turned into a "you guys" in the first place.This one's a feed drop. Napp Nazworth invited Corey onto the American Values Coalition podcast to unpack a recent op-ed in The Dispatch, "Does Trump Derangement Syndrome Have a Cure?" What opens as a riff on an overused phrase becomes something closer to home. How do you stay in real relationship with people you love when you can't reconcile what they're defending, and why does seeing the human across the table beat winning the point every time?Along the way: whataboutism at the bar, getting shown the door at Bible study for "getting political," collective narcissism, and a piece of advice borrowed from Al-Anon. Didn't cause it, can't control it, can't cure it. What's left is steadfast, loving presence and a better question than the one you walked in with. Calls to Action✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on itLinks and ResourcesCorey's op-ed in The Dispatch: "Does Trump Derangement Syndrome Have a Cure?" - thedispatch.com/newsletter/dispatch-faith/maga-christianity-donald-trump/ Connect with usSubstack: coreysnathan.substack.comYouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligionInstagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn: @coreysnathanPartnersProud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.Clarity, charity, and conviction can live in the same room. Yes, really.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"Nobody I know voted for George Bush." Michelle Cottle has heard that line her whole career, and it explains almost everything about the mess we're in. A New York Times columnist on the bubbles we live in, the family we love anyway, and why the stereotype falls apart the moment you actually know someone. Michelle Cottle writes about national politics for New York Times Opinion and hosts the Times podcast The Opinions. She and Corey trace her path from humor columnist at the Vanderbilt Hustler to covering Washington since the Clinton administration, get into what the capital feels like right now and where the 2026 primaries are heading, and land on the father she loved and could never talk politics with. The through line: the caricatures almost always break the second a real person walks into the room. Calls to Action ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion ✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on it Key Takeaways The bubble is the real problem. After decades in Washington, Cottle's rule is simple: if you don't know a single person who votes the other way, that's on you, not them. The media landscape pays the people ginning up our fear of each other, and the bubbles make us easy to work. You can love someone whose politics you find appalling. Her late father was a Trump voter she adored and, eventually, could not discuss politics with. Knowing him made the caricature impossible to believe. That, she argues, is the way out for the rest of us. The 2026 fundamentals favor Democrats, but the brand is toxic. A rough economy and midterm gravity cut against the party in power. Yet Democrats are radioactive enough in rural America that they're backing independents like Nebraska's Dan Osborn to take seats they otherwise couldn't. About Our Guest Michelle Cottle writes about national politics for New York Times Opinion and is a host of the Times podcast The Opinions. She has covered Washington since the Clinton administration, with earlier stops at The New Republic, the Washington Monthly, Newsweek and The Daily Beast, National Journal, and The Atlantic. A Chattanooga native, she holds a BA in English from Vanderbilt. Links and Resources Michelle Cottle at New York Times Opinion: nytimes.com/by/michelle-cottle The Opinions podcast: www.nytimes.com/column/the-opinions Connect with us Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn: @coreysnathan Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. More conversation, less accusation. Now go talk some politics and religion with gentleness and respect.

Two megaphones, two drinks, one bar. Corey quits talking about talking and just gets to the talkin'. First edition of "To the Republic... To the Pub." Corey and his buddy Brandon post up at Doc's Inn and get into it: Iran and the case for the strikes, the $100K access Trump's charging on Truth Social, and three Senate races that tell you where 2026 is headed. Not talking about people we disagree with. Talking with them. Calls to Action ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion ✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on it Connect with Us Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, X: @coreysnathan YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Our Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Pull up a stool. Folks we disagree with? It's more fun to talk to 'em than to talk about 'em.

Two megaphones, two drinks, one bar. Corey quits talking about talking and just gets to the talkin'. First edition of "To the Republic... To the Pub." Corey and his buddy Brandon post up at Doc's Inn and get into it: Iran and the case for the strikes, the $100K access Trump's charging on Truth Social, and three Senate races that tell you where 2026 is headed. Not talking about people we disagree with. Talking with them. Calls to Action ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion ✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on it Connect with Us Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, X: @coreysnathan YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Our Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Pull up a stool. Folks we disagree with? It's more fun to talk to 'em than to talk about 'em.

The 20 percent who love the fight own the microphone. This is a conversation about how the other 80 take it back. Manu Meel runs BridgeUSA, a student-led movement for constructive dialogue now on college campuses across the country. Liz Joyner founded The Village Square and has spent two decades rebuilding civic trust hometown by hometown. Together they make the case that the sharpest divide in America is no longer left against right, but open against closed, and that the most countercultural act available to any of us is a real conversation with someone we can't stand. Calls to Action ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion ✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on it Key Takeaways The new divide isn't left versus right. Meel argues the real split is temperament: builders versus breakers, open versus closed. Politics maps onto it poorly, which is why so many people feel homeless in the current fight. The exhausted majority is the whole game. Twenty percent love the conflict and control the mic; everyone else is worn out by it. Whether that 80 percent checks out or takes the mic back is the question that decides things. The rebellion is the conversation. Meel describes Bridge chapters filling with first-time students the night of Charlie Kirk's assassination, and the organization adding tens of thousands of followers with no ad spend. Outrage is the establishment now; curiosity is the counterculture. About Our Guests Manu Meel is the co-founder and CEO of BridgeUSA, a student-led movement that brings young people across the political spectrum into the same room for honest conversation. A 2020 UC Berkeley graduate and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, he serves on the boards of Braver Angels, Convergence, and American Promise, and hosts the podcast The Hopeful Majority. Liz Joyner is the founder and president of The Village Square, a nonprofit that rebuilds civic trust between neighbors who don't look or think alike. Based in Tallahassee, she has led the organization for close to two decades and helped pioneer the community-level model much of the bridging field now draws on. Links and Resources BridgeUSA: bridgeusa.org The Village Square: villagesquare.us The Hopeful Majority, Manu's podcast: www.thehopefulmajority.com Connect with us Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn: @coreysnathan Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. More conversation, less accusation. Now go talk some politics and religion with gentleness and respect.

When I met Bryan Calvo he had served all of three weeks as the newest and youngest Mayor of Hialeah, Florida. He got off to a fast start. I always like talking to young people in office and Mayor Calvo has a lot to say. Brought to you by The Good Government Institute, bringing together proven ideas, principled leaders, and real-world solutions to strengthen how we govern—not by reinventing the system, but by advancing what already works. GoodGovernmentShow.com Thanks to our sponsors: HelloNation Ourco Good News For Lefties (and America!) - Daily News for Democracy (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) How to Really Run a City Leading Iowa: Good Government in Iowa's Cities (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) The Context: A Podcast by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation The Good Government Show is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. The Royal Cousins: How Three Cousins Could Have Stopped A World War by Jim Ludlow Executive Producers: David Martin, David Snyder, Jim Ludlow Host/Reporter: David Martin Producers: David Martin, Jason Stershic Editor: Jason Stershic

The 20 percent who love the fight own the microphone. This is a conversation about how the other 80 take it back. Manu Meel runs BridgeUSA, a student-led movement for constructive dialogue now on college campuses across the country. Liz Joyner founded The Village Square and has spent two decades rebuilding civic trust hometown by hometown. Together they make the case that the sharpest divide in America is no longer left against right, but open against closed, and that the most countercultural act available to any of us is a real conversation with someone we can't stand. Calls to Action ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion ✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on it Key Takeaways The new divide isn't left versus right. Meel argues the real split is temperament: builders versus breakers, open versus closed. Politics maps onto it poorly, which is why so many people feel homeless in the current fight. The exhausted majority is the whole game. Twenty percent love the conflict and control the mic; everyone else is worn out by it. Whether that 80 percent checks out or takes the mic back is the question that decides things. The rebellion is the conversation. Meel describes Bridge chapters filling with first-time students the night of Charlie Kirk's assassination, and the organization adding tens of thousands of followers with no ad spend. Outrage is the establishment now; curiosity is the counterculture. About Our Guests Manu Meel is the co-founder and CEO of BridgeUSA, a student-led movement that brings young people across the political spectrum into the same room for honest conversation. A 2020 UC Berkeley graduate and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, he serves on the boards of Braver Angels, Convergence, and American Promise, and hosts the podcast The Hopeful Majority. Liz Joyner is the founder and president of The Village Square, a nonprofit that rebuilds civic trust between neighbors who don't look or think alike. Based in Tallahassee, she has led the organization for close to two decades and helped pioneer the community-level model much of the bridging field now draws on. Links and Resources BridgeUSA: bridgeusa.org The Village Square: villagesquare.us The Hopeful Majority, Manu's podcast: www.thehopefulmajority.com Connect with us Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn: @coreysnathan Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. More conversation, less accusation. Now go talk some politics and religion with gentleness and respect.

Most people vote the policy first. Corey saves it for last. Ethical, legal, wise. Those are the three questions David French asks of any law or action, and Corey turns them on the candidates themselves. Character and personal ethics come first, fidelity to our democratic institutions second, policy positions after all that. He runs the test through three Senate races, Maine, Texas, and Michigan, to show why disagreeing on policy is not the same as calling someone evil, and why Michigan is the one he still can't call. Calls to Action ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion ✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on it Connect with Us Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, X: @coreysnathan YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Our Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Clarity, charity, and conviction can live in the same room. Yes, really.

Most people vote the policy first. Corey saves it for last. Ethical, legal, wise. Those are the three questions David French asks of any law or action, and Corey turns them on the candidates themselves. Character and personal ethics come first, fidelity to our democratic institutions second, policy positions after all that. He runs the test through three Senate races, Maine, Texas, and Michigan, to show why disagreeing on policy is not the same as calling someone evil, and why Michigan is the one he still can't call. Calls to Action ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion ✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on it Connect with Us Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, X: @coreysnathan YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Our Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Clarity, charity, and conviction can live in the same room. Yes, really.

Given that Dr Anthony Fauci recently was called to Congress, but refused to respond to questions from Senators, we thought it would be a good idea to re-release our conversation with Dr Fauci when he was open to talking. The conversation is a great insight into a career in public service and how he responded to an unfolding worldwide pandemic. Here again is Dr Fauci. Brought to you by The Good Government Institute, bringing together proven ideas, principled leaders, and real-world solutions to strengthen how we govern—not by reinventing the system, but by advancing what already works. GoodGovernmentShow.com Thanks to our sponsors: HelloNation Ourco Good News For Lefties (and America!) - Daily News for Democracy (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) How to Really Run a City Leading Iowa: Good Government in Iowa's Cities (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) The Context: A Podcast by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation The Good Government Show is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. The Royal Cousins: How Three Cousins Could Have Stopped A World War by Jim Ludlow Executive Producers: David Martin, David Snyder, Jim Ludlow Host/Reporter: David Martin Producers: David Martin, Jason Stershic Editor: Jason Stershic

Richard Parker has spent his life reading America through two lenses most people keep apart: economics and religion. The throughline is that faith, money, and power did not grow up in separate rooms. They grew up together. An Oxford-trained economist who has taught at Harvard's Kennedy School since 1993, Parker co-founded Mother Jones, helped build Greenpeace USA, and helped Norman Lear start People for the American Way. This conversation runs from an abolitionist ancestor who helped fund John Brown's raid, through the Reformation's long shadow over capitalism and the corporation, to a president reaching into the economy in ways the country has not seen since it had kings. Calls to Action ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion ✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on it Key Takeaways The abolitionist in the family tree. Richard's ancestor, the Rev. Theodore Parker, was one of the Secret Six who bankrolled John Brown's raid. He also coined lines later borrowed by Lincoln ("of the people, by the people, for the people") and Martin Luther King ("the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice"). Not since kings. When a president takes government equity stakes in companies like Nvidia, Parker argues, he folds the state into his own person and pushes presidential power into the economy in a way America has not seen since it had monarchs. Only about six presidents. Borrowing from political scientist Stephen Skowronek, Parker says just a handful of presidents ever reset the country's governing terms. He does not think Trump is one of them. The same fights in new costumes. Most of our arguments recur generation after generation. Parker's aim is not to win them but to help people see the landscape they are arguing from, which is how a divided country starts talking instead of accusing. About Our Guest Richard Parker is an economist, author, and Senior Fellow and Lecturer at Harvard's Kennedy School, where he has taught since 1993. He co-founded Mother Jones, helped build Greenpeace USA, helped Norman Lear launch People for the American Way, and has advised figures including Senator Edward Kennedy. He serves on the boards of The Nation and the Journal of Post Keynesian Economics. Links and Resources Richard Parker and Diane Winston (USC) at Faith Angle West in Park City, Utah (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFNCAbZIKjo&t=139s Faith Angle Forum, which helps journalists cover religion in public life: https://faithangle.org/ Connect with us Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn: @coreysnathan Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. More conversation, less accusation. Now go talk some politics and religion with gentleness and respect.

A career in public service is not something many people automatically think about. Kelli Bentley, HR director for a city in Alabama is trying to change that. Listen to how she recruits people to work in her city's water and sewer department. And she's one of 250 Government Champions from the National Academy of Public Service. Brought to you by The Good Government Institute, bringing together proven ideas, principled leaders, and real-world solutions to strengthen how we govern—not by reinventing the system, but by advancing what already works. GoodGovernmentShow.com Thanks to our sponsors: HelloNation Ourco Good News For Lefties (and America!) - Daily News for Democracy (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) How to Really Run a City Leading Iowa: Good Government in Iowa's Cities (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) The Context: A Podcast by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation The Good Government Show is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. The Royal Cousins: How Three Cousins Could Have Stopped A World War by Jim Ludlow Executive Producers: David Martin, David Snyder, Jim Ludlow Host/Reporter: David Martin Producers: David Martin, Jason Stershic Editor: Jason Stershic

This is the second episode in Beyond Polarization, a special series about what polarization is costing Americans, and what we can actually do about it. You can find Episode 1, where we analyze research on polarization and disagreement, here. In this episode: how the news media can do less to reinforce polarized narratives, and more to meet the needs of audiences. Journalism is an essential component of our democratic system. But when it comes to politics, how much reporting do you read that actually helps you decide who to vote for? During an election cycle, candidates tell the press that if elected, they'll work to solve problems that matter to their voters. Those with more controversial opinions or spicy personal backgrounds get more airtime. And pundits prognosticate about which candidate can win which demographic.  Yet between elections, there's a lot less coverage of how office holders are fulfilling their campaign promises, or trying to. News organizations cover corruption and scandal, an important role of journalism. But what about when things go right?   Without good information about solutions to society's problems, it's easier to vote based on fear of the other side, vote along party lines, or just stay home. Outside of politics, everyday news coverage skews negative too. Our guests this episode are journalists committed to reporting on communities and current events in de-polarizing ways. They do that by focusing on what people need and want and how politics could affect that: covering the stakes, not the odds.  Tina Rosenberg is a Pulitzer-prize-winning reporter and cofounder of the Solutions Journalism Network, which promotes rigorous reporting on solutions to social problems. At the New York Times, she wrote the Fixes column with David Bornstein. Sarah Jane Weaver is the editor-in-chief of the Deseret News based in Salt Lake City, Utah – one of the first outlets to embrace the Solutions Journalism model in the 2010s. Weaver first joined Deseret as a reporter in 1995.  Resources mentioned in this episode: “The Perception Gap: How False Impressions are Pulling Americans Apart,” report from More in Common Americans' Trust in Media Remains at Trend Low, 2024 Gallup poll Outlier Media, local news outlet in Detroit that provides information on housing, utilities and other essential information via text Sisters fight to pick up the pieces after catastrophic car crash, reporting by the Deseret News Small-town America is arguing over whether to welcome Syria's refugees or fear them, story by The World from PRX ABOUT THE SHOW The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. The associate producer and graphic designer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.orgSupport our workConnect on social:Instagram @makingpeacevisibleYouTube @makingpeacevisibleLinkedIn @makingpeacevisibleBluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.socialMaking Peace Visible is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts dedicated to creating a more informed, civically engaged electorate.We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!

Richard Parker has spent his life reading America through two lenses most people keep apart: economics and religion. The throughline is that faith, money, and power did not grow up in separate rooms. They grew up together. An Oxford-trained economist who has taught at Harvard's Kennedy School since 1993, Parker co-founded Mother Jones, helped build Greenpeace USA, and helped Norman Lear start People for the American Way. This conversation runs from an abolitionist ancestor who helped fund John Brown's raid, through the Reformation's long shadow over capitalism and the corporation, to a president reaching into the economy in ways the country has not seen since it had kings. Calls to Action ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion ✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on it Key Takeaways The abolitionist in the family tree. Richard's ancestor, the Rev. Theodore Parker, was one of the Secret Six who bankrolled John Brown's raid. He also coined lines later borrowed by Lincoln ("of the people, by the people, for the people") and Martin Luther King ("the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice"). Not since kings. When a president takes government equity stakes in companies like Nvidia, Parker argues, he folds the state into his own person and pushes presidential power into the economy in a way America has not seen since it had monarchs. Only about six presidents. Borrowing from political scientist Stephen Skowronek, Parker says just a handful of presidents ever reset the country's governing terms. He does not think Trump is one of them. The same fights in new costumes. Most of our arguments recur generation after generation. Parker's aim is not to win them but to help people see the landscape they are arguing from, which is how a divided country starts talking instead of accusing. About Our Guest Richard Parker is an economist, author, and Senior Fellow and Lecturer at Harvard's Kennedy School, where he has taught since 1993. He co-founded Mother Jones, helped build Greenpeace USA, helped Norman Lear launch People for the American Way, and has advised figures including Senator Edward Kennedy. He serves on the boards of The Nation and the Journal of Post Keynesian Economics. Links and Resources Richard Parker and Diane Winston (USC) at Faith Angle West in Park City, Utah (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFNCAbZIKjo&t=139s Faith Angle Forum, which helps journalists cover religion in public life: https://faithangle.org/ Connect with us Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn: @coreysnathan Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. More conversation, less accusation. Now go talk some politics and religion with gentleness and respect.

Terms of Service with Future Caucus Two Minnesota lawmakers, one Democrat and one Republican, on what public service costs and what it took to keep going after tragedy. Terms of Service is a new limited series from Future Caucus and TP&R, hosted by Future Caucus CEO Layla Zaidane. People run for state legislature to serve their communities, then find the fine print. Recorded at Future Summit, this first conversation brings together two young Minnesota representatives, Andy Smith (D) and Isaac Schultz (R), on political violence, pay, staffing, and what it takes not just to serve but to stay. This series is a partnership between Scan Media and Future Caucus. Executive Producers: Future Caucus and Layla Zaidane. Calls to Action ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Key Takeaways A House split 67 to 67. An evenly divided chamber meant building trust across the aisle before any bill had a chance. Relationships came first, legislation second. Coming together after political violence. The assassination of Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and the wounding of a colleague, changed how these two think about safety and each other. Shared grief pulled them closer across party lines. The fine print of serving. Pay that runs about $10,000 below the average worker, little to no staff, and months living out of a hotel away from family. Both still call it worth doing. About Our Guests Rep. Andy Smith (D) represents Rochester, Minnesota, is in his second term, and runs a used bookstore with his wife. Rep. Isaac Schultz (R) represents a rural district, is in his second term, and works as an auctioneer and small business owner. Host Layla Zaidane is president and CEO of Future Caucus. Links and Resources Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=Nkbhx-o4FY0 Future Caucus: futurecaucus.org Connect with us Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn: @coreysnathan Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Clarity, charity, and conviction can live in the same room. Yes, really.

In February 2025, we explored how an expanding executive branch was stretching traditional boundaries. In this follow-up episode, we turn our attention to the primary institutional battleground of 2026: The Department of Justice (DOJ).The long-standing post-Watergate norm that the DOJ should operate independently from presidential control has been explicitly rejected by the current administration. Asserting total constitutional authority over all executive branch agencies under Article II, the administration argues that an independent DOJ is a constitutional myth.To break down the structural reality behind the headlines—including the rapid dismissal of indictments against political allies, the targeting of opponents, and mass civil service purges—we sit down with historian Alex Lovit, host of The Context (a sister podcast in The Democracy Group network). Together, we place the crisis of 2026 into historical perspective, tracing the design flaws and structural vulnerabilities of the DOJ from its founding in 1870 to the present day.Text me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, DavidSupport the showShow Notes:https://outrageoverload.net/ Contact me, David Beckemeyer by email outrageoverload@gmail.com. Follow the show on Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload. Check out our Subtstack https://outrageoverload.substack.comHOTLINE: 925-552-7885Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the O2 hotline and leave a message and you could be featured in an upcoming episodeIf you would like to help the show, you can contribute here. Tell everyone you know about the show. That's the best way to support it.Rate and Review the show on Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/OutrageOverloadAlso check out our companion podcasts, This Week in Outrage and Outrage Science Bites.Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.Outrage Overload, a Conners Institute podcast, is part of The Democr...

Barbara Bradley Hagerty has spent a career asking why people do the things they do. The hardest answer she found runs through a wrongful conviction, thirty-four years lost, and a friendship between two men who had every reason to stay enemies. A New York Times bestselling author and contributing writer for The Atlantic, Barb covered criminal justice and religion at NPR for nearly twenty years. This conversation runs from a kindergarten report card that called her whole life, to a cycling accident that took away her fear of death, to Ben Spencer and Jay Young, the wrongly imprisoned man and the victim's son, who somehow became friends. Calls to Action ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion ✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on it Key Takeaways Enemies, then friends. Ben Spencer chose to forgive and pray for the victim's family, and Jay Young chose to believe Ben might be innocent and show up for him. What made it possible was simple and hard: each stood in the other's shoes, then listened. Two sets of victims. Every exoneration wrecks two families, the prisoner who lost his years and the victim's family, often told for decades that the right man was locked up. Jay Young was twelve when his father was killed. The system isn't broken. People are. The prosecutors who fought Ben's release didn't make the original mistake. They just couldn't bring themselves to admit one had been made. Losing the fear of death. A car hit Barb at thirty-five miles an hour while she was cycling. She came out of it with the sense that life is precious and can't be about her anymore. About Our Guest Barbara Bradley Hagerty is a New York Times bestselling author and contributing writer for The Atlantic. She spent nearly twenty years at NPR covering criminal justice and religion, including as lead Justice Department correspondent during 9/11. Her books include Fingerprints of God, Life Reimagined, and Bringing Ben Home. Links and Resources Barbara Bradley Hagerty and Bringing Ben Home: barbarabradleyhagerty.com "The Other Victims of a Wrongful Conviction" in The Atlantic: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/07/wrongful-conviction-family/687394 Connect with us Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn: @coreysnathan Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Stand in the other person's shoes, then listen to their story. Now go talk some politics and religion with gentleness and respect.

Mayor Matt Tuerk is trying to make Allentown, PA the slowest city in America. Not because he drives slow, because slower traffic increases pedestrian safety. We also cover housing, police and fire fighter retention and baseball. Listen to Matt Tuerk's first appearance on the show if you missed it. Brought to you by The Good Government Institute, bringing together proven ideas, principled leaders, and real-world solutions to strengthen how we govern—not by reinventing the system, but by advancing what already works. GoodGovernmentShow.com Thanks to our sponsors: HelloNation Ourco Good News For Lefties (and America!) - Daily News for Democracy (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) How to Really Run a City Leading Iowa: Good Government in Iowa's Cities (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) The Context: A Podcast by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation The Good Government Show is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. The Royal Cousins: How Three Cousins Could Have Stopped A World War by Jim Ludlow Executive Producers: David Martin, David Snyder, Jim Ludlow Host/Reporter: David Martin Producers: David Martin, Jason Stershic Editor: Jason Stershic

The essay ran in The Dispatch. Then a few hundred readers wrote back, and a few of them changed my mind. There is such a thing as Trump Derangement Syndrome. It just isn't what most people mean when they say it. This one goes behind the essay: the passages that got cut, the third man who never made it into the print version, and the comment section that turned out to be the best part of the whole thing. Calls to Action ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion ✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on it Links and Resources "Does Trump Derangement Syndrome Have a Cure?" - thedispatch.com/newsletter/dispatch-faith/maga-christianity-donald-trump The Dispatch - thedispatch.com Connect with Us Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, X: @coreysnathan YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Our Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Clarity, charity, and conviction can live in the same room. Yes, really.

Carl Cannon came up in newsrooms where editors challenged you word by word, and nearly fifty years on he's still keeping score on who gets the quote right. His one rule, for reporting and for arguing in general: describe the other side so faithfully they'd claim it as their own. The Washington bureau chief of RealClearPolitics learned the trade from his father, Reagan biographer Lou Cannon, and came up the old way: small papers, police and courts, editors who challenged every word. This conversation runs from fake quotes and the reporters who hunt them, to the Yellowstone wolves as a lesson in fairness, to why doing your own thinking tends to leave you independent of both parties.  Calls to Action ✅ Follow the show wherever you listen ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion ✅ Share this episode with someone who reads the news and someone who's given up on it Key Takeaways The Carl Cannon Rule. Describe someone's position so faithfully they'd claim it as their own, or you're just knocking down straw men. Fair and accurate, not objective. The honest standard was never neutrality. It's doing the work, getting the quote right, and giving the other side its say. Why the wolves matter. He dropped the ranchers' case into a pro-wolf story, and both sides came away sure he was secretly with them. That's the job. Never needlessly make your own behavior the issue. His rule of life, and a fair test for anyone trying to argue in good faith. About Our Guest Carl Cannon is the Washington bureau chief of RealClearPolitics and executive editor of RealClear Media Group. The son of Reagan biographer Lou Cannon, he has covered national politics for nearly five decades at the Baltimore Sun, National Journal, and Knight Ridder, and is the author of several books. Links and Resources RealClearPolitics: realclearpolitics.co Connect with us Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn: @coreysnathan Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Give the other side its say, and get the quote right. Now go talk some politics and religion with gentleness and respect.

Mayor David LeGrand loves good ideas and big ideas. He says what keeps him up is not getting to all the things he wants to do in his city. Listen to his big ideas about improving Grand Rapids. Brought to you by The Good Government Institute, bringing together proven ideas, principled leaders, and real-world solutions to strengthen how we govern—not by reinventing the system, but by advancing what already works. GoodGovernmentShow.com Thanks to our sponsors: HelloNation Ourco Good News For Lefties (and America!) - Daily News for Democracy (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) How to Really Run a City Leading Iowa: Good Government in Iowa's Cities (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) The Context: A Podcast by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation The Good Government Show is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. The Royal Cousins: How Three Cousins Could Have Stopped A World War by Jim Ludlow Executive Producers: David Martin, David Snyder, Jim Ludlow Host/Reporter: David Martin Producers: David Martin, Jason Stershic Editor: Jason Stershic

Political polarization in the U.S. can feel like a lost cause. Trying to have productive conversations with people you disagree with over politics can seem pointless, especially now. News media and social media often reduce “the other side” to its most extreme forms. This creates a negative feedback loop, weakening our ability to function as a democracy. But research suggests that Americans — on both the Left and the Right —  often misperceive how hostile, uniform, or different their opponents really are.  In our seven part Beyond Polarization series, we're talking to experts from across the political spectrum — in journalism, education, government, and more — about what it's costing Americans, and what we can actually do about it. The point isn't to agree (not gonna happen), or even to move toward the center. As our guest for this first episode Julia Minson puts it, we need to learn to “disagree better.”  Julia Minson is a social psychologist and  professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She's the author of How to Disagree Better  published in March 2026, and the founder of the behavioral science consulting firm Disagreeing Better, offering speaking and training on effective management of conflict. In this episode she shares some of her research findings about what we get wrong about each other, and what interventions have worked to correct misperceptions. Plus, a proven formula you can use to have a meaningful conversation in conflict situations.  Thoughts on this episode? Find us on social media @makingpeacevisible (details below) or email info@makingpeacevisible.org. The Beyond Polarization series publishes biweekly through October 2026, with our second episode on August 4.  LEARN MORE: Read an excerpt from Julia Minson's book How to Disagree Better Strengthening Democracy Challenge megastudy led by Stanford University  Heineken – Worlds Apart: Watch the 2017 beer commercial that proved most effective at reducing polarization in the Stanford study  The political polarization of COVID-19 treatments among physicians and laypeople in the United States, published in PNAS Special thanks to Adam Dusenberry and Harvard University Education Support Services. ABOUT THE SHOW The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. The associate producer and graphic designer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.orgSupport our workConnect on social:Instagram @makingpeacevisibleYouTube @makingpeacevisibleLinkedIn @makingpeacevisibleBluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.socialMaking Peace Visible is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts dedicated to creating a more informed, civically engaged electorate.We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!

The press is the only industry the Constitution protects. Hugo Balta thinks too many newsrooms forgot why, and he walked out to prove it. Hugo Balta spent three decades in newsrooms at NBC, MSNBC, Telemundo, CBS, ABC, and ESPN before leaving mainstream media for independent journalism. He now serves as executive editor of The Fulcrum and publisher of the Latino News Network, and he remains the only person in the history of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists to serve twice as its president. This conversation runs from a Paterson, NJ childhood as the son of Peruvian immigrants to why he rejects objectivity as a marketing tool, what a free press is actually for, and the morning he flew the flag upside down. Calls to Action ✅ Follow the show wherever you listen ✅ Leave a rating and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion ✅ Share this episode with someone who works in or distrusts the media Key Takeaways Objectivity is a marketing tool. No journalist checks their identity at the newsroom door, and pretending otherwise is what audiences have stopped believing. The honest standard is fair and accurate, built on transparent methods and undisputed facts. The math flipped, so he left. Early in his career, journalism was 70 percent of the job and business pressure 30. A decade later that ratio inverted toward clicks and presidential tweets, and that was the moment he chose independence. Diagnosing a problem is only half the work. Solutions journalism holds that reporters owe readers more than a spotlight on what's broken. The turn toward what right looks like, backed by evidence and a few action items, is what separates informing from educating. Understand the motivation, not just the position. Most disagreements are about the path, not the destination. Asking what drives someone's stance humanizes them and opens the ground where real debate can happen. About Our Guest Hugo Balta is executive editor of The Fulcrum and publisher of the Latino News Network, which has grown under his leadership to ten local and national digital news sites. A three-decade veteran of network and public media, he is an accredited Solutions Journalism Network trainer and teaches at Columbia College Chicago. Links and Resources The Fulcrum: thefulcrum.us Latino News Network: latinonewsnetwork.com Hugo Balta on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hugobalta Connect with Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn: @coreysnathan Partners Proud to be part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Fair and accurate beats objective every time. Now go talk some politics and religion with gentleness and respect.

There's a lot of talk about driverless cars, they improve traffic, they impede traffic, they're safe, they aren't safe at all. I sat down with Daniel Greene Senior Director of consumer protection and product safety for the National Consumers League. We talked about driverless cars, their future and what's going on with them now. Make no mistake, they are coming. Brought to you by The Good Government Institute, bringing together proven ideas, principled leaders, and real-world solutions to strengthen how we govern—not by reinventing the system, but by advancing what already works. GoodGovernmentShow.com Thanks to our sponsors: HelloNation Ourco Good News For Lefties (and America!) - Daily News for Democracy (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) How to Really Run a City Leading Iowa: Good Government in Iowa's Cities (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) The Context: A Podcast by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation The Good Government Show is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. The Royal Cousins: How Three Cousins Could Have Stopped A World War by Jim Ludlow Executive Producers: David Martin, David Snyder, Jim Ludlow Host/Reporter: David Martin Producers: David Martin, Jason Stershic Editor: Jason Stershic

She left the church at twenty-five. She never stopped praying, and she still doesn't know who's listening. Lauren Jackson writes Believing, the New York Times newsletter about how people practice faith and doubt now, and she came to the beat by way of her own departure from the Mormon church she was raised in. Corey talks with her about what secularism can't replace, what AI is quietly taking from us, and the question she brings to every hard conversation. Calls to Action ✅ Subscribe to Lauren's newsletter, Believing, at The New York Times ✅ Follow her on Instagram: @laurenchristinejackson ✅ Enjoyed this one? Leave a quick review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion Key Takeaways Ask what if they're right. Before a hard conversation, Lauren puts that question to herself, then listens. Your position may not move, but you get closer to the humanity of the person across from you, and that turns out to matter more. Secularism won, and it still can't do everything. Religion delivers beliefs, belonging, and behaviors in one place, and nothing secular offers all three at once. The absence shows up as a hunger for community that people describe to her constantly. Belief is spiking. Attendance isn't. Gallup finds a sharp jump in young men under thirty who call religion very important, without the matching rise in showing up anywhere. Religion is increasingly a piece of a packaged identity rather than a practice. Resist the doctrine of efficiency. Father James Martin's phrase, and Lauren's working rule. We lose to machines on volume, so the only place left to win is quality, which requires the slowness that AI is designed to eliminate. She will always seek to humanize. Not condone, and not valorize. Understand what real, human motivations produce behavior we find contestable, which is harder to sit with than a verdict. We are the times. A friend gave her Augustine's line from the sacking of Rome, and it landed as an assignment. Despairing about the age is a way of pretending we are not participants in it. About Our Guest Lauren Jackson is deputy editorial director for newsletters at The New York Times and the host of Believing, a weekly newsletter about how people live religion and spirituality now. Links and Resources

Today we have a special bonus episode for the Outrage Overload community. We are sharing the premiere episode of a brand-new, six-part documentary series from our sister show in The Democracy Group network, Future Hindsight.The series is called Occupy! An Unfinished Uprising.About This Special Episode: In 2008, a Wall Street crash gutted millions of lives. It took until 2011 for the Left to answer—a call to protest went out, thousands came, and they tried to build an anti-capitalist village in Zuccotti Park. Told through the raw, unfiltered voices of the activists who camped there for almost two months, this series gets inside a movement that grew fast, felt transcendent and chaotic at once, and then violently flamed out.Want to hear the rest of the series? Occupy! An Unfinished Uprising is a six-part weekly series. To hear Episode 2 and follow the rest of the journey, subscribe to Future Hindsight on your favorite podcast app or visit FutureHindsight.com.Text me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, DavidSupport the showShow Notes:https://outrageoverload.net/ Contact me, David Beckemeyer by email outrageoverload@gmail.com. Follow the show on Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload. Check out our Subtstack https://outrageoverload.substack.comHOTLINE: 925-552-7885Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the O2 hotline and leave a message and you could be featured in an upcoming episodeIf you would like to help the show, you can contribute here. Tell everyone you know about the show. That's the best way to support it.Rate and Review the show on Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/OutrageOverloadAlso check out our companion podcasts, This Week in Outrage and Outrage Science Bites.Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.Outrage Overload, a Conners Institute podcast, is part of The Democr...

The founders weren't just the names in the history books. You count as one, and citizenship is something you practice. Lindsey Cormack studies how members of Congress actually talk to the people they represent, and she wrote the book on why civics belongs at home long before it reaches a classroom. Corey sits down with her on what it takes to raise a citizen, why disagreement is where the learning happens, and how a new podcast makes the case that government doesn't always have to suck. Calls to Action ✅ Grab Lindsey's book, How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It's Up to You to Do It): howtoraiseacitizen.com ✅ Follow her new podcast, Government That Doesn't Suck ✅ Enjoyed this one? Leave a quick review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion Key Takeaways Every American is a founder. Lindsey reframes citizenship as something you practice, not something performed on you. The question she puts to students of every age, "what kind of founder are you," turns civic life from a spectator sport into a personal responsibility. Two classes is not a civic education. Most Americans get one social studies class in middle school and one government class in high school, then nothing. That's too little, too late for a subject this size. Open with "what have you heard?" Since there's no shared set of facts anymore, that question sets the table without a fight. From there, "what do you think" and "what do you know" move things toward learning instead of scorekeeping. Winning is the wrong goal. The point of talking across difference is to learn why someone thinks the way they do, not to convert them. The pressure drops the moment you stop keeping score. Government doesn't always have to suck. Lindsey's new show with Greg Jackson studies the times American government got things right, on the logic that you can't repeat a success you never bothered to examine. Grounded optimism holds up better than either blind cheerleading or constant despair. About Our Guest Lindsey Cormack is an associate professor of political science at Stevens Institute of Technology, creator of the DC Inbox database of congressional e-newsletters, author of How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It's Up to You to Do It), and co-host of the podcast Government That Doesn't Suck. Links and Resources

Christian Leinbach is a commissioner in Berks County, PA. He's been on the show more than any other guest. On this episode we got to dig on what makes a good commissioner and a good elected official. Brought to you by The Good Government Institute, bringing together proven ideas, principled leaders, and real-world solutions to strengthen how we govern—not by reinventing the system, but by advancing what already works. GoodGovernmentShow.com Thanks to our sponsors: HelloNation Ourco Good News For Lefties (and America!) - Daily News for Democracy (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) How to Really Run a City Leading Iowa: Good Government in Iowa's Cities (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) The Context: A Podcast by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation The Good Government Show is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. The Royal Cousins: How Three Cousins Could Have Stopped A World War by Jim Ludlow Executive Producers: David Martin, David Snyder, Jim Ludlow Host/Reporter: David Martin Producers: David Martin, Jason Stershic Editor: Jason Stershic

Often the news covers crises without context. That's especially true when it comes to coverage of the Global South in international media.  Our guest this episode, journalist and documentary filmmaker Etant Dupain, gives us a behind-the-headlines look at events in Haiti, his home country. Dupain says that the gangs who control much of the country now are supported by powerful elites. Their aim, his says, is to suppress a grassroots protest movement that is calling for accountability for the embezzlement of billions of dollars in development funds.  Dupain's documentary film, The Fight for Haiti, tells the story of the Haitian movement against corruption and impunity, which started with a tweet and at its height had hundreds of thousands in the street. This episode was first recorded in February 2025, and has been updated.  In this episode, you'll learn about The problematic history of foreign aid in Haiti including the aftermath of the the 2010 earthquake The Petrocaribe agreement with Venezuela that was supposed to fund crucial infrastructure projects in Haiti Creative tactics activists used to demand accountability Who profits when gangs overtake a country What the end of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians in the United States could mean for Haiti's future Watch a trailer and learn more about the film and the movement at thefightforhaiti.com. Want to host a screening? Email info@thefightforhaiti.com.  Protest audio used in the episode is from the film The Fight for Haiti, used with permission. Other music in this episode by Xylo-Ziko, Toby Tranter, and Reed Mathis.  ABOUT THE SHOW The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. The associate producer and graphic designer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.orgSupport our workConnect on social:Instagram @makingpeacevisibleYouTube @makingpeacevisibleLinkedIn @makingpeacevisibleBluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.socialMaking Peace Visible is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts dedicated to creating a more informed, civically engaged electorate.We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!

Through Psalm 74 and the firebombing of a New Jersey synagogue in 1984, a bar mitzvah season becomes a reckoning with the places we call hallowed and what survives once they've been defiled. A solo reflection on desecration, spectacle, and the unglamorous work of redemption, from an old tavern's charred remains to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in the year of America's 250th. ✅ If this one landed, leave a quick review so others looking for conversations like it can find them too: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Find Corey @coreysnathan across the socials, and join the conversation over on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can fix it together. The buckets and the steel wool. That's the work of redemption.

Polarization in the U.S. is not just a Washington problem. It also shows up in our newsrooms, our social media feeds, our schools, our dinner tables, and most importantly, in the stories we tell about each other.  That's why Making Peace Visible is launching a new limited podcast series called Beyond Polarization. We're speaking with people from across the political spectrum to break down what these deepening divisions are actually costing Americans — all of us. Across six sectors — journalism, new media, higher education, technology, government, and civil society — we'll examine where familiar solutions have fallen short, what evidence-based efforts are working, and how trust can be rebuilt in practical, durable ways. Beyond Polarization launches in this feed on July 21 and will include in-depth conversations with:   Harvard professor Julia Minson, author of How to Disagree Better, whose research explores the psychology of conflict and what it takes to engage more productively across political divides. Tina Rosenberg of The Solutions Journalism Network and Sarah Jane Weaver, Editor-in-Chief of Deseret News on the role solutions journalism can play in depolarization. Ethnomusicologist and University of Maryland dean Stephanie Shonekan and John Rose, professor of civil discourse at UNC Chapel Hill, who are teaching college students how to have difficult conversations with dignity.  Larry Rosen, host of The Enemies Project YouTube Channel, and Monica Guzman, host of A Braver Way podcast, on telling stories that unite within an online ecosystem built on division.  Plus technologists, elected officials, community leaders, and more. ABOUT THE SHOW The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. The associate producer and graphic designer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.orgSupport our workConnect on social:Instagram @makingpeacevisibleYouTube @makingpeacevisibleLinkedIn @makingpeacevisibleBluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.socialMaking Peace Visible is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts dedicated to creating a more informed, civically engaged electorate.We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!

On the eve of America's 250th birthday, The Village Square and Florida Humanities proudly present: Dr. Yuval Levin: American Covenant As we near July 4th in our 250th year, we turn our attention to the document that charted a path for a new country—the Constitution. Far from being the source of our problems as has become fashionable to believe, Dr. Yuval Levin argues that the Constitution holds the power to save us. According to Levin, "it doesn't mean thinking alike, it means acting together." Are you wondering how we could possibly act together when we disagree so vehemently? Join us as we meet a scholar who "may be the most important voice in the political culture right now."  Learn more about our guests and find the program online here . This program is part of the series in partnership with Florida Humanities — "UNUM: Democracy Reignited," a multi-year digital offering exploring the past, present and future of the American idea — as it exists on paper, in the hearts of our people, and as it manifests (or sometimes fails to manifest) in our lives. View the full series of programs online here. ———————————————————— The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. UNUM: Democracy Reignited is funded in part by Florida Humanities with support from Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Mellon Foundation. (Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of our funders.) By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.  

A doctor once told Rich Harwood's mother to face it, her son was a lemon. He's spent his life proving no one is disposable, and that even the most divided towns in America can build something together. Two minutes. Real impact. Leave a review:  lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion What does it take to heal a divided town? Less talking, says Rich Harwood. After almost 40 years running the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, he's watched the poorest community in America and some of the most divided places in the country do what most of us have stopped believing is possible: build something together, across every line that's supposed to keep them apart. The conversation runs from Moses and Lincoln to a synagogue firebombing to the three working men who saved his life as a sick kid, and lands on a deceptively simple idea about what we owe one another. A few takeaways: Pull issues out of the political frame and people agree more than they think. Harwood works the reddest and bluest places in the country and says he can't tell who voted for whom. Ask people what they care about instead of who they voted for, and the same concerns surface everywhere: youth, seniors, mental health, belonging. Start small. Big comprehensive plans tend to collapse under their own weight. Real change starts with one modest step that catalyzes a chain reaction, the way practice dinners at a single church spread across an entire county in Reading, Pennsylvania. Turn outward. Sharing space begins with a posture, not a technique. Physically turn toward the other person, choose to see them, and lead with curiosity about what matters to them. About our guest: Rich Harwood is president and founder of the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation and the author of several books, most recently The New Civic Path: Restoring Our Belief in One Another and Our Nation (2024). Find Rich: The Harwood Institute: theharwoodinstitute.org Rich Harwood on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richardcharwood ✅ Subscribe to the Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Follow @coreysnathan across the platforms ✅ Loved this one? Rate and review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Rich wants the sequel over a beer. We're holding him to it.

Stefan Roots is the mayor of Chester, PA. His city is the only bankrupt city in America. Listen to how the city's mayor manages a city with, well no money. Brought to you by The Good Government Institute, bringing together proven ideas, principled leaders, and real-world solutions to strengthen how we govern—not by reinventing the system, but by advancing what already works. GoodGovernmentShow.com Thanks to our sponsors: HelloNation Ourco Good News For Lefties (and America!) - Daily News for Democracy (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) How to Really Run a City Leading Iowa: Good Government in Iowa's Cities (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) The Context: A Podcast by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation The Good Government Show is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. The Royal Cousins: How Three Cousins Could Have Stopped A World War by Jim Ludlow Executive Producers: David Martin, David Snyder, Jim Ludlow Host/Reporter: David Martin Producers: David Martin, Jason Stershic Editor: Jason Stershic

An off-the-cuff solo update on two essays in the works: one on the sacred spaces we share and what survives their desecration, the other on the real derangement in our politics, told through three men Corey loves and has watched change. Plus the launch of something new for the show, taking the mission to a local pub, the divier the better, to talk politics and religion on camera, over a drink, with friends who see the world differently. ✅ If you're into where this is heading, leave a quick review so others looking for conversations like this can find them too: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Find Corey @coreysnathan across the socials, and join the conversation over on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can fix it together. Pull up a stool. We're just getting started.

Why does our modern political landscape feel so intensely divided, and why does it seem like the media environment is constantly dialed up to eleven?In this special crossover episode, David sits down with Michael Baranowski, host of The Politics Guys and fellow member of The Democracy Group podcast network. Moving past the usual surface-level punditry, they pull back the curtain on the "outrage industry" to diagnose the systemic, cognitive, and commercial forces driving us apart.David and Michael skip the usual warm-ups and dive straight into the structural incentives that prioritize clicks over nuance, the profound psychological misperceptions we hold about the "other side," and—most importantly—the role we play as consumers in feeding this ecosystem.Text me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, DavidSupport the showShow Notes:https://outrageoverload.net/ Contact me, David Beckemeyer by email outrageoverload@gmail.com. Follow the show on Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload. Check out our Subtstack https://outrageoverload.substack.comHOTLINE: 925-552-7885Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the O2 hotline and leave a message and you could be featured in an upcoming episodeIf you would like to help the show, you can contribute here. Tell everyone you know about the show. That's the best way to support it.Rate and Review the show on Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/OutrageOverloadAlso check out our companion podcasts, This Week in Outrage and Outrage Science Bites.Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.Outrage Overload, a Conners Institute podcast, is part of The Democr...

Some state lawmakers drive Uber to afford the job. The best of them are walking away. Layla Zaidane runs the largest nonpartisan organization for young lawmakers in the country, and her team's "Exit Interview" found that the most promising bipartisan legislators are leaving office over problems that are entirely fixable. This conversation launches Terms of Service, a new collaboration between Future Caucus and TP&R that takes you inside what it actually costs to serve. Key Takeaways The math doesn't work. The average state lawmaker earns about $20,000 less than the average American worker. That pushes good people toward second jobs or out of office entirely. The best ones are quitting. The legislators most willing to work across the aisle are resigning at high rates, and the reasons are solvable: pay, staff, scheduling, safety. State houses are less broken than you think. Smaller chambers and retail-scale politics let lawmakers build the trust that gridlocked institutions can't. Violence brought out the worst and the best. As threats against officials rose, some of the most powerful responses came from bipartisan pairs refusing to let it become normal. About Our Guest Layla Zaidane is president and CEO of Future Caucus, the largest nonpartisan organization for young lawmakers in the United States, working with Gen Z and millennial legislators across 36 states to govern across party lines. Links and Resources Future Caucus: futurecaucus.org | @futurecaucus Layla Zaidane: @lzaidane TP&R is proud to be part of The Democracy Group podcast network. ✅ If this one landed, leave a quick review so others looking for conversations like it can find them too: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Find Corey @coreysnathan across the socials, and join the conversation over on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com The Terms of Service series is a partnership between Scan Media and Future Caucus. Executive Producers: Future Caucus and Layla Zaidane. Learn more about Future Caucus at www.futurecaucus.org.

Janet Cowell is well into her second year as mayor of Raleigh. I got to catch up with her and talk about her first year in office. Brought to you by The Good Government Institute, bringing together proven ideas, principled leaders, and real-world solutions to strengthen how we govern—not by reinventing the system, but by advancing what already works. GoodGovernmentShow.com Thanks to our sponsors: HelloNation Ourco Good News For Lefties (and America!) - Daily News for Democracy (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) How to Really Run a City Leading Iowa: Good Government in Iowa's Cities (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) The Context: A Podcast by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation The Good Government Show is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. The Royal Cousins: How Three Cousins Could Have Stopped A World War by Jim Ludlow Executive Producers: David Martin, David Snyder, Jim Ludlow Host/Reporter: David Martin Producers: David Martin, Jason Stershic Editor: Jason Stershic

Through the lens of the Tennessee Williams play, The Glass Menagerie, a morning walk through Washington, from DuPont Circle to the Jefferson Memorial, becomes a reckoning with what we've made of our civic sacred spaces. A solo reflection on desecration, devotion, and a faith in the American experiment that proves harder to walk away from than intended. ✅ If this one landed, leave a quick review so others looking for conversations like it can find them too: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Find Corey @coreysnathan across the socials, and join the conversation over on Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can fix it together. Beautiful, impossible, and ours anyway.

Big changes are underway in Washington DC. As the USA celebrates its 250th, it's evolving. Nina Albert is the deputy mayor for planning and economic development and there's a lot of both in the Capitol City. Brought to you by The Good Government Institute, bringing together proven ideas, principled leaders, and real-world solutions to strengthen how we govern—not by reinventing the system, but by advancing what already works. GoodGovernmentShow.com Thanks to our sponsors: HelloNation Ourco Good News For Lefties (and America!) - Daily News for Democracy (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) How to Really Run a City Leading Iowa: Good Government in Iowa's Cities (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) The Context: A Podcast by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation The Good Government Show is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. The Royal Cousins: How Three Cousins Could Have Stopped A World War by Jim Ludlow Executive Producers: David Martin, David Snyder, Jim Ludlow Host/Reporter: David Martin Producers: David Martin, Jason Stershic Editor: Jason Stershic

“It's easy to hate things you don't understand.” Two minutes. Real impact. Leave a review:  lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion Kristin Wilson spent three decades producing Washington coverage, including a decade running CNN's Capitol Hill unit, with stops at NBC, CBS, Nightline, the BBC, and Fox News. Now she's co-founder and executive producer of 535, a journalist-founded, nonpartisan newsroom built to cover the policy of Congress. The conversation gets into what gets lost when the cameras chase conflict, why bipartisan work still happens when no one is looking, and how seeing legislators as people makes them harder to write off. Calls to Action ✅ If this episode resonates, consider sharing it with someone who might need a reminder that disagreement doesn't have to mean dehumanization. ✅ Check out our Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe to Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other on your favorite podcast platform. ✅ Watch the full conversation and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Key Takeaways Policy is the story. 535 covers the appropriations fights, committee work, and behind-the-scenes deals that move real money and shape real lives. It's harder to dislike people up close. Watch members talk about what they care about, and the cartoon version gets harder to hold onto. The aisle still gets crossed. From steak invitations to co-sponsored bills, members find ways to work together when they decide to. Ask, then listen. Kristin's whole craft comes down to asking a real question and actually hearing the answer. About Our Guest Kristin Wilson is co-founder and executive producer of 535, a new kind of newsroom for the policy of Congress. Over nearly 30 years she led CNN's Hill coverage and produced for NBC, CBS, Nightline, the BBC, and Fox News. Links and Resources 535 - 535.news Kristin Wilson - @kristin-wilson Grateful to our friends at The Democracy Group - www.democracygroup.org Connect on Social Media Corey is @coreysnathan on all the socials... Substack LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Threads Bluesky TikTok Clarity, charity, and conviction can live in the same room. Yes, really.

Democracy is a conversation. In the United States, and every other democracy, we're continually talking with one another about what issues deserve our attention, what our nation stands for, and what we want from our government. Politicians, parties, and media organizations compete for attention by telling compelling stories. This marketplace of ideas offers citizens and voters a wide selection of storylines and solutions. But even when free speech is protected, that doesn't mean everyone is equally skilled at crafting compelling narratives. In this conversation, taped in front of a live audience, Sarah Longwell joins host Alex Lovit to describe why pro-democracy advocates are losing the messaging war and what they can do to relate to the issues and values voters care about most. Sarah Longwell is the publisher of The Bulwark, which she cofounded in 2019, and a Charles F. Kettering Foundation senior fellow. She regularly conducts focus groups with voters across the political spectrum and hosts the podcast The Focus Group. This conversation was recorded live on June 8 during The Democracy Group's annual convening at the University of Southern California's Capital Campus in Washington, DC. https://substack.com/@sarahlongwell https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/how-to-eat-an-elephant-9781250464170/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Buddy Dyer is the Mayor of Orlando and he sees sports as a big part of his city. Listen to how he has built up his sports city and thoughts for other cities. Brought to you by The Good Government Institute, bringing together proven ideas, principled leaders, and real-world solutions to strengthen how we govern—not by reinventing the system, but by advancing what already works. GoodGovernmentShow.com Thanks to our sponsors: HelloNation Ourco Good News For Lefties (and America!) - Daily News for Democracy (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) How to Really Run a City Leading Iowa: Good Government in Iowa's Cities (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) The Context: A Podcast by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation The Good Government Show is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. The Royal Cousins: How Three Cousins Could Have Stopped A World War by Jim Ludlow Executive Producers: David Martin, David Snyder, Jim Ludlow Host/Reporter: David Martin Producers: David Martin, Jason Stershic Editor: Jason Stershic

This was one of our most listened-to conversations of the past year. If you missed it the first time, here's your second chance. She moderated the fly debate. She interviewed Stephen Hawking. She covered 12 presidential campaigns and sat down with the last 10 presidents. And she spent years inside Queen Elizabeth's extraordinary vantage point on American democracy — one that no American journalist could ever fully replicate. Two minutes. Real impact. Leave a review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion Susan Page, Washington Bureau Chief of USA TODAY, joins Corey to discuss her latest book, The Queen and Her Presidents: a sweeping account of Queen Elizabeth II's relationships with every American president from Truman to Biden. But this conversation goes well beyond the book. Susan reflects on a career that began in a converted car dealership on Long Island, the lessons she learned covering her first president (and how badly she blew it), what it really takes to develop sources across decades of political reporting, and why — from a Kansas girl's perspective — the people on both sides of our divide love America more than we give them credit for. Calls to Action ✅ If this conversation resonates, consider sharing it with someone who believes connection across difference still matters. ✅ Subscribe to Corey's Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen:  lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe to Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other on your favorite podcast platform. ✅ Watch the full conversation and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Key Takeaways Preparation is a framework, not a script. Susan goes into every major interview with a plan — what she wants to get, how to get it, what to do if the answer goes sideways. But the goal is to inform the conversation, not control it. The worst thing an interviewer can do, she says, is fail to listen to the answer. Great sourcing is built on respect and fairness, not on pulling punches. Rich Bond, the young Long Island operative she profiled in 1979, became a top Republican official and a reliable source for decades — not because she went easy on him, but because he trusted her to be fair. She would not have softened a story about him, and he knew it. Books and daily journalism use the same muscle, differently. The skills transfer directly — the sourcing, the curiosity, the nose for a good detail — but the bar is higher and the time horizon is longer. Writing a book means people are paying thirty dollars and spending real time. You owe them something they couldn't get from clicking a link. The best research rewards patience. Sifting through archival files at eight presidential libraries and the National Archives in Britain yielded moments that almost nobody else has read. The sarcastic cables British ambassadors sent back about LBJ as vice president confirmed everything LBJ already suspected they thought of him. They love America. Whether she's at a No Kings rally or a MAGA rally, Susan hears the same thing: people who care deeply, who revere the Constitution, who think they're fighting for the country. The polarization isn't about love of country — it's about a failure to extend basic respect across the divide. Queen Elizabeth perfected the art of getting people to talk. Her small talk strategy — chatter briefly, then turn the question back — was especially effective with men, who, as Susan notes diplomatically, tend to enjoy talking about themselves. Susan has consciously adopted the technique and credits it with making her better at navigating rooms full of strangers. About Our Guest Susan Page is the Washington Bureau Chief of USA TODAY and one of the most respected political journalists in America. She has covered 12 presidential campaigns and interviewed the last 10 presidents. She moderated the 2020 vice presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Mike Pence — yes, the one with the fly — and is the bestselling author of biographies of Barbara Bush, Nancy Pelosi, and Barbara Walters. Her latest book, The Queen and Her Presidents, chronicles Queen Elizabeth II's relationships with every American president from Truman through Biden. Links and Resources The Queen and Her Presidents by Susan Page — susanpagedc.com Grateful to our friends at The Democracy Group: www.democracygroup.org Connect on Social Media Corey is @coreysnathan on all the socials… Substack LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Threads Bluesky TikTok “Clarity, charity, and conviction can live in the same room.” Yes, really.

What if the way we talk about "the other side" isn't just rude — it's something closer to dehumanization? Consumer and social psychologist Lura Forcum has a precise vocabulary for what's happening, and a clear-eyed prescription for what to do about it. Two minutes. Real impact. Leave a review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion Lura writes the newsletter How to Human and co-hosts We Made This Political with political scientist Lauren Hall. Her work sits at the intersection of human behavior, civic life, and the social cognition we're outsourcing to screens, algorithms, and AI. Calls to Action ✅ If this episode resonates, consider sharing it with someone who might need a reminder that disagreement doesn't have to mean dehumanization. ✅ Check out our Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen:  lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe to Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other on your favorite podcast platform. ✅ Watch the full conversation and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Key Takeaways Infrahumanization is the dehumanization we don't notice. Calling people vermin is rare and widely rejected. But treating the other side as interchangeable, simple, or incapable of real suffering? That's everywhere — and it's the mental move that makes cruelty psychologically possible. Politics is relational, and we've been pretending it isn't. Civic life is built from relationships that require reciprocity. We've convinced ourselves the normal rules don't apply when the subject is politics. They do. Broken relationships have to be repaired. We evolved for face-to-face. We didn't evolve for this. Online, you never have to reckon with being wrong about someone. In person, you're stuck with them — and that's the point. About Our Guest Lura Forcum is a consumer and social psychologist, strategic advisor, and former professor. She writes How to Human on Substack and co-hosts We Made This Political with Lauren Hall. Links and Resources How to Human: luraforcum.substack.com We Made This Political: wemadethispolitical.substack.com Lura on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/luraforcum Grateful to our friends at The Democracy Group: www.democracygroup.org You evolved to do this. You've just been out of practice.

When the theological scrutiny is ferocious for the Democrat and nonexistent for the Republican, you're not watching theology. You're watching idolatry. Two minutes. Real impact. Leave a review:   lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion Ken Paxton won the Republican primary for the Texas U.S. Senate seat. He was impeached 121-23 by a Republican-controlled House, divorced on biblical grounds, and caught on video pocketing a thousand-dollar pen. James Talarico, the Democratic nominee, attends Princeton Seminary and talks openly about his faith. Prominent evangelical voices have published multiple pieces questioning Talarico's Christian credibility. You won't find comparable scrutiny of Paxton. This episode is about what that asymmetry actually reveals, and why refusing to traffic in fear and anger is the harder road. Calls to Action ✅ If this episode resonates, consider sharing it with someone who might need a reminder that disagreement doesn't have to mean dehumanization. ✅ Check out our Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen:  lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe to Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other on your favorite podcast platform. ✅ Watch the full conversation and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Key Takeaways The scrutiny follows the letter, not the life. The asymmetry between evangelical treatment of Talarico and Paxton isn't theological. It's tribal. Love is obedience, not an optional add-on. Kindness and humility aren't the soft edges of the faith. They're the point. The Pew data draws the line clearly. Most Americans are open to religion's influence in their lives. Nearly eight in ten say churches shouldn't endorse candidates. People know the difference between faith and partisanship. Links and Resources Pew Research: pewresearch.org Grateful to our friends at The Democracy Group: www.democracygroup.org Connect on Social Media Corey is @coreysnathan on all the socials... Substack LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Threads Bluesky TikTok Horse hockey has a theological address, and this episode found it.

She's a Republican who won't back Trump, and she has no interest in yelling — just winning. Two minutes. Real impact. Leave a review: lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion Susan Del Percio is a crisis communications expert, political analyst, and MS NOW columnist who has publicly opposed Trump since 2015. Corey and Susan dig into the Texas Senate race, how vulnerable Republicans navigate a MAGA world, what polls actually tell you, and why listening might be the most radical political act left. Calls to Action ✅ If this episode resonates, consider sharing it with someone who might need a reminder that disagreement doesn't have to mean dehumanization. ✅ Check out our Substack: coreysnathan.substack.com ✅ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen:  lovethepodcast.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Subscribe to Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other on your favorite podcast platform. ✅ Watch the full conversation and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion Key Takeaways Threading the needle in 2026. Vulnerable Republicans need MAGA voters to turn out and independents to cross over. The playbook: show up with Trump once, deliver locally, and pick your fights carefully. Don't take the bait. Susan's advice for James Talarico: ignore the culture-war attacks and make every answer about the economy. Gas prices, cost of goods, cost of doing business. Nothing else. What polls actually tell you. They're snapshots, not predictions. Susan ignores the horse race and looks for trends and cross-tabs — specifically, who's gettable. Respecting the office. Susan called Trump a piece of garbage on air and has never forgiven herself. Not because she supports him — because the office demands a baseline the person in it doesn't. Just listen. Stop preparing your rebuttal long enough to hear what someone is actually saying. Then ask why. It costs nothing. About Our Guest Susan Del Percio is a crisis communications expert and political analyst for MS NOW. A lifelong Republican, she has publicly opposed Donald Trump since 2015 and previously served in both the Giuliani and Cuomo administrations. Links and Resources Follow Susan: x.com/DelPercioS Latest on MS NOW: www.ms.now/opinion/trump-republicans-irs-settlement-lawfare-polling-distraction-budget Grateful to our friends at The Democracy Group: www.democracygroup.org Connect on Social Media Corey is @coreysnathan on all the socials... Substack LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Threads Bluesky TikTok Clarity, charity, and conviction can live in the same room. Yes, really.