Podcasts about el sayed

Ralph speaks to economist Dean Baker about the hypocrisies behind the supposed Social Security shortfall and Republicans' "waste, fraud, and abuse" panic. Then, Ralph talks to journalist and ocean activist David Helvarg about his new book: Forest of the Sea: The Remarkable Life and Imperiled Future of Kelp.Dean Baker is a Senior Economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, where he authors “Beat the Press,” his regular commentary on economic reporting. He has written several books, including Getting Back to Full Employment: A Better Bargain for Working People, The End of Loser Liberalism: Making Markets Progressive, False Profits: Recovering from the Bubble Economy, and The Conservative Nanny State: How the Wealthy Use the Government to Stay Rich and Get Richer.People will hear big numbers. They'll hear “$300 billion” and they'll go “Oh my God, that's a lot of money. That's money out of my pocket. It's causing the government deficit,” whatever. That's because they haven't given it any context…If we could, in any conceivable world, afford to pay $500 billion to increase the military budget, surely we can afford to pay $300 billion to ensure that everyone gets their Social Security benefits. It's just a case of: put it in context. I'm not going to say it's a small number. It isn't. But it's smaller— $300 billion is smaller than $500 billion, and that's really not a disputable point.Dean BakerWhere [DOGE] had the biggest consequences is with foreign aid. [Musk] just got a big kick out of that— USAID, he just shut it down. He boasted about that. He goes, “Last weekend I fed USAID into the wood chipper.” That's almost verbatim what he said. Now, what this meant was that you have people— and you could find waste in that program just like any other program, but this is a program that provided millions of people with medicine, with nutrition, with healthcare. And suddenly they couldn't get it…And Elon Musk was boasting that he killed that program. That's great. But millions of people, I mean, thankfully, I don't think it's millions yet, but if that program doesn't get restarted or funded somewhere else, you're going to see millions of people lose their lives.Dean BakerSo we're saying we have people on Medicaid that are committing fraud? No one gets a check from Medicaid. What would that even mean? Like, you signed up for Medicaid and you weren't eligible, so that would mean that they might be making a payment to a doctor or hospital that they don't actually have to make because you didn't qualify? I'm sure that happens sometimes but it's not like someone's living high on the hog because they were able to get Medicaid to pay for their doctor's visit when it actually shouldn't have.Dean BakerDavid Helvarg is a journalist and ocean activist. He is the founder and executive director of Blue Frontier, an ocean policy and media group, and producer of Rising Tide: The Ocean Podcast. He has produced more than 40 documentaries for media outlets, including PBS and the Discovery Channel. And he has written several books, including Blue Frontier, The War Against the Greens, and Forest of the Sea: The Remarkable Life and Imperiled Future of Kelp.I've been pushing with my colleagues in journalism the idea of the “blue beat.” The only resource in the ocean not fully exploited at this point is good investigative reporting and narrative storytelling. Because people don't connect with it, a lot of people think the environment ends at the shoreline. And that's really where 95% of the living space on the planet begins.David HelvargPeople at least know that corals are in trouble and they have some sense of what a coral reef is. People don't know that the planet has this other forest crisis—that kelp forests cover an area larger than the Amazon basin, and they're also being impacted by these marine heat waves that are growing every year. And as you add more heat to the system, it gets more energetic, which is why we have more and more extreme storms. I covered Katrina in 2005. I thought that would be a turning point (we had 1,800 people killed and a million environmental refugees). But the propaganda by the oil and gas industry is such that we keep having these disasters from a warming ocean planet, we see the melting of the Arctic ice, and instead of an alarm bell, it became a dinner bell for all the shipping industries and people who want to exploit the oil and gas in the increasingly open Arctic waters. So we're in this crisis point. I'm more frustrated than despairing because we know what the solutions are. It's creating the political will to enact them.David HelvargWhen I started Blue Frontier 20 years ago, the main threats were overfishing and pollution—oil, chemical, plastic, nutrient pollution. Today, that's being overwhelmed by these marine heat waves.David HelvargNews 6/26/26* Our top story this week comes to us from New York City, where democratic socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani has pulled off a stunning hat trick, with all three candidates for Congress endorsed by the Mayor winning their primaries on Tuesday. The most surprising victory is that of Darializa Avila Chevalier, who ousted the powerful incumbent Congressman Adriano Espaillat, head of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in New York's 13th congressional district. This primary had turned ugly, with Espaillat's campaign seeking to weaponize anti-Haitian racism in the Dominican community against Avila Chevalier, per the Haitian Times, despite the fact that she is not in fact Haitian. Impressive in another way is the victory of UAW organizer and New York State Assemblywoman Claire Valdez in New York's 7th district. Much has been made of this race being a proxy battle between Mamdani and his onetime supporter, retiring Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, who backed her protégé, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso to succeed her in this seat. Reynoso enjoyed the support of a broad range of New York elected officials – including Velazquez along with New York Attorney General Letitia James, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and a broad range of unions and civil society groups, most notably the Working Families Party – but was absolutely trounced by Valdez, who won by over 20 points with the support of Mamdani and NYC-DSA. Meanwhile, in the 10th district, Brad Lander won by an even greater margin, outrunning incumbent Congressman Dan Goldman by over 30 points while running on a pro-Palestine platform in the most Jewish congressional district in America. These victories send a clear signal to the sclerotic, ossified leadership of the Democratic Party. The only question now is will they listen.* Beyond the congressional races, DSA won a remarkable number of races at the state level. According to Democratic Left, DSA will send as many as seven new legislators to Albany this cycle, for a total of “four state senators and 11 or 12 members of the state assembly.” As the magazine notes, this means that the “2027-2028 socialist bloc in Albany will be the second largest in a state legislature in U.S. history…behind 20 members in Wisconsin in 1919 and ahead of 14 members in Wisconsin in 1911.” Within New York City, DSA endorsed candidates won seven out of eight races for seats in the state legislature, per NYC-DSA. All told, it was a thunderous victory for the left in New York and raises the clout of Zohran and his compatriots to dizzying heights.* Meanwhile, in Washington DC, NOTUS reports the local DSA has exploded in membership, adding nearly 1,000 new members since this time last year. This growing bloc flexed its political muscle in the recent Democratic primaries, electing DSA members Janeese Lewis George for Mayor and Aparna Raj for the Ward 1 seat on the DC Council, as well as Oye Owolewa for an at-large seat. Axios notes that they are already eying, “two more openings — to fill Lewis George's Ward 4 seat and the at-large seat of Congress-bound Robert White.” If these votes go in DSA's favor, Lewis George could assume the mayoralty with a progressive majority of seven out of 13 members on the Council. Since her victory last Tuesday, Lewis George has emphasized her plan to lower utility costs through “expanding government solar,” and “balcony solar” for apartment tenants, optimizing efficiency at local government agencies and maximizing federal housing grants.* In Maryland, the results for DSA and progressives more generally were not quite so decisive but the left notched key victories nonetheless. DSA endorsed candidate McKayla Wilkes won her primary for the Charles County Commission and incumbent State Delegate Gabriel Acevero won reelection to his seat. Senators Dalya Attar and Nancy King, both centrist incumbents, lost to progressive challengers, per Maryland Matters. Will Jawando in Montgomery County won the County Executive position with broad support from the Maryland political establishment and progressives, while Maryland Senate Majority Leader Bill Ferguson fended off his first real challenge in years only after a last minute pledge to reverse his position on Maryland congressional redistricting. However, in the 5th congressional district, Steny Hoyer protégé and “AIPAC-backed” Adrian Boafo won the primary to succeed his mentor in Congress. According to the Jerusalem Post, “AIPAC poured $5.7 million into his campaign through its super PAC.” Former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn came in a distant third place, despite scoring the endorsement of Nancy Pelosi. In short, the left has more work to do in order to build a political machine in Maryland as they have in New York and DC.* The next major contest between the factions of the party will occur next week in Colorado, where Melat Kiros, a DSA-backed progressive challenger born in 1997, is taking on Congresswoman Diana DeGette, who first took office that same year, per Zeteo. According to a poll conducted on behalf of the Kiros-aligned Justice Democrats, she leads DeGette by five points and she has now won the endorsement of Senator Bernie Sanders. Senator and former Governor John Hickenlooper is also facing a progressive primary challenge from State Senator Julie Gonzales and, according to the polls, he holds but a single digit lead, the Coloradan reports. We will be watching both of these races closely.* Meanwhile in Congress, the Senate has passed a new resolution on Iran, this time directing Trump to “remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities against Iran unless explicitly authorized by Congress, other than to defend America, an ally or partner from ‘imminent attack,'” according to the Wall Street Journal. The Journal notes that while the resolution is nonbinding, it was previously passed by the House, marking “the first time both chambers of Congress have passed the same measure to curb” presidential power to wage war on the Islamic Republic. The resolution passed 50-48, with the support of Republican Senators Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Rand Paul. Senators Mitch McConnell and Dave McCormick were absent, and Senator John Fetterman again broke ranks with the Democrats to vote no.* Turning from the Senate floor to the shop floor, the United Auto Workers (UAW) concluded their 39th Constitutional Convention last week, with a momentous vote to divest the union's investments from Israel bonds. UAW's divestment decision is the latest victory in the campaign to disentangle the finances of American organized labor from the state of Israel, following the United Electrical Workers (UE) in 2015 and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) in 2023. UAW members also heard from Abdul El-Sayed, the candidate the union has endorsed in the Michigan Senate race. This contentious campaign will not be over until August, but El-Sayed, occupying the progressive lane, has moved into the lead and appears to be consolidating his lead, winning the endorsement of Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen just this week, per the Traverse City Record-Eagle. Van Hollen himself has recently begun hinting that he may seek higher office, recently telling NOTUS that he is “kicking the tires” on a 2028 presidential bid.* Turning to foreign affairs, this week saw the fall of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer, a centrist who was elected Labour Party leader in 2020 following the ouster of leftist Jeremy Corbyn, has held the post of Prime Minister since 2024 when Labour won an historic landslide. Since then however, his personal approval rating and that of the party has cratered, creating space for the rise of the far-right Reform UK party. The BBC reports Starmer will remain in his post until a new leader is chosen from within the party, with the presumptive successor being MP Andy Burnham who recently beat back a challenge in his own seat by a Reform candidate by a large margin. Starmer is now set to be the shortest serving Labour PM in British history, while Burnham is set to become the UK's seventh Prime Minister in the last ten years, both indications of the precariousness of the post-Brexit British political order.* Our final two stories come to us from Latin America. First, in Bolivia, the country's union confederation has maintained a general strike against the right-wing government of Rodrigo Paz for nearly two months over his administration's initiatives to privatize government services and rescind the land reform program instituted over the last several decades of rule by the Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS). On June 19th, journalist Ollie Vargas reported that the government had blinked and signed an agreement to withdraw these plans in exchange for the unions ending the general strike. However, Vargas notes that “most affiliated unions state that they want to maintain strike until [the Paz government] resigns.”* Finally, in Colombia, the right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella emerged victorious from Sunday's runoff presidential election, defeating leftist Ivan Cepeda, the handpicked successor of sitting President Gustavo Petro, by less than one percentage point. In the immediate wake of the election, President Petro “alleged that Israel interfered” in the election, citing “irregularities in the country's vote counting process and calling for a full audit and recount,” per Drop Site News. However, by Wednesday, Cepeda himself formally conceded, framing his decision to do so as “an act of democratic responsibility, to contribute to harmony, peace and dialogue among Colombians,” Al Jazeera reports. As one of his first acts, Abelardo de la Espriella has committed to reestablishing diplomatic relations with Israel, which had been severed under President Petro.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Ralph talks to journalist and M.Div. Chris Hedges about Pope Leo XIV's encyclical on artificial intelligence. Then, Ralph speaks with Rick Engler (former member of the US Chemical Safety and Hazards Investigation Board) about Trump's proposed closing of that agency. Finally, Ralph pays tribute to some recently departed friends.Chris Hedges is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, who spent nearly two decades as a foreign correspondent in Central America, the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans. He is the host of The Chris Hedges Report, and he is a prolific author— his latest book is A Genocide Foretold: Reporting on Survival and Resistance in Occupied Palestine.I think that Pope Leo kind of missed the point of AI. In that he describes that it could be a positive force for Catholic education (these are his words), compassionate health care, creative platforms that tell the Christian story with truth and beauty. I think those were all indications to me that he didn't quite understand what AI is about. It's not about education, it's not about compassion, it's not about truth, and it's not about beauty. It is a very pernicious force that will go beyond, of course, replacing all sorts of labor, but creating a world where fact and fiction are blurred together.Chris HedgesI think that mass organization is kind of all we have left as we barrel towards an authoritarian state. Congress doesn't function, certainly doesn't function as Congress was designed to function. They have surrendered their traditional constitutional authority, including, of course, the call for Congress to declare war. And this kind of unitary executive branch—this was put into place, by the way, before Trump. He's just taken advantage of it…And I think that it's absolutely fundamental that we recapture that kind of militancy, that kind of organized workforce that has traditionally throughout our history been such an important corrective to democracy—along with, of course, journalism.Chris HedgesRick Engler is a former U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board member and labor advocate who founded the New Jersey Work Environment Council. He has advocated for successful landmark state and national public policies that ensure workers and the public's “right to know” about potential chemical dangers, and that promote safer processes, chemical incident prevention, and whistleblower protection.The CSB is unique. I mean, nobody would think of abolishing the National Transportation Safety Board. And no one should think about abolishing the Chemical Safety Board, which does the same thing. It's not about issuing, in this case, fines or violations. It's about trying to understand the underlying causes of what led to these incidents.Rick Engler[Trump's allies] have a certain religious fervor about this. When I talk to plant managers, the plant managers of the corporations are much more careful and nuanced in most cases. They don't want their own plants to explode. But somewhere at the higher corporate levels, I think they're just willing to take the risks that the tradeoff for them is: Trump is supporting them in so many ways, why interfere? Why become part of some nuanced opposition to the most extreme EPA attacks? But I do think the elimination of the CSB is driven by the Trump administration in a way that wouldn't be happening if it was just left to the chemical industry trade associations alone. I'm not sure that's an adequate answer. I'm actually kind of puzzled by it. Because it's also really clear that if there was any one major incident, it would cost so much money—not only in the human tragedy of the lives lost and neighbors harmed and evacuations and shelter-in-place and property damage, but these incidents destroy facilities.Rick EnglerNews 6/12/26* Our top stories this week come to us from California, where, after an excruciatingly protracted wait, authorities have finally called some of the most high-profile races. In Los Angeles, Democratic Socialist City Councilwoman Nithya Raman has secured the second slot in the mayoral race, beating out reactionary former reality television star Spencer Pratt, PBS reports. Pratt garnered significant attention from conservative media for his slick AI-generated ads and his false claims about living in an airstream trailer after his LA home burned down in the recent fires. In actuality, he was living in the posh Bel Air hotel, billed as a campaign expense, per TMZ. Now the question becomes whether or not Raman will be able to expand her coalition to unseat incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in November.* If Raman's victory is the good news however, the bad news is that Trump-endorsed Republican Steve Hilton will advance in the gubernatorial race. He will face off against former California Attorney General and Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, who has accepted large campaign contributions from the California Association of Realtors, the California Medical Association and even Chevron, per CalMatters. This outcome means progressive billionaire Tom Steyer will not advance. Many are placing the blame for this on former Congresswoman Katie Porter, who remained in the race despite clearly failing to achieve any real viability throughout the race. This has drawn comparisons to Elizabeth Warren's perceived role as a spoiler candidate vis-a-vis Bernie Sanders in the 2020 Democratic Primary, particularly since Porter is a highly visible protégé of Senator Warren. In his concession speech, Steyer closed by telling his supporters “Pay attention. Know what you deserve, and know who is on your side. Understand who the villains are, and say their names out loud. Continue to demand more from your leaders and your government, until they give you the California – and the country – you know you deserve. I will be with you all the way.”* Elsewhere in California however, progressives scored major victories. In California's 22nd congressional district, Bernie Sanders-backed Randy Villegas secured a spot in the top two, beating out his opponent Jasmine Bains, who enjoyed the backing of AIPAC and 53 corporate donors, according to the American Prospect. He will face Republican incumbent Congressman David Valadao in November. Even more impressive is the victory of progressive challenger Mai Vang in California's 7th district primary, where she actually emerged as the top vote getter, beating out longtime incumbent Congresswoman Doris Matsui. However, because Matsui, who is 81 years old, won the second-most votes, she will still advance to the general election.* Another much-anticipated primary was held this week on the exact other end of the country. In Maine, Graham Platner trounced his opponents in the Democratic Senate race, winning over 70% of the vote despite a concerted campaign against him in the national press. In his victory speech, CNN reports Platner wrote off the smears, saying “They don't know Maine.” Furthermore, he said “If you believe, as I do, that we can change our politics, and change our country, then you must also believe that people can change…To all those who feel let down, disappointed, or disillusioned. It is my job to earn your trust, your faith, and your support. And I will spend every day of this campaign, and if I have the privilege, every day in the United States Senate, doing exactly that.” Platner will face off against five-term incumbent Senator Susan Collins in a race that will be decisive if Democrats are to have any chance of retaking the Senate in the 2026 midterms.* Turning towards the plains, two candidates are starting to show a surprising level of viability in heavily Republican, rural states. First, in Idaho, Todd Achilles is running as an independent against Republican incumbent Senator Jim Risch. Achilles served as a tank commander and armor officer in the Army before a varied career in the corporate world, education and now politics, according to Independent Voter News. The most striking development in this race is a new poll showing that while “Achilles starts out…behind by 14 points at 48-34…once voters hear biographical information about him and negative messaging about Senator Risch, he gains a full 17 points…[leading] Risch, 41% to 38%.” If accurate, this would be a stunningly close race in a state where registered Republicans outnumber registered Democrats by a margin greater than 5-to-1.* In South Dakota, Brian Bengs, another veteran turned educator – turned, in this case, National Park Ranger – is running shockingly close to incumbent Republican Senator Mike Rounds in a head-to-head matchup. According to the South Dakota Standard, the latest polling shows Rounds leading Bengs 44% to 40%, with 16% undecided. Moreover, like the Achilles poll, when voters are given biographical information about Bengs and negative messaging about Senator Rounds, that margin flips to 44% in favor of Bengs, compared to just 42% for Rounds. If these polls are accurate and independent candidates – not just Achilles and Bengs but also Dan Osborn in Nebraska and Seth Bodnar in Montana – prove viable, perhaps even victorious, in states long seen as out of reach for non-Republicans, there will have to be a serious reckoning with the toxicity of the Democratic Party brand in the American heartland.* In Michigan, progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed has picked up perhaps the most critical possible endorsement in the state: that of the United Auto Workers. In a statement, the union wrote that “UAW members in Michigan want a fighter in Washington, D.C. who isn't afraid to push forward a strong working-class agenda with moral clarity…From Medicare for All to banning stock buybacks, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is ready, eager, and well-equipped to move our core issues in the U.S. Senate.” Whether because of this endorsement or not, El-Sayed now seems to be in the driver's seat in this primary. This endorsement dovetails with UAW President Shawn Fain's rumored frustration with the mainstream labor movement for not doing more to back labor candidates, such as Clare Valdez in New York, who was a UAW organizer before entering the State Assembly.* On the House floor meanwhile, lame-duck dissident Republican Congressman Thomas Massie delivered a barn-burner of a speech this week, demanding that the government reopen the investigation into the 1967 Israeli attack on the USS Liberty, Al Jazeera reports. The attack on the Liberty, a US Navy vessel, killed 34 service members and injured 171 others. For decades, Israel has claimed that this was nothing more than an accidental incident of friendly fire, but the surviving veterans have long disputed this explanation, contending that it was a deliberate attack, either as a “false flag operation or because they simply didn't want anybody observing what they were doing that day.” Massie called on the House to “give them closure…It's long overdue. And then they can have their justice.”* Looking to Latin America, the presidential election in Peru is, predictably, coming down to a razor thin margin, WLRN reports. This race, between left-wing Senator Roberto Sánchez and Keiko Fujimori, perennial presidential candidate and daughter of former dictator Alberto Fujimori, currently stands at 50.004% for Fujimori and 49.996% for Sánchez, with 98.258% of the votes tabulated. Sánchez was favored to win after the in-country votes were counted, then Fujimori pulled ahead when the votes from Miami came in, other absentee votes eroded that margin and gave Sánchez the edge once again but Fujimori has yet again pulled ahead by a hair. This is Fujimori's fourth presidential campaign, making it to the runoff each time but ultimately losing by the narrowest of margins.* Finally, in Colombia, Progressive International reports that while Colombian President Gustavo Petro presides at the United Nations Security Council, “conservative forces in the country's legislature have conspired against the constitution to ‘SUSPEND' his presidency — just 11 days from the run-off presidential election.” While Reuters adds that the proposal must be “debated and approved by all ‌16 ⁠members of the [legislative Commission of Investigation and ​Accusation] and subsequently by the Senate before it can take effect,” it is hard to see this as anything besides an opportunistic grab for power while the proverbial cat is away. Petro's four-year term ends in August; the runoff in the presidential election, between leftist Ivan Cepeda and right-wing lawyer Abelardo ​De La Espriella, will be held on ​June 21st.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

With the launch of a new journal, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) is also launching a brand new podcast: The Points of CARE, the official podcast of Diabetes, Obesity, and CardioMetabolic CARE. Join hosts Richard Beaser, MD and Jane Reusch, MD, as they highlight key research findings, clinical implications, and emerging themes across diabetes, obesity, and cardiometabolic health through interviews with journal authors and subject-matter experts. 4:05 Our hosts speak with Anna Kahkoska, MD, PhD, Joan Heckler Gillings Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition and adjunct assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as Joshua Niznik, PharmD, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine within the UNC School of Medicine. Their article, "Qualitative Analysis of Patient Portal Messages From Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes," is available at doi.org/10.2337/doc25-0079. 14:10 Our hosts introduce Esben Thyssen Vestergaard, PhD, clinical associate professor in the Department of Clinical Medicine and Department of Pediatrics Aarhus University in Aarhus, Denmark. His article, "Clinic for Athletes With Type 1 Diabetes: Evaluation of a Structured Clinical Care Model for Physically Active Individuals," is available for free at doi.org/10.2337/doc25-0064. 21:40 Finally, Richard and Jane highlight some of their favorite articles from the May-June issue. Rezaeiahari, et al. Rural–Urban Differences in Use of Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support in Arkansas, 2015–2019 doi.org/10.2337/doc25-0065 Liu, et al. Trends in Nutrient Intake Among U.S. Adults by Diabetes Status: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2020 doi.org/10.2337/doc25-0076 Yanez Bello, et al. Barriers to the Adoption of Diabetes Technologies and the Implementation of Connected Insulin Pens in a Largely Minority Population With Type 1 Diabetes doi.org/10.2337/doc25-0072 Shehab, et al. Barriers to Effective Type 2 Diabetes Care in a Conflict-Affected Region of Syria: A Qualitative Study of Health Care Provider Perspectives doi.org/10.2337/doc26-0021 ElSayed, et al. Enhancing Physician Clinical Competency: A Cluster Randomized Trial of a Multimodal Online Educational Program in a Multinational Diabetes Workforce doi.org/10.2337/doci25-0007 Olesen, et al. A Danish Nationwide Cohort of Foot Health in Individuals With Diabetes From the Danish Foot Status Database doi.org/10.2337/doc26-0002 To learn more about Diabetes, Obesity, and CardioMetabolic CARE please visit diabetesjournals.org/docm-care. Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe.

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

Chuck Todd opens with the resolution of a story he's been tracking for weeks: Graham Platner cruised to victory in Maine, comfortably clearing 70% even with Janet Mills' name still on the ballot — which he says means the scandals that had Platner in "save my campaign" mode turned out to be far less than a five-alarm fire. The deeper lesson, Chuck argues, is uncomfortable but revealing: for a significant share of Democratic primary voters, high character has become a luxury item, because the base is so exhausted by losing and capitulating to the establishment that it will forgive a flawed candidate who actually seems willing to fight. He notes that Maine has gotten meaningfully bluer since Susan Collins was last on the ballot (Harris underperformed nationally but actually drew more raw votes in Maine than Biden did), that a generic Democrat should win this seat by six or seven points, and that the only real question left is how many squeamish Democrats sit the race out rather than pull the lever for Platner. He runs through the rest of the night — Lindsey Graham narrowly avoided a runoff in South Carolina, the GOP gubernatorial race there is headed to a runoff that knocked out both Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman — and pulls back to identify the defining theme of the entire 2026 cycle: everyone, in both parties, is running on a message of change, with no candidate anywhere running on restoration the way Biden did in 2020. The messaging this cycle is relentlessly future-focused, the exact opposite of Trump's nostalgia, and Chuck reiterates his running observation that the worst possible first name to have in politics right now is "congressman" — because Washington experience carries zero value to voters this cycle. The split-screen between the parties remains stark: Republican voters still reward confrontation while Democratic primary voters are gravitating toward electability and consensus, Democratic turnout is rising while GOP turnout is flat or falling, and the throughline that's held for a decade is only intensifying — voters are demanding major change, and they'll punish anyone who doesn't offer it. Finally, Chuck updates his ToddCast Top 5 list of senate seats most likely to flip parties and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:15 Graham Platner cruised to victory will Janet Mills still on the ballot 04:15 Platner comfortably cleared 70%, it’s not a five alarm fire 05:45 Will there be more scandals from Platner? If so, what type? 06:30 For some primary voters, high character is a luxury item 08:15 The Democratic base is tired of losing & capitulating to establishment 08:45 A Platner election victory could change perception of the Democrats 10:30 Maine has gotten bluer since the last time Collins was on the ballot 11:30 Harris underperformed nationally, but had more raw vote in Maine than Biden 13:30 How many Dems will sit out the race rather than vote for Platner? 15:00 A generic Dem should win this race by 6-7 points 16:00 Lindsey Graham manages to avoid a runoff 16:45 South Carolina GOP gubernatorial race headed to runoff 17:15 Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman didn’t make the runoff 18:30 Everybody running in 2026 is running on a message of change 19:30 There’s no message of restoration similar to Biden’s campaign 20:30 Messaging is more future focused, the opposite of Trump 21:30 The worst first name to have in politics is congressman 24:45 Washington experience won’t carry value to voters this cycle 26:00 GOP voters still seemingly reward confrontation 27:00 Dem primary voters looking to electability/consensus candidates 28:45 Dem turnout on the rise, GOP turnout stagnant or down 29:30 For the past decade, voters are demanding major change 35:15 ToddCast Top 5 senate seats most likely to flip 36:30 More senate seats are creeping to “in play” status 38:45 #1 North Carolina 40:30 #2 Ohio 43:30 #3 Michigan 47:00 #4 Iowa 50:00 #5 Maine 55:00 Ask Chuck 55:15 Could politicians' investments be limited by law to index funds? 57:00 Correction on Jeri Ryan’s Star Trek series 58:30 If candidates like Platner and El-Sayed lose, could progressives change course? 1:04:30 Will Trump’s disciples try to be too much like him once he leaves politics? 1:08:15 Are you seeing a real shift in coverage from CBS News? 1:13:30 Thoughts on Brendan Soresby being reinstated after gambling on himselfSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Michigan U.S. Senate Democratic primary just had its first real debate, and I broke down every answer in real time. On the stage at Mackinac: Mallory McMorrow, Haley Stevens, and Abdul El-Sayed, three Democrats fighting for the chance to take on Republican Mike Rogers in 2026. This is a new kind of episode for Purple Political Breakdown: live debate reaction, scored answer by answer, no team jersey, just who actually made the case. Here's what I dug into: Cost of living, debt, and the billionaire tax. Who brought a real plan and who brought a slogan. McMorrow's No Reverse Robin Hood Act and her hit on Michigan's SOAR fund versus El-Sayed's flat "tax the wealth" pitch. The AI fight nobody else is talking about. El-Sayed floated regulating AI as a public utility, like broadband, and it stopped me cold. McMorrow rolled out an AI jobs and safety plan. I get into whether any of this is actually deliverable for a single senator, and why the "AI as a utility" idea deserves a longer look. The both-sides problem. El-Sayed framed the right and the left as "two establishments playing the same game," and I push back hard. The door stays open for anyone with regrets, but pretending the parties are equally bad right now does not hold up. The filibuster mess. Stevens tied herself in a knot on whether to abolish the filibuster or use it, the moderator caught it, and I owned up to siding with her before I checked the math. Reconciliation matters, and I walk through why. AIPAC, antisemitism, and a moderator who came loaded. The Israel and Gaza questions got tense fast. I call the pile-on what it was while still taking the substance seriously. Healthcare and EVs. Public option versus Medicare for All, and whether killing the EV tax credit just handed the auto industry to China. This is the start of a debate and hearing reaction series. If you want political analysis that scores the argument instead of the party, this one's for you. Drop your take in the comments: who won, and who's actually ready to flip Michigan? Standard Resource Links & Recommendations The following organizations and platforms represent valuable resources for balanced political discourse and democratic participation: PODCAST NETWORK Check Out the Podcast Website: https://www.purplepoliticalbreakdown.com ALIVE Podcast Network: Check out the ALIVE Network where you can catch a lot of great podcasts like my own, led by amazing Black voices. Link: https://alivepodcastnetwork.com/ CONVERSATION PLATFORMS HeadOn: A platform for contentious yet productive conversations. It's a place for hosted and unguided conversations where you can grow a following and enhance your conversations with AI features. Link: https://app.headon.ai/ Living Room Conversations: Building bridges through meaningful dialogue across political divides. 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Link: https://www.independentcenter.org/ GET DAILY NEWS Text 844-406-INFO (844-406-4636) with code "purple" to receive quick, unbiased, factual news delivered to your phone every morning via Informed (https://informed.now) Check Out the Unfuck America Tour & National Ground Game: https://www.nationalgroundgame.com/ Check Out the CIVICS App to Know More About Your Politicians: https://www.civicpolitics.com Subscribe to the Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/purplepoliticalbreakdown ALL LINKS https://linktr.ee/purplepoliticalbreakdown The Purple Political Breakdown is committed to fostering productive political dialogue that transcends partisan divides. We believe in the power of conversation, balanced information, and democratic participation to build a stronger society. Our mission: "Political solutions without political bias." Subscribe, rate, and share if you believe in purple politics, where we find common ground in the middle! 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Ralph speaks to independent investigative journalist Lylla Younes to discuss her reporting on Israel's assault on southern Lebanon. Then, Ralph and media studies professor Robin Andersen discuss her new book "The Complicit Lens: US Media Coverage of the Genocide in Gaza."Lylla Younes is a Beirut-based journalist. She is an editor at The Public Source, and a frequent contributor to Drop Site News.What we've seen in the past several days is really an escalation of what's been happening since March 2nd (when the US-Israeli assault on Iran took off) and then obviously the ceasefire… What we see is a campaign of ethnic cleansing from the Israeli military in Lebanon. And that has looked like the Gaza playbook sped up, you could say, in southern Lebanon. It's looked like invading and bulldozing homes; tearing up roads; destroying, booby-trapping, and detonating entire villages and cultural sites. It's looked like targeting medical personnel—killing, at this point, over 100 since March 2nd (this is in addition to the 130 or so who were killed in the last round of fighting in 2024). In addition to that, the targeting and killing of journalists who are reporting near the border. I think it's important to note there's practically no one left in the border region. Having a press vest on and a microphone and a camera is basically like having a target on your back at this point.Lylla YounesThe pager attack was, I think it's fair to say, one of the darker days of Lebanese history. I think regardless of people's feelings about Hezbollah, the fact that you are setting men alight literally in the streets in cities all across the country, killing children, maiming children—the mark of the pager attack was that these pagers that Hezbollah members were carrying exploded in their faces and blinded them. So you have thousands of blinded people, people missing fingers. And again, some of these are relatives of Hezbollah members. It was a massive event that overwhelmed hospitals across the country. And it also marked the beginning of that 66 day [period] of escalated fighting. And it showed how deeply infiltrated Hezbollah was in an intelligence capacity. This was quite a feat by the Israeli Mossad.Lylla YounesRobin Andersen is professor emerita of media studies at Fordham University and an award-winning author of a dozen single- and co-authored books. She serves as a Project Censored Judge, and contributes to the annual State of the Free Press. She is on the Board of Directors of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), where she also writes regularly, and is an Izzy Award Judge for the Park Center for Independent Media. Her latest book is The Complicit Lens: US Media Coverage of Israel's Genocide in Gaza.In my book, I look at the directives of the New York Times and CNN, and then I compare it to media coverage. And I found that, in fact, these were the ways [the directives that were passed down] in which the media was presenting the genocide in Gaza…But in terms of the Israeli directives, CNN was putting their copy through their Jerusalem bureau and the IDF was looking at it. The New York Times was simply going along with Israeli talking points. So we did find that. And the real telling part was when they finally did say that Israel dropped the bomb, it was only when Israel had admitted—or put their propaganda to the next level, which was to claim that they had killed a Hamas commander or a fighter or somebody involved in Hamas. And we found that also in the BBC. So those were direct things that came from Israel. And abandoning their journalistic mission, the US media was basically following the dictates of a foreign government.Robin AndersenTheir form of censorship was basically murder. They knew that as the genocide wore on (and Israel controlled the narrative for a very long time, and then it started to collapse) as over time we saw on the internet, we saw on our handheld devices the documentation of what was happening [they'd lose control of the narrative]. And so in a total propaganda environment, what we have to have is no noise, no opposition, no alternative information. And Israel really was trying to achieve a total propaganda environment. It wasn't enough that they had establishment in legacy media and those media were allowing outside influences to direct their editorial decisions. That wasn't quite enough.Robin AndersenNews 5/29/26* This week, Democratic Socialist Mayor of New York City Zohran Mamdani unveiled his plan to construct 200,000 new rent-stabilized homes in the city over the next decade, PIX 11 reports, making good on a campaign promise that many supposedly savvy political observers doubted. In addition to the new construction, Mamdani vowed to “preserve and stabilize” an additional 200,000 via New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) repairs, increased housing code enforcement, and a special focus on development in the Bronx. In his announcement, Mamdani said “We are the largest city in the nation. We have the resources, the talent, and the will to achieve this.”* In the federal government, one of the most controversial members of the Trump administration – former Democratic Congresswoman and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard – has resigned her position as Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The BBC reports Gabbard is citing her husband's recent bone cancer diagnosis as the reason for her departure, but also notes that Gabbard “has largely been out of public view even as the US took military action against Iran, put pressure on Cuba, and…removed Venezuela's president.” In theory, these would all require a substantial degree of participation from and coordination with the DNI, but Gabbard seemed pointedly out of the loop. The actions of the administration have also been diametrically opposed to Gabbard's past foreign policy positions, defined by her 2020 slogan “no more regime change wars.” Others have noted that Gabbard now joins former Attorney General Pam Bondi, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem as high-profile women ousted from the Trump administration while glaringly incompetent men like Pete Hegseth remain in their posts.* Turning to Texas, this week saw a political bloodbath in the runoffs for the primaries held back in March. The topline of course is that scandal-plagued Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, backed by Trump, triumphed over powerful longtime incumbent Senator John Cornyn. With the backing of the president, Paxton wiped the floor with Cornyn, winning around two-thirds of the vote. Yet Paxton goes into the general election against James Talarico very weak. 35% of those polled “Disapprove Strongly” of Paxton with only 15% saying they “Strongly Approve” according to the Texas Politics Project and even the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) condemned Paxton's “lies” “incompetence” personal scandals and corruption in now-deleted press releases. Further down the ballot, incumbent Democratic Members of Congress Al Green and Julie Johnson have been defeated in their primary run-offs, after being forced into Member-on-Member races by the Texas redistricting scheme.* Meanwhile in Michigan, NOTUS reports the Working Families Party (WFP) has endorsed progressive Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed. This primary campaign, with El-Sayed running against moderate Congresswoman Haley Stevens and liberal state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, has become a bruising tripartite affair pitting the three major factions within the Democratic Party against one another. Recently, El-Sayed has taken the lead in this race, which WFP hopes to help consolidate, saying it is prepared to go “all in” on this race. WFP is feeling confident following their role in helping to ensure victory for Chris Rabb in Pennsylvania and Analilia Mejia in New Jersey.* In the Garden State, Senator Andy Kim was caught in a cloud of pepper spray this week as he joined protestors outside of a privately-run ICE detention facility, NJ.com reports. The protests began as a result of an ongoing hunger strike inside of the facility, which has led many high-profile New Jersey Democrats – including Governor Mikie Sherill and Congressman Robert Menendez Jr. in addition to Senator Kim – to call for the facility's closure. Following the confrontation, Kim stated that “What we saw here is unfortunately just what we see all over the country…It's sad…sad day.” At another point, Kim said “The cruelty that you see behind me, this is the point…Right now, I'm trying to have them not point guns at us.”* In another case of outrageous overreach by the Trump administration, Fox reports the Treasury Department has served subpoenas to CodePink activist Medea Benjamin and political streamer and influencer Hasan Piker seeking “financial, logistical and communications information” regarding their recent humanitarian voyage to Cuba. According to this story, the Treasury probe – handled through their Office of Foreign Assets Control – is primarily concerned with whether the convoy “violated U.S. sanctions laws through the financing, coordination or delivery of goods to Cuba, including potential contacts with Cuban government personnel or entities on the island.” The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has condemned the probe, writing that “Weaponizing the Treasury Department to target Americans for exercising their constitutional right to support human rights is unacceptable.” CAIR went on to call the investigation “performative and politically-motivated,” contending that “Every American who believes in the rule of law and human rights should stand in solidarity with Medea and demand that the Treasury Department drop its McCarthyite witch hunt.”* The Democrats meanwhile are once again conspiring against one another. The Bulwark reports the campaign to unseat Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin is back on – and now includes viable alternatives. Previously, discontent was mounting but there did not appear to be any other options. Presently though, the list circulating in Democratic circles consists of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, former EMILY's List president Stephanie Schriock, former president of the Service Employees International Union Mary Kay Henry, former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro, former chair of the Michigan Democratic Party Lavora Barnes, and former Wisconsin party chair Ben Wikler. Wikler, who revitalized the Beaver State party and placed second against Martin in the DNC Chair election, has “rebuffed discussions about leading the DNC, saying he wants nothing to do with effort to remove Martin and isn't interested in replacing him.” Yet even with no obvious alternative, calls are mounting for Martin to step aside. This piece cites statements by progressive Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan, as well as a new initiative by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee on one side, alongside statements by more moderate Reps. Marc Veasey and Seth Moulton to the same effect. Still, many state parties and an equally ideologically diverse coalition is standing by Martin, so he will likely remain in place, at least for the time being.* Looking southward, this week Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that her country will host the Iranian team ahead of the FIFA World Cup. Per Al Jazeera, the United States, which is hosting many of the matches, including all three the Iranian team was scheduled to play in, expressed that they did not think it “appropriate” for Iranian team members to be in the country, “for their own life and safety.” FIFA approached Mexico as an alternative. In her daily press conference, Sheinbaum stated that “We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico.” The Iranian team has also announced they will be moving their training base from Tucson to Tijuana, but still plan to enter the United States to play their games – with Trump saying they will be “welcome,” despite the fact American authorities have yet to issue the necessary visas.* Our final two stories involve the Pope. First, AP reports that this week Pope Leo XIV made an historic apology not only for the Catholic Church's role in legitimizing slavery, but its failure to condemn the practice for centuries afterwards. Pope Leo called this a “wound in Christian memory.” Leo, the first American Pope, can point to both enslaved people and slave owners in his familial lineage, a remarkable vantage point from which to issue this statement in his first ever encyclical ”Magnifica Humanitas.”* Yet, for how historic this section of the encyclical is, it is not the portion of it that drew the most attention. That would be the section on Artificial Intelligence. Pope Leo writes “Humanity, created by God in all its grandeur, is today facing a pivotal choice: either to construct a new Tower of Babel or to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together.” Leo goes on to make the critical point that “technology is never neutral, because it takes on the characteristics of those who devise, finance, regulate, and use it.” He further goes on to state that “the pressure of new ideologies or certain highly powerful interests” can reduce the human person to “a resource to be used and exploited” or evaluated “on what they achieve or produce,” whereas God creates each individual person in His image and imbues them with inherent dignity. It is impossible to say whether the Pontiff's words will move the titans of the tech industry to change their ways, but his moving rhetoric is sure to significantly influence the world's view of AI, both today and for students of history.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

It's Casual Friday on The Majority Report On today's Program: Graham Platner and Susan Collins are sparring over her 25-year track record of voting in support of endless wars, including two in which Platner served tours. David Griscom, author, host of The Jacobin Show, co-host of Left Reckoning and publisher of The Rattler on Substack, joins the program for a discussion about Texas politics. Abdul El-Sayed shines at a debate with Mallory McMorrow and Haley Stevens. In the Fun Half JD Vance tries to appeal to Pope Leo on the morality of using AI in combat in a graduation speech at the Air Force Academy. A Bezos-funded podcast called Make it Make Sense shills for AI and calls Mamdani "a Third-Worldist". Katie Miller has to go on Fox News to defend her husband Stephen after someone on Twitter said something mean about him. All that and more. To connect and organize with your local ICE rapid response team visit ICERRT.com The Congress switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. You can use this number to connect with either the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives. Follow us on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! https://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: https://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 10% off your purchase Check out today's sponsors: BABBEL: Learn a new Language and get up to 60% off your subscription at Babbel.com/MAJORITY SUNSET LAKE CBD: Use coupon code "Left Is Best" (all one word) for 20% off of your entire order at SunsetLakeCBD.com Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech On Instagram: @MrBryanVokey Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on YouTube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.

Click here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinHere's Episode #179 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast!00:00-16:51: Campbell Plant/AIPAC & Haley StevensPat Johnston immediately wonders how MAGA Michigan Republicans believe they will win in the midterms as working class Michiganders are heavily disapproving of Dear Leader Trump and the Trump Regime. And, Pat talks about how Democratic Party establishment types keep backing Congresswoman Haley Stevens despite her hearty embrace of corporate donations and AIPAC donations. 16:52-47:40: Joe Spaulding InterviewOttawa County progressive activist Joe Spaulding returns to the show. They talk about how Michigan isn't part of this gerrymandering battle thanks to the anti-gerrymandering ballot proposal that passed in 2018. Pat and Joe also share their disagreements and concerns regarding the Michigan Democratic Senate Primary Race. Pat's already announced his support for progressive-populist Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, but Joe shares his worries and reservations if El-Sayed wins the primary. 47:41-55:30: Last Call-Spaulding Interview ReaxIn the "Last Call," Pat shares his reaction to his interview with Joe Spaulding.55:31-57:53: EndingPlease, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!leftoflansing@gmail.comLeft of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopardClick here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinClick here to vote on this week's "LOL Web Poll!"Notes:"Appeals court weighs legality of orders extending Michigan coal plant life." By Ben Solis of Michigan Advance "Feds renew order to keep J.H. Campbell coal plant open." By Dustin Dweyer of Michigan Public Radio"AIPAC has become a dirty word in Michigan's U.S. Senate race." By Todd Spangler of The Detroit Free Press "Jennifer Granholm backs Haley Stevens in Michigan US Senate battle." By Lauren Gibbons of Bridge Michigan "Opinion | Keeping coal plant online isn't just costly, it risks Michiganders' health." By Teresa Hamsi & Alexander Rabin from Bridge Michigan "What EPA's PFAS rollback means for contaminated Michigan drinking water." By Nina Misuraca Ignaczak of Planet Detroit "Hormuz traffic doubles; Israel lobby takes down Thomas Massie; Nigerian military claims joint U.S. strikes killed 175." By Drop Site News "Police officers who guarded Capitol sue to block Trump's $1.8 billion 'slush fund.'" By Jan Wolfe of Bridge Michigan #podcast #politics #Election #Election2026 #Michigan #Progressive #Democrats #MAGA #Republicans #Trump #Economy #WorkingClass #FossilFuels #Coal #Energy #Affordability #ClimateChange #CleanEnergy #GasPrices #AbdulElSayed #HaleyStevens #MalloryMcMorrow #MikeRogers #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #DataCenters #ArtificialIntelligence #SCOTUS #ExpandThe Court #AIPAC #Gaza #Palestinians #Israel #IranWar #CorporateDonors #Populism #Authoritarianism #Fascism #Democracy #LeftofLansing

In this episode, @geoengineering1 speaks with Ahmed El-Sayed of Viridas Technologies, a company aiming to revolutionize Direct Air Capture (DAC) by redesigning the process from the ground up, including the fan system itself.The conversation explores why DAC remains expensive, largely due to the extremely low concentration of CO2 in ambient air. While most research focuses on developing new solvents and materials to reduce energy use, Ahmed argues that the thermodynamic limits of capture efficiency may already have been reached. Instead, Viridas is pursuing a different strategy i.e. increasing the volume of air processed.Their proposed high-pressure system reduces contactor size by 70x while delivering more than 3100x better performance through major gains in absorption capacity and absorption rate. Ahmed also discusses the use of scalable, oxygen-resistant solvents derived from widely produced industrial chemicals, and why the future of DAC may depend on breakthroughs in turbomachinery and membrane technologies to drive costs down to ultra-low levels and enable gigaton-scale deployment.Paper Discussed: Elsayed, A., & Alawadh, T. (2026). Scaling Carbon Removal to Gigaton Capacity using Pressurized Direct Air Capture. https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv.15002130/v1Viridas Technologies: https://www.viridastechnologies.com/

Click here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinHere's Episode #178 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast!00:00-14:59: Iran War, Ballrooms, and Gas PricesPat Johnston opens this week's show highlighting how Dear Leader Trump's price tag for his precious White House ballroom has doubled, and taxpayers will fund it! Meanwhile, thanks to The Trump Regime's and Israel's illegal Iran War, gas prices keep hovering around $5, and fertilizer costs are decimating Michigan farmers. Working class Michiganders continue to suffer thanks to a this war as inflation is outdoing any wage gains, but Dear Leader Trump says he doesn't really think about the financial situations of the working class. 15:00-37:25: MI Senate Race Polls/AIPAC & StevensNew polling shows progressive Dr. Abdul El-Sayed leading by NINE-POINTS over Democratic establishment choice (and Ms. AIPAC) Congresswoman Haley Stevens, and a 10-Point lead over State Senator Mallory McMorrow in the Democratic Primary for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat. And with poll numbers showing progressive William Lawrence going toe-to-toe with Democratic establishment candidates in the state's 7th Congressional District, it's leading some observers to conclude the electoral energy right now is with Michigan progressives. 37:26-45:00: Last Call...Data Center RejectionA new Gallup Poll reveals 7 of 10 Americans are against Artificial Intelligence Data Centers, and Pat explains why this is the case. 44:01-48:42: EndingPlease, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!leftoflansing@gmail.comLeft of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopardClick here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinClick Here to Vote on the Weekly "LOL" Poll on The Supreme CourtNotes: "Polling shows it. Progressive energy is real." By Kyle Melinn of The City Pulse "New poll shows surging El-Sayed leading Senate nomination race." By Todd Spangler of The Detroit Free Press "Lawrence gets thumbs up from Tlaib in race for Michigan's 7th Congressional District." By Kyle Davidson of Michigan Advance "Democratic U.S. Senate candidates escalate attacks as Michigan primary intensifies." By Ben Solis of Michigan Advance (via Michigan Public Radio)"Mysterious pro-Israel-linked group spends $5.3M to boost Haley Stevens." By Steve Neavling of Detroit Metro Times "Michigan farms ‘losing money on every acre' as war spikes costs." By Rob French of Bridge Michigan "AIPAC-backed Stevens ousts Levin in race seen as bellwether on US-Israel politics." By Andrew Lapin of Times of Israel "Not in my backyard: Most Americans oppose AI data centers, Gallup finds." By Chris Williams of FOX 2 TV in Detroit "Trump calls MS NOW reporter ‘dumb' for pointing out ballooning ballroom cost." By Julianne McShane of MS Now #podcast #politics #progressives #Democrats #Senate #Michigan #Election2026 #Election #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #DataCenters #BigTech #Greed #DemocraticSocialism #Trump #MAGA #Republicans #AbdulElSayed #HaleyStevens #MalloryMcMorrow #LisaMcClain #IranWar #Israel #AIPAC #Ballrooms #Inflation #WorkingClass #Unions #Farmers #WilliamLawrence #Congress #MikeJohnson #CorporateWelfare #Authoritarianism #Fascism #Democracy #Leftof Lansing

Youmna El Sayed je nagrajena palestinska novinarka, ki je delala za različne angleško govoreče medije. Bila je dopisnica Al Jazeere v Gazi, dokler je ni bila pred letom in pol zaradi izraelskih groženj prisiljena zapustiti. Zdaj živi z družino v Kairu. Ob robu konference Zveze evropskih radijskih postaj v Ženevi se je z njo srečala Helena Milinković. Glasovi Palestine na TV Slovenija

Click here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinHere's Episode #177 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast!00:00-21:52: Trump Ballroom/AIPAC Backs Haley StevensPat Johnston's sinus infection may have knocked him down, but he's not out this week! It turns out the working class will indeed pay for The Trump Regime's $1billion ballroom at the White House. Surprised? Also this week, AIPAC announced it's doubling-down on Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens in the Democratic Primary Race for the state's open Senate seat. AIPAC is holding a fundraiser for Stevens because it views progressive-populist candidate, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, to be a threat to the U.S.-Israel "relationship." 22:53-31:24: State Senate ReaxMichigan Democrats earned a blowout victory in a crucial race for an open state Senate seat this week. Saginaw firefighter Chedrick Greene earned 60% of the vote over the MAGA Republican candidate for the 35th state senate district, which includes Bay, Midland, and Saginaw Counties. It was another race where Democrats outperformed their 2024 numbers, and Pat explains what that could mean for the primary and general election races later this year. 31:25-39:00: Last Call--We're In a Populist MoodIn this week's "Last Call," Pat comments on some statements and conclusions made by pollster Richard Czuba during a recent edition of "Off The Record with Tim Skubick" on WKAR in Lansing. 39:01-41:56: EndingPlease, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!leftoflansing@gmail.comLeft of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopardClick here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinClick here to vote on the LOL Weekly Web Poll!NOTES:Mop Up Michigan Ballot Initiative: https://mopupmichigan.org/"Bernie Sanders stumps for El-Sayed, McKinney while continuing push against oligarchy." By Ben Solis of Michigan Advance "Michigan gas this week: Prices climb as ‘highly fluid' outlook remains." By Justin P. Hicks of MLive.com "Michigan farms ‘losing money on every acre' as war spikes costs." By Rob French of Bridge Michigan "AIPAC-backed Stevens ousts Levin in race seen as bellwether on US-Israel politics." By Andrew Lapin of Times of Israel "Debbie Stabenow Backs Stevens Over Progressive Democrats in Michigan Senate Race." By Sam Robinson of Michigan Chronicle "Greene wins Michigan Senate special election, Democrats retain control of chamber." By Katherine Dailey of Michigan Advance Richard Czuba from the May 1, 2026 edition of Off The Record with Tim Skubick on WKAR#podcast #politics #progressive #Michigan #Democrats #Republicans #MAGA #Election #Election2026 #AbdulElSayed #HaleyStevens #AIPAC #Senate #ChedrickGreene #StateSenate #Israel #AIPAC #IranWar #GasPrices #Trump #Ballroom #WorkingClass #Affordablity #Economy #Democracy #Fascism #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #EpsteinClass #Farmers #Costs #Inflation #Authoritarianism #LeftofLansing

Chuck Todd dives into the Supreme Court's latest ruling further hollowing out the Voting Rights Act and walks through what it actually means in practice — including the very real possibility that several Southern states will now try to redistrict, creating a messy political landscape that won't necessarily benefit Republicans in the way they hope. He traces the history back to the 1990s Georgia reapportionment that led to major GOP pickups by packing Black Democratic voters into fewer districts, but warns this round of Southern redistricting will create more swing districts. He uses the moment to make the case for what he sees as the real structural fix to America's representation crisis: uncapping the House of Representatives to allow it to grow with population the way the founders originally intended, with Madison himself arguing the chamber would always need to expand. He argues that a bigger House would lower the barrier for third parties, minimize the outsized impact of the Electoral College, dramatically reduce the incentive to gerrymander — and crucially, this change wouldn't exclusively benefit either party. His framing is simple: stop fighting over the chairs at the table and increase the size of the table itself. He then pivots to what he calls the rise of the "woke right" — citing the second Comey indictment as exhibit A, noting that the right has now embraced exactly the kind of oversensitivity they once accused the left of engaging in, and pointing out it's no accident that Pam Bondi wouldn't bring the Comey case but Todd Blanche will. He flags that the FCC's attacks on Jimmy Kimmel will badly backfire, dismisses the Hegseth congressional hearing as a useless exercise where everyone was just chasing viral moments, and argues that Hegseth himself is suffering from a bad case of "internet brain" — actively politicizing the military while failing to make a coherent case for why the Iran war was ever necessary. He closes with a pointed observation about the entire administration: nobody around Trump believes any criticism of him is ever valid, and they appear to genuinely think voters are stupid enough to never notice. Then, Adam Green — co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case that pragmatic economic populism is the Democratic Party's path back to a durable majority, and to push back hard on the conventional wisdom that "moderate" means "centrist." Green argues the public has lost faith in both political and economic systems and is hungry for candidates who tell a clear story about power — pointing to Maine's Graham Platner, Texas's James Talarico, and New York's Zohran Mamdani as examples of progressives who project authentic energy and pragmatic problem-solving rather than ideological purity. He contends that both major parties have already collapsed reputationally even if they haven't yet collapsed structurally, that Democrats could have passed a $12 minimum wage years ago if they'd been willing to compromise, and that recruiting 77-year-old Janet Mills against Platner is symbolic of everything wrong with Chuck Schumer's approach to the Senate. Green is blunt: if Democrats sweep the midterms but leadership remains unchanged, it actually hurts them in 2028 — a Democratic Senate majority should not be read as a validation of Schumer. They discuss why he Democratic brand is so damaged in red and rural states that independent candidates may be the best path to power in places like Montana and Nebraska, and that having someone like Platner in Senate leadership would dramatically improve Democratic performance in rural America. The conversation digs into the deeper strategic and policy questions facing the party. Green argues Democrats should lead with economic alignment over cultural alignment and that Dems should not put reproductive rights forward as their headline issue if they want to rebuild trust in the heartland. He pushes for progressive lawmakers to assert real leverage against their own leadership, advocates lowering the threshold for discharge petition, and makes the case that getting rid of the filibuster would help Democrats rebuild trust with voters who are tired of seeing nothing get done. Green is open to limited cooperation with Trump if Democrats win both chambers but warns the party shouldn't trim its sails just to get a signature. He explains why the PCC backed Talarico over Crockett , names UAW president Shawn Fain as a potential dark-horse candidate, and floats Stephen Colbert as a genuinely intriguing possibility because performance matters in a media-saturated era. Green argues Talarico, Platner, and Abdul El-Sayed all tell a coherent story about power that voters are hungry to hear, but ultimately, the candidate who runs as a genuine disruptor is the one most likely to win, because the current system is so visibly failing the public. Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment, weighs in on the DNC choosing NOT to release their 2024 autopsy, and reacts to the expansion on the NCAA basketball tournament. Try ShipStation free for 60 days with full access to all features, No credit card needed! Go to https://ShipStation.com and use code TODDCAST for 60 days for free! Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 01:30 Supreme Court further hollows out the Voting Rights Act 03:00 You may see several states in the south try to redistrict 06:00 We have a serious representation issue in congress 07:30 In the 90’s Georgia reapportionment led to major GOP pickups 09:00 Led to more black Dems in congress, but less Dems in congress 10:00 Redistricting won’t be clean for GOP in this political climate 10:30 Redistricting will create more swing districts in the south 12:15 You may see racially charged Dem primaries in new districts 13:45 Uncapping the House of Representatives could solve this issue 14:15 House expanded based on population growth 16:15 Right now the house is not representative of the people 17:45 Multi-member districts also provide better representation 19:00 Bigger house would create less need for gerrymandering 20:00 Expanding house would minimize the impact of electoral college 21:30 Expanded house would lower barrier to entry for third parties 23:00 The house was always meant to be a bit messy 23:30 Madison argued the house was always going to have to expand 25:00 This change wouldn’t exclusively benefit one party 26:00 Don’t fight over the chairs, increase the size of the table 28:00 The “woke right” has emerged, evidenced by Comey indictment 29:30 Right accused the left of the oversensitivity they’re engaged in now 31:00 Attacks by the FCC on Kimmel will backfire and look terrible 33:15 Not an accident that Bondi wouldn’t bring Comey case & Blanche will 34:15 Hegseth’s hearing was useless, everyone wanted a viral moment 35:30 Hegseth is suffering from a bad case of “internet brain” 36:30 Hegseth is doing everything he can to politicize the military 37:15 Hegseth failed to make the case for why the war was necessary 39:00 Nobody in the administration believes that any criticism is valid 40:15 Do they really think the voters are all stupid? 46:30 Adam Green (Progressive Change Committee) joins The Chuck ToddCast 49:00 What does it mean to be a pragmatic progressive? 50:15 The mission is to show economic populism can win in swing races 51:30 Graham Platner is a great storyteller, not a policy wonk 53:00 Several progressive candidates project strong masculine energy 54:30 Balancing incrementalism vs. progress 55:15 Mamdani is showing that you can be both progressive & pragmatic 56:15 Misconception is that “moderate” means centrist 57:00 The progressives are demanding a rebalancing of the power dynamics 57:30 Public doesn’t trust the political and economic system, wants change 58:15 How vulnerable are both parties to collapse at some point? 59:00 Both parties have collapsed reputationally, just not structurally 1:00:45 Dems could have passed $12 minimum wage if they compromised 1:03:00 If Dems sweep midterms but leaders stay the same, it’s bad for 2028 1:03:45 If Dems win the senate, it’s not a validation of Schumer 1:05:00 If Dems elect the non Schumer candidates, he has to go 1:05:45 Schumer was a really good leader… until he wasn’t 1:06:30 Recruiting 77 year old Janet Mills is symbolic of Schumer’s strategy 1:07:15 Sherrod Brown is probably the best Dems can do in Ohio 1:07:45 Iowa is overindexed as a swing state 1:09:30 Michigan having El-Sayed & Slokin would show multiple ways to win 1:10:30 If El-Sayed loses, does that set the progressive movement back? 1:12:00 Are independents the best route to power in Montana & Nebraska? 1:13:00 The Democratic brand is shot in most red & rural states 1:14:15 If Platner was in leadership, Dems would do better in rural states 1:15:30 What matters more to the PCC, economic or cultural alignment? 1:17:15 Democrats shouldn’t put out reproductive rights as their banner issue 1:18:00 Big Dem wins in the past came from economic, not cultural alignment 1:20:15 Jared Golden able to vote against trans sports bill, focused on economics 1:22:30 Want to see progressives assert leverage against their leadership 1:23:30 Proposal to lower the threshold for discharge petitions 1:24:15 Discharge petitions would actually liberate the leadership a bit 1:25:30 When too many items are stuffed into a bill, you don’t get credit for them 1:26:30 Getting rid of the filibuster would help Democrats rebuild trust 1:27:30 Both parties only like the filibuster when they’re out of power 1:29:00 Getting rid of stock trading isn’t as simple as it sounds 1:30:45 Spouses need to be included in stock trading ban 1:31:30 If Dems win both houses, where should they work with Trump? 1:32:45 Dems will be elected to be a check on Trump, but need his signature 1:35:45 Working with Trump requires abandoning the ideas you ran on 1:37:00 Dems shouldn’t trim their sails in order to work with Trump 1:39:30 PCC supported Talarico over Crockett for his bold economic vision 1:42:00 AOC may need to run for president soon, before her “sell by” date 1:42:45 Stephen Colbert could be an intriguing candidate, performance matters 1:44:00 Mamdani takes time every day to tell a story on social media 1:45:15 Shawn Fain could also make a strong candidate 1:46:30 If Talarico wins in Texas, it could put him on the presidential map 1:48:15 Talarico as VP to get his sea legs could be a potential route 1:49:00 McMorrow positioning herself as the “goldilocks” candidate 1:49:45 Being the shake up the system candidate is the way to go 1:50:30 Talarico, Platner & El-Sayed tell a story about power 1:51:15 The current system is failing the public 1:53:15 Preference between Steyer or Porter in California? 1:54:30 AOC raises the most money because people trust her 1:57:30 Ask Chuck 1:57:45 Experienced wildfires, in bad conditions there’s nothing you can do 1:59:00 What do you make of Hegseth purging so many top generals? 2:01:00 Props for “Dynastic” podcast 2:03:00 How do you see the US/Israel dynamic play out post-Trump? 2:06:30 Do you see a path forward for statehood for D.C. & Puerto Rico? 2:10:15 Why don’t interviewers press Lindsey Graham on his post J6 remarks? 2:13:00 Should Democrats be more forceful rhetorically or does that do more harm? 2:17:15 Ken Martin appears on Pod Save to explain why they won’t release ‘24 autopsy 2:18:30 Autopsy could have offended a particular set of donors or supporters 2:19:45 How do you learn lessons from the loss if you don’t share those lessons? 2:20:30 NCAA expanding basketball tournamentSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Green — co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case that pragmatic economic populism is the Democratic Party's path back to a durable majority, and to push back hard on the conventional wisdom that "moderate" means "centrist." Green argues the public has lost faith in both political and economic systems and is hungry for candidates who tell a clear story about power — pointing to Maine's Graham Platner, Texas's James Talarico, and New York's Zohran Mamdani as examples of progressives who project authentic energy and pragmatic problem-solving rather than ideological purity. He contends that both major parties have already collapsed reputationally even if they haven't yet collapsed structurally, that Democrats could have passed a $12 minimum wage years ago if they'd been willing to compromise, and that recruiting 77-year-old Janet Mills against Platner is symbolic of everything wrong with Chuck Schumer's approach to the Senate. Green is blunt: if Democrats sweep the midterms but leadership remains unchanged, it actually hurts them in 2028 — a Democratic Senate majority should not be read as a validation of Schumer. They discuss why he Democratic brand is so damaged in red and rural states that independent candidates may be the best path to power in places like Montana and Nebraska, and that having someone like Platner in Senate leadership would dramatically improve Democratic performance in rural America. The conversation digs into the deeper strategic and policy questions facing the party. Green argues Democrats should lead with economic alignment over cultural alignment and that Dems should not put reproductive rights forward as their headline issue if they want to rebuild trust in the heartland. He pushes for progressive lawmakers to assert real leverage against their own leadership, advocates lowering the threshold for discharge petition, and makes the case that getting rid of the filibuster would help Democrats rebuild trust with voters who are tired of seeing nothing get done. Green is open to limited cooperation with Trump if Democrats win both chambers but warns the party shouldn't trim its sails just to get a signature. He explains why the PCC backed Talarico over Crockett , names UAW president Shawn Fain as a potential dark-horse candidate, and floats Stephen Colbert as a genuinely intriguing possibility because performance matters in a media-saturated era. Green argues Talarico, Platner, and Abdul El-Sayed all tell a coherent story about power that voters are hungry to hear, but ultimately, the candidate who runs as a genuine disruptor is the one most likely to win, because the current system is so visibly failing the public. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Adam Green (Progressive Change Committee) joins The Chuck ToddCast 02:30 What does it mean to be a pragmatic progressive? 03:45 The mission is to show economic populism can win in swing races 05:00 Graham Platner is a great storyteller, not a policy wonk 06:30 Several progressive candidates project strong masculine energy 08:00 Balancing incrementalism vs. progress 08:45 Mamdani is showing that you can be both progressive & pragmatic 09:45 Misconception is that “moderate” means centrist 10:30 The progressives are demanding a rebalancing of the power dynamics 11:00 Public doesn’t trust the political and economic system, wants change 11:45 How vulnerable are both parties to collapse at some point? 12:30 Both parties have collapsed reputationally, just not structurally 14:15 Dems could have passed $12 minimum wage if they compromised 16:30 If Dems sweep midterms but leaders stay the same, it’s bad for 2028 17:15 If Dems win the senate, it’s not a validation of Schumer 18:30 If Dems elect the non Schumer candidates, he has to go 19:15 Schumer was a really good leader… until he wasn’t 20:00 Recruiting 77 year old Janet Mills is symbolic of Schumer’s strategy 20:45 Sherrod Brown is probably the best Dems can do in Ohio 21:15 Iowa is overindexed as a swing state 23:00 Michigan having El-Sayed & Slokin would show multiple ways to win 24:00 If El-Sayed loses, does that set the progressive movement back? 25:30 Are independents the best route to power in Montana & Nebraska? 26:30 The Democratic brand is shot in most red & rural states 27:45 If Platner was in leadership, Dems would do better in rural states 29:00 What matters more to the PCC, economic or cultural alignment? 30:45 Democrats shouldn’t put out reproductive rights as their banner issue 31:30 Big Dem wins in the past came from economic, not cultural alignment 33:45 Jared Golden able to vote against trans sports bill, focused on economics 36:00 Want to see progressives assert leverage against their leadership 37:00 Proposal to lower the threshold for discharge petitions 37:45 Discharge petitions would actually liberate the leadership a bit 39:00 When too many items are stuffed into a bill, you don’t get credit for them 40:00 Getting rid of the filibuster would help Democrats rebuild trust 41:00 Both parties only like the filibuster when they’re out of power 42:30 Getting rid of stock trading isn’t as simple as it sounds 44:15 Spouses need to be included in stock trading ban 45:00 If Dems win both houses, where should they work with Trump? 46:15 Dems will be elected to be a check on Trump, but need his signature 49:15 Working with Trump requires abandoning the ideas you ran on 50:30 Dems shouldn’t trim their sails in order to work with Trump 53:00 PCC supported Talarico over Crockett for his bold economic vision 55:30 AOC may need to run for president soon, before her “sell by” date 56:15 Stephen Colbert could be an intriguing candidate, performance matters 57:30 Mamdani takes time every day to tell a story on social media 58:45 Shawn Fain could also make a strong candidate 1:00:00 If Talarico wins in Texas, it could put him on the presidential map 1:01:45 Talarico as VP to get his sea legs could be a potential route 1:02:30 McMorrow positioning herself as the “goldilocks” candidate 1:03:15 Being the shake up the system candidate is the way to go 1:04:00 Talarico, Platner & El-Sayed tell a story about power 1:04:45 The current system is failing the public 1:06:45 Preference between Steyer or Porter in California? 1:08:00 AOC raises the most money because people trust herSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vance has not left for Pakistan yet, Michigan Dem candidate El-Sayed says Usha Vance must hate sleeping with JD, labor secretary resigns over mis-conduct probe, and Sean does a Matthew McConaughey impersonation.

We discuss why Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is running for Senate in Michigan and what kind of Senator he aspires to be. A public health expert with deep understanding of the healthcare system, Dr. El-Sayed believes that Medicare for All can be a realistic future.    Abdul's civic action toolkit recommendations are:  1) Have an in-person conversation with someone you disagree with 2) Find the thing that you share in common   Abdul El-Sayed is a doctor, public health expert, and candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan. He's also the author of Medicare for All: A Citizen's Guide.   Let's connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/   Discover new ways to #BetheSpark:  https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark    Follow Mila on X:  https://x.com/milaatmos    Follow Abdul on X:  https://x.com/AbdulElSayed    Learn about the campaign:  https://abdulforsenate.com/    Read Medicare for All: A Citizen's Guide:  https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight    Sponsor:  Get the right life insurance for you and save more than 50% on term life insurance at SelectQuote.com/HOPEFUL    Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight  Credits:  Host: Mila Atmos  Guests: Abdul El-Sayed Executive Producer: Zack Travis Executive Editor: Mila Atmos

In the news today- MSU leaders defend free speech, condemn antisemitism ahead of Hasan Piker campus visit, El-Sayed, Hasan Piker rebuke ‘platform police' in MSU rally, and Tiernan Shoudy eighth MSU hockey player to sign tryout or contract. 

It's an Emmajority Report Thursday on The Majority Report   On today's program:   JD Vance says that Lebanon was never a part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel, Iran and the U.S. despite it clearly being listed in the proposed 10-point peace plan.   Donald Trump posts on Truth Social that the U.S. military will stay in the middle east signaling that this war is far from over.   Dr. Tarek Loubani, a Canadian emergency room physician who has been volunteering in Palestine joins the program from Gaza for a harrowing interview. If you can, please support Dr. Loubani's Glia Project, a medical solidarity organization that empowers low-resource communities to build sustainable, locally-drive healthcare project.   In the Fun Half:   Brandon Sutton joins.   CBS Evening News uses one of their 22 minutes of broadcast time to cover a dog honking a car horn in Ireland. Must have been a slow news day.   Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) holds a press conference with the goal of goading Trump into continuing the war on Iran. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) has the same message as Schumer.   Rep. Ro Khanna is one of the few Democrats pushing back against this war and the feckless Democratic leadership.   Mamdani quotes Tupac Shakur in addressing the war on Iran. "Money for wars but can't feed the poor".   Megyn Kelly calls Trump a mark for Netanyahu, going on to call him weak and gullible. Despite Megyn's recent rant, she still boasts that Trump could drop a nuke and she would still vote for a Republican over a Democrat.   Chip Roy is very scared of Abdul El-Sayed having a good chance of winning a Senate seat in Michigan. Roy characterizes El-Sayed's momentum as a part of a significant march of Islam across America.   Dana Bash present an infantile hit piece on Hasan Piker by running the same tired out-of-context quotes that every other outlet is pushing.   all that and more   To connect and organize with your local ICE rapid response team visit ICERRT.com The Congress switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. You can use this number to connect with either the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives. Follow us on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! https://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: https://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 10% off your purchase Check out today's sponsors: SHOPIFY: Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/majority SUNSET LAKE: use coupon code 420 to save 30% sitewide at sunsetlakecbd.com The sale ends April 22nd at midnight Eastern time. Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech On Instagram: @MrBryanVokey Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on YouTube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com

Hillsdale College Radio General Manager and Radio Free Hillsdale Hour host Scot Bertram fills in for Jim Geraghty on on the Friday 3 Martini Lunch. Today, Scot and Greg discuss President Trump firing Attorney General Pam Bondi, anti-Semitism driving a majority of hate crimes in New York City, the radical beliefs of a competitive U.S. Senate candidate in Michigan, and King Charles III skipping an Easter message..First, they react to President Trump's dismissal of Pam Bondi. Trump insists Bondi did a good job and they she will take on a different role in the administration. So why did Trump make this move? Scot and Greg offer a couple of explanations for why this happened and why it happened now.Next, they examine troubling new data from the NYPD showing that a majority of hate crimes in New York City during the first quarter of 2026 were driven by anti-Semitism. Scot explains why he thinks Islamic radicals feel emboldened right now in New York City and beyond. Greg suggests there's a pretty simple way to bring those numbers way down.Then, they take a close look at Abdul El-Sayed, one of the Democrats running for U.S. Senate in Michigan in a very close primary. New reporting this week shows El-Sayed wanted to avoid a public response to the U.S. killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khameini. And a former member of the campaign staff says El-Sayed true beliefs on Israel and other issues are deeply disturbing.In the Friday chaser, Scot and Greg shake their heads as the UK's King Charles III declines to give an Easter message just weeks after issuing a very positive statement for Ramadan.Please visit our great sponsors:Upgrade to polished and comfortable with Mizzen & Main — get 20% off your first purchase at https://MizzenandMain.com with promo code 3ML20.Take your personal data back with Incogni—use code 3ML for 60% off an annual plan at https://Incogni.com/3MLMake this the season where no opportunity or customer slips away with Quo. Try Quo free and get 20% off your first 6 months at https://Quo.com/3MLNew episodes every weekday. 

Click here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinHere's Episode #172 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast!00:00-19:15: John James, Elissa Slotkin, & No Kings RecapPat Johnston opens this week talking about Trump's and the right-wing Israeli government's War on Iran, and how it's costing working class Americans while thousands of Michiganders are losing their health care and paying higher gas and energy prices. He covers how MAGA Michigan Republican Congressman John James, who's running for governor, has missed many votes while in Congress. He briefly covers why Progressive Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is brilliantly bringing progressive Hasan Piker aboard for a college campaign tour. And Pat recaps a couple of mid-Michigan "No Kings" protests.19:15-49:00: Kyle Blomquist For Congress InterviewProgressive Democratic candidate for Michigan's 1st Congressional District Kyle Blomquist talks with Pat about his campaign for the northern Michigan seat held by MAGA Republican "Louisiana" Jack Bergman. Mr. Blomquist is running on a Medicare For All, affordable housing, abolishing ICE, and ending aid to Israel agenda. He explains how his progressive "America First" and working class agenda will help Democrats not only win in northern Michigan, but in other red areas in the state and country. Visit Kyle's campaign on InstagramVisit Kyle's campaign on FacebookVisit Kyle's campaign on X49:12-55:38: Last Call-MAGA Attacks Rx KidsIn the "Last Call," another MAGA Michigan state legislator makes-up stories about the successful Rx Kids program.55:39-57:55: EndingPlease, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!leftoflansing@gmail.comLeft of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopardClick here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinNOTES:Kyle Blomquist For Congress"Kyle Blomquist on Running in Northern Michigan." From For Sake of the Argument with Lori Goldman "IM council member running for Congress." By Betsy Bloom of The Iron Mountain Daily News "‘Abolish ICE' vs. 'Deport illegals': UP candidates offer starkly different visions on immigration." By WJMN & WBUP in Marquette, MI "Fewer Americans calling themselves Republicans or Republican-leaning independents since 2015: Gallup data." By Emily Guskin & Elizabeth Schreier of ABC News "Michigan's El-Sayed unfazed by backlash against upcoming campaign event with Hasan Piker." By Ben Solis of Michigan Advance "John James Has Missed More Roll Call Votes Than Any Other Michigan Congress Member." By Deadline Detroit "Michigan GOP lawmaker's baseless Rx Kids abortion claim disputed by data, called ‘despicable.'" By Katherine Dailey of Michigan Advance  #podcast #politics #progressive #Democrats #Michigan #MAGA #Republicans #WorkingClass #Economy #WealthInequality #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #Trump #IranWar #Israel #HealthCare #MedicareForAll #Housing #KyleBlomquist #UpperPeninsula #JackBergman #AbolishICE #RxKids #ChildCare #AmericaFirst #FamilyValues #Fascism #Authoritarianism #JohnJames #ElissaSlotkin #AbdulElSayed #Election2026 #VotingRights #Democracy #LeftofLansing

i On our political radar this week… As Donald Trump's polling numbers continue to plummet to record-setting lows, he's constantly shifting positions on Iran, NATO, DHS funding and ICE messaging on a daily basis. About the only constants: his efforts to shift the blame for everything bad to Biden and Obama, and his preoccupation with his $400-million ballroom, and figuring out ways to add more to the $4-billion his family has gobbled up in the last year. Attorney General Dana Nessel is fighting efforts by ICE to convert a Romulus warehouse into a Trump Immigration Prison which would lock up as many as 500 men, women and children. The warehouse would give ICE close access to Metro Airport, but it's also adjacent to a residential neighborhood, near both a middle school and high school, and in a flood plain. The drive to reverse changes the state Legislature made last year to Michigan’s tipped and minimum wage laws is on hold. One Fair Wage had sought to collect enough signatures to place a referendum vote on the November ballot, but was unable to meet their signature goals. Instead, the group said, it planned to throw its efforts behind a separate ballot initiative seeking to limit certain political contributions. The Democratic race for U.S. Senate has a battle of the polls this week. A new internal poll from state Senator Mallory McMorrow's campaign shows her leapfrogging Rep. Haley Stevens, who's now trailing the field in third place behind Abdul El-Sayed in the closely watched Senate Democratic primary. Her poll by Global Strategy Group has McMorrow leading the field with 30 percent, followed by El-Sayed at 25 percent and Stevens at 23 percent, with 21 percent undecided. The same survey showed McMorrow in second place and trailing Stevens by six points last June. A poll from the Stevens campaign shows the race as a statistical three way tie: Stevens 28, El Sayed 26, McMorrow 25 – well within the poll's 3.5% margin of error. McMorrow is the first statewide candidate to announce she has the signatures to get on the ballot. Her campaign says she will file 30,000 signatures, the maximum allowed under state law, to qualify her for the August primary. The signatures were all gathered by volunteers. Nearly all statewide campaigns typically use paid circulators. We are recording two days before state Republicans gather in Novi to endorse candidates for statewide offices other than Governor and Lt. Governor. There's new drama in the battle for Secretary of State. The sister of contender Amanda Love publicly alleged her family member was a “truly evil person.”Adora Orlowski says her sister would do “anything to anyone to gain power and control.” She accused Love of never having a real job and lacking the experience to serve as Michigan’s secretary of state.” Break out the popcorn! A majority of Michigan voters believe the country is generally going in the wrong direction. 58% say things have gotten pretty seriously off on the wrong, and 33% say the country is headed in the right direction. Only 63% of Republicans polled were happy with the country's direction. The poll was commissioned by the Republican-leaning Marketing Resource Group. Donald Trump is now represented in Florida's Legislature by a Democrat. Emily Gregory scored a major upset on Tuesday, flipping the legislative district that includes Trump's waterfront grifting headquarters at Mar-a-Lago. Gregory, a first-time candidate who runs a fitness business serving pregnant and postpartum women, defeated her Republican opponent by a 51-49 margin to win the 87th House District in Palm Beach County. Trump, who says mail-in voting is cheating, voted in the election … by mail. Melania and Barron also mailed in their votes. Florida Democrats flipped a second legislative seat. Navy veteran and union official Brian Nathan flipped a Tampa-based state Senate seat that became vacant after Governor Ron DeSantis tapped its previous occupant to serve as his lieutenant governor. Congratulations to Trump as winner of the brand new America FIrst Award, bestowed on him by U.S. House Republicans. This latest in a string of newly created awards gives the attention-craving Trump still another big, beautiful gold doo-dad to put right next to the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize, the first-ever “Undisputed Champion of Beautiful Clean Coal” award, multiple golf championship trophies he awarded to himself, and his second-hand Nobel Peace Prize. As a topper, Trump's hand-picked Federal Arts Commission has approved putting Trump's mug on a commemorative 24-karat gold coin as part of the 250th anniversary celebration despite a law prohibiting putting a living President on U.S. coins. The New Yorker reports that year one of the Trump presidency has increased his family's wealth by a staggering $4-billion. And that doesn't even count the tens-of-millions taxpayers have spent to pay for Trump's every week golf trips to Florida. Joining the conversation is veteran Detroit Free Press reporter Todd Spangler. Todd Spangler has been with the Free Press since 2003, previously as metro editor in Detroit (among other gigs) and since 2007 as Washington correspondent. In that job, he covers the presidency, Congress, politics and federal policy, a panoply which, admittedly, often makes him scratch his head in wonderment (if not outright confusion).  Before joining the Free Press he managed the AP's Pittsburgh bureau for 4 years. Away from work, Todd runs, hikes, bikes, cooks and listens to jazz. And when he’s back in Detroit he can be found, at least one night of the trip, at Lafayette Coney. Todd is a graduate of West Virginia University where he majored in journalism. We’re now on YouTube every week! Click here to subscribe. A Republic, If You Can Keep It is sponsored by © Clay Jones – https://claytoonz.substack.com  

This episode recorded live at Becker's 31st Annual The Business and Operations of ASCs features Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed, Medical Director, UW Health Pain Services. He discusses the rapid growth of ASC models, how AI driven tools are improving efficiency and reducing administrative burden, and why joint ventures and collaboration are key to strengthening patient care and financial sustainability.

This episode recorded live at Becker's 31st Annual The Business and Operations of ASCs features Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed, Medical Director, UW Health Pain Services. He discusses the rapid growth of ASC models, how AI driven tools are improving efficiency and reducing administrative burden, and why joint ventures and collaboration are key to strengthening patient care and financial sustainability.

This episode recorded live at Becker's 31st Annual The Business and Operations of ASCs features Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed, Medical Director, UW Health Pain Services. He discusses the rapid growth of ASC models, how AI driven tools are improving efficiency and reducing administrative burden, and why joint ventures and collaboration are key to strengthening patient care and financial sustainability.

Join Jim and Greg for the Wednesday 3 Martini Lunch as they weigh in on EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin blasting Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for their incompetence concerning the California wildfires, housing officials repeating the mistakes that led to the 2008 financial crisis, and Michigan's “Mamdani” trying to erase his radical record.First, they applaud Zeldin for imploring Newsom and Bass to get to work to help people rebuild after the wildfires. Jim notes that less than one percent of those who lost homes or businesses have received permits to rebuild, even after nearly a year. They also consider how this glaring failure could hurt Newsom's presidential ambitions.Next, they facepalm as Fannie Mae removes a minimum credit score needed to be approved for housing loans. Yes, buying a home is really tough for a lot of people right now, but Jim and Greg recall how giving mortgages to people who clearly could not afford them led to economic disaster just 17 years ago.Finally, they highlight Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abu El-Sayed deleting past anti-police and anti-border agent posts in an attempt to hide his radical views. El-Sayed once called police “standing armies we deploy against our own people” and smeared border agents as “white supremacists.” El-Sayed is very competitive in a three-candidate race for the party's nomination.Please visit our great sponsors:Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp by visiting https://BetterHelp.com/3ML today!OneSkin uses the patented OS-01 Peptide™ designed to keep skin healthier, stronger, and more resilient over time. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code 3ML at https://www.OneSkin.co/3ML Try the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure for free with zero commitment by visiting https://Oracle.com/Martini today!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comMainstream Democrats appear to have little to no plan on how to win back Michigan's Arab American voters, after losing them in record numbers during last year's election.However, Michigan's Progressive US Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed may have an answer.In this ‘Mehdi Unfiltered' interview, the Bernie-backed candidate tells Mehdi why he believes he is the “only” Democrat who can win Michigan's US Senate seat in next year's midterms and what it will take to win back those who abandoned Democrats last year due to the party's support for Israel's war in Gaza.“The way that we get back the people that we lost is to have a galvanizing fight…one where we understand that the same system that is corrupting our politics to send our money abroad to buy other countries' tanks and wage a genocide is the same system that's corrupting out healthcare system,” El-Sayed says to Mehdi.Mehdi and El-Sayed cover a wide range of issues in their discussion, including:* Whether El-Sayed is worried about AIPAC targeting him (“Michiganders are sick and tired of being told who they can and cannot vote for”)* Democrats failure to have a full reckoning over Gaza's role during last year's election (“It didn't go far enough”)* El-Sayed's “Medicare for All” campaign (“We have to do the work of persuasion”)Oh, and don't miss out on hearing which Democratic president encouraged El-Sayed to consider a career in politics.Paid subscribers can watch the full interview. Free subscribers can watch a 5-minute preview. Consider becoming a paid subscriber today to skip the paywall every time.Check out more from Zeteo:

We heard a little bit from El-Sayed in the final episode of our Carbon Bros miniseries, and today we're bringing you the full conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, the conversation turns to the political battles shaping 2025. From the issues Democrats should lean into—and the ones they should avoid—to Trump's trolling of Chicago and his administration's push for a showdown over crime and “terrorism,” the stakes are high. Chuck dives into how the White House is setting the stage for possible military action against cartels and even Venezuela, with flimsy constitutional justifications that have sparked pushback from voices like Rand Paul. Meanwhile, Democrats face their own identity struggles, from the risks of being tied to “socialism” with Latino voters to Bernie Sanders' refusal to formally join the party. Plus, a look ahead to the Michigan Democratic Senate primary, where three strong contenders could reshape the party's futureThen, physician-turned-politician Abdul El-Sayed joins Chuck to discuss why he left medicine for the rough-and-tumble of politics. From the challenges of running for office with a foreign name to centering his campaign on improving life for children, El-Sayed argues that healthcare isn't just about access—it's about fairness. He pulls back the curtain on a system where insurers and hospital CEOs collude to inflate prices, pharmaceutical companies raise costs simply because they can, and Americans are tricked into thinking “choice” in healthcare actually benefits them.The conversation doesn't stop at healthcare—it spans the crisis of trust in public health, the lessons El-Sayed learned from his 2018 gubernatorial run, and the corrosive role of money in politics. He weighs in on Gretchen Whitmer's record, Trump's overreach beyond Article II, and what sets him apart in Michigan's Senate race. And in a moment of global reflection, El-Sayed takes on the politics of genocide—from Israel and Gaza to China's treatment of the Uighurs—arguing that calling atrocities by their name is a test of values, even when nuance is hard to find in today's polarized climate.Finally, Chuck gives a history lesson on Gerald Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon and its impact on modern politics, recaps the weekend in college football, and answers listeners' questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.Timeline:(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)00:00 Introduction04:00 The issues Democrats should run on, and issues they should avoid05:15 Trump's trolling of Chicago got the reaction he wanted06:30 The administration wants a showdown over Chicago08:30 The administration's aggressive application of the term “terrorism”10:15 The Democratic base wants fight, government shutdown likely12:15 Trump administration setting the stage for war with Venezuela13:30 Administration needs to justify designating cartels terrorists16:45 Trump's justification to congress for military action against cartels 19:00 Trump's justification was lacking, and didn't mention Venezuela 20:15 Trump ignoring the constitution in rationalizing action against cartels 21:45 Vance says fighting cartels is best use of military 23:15 JD gets into back and forth with Rand Paul on X 24:45 Venezuela story should be consuming Washington 26:15 Rand Paul has been willing to be combative with administration 29:00 The progressive left won't succeed if they're associated with socialism 30:45 "Socialism" isn't rebrandable with Latino voters 31:45 Bernie Sanders still hasn't joined the Democratic party 33:15 Michigan Democratic senate primary has 3 great candidates33:45 Abdul El-Sayed joins the Chuck ToddCast 35:30 What made you choose politics when your background is medicine? 37:15 The challenge of running for office with a foreign name 38:15 Centering politics around improving the world for children 39:15 Disparities in access to health care based on money and connections 40:45 Health insurance is getting worse despite rising cost 42:00 Insurers and hospital CEOs collude to raise prices 44:00 What should be the cost expectation for pharmaceuticals? 45:30 Pharma companies raise prices because they can 46:30 RFK Jr. shouldn't be anywhere near healthcare 47:30 The impact of the internet on public health 49:30 The crisis Kennedy is creating at HHS and CDC 50:15 How can we restore trust in public health authorities? 52:30 MAHA's appeal is the idea you can control your health future 53:45 Parallels between public health and education 55:30 Health relies on both the individual and public health 56:30 Healthcare industry has tricked the public using concept of "choice" 58:15 Would you keep a semi-privatized system under medicare for all? 1:00:45 Health networks curtail choice and raise prices 1:02:15 What did you learn from your 2018 run for governor? 1:04:45 The disease of our political system is money buying politicians and policy 1:06:00 Trump spoke to economic pain and was able to reach voters 1:07:30 Assessment of Gretchen Whitmer's governorship 1:09:30 Whitmer tried to work with Trump at times, will you? 1:11:30 Trump is exercising far more power than Article 2 permits 1:13:15 Differences between you and your opponents for MI senate? 1:14:00 Taking corporate money is a major philosophical difference 1:16:30 Reforming public health will require healthcare pros in D.C. 1:18:15 The trend of public health officials running for office 1:20:30 How much will Israel/Gaza factor into the election? 1:21:45 Calling something a genocide when you see it is a values test 1:23:00 Was Israel justified in going after Hamas? How much was justifiable? 1:24:00 The extremes on both sides of the war strengthen each other 1:25:00 We aim, arm and abet Israeli leaders who don't want two states 1:26:00 Tax dollars should benefit taxpayers, not foreign militaries 1:27:00 It's difficult to find nuance in our current politics 1:29:15 Money in politics make it difficult to have an honest conversation 1:30:00 Having a nuanced conversation around the world genocide 1:32:15 The holocaust can't set the bar for use of the term "genocide" 1:33:45 Is China committing genocide of the Uighurs? 1:35:00 Using the word genocide can just "switch off" voters1:42:45 Chuck's thoughts on interview with Abdul El-Sayed 1:44:15 This week in history - Chuck's history lesson 1:45:15 Gerald Ford pardoned Nixon on September 8th, 1974 1:47:00 The case for pardoning Nixon 1:49:15 The case against pardoning Nixon 1:52:00 Ford's decision implied the country couldn't handle a trial 1:53:15 A majority of the country thought the pardon was wrong 1:55:00 Nixon never got his due process 1:56:15 Pardon was a stain on presidential decision making 1:56:45 College football update 2:00:45 Ask Chuck 2:01:15 Why Putin won't grant Trump a ceasefire 2:04:15 Why do Epstein victims face dehumanization when Trump doesn't? 2:08:00 Thoughts on the political salience of this season of South Park?

Physician-turned-politician Abdul El-Sayed joins Chuck Todd to discuss why he left medicine for the rough-and-tumble of politics. From the challenges of running for office with a foreign name to centering his campaign on improving life for children, El-Sayed argues that healthcare isn't just about access—it's about fairness. He pulls back the curtain on a system where insurers and hospital CEOs collude to inflate prices, pharmaceutical companies raise costs simply because they can, and Americans are tricked into thinking “choice” in healthcare actually benefits them.The conversation doesn't stop at healthcare—it spans the crisis of trust in public health, the lessons El-Sayed learned from his 2018 gubernatorial run, and the corrosive role of money in politics. He weighs in on Gretchen Whitmer's record, Trump's overreach beyond Article II, and what sets him apart in Michigan's Senate race. And in a moment of global reflection, El-Sayed takes on the politics of genocide—from Israel and Gaza to China's treatment of the Uighurs—arguing that calling atrocities by their name is a test of values, even when nuance is hard to find in today's polarized climate.Timeline:00:00 Abdul El-Sayed joins the Chuck ToddCast01:45 What made you choose politics when your background is medicine?03:30 The challenge of running for office with a foreign name04:30 Centering politics around improving the world for children05:30 Disparities in access to health care based on money and connections07:00 Health insurance is getting worse despite rising cost08:15 Insurers and hospital CEOs collude to raise prices10:15 What should be the cost expectation for pharmaceuticals?11:45 Pharma companies raise prices because they can12:45 RFK Jr. shouldn't be anywhere near healthcare13:45 The impact of the internet on  public health15:45 The crisis Kennedy is creating at HHS and CDC16:30 How can we restore trust in public health authorities?18:45 MAHA's appeal is the idea you can control your health future20:00 Parallels between public health and education21:45 Health relies on both the individual and public health22:45 Healthcare industry has tricked the public using concept of “choice”24:30 Would you keep a semi-privatized system under medicare for all?27:00 Health networks curtail choice and raise prices28:30 What did you learn from your 2018 run for governor?31:00 The disease of our political system is money buying politicians and policy32:15 Trump spoke to economic pain and was able to reach voters33:45 Assessment of Gretchen Whitmer's governorship35:45 Whitmer tried to work with Trump at times, will you?37:45 Trump is exercising far more power than Article 2 permits39:30 Differences between you and your opponents for MI senate?40:15 Taking corporate money is a major philosophical difference42:45 Reforming public health will require healthcare pros in D.C.44:30 The trend of public health officials running for office46:45 How much will Israel/Gaza factor into the election?48:00 Calling something a genocide when you see it is a values test49:15 Was Israel justified in going after Hamas? How much was justifiable?50:15 The extremes on both sides of the war strengthen each other51:15 We aim, arm and abet Israeli leaders who don't want two states52:15 Tax dollars should benefit taxpayers, not foreign militaries53:15 It's difficult to find nuance in our current politics55:30 Money in politics make it difficult to have an honest conversation56:15 Having a nuanced conversation around the world genocide58:30 The holocaust can't set the bar for use of the term “genocide”1:00:00 Is China committing genocide of the Uighurs?1:01:15 Using the word genocide can just “switch off” voters1:03:30 People assume having an Arab name means tribal loyalty to Arabs

Join Jim and Greg for the Monday 3 Martini Lunch as they hammer California Gov. Gavin Newsom for his endless Trump-style tweets and failed spin on crime, sound the alarm over President Trump's push for more deals like the one the government made with Intel, and highlight Michigan Democrat Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed's disturbing campaign rhetoric.First, they rip into Newsom's tired routine of mimicking Trump on social media and his claim that cities in red state have worse murder rates than California's major cities. What he leaves out is that those cities have been run by Democrats for decades.Next, they explain why President Trump grabbing 10 percent of Intel for the federal government is a terrible move and a very bad precedent to set. There are much better ways to grow the semiconductor industry in the U.S. Even worse, Trump is vowing to make many more deals like this.Finally, they spotlight Michigan's Abdul El-Sayed, a far-left Senate hopeful closely aligned with Bernie Sanders and openly hostile to Israel. El-Sayed urges his followers to fight dirty in politics, telling them to “get in the mud and choke them out.”Please visit our great sponsors:Upgrade your skincare routine with Caldera Lab and see the difference.  Visit https://CalderaLab.com/3ML and use code 3ML at checkout for 20% off your first order.Feel the difference of an extraordinary night's sleep with Boll & Branch—get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at https://www.BollandBranch.com/THREEMARTINI (exclusions apply).

This episode recorded live at the Becker's 22nd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference features Alaa Abd-Elsayed, Medical Director, UW Health Pain Services. Dr. Abd-Elsayed discusses reimbursement challenges, workforce shortages, the rapid growth of outpatient care, and innovations such as minimally invasive procedures and enhanced perioperative pain management that improve outcomes and efficiency.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's 22nd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference features Alaa Abd-Elsayed, Medical Director, UW Health Pain Services. Dr. Abd-Elsayed discusses reimbursement challenges, workforce shortages, the rapid growth of outpatient care, and innovations such as minimally invasive procedures and enhanced perioperative pain management that improve outcomes and efficiency.

This episode recorded live at the Becker's 22nd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference features Alaa Abd-Elsayed, Medical Director, UW Health Pain Services. Dr. Abd-Elsayed discusses reimbursement challenges, workforce shortages, the rapid growth of outpatient care, and innovations such as minimally invasive procedures and enhanced perioperative pain management that improve outcomes and efficiency.

Keep Your Voice Down hosts Alek Haak-Frost and Doug Sears Jr. are joined by Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Abdul El-Sayed.The former Rhodes Scholar and Michigan gubernatorial candidate fields questions about civil liberties, affordable housing, Medicare for All, and automation's impact on the economy. El-Sayed is running for Michigan's soon-to-be open U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Sen. Gary Peters, who is not seeking reelection in 2026.The show's theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week's outro music is “Premiere” by Adrián Berenguer. You can support Keep Your Voice Down and Watershed Voice with a donation here.Any views or opinions expressed on “Keep Your Voice Down” are those of its hosts and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the podcast's sponsors, Watershed Voice staff or its board of directors.

Our program with Dr. Talaat covered various aspects of space research, technology, and exploration, including the role of the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) in advancing these fields. Discussions focused on challenges in human spaceflight, the importance of government investment in space research, applications of AI in space-related activities, and the development of nuclear technology for space missions. The meeting also addressed workforce development in the space program, the significance of satellite data in weather and climate modeling, and the balance between competition and cooperation in technological advancements.I introduced the Friday morning West Coast Space Show and provided announcements about the toll-free number, email address, and website for listeners to access the archived programs and newsletter. He encouraged listeners to support the show through PayPal, Zelle, or checks and mentioned the sponsors, including Art Plus Entertainment, Atlantis Project, and Northrop Grumman. I welcomed Dr. Elsayed Talaat, the President and CEO of the Universities Space Research Association (USRA), to the show, highlighting his extensive experience in senior leadership roles at NOAA, NASA, and the Applied Physics Lab at Johns Hopkins. I urge you to read his full bio on his Space Show page to become more familiar with his work and interests.Dr. Talaat introduced us to the University Space Research Association (USRA), a nonprofit corporation founded in 1969, which operates scientific institutes and facilities conducting research and educational programs in partnership with 121 university members. He explained that USRA engages the broader university community, offering expertise in research, development, and project management, and collaborates with various agencies, universities, and industries, including NASA, NSF, NOAA, and tech companies like Google and Meta. Our guest emphasized his background in NASA, NOAA, and academia with his experience in research, operations, and commercialization. We learned that USRA's partnerships vary, with roles ranging from leading projects to supporting others, depending on the opportunity and their capabilities.Our guest discussed the challenges and advancements in human space flight, focusing on sustainability, medical issues, plus the development of nuclear technology for space exploration. He highlighted the importance of nuclear propulsion and compact fission reactors for reducing transit times and protecting astronauts from radiation. In addition, he touched on the potential for nuclear technology to drive innovation on Earth, including advancements in AI and power generation. He emphasized the need for continued investment and coordination between NASA, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense to ensure progress in space nuclear technology.Dr. Talaat stressed the importance of maintaining government investment in space research and technology to compete with global competitors and sustain U.S. leadership. He explained the need to justify federal funding to the public, highlighting how government investments in space have led to significant economic benefits and technological advancements. He further emphasized that the space ecosystem is interconnected and cannot function optimally if any part is decreased. Skepticism was expressed about the private sector's ability to fully fund basic research, noting that while some private sector initiatives exist, they often build upon government-funded infrastructure and expertise. This was in response to my comment about many on TSS having suggested that the private sector should take over basic science research as cuts and reductions to government budgets take place.Talaat discussed various applications of AI in space, including autonomous spacecraft operations, anomaly detection, and planetary emissions. He explained that AI is used for forecasting extreme weather and space weather, mapping terrain for planetary exploration, and validating the discovery of exoplanets. Talaat also mentioned using AI to reduce fuel consumption and emissions in air traffic management, an application tested with the FAA. He emphasized that while there is basic AI research, different applications often require their own specific research and models, highlighting the diversity of AI's potential uses in space and other fields.Our guest mentioned the balance between competition and cooperation in AI development, emphasizing the need for the US to maintain technological leadership while partnering with friendly countries. He highlighted USRA's focus on workforce development through programs like "Air Force for All Callers," which provides internships and fellowships for students in various fields. In response to a listener question, Talaat mentioned the dual-use nature of some technologies, noting that advancements in civilian applications can benefit defense and security operations.The challenges and regulatory requirements for developing nuclear power for space missions, highlighting the need for testing and safety measures was an important topic for this program.. Talaat talked about his institution's involvement in astrophysics research, including multi-messenger observations and the importance of maintaining research capabilities in space. I expressed Space Show listener concerns about the lack of infrastructure in lunar space and the need for communication relays, inquiring if USRA focused on those areas. The answer was yes plus our gust looked at the future of space exploration and the potential for commercial opportunities to drive scientific advancements.Our guest explained the importance of satellite data in weather and climate modeling, highlighting its role in providing comprehensive atmospheric measurements that ground-based instruments cannot capture. He noted that satellite data, along with other sources like GPS signals and infrared sounding, significantly contributes to the accuracy of weather predictions and climate studies. Again, he mentioned that while AI and machine learning are used in some aspects of weather modeling, the core models are still largely computer-based and rely on numerical registrations. He concluded by discussing paleoclimatology research, which uses data from ice cores and other sources to study Earth's climate history over millions of years, and expressed interest in potential collaborations in this area.In closing, Dr. Talaat David focused on the importance of workforce development in the space program, highlighting their efforts in scholarship, internships, and STEM education programs across the country. He emphasized their focus on producing mission-ready individuals through immersive experiences and specialized training in areas like AI, quantum computing, and planetary science. I asked him for their headquarters' location which is near NASA headquarters which helps to facilitate USRA role as a chartered partner group contributing to national challenges through research and reporting.Special thanks to our sponsors:Northrup Grumman, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Helix Space in Luxembourg, Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, Astrox Corporation, Dr. Haym Benaroya of Rutgers University, The Space Settlement Progress Blog by John Jossy, The Atlantis Project, and Artless EntertainmentOur Toll Free Line for Live Broadcasts: 1-866-687-7223For real time program participation, email Dr. Space at: drspace@thespaceshow.comThe Space Show is a non-profit 501C3 through its parent, One Giant Leap Foundation, Inc. To donate via Pay Pal, use:To donate with Zelle, use the email address: david@onegiantleapfoundation.org.If you prefer donating with a check, please make the check payable to One Giant Leap Foundation and mail to:One Giant Leap Foundation, 11035 Lavender Hill Drive Ste. 160-306 Las Vegas, NV 89135Upcoming Programs:Broadcast 4404: Rand Simberg | Sunday 20 Jul 2025 1200PM PTGuests: Rand SimbergRand speaks on this important and memorable day in historyLive Streaming is at https://www.thespaceshow.com/content/listen-live with the following live streaming sites:Stream Guys https://player.streamguys.com/thespaceshow/sgplayer3/player.php#FastServhttps://ic2646c302.fastserv.com/stream Get full access to The Space Show-One Giant Leap Foundation at doctorspace.substack.com/subscribe

This program covered various aspects of space research, technology, and exploration, including the role of the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) in advancing these fields. Discussions focused on challenges in human spaceflight, the importance of government investment in space research, applications of AI in space-related activities, and the development of nuclear technology for space missions. The meeting also addressed workforce development in the space program, the significance of satellite data in weather and climate modeling, and the balance between competition and cooperation in technological advancements. Please read the full summary at www.thespaceshow.com for this date, Friday, July 18, 2025. You can also read the summary at doctorspace.substack.com for the same day and date.

Israel has always operated a powerful and effective propaganda system - they even have a name for it, “Hasbara.” But in the age of social media the Jewish state finds itself falling behind in the propaganda battle as the ongoing genocide in Gaza and general treatment of Palestinians becomes too horrific for the rest of the world to ignore or Israel to paper over. Jimmy speaks with formerly Gaza-based Palestinian-Egyptian journalist Youmna El Sayed about her reporting and why the tide has turned against Israel in the information war. Plus segments on the bloodthirsty commentators populating Israeli television, House Speaker Mike Johnson's disingenuous response to Elon Musk's criticism of the budget bill and Barstool Sports' Dave Portnoy's unhinged reaction to antisemitic jokes.  Also featuring Kurt Metzger, Mike MacRae and Aaron Maté. And a phone call from Douglas Murray!

In this episode I'm hanging out with Ahmed Elsayed of the San Francisco punk band Goof. We chat a lot about his time living in Egypt during his formative years, how it has shaped his world view, how he got into music, as well as the bands sound. Going in depth on a variety of songs from their first album Kill 'Em All and their new album G2: Gudgment Day. Enjoy!

This week's show is sponsored by: EPIC-MRA Public Opinion Research MIRS News Fulton Fish Market

Hillsdale College Radio General Manager and Radio Free Hillsdale Hour Host Scot Bertram fills in for Jim on 3 Martini Lunch. Join Scot and Greg as they dig into the IRS possibly revoking Harvard's tax-exempt status, Bernie Sanders backing a truly radical Senate candidate in Michigan, and CNN's over-the-top praise for George Clooney's 2024 call to replace Joe Biden.First, they analyze reports that the IRS may strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status. Scot emphasizes that this issue should be treated separately from the Biden administration's efforts to withhold federal funds over the school's failure to meet anti-Semitism standards. The guys also mull over whether such an action by the IRS would make it easier for a future Democrat administration to take aim at conservative institutions, or whether the left will do that regardless of what the right does now.Next, they spotlight Bernie Sanders endorsing far-left candidate Abdul El-Sayed for U.S. Senate in Michigan. El-Sayed is known for supporting government-controlled health care, taxpayer-funded college (dubbed "free" college by the left), and for his hostility toward Israel. But Scot cautions that El-Sayed is an articulate speaker, boasts a successful medical background, and could receive glowing media coverage similar to Barack Obama back in 2004.Finally, they call out CNN's Jake Tapper for heaping excessive praise on George Clooney's “brave” letter to the New York Times editor urging Democrats to replace Joe Biden after last year's debate. Scot and Greg see it as a transparent effort by the media and left-wing elites to rewrite history and pretend it was impossible to know about Biden's cognitive decline before the debate.Please visit our great sponsors:Oracle will cut your cloud bill in HALF —new US customers only, offer ends May 31st! Checkeligibility: https://oracle.com/MARTINIThis podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Your well-being is worth it. Visithttps://BetterHelp.com/3ML to get 10% off your first monthIt's free, online, and easy to start—no strings attached. Enroll in Understanding Capitalism withHillsdale College. Visit https://hillsdale.edu/Martini

Can our local health departments counteract the mixed messages given by RFK, Jr. the secretary of Health and Human Services, about vaccine safety and efficacy? What about us? How can we combat disinformation and highlight the benefits of vaccinating our children and ourselves? To find out, we spoke with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed—physician, epidemiologist, author, and county health commissioner. He is formerly the health director for the city of Detroit. As the host of the award-winning America Dissected podcast, he breaks down the forces shaping public health for tens of thousands of listeners each week. This is the second of two episodes with Dr. El-Sayed.

This time on Code WACK!  Can our local health departments counteract the mixed messages given by RFK, Jr. the secretary of Health and Human Services, about vaccine safety and efficacy? What about us? How can we combat disinformation and highlight the benefits of vaccinating our children and ourselves? To find out, we spoke with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed—physician, epidemiologist, author, and county health commissioner. He is formerly the health director for the city of Detroit.  As the host of the award-winning America Dissected podcast, he breaks down the forces shaping public health for tens of thousands of listeners each week. This is the second of two episodes with Dr. El-Sayed.  Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

What could Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services mean for the public health of everyday Americans, given his history of vaccine misinformation? With measles already on the rise and deadly, and the looming threat of future pandemics, how might his leadership shape the nation's response to infectious diseases? To find out, we spoke with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed—physician, epidemiologist, author, and county health commissioner. He is formerly the health director for the city of Detroit. As the host of the award-winning America Dissected podcast, he breaks down the forces shaping public health for tens of thousands of listeners each week. This is the first of two episodes with Dr. El-Sayed.

This time on Code WACK!  What could Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services mean for the public health of everyday Americans, given his history of vaccine misinformation? With measles already on the rise and deadly, and the looming threat of future pandemics, how might his leadership shape the nation's response to infectious diseases? To find out, we spoke with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed—physician, epidemiologist, author, and county health commissioner. He is formerly the health director for the city of Detroit.  As the host of the award-winning America Dissected podcast, he breaks down the forces shaping public health for tens of thousands of listeners each week. This is the first of two episodes with Dr. El-Sayed.    Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!  And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

Send us a textHatem Elsayed shares his journey in the blockchain space, illustrating the vital roles of community and partnerships in Web3. The episode emphasizes investing in strong teams, creating meaningful collaborations, and the evolving trends that are shaping the future of this industry.• Exploring the significance of networking in blockchain • Hatem's journey from ambassador to COO • Importance of governance and community in blockchain projects • Overview of Advanced Blockchain AG's innovative investment strategy • Criteria for evaluating potential investment projects • Key factors for forming successful partnerships • The vital role of community engagement and feedback • Exciting narratives shaping the future of blockchain technology If you enjoyed the episode, please share it with friends and those interested in learning something new!This episode was recorded through a Descript call on December 30, 2024. Read the blog article and show notes here: https://webdrie.net/navigating-web3-investments-and-strategic-partnerships-with-hatem-elsayed-coo-of-advanced-blockchain-ag/Discover RYO: the Web3 payment solution making crypto simple and secure for everyone. Featuring an expansive ecosystem with LIFE Wallet, Global Mall, and Japan's first licensed Crypto ATM Network, RYO empowers your financial journey. Awarded 'Best Crypto Solution.'

This week, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed joins Nick and Goldy to discuss how the recent assassination of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson has thrown a harsh spotlight on the public's visceral anger toward our exploitative healthcare system. Dr. El-Sayed outlines the stark contrasts between the profit-driven U.S. healthcare system and those of other developed nations, arguing that we need a public option to alleviate the burdens of skyrocketing costs and access issues. Goldy also explains how the warnings from Nick's viral POLITICO piece from 10 years ago, “The Pitchforks Are Coming For Us Plutocrats,” feel eerily prescient, as the public reaction to Thompson's death was a mix of hailing the shooter as a hero, outrage, and people sharing their personal healthcare horror stories online. Is it possible that America's healthcare system is having its own pitchforks moment? Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is a physician, epidemiologist, and public servant whose work focuses on health equity, resiliency, and environmental justice. He is the host of America Dissected, Crooked Media's podcast that explores the intersection of health and society with leading experts in science, public health, and policy. Abdul is also the author of Healing Politics and Medicare for All: A Citizen's Guide, and he serves as a visiting scientist at Harvard's FXB Center for Health & Human Rights, as well as a Scholar in Residence at Wayne State University and American University. Social Media BlueSky: @abdulelsayed.bsky.social Instagram: abdulelsayed Threads: abdulelsayed Twitter:  @AbdulElSayed Further reading:  America Dissected  Healing Politics: A Doctor's Journey Into the Heart of Our Political Epidemic Medicare for All: A Citizen's Guide    Nick's OpEd in POLITICO: The Pitchforks Are Coming… For Us Plutocrats Nick's Ted Talk: Beware, fellow plutocrats, the pitchforks are coming Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Threads: pitchforkeconomics Bluesky: @pitchforkeconomics.bsky.social Twitter: @PitchforkEcon, @NickHanauer, @civicaction YouTube: @pitchforkeconomics LinkedIn: Pitchfork Economics Substack: The Pitch

Al Jazeera's Youmna ElSayed was on the frontlines of Israel's war on Gaza, reporting live on air with air strikes behind her and facing threats to her life. A year after October 7, she shares the toll of what she witnessed, as a correspondent and as a mother, and reveals the impacts of war that linger long after reaching physical safety. In this episode: Youmna ElSayed (@YoumnaElSayed17), Al Jazeera Correspondent Episode credits: This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker, Sonia Bhagat, and Sarí el-Khalili with Phillip Lanos, Hisham Abu Salah, Duha Mosaad, Hagir Saleh, Cole van Miltenburg, and our host Malika Bilal. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik. Munera Al Dosari and Adam Abou-Gad are our engagement producers. The Take production team is Amy Walters, Ashish Malhotra, Catherine Nouhan, Cole van Miltenburg, Chloe K. Li, Duha Mosaad, Hagir Saleh, Hisham Abu Salah, Khaled Soltan, Manahil Naveed, Marcos Bartolomé, Phillip Lanos, Sarí el-Khalili, Sonia Bhagat, and Tamara Khandaker.  Alexandra Locke is The Take's executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube