Podcasts about gerrymandered

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for June 12, 2026Florida Supreme Court Allows Latest Gerrymandered Congressional Map, Again Ignoring the State Constitution's Fair Maps Amendment Florida's Supreme Court denied an emergency request by a pro-voter group June 10th to pause Governor Ron DeSantis' congressional redistricting map. The gerrymandered map, likely flipping four liberal-leaning districts conservative, will now likely be in place for the midterm election.Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:Florida Phoenix - DeSantis signs legislation making new congressional map officialFlorida Phoenix - Florida Supreme Court rejects emergency petition to stop DeSantis' redistricted congressional mapSupreme Court of Florida (via Democracy Docket) - Equal Ground Education Fund, Inc., v.Secretary, Florida Department of State Related ADM Reports:American Democracy Minute - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Signs Redistricting Bill with Four More GOP Seats; Illinois and New York Contemplate a ResponseAmerican Democracy Minute - Gerrymandering Arms Race Update:  FL Gov. Ron DeSantis Unveils Congressional Redistricting Plan, Gerrymandering 4 Additional GOP SeatsGroups Taking Action:Equal GroundRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgSubscribe for FREE at Apple Podcasts, Spotify and most podcasting platforms.Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#NewsAlerts #AmericanDemocracy #Florida #FairMapsAmendment #FLSupremeCourt #PartisanGerrymandering #TrumpGerrymandering

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for May 21, 2026Missouri SOS Still Scheming to Derail November Ballot Initiative to Overturn New Gerrymandered Congressional Map Splitting Kansas CityMissouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins told the Associated Press last December he would do “Everything I can to protect Gov. Kehoe's Missouri First Map,” UNQUOTE.  “Everything” apparently means slow-walking certification of a citizen ballot initiative aimed at overturning the map.Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:Missouri Independent - Lawsuit asks judge to force decision on Missouri gerrymandering referendumColumbia Missourian - St. Charles County election leader warns redistricting delay could threaten August primaryMissouri Independent – Denny Hoskins admits writing flawed ballot summary for Missouri gerrymandering referendum Related ADM Reports:American Democracy Minute - (Jan.  2026)Missouri Secretary of State Tactics Attempt to Derail Citizen Repeal of Gerrymandered Congressional Map American Democracy Minute - (March 2026) MO Supreme Court Upholds Legislature's Mid-Decade Redistricting Authority, But a Pending Ballot Measure May Yet Invalidate its MapGroups Taking Action:People Not Politicians MO, Campaign Legal Center, ACLU MORegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org#NewsAlerts #AmericanDemocracy #Missouri #Denny Hoskins #RacialGerrymandering #TrumpGerrymandering #Redistricting #PeopleNotPoliticiansMO

"Gerrymandered maps silencing Black voices, skyrocketing prices crushing working families, and rigged systems pushing millions to the edge — this is Voter Map Wars: The Summer of Revolution. The fuse is lit. The people are done waiting. Tune in before it explodes."That's fiery enough to make folks stop scrolling and hit play. Want it even shorter or more intense?

Also, Democrats need to present an alternative to GOP and their own 'status quo' & is there a pattern of campaign finance ethics issues with Bottoms' campaigns?Not only did Brian Kemp call a special session of the General Assembly back to the Gold Dome to address a mess of its own making (mandating the elimination of QR codes from voter ballots), but the already-and-disproportionately gerrymandered state - in his mind - needs another redraw. So what are Democrats to do?Well, for starters, they need to understand that they, as a party, aren't much more popular than the historically unpopular President they're trying to mitigate by retaking the House the November. My goodness, if they could provide clarity by way of a slate of candidates backing a populist message that's centered on the working class, eschewing 'Third Way' "baby steps pragmatism" for a bold visionary agenda, the places they could ascend to!That agenda starts with fixing the way we govern and elect leaders. They include:Uncapping the House. New England California Republicans would love this because they'd finally have representation, and a nation whose voice in the House has been diluted by 1/3 since the 1930s gets its clout back.Eliminate partisan gerrymandering. Racial gerrymandering's supposedly gone, so get rid of partisan gerrymandering to ensure that, and do it before we've drawn ourselves into a civil war. By doing those two things you've already fixed the electoral college, but because it's broken, you have to also uncap the Supreme Court. Grow it to 13 to match the number of US court circuits. Oh, and Set term limits on that court.You can't tell me the American people wouldn't be solidly behind that. Call it "Project 2032" if you need to - so they know it can't be done overnight and that they (we) the voter have to stay on task to ensure we do our part to meet that date to see those accomplishments come to fruition. As Democrats, there'll be some self-inflicted pains in some "blue states," but gains to be made in others. So be it. This is how you grow your brand in places you aren't winning in. - - - I spent most of my show going off on that tangent, but closer to home, there are concerns - and now a filed campaign finance ethics complaint - shedding light on the Keisha Lance Bottoms' gubernatorial campaign. I highlighted a lot of those concerns before the complaint was filed, but this information's readily available for anyone to gather and use against her - including Burt Jones and Rick Jackson. Heck, I got it from a Republican campaign finance wonk. Is this "more baggage" to consider when deciding who Democrats in Georgia should back to be their gubernaotiral nominee? It bears mentioning this isn't the first time such allegations have come up. Then councilwoman Bottoms, when pivoting to a mayoral run, was hit with a $37,000 fine for campaign ethics violations.

Is Iran playing Donald Trump? The frustration builds as negotiations draw out. Plus, the Supreme Court allows Alabama to eliminate a district held by a Black Democrat as the map wars spread across America.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a 6-3 ruling this morning...the Supreme Court struck down a gerrymandered congressional district in Louisiana. They said the district lines relied too heavily on race...  that ... they said is  unconstitutional. Joining me now LIVE is Inside Sources co-host Holly Richardson.

KSL's Top Story: Parents at an Elementary School in Provo have started a petition to save their school.  Their concern is that the district is looking toward closing schools with low enrollment. The story... from KSL NewsRadio's Heather Peterson.

This episode is presented by Create A Video – As I predicted yesterday, a district court in Virginia blocked the certification of the referendum vote that would allow Democrats to gerrymander the commonwealth. It's the same judge that blocked it before due to the unconstitutional process used to ram it through the legislature. The Democrat Attorney General says he will appeal to the state Supreme Court.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-pete-kaliner-show--6946691/support.Subscribe to the podcast All the links to Pete's Prep are free!Get exclusive content here!Media Bias Check: GroundNews promo code!Advertising and Booking inquiries: Pete@ThePeteKalinerShow.com  

Robert Knight is a former Los Angeles Times news editor and columnist for the Washington Times as well as other publications. Robert has had senior positions in a number of pro-family organizations. On Monday, Ken Cuccinelli, the national chairman of the Election Transparency Initiative, was the guest on Crosstalk. He warned about the Virginia vote that was to take place on Tuesday pertaining to a mass gerrymandering of the state. He noted that the state is near a 50-50 split with 6 blue (Democrat) congressional districts and 5 red (Republican) districts. He also communicated that there's a push from the left to make it ten blue districts and one red district. Less than 48 hours ago, votes were tallied, with unofficial results indicating that the gerrymandered maps narrowly won. Since then a judge has halted the results from being certified. According to Robert, more than 80 million dollars was spent on this campaign, with most of it coming from Democrats. They raised virtually all of it from out-of-state sources including a group run by Hakeem Jeffries, the minority leader in the House of Representatives, and another led by George Soros. This has resulted in a new redistricting map that Robert said looks like, "...a lobster with a long tail." Does the law really give the Virginia legislature the ability to redraw districts for the mid-term elections with a later return to what the law says? Was the vote in Virginia basically an anti-Trump vote as well as a response to what took place in Texas? These are all good questions and Robert deals with them and more.

Robert Knight is a former Los Angeles Times news editor and columnist for the Washington Times as well as other publications. Robert has had senior positions in a number of pro-family organizations. On Monday, Ken Cuccinelli, the national chairman of the Election Transparency Initiative, was the guest on Crosstalk. He warned about the Virginia vote that was to take place on Tuesday pertaining to a mass gerrymandering of the state. He noted that the state is near a 50-50 split with 6 blue (Democrat) congressional districts and 5 red (Republican) districts. He also communicated that there's a push from the left to make it ten blue districts and one red district. Less than 48 hours ago, votes were tallied, with unofficial results indicating that the gerrymandered maps narrowly won. Since then a judge has halted the results from being certified. According to Robert, more than 80 million dollars was spent on this campaign, with most of it coming from Democrats. They raised virtually all of it from out-of-state sources including a group run by Hakeem Jeffries, the minority leader in the House of Representatives, and another led by George Soros. This has resulted in a new redistricting map that Robert said looks like, "...a lobster with a long tail." Does the law really give the Virginia legislature the ability to redraw districts for the mid-term elections with a later return to what the law says? Was the vote in Virginia basically an anti-Trump vote as well as a response to what took place in Texas? These are all good questions and Robert deals with them and more.

On today’s episode of The Scott Jennings Show, Scott breaks down the fallout from Virginia’s controversial redistricting vote that could dramatically reshape the state’s congressional map, alongside expected legal challenges with analysis from Kevin McCarthy and Ken Cuccinelli. He also covers escalating tensions with Iran despite a ceasefire extension, including vessel seizures in the Strait of Hormuz, with insight from Mehek Cooke and Senator Tim Sheehy on U.S. strategy and the risk of further conflict. The show dives into a bombshell DOJ indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center with legal analysis from Professor William Jacobson, and examines rising political extremism debates with Congresswoman Lisa McClain. In Hour 2, Scott also discusses AI policy and federal overreach with Senator Mike Lee, rounding out a fast-moving show focused on national security, legal battles, and the shifting political landscape. https://www.balanceofnature.com https://www.ifcj.org See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Virginia Democrats just rammed through a gerrymandered map that turns a 6-5 congressional split into a 10-to-1 Democrat stranglehold — and it passed by barely three points with tens of millions in out-of-state Soros money. Abigail Spanberger promised she'd never gerrymander, then did it within weeks of taking office. Gavin Newsom is already gloating, Hakeem Jeffries is threatening Florida, and Ron DeSantis just called a special session to fire back on May 1st. For complete Medicare guidance, dial 580-308-0975 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to https://askchapter.org/oconnor SHOP OUR MERCH: https://store.townhallmedia.com/ BUY A LARRY MUG: https://store.townhallmedia.com/products/larry-mug Watch LARRY with Larry O'Connor LIVE — Monday-Thursday at 12PM Eastern on YouTube, Facebook, & Rumble! Find LARRY with Larry O'Connor wherever you get your podcasts! SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/7i8F7K4fqIDmqZSIHJNhMh?si=814ce2f8478944c0&nd=1&dlsi=e799ca22e81b456f APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/larry/id1730596733 Become a Townhall VIP Member today and use promo code LARRY for 50% off: https://townhall.com/subscribe?tpcc=poddescription https://townhall.com/ https://rumble.com/c/c-5769468 https://www.facebook.com/townhallcom/ https://www.instagram.com/townhallmedia/ https://twitter.com/townhallcom Chapter: Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.Become a Townhall VIP member with promo code "LARRY": https://townhall.com/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for April 17, 2026Until Recently, Wisconsin was One of the Most Heavily Gerrymandered in the Country.  Gov. Tony Evers Hopes to Permanently Change That.Under former GOP Governor Scott Walker, Wisconsin became one of the most partisan gerrymandered states in the country for almost 15 years.  His successor, Democratic Governor Tony Evers, wants to amend the state constitution to make sure it never happens again.Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:Gov. Tony Evers - Text of Feb. 17, 2026 State of the State AddressWisconsin Public Radio - After 20-point Supreme Court loss, Wisconsin Republicans look for who's to blameWisconsin Watch - As Democrats surge, will Republicans take Tony Evers up on a special session to ban partisan gerrymandering? Wisconsin Politics - Gov. Evers: Doubles down on partisan gerrymandering ban: “There's nothing to negotiate.”Wisconsin Examiner - Lawmakers leave conversations with Evers on gerrymandering, tax relief, school funding openRelated ADM Reports:American Democracy Minute - Restoration of Fair Voting Districts in Wisconsin Ends GOP Near Supermajority in Assembly and SenateAmerican Democracy Minute - Oral Arguments Heard by the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Constitutionality of the the State's Extreme Gerrymandered MapsGroups Taking Action:Law Forward, Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition,  Common Cause WIRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Wisconsin #FairMaps #ConstitutionalAmendment #TonyEvers

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway told KCUR's Up To Date that she believes Missouri voters don't have the authority to block the newly drawn congressional map through a referendum. “I think we know for 2026 what the congressional districts are,” Hanaway said. Legal challenges are still underway.

American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Feb. 18, 2026Democrats in Virginia & Maryland Race to Match GOP-Gerrymandered Congressional Seats, But It's Far From a Done Deal.An effort in Virginia and Maryland to match GOP-gerrymandered congressional seats in Texas and other states continues.  A state supreme court decision in Virginia will allow a ballot measure to go to the voters, but Maryland's efforts have met opposition in the state senate.Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:Virginia Mercury - (Jan. 27) Virginia court strikes down redistricting amendment headed for April ballotVirginia Mercury - Supreme Court of Virginia greenlights redistricting referendumVirginia Supreme Court  -  Order in Scott v. McDougal Rep. Jamie Raskin - Rep. Jamie Raskin's Letter to the Maryland General Assembly on the New Congressional MapPolitico - How Maryland Democrats are thwarting Wes Moore's political ambitionsWBAL - Hakeem Jeffries to Bill Ferguson: 'Allow democracy to prevail' on redistricting in MarylandMaryland Matters - Moore to set aside redistricting, focus on core goals in State of the State Past ADM Reports on this Topic:American Democracy Minute - (Jan 21) Redistricting Updates: CA GOP Appeals Prop 50 Maps to SCOTUS, VA Dems Push Constitutional Amendment, NH's Bill Doomed, MD Stalemated American Democracy Minute - (Jan 29) Virginia Court Decisions Block Democrat Mid-Decade Redistricting Amendment, and Restore Rights to Some Citizens Convicted of FeloniesAmerican Democracy Minute - (Feb. 6) Without Comment, the U.S. Supreme Court Allows California Prop 50 Maps. What's the Next Battle in the Gerrymandering Wars?#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #MidDecadeRedistricting #TrumpGerrymandering #PartisanGerrymandering #Virginia #Maryland #WesMoore #BallotMeasure

Since Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed into law a new congressional map that splits Kansas City into three districts, with the goal of ousting Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II from office, a handful of lawsuits and hundreds of thousands of petition signatures have been submitted in opposition. Two of those cases will be heard in court this week.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Jan. 16, 2026Federal Panel Allows California's Gerrymandered Counterpunch to Five More GOP Congressional Seats in Texas. Will a Politicized SCOTUS Block It? January 14th, a 9th Circuit federal court panel rejected a GOP claim that California's new congressional districts were racially gerrymandered.  The court said the Proposition 50 maps, created as a counterpunch to gerrymandering in Texas, were manipulated for partisan, not racial reason.Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:American Democracy Minute - (Dec. 2025) U.S. Supreme Court Majority Embraces Texas Redistricting, Ignores District Court Panel Racial Gerrymandering FindingsCalMatters - Proposition 50 passed in California. Here's what you missed U.S. DISTRICT COURT CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA (Via Democracy Docket) - Order in DAVID TANGIPA, et al.,  Plaintiffs, and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Intervenor, v. GAVIN NEWSOM, in his official capacityas the Governor of California, et al., American Democracy Minute - (Nov. 2025) The Purcell Principle, Often Used in the SCOTUS Shadow Docket, Will Be Argued in the Texas Gerrymandering Decision.  What is it?Groups Taking Action:Common Cause, FairVote, League of Women VotersRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #California #Texas #TrumpGerrymandering #RacialGerrymandering #PartisanGerrymandering #FairMaps #Proposition50

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Jan. 12, 2026Missouri Secretary of State Tactics Attempt to Derail Citizen Repeal of Gerrymandered Congressional Map January 6th, the Missouri Secretary of State disqualified one third of the qualifying signatures for a ballot initiative repealing a gerrymandered mid-decade congressional map. January 9th, his lawyer admitted in court that the state's language for the ballot initiative was “likely to create prejudice.”  It's all part of an all-out effort to derail the pro-voter ballot measure.Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:American Democracy Minute - (2025) After the SCOTUS Texas Congressional Gerrymandering Decision, Battles Continue in Missouri, Indiana and Florida St. Louis Public Radio - (Oct. 2025) Redistricting foes blast Hanaway for trying to stop referendum on Missouri map Denny Hoskins, Missouri Secretary of State - Setting the Record Straight on Ballot Language PBS/AP - Opponents of Trump-backed redistricting in Missouri submit a petition to force a public voteMissouri Independent - Denny Hoskins isn't verifying one-third of signatures for vote on Missouri's gerrymandered map Missouri Independent - Denny Hoskins admits writing flawed ballot summary for Missouri gerrymandering referendum Groups Taking Action:People Not Politicians,  ACLU Missouri, Campaign Legal CenterRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Missouri #TrumpGerrymandering #FairMaps #PeopleNotPoliticiansMO #RacialGerrymandering 

Let's talk about SCOTUS handing Trump an approved gerrymandered map....

Indiana's House of Representatives passes a map that would give Indiana 9 republicans and 0 democrats in the US House of Representatives. The bill moves to the Indiana senate next week. Our listeners react.

Today's Headlines: The House finally voted on releasing the Epstein files, and it was a blowout: 427–1, with Louisiana Republican Clay Higgins as the lone no vote. Speaker Mike Johnson is still trying to get the Senate to redact names (interesting), but survivors held a powerful press conference beforehand urging Trump to stop playing politics and just release the files himself. Meanwhile, the first real accountability domino fell: Larry Summers is stepping back from Harvard and the Center for American Progress over his deep Epstein ties — though OpenAI's board is staying suspiciously quiet about whether he's out there too. Over in the Oval Office, Trump hosted Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for what was supposed to be a big investment-and-F-35s photo op, but it immediately derailed when reporters asked about Epstein and, awkwardly, MBS's role in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Trump waved that off with a casual “things happen,” then snapped at ABC's Mary Bruce for asking why he hasn't released the Epstein files, calling her a “terrible reporter” and demanding ABC lose its broadcast license. Very normal, very innocent behavior. In foreign policy news, the UK has reportedly stopped sharing intel on drug smuggling boats over concerns about recent U.S. strikes — something Secretary of State Marco Rubio swears is absolutely not happening because “it didn't come up once.” The courts were also busy. A federal judge said the DOJ's case against James Comey may have been tainted by “profound investigative missteps,” another court blocked Texas's new gerrymandered congressional map for 2026 (pending the inevitable SCOTUS appeal), and a bankruptcy judge finally approved a $7 billion Purdue Pharma settlement after six years of legal trench warfare — money that will go to families, governments, hospitals, and tribes devastated by the opioid crisis. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNN: Live updates: Trump presidency, Epstein files release heads to House for vote AP News: Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers steps down from public commitments after Epstein emails ABC News: Trump defends Saudi crown prince over Khashoggi killing, threatens ABC News in White House meeting – as it happened | Mohammed bin Salman People: Donald Trump Lashes Out at ABC Reporter over Another Epstein Question, Saying 'Your Crappy Company' Should Lose Its FCC License NBC News: U.K. withholds intelligence on alleged drug boats over U.S. strikes, sources say CNN: Judge says James Comey indictment may be tainted by ‘profound investigative missteps' Democracy Docket: Federal Court Blocks Texas Gerrymander - Democracy Docket Financial Times: Judge rules Purdue Pharma must pay $7bn in bankruptcy settlement Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Nov. 13, 2025Utah Judge Rejects Legislature's Gerrymandered Congressional Map, Choosing a Map Which Follows the State Constitution InsteadIn October, the Utah legislature proposed yet another gerrymandered Congressional map which violated state constitutional rules for redistricting.   Nov. 10th, the judge overseeing the case rejected the legislature's map, choosing a constitutionally-compliant one instead.Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:American Democracy Minute - (2024) Utah Voters Fought Back After Their Fair Voting Districts Constitutional Amendment was Gutted by an Anti-Voter Legislature.  They Won. American Democracy Minute - After Losing in Court and at the Polls, Utah Legislature Approves Nov. Ballot Measure to Veto or Alter Citizen Ballot Measures to Protect Its PowerAmerican Democracy Minute - Judge Orders Utah to Immediately Draw New Congressional Map, After the Legislature Circumvented the Voters – and the State Constitution Utah News Dispatch - Redistricting ruling: Utah judge picks plaintiffs' congressional map, blocks Legislature's  Groups Taking Action: League of Women Voters UT, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, Campaign Legal CenterRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Utah #BetterBoundariesUT #Proposition4 #Utah #LWVUT  #FairMaps

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Nov. 3, 2025Ohio General Assembly to Vote on a Further Gerrymandered Congressional Map Put Forward by Politician-Led Redistrict Commission Ohio voters, who voted down a citizen-led independent redistricting commission in 2024, are seeing the consequences, as Ohio's politician-led commission gerrymanders two more GOP congressional seats.  Democrats say they had no choice but to compromise.Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:American Democracy Minute - Polling Shows Ohio Voters Lean Toward Passing Citizen-Led Redistricting Commission Ballot Measure, Despite Disinformation from State Officials American Democracy Minute - High Turnout of Conservative Voters Also Led to Losses for Democracy Reform in Ohio, Nevada, Colorado and Potentially AlaskaOhio Capital Journal - New Ohio congressional redistricting map introduced to criticism, but may have support to passOhio Capital Journal - Ohio Redistricting Commission unanimously passes congressional map furthering GOP advantage League of Women Voters OH - Statement on OH Redistricting Commission's Congressional MapGroups Taking Action:League of Women Voters OH, Citizens Not Politicians, Fair Districts OH, Register or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #Gerrymandering #Ohio #MikeDeWine #RiggedElection

Thousands of volunteers in Missouri are trying to get enough signatures to force a statewide vote on a congressional map, which state lawmakers recently gerrymandered to favor Republicans. But state officials aren't making it easy for them. Plus: U.S. farmers are experimenting with short corn. It's corn, but shorter!

Hello nerds.When I first started interviewing Scott Santens years ago during the Nerds for Yang era, he was one of the most relentless and articulate advocates for universal basic income (UBI) in America. Back then, it felt like the country was on the verge of something big. Andrew Yang was on the debate stage making “Freedom Dividend” a household phrase. Silicon Valley technologists were whispering about automation in the same breath as moral responsibility. Even Republican voters were entertaining the idea that direct cash transfers might be less bureaucratic and more empowering than sprawling social programs.Fast forward to 2025, and the conversation feels quieter. The pandemic-era stimulus checks are long gone. Washington has reverted to tribal warfare. Meanwhile, AI is advancing faster than anyone—maybe even Scott and Andrew —predicted. The irony is thick: the very forces that made UBI seem like a radical idea a decade ago are now transforming entire industries before our eyes. And yet, the movement feels stuck in neutral.So when Scott rejoined me on Nerds for Humanity this month from his new base in Washington, D.C., I wanted to know: What happened? Why did UBI lose its moment? And is there a realistic path back to the mainstream before millions of Americans get left behind?The Move to D.C. and the Lost MomentScott began by explaining why he left New Orleans for D.C. a few years ago. “It just seemed that UBI was really a bigger part of the conversation,” he said. “I thought if the Democrats came in again in 2024, I could actually get some traction.”He laughs a little when he says that now. “That didn't end up happening,” he admitted, reflecting on how the Biden reelection froze the kind of idea competition that defined 2020. “The big problem was that Biden decided to run again, and there was no primary process. Then suddenly Kamala comes in and still no primary process. So there was no ideas competition. We really missed out on that.”That lack of competition, Scott argues, has a ripple effect. Political movements thrive on moments of contrast, when new ideas bump up against old dogmas and voters are forced to re-evaluate assumptions. The 2020 race—with Yang, Sanders, Warren, and others pitching structural reforms—was one of those rare idea-rich moments. 2024, by comparison, was a desert.As Scott put it bluntly: “We were close enough to taste it during the pandemic. It really felt like we were actually on the cusp of doing a monthly cash payment that could change things. But none of that happened.”He's not wrong. The COVID checks were, in effect, a large-scale experiment in direct income support. Poverty temporarily plummeted. Families caught their breath. Consumer demand stayed strong. And then we let it all expire.AI Ate the Jobs While America SleptWhat's striking about this quiet period, as I noted to Scott, is that the threat he and Yang warned about—the automation of work—is no longer hypothetical. Knowledge worker jobs are being eaten by AI faster than policy debates can catch up.“I'm a parent of two teenagers,” I told him. “Other parents are starting to wonder if a computer science degree is still the golden ticket. Should we be preparing our kids to be plumbers instead?”Scott nodded grimly. “It's disheartening,” he said. “Now that these impacts are here… this is the stuff that we've been warning about. It's not a sudden thing, but it does seem to already be impacting the entry-level job market.”He pointed to a convergence of pressures: corporate hiring freezes driven by uncertainty around tariffs, companies experimenting with AI productivity tools, and executives under shareholder pressure to “do more with less.” The result: stagnating headcount even in high-growth sectors.“We don't really need people that we likely would have if AI had not been introduced,” he said. I observed from Silicon Valley, “What we're seeing right now is that companies can grow revenue while keeping headcount flat.”It's not a collapse. It's a quiet deceleration—a slow bleed. And that's arguably more dangerous because it doesn't provoke a policy response. There's no headline-grabbing “AI layoffs.” Just the invisible absence of opportunities for millions of new grads.Even top business schools are struggling to place students. “It's like the hardest market in years,” Scott said, and I agreed. “If we hit a recession,” he warned, “that's when all these businesses really lean into productivity. The recession ends, and they realize they don't need those people back.”That scenario—automation accelerated by economic downturn—is the nightmare UBI advocates have been predicting for over a decade. Each downturn becomes a ratchet that permanently eliminates another layer of middle-class work.The Automation MirageWhen politicians talk about “bringing manufacturing jobs back,” Scott and I get visibly frustrated. “I don't think people realize—you don't need that many people in those factories anymore,” I said.He reminded me of a chart he once published showing that U.S. manufacturing output is higher than ever, even though manufacturing employment has fallen dramatically. “We're manufacturing more than ever, we just have fewer jobs,” he said. “If we did reshoring, sure, we could manufacture even more, but jobs would continue going down.”I brought up a U.S. tech investor who recently toured Chinese EV plants. “He said the number of BYD employees per car is something like a fifth of what it is for Ford or GM,” I told Scott. “If we build plants here, we're not going to hire 20 people per car—we'll hire four or five.”Scott didn't hesitate: “Exactly. The only way to bring it back is to minimize labor. American labor is expensive. You can't both re-shore and keep the same job intensity.”Then he pivoted to a deeper critique of political dishonesty. “Trump sold a lot of people false hope,” he said. “He told them, ‘Once I negotiate these trade deals, everything's gonna be back to post–World War II full employment.' But that's a lie. We've heard that lie over and over again, even from people in the AI world. They say this will create more jobs than it displaces. Come on. We all know the realities.”This is the paradox of modern capitalism: productivity growth has decoupled from employment growth. We make more stuff with fewer people. And our political imagination hasn't caught up to that new reality.From Careers to Gigs: The New NormalScott traced this shift back decades. “We know what happened when we displaced people from manufacturing jobs—they went lower down the ladder into lower-paying work,” he said. “You went from careers to gig labor.”He rattled off examples that have become painfully familiar: “People now earn extra money by signing up for Uber, delivering food, DoorDashing. There's just a transformation of what employment even means.”In Scott's view, the only logical response to this is UBI. “You need to make sure everyone actually gets basic income,” he said. “That helps feed demand for new jobs. If people's incomes fall as a result of AI, demand falls. And when demand falls, the entire economy reorients.”He pointed to a staggering statistic: “Right now, the top 10% are buying half of everything produced and sold in the U.S. It's a very unequal consumption economy. The markets start ignoring the basic needs of people and reorient around luxury experiences.”That imbalance, he argued, isn't just economic—it's political. “It leads to people getting violent. It's key to the erosion of democracy.”The Coming Middle-Class AwakeningIf there's any silver lining, I said, it's that the pain is spreading up the income ladder.“I think it's going to affect a lot of middle-class and upper-middle-class people in a way it hasn't before,” I said. “When Andrew talked about truck drivers losing jobs, people thought, ‘My kid's going to college, they'll be fine.' Now they're realizing maybe not.”Scott agreed. “We just didn't realize how fast it would hit arts, music, images, and photos. I didn't think about that. It took me by surprise.”I added, “When he said doctors and lawyers, it felt far away. Now you're like—oh s**t—that's happening right now.”He laughed and I added more examples. “People are winning court cases using ChatGPT as their attorney. And with tools like Sora and Grok Imagine, you can generate realistic videos and images instantly. There's no ground truth anymore.”That last point hits hard. “You just give people a reason to doubt it,” Scott said. “You can have fake security cam footage of Sam Altman stealing something, and people will believe it. Or you can have real footage of Trump doing something, and people won't.”When truth itself becomes negotiable, democracy can't function. Evidence is the oxygen of public accountability. Once it's gone, all we have left are teams—and team loyalty.The Tariff FantasyThat team loyalty came up again when I told Scott about a debate I'd had with a MAGA relative in Florida. My brother argued that Trump's tariffs would pay for his tax cuts. Scott immediately laughed. “Even assuming that were true—which it's not—you're still taxing the working and middle class to pay for tax cuts for the rich,” he said.He broke it down simply: “It doesn't make any sense to say, ‘Tariff revenue will cover it.' Who covers the tariff revenue? It's the consumers. And yet people believe it.”Scott sees this as part of the broader epistemic collapse—people believing “whatever their team is saying,” no matter how illogical. “It's impressive in some ways,” I said. “You can propose policies that hurt your base and they'll cheer you for it.” He nodded. “Yeah. It's really frustrating.”UBI Research: Misunderstood and MisreportedI asked Scott about recent UBI research that some media outlets described as “disappointing.” His response was both sharp and nuanced.“Those weren't negative results,” he said. “They were null results.” He walked me through three often-cited studies: Baby's First Years, the Denver Homeless Pilot, and Sam Altman's Worldcoin/Overture experiment.“The key is to understand what's being tested,” he explained. “These weren't saturation pilots. They gave money to small groups of individuals. But real universal basic income changes communities. It creates new demand, new jobs, new dynamics.”He contrasted these with the Alaska Permanent Fund, which distributes oil dividends to every state resident annually. “In Alaska, we saw an overall increase in employment due to the dividend,” he said. “Some people worked less, but the spending created new jobs.”That's the essence of his argument: if you only study individuals, you miss the macro effects.He was especially skeptical of the way media covered the Baby's First Years study, which found no measurable difference in children's brain development after four years of $333 monthly payments. “That's a null result, not a failure,” Scott said. “It doesn't mean UBI doesn't work. It just means we didn't see differences yet. Impacts often show up later in life.”He also noted that measuring brain development via EEG scans is an odd and narrow metric. “Maybe families were happier. Maybe they bought what they needed. That still matters.”The Secret Study and New FrontiersScott hinted that a major new study is underway. “There's a study I can't talk about,” he said, smiling, “but it's looking at something no other experiment has looked at. I'm excited for those results.”He also mentioned Jeff Atwood (co-founder of Stack Overflow) is funding a $50 million set of county-level pilots, focusing on rural areas. “That's exciting,” Scott said. “It's a different political slice, and it's potentially saturation-like.”Globally, he's watching Thailand closely. “They announced they were going to do a negative income tax starting in 2027,” he said. “If that happens, they'd be the first country in the world to have a basic income guarantee. It could reduce poverty by over 90%.”Then he sighed. “But the day after they announced it, their prime minister got fired. So who knows.”ITSA Foundation: Building UBI From the Ground UpScott's not just theorizing anymore. His ITSA Foundation is taking action with two ambitious projects launching next year.First, the Bootstraps documentary series, which follows families receiving a basic income to humanize the policy through storytelling. “Storytelling is key,” he said. “People need to feel it, not just read data.”Second, the Comingle app, which will create what he calls “a small basic income floor of around $50 per week without waiting for government.”“You can create it yourself, through community pooling,” he said. “If Bill Gates joined Comingle and put 7% of his income in, everyone's income would go up. Don't worry about him getting $50 a week—everyone benefits.”It's the kind of practical experimentation the movement needs: bottom-up systems proving that shared prosperity can be engineered today, not someday.Reflections: The Hard Politics of Intelligent ReformAfter the interview ended, I stayed live on the stream to share a few personal reflections—some of them, frankly, tinged with frustration.I told my audience that I'm a believer in two three-letter acronyms: UBI and RCV (ranked choice voting). I have conviction that both are essential for a healthier democracy and a fairer economy. Yet it's maddening how little traction they get compared to what dominates our discourse.This morning, I argued politics with another MAGA acquaintance on WhatsApp. He was fired up about “the trans agenda” and “illegals.” When I asked what he thought about RCV or UBI, he admitted he didn't know what they were.And that, I said, is the tragedy. Many voters are animated by cultural wedge issues that barely affect their lives, while transformative structural reforms barely register. People will march for hours over trans athletes, but not over gerrymandering, open primaries, or the collapse of middle-class livelihoods.Maybe that's why Scott is investing in storytelling. “You have to boil this down into a bumper sticker,” I said. “Or a story.” Policy briefs won't cut through a media ecosystem optimized for outrage.It's sobering to realize how little energy we allocate to existential issues—like the sustainability of democracy or the viability of a middle-class life in an AI-driven economy—compared to the performative culture wars that dominate cable news.A Political System Addicted to DistractionI sometimes wonder if America is capable of solving long-term problems anymore. We have the tools and the talent, but not the attention span.We obsess over symbolic fights while the foundations rot. Closed primaries keep extremists in power. Gerrymandered districts ensure incumbents never lose. The electoral incentives all point toward division, not solutions.UBI and RCV are, in many ways, tests of whether we can think systemically again—about incentives, about fairness, about the structural forces shaping our future. And right now, the answer seems to be: not yet.As I told my audience, “It's sad that people will march for red-meat issues where government isn't even the decisive actor, while ignoring how broken the system itself has become.”The AI asteroid is heading straight for us. Millions of jobs—white-collar jobs—are on the chopping block. And neither party is talking seriously about it. Not Trump, not Schumer, not Newsom. Maybe Andrew Yang. Maybe Buttigieg. Maybe Bernie. But as a national conversation? Crickets.What's Next: Awakening or DenialMy optimism, if you can call it that, lies in inevitability. The pain will broaden until reform becomes unavoidable. Middle-class professionals will begin to experience the same precarity that working-class Americans have faced for decades.The good news is that when comfortable people get uncomfortable, politics shifts. The bad news is that it often takes crisis to get there.UBI isn't charity. It's infrastructure for an economy that no longer guarantees stability through employment. It's the plumbing of a post-industrial democracy.Scott put it best when he said: “You have to make sure everyone actually gets basic income so you have that cash. That can feed demand for new jobs. Without it, demand falls, inequality grows, and democracy erodes.”A Call to the NerdsAs we wrapped, I asked Scott how people could stay involved. “Sign up at ItsaFoundation.org,” he said. “Subscribe to the newsletter. Next year we'll have the Bootstraps docu-series, the Comingle app, and events across the country to organize communities.”I told him I'd be cheering him on. Because, frankly, the next five years are going to test whether America is still capable of rational self-government—or if we've outsourced that too.If you've made it this far into this post, you're probably one of the few people left who actually cares about data, ideas, and structural reform. You're a nerd. And that's a good thing.But as I told my audience at the end of the livestream: being a nerd isn't enough. We need to organize, support, and amplify. If we don't, the algorithms will drown out the quiet voices of reason.So if you value this kind of long-form conversation—the kind you won't find on cable news—please consider becoming a Nerds for Humanity YouTube channel member. Memberships help cover the operating costs of the livestream and keep these discussions going. Members also get shout-outs on every show as a thank-you for keeping independent, data-driven political analysis alive.And if you can't join as a member, the next best thing you can do is like, share, and comment. That helps the algorithm surface this content to others who might just be waking up to the same questions we've been asking for years.Bye nerds. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nerdsforhumanity.substack.com

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Oct. 8, 2025Utah Legislature Passes a Gerrymandered Congressional Map - Again.  But a Judge Will Have the Final Say Nov. 10August 25th, a Utah judge ordered a new Congressional redistricting map drawn after finding the legislature had violated the state constitution.  October 6th, the legislature defiantly passed a new gerrymandered map. Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:American Democracy Minute - (Sept 8th) Judge Orders Utah to Immediately Draw New Congressional Map, After the Legislature Circumvented the Voters – and the State Constitution Utah Legislature - Proposed Map Options A - EUtah News Dispatch - Utah Legislature picks congressional map supported by Republican partyCampaign Legal Center - Plaintiffs' Map Submission Better Boundaries Utah - Guide to Evaluating MapsGroups Taking Action:Better Boundaries Utah, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, League of Women Voters UTRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Gerrymandering #FairMaps #FairRedistricting #Utah #MWEG #LWV

Florida undergoes a Charlie Kirk-First Amendment stress test, GOP looks to lock up a US House majority next year by redrawing districts and Hurricane Helene's forgotten Floridians.Antonio Fins, Stephany Matat, John Kennedy and Ana Goni-Lessan of the USA Today Florida Network break it down in the Inside Florida Politics podcast.

American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Sept. 15, 2025Missouri Legislature Passes New Gerrymandered Congressional Map with One More GOP Seat and Moves to Quash Future Citizen Ballot InitiativesThe Missouri Senate approved a new mid-decade Congressional map Sept.12th, manipulated to gain one more GOP seat and preserve a majority in the U.S. House. To make sure voters don't override such partisan bills, it also passed a constitutional amendment proposal to make citizen ballot initiatives harder to win.Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:American Democracy Minute - Missouri's Special Session was Called to Gerrymander Another GOP Seat, But There May Be More Voter Suppression AheadMissouri Independent - Missouri lawmakers pass gerrymandered congressional map, initiative petition limitsACLU - Missouri Voters Challenge Mid-Decade Redistricting EffortJackson County Circuit Court (via ACLU) - Wise v. MissouriPeople Not Politicians Missouri -What Missourians Need to Know About Politicians' New Radical Gerrymandering ProposalNPR - After Missouri, what state is next? A redistricting race started by Trump continues  Groups Taking Action:People Not Politicians Missouri, ACLU Missouri, Campaign Legal CenterRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Gerrymandering #DonaldTrump #Missouri #FairMaps #2026Midterms

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Sept. 3, 2025Texas Governor Signs Gerrymandered Congressional Maps; Missouri Governor Calls Special Session, with More States Likely to FollowTexas Governor Greg Abbott signed his legislature's mid-decade Congressional redistricting maps August 29th, manipulated to gain the GOP five seats at President Donald Trump's request.  After California's move to counteract it, Missouri's governor called a special session, and more states are considering rigging their Congressional maps.Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:Pew Research - Redistricting between censuses has been rare in the modern eraTexas Tribune - Gov. Greg Abbott signs new Texas congressional map designed to give GOP five more seats CalMatters - Gavin Newsom's redistricting plan is on its way to voters. What you need to knowNPR - At Trump's urging, Missouri jumps into redistricting race to help Republicans MO Gov. Mike Kehoe - Governor Kehoe Announces Special Session on Congressional Redistricting and Initiative Petition Reform  Missouri Independent - Missouri governor calls lawmakers back to Capitol to gerrymander congressional mapIndiana Capital Chronicle - GOP legislative leaders break redistricting silence as opponents deliver signature-backed petitionCBS News - Florida could be next big target for Republican redistricting before 2026 electionsGroups Taking Action:NAACP, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under LawPlease follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Gerrymandering #DonaldTrump #2026Midterms #Texas #California #Missouri

On the second half of today's show, Ramses and Q discuss the passing of the gerrymandered Congressional Map in Texas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Aug. 25, 2025Texas Senate Republicans Approve Gerrymandered Congressional Map; California Democrats Pass Bill to Put Retaliatory Maps on the BallotTexas and California took further steps in a Congressional gerrymandering arms race, as theTexas Senate approved a Congressional redistricting map likely to gain five GOP seats in the midterm. In retaliation, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill also with gerrymandered maps which needs a voter majority to bypass the state's independent redistricting commission.Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:KDFW - Proposed Texas redistricting map would drastically shift Democrat-held seatsTexas Tribune - Texas Senate approves GOP congressional map, sending plan to Abbott's desk CA Senate President Mike McGuire - Legislative Democrats Announce Plan Empowering Voters to Protect CaliforniaPolitico - California moves forward with gerrymander to counter Texas Politico/California Constitution Center - Polling on CA Voter Support of Newsom Proposal California State Senate - Proposed Congressional MapCalMatters - Gavin Newsom's redistricting plan is on its way to voters. What you need to know  Stateline - As Democrats fight ‘fire with fire,' gerrymandering opponents seek a path forward Groups Taking Action:Fair Maps Texas Action Committee,  Common Cause, FairVotePlease follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #CAPolitics #Gerrymandering #TXPolitics #Redistricting #EndGerrymandering

Today's Headlines: The border wall is getting a makeover—DHS Secretary Kristi Noem says it'll be painted black (because the president thinks the heat will make it harder to climb), with a price tag that could hit a billion dollars but plenty of funding still left in Trump's “Big Beautiful Bill.” Meanwhile, the Pentagon asked nearly a million of its civilian employees if they'd like to “volunteer” with ICE or CBP under potentially harsh conditions, while the DC National Guard has quietly been pulled into pistol training drills in case they're ordered to carry weapons. Meanwhile, Walmart's CEO says tariffs are slowly driving up costs, especially for lower-income households, while Trump himself has been quietly buying more than $100 million in corporate and municipal bonds—meaning he's personally investing in the same companies and local governments affected by his own policies. On top of that, a New York appeals court just tossed his $500 million fraud fine as “excessive,” even as the DOJ's new “Weaponization” unit is clumsily targeting NY Attorney General Letitia James, with its Trump-friendly head, Ed Martin, literally showing up outside her townhouse in a trench coat. In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams' inner circle is once again in scandal mode: his longtime ally Winnie Greco was caught trying to hand a reporter cash inside a potato chip bag (she swears it was just a cultural kindness), while another close aide, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, was indicted for steering migrant shelter contracts and even trying to block a Brooklyn bike lane—for as little as $2,500 and a TV cameo. Finally, Texas Republicans approved a new congressional map giving them at least 5 extra winnable seats, while Trump is already dreaming much bigger—claiming on Truth Social that he wants 100 new GOP seats and railing (again) against mail-in voting. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNN: Kristi Noem: Southern border wall will be painted black to deter people from climbing it during hot weather, DHS secretary says 404 Media: Pentagon Asks Its Civilian Employees If They Want to Work for ICE The Handbasket: DC National Guard members actively training to carry pistols in capital mission Axios: Walmart says tariff impact gradual, but changing customers' behavior NBC News: Trump bought more than $100 million in bonds since January, filings show AP News: Appeals court throws out massive civil fraud penalty against President Donald Trump ABC News: Head of DOJ anti weaponization group calls on NY AG Letitia James to resign The Guardian: Two former Eric Adams advisers accused of bribery in separate schemes Axios: Trump lays out his redistricting endgame: A 100-seat Republican majority Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Aug. 22, 2025Texas House Passes Further Gerrymandered Districts After Democrats Stalling Quorum Return and are Placed Under GuardTwo dozen Texas Democrats who fled the state to prevent a quorum in the Texas House returned to the chamber August 18th, resulting in the August 20th passage of further gerrymandered Congressional districts requested by President Donald Trump.  Passage by the Senate is expected by the weekend.Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:American Democracy Minute - Will Texas and Ohio Redraw Congressional Districts Before the 2026 Midterms?  American Democracy Minute -  Texas Legislature Blocked From Enacting Manipulated Congressional Redistricting Maps as 50 Democrats Flee the State and Possible ArrestKUT Public Radio - The Texas House just passed a new district map designed to give Republicans an edge in CongressTexas Tribune - Texas House approves GOP congressional map after two-week delay from Democrats' walkout The 19th  - How Rep. Nicole Collier's Capitol protest sparked solidarity among these Texas womenSeattle Medium - Texas Representative Rep. Nicole Collier Files A Writ of Habeas Corpus Saying Texas Republicans Detained Her At State CapitolGroups Taking Action:Fair Maps Texas, Common Cause TX,  Represent.Us TexasRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #TexasGerrymandering #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering #DonaldTrump 

California Democrats today released their proposed map to redraw the state's congressional districts, revealing the Republican seats they're targeting in next year's midterm elections. The map comes in response to the Texas redistricting plan to pick up more House seats for Republicans. Scott and Guy talk with Paul Mitchell, the man drawing these new lines in California in collaboration with Governor Newsom and the state legislature.  Check out Political Breakdown's weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: Trump turned what should've been a straightforward Kennedy Center honoree reveal — shoutout to Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, KISS, and Michael Crawford — into another marathon rant. He floated extending National Guard deployments in DC, promised to clear homeless encampments without saying where people will go, and unveiled a pricey 600-troop “Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force” for nationwide protest crackdowns. Down in Texas, Republicans rammed through a gerrymandered congressional map after Trump demanded a special session, while Democrats are still hiding out of state. On the foreign front, Trump is gearing up for his Putin meet-and-greet at an Anchorage military base, warning of “severe consequences” if there's no Ukraine ceasefire. Norway is blaming Russian hackers for sabotaging a dam in April. Trump also nominated former Fox News face Tammy Bruce as deputy ambassador to the UN — even though both the deputy and main gig are currently empty. Oh, and Mexico just extradited 26 alleged cartel bosses after Trump's tariff threats, with the DOJ promising no death penalties. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Trump names Stallone and Kiss for Kennedy Center Honors and says he'll host the awards show NBC News: Trump says he will seek 'long-term extension' of Washington police takeover Axios: "Unheard of and ominous": Trump's D.C. homelessness crackdown perplexes advocates WaPo: Pentagon plan would create National Guard ‘reaction force' for civil unrest Texas Tribune: Texas Senate approves new congressional lines as House Democrats remain out of state WSJ: Trump Agrees on Ukraine Red Lines With Europe Before Putin Summit AP News: Norwegian police say pro-Russian hackers were likely behind suspected sabotage at a dam CBS News: Trump nominates Tammy Bruce as deputy representative to the U.N. Axios: Mexico extradites 26 suspected top cartel leaders to U.S.  Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back, wine lovers & truth seekers! This episode is dripping with bold flavor and bold truths. Casanova is pouring a sweet red wine from Greece and serving up some seriously unfiltered commentary on Texas Democrats fighting back against a racist, gerrymandered map.

On today's Friday News Roundup, producer Marie Cecile Anderson and executive producer Whitney Pastorek are joined by Tennessee Lookout reporter Adam Friedman to learn more about why Nashville got gerrymandered into three congressional districts. Plus: Why are the Titans having a fire sale? Will we get a National Women's Soccer League Team? And is Nashville just … the Nashville airport? And stick around after the roundup for our Don't Go Gently tip for the weekend, presented by our exclusive launch sponsor, Tecovas. Celebrate the news that Nashville might be getting a professional women's soccer franchise by heading to Geodis Park to cheer on the U.S. Women's National Team in a friendly match against Iceland! Olympic gold medalists are on the roster, from Rose Lavelle and Naomi Girma to Mallory Swanson — who will mark her 100th game as a national team member. Kickoff is at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, and you can also reserve a spot on Saturday to watch the team practice ahead of the game. Don't go gently, go in Tecovas! Early voting is open now! Here is a link to times and locations, as well as a sample ballot. Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392⁩ Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. 

What Michael B. Moore's congressional race tells us about gerrymandering, and how a Supreme Court decision affects the future of American democracy.Read more:Businessman Michael B. Moore is running a surprising congressional campaign: He's trying to win as a Democrat in South Carolina's 1st Congressional District, a seat that is considered solidly Republican in this election cycle. While he won his primary race, it's unlikely he'll win the general election because of a recent Supreme Court decision on gerrymandering.Host Martine Powers speaks with voting issues reporter Patrick Marley about Moore's race, and what it can tell us about the impact of a conservative Supreme Court on American democracy.Today's show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

How maps are drawn determines electoral power in the United States. Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder joins Marc Elias to discuss the fight for fair maps, attacks on voting rights and federal courts' failure to protect democracy.  Sign up for Democracy Docket's premium membership! Subscribe here: https://www.democracydocket.com/member/ Listen to this episode wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.democracydocket.com/defendingdemocracy/ Follow Democracy Docket! -⁠X/Twitter⁠: https://twitter.com/DemocracyDocket -⁠Facebook⁠: https://facebook.com/democracydocket -⁠Instagram⁠: https://instagram.com/democracydocket -⁠TikTok⁠: https://tiktok.com/@democracydocket -Threads: https://www.threads.net/@democracydocket -⁠Subscribe to our free newsletters⁠: https://www.democracydocket.com/youtube-subscribe/ -Support our work and keep our content free: https://www.democracydocket.com/help-keep-our-content-free/Resources: -South Carolina Will Use Gerrymandered Congressional Map in 2024, District Court Rules: https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/south-carolina-will-use-gerrymandered-congressional-map-in-2024-district-court-rules/ -Find the redistricting lawsuits Democracy Docket is tracking: https://www.democracydocket.com/cases/topic/redistricting-litigation/ -National Democratic Redistricting Committee: https://democraticredistricting.com

On today's show: 1. MyLo & Holy City Sinner Photo Contest - https://mylonews.us.launchpad6.com/contest1 2. District Court Allows South Carolina's Racially Gerrymandered Congressional Map to Remain in Place for 2024 Election Cycle - https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/district-court-allows-south-carolinas-racially-gerrymandered-congressional-map-to-remain-in-place-for-2024-election-cycle 3. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to 40 years in prison for federal financial crimes - https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/alex-murdaugh-face-harsh-sentence-feds-say-failed-polygraph-test-rcna145513 4. Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill announces resignation - https://abcnews4.com/news/local/colleton-county-clerk-of-court-becky-hill-to-make-announcement-monday-wciv-abc-news-4-alex-murdaugh-justin-bamberg 5. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun to step down after a year marked by turbulences - https://abcnews4.com/news/nation-world/boeing-ceo-dave-calhoun-to-step-down-after-a-year-marked-by-turbulences-alaska-airlines-1282-737-max-9-door-bolts-missing-mid-flight# 6. Today's episode is brought to you by: https://www.thequarterdeck.com This episode's music is by Tyler Boone (tylerboonemusic.com). The episode was produced by LMC Soundsystem.

In this week's Capitol Chats episode, Debra Cronmiller, executive director of the League of Women Voters and chair of the Fair Maps Coalition, discusses a case before the Supreme Court challenging the state's legislative maps. The court has ordered new maps ahead of the 2024 elections.

Gerrymandering. It's a topic that's been on a lot of lips in recent weeks as the Republican leadership of the North Carolina legislature, for what seems like the umpteenth time, drew new legislative and congressional maps for our state. Interestingly, while gerrymandering – that is to say, rigging maps to favor certain outcomes – is […] The post NC Newsline investigative reporter Lynn Bonner on the new gerrymandered electoral maps appeared first on NC Newsline.

Ohio's districts for both the state's House of Representatives and Senate have been set for the next decade.

Ohio's districts for both the state's House of Representatives and Senate have been set for the next decade.

Political parties have long known that controlling WHO can vote in an election carries a strategic advantage. Pick your voters, win your election. Hence, we fight over maps.  Data science has made it easier than ever to create maps designed to ensure political outcomes. We now have fewer political districts that look like odd-shaped creatures and more that come from strategic targeting of voters based on data profiles and algorithms.  Princeton University's Gerrymandering Project calls Wisconsin's political maps “some of the most extreme partisan gerrymanders in the United States.” The U.S. Supreme Court declined to strike down Wisconsin's political maps in 2018. But there are two new lawsuits asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to do so now. Jordan Ellenberg, UW-Madison math professor, explains how he can prove Wisconsin's maps are gerrymandered.  Also on the show:

IN THE NEWS:Charlottesville is taking the lead in early turnout. That's true in both the Senate race with the most early votes and two House races that have the highest turnout so far according to an analysis from the Virginia Public Access Project. The high-stakes Senate primary between Senator Creigh Deeds and Delegate Sally Hudson might be driving the trend.The controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline is moving ahead as part of the deal reached on the federal debt ceiling negotiations. But as the effects of climate change continue to rear their heads, environmentalists say the pipeline continues to lock us into a key greenhouse gas--methane.Before the new set of political maps was created by the state Supreme Court last year, Virginia engaged in a process critics call prison gerrymandering. People who are incarcerated were counted at the prison or jail instead of their home or last known address. Now, that's no longer the case.At the Watercooler:- The Richmond shooting that left two dead--and what Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earl-Sears had to say in the immediate aftermath- Primary day is coming up!TRIVIA: What shade of blue is Virginia's flag supposed to be? Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

Georgia's U.S. Senate runoff has been called in favor of incumbent Democrat Rep. Raphael Warnock. Warnock defeated Republican Herschel Walker. Rahul Bali of WABE joins us. Then, after gunfire damaged two electrical substations in Moore County last week, some North Carolina residents are still without power. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper joins us to give an update on the power grid and what's to come. And, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case Wednesday that could have major implications in elections. At the center of the case is a gerrymandered map that was drawn in 2020 by the Republican-controlled state legislature. Steve Harrison, politics and government reporter for WFAE, joins us.