Podcasts about Democracy

Air Date: 3/3/2026 The Monthly-ish Mix™ is here to get you caught up on recent news without being overwhelming! This month we examine the multi-front struggle for control: military force and economic coercion seizing resources abroad, institutions weaponized to constrain bodies at home, platforms and propaganda capturing minds, and the democratic resistance proving that organized people can still win. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! Join our Discord community! PART 1: TAKING WHAT THEY WANT (00:02:31) #1762 - Trump's Imperialistic Shakedown of Venezuela 1: Trump Admits Venezuela Attacks Are All About Their Oil - The Majority Report W/ Sam Seder - Air Date 12-18-25 2: USA Is the Worst Pirate on Earth: Trump Boasts of Stealing Venezuela's Oil - Geopolitical Economy Report - Air Date 12-26-25 3: Trump's Piracy in the Caribbean - The Real News Podcast - Air Date 12-23-25 (00:29:28) #1768 - The End of an Era: The International Rules-Based Order Gives Way to Trump's Might-Makes-Right Plutocracy 4: Gaza, Venezuela, and Greenland Mark End of World Legal Order Set up in 1945 - Redeye - Air Date 1-19-26 5: "Empire in Decline": Historian Alfred McCoy on U.S. Aggression in Venezuela, Iran & Beyond - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-13-26 6: Mark Carney and the New World Order - Front Burner - Air Date 1-20-26 (00:53:33) #1764 - Wealth Inequality is Bad for Society and There's No Good Counterargument 7: The Capitalist Mindset - The Market Exit - Air Date 12-9-25 8: Where Are Americas Leaders? - Robert Reich and Inequality Media Civic Action - Air Date 1-6-26 PART 2: CONTROLLING BODIES (01:04:42) #1766 - The Fragility of State Violence: The ICE Occupation, Renee Good, and the Minneapolis Uprising 9: Abolish ICE - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-7-26 10: ICE Is a Way to Deal With Surplus Males - Therese - Air Date 1-9-25 11: ICE Can Hack Your Phone Without You Knowing - Taylor Lorenz - Air Date 9-5-25 (01:30:58) #1763 - It's Not a Health Care System, it's a Wealth Extraction System 12: 20M Americans Set to Lose Healthcare Coverage Jan. 1 After Congress Goes on Recess - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-30-25 13: Agonizing Choices on ACA Deadline Day Part 1 - Brian Lehrer_ A Daily Podcast - Air Date 12-15-25 14: Medicare For All Non-Negotiable #3 Part 1 - UNFTR - Air Date 2-8-25 (01:57:14) #1767 - Wars Are Won By Teachers and Trump is Attacking Them Like a Foreign Adversary 15: 'Abandoning' Kids' Futures AFT Pres. Slams Trump Dept. of Education Changes - MS NOW - Air Date 11-19-25 16: How Trumps Agenda Hurts College Students - Right Now With Perry Bacon - Air Date 11-19-25 17: Trump Set to Garnish Wages for Student Loan Defaults - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-30-25 PART 3: CONTROLLING MINDS (02:20:20) #1773 - How Big Tech Captured Attention, Kids, and Democracy 18: Trouble at TikTok Part 1 - Today, Explained - Air Date 2-4-26 19: Is Social Media Having Its Big Tobacco Moment Part 1 - The Global Story - Air Date 2-16-26 20: DMs! My Kingdom For DMs! - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 2-17-26 (02:46:22) #1765 - AI Capitalism Will Not Deliver an AI Utopia 21: The AI Bubble Part 1 - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-28-25 22: Desperate OpenAI Turns To Erotica - Novara Media - Air Date 10-16-25 23: Trump Considers Order to Override State Regulations on Artificial Intelligence - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 11-20-25 (03:09:13) #1772 - From Fragile to Fascist: How Broken Masculinity Feeds Authoritarianism 24: The Terrifying Rise of "Vice Signalling" - JimmyTheGiant - Air Date 1-28-26 25: The Incel to ICE Pipeline (with F.D Signifier and Caroline Kwan) Part 1 - Matt Bernstein - Air Date 2-6-26 26: The Rise of the Authoritarian-Curious - Then & Now - Air Date 2-9-26 (03:35:07) #1769 - Politics Beyond the Ballot Box: Elections and the Movements that Power Them 27: Donald Trump Wants to Cancel the Midterm Elections Part 1 - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-16-26 28: The Next Socialist In Congress with Claire Valdez Part 1 - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-22-26 PART 4: THE PEOPLE PUSH BACK (03:48:36) #1770 - Getting in the Fight Against ICE and Authoritarianism 29: What I've Learned From Reading History - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-28-26 30: Americans Flex Democratic Muscles to Show That, Together, They're Stronger Than Trump - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 1-27-26 31: ICE Out of Minnesota: Unions & Churches Lead Economic Blackout in "Day of Truth and Freedom" - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-23-26 (04:04:47) #1771 - They Need You in the Dark: Information, Journalism, and the Fight Against Fascism 32: AG Bondi Confirms FBI Executed Search Warrant at WaPo Reporter's Home - MS Now - Air Date 1-13-26 33: Why Trump Arresting Journalists Is a Sign of Weakness - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-30-26 34: Humor Can Topple Dictators Part 1 - Why, America with Leeja Miller - Air Date 10-18-25   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Events are moving rapidly in the Middle East, so we wanted to provide our loyal podcast listeners with some context to help digest everything that's happened so far. We hope to provide a longer view of the what, where, who, how and why and offer some perspective on this military action's broader historical, political, and legal implications.Ted Postol is Professor of Science, Technology and National Security Policy Emeritus in the Program in Science, Technology, and Society at MIT. His expertise is in nuclear weapon systems, including submarine warfare, applications of nuclear weapons, ballistic missile defense, and ballistic missiles more generally. He previously worked as an analyst at the Office of Technology Assessment and as a science and policy adviser to the chief of naval operations. In 2016, he received the Garwin Prize from the Federation of American Scientists for his work in assessing and critiquing the government's claims about missile defenses.Ambassador Chas Freeman is a retired career diplomat who has negotiated on behalf of the United States with over 100 foreign governments in East and South Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and both Western and Eastern Europe. Ambassador Freeman was previously a Senior Fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense, U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d'Affaires in the American embassies at both Bangkok and Beijing. He was Director for Chinese Affairs at the U.S. Department of State from 1979-1981. He was the principal American interpreter during the late President Nixon's historic visit to China in 1972. In addition to Chinese, Ambassador Freeman speaks French and Spanish at the professional level and can converse in Arabic and several other languages.Bruce Fein is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on international law. Mr. Fein was Associate Deputy Attorney General under Ronald Reagan and he is the author of Constitutional Peril: The Life and Death Struggle for Our Constitution and Democracy, and American Empire: Before the Fall.Ralph Nader Radio Hour is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Thanks for reading Ralph Nader Radio Hour! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

In January 1776, Thomas Paine told the American colonies to break free from their king. But what was supposed to come next? 250 years later, that question still doesn't have a good answer. To mark the anniversary of *Common Sense*, we traveled to Lewes, England, the town where Paine lived before he ever set foot in America, and recorded our first-ever LIVE episode inside Bull House, the building where Paine honed his ideas about citizens and their government. Joseph Adelman chairs a panel with scholars Leanne O'Boyle, Nicole Mahoney, and Jeanne Sheehan Zaino as they dig into the legacy of *Common Sense*: democracy's "day two problem," the women Paine wrote out of his own story, why "the law is king" keeps showing up on protest signs, and what a 15th-century building in a small English town can teach us about where democratic ideas actually take root. Recorded live in partnership with the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies at Iona University.Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/435 EPISODE OUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction00:01:06 What Happened After the Revolution?00:02:59 Live from the Bull House in Lewes, England00:04:49 A Template for Common Sense and Civic Life00:07:12 Thomas Paine's Legacy in Lewes, England00:10:24 Thomas Paine's Legacy in New Rochelle, New York00:16:04 Democracy's "Day Two Problem"00:22:50 Local Civic Engagement in Lewes00:27:46 Women and Common Sense00:34:54 Paine's Family Life in Lewes00:35:31 Reconstituting Government00:42:44 Violence and Change00:49:31 "No Kings" Protest and 'The Law is King'00:56:29 Thomas Paine's Legacy00:58:10 Audience Q&A01:18:20 Episode Wrap-UpRECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES

Democracy Now! Tuesday, March 3, 2026

In this episode, we ask what happens when economic evolution moves from human speed to machine speed. Fresh from an off-the-record discussion with a Nobel Prize–winning AI pioneer Demis Hassibis, we unpack how AI is reshaping medicine, productivity, profits, and power, and why markets are now rewarding mass layoffs as a sign of progress. From Schumpeter's idea of creative destruction to Jack Dorsey's AI-driven job cuts and the explosion of “buy now, pay later” debt, we trace how AI is intensifying inequality, short-termism, and financial fragility. Is this the next great leap forward, or the beginning of a techno-feudal economy where a small elite extracts value at scale? We explore why equilibrium economics no longer makes sense, why evolution never waits for permission, and whether democracy can keep up with machines that learn faster than society can adapt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Democracy Now! Monday, March 2, 2026

International law expert Rebecca Ingber of Cardozo Law joins Leah at the top of the show to talk about the US and Israel's war on Iran. Then, Leah welcomes guest co-host Chris Geidner of Law Dork to run through domestic legal news, including the omission of allegations against Trump from the Epstein files, the President's MAHA Surgeon General nominee Casey Means's confirmation hearing, the administration's wildly illegal halting of Medicaid funds to Minnesota, the role of independent media in Trump 2.0, and some of the stories Chris has been breaking. They also unpack last week's oral arguments and opinions before Leah is joined by Marc Elias, chair of Elias Law Group and founder of Democracy Docket, to discuss how voting rights are under attack from all three branches of government.Favorite Things: Chris: Upcoming theatre including As You Like It (RSC), The Rock Horror Show (Broadway), and Sunday in the Park With George (Barbican, London) Leah: Upcoming article for the Georgetown Law Review, The Passive Vices; independent media including Law Dork; Democracy Docket; and One First; The Supreme Court is Not "Reining in" Executive Power, Steve Vladeck (One First); Crooked on MS NOW premiering on Saturday at 9pm ET on MS NOW Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2026!  3/6/26 – San Francisco 3/7/26 – Los Angeles Learn more: http://crooked.com/eventsPreorder Melissa's book, The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern ReaderBuy Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky

Democracy Now! Monday, March 2, 2026

Operation Epstein Fury: Is This About National Security or Political Survival?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The plans for Trump to take over the midterms are underway. Will Trump declare a national emergency just in time for the midterms? Russia claims “Trump untied our hands.” What does that mean? I'll explain. Is Cuba next? Who can stop him?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From the very beginning, the United States of America has been at war—not just abroad, but domestically. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with scholar and author Dylan Rodríguez about how the US operates as a nation in a perpetual state of internal war, and how the white supremacist legacy of domestic warfare has reached terrifying new heights in the Trump era.Resource Links:Purchase Dylan Rodríguez's book White ReconstructionRevolt against the carceral worldCOVID-19 pandemic illuminates anti-Chinese racism and xenophobiaWhy corporate media doesn't talk honestly about racismCredits:Producer / Videographer / Editor: Cameron GranadinoFollow Rattling the Bars on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

Hawk breaks down the structure of Iran's government following the United States and Israeli military strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who held power since 1989. With American service members already killed and more strikes expected over the coming days and weeks, Hawk walks through how Iran's theocratic government actually works and why the death of the Supreme Leader is so significant. Iran's Supreme Leader holds authority that goes far beyond any elected official. He is commander-in-chief of all armed forces, controls intelligence and national security, can declare war or peace without any vote, and appoints key members of the judiciary and the Council of Guardians. The Council of Guardians, none of whom are elected, determines who is even allowed to run for office in Iran's so-called democratic elections. In the 1997 presidential election, only 4 of 230 declared candidates made it onto the ballot. The Iranian president, while second in power, has authority trimmed by a constitution that subordinates the entire executive branch to the Supreme Leader. Iran is the only country in the world where the executive branch does not control its own military. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC, with 125,000 troops, was built to protect the Islamic Revolution itself and operates with significant autonomy, drawing weapons from China, North Korea, and Russia. Both Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have voiced support for Iran and condemned the US attack. Only two Supreme Leaders have existed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The United States just killed the second. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Thom Hartmann reflects with listeners on recent military actions the United States has backed or executed on the world stage and what may be the ramifications. Will the recent fire-fight on Mexican cartels with the intervention of Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum curb the illegal drug trade or increase violent reaction from organized crime. Also rethinking Ukraine. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ali Velshi continues MS NOW's special coverage of U.S. and Israelis military strikes against Iran; America's adversarial history with Iran goes back decades; and the spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry calls the U.S.-led attacks an “unwarranted act of aggression.” To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) shares the latest plans in Congress to address what she calls an “illegal and unconstitutional war” in Iran; Ali Velshi and Tom Nichols look at the lessons from two centuries of America pushing foreign regime change; plus - what we now know about the events that set the stage for this weekend's attacks on Iran. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ali Velshi continues MS NOW's special coverage of the joint United States & Israeli attacks on Iran; a history lesson on past American attempts at regime change; Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois says he believes the strikes against Iran are “illegal and unconstitutional”; and Ali explains the influence of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Iran. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In today's episode David talks to Luke Kemp, author of Goliath's Curse, about the strengths and weaknesses of modern states and modern structures of authority. Are modern states any different from the criminal enterprises of coercion that preceded them? Does democracy change the dynamic of societal collapse? What are the lootable resources of the modern age? And why are all states essentially empires? Tickets are on sale now for our new film season at the Regent Street Cinema in London – starting on 19th March with James Marriott talking to David about Whit Stillman's Metropolitan. Details of all our film events are here https://www.ppfideas.com/events Join us on 11th March for a joint LRB/PPF event: The Slow Death of Democracy, with Lyse Doucet, Christopher Clark and Thant Myint-U. Tickets are available now https://www.tickettailor.com/events/londonreviewofbooks/2062789 You can find out everything you need to know about this podcast – who we are, what we do, plus merch, events and full lists of our episodes and PPF+ bonus episodes on our website https://www.ppfideas.com Luke Kemp's Goliath's Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse is available now https://bit.ly/4aFczds Next Time: Societal Collapse – The Present Day Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Atlantic's Sarah Fitzpatrick, who has spent over a decade reporting on Jeffrey Epstein, published a detailed timeline of how the Epstein Files Transparency Act came to exist. Hawk walks through that article, adding context and commentary throughout. At the center of the story is an unlikely political partnership between Representative Ro Khanna, a progressive Democrat from Silicon Valley, and Representative Thomas Massie, a conservative Republican from Kentucky. Together, with support from Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nancy Mace, and Lauren Boebert, they pushed through legislation forcing the release of the Epstein files after the DOJ and FBI sent an unsigned letter in July 2025 declaring the files closed and Epstein's death a suicide. Pam Bondi handed out binders of previously released and heavily redacted documents to right-wing media figures at the White House a year ago, then told Fox News she had truckloads of evidence and the Epstein client list on her desk. Meanwhile, the FBI assigned 1,000 personnel to catalog every mention of Donald Trump's name in the files. Trump's name appears tens of thousands of times. He is the first person listed on a DOJ slide titled "Prominent Names" and is linked to an accusation involving a minor, documents that were withheld or deleted from the DOJ website. The fallout outside the U.S. has included arrests of prominent figures in Norway, scrutiny of Prince Andrew and Peter Mandelson in Britain, and resignations across Europe. Thirteen Trump administration officials, including six cabinet members, are implicated. Back in Congress, only one member, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, voted against the bill. Thomas Massie told the author he believes he may have shortened his own life by pursuing this. Virginia Roberts Giuffre, Epstein's most prominent accuser and Prince Andrew's accuser, died by suicide last year. At a recent congressional hearing, eight Epstein survivors stood directly behind Pam Bondi. Every one raised their hand confirming their offers to testify had been ignored. Bondi never turned around. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Larry Ellison and his son David Ellison have won the bid to acquire Warner Brothers Discovery in a $110 billion deal, edging out Netflix. The Ellisons, close allies of Donald Trump, are financing the purchase with $70 billion in debt, including roughly $25 billion from Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds. The final price of $31 per share was more than four times the recent low of Warner Brothers Discovery stock. What this means for American media is staggering. The Ellisons already control CBS and CBS News through their earlier $8 billion Paramount merger. This new deal adds CNN, HBO, HBO Max, DC Comics, Harry Potter, Star Trek, Comedy Central, Showtime, TNT, TBS, the Food Network, HGTV, Discovery, Adult Swim, OWN, The Learning Channel, Avatar Studios, and the Lord of the Rings and Mission Impossible franchises. Larry Ellison also holds a significant stake in TikTok through Oracle. Hawk outlines how Bari Weiss, placed in charge of CBS News and 60 Minutes, has already driven away viewers and credibility, including Anderson Cooper, who walked away from 60 Minutes after 19 years. The same playbook is expected to be applied to CNN. The deeper concern is the Ellisons' intent to gut creative talent and replace programming with AI-generated content to service the enormous debt load this deal carries. With Trump signaling regulatory approval, antitrust challenges are effectively neutralized. Scott Jennings and CNN's panel-yelling format come up as symbols of a media landscape already in decline. The consolidation of this much media power in the hands of Trump-aligned billionaires represents a fundamental threat to independent journalism and creative expression in America. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Ali Velshi speaks to reporters on the ground, Middle East experts and U.S. lawmakers about the joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ali Velshi speaks to reporters on the ground, Middle East experts and U.S. lawmakers about the joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ali Velshi speaks to reporters on the ground, Middle East experts and U.S. lawmakers about the joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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

Was the 22nd Amendment really designed to protect democracy… or did it quietly reshape the balance of power in ways the Founding Fathers never intended? In this eye-opening episode of Truth Be Told, Tony Sweet dives deep into one of the most controversial constitutional changes in U.S. history—the amendment that permanently limited American presidents to just two terms in office following Franklin D. Roosevelt's unprecedented four-term presidency. But what if this wasn't just about preventing another “king-like” ruler? What if the 22nd Amendment fundamentally altered executive power… weakened voter choice… and shifted political influence toward unelected bureaucracies and long-term party operatives? We explore:

Hawk breaks down the rapidly escalating conflict between the Pentagon and Anthropic, the AI company behind the Claude model, after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth demanded that Anthropic remove two core safety restrictions from its terms of service. Those restrictions prohibit using Claude for mass surveillance of American citizens and for programming weapons to fire without human intervention. Hegseth labeled these protections "woke" and threatened to terminate Anthropic's $200 million Defense Department contract and blacklist the company as a danger to all defense supply chains unless Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei agreed to his demands. Amodei said no. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's Grok chatbot, which previously generated child sexual imagery and declared itself "Mecca Hitler," has been cleared for use in classified Pentagon settings. Sam Altman of OpenAI is now positioning his company to step into the gap, exploring whether ChatGPT models can meet Pentagon requirements while maintaining safety guardrails. Hawk also covers the broader AI reality check happening in corporate America. Mark Benioff of Salesforce laid off 4,000 employees to replace them with AI and now says he regrets it. Jack Dorsey just cut 50% of Square's workforce for the same reason. Studies suggest 95% of deployed AI agents in corporate settings are ineffective. And Sam Altman reportedly believes there is a 1 in 5 chance that artificial intelligence destroys humanity entirely. The people designing these systems do not fully understand what they will do. The only thing standing between Pete Hegseth and AI-powered mass surveillance of Americans is one CEO with a conscience. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Hawk breaks down the overnight U.S. and Israeli joint military strikes on Iran, launched without Congressional approval while Trump was at Mar-a-Lago. The attack hit five or six locations across Iran, including the capital, with reports that a missile struck a girls' elementary school, killing 53 children between the ages of 7 and 12. Trump sent real estate developers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to negotiate with Iran before the strikes, a move Hawk puts in sharp context given Kushner's reported interest in Gaza beachfront development. Iran retaliated against U.S. military bases in Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE. The stated justifications for the Iran war shift depending on the day. Trump had previously claimed Iran's nuclear program was already eliminated. Now it's the reason for bombing. Regime change through air power alone has never succeeded historically, and with Iran's population of 92 million, the prospect of prolonged occupation and a refugee crisis of potentially 10 million people is very real. Financial ties between Trump, his family, and Gulf monarchies like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar raise serious questions about whose interests this war actually serves. Jared Kushner's financial backers and Trump Organization investments in the region are all part of that picture. Even inside MAGA, the backlash was immediate. Marjorie Taylor Greene called the administration "sick liars." Conservative commentators declared it the end of MAGA. Trump supporters who were promised America First and no forever wars are now watching another Middle East war unfold with no defined objective, no exit strategy, and no honest accounting of the cost. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

"You can't wear a yellow vest on a demonstration anymore because you get arrested as soon as the police see you." — Ida SusserIn November 2018, something strange happened in France. People from the urban periphery—truck drivers, nurses, teachers, plumbers—drove seven or eight hours to Paris wearing yellow safety vests. They weren't students. They weren't union members. They weren't organized by any political party. They were furious about a diesel tax, but really about something deeper: decades of disinvestment, cut services, shuttered bakeries, and a government that had abandoned them.Anthropologist Ida Susser spent years studying this spontaneous movement for her new book, The Yellow Vests and the Battle for Democracy. Like so many other observers, Susser sought to identify them on the traditional left/right political spectrum. The uncomfortable truth, she discovered, is that many had never voted. Many didn't care about consistent ideology. They mixed and matched political ideology, bricolage-style. Marine Le Pen tried to claim them. So did Mélenchon on the far left. Neither succeeded. The Yellow Vests didn't want either fascist or communist leaders.Theoretical comparisons with MAGA and the Tea Party are tempting. We find the same rage, the same economic disinvestment, same feeling of political abandonment. But, for Susser, there's a crucial difference. The Tea Party was mostly an astroturf movement—manufactured by economic and political elites. The Yellow Vests, in contrast, are authentically grassroots. And these days, in Macron's France, you can't even wear a yellow vest on the street without getting arrested. So an incredulous Susser watched a 75-year-old man, innocently going about his business, taken away by police. His crime? That bright vest. Five Takeaways●      They Weren't Left or Right—At Least Not Initially: The Yellow Vests didn't come with a consistent ideology. Many had never voted. They mixed and matched political ideology, bricolage-style. Marine Le Pen tried to claim them. So did Mélenchon on the far left. Neither succeeded. The Yellow Vests didn't want either fascist or communist leaders.●      The Diesel Tax Was the Trigger, Not the Cause: The real issue was decades of disinvestment in rural France. Trains cut. Buses cut. Schools moved further away. Bakeries and post offices shuttered. People had to drive everywhere—then the government taxed their diesel. Macron became enemy number one. They called him Jupiter. They called him king.●      MAGA Comparison Is Apt—But There's a Key Difference: Same rage, same abandoned communities, same sense that elites have forgotten them. But the Tea Party was mostly an astroturf movement—channeled by economic and political elites. The Yellow Vests, in contrast, are genuinely grassroots.●      They Refuse Leadership on Principle: The Yellow Vests are part of a horizontalist movement going back to the World Social Forum. They write their messages on their backs. They won't name leaders. Susser didn't put a single name in her book—they wouldn't allow it. With surveillance cameras everywhere, it's also safer not to be known.●      You Can't Wear a Yellow Vest in France Anymore: An incredulous Susser watched a 75-year-old man standing quietly get taken away by police for wearing one. The other man without a vest was left alone. The movement lives on in the pension strikes, in the songs, in the rage. But the vest itself has become a crime. About the GuestIda Susser is an anthropologist at the City University of New York and the author of The Yellow Vests and the Battle for Democracy. She has previously conducted research in South Africa and on urban poverty in the United States.ReferencesPrevious Keen On episodes mentioned:●      Charles Derber on progressive populism●      Hélène Landemore on deliberative democracy and citizen assemblies●      Christopher Clark on Revolutionary Spring and 1848 (upcoming)About Keen On AmericaNobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States—hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,800 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On America is the most prolific intellectual interview show in the history of podcasting.WebsiteSubstackYouTubeApple PodcastsSpotify Chapters:

Headlines for February 27, 2026; Missing DOJ Files: As Clintons Testify About Epstein, Where Are FBI Interviews with Trump Accuser?; ICE Abducts Then Releases Columbia Student After Mamdani Intervenes & Calls to Dismiss More Cases; “Abandoned By Border Patrol”: Blind Refugee in Buffalo Dies in the Cold; Family Demands Answers; Former St. Louis Congressmember Cori Bush Runs for Seat Again After AIPAC Targeted Her in 2024

After the longest State of the Union address in U.S. history this past Tuesday, we go beyond the lies and omissions to assess where our country stands. A sobering look at what President Trump has built, and dismantled, during his second term in office. We analyze plans to build an economy around mass immigration detention, the precarious state of finances in so many U.S. households, and the duty citizens have to “fight fascism.” Maria Hinojosa speaks with journalists Jasmine Garsd and Kimberly Adams, and author Jason Stanley. Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Historian Anne Applebaum, staff writer at The Atlantic,  host of their podcast "Autocracy in America" and author of Autocracy Inc. (Penguin, 2024) and offers her analysis of how President Trump and his administration are seeking to control elections, as well as science and culture, and why.   photo: "I Voted" sticker worn on lapel of fuzzy winter coat, shot during the November 2025 election in St. Paul, Minnesota.  (Funknendai, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Democracy Now! Friday, February 27, 2026

Veteran War Reporteer Phil Ittner based out of Kiev, Ukraine is on the front lines and explains the latest news on the Russian War. Lindsey Graham takes a cue from Joseph Stalin by proposing a law that would lock up critics of Orange Julius. Trump is CREATING the enemy to fuel his road toward fascism.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Will Trump's many attacks on the vote enable him to chip enough away from legitimate votes against his party to enable his permanent consolidation of power?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you've studied history — and you know I have — that's the moment when the hair on the back of your neck should stand up…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Assuming we already understand the parameters of “good citizenship” (obey the law; do no harm to others), how to decide what constitutes a “well-informed” citizen? Tom Schnaubelt, executive director of Hoover's Revitalizing American Institutions (RAI) initiative, and Checker Finn, a Hoover senior fellow and chair of Hoover's Working Group on Civics and American Citizenship, introduce Hoover's pioneering “Civic Profile” which launches in early March – a three-part test that assesses civics-related values, knowledge, and engagement. Also discussed: how to keep the civics “push” going past the coming American semi-quincentennial in early July (is a decades-long “civics renaissance” feasible?), plus other RAI endeavors currently underway at Hoover (national civics fellows, a networking Alliance for Civics in the Academy, “People, Politics and Places” fellowships that bring rural undergrad and grad students to the Stanford University campus, plus Hoover's USA @ 250 lecture series on ideas, institutions, and civic traditions that have sustained America freedom dating back to the republic's founding).   Recorded on February 25, 2026.  ABOUT THE SPEAKERS Chester E. Finn Jr. is the Volker Senior Fellow (adjunct) at the Hoover Institution and President Emeritus of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. At Hoover, he chairs the Working Group on Civics and American Citizenship within the Center for Revitalizing American Institutions. He previously led Hoover's Task Force on K-12 Education and now participates in the Hoover Education Success Initiative, as much of his career has focused on reforming primary and secondary schooling in the US. That included serving as a member of the Maryland State Board of Education and Maryland's Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education, as well as Assistant US Secretary of Education and chair of the National Assessment Governing Board. Thomas Schnaubelt is the Executive Director of the Center for Revitalizing American Institutions at the Hoover Institution. Prior to his role at the Hoover Institution, Schnaubelt served as a Lecturer and Senior Advisor on Civic Education at the Deliberative Democracy Lab, within the Center for Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. Schnaubelt came to Stanford in 2009 and has served as the Associate Vice Provost for Education, the Executive Director of the Haas Center for Public Service, and a Resident Fellow in Branner Hall, where he and his wife oversaw the development and implementation of a living-learning community focused on public service and civic engagement. In 2015, Schnaubelt coordinated the launch of Cardinal Service, a university wide effort to elevate and expand public service as a distinctive feature of the Stanford experience, and he has launched and led several national initiatives focused on democratic engagement and social change education. Schnaubelt received a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Mississippi, a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Michigan, and Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Bill Whalen, the Virginia Hobbs Carpenter Distinguished Policy Fellow in Journalism and a Hoover Institution research fellow since 1999, writes and comments on campaigns, elections, and governance with an emphasis on California and America's political landscapes. Whalen writes on politics and current events for various national publications, as well as Hoover's California On Your Mind web channel. Whalen hosts Hoover's Matters of Policy & Politics podcast and serves as the moderator of Hoover's GoodFellows broadcast exploring history, economics, and geopolitical dynamics. ABOUT THE SERIES Matters of Policy & Politics, a podcast from the Hoover Institution, examines the direction of federal, state, and local leadership and elections, with an occasional examination of national security and geopolitical concerns, all featuring insightful analysis provided by Hoover Institution scholars and guests. To join our newsletter and be the first to tune into the next episode, visit Matters of Policy & Politics.

Synopsis:  Members of PNLL are experimenting with new ways of doing politics and economics in communities across the US, focusing on local solutions and shared resources. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: People across the country are resisting authoritarianism in creative and powerful ways, and this is just the start. The folks at The People's Network for Land & Liberation (PNLL) say the forces that got us here are bigger than one bad leader; entire systems must be taken down. Building a brighter future requires a vision of economic and social justice — and lots of practice. Today on Laura Flanders & Friends, we look at some of those practical experiments and paths for radical change, and discuss why they're just as important as resistance. The members of PNLL, a multiracial, multiethnic consortium of six community-based organizations, are doing politics and economics differently in real places across the U.S. right now. Joining us are Edget Betru, an attorney, activist and Coordinator of the People's Network for Land & Liberation; David Cobb, PNLL staff person and Co-coordinator of the U.S. Solidarity Economy Network; and Blair Evans, Founder and Executive Director of Incite Focus, a production and training lab based in Idlewild, Michigan. Find out how to build for the future — even in the toughest circumstances. All that, plus a commentary from Laura on William Morris's News From Nowhere. “We've been colonized in our minds . . . Involving people in day-to-day produce, meeting their needs through a different way, through thinking, Hey, who in my neighborhood knows how to fix this? . . . It's really that shift in consciousness that needs to happen that's going to allow for this new economy to emerge.” - Edget Betru “My mama and my mamaw and my papa who raised me taught me a lesson as a little boy, and that is, there's enough to go around as long as we share. That made sense to me when I was five years old. It makes sense to me now when I'm 63 years old. There's enough to go around as long as we share. It's just as simple as that.” - David Cobb “We can make things that make things, we can design and build our own equipment that can then use locally sourced materials, hyper localizing the supply chain . . . We can stop feeding the monster that's consuming us and actually disconnect from that process and use what we have.” - Blair Evans Guests: • Edget Betru: Coordinator, People's Network for Land & Liberation; Board Member, Community Movement Builders • David Cobb: Staff, People's Network for Land & Liberation; Manager, Butterfly Impact Fund; Co-Coordinator, U.S. Solidarity Economy Network • Blair Evans: Coalition Member, People's Network for Land & Liberation; Founder & Executive Director, Incite Focus; Designer & Trainer, Fab Lab Watch on YouTube this episode that includes video clips referenced in this episode from Third World Newsreel; PBS World Channel 11:30am ET Sundays and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast March 4, 2026. Full Conversation Release: While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  Music Credit:  'Thrum of Soil' by Bluedot Sessions, 'Steppin' by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends   RESOURCES:   Full Episode Notes are located HERE. *Recommended book: “Beautiful Solutions: A Toolbox for Liberation”, Learn More Here* (*Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. The LF Show is an affiliate of bookshop.org and will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.)   Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: •  Jackson Rising: Creating the Mondragon of the South: Watch •  Resisting Trump & Authoritarianism: The “Beautiful Solutions” Toolbox:  Watch / Listen •  Community Wealth Building: An Economic Reset: Watch / Listen:  Full Uncut Conversation and Episode Cut Related Articles and Resources: •  Community Movement Builders' Community Sea Moss Cooperative •  Tale of the Tape:  An Expert Weighs In on the ‘Cop City' Bodycam Footage, by Madeline Thigpen, February 15, 2023, Capital B • Cooperation Jackson, The Build and Fight Educational Series •  The Butterfly Effect Fund •  Cooperation Vermont, Seeding the Alternatives for the Future •  Cooperation Vermont Buys Former Rainbow Sweets Building, by Paul Fixx, February 4, 2025, The Hardwick Gazette • Incite Focus, where ideas and imagination meet inspiration and innovation •  Wellspring Cooperative, building a just and sustainable economy, one co-op at a time •  U.S. Solidarity Economy Network (US SEN) Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O'Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

This week Dave and Jeff are joined in the vomitorium by Dave's former colleague and long-lost friend Dr. Bob Stacey. Bob is headmaster and instructor in government at the St. Augustine school in Jackson, TN. The menu today includes a discussion of Alexis de Tocqueville's famous work Democracy in America, specifically a portion of Vol. II.1.15. Should everyone be allowed to study Greek and Latin? Can the pursuit of literature, art and music thrive in the hurly-burly of a representative democracy? Is it the case that in "democratic centuries", as Tocqueville says, "the education of the greatest number [of citizens] be scientific, commercial, and industrial rather than literary"? These and other questions occupy the host and guest for a happy 60 minutes or so, along with occasional digressions on presidential politics, the delights of gift shops, and more. Don't miss it! Also, tune in to sign up for your chance to win the new Hackett Complete Works of Aristotle, in 2 volumes.

Reps. David Scott (D-GA) and Tom Suozzi (D-NY) appeared to “doze off” during Donald Trump's SOTU address. On our radar this week… “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”  – George Orwell, “1984” We opened last week's podcast with those words from Orwell's prescient dystopian novel. On Tuesday, Donald Trump lived those words in a gibbering, rambling, bitter, divisive, partisan, and lie-filled one-hour 47-minute diatribe. The speech was boycotted by dozens of Democrats … and a majority of the U.S. Supreme Court and, based on the TV ratings, the majority of Americans. Newly elected Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, in the official Democratic response, summed up Trump in one biting paragraph: “…who benefits from his rhetoric, his policies, his actions, the short list of laws he’s pushed through this Republican Congress? Somebody must be benefiting. He’s enriching himself, his family, his friends. The scale of the corruption is unprecedented. There’s the coverup of the Epstein files, the crypto scams cozying up to foreign princes for airplanes and billionaires for ballrooms, putting his name and face on buildings all over our. Nations capital. This is not what our founders envisioned. Not by a long shot. So I’ll ask again. Is the president working for you? We all know the answer is no.” Ryan Garza – Detroit Free Press A day later, Governor Whitmer offered her 8th and final State of the State assessment: realistic, grounded in reality, and a reflection of someone whose approval rating is 15 points higher than Trump's. Multiple polls show a stunning 60+ percent of Americans say Trump sucks while Whitmer's approval has consistently been in the low-to-mid 50's. Whitmer's speech focused on “kitchen table” issues: affordability, medical debt, housing and literacy. She somehow forgot to label Republicans as “Low IQ”, “Crazy”, “Lunatics” or responsible for all of Michigan's problems … she didn't even once blame anything on Rick Snyder … but she did take the opportunity to brag about Michigan athletes dominating the U.S. medal count at the Olympics. And she even high-fived House Speaker MAGA Matt Hall for working collaboratively on sick-time legislation! The contrasts between those two speeches frame this week's discussion. Later in the podcast, we are joined by two anti-authoritarian experts to discuss an issue facing many American families and neighbors: how we can talk with each other in this era of often-angry partisan divisions – and why it is critical that we do. We've all been there. Going to the Sunday family dinner that always devolves into a debate about Trump. A few of my extended family members are MAGA to the point where we avoid politics completely. Scrolling through Facebook and encountering that childhood friend whose feed has become a minefield of MAGA memes. For a decade, the conventional wisdom for surviving the American political divide has been “don't go there.” We've treated political topics like radioactive waste—best left buried for the sake of the relationship. The folks at the Democracy Investment Fund think that silence is costing us more than we realize. Their new free app, LSTN2U, is a bet on a radical idea: that we can actually talk to each other again, provided we stop trying to “win.” LSTN2U isn't a social media network or a news aggregator. It's essentially a flight simulator for difficult conversations. The free, nonpartisan app provides a judgment-free digital resource where users can practice realistic dialogue. We're joined by the two people behind this optimistic approach to politics: my friends Erin Dobson and Trygve Olson. LSTN2U is a free app: no upsells or hidden fees. Your data is not sold or used commercially. LSTN2U emphasizes: Active Listening: Truly hearing the “why” behind someone's “what.” Emotional Awareness: Identifying when your own “fight or flight” response is hijacking the logic centers of your brain. Boundary Setting: Learning how to stay in a conversation without losing your peace of mind—and knowing when it's OK to step back. Other issues on our radar this week that, in more normal times, would occupy an entire podcast include The appearance that Donald “Give Me the Nobel Peace Prize” Trump is on the verge of starting a war with Iran … a war that could rival the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in futility, and further alienate the United States from the world. This comes six months after Trump claimed to have obliterated Iran's nuclear weapons capabilities. Apparently obliteration has a short shelf life. The Epstein cover-up became even more evident with the revelation that dozens of documents pointing directly at Trump … including allegations of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl … have been hidden by the utterly corrupt Pam Bondi. But Republicans on Capitol Hill are more interested in the Clintons, with Bill and Hillary dragged in front of the House Oversight Committee this week for depositions that will keep the Epstein story in the headlines … but provide little else. After the Supreme Court told him his tariffs were illegal, Trump doubled down by imposing a 10 percent then 15 percent tariff on all imports. If, as Trump says, those tariffs would replace the federal income tax, it would be a huge financial windfall for the highest income taxpayers … his billionaire buddies, shifting the tax load to low- and middle-income families. Republicans are pushing to pass a bill to combat non-existent voter fraud. The so-called “SAVE” act would, in reality, burdening millions of Americans as they exercise their right to vote by requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote. The proof: either a birth certificate or passport. Millions of American citizens, including low-income, minorities, seniors, and -get this- women who have a different last name than they were born with, would have to jump through hoops and incur costs to comply. FBI Director Kash Patel spent $1-million or more of taxpayer money for a thinly disguised junket to the Olympics, culminating with chugging beer with the victorious U.S. men's hockey team. Of course, he claimed official business as an excuse for his trip. New polling shows the race for Governor appears to show the race is a statistical tie, with Democrat Jocelyn Benson narrowly leading Republican John James and independent Mike Duggan. But the polling raises questions, especially because the poll was commissioned by supporters of Mike Duggan. The poll assumes James will be the survivor of a four-way GOP primary race, with 78-year-old Perry Johnson promising now to spend $10-million over the next few weeks in a statewide advertising blitz. Legislation has been introduced to limit the use of artificial intelligence to monitor workplace activity. State Representative Penelope Tsernoglou joined with Michigan AFL CIO President Ron Bieber to warn of abuses already happening as some employers use A.I. to monitor everything from computer activity to bathroom breaks. State House Speaker Matt Hall is floating a property tax relief plan funded by enacting a new tax on services – an idea once promoted unsuccessfully by Jennifer Granholm. The Department of Homeland Security says ICE officers will not interfere with voting precincts in November … but a lot of people are skeptical given the history of voting fraud conspiracy promoters making the promise. We’re now on YouTube every week! Click here to subscribe. A Republic, If You Can Keep It is sponsored by ©Clay Jones:claytoonz.com  

Hillary Clinton recently testified behind closed doors before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee, chaired by James Comer, about her knowledge of and connections to Jeffrey Epstein. Her testimony took place at her home in Chappaqua, New York. Clinton stated under oath that she had never met, encountered, or interacted with Jeffrey Epstein — a claim Hawk examines against the documented record showing Epstein visited the Clinton White House 17 times over eight years, and that Epstein provided the first $500,000 in seed money that launched the Clinton Global Initiative. The House Republicans who subpoenaed the Clintons did so even as Donald Trump's name appears in the Epstein files more than one million times — a fact Hawk points out with some emphasis. The conversation shifts to 1998 and the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal — a scandal still named after the 21-year-old unpaid intern rather than the sitting president who used the power of his office. Hawk highlights that the most prominent white feminists of that era, including Gloria Steinem, chose to defend Bill Clinton rather than stand with Monica Lewinsky — drawing a direct parallel to figures like Pam Bondi and Ghislaine Maxwell as enablers who protect powerful men at the expense of women. The testimony also reportedly included Republican questions about Pizzagate, raising questions about the seriousness and intent of the committee's line of inquiry. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Candace Owens has released a multi-part "investigative" series called "The Bride of Charlie," targeting Erica Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk who now runs Turning Point USA. The first two episodes racked up nearly 6 million views within 36 hours on YouTube alone, where Owens has 5.8 million subscribers. The reach goes far beyond her subscriber base, with YouTube and other platform algorithms actively pushing her content to audiences who would never seek it out on their own. Owens previously produced a similar series making accusations about Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, alleging she is transgender. Those claims have been widely debunked, and the Macrons have filed a defamation lawsuit against Owens that is currently pending. Given the scope of her audience and the demonstrably false nature of the claims, the financial damages in that case could reach tens of millions of dollars. The "Bride of Charlie" series opens with Owens questioning Erica Kirk's qualifications to lead Turning Point USA and draws comparisons between accepting Kirk as a grieving widow and pandemic-era messaging, while invoking "Zionist media" conspiracy language. Owens has also previously alleged that Israel arranged Charlie Kirk's assassination. Charlie Kirk built Turning Point USA into an organization reportedly raising over $250 million in 2024, with a mission centered on reaching young people on college campuses. The broader pattern of right-wing media, from Owens to Tucker Carlson, consistently circles back to antisemitism, transphobia, racism, and bigotry, now amplified at scale by algorithms pushing that content directly to young audiences. The state of Kansas recently passed legislation effectively erasing the legal identity of transgender residents by invalidating their driver's licenses, a development Hawk connects directly to the years of anti-trans content being produced and distributed by creators like Owens. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Headlines for February 26, 2026; Cuba Kills 4 Exiles Trying to “Infiltrate” Island by Boat as U.S. “Medieval Siege” of Cuba Continues; “Flagrant War Crime”: Investigation Recreates 2025 Israeli Massacre, Cover-Up of 15 Gaza Aid Workers; Beaten, Starved, Tortured: New CPJ Report on Abuse of Palestinian Journalists in Israeli Prisons; A Record 129 Journalists Killed in 2025, Israel Responsible For 2/3 of the Deaths: CPJ

The SAVE Act is the next assault on democracy by this administration — and it might just be the biggest yet. Trump and his cronies are focusing on pulling out all the stops to get this voter suppression bill passed including calls to end the filibuster. Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf are back to break down the cataclysmic effects this bill would have on our democracy and the mounting danger that threatens to pass the point of no return.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Americans are scared about what they are witnessing. To try and make sense of what's happening and how to resist, many are drawing comparisons to European authoritarianism. It might feel more comfortable to look overseas, but that is short-sighted. America's vulnerability lies in its unresolved. Let's talk about Authoritarianism. Find out more about Democracy Defenders Action here: https://www.democracydefendersaction.org Democracy Defenders Action (501c4) is leading the battle to safeguard American democracy and protect against the rising threat of autocracy. They work with a diverse coalition of pro-democracy partners to uphold the rule of law, fight government corruption, and defend the Constitution against abusive and authoritarian overreach. DDA works in courts and in public opinion to defend the rule of law, fight corruption, and protect voting rights across the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The SAVE Act is the next assault on democracy by this administration — and it might just be the biggest yet. Trump and his cronies are focusing on pulling out all the stops to get this voter suppression bill passed including calls to end the filibuster. Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf are back to break down the cataclysmic effects this bill would have on our democracy and the mounting danger that threatens to pass the point of no return.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ruth Marcus, contributor to The New Yorker, former columnist for the Washington Post and the author of Supreme Ambition: Brett Kavanaugh and the Conservative Takeover (Simon & Schuster, 2019), comments on the Supreme Court's tariff's decision and other political news—and the state of journalism in the aftermath of mass layoffs at Jeff Bezos' Washington Post.

Democracy Now! Thursday, February 26, 2026

NYT Times best selling author and authority on Russia's influence over Donald Trump, Craig Unger explains the vast corruption of the current administration and reasons why the next elections are more critical than ever thought. Also Thom gives his take on recent events including the longest lie-filled SOTU in US history!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trump's attack on elected officials of color isn't just ugly rhetoric, it's a calculated attempt to redefine who gets to belong in this democracy…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Headlines for February 25, 2026; “You Have Killed Americans,” “Black People Aren’t Apes”: Democrats Protest Trump’s State of the Union; Nobel Prize-Winning Economist Joseph Stiglitz Slams Trump's Myths About Tariffs, Affordability; Rep. Summer Lee on Boycotting Trump Speech, Jesse Jackson, Voting Rights, “Endless Wars” & More; Jailed for “Standing Up”: DHS Assault Victim Aliya Rahman Arrested at State of the Union Address; “Lies, Gaslighting and Maligning”: Rep. Adelita Grijalva Boycotts Trump’s Speech

President Trump's 2026 State of the Union was a record-breaking master class in American strength — nearly 108 minutes of pure wins, patriotism, and exposing Democrat obstruction. He declared the golden age of America is here, with a booming economy, sealed borders, and the nation bigger, better, richer, and stronger than ever. While radicals heckled and boycotted, Trump put America First and left the Left melting down. Democrats tried to boycott the SOTU, but failed miserably because Americans saw their true colors. We also cover: Bill Gates apologizes for cheating. Crazy Democrats boycott Trump. Venezuela is our new oil partner? Nancy Pelosi tries to defend herself. 00:00 Pat Gray UNLEASHED! 00:15 Discussing President Trump's State of the Union Address 00:54 SOTU: Democrats DO NOT CARE for American Lives 09:04 SOTU: Al Green's Sign Torn to Shreds 12:05 SOTU: President Trump on Dems Allowing the Border Invasion 12:55 SOTU: President Trump on Oil "Drill Baby Drill!" 13:48 SOTU: President Trump Calls Out Nancy Pelosi on Insider Trading 15:23 Nancy Pelosi on CNN - "Saved the Democracy at the Kitchen Table" 24:56 SOTU: President Trump Awards the Medal of Honor to USA Men's Hockey Team 33:54 Linguistic Complexity of the SOTU Addresses has Declined 34:55 SOTU: President Trump Honors WWII Veterans 41:46 SOTU: President Trump's Memorial for Charlie Kirk 43:19 SOTU: President Trump - "Our Nation is Back!" 46:52 SOTU: President Trump on Wall Street Buying Homes 51:50 SOTU: President Trump Discusses the Housing Crisis 59:37 Four judges on the Supreme Court Watched the SOTU Address 1:04:50 Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger's Rebuttal to the SOTU 1:08:52 "Release the [REDACTED] Files" Pin 1:09:38 SOTU: President Trump on Health Care 1:12:10 Bill Gates Admits to Having an Affair with TWO Russian Women?! 1:15:47 Chewing the Fat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices