Podcasts about white house domestic policy council

For nearly 70 years, the DOJ's Civil Rights Division led efforts to protect voting rights and fight racial discrimination at the polls. But in January 2025, DOJ political appointees froze all new civil rights cases and dismissed every major pending voting rights lawsuit—prompting most career attorneys to leave the Division. With federal challenges to restrictive voting laws now dropped in several states, the fight for voting rights falls to individual voters and advocacy groups, raising urgent questions about the future of enforcement.In this episode Dani Schulkin, Director of Democracy Initiatives at Just Security, is joined by Chiraag Bains. Chiraag is a senior fellow at Democracy Fund, a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and former Deputy Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council for Racial Justice & Equity. He also previously served in the DOJ's Civil Rights Division.  Show Notes:  Chiraag Bains, “What Just Happened: The Trump Administration's Dismissal of Voting Rights Lawsuits.” Collection: Just Security's Coverage of Trump Administration Executive Actions  Just Security's DOJ Archives Music: “Broken” by David Bullard from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/david-bullard/broken (License code: OSC7K3LCPSGXISVI)

Episode Takeaways:Experiences are often your best teachers.Transitioning out of foster care can be devastating.Advocacy is propelled by shared stories.Community support is crucial for young people.Technology (AI) can streamline child welfare processes.Access to basic documents is essential for independence.Young people in foster care often lack normal experiences.Resilience is built through overcoming challenges.Affirmations can help combat imposter syndrome.Everyone can contribute to supporting youth in foster care.About Amnoni:Amnoni L. Myers, MPA, is a serial entrepreneur, best-selling author, child welfare advocate, public speaker, and consultant. She is the founder of You Are The Prize, a professional speaking and consulting firm, and the visionary behind Launch Ahead, an innovative startup dedicated to supporting youth in foster care as they transition into adulthood.A Boston, Massachusetts native, Amnoni now resides in Tulsa, Oklahoma through the Tulsa Remote program, relocating from California in 2021. She holds a Master's in Public Administration from the National Urban Fellows Program in Manhattan, New York. As part of this prestigious fellowship, she was placed at The California Endowment in Oakland, where she worked on the My Brother's Keeper Initiative to advance opportunities for young boys and men of color.As a consultant, Amnoni brings a unique and deeply personal perspective to child welfare reform. Having aged out of the foster care system herself, she later returned as a professional, leading policy and advocacy efforts to reimagine a more equitable system. She previously worked with the U.S. Children's Bureau as a child welfare policy consultant and held internships at both Capitol Hill and the White House Domestic Policy Council, where she drafted impactful policy recommendations aimed at improving the child welfare system.Amnoni is a graduate of Gordon College, where she double-majored in Social Work and Sociology and completed a Social Work and Peace and Conflict Studies Practicum in San Francisco. She has also studied Race, Class, and Gender in South Africa, further deepening her commitment to justice and systemic change.She is the author of the best-selling book, "You Are The Prize: Seeing Yourself Beyond the Imperfections of Your Trauma," and has delivered powerful keynote addresses at major events and institutions nationwide, inspiring countless individuals through her story of resilience and empowerment. Recently, she was selected as a finalist for the 2025 SXSW Pitch, a testament to her innovation and dedication to social impact. Her dedication to advocacy and entrepreneurship has earned her numerous awards, including:● The Re-Envisioning Foster Care Champion Award● The National Urban Fellows Ron Gonzalez Memorial Fund Leadership Award● The Philip J. Award● The Marlene Matreese Rockstar of the Year Award● Tulsa Remote's Most Outstanding Member of the Year Award● TEDC's Mortar Entrepreneurial Spirit Award● Tulsa, Oklahoma's 2023 Game Changer AwardThrough her work, Amnoni remains committed to empowering communities, increasing access to opportunity, and reshaping systems that have historically marginalized vulnerable populations. Whether through her consulting, speaking engagements, or entrepreneurial ventures, she is a driving force for systemic change and social impact.Donate to Amnoni's GoFundMe to get to SXSW. The cost of travel, lodging, food has increased tremendously, and every dollar counts!Follow Amnoni on Social Media:InstagramLinkedin EPISODE CREDITS:Produced and edited by Ashley Coffey. Cover art designed by Ashley Coffey.Headshot by Brandlink MediaIntroduction music composed and produced by Ashley Coffey LINKSFollow Coffey & Code on Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, and YouTube for the latest emerging tech updates! Subscribe to the Coffey & Code Podcast wherever you get your podcasts to be notified when new episodes go live. © 2025 Coffey & Code Podcast. All rights reserved. The content of this podcast, including but not limited to text, graphics, audio, and images, is the property of Ashley Coffey and may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used in any manner without the express written consent of the owner.

Katy Talento, Executive Director, Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries (The Alliance, ahcsm.org). Former top health advisor at the White House Domestic Policy Council. Will the Senate confirm Robert F Kennedy Jr.?

John Bridgeland, Executive Chair & CEO of More Perfect & former Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council & National Service Czar, joins Kevin Frazier, Senior Research Fellow in the Constitutional Studies Program at the University of Texas at Austin and a Tarbell Fellow at Lawfare, to examine America's general preparedness for a large-scale conflict and its culture of service (or lack thereof). The two also discuss ongoing efforts to reform and expand military, national, and public service opportunities.National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service Report: https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AS/AS00/20210519/112680/HHRG-117-AS00-Wstate-HeckJ-20210519-SD001.pdfTo receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On episode 226, we welcome William Haldeman to discuss five great US presidents, George Washington's prudence and humility in stepping down, FDR's ability to communicate with the American public, his sense of confidence in navigating the Great Depression and World War 2, Ronald Reagan's optimism in the face of Soviet communism, the necessity of it for electoral victories, podcasting as a medium for presidential hopefuls, ways in which current politicians live up to and fail to live up to these predecessors, and how future leaders can benefit from them. William Haldeman is Vice Chancellor and Chief Strategy Officer at the University of Pittsburgh. He has also served the White House Domestic Policy Council, two US secretaries of state, and as a senior staff member to a state governor. His new book, available now, is called Meeting the Moment: Inspiring Presidential Leadership That Transformed America.  | William Haldeman | ► Website | https://www.williamhaldeman.com/home ► Twitter | https://x.com/potushistorian ► Meeting the Moment Book | https://bit.ly/49uJYGD Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment  

Data dominate nearly every sector and drug shortages are an area to leverage data solutions. Stephen Colvill, Senior Policy Advisor for Medical Supply Chains, The White House Domestic Policy Council and Dr Nikola Markoski, Vizient Manager of Pharmacy Analytics and Clinical Insights, join host Gretchen Brummel to explore novel approaches and future implications for data use cases in drug shortages.   Guest speakers:  Stephen Colvill Senior Policy Advisor for Medical Supply Chains, Domestic Policy Council The White House, Domestic Policy Council This podcast was recorded in December 2023 prior to Stephen joining the federal government. The opinions expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of  the United States government or any agency thereof. At the time of recording, Stephen was Executive Director of RISCS and Assistant Research Director at the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy.   Nikola Markoski, PharmD, MBA, DPLA Manager of Pharmacy Analytics and Clinical Insights Vizient   VerifiedRx Host:  Gretchen Brummel, PharmD, BCPS   Show Notes:  [00:36-02:23] Guest's background information  [02:24-05:44] How using data can change the discussion of drug shortages [05:45-09:23] Approaches that have been attempted so far in the data space [09:24-12:01] Where things are going in the future [12:02-15:23] How we get everybody on the same page   Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Amazon Podcasts Spotify Android RSS Feed

As the 2024 U.S. presidential election nears, the choice between Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican nominee former President Donald Trump will shape the future of drug pricing policy.   While both candidates have pledged to reduce drug costs, their approaches are likely to differ significantly.   In this week's episode of "The Top Line," Fierce Pharma's Zoey Becker chats with John Barkett, managing director of BRG's healthcare transactions and strategy practice and former senior policy advisor for healthcare delivery system reform on the White House Domestic Policy Council, about what we can expect from each candidate's potential presidency and how the Inflation Reduction Act could play a pivotal role.   To learn more about the topics in this episode:  With election nearing, BMO analysts don't expect major pharma shake-ups from either candidate Biden touts drug pricing achievements as he steps down from reelection campaign 2024 forecast: Biden admin efforts show there's no pricing relief on the horizon for pharma See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Election Day is on Tuesday, November 5, and I could think of no better book to tee that up than Bill Haldeman's new book Meeting the Moment: Inspiring Presidential Leadership That Transformed America, which is out November 1. This book about presidential leadership takes a specific leadership quality of a certain president and shows readers how the combination of that quality and that president transformed America. Case in point? Bill writes that for Thomas Jefferson, his transformative leadership quality was ingenuity; for George Washington, it was his judgment; for Teddy Roosevelt, his courage and fearless, daring spirit; for Franklin D. Roosevelt, his confidence; for Ronald Reagan, his optimism. As Bill writes, when a president's defining leadership quality met their action, America was advanced. We talk today about how presidential leadership has transformed America, as Bill writes, “it was not one leadership quality that made America stronger and better—it was many.” Bill, like me, has long been interested in the American presidency, and this is a fresh, compelling take on presidential leadership that inspired me to ask myself the question, “What is my transformative leadership quality that I might be remembered by?” Bill also talks about speeches of import and tells us about a powerful one in today's episode, which presidents maybe didn't meet the moment, and about the “second term curse” for presidents. I love studying the presidency and I love studying leadership, and this book combined both subject matters brilliantly. Let me introduce you to our fantastic guest today: Bill Haldeman is a veteran public servant and is the Vice Chancellor and Chief Strategy Officer at the University of Pittsburgh. He has also served the White House Domestic Policy Council, two U.S. Secretaries of State, and is a senior staff member to a state governor. I'm excited for you to hear our conversation.   Meeting the Moment: Inspiring Presidential Leadership That Transformed America by Bill Haldeman

This week, the Biden administration announced it is taking on more of what it calls "everyday headaches and hassles that waste Americans' time and money."And it's doing that by having federal agencies make new business rules. There are actions to simplify health insurance paperwork, crack down on fake product reviews, streamline parent-teacher communications in schools and circumvent those automated customer service calls that the White House labels "doom loops."It's all part of a wider economic mission to eliminate modern business practices that the Biden administration believes exploit Americans.Neera Tanden, the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, breaks down why this is happening and how it will work in reality.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Join Corey Dion Lewis in this insightful episode of The Healthy Project Podcast as he talks with Dr. Sandra E. Ford, the former special assistant to the President for public health and science in the White House Domestic Policy Council. She is also the principal author of the White House Action Plan identifying whole-of-government policy actions to address SDoH. This episode dives into the US playbook to address SDoH, offering valuable insights into policies and practices aimed at promoting health equity. Don't miss this essential conversation on transforming health equity and improving public health outcomes. 

GUEST 1 OVERVIEW: Executive Director of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries Katy Talento is a veteran policy advisor, health care reformer, epidemiologist and thought leader. As the former top health advisor at the White House Domestic Policy Council, Katy spearheaded transformative policies to protect religious liberty in health care, end secret health care prices across the United States, end predatory medical collections practices, lower prescription drug prices, guarantee health records access and interoperability for patients and their care teams, combat the opioid addiction crisis and eliminate domestic HIV/AIDS. She first developed her take-no-prisoners approach to waste and corruption as an oversight investigator and legislative director on Capitol Hill, born of love and duty toward the hardworking American taxpayers. Prior to her White House appointment, Katy served five U.S. Senators over a 15-year period, including as top health advisor and manager of legislative staff and oversight investigators. She also worked in the private sector helping multinational energy companies protect their global workforce from infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue and the largest community-based HIV/AIDS service organization in the US. On the faculty at Georgetown University Medical School, Katy managed the Washington site of a multi-site NIH-funded pulmonology study. GUEST 2 OVERVIEW: Dr. William Makis provides in-depth intelligence on Covid-19, sudden deaths, mRNA vaccines, vaccine injuries, new pandemics, and more at makismd.substack.com. He is an expert in Radiology, Oncology and Immunology and ran one of the largest Targeted Radionuclide Therapy Cancer Clinics in North America and diagnosed over 10,000 cancer patients with state-of-the-art diagnostics such as PET/CT. He is a Board Member of The Wellness Company Canada (twc.health) as the Chief of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology. And he is the author of 100+ peer-reviewed medical publications.

Welcome back to Breaking Battlegrounds! This week, Chuck Warren is first joined by John Ziegler, host of the Death of Journalism podcast and a renowned political commentator, who fearlessly navigates the murky waters of media integrity. From dissecting headlines to challenging popular narratives, John delves into topics ranging from the pitfalls of crappy journalism to the implications of California's minimum wage hike and Governor Newsom's policies furthering the state's downfall. Next, we're honored to welcome Diana Furchtgott-Roth, Director of the Center for Energy, Climate, and Environment at The Heritage Foundation, who offers invaluable insights into the intersection of policy and economics. Diana discusses a wide range of topics including luxury belief systems, New York's controversial $15 congestion charge, and Biden's focus on electrification to cut emissions, despite its limited impact on reducing fossil fuel use due to our reliance on fossil fuels for electricity. And stay tuned for Kiley's Corner as she discusses the largest cash money heist in LA history on Easter Sunday. Connect with us:www.breakingbattlegrounds.voteTwitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_BattleFacebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegroundsInstagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegroundsLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds-About out guestsJohn Ziegler is an award winning journalist and truth crusader. He is host of "The Death Of Journalism" where he examines the loss of integrity in the news media and rips apart the popularized narratives of the biggest headline making stories. You can follow him on X @Zigmanfreud. -Diana Furchtgott-Roth is Director of the Center for Energy, Climate, and Environment and the Herbert and Joyce Morgan Fellow in Energy and Environmental Policy at The Heritage Foundation. She is an Oxford-educated economist, a frequent guest on TV and radio shows, and a columnist for Forbes.Diana worked in senior roles in the White House under Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush. She has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology at the U.S. Department of Transportation; Acting Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the U.S. Department of Treasury; Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Labor; Chief of Staff of the President's Council of Economic Advisers; and Deputy Executive Secretary of the White House Domestic Policy Council.Diana is the author or coauthor of six books and hundreds of articles on economic policy, including Regulating to Disaster: How Green Jobs Policies are Destroying America's Economy (Encounter Books, 2012). Her most recent book is United States Income, Wealth, Consumption, and Inequality (Oxford University Press, 2021). She received degrees in Economics from Swarthmore College and Oxford University. Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

GUEST OVERVIEW: Executive Director of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries Katy Talento is a veteran policy advisor, health care reformer, epidemiologist and thought leader. As the former top health advisor at the White House Domestic Policy Council, Katy spearheaded transformative policies to protect religious liberty in health care, end secret health care prices across the United States, end predatory medical collections practices, lower prescription drug prices, guarantee health records access and interoperability for patients and their care teams, combat the opioid addiction crisis and eliminate domestic HIV/AIDS. She first developed her take-no-prisoners approach to waste and corruption as an oversight investigator and legislative director on Capitol Hill, born of love and duty toward the hardworking American taxpayers. Prior to her White House appointment, Katy served five U.S. Senators over a 15-year period, including as top health advisor and manager of legislative staff and oversight investigators. She also worked in the private sector helping multinational energy companies protect their global workforce from infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue and the largest community-based HIV/AIDS service organization in the US. On the faculty at Georgetown University Medical School, Katy managed the Washington site of a multi-site NIH-funded pulmonology study.

We are joined by author and immigration advocate Cecilia Muñoz who served for eight years on President Obama's senior team, including five years leading the White House Domestic Policy Council as an assistant to President Obama. Cecilia opens up about how her experience as a Midwestern Latina shaped her identity, and how she pivoted from working as an advocate in the Latinx community to formulating immigration policy for the White House. Cecilia shares why it's okay for leaders to second guess themselves, and the nuance of using data to influence actionable social change. To learn more about Evidence In Action and the Urban Institute please visit Urban.org/evidence-action-podcast.

Do you remember where you were that fateful night in November 2016? Well our guest Ann O'Leary most definitely does as she was with Secretary Hillary Clinton in New York. In this episode of Conversations with Seven Sisters, Jen is honored to be joined by distinguished Mount Holyoke College Alum Ann O'Leary. Ann is an attorney and American political advisor, attorney, and nonprofit leader. Ann O'Leary is originally from the state of Maine and pursued her dreams of attending Mount Holyoke College where she enjoyed canoeing and running around farm land. We get to hear about her journey from South Hadley to Washington, D.C. to San Francisco as she works towards equality for women and families. Ann shares how she sees the upcoming election and how we can fight for our democracy against threats. Ann served as Chief of Staff to the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. Prior to joining the Governor's office, O'Leary was a law partner at Boies Schiller Flexner. She served as Senior Policy Advisor to Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and Co-Executive Director of the Clinton-Kaine Transition Project. She was a Deputy City Attorney in San Francisco; Executive Director of UC Berkeley Law's Center on Health, Economic and Family Security and lecturer-in-law at UC Berkeley Law; legislative director for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton; and a policy advisor with the White House Domestic Policy Council under President William Jefferson Clinton.O'Leary holds a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College, a M.A. in Education Policy from Stanford University, and a J.D. from UC Berkeley School of Law. More about Ann O'Leary:  https://www.jenner.com/en/people/ann-o-leary  Did you attend a Seven Sisters College?  If so, Join as a Founding Member of the first & only community for Seven Sisters alums & undergraduates here. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

 Ja'Ron Smith served in several roles at the White House, including deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy, deputy director for the Office of American Innovation, and director of urban affairs and revitalization for the White House Domestic Policy Council. He is also co-author of Underserved: Harnessing the Principles of Lincoln's Vision for Reconstruction for Today's Forgotten Communities. Is the Marriage Between Blacks and the Democrat Party Coming to an End?

Ja'Ron Smith is Partner at Dentons Global Advisors Government Relations and co-author of UNDERSERVED: Harnessing the Principles of Lincoln's Vision for Reconstruction for Today's Forgotten Communities. He was Deputy Assistant to President Donald Trump for the White House Domestic Policy Council and the Office of American Innovation. As a Deputy Assistant to the President, he spearheaded initiatives such as criminal justice reform, workforce development, opportunity zones, and others. Prior to his role as Deputy Assistant to the President, he served as Special Assistant to the President in the Office of Legislative Affairs, a Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and as the Director of Urban Affairs and Revitalization.

On this week's TechTalk, Dr. Jay and Brad had the pleasure of interviewing Katy Talento, a licensed health benefits consultant, veteran health care reformer, epidemiologist and thought leader. Based in northern Virginia, Katy Talento is the Chief Executive Officer of AllBetter Health, a benefits advisory firm helping employers navigate the health plan marketplace and implement innovative solutions that reduce costs and improve patient experience. Katy quarterbacks AllBetter's nationwide, custom-curated partnerships of advisors, actuaries, member services teams and analytics gurus to deliver on the AllBetter client promise: significant savings, more generous benefits, and happier employees. As the top health advisor at the White House Domestic Policy Council to President Donald Trump, Katy spearheaded transformative policies to end secret health care prices across the United States, end predatory medical collections practices, lower prescription drug prices, guarantee health records access and interoperability for patients and their care teams, combat the opioid addiction crisis and eliminate domestic HIV/AIDS. She first developed her take-no-prisoners approach to waste and corruption as an oversight investigator and legislative director on Capitol Hill, born of love and duty toward the hardworking American taxpayers. Katy has traveled the world, holding U.S. foreign aid programs accountable for results, as well as protecting the workforce of multinational energy companies from infectious disease threats. On the faculty of Georgetown University Medical School, Katy managed the school's participation in a multi-site NIH study. She founded a mentorship program for junior high girls in inner city DC and even served two years as a Catholic nun! Katy earned her graduate degree in Epidemiology from Harvard School of Public Health and an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia.

At this week's Round Table, Hannah, Inyoo, Jack, and Kenisha spoke with Thea Sebastian, Director of Policy for Civil Rights Corps, as well as the founding Director of the Futures Institute. In her role, Thea oversees a wide range of initiatives that include policy changes related both to advancing community safety and building cradle-to-career youth opportunity. One of her current projects involves building a cross-disciplinary Futures Agenda, which aims to be a Green New Deal for youth. Thea's trajectory is very inspiring: a graduate of Harvard College, Oxford University, and Harvard Law School, she now serves on the board of Harvard University, which she joined as a petition candidate running on a climate divestment platform. Thea started her career as a classroom teacher, teaching special education in the South Bronx prior to working on social and educational policy, including stints in local government and in the White House Domestic Policy Council, leading up to her current role as Director of Policy for Civil Rights Corps. We were fascinated by Thea's work at the intersection of law and policy, and her commitment to how youth can take actionable initiatives to make a difference, and think you will be too. This was the perfect episode for me to close out my time with the Round Table podcast as I am now matriculating at Thea's alma mater, Harvard College.  I've loved getting to speak with our guests, my fellow podcast hosts, and you each week and look forward to catching you on alumni episodes. Thank you for listening! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nextgenpolitics/message

GUEST OVERVIEW: Ja'Ron Smith is a Partner at Dentons Global Advisors Government Relations. A policy expert experienced in advocacy, legislating, and policy strategy and negotiation, he advises clients on a range of issues including regulatory affairs, economic mobility, social justice, finance, banking, and housing and urban development. Most recently, Mr. Smith was the Executive Director at Center for Advancing Opportunity (CAO), which supports students and faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) as well as other majority colleges and universities in developing research-based solutions to the most pressing issues in fragile communities. Previously, Mr. Smith served as a Deputy Assistant to the President for the White House Domestic Policy Council and the Office of American Innovation. As a Deputy Assistant to the President, he spearheaded initiatives such as criminal justice reform, workforce development, opportunity zones, and others. Prior to his role as Deputy Assistant to the President, he served as Special Assistant to the President in the Office of Legislative Affairs, as a Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, and as the Director of Urban Affairs and Revitalization. In the latter role, he was a chief policy strategist, and an advisor to the President, along with serving as a manager of HBCU initiatives, crime and reentry, and the manager of the White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative. Prior to his time in the White House, Mr. Smith served in senior staff roles on the House Financial Services Committee and for Senator Tim Scott (R-SC). Mr. Smith has played an important role in policy development and social change in the D.C. Metropolitan Area through his service in the non-profit and political sectors.

Reason for Hope is a national non-profit organization with a focus on advocating for policy and legal reforms to make safe, ethical, and affordable access to psychedelic-assisted therapy a reality.Brett Waters shares his personal motivation behind founding Reason for Hope after the tragic loss of his mother to suicide in 2018. He discusses his role in drafting psychedelic legislation in multiple states, including Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New York, and his involvement in briefings for the White House Domestic Policy Council, HHS, and members of Congress regarding the importance of an inter-agency psychedelic task force.The conversation dives into Reason for Hope's mission to prevent deaths of despair by promoting accessible psychedelic medicine and assisted therapies. They support the bipartisan Breakthrough Therapies Act, aimed at expediting research and deployment of psychedelic therapies with breakthrough status.Brett also introduces the collaborative efforts of Reason for Hope's team, which includes strategic minds from various fields, working together in drafting legislation, preparing legal briefings, educating legislators, and building advocacy coalitions. Currently, Reason for Hope focuses on establishing MDMA- and psilocybin-assisted therapy expanded access pilot programs for those unable to wait for FDA approval.Tune in to explore the inspiring work of Reason for Hope and Brett's personal journey driving legislative change for psychedelic therapies. Subscribe to the Psychedelic Spotlight podcast for more insightful conversations and stay connected with Psychedelic Spotlight on your favorite social media platforms. Find out more about Reason for Hope here: https://www.reason-for-hope.org/

July 19, 2023 ~ James Sherk, director of the Center for American Freedom at the America First Policy Institute and President Trump's former top labor policy advisor on the White House Domestic Policy Council from 2017–2021, joins Kevin and Tom to talk about his op-ed in The Detroit News titled “Proposed EV mandate will cost thousands of jobs.”

Welcome to Episode 5 of the 2nd season of The R.A.C.E. Podcast. Today I am honored to be joined by Cecilia Muñoz. Cecilia is a giant before, during, and since her tenure in the Obama White House. She has navigated complex spaces where there are unimaginable pressures in high-stakes decision-making. This conversation reminds me why leaders who address racial equity and their work must look fully into the identities that the world can and cannot see.Meet Cecilia Muñoz:Cecilia Muñoz is a national leader in public policy and public interest technology with over three decades of experience in the non-profit sector and 8 years of service on President Obama's senior team. She is the author of the award-winning More Than Ready: Be Strong and Be You...and Other Lessons for Women of Color on the Rise, which shares insights from her career as well as the careers of other notable women of color. She is also a contributing author to Immigration Matters, West Wingers, What My Mother Gave Me, and This I Believe.Cecilia spent two decades at the National Council of La Raza (now UNIDOS US); winning a MacArthur Fellowship for her work on immigration and civil rights. She served in President Barack Obama's West Wing, becoming the first Latino to lead the White House Domestic Policy Council. She serves on a number of nonprofit boards, including the Kresge, MacArthur and Joyce Foundations, New America, Protect Democracy, and Civic Nation.  She also serves on the boards of Headspace Health and AdHoc. Listen in as Cecilia shares:Her identities and the role they have played in her life journey Her experience with Colorism as a “white passing” Woman of ColorThe message she would tell the younger version of herselfWhat she wants listeners to know, do, and feel when doing Racial Equity work  Learn more and connect with Cecilia Muñoz:Website: Cecilia MuñozTwitter: Cecilia MuñozHi listener! Please take our short Listener Survey HERE to give The R.A.C.E. Podcast team feedback on the show. We will use the feedback to inform how we approach conversations in the future. Upon completion, you will be entered in our quarterly drawing for a $100 Visa gift card! Your email address will only be used for this purpose. Thanks in advance - we appreciate your feedback.Connect with Keecha Harris and Associates: Website: https://khandassociates.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/keecha-harris-and-associates/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/khandassociates YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCukpgXjuOW-ok-pHtVkSajg/featured Connect with Keecha: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keechaharris/

This week Rebecca sat down with Kim Knackstedt, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, where she serves as director of the Disability Economic Justice Team and director of the Disability Economic Justice Collaborative, both of which launched a little over one year ago in April 2022. Before coming to TCF, Kim served as the first-ever director of disability policy for the White House Domestic Policy Council for the first year of the Biden presidency. They had a far-ranging conversation about what it looks like to apply disability as a lens across all economic and social policy making in the United States; the story behind the Disability Economic Justice Collaborative, going behind the scenes on the work discussed in the Collaborative's one-year anniversary event, which aired on Off-Kilter earlier this month; and the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency and what it means for disabled people in the United States. And continuing with the “self-care is political warfare” throughline from all of this spring's episodes for the podcast, they also talked about Kim's ongoing process of detoxing from the “destroy yourself for the work” culture of the White House and Capitol Hill; how she's been rediscovering self-care in her own life as a leader within the disability community who also lives with chronic illness; and more.

This week Rebecca sat down with Kim Knackstedt, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, where she serves as director of the Disability Economic Justice Team and director of the Disability Economic Justice Collaborative, both of which launched a little over one year ago in April 2022. Before coming to TCF, Kim served as the first-ever director of disability policy for the White House Domestic Policy Council for the first year of the Biden presidency.  They had a far-ranging conversation about what it looks like to apply disability as a lens across all economic and social policy making in the United States; the story behind the Disability Economic Justice Collaborative, going behind the scenes on the work discussed in the Collaborative's one-year anniversary event, which aired on Off-Kilter earlier this month; and the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency and what it means for disabled people in the United States.  And continuing with the “self-care is political warfare” throughline from all of this spring's episodes for the podcast, they also talked about Kim's ongoing process of detoxing from the “destroy yourself for the work” culture of the White House and Capitol Hill; how she's been rediscovering self-care in her own life as a leader within the disability community who also lives with chronic illness; and more. For more: Learn more about Kim's work here and follow her on Twitter @kiknack Learn more about the Disability Economic Justice Collaborative here and in its one-year anniversary event—and follow the Collab on Twitter @dejcollab and by signing up for its monthly newsletter  Here's the Collaborative's Disability Economic Justice Policy Framework, showing how to embed disability as a lens across policymaking Here's Kim's piece (with TCF's Tara Oakman) on the ending of the public health emergency You can find Off-Kilter's episode with The Kelsey about putting disabled people at the center of housing policy here

Paul Winfree is a member of the AFP Advisory Council and author of A History (and Future) of the Budget Process in the United States (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019). He served as director of budget policy and deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Biden's economic strategy is based on a failed model

Joe Grogan, former Assistant to the President and Director, White House Domestic Policy Council in the Trump Administration, shares his insights on several outstanding policy challenges. How has the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) reshaped innovators' investment patterns in new drugs, and what adjustments might improve outcomes? It will be difficult to keep the proposed Next Gen $5 billion for Covid vaccines and therapies at the top of the agenda on the Hill, in the absence of strong figures like Senators Burr and Kennedy. While the NIH budget needs to be re-prioritized, CDC needs “massive cultural change.” Progress on anti-microbial resistance and steering the Pandemic All-Hazards Preparedness Act to a successful re-authorization each rest ultimately on leadership.

Geoffrey Hinton, a leading figure in artificial intelligence (AI), has resigned from Google, warning of the dangers of the field; Samsung has temporarily restricted the use of generative AI, including ChatGPT, for its employees due to cases of misuse of the technology; and IBM CEO Arvind Krishna has announced that the company expects to pause hiring for certain roles, as approximately 7,800 jobs could be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in the coming years, Reuters reports. Also in this brief, Freshworks, India's second biggest SaaS company, beats street expectations. Notes: eBay has appointed Vidmay Naini as General Manager for Global Emerging Markets, overseeing growth in Southeast Asia, India, Eastern Europe, Israel, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, TechCrunch reports. Naini, who was previously in charge of eBay's Southeast Asia and India businesses, will focus on supporting small and medium-sized businesses. eBay's 2022 Southeast Asia Small Online Business Trade Report found that 99 percent of small businesses on eBay currently export items to an average of 25 different international markets, with 68% of eBay-enabled small businesses in six Southeast Asian countries exporting to 10 or more international markets. Geoffrey Hinton, a leading figure in artificial intelligence (AI), has resigned from Google, warning of the dangers of the field, the New York Times and the BBC report, among others.   Hinton, who is known as the godfather of AI, has developed pioneering research on neural networks and deep learning, helping to pave the way for systems such as ChatGPT. He has voiced concerns about the rapid development of AI chatbots which could become more intelligent than humans, potentially being used for "bad things". Samsung has temporarily restricted the use of generative AI, including OpenAI's ChatGPT, for its employees due to cases of misuse of the technology, CNBC reports. The company has advised workers not to enter any personal or company-related information into the services and to take precautions when using ChatGPT and other products outside of work. Samsung is still looking for ways to safely use generative AI to enhance employee productivity and efficiency. IBM has announced that it expects to pause hiring for certain roles as approximately 7,800 jobs could be replaced by AI and automation in the coming years, Reuters reports. Hiring specifically in back-office functions such as human resources will be suspended or slowed. 30 percent of non-customer-facing roles could be replaced by AI and automation within five years. The reduction could include not replacing roles vacated by attrition. The CEOs of Microsoft, Alphabet's Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic will meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and top administration officials to discuss key AI issues, Reuters reports. US President Joe Biden's administration has been seeking public comments on proposed accountability measures for AI systems. In a blog post on Monday, deputies from the White House Domestic Policy Council and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy wrote about how the technology can pose a serious risk to workers. Freshworks beat quarterly revenue estimates and posted its first adjusted operating profit, according to Reuters. Rising interest rates, high inflation, and a banking crisis have worsened the global economic outlook in recent months, forcing businesses to slash their technology budgets. Freshworks' revenue rose 20% in Q1 to $137.7 million, and it posted an adjusted operating profit of $3.9 million. Net loss narrowed to $42.7 million, from $49.1 million a year earlier.

In this episode of Conversations That Matter, The New American magazine's senior editor Alex Newman talks with Katy Talento, executive director of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries and former top health advisor at the White House Domestic Policy Council. Alex and Katy discuss how to fight back against the monstrous government healthcare/corporate healthcare/insurance system, including ... The post Katy Talento: We Can Fight Corporate Healthcare appeared first on The New American.

On this episode, Jodi Archambault, a member of the Hunkpapa and Oglala Lakota tribes, joins the podcast to share her experiences as an activist, government official, and someone who has lived amidst many cultures. While this podcast is primarily dominated by a western and US point of view, there is a huge variety of perspectives and social models we neglect and can learn from. The many different indigenous tribes within the North American continent each have a unique viewpoint and are widely recognized as leading lives that are more in tune with the Earth - known to the Lakota people as Grandmother Earth. Can we learn to respect nature not as things to be exploited and used, but rather as living relatives that are too sacred to be sold? About Jodi Archambault: Jodi Archambault is currently the Director of Indigenous Peoples Initiatives at Wend Collective, a social impact fund working across sectors to create positive change. Prior to joining Wend, Ms. Archambault was a Policy Advisor at Sonosky, Chambers & Sachse, a national Native American rights law firm. Between 2009 and 2015, she was a political appointee for President Barack Obama. During her tenure in the Obama Administration, Ms. Archambault served as the Special Assistant to the President for Native American Affairs on the White House Domestic Policy Council. Ms. Archambault holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Native American Studies from Dartmouth College and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. For Show Notes and More visit: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/62-jodi-archambault  

Building on the previous episode, this one continues to discuss the work of Bayard Rustin and the overlapping struggles that shaped his vision of democracy and his approach to organizing. I do so with Harry Boyte.  We focus on Rustin's practice as an organizer, his conception of nonviolence as a form of democratic politics, and how to understand Rustin's classic 1964 essay “From Protest to Politics,” as well as what Rustin has to teach us today. Along the way, Harry tells dramatic stories about his own work as an organizer and unfolds why Rustin's approach shows how distinctions between left and right or conservative and progressive are useless for thinking politically. Harry reflects on how all communities have democratic and authoritarian impulses. For him, the work of organizing is to identify and build up the capacity of the former and counter the work of conflict entrepreneurs who play on the latter.GuestHarry C. Boyte is a public intellectual, organizer, and theorist of the public work framework of civic engagement and participatory democracy. He worked as a young man for Martin Luther King's organization, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, reporting to Dorothy Cotton, director of the movement's 900 grassroots citizenship schools. From 1966 to 1972, following the suggestion of King, he organized poor white mill workers in Durham, North Carolina who built a community organization, ACT, which made connections with poor blacks in Durham. He was a co-founder of the New American Movement, a precursor to Bernie Sanders' Democratic Socialists of America, before he shifted to a democratic populist philosophy in the late 1970s. Boyte is now Senior Scholar in Public Work Philosophy at Augsburg, a Senior Associate of the Kettering Foundation, a cofounder of the Institute for Public Life and Work, and on the Scholars Council of Braver Angels.Asked by the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute in 1987 to organize a project on democracy, he translated what he called the “citizen politics” he had generalized from the organizing of the Industrial Areas Foundation into a variety of projects to democratize institutions, from schools and colleges to government agencies and nonprofits. In 1990, working with Dorothy Cotton and Jim Scheibel, he founded Public Achievement (PA) a youth political and civic education initiative based on community organizing practices and a larger view of democracy which has spread to more than 20 countries.From 1993 to 1995, Boyte coordinated Reinventing Citizenship, a cross partisan alliance of educational, civic, and philanthropic civic groups, which worked with President Clinton's White House Domestic Policy Council to analyze the gap between citizens and government and to advance the idea of “public work,” akin to what Nobel prize winner Elinor Ostrom later theorized as “polycentric governance” as an alternative to simple regulation or service delivery. In 2012-2013, on the invitation of Obama's White House Office of Public Engagement, he coordinated the American Commonwealth Partnership, a confederation of higher education and civic groups formed to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act establishing land grant colleges.Harry Boyte has authored, coauthored, and edited eleven books on democracy, citizenship, and community organizing, including The Backyard Revolution (1980), Free Spaces with Sara Evans (1986, 1992); CommonWealth: A Return to Citizen Politics (1989) and Awakening Democracy (2018). His writings have appeared in more than 100 publications including New York Times, Political Theory, Chronicle of Higher Education, Public Administration Review, and Education Week.Resources for Going DeeperSee the show notes for the previous episode.

Meet Brad Smith:Brad Smith is the Founder and CEO of Russell Street Ventures. He was also the Co-Founder and CEO of Aspire Health. He served as Chief Operating Officer of Anthem's Diversified Business Group. In government, Brad served as Deputy Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Deputy Administrator at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI).Brad received an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and a Master of Philosophy from Oxford University. Key Insights:Brad Smith has experiencing innovating in healthcare from government to venture capital.  Taking the Leap. Brad credits his path to entrepreneurship to great mentors that encouraged him to take big risks, and to his work in government and non-profits. He had experience bringing people together and rallying them around a common vision, which is fundamental to building a company. Partnerships Instead of Disruptions. Healthcare is full of big players on both the payer and delivery side; innovators need to accept the healthcare landscape. Disrupting the status quo is challenging. Instead, Brad encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to think about a partnership path, helping large organization effectively leverage their size and scale. On the Horizon.Brad is focused on three things. One, maintaining the United States as the forefront of innovation. Two, addressing chronic conditions, which are burdensome on individuals, as well as the system. And three, decreasing healthcare costs.This episode is hosted by Laura Veroneau. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Day Zero and is a Managing Partner and Founding Team Member of Optum Ventures. Relevant Links:Learn more about Russell Street Ventures“Valued-based care firm CareBridge nets $140M, reaches 'unicorn' status” by Becker's Hospital Review

In this episode, the team at Tomorrow, Today is joined by Marisa Renee Lee, author of "Grief is Love", to discuss the impacts of Covid-19 & death under quarantine will have on the future of how we relate with the process of death. In Grief is Love, Marisa reveals that healing does not mean moving on after losing a loved one—healing means learning to acknowledge and create space for your grief. It is about learning to love the one you lost with the same depth, passion, joy, and commitment you did when they were alive, perhaps even more. She guides you through the pain of grief—whether you've lost the person recently or long ago—and shows you what it looks like to honor your loss on your unique terms, and debunks the idea of a grief stages or timelines. Grief is Love is about making space for the transformation that a significant loss requires. Marisa's background: In 2010, Marisa joined the Obama Administration first as an appointee at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and later joined the White House Domestic Policy Council and the White House Office of Public Engagement where she ultimately served as President Obama's Deputy Director of Private Sector Engagement. During her time in the administration Marisa focused on a variety of issues including entrepreneurship and access to capital in underserved communities, implementation of the Small Business Jobs Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and developed a variety of public-private partnerships with the business community on behalf of President Obama. You can find her book at marisareneelee.com and her social medias @MarisaReneeLee

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, PMP invites Reason for Hope Co-Founders, Brett Waters, Esq. and Dr. Lynnette Averill to the Vine to share with us their work with psychedelic medicines and how they are advocating and getting laws passed to allow legal access for clinicians and patients. Learn more about the psychedelic legislation in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New York and in preparing briefings for the White House Domestic Policy Council, HHS, and members of Congress on the need for an inter-agency psychedelic task force. https://prettyeasypodcasts.com/ (The Vine is edited and produced by Pretty Easy Podcasts)

ABOUT ALFRE WOODARD AND THE PORTERBET+ has a new series on its way called The Porter and it's a civil rights drama that'll keep you coming back for more.The weekly series is set to premiere on May 5th and has an ensemble cast including Alfre Woodard, who also serves as an executive producer for the series.Woodard plays Fay, a woman who runs the local brothel in St. Antoine who is sexy, direct, and takes great pride in living life on her own terms.Set in the early 1920s and inspired by real events, the drama follows two train porters and their friends and families as a tragedy on the job sets them on starkly different paths to better lives - and on a direct collision course with each other.Other cast members include Aml Ameen, Ronnie Rowe Jr., Mouna Traoré, Loren Lott, Olunike Adeliyi, Luke Bilyk, Sabryn, Paul Essiembre, Arnold Pinnock, Bruce Ramsay, and Luc Roderique.The show will premiere on BET+ on Thursday, May 5th with all episodes readily available for streaming. Here's the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjgaLE16BOoAlfre Woodard's work as an actor has earned her an Oscar nomination, four Emmy Awards and seventeen Emmy nominations, three SAG Awards and a Golden Globe. The versatile Boston University School of Fine Arts graduate has portrayed doctors, judges, mothers high and low, queens, freedom fighters, suburban neighbors, POTUS and a comic book supervillain.Woodard's illustrious body of work includes an Oscar nominated performance in Martin Ritt's Cross Creek; HBO's Mandela, for which she earned an ACE award for her portrayal of Winnie Mandela; Lawrence Kasdan's Grand Canyon; John Sayles' Passion Fish; Joseph Sargent's Miss Evers' Boys, for which she won an Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe Awards; Spike Lee's Crooklyn; Gina Prince-Bythewood's Love and Basketball; Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys; Maya Angelou's Down in The Delta, and, most importantly, her intergalactic turn with Captain Picard in Star Trek: First Contact.We've enjoyed Alfre's astonishing range on screen over four decades, about which she advises "Google me!"She played Betty Applewhite on the ABC drama Desperate Housewives and Ruby Jean Reynolds, mother to Lafayette Reynolds, on HBO's True Blood. Woodard co-starred in Lifetime's hit remake of Steel Magnolias, for which she was nominated for Screen Actors Guild and Emmy Awards, and won a NAACP Image Award for her performance as Ouiser.Most recently, she appeared in the acclaimed drama 12 Years A Slave, directed by Steve McQueen, and Marvel's Captain America: Civil War, plus New Line's Annabelle, and the Netflix Original feature Juanita, as the title character. Somehow she also found time to star in Marvel'S Luke Cage as the diabolical Mariah Dillard, and she also appeared in the Apple series SEE, opposite Jason Momoa. Woodard also gave voice to Sarabi in Jon Favreau's Live Action The Lion King. Recently, her riveting portrayal of a death row prison warden in Chinonye Chukwu's Clemency, was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.Whilst building this illustrious career, Alfre co-founded Artists for a New South Africa, a nonprofit working to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS and further the cause of democracy and human rights in South Africa and the U.S. For this and her anti apartheid activism she was honored with the Order of Companions of Oliver Tambo, that country's highest civilian medal. Alfre directed and produced, Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales, which won the 2010 Audiobook of the Year, and garnered a 2010 Grammy Award nomination for "Best Children's Spoken Word Album." The audiobook hosts a collaboration of talent both broad and diverse, featuring: Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman, and Samuel L. Jackson.In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed her to his President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. As part of her work on the Committee, Woodard adopted several high poverty and under-performing public schools around the country.She is an active advocate for the arts in education, largely through her work on the Committee's "Turnaround Arts" initiative, which was launched in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education and the White House Domestic Policy Council to narrow the achievement gap and increase student engagement through the arts. Now based in the Kennedy Center, Turnaround Arts is spurring the creativity, expanding the scholarship, nurturing the citizenship, and introducing possibility in the lives of 50,000 kids, while turning around 80 formerly 'at risk' schools nationwide.She says acting is her profession, but feels everyone's real job "is to learn how to love each other - in our households, in our communities," she has said. "We do that by working for justice."Woodard is unfazed by the glitz of celebrity, but is grateful for its opportunity to "get her to the mic".  She remains fueled by the values she learned growing up in Tulsa.In November 2014, she was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, and took the opportunity to credit her parents in her acceptance remarks. Her parents, always mindful of the hardship of others, "planted the seed of humanity" in her as a child. "They allowed me artistic as well as personal freedom. They didn't say 'go out and conquer' or 'go out and accumulate,' they just said 'Go. Do it. Be it. Be yourself. Fill yourself all the way up, Alfre, and never, ever forget your neighbor.'" 

Live, Work & Thrive in Virginia. In this episode, Tyler's guest is the new Virginia Department of Veterans Services Commissioner, Daniel Gade, PhD. Daniel has dedicated his life to serving our country and talks with Tyler about his three part goal to create Virginia to be the best place for veterans to live, work and raise a family. Connect with Daniel On LinkedInTwitter at @gadeforvirginiawww.dvs.virginia.govBio Daniel M. Gade served in the Army for more than 25 years. After enlisting in 1992, he graduated from West Point in 1997 and was commissioned as an Armor officer. He was wounded in action twice in Iraq while serving as a tank company commander. He earned an MPA and PhD from the University of Georgia, and served in the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Bush. While on active duty, he was the co-founder of a major experiment in incentivizing veteran transition (The Independence Project) and served on various VA boards and commissions, including the Advisory Committee on Disability Compensation. After retiring from the Army in 2017, he was an appointee at the US Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) and professor at American University. He is the author of the newly-released book “Wounding Warriors: How Bad Policy Is Making Veterans Sicker and Poorer. Wounding Warriors: How Bad Policy Is Making Veterans Sicker and Poorer available on AmazonStay up to date and gain early access to new podcasts and upcoming events by signing up for our newsletter at Coming Home Well NewsletterCheck out our other podcasts: Beyond The Frontline, Be Crazy WellFollow us on IG @cominghomwell_bts and @behindtheserviceFacebook at Coming Home Well or Behind The ServiceLinkedIn at Coming Home WellThank you to BetterHelp for sponsoring today's episode! Coming Home Well listeners can get 10% off by visiting betterhelp.com/cominghomewellSupport the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=DPPU22JG5EM6Y)

This week, Rebecca took a break from Off-Kilter's regularly scheduled programming for a sit-down with the newest members of The Century Foundation's brand-new Disability Economic Justice Team, which officially launched last month. Kim Knackstedt comes to TCF from the Biden administration, in which she served as the first-ever director of disability policy on the White House Domestic Policy Council, after many years as a staffer on Capitol Hill and before that, as a special ed teacher. Vilissa Thompson is the founder of Ramp Your Voice!, a former licensed social worker, and a long-time thought leader in the disability community at the intersection of race, gender, and disability.

This week, Rebecca took a break from Off-Kilter's regularly scheduled programming for a sit-down with the newest members of The Century Foundation's brand-new Disability Economic Justice Team, which officially launched last month. Kim Knackstedt comes to TCF from the Biden administration, in which she served as the first-ever director of disability policy on the White House Domestic Policy Council, after many years as a staffer on Capitol Hill and before that, as a special ed teacher. Vilissa Thompson is the founder of Ramp Your Voice!, a former licensed social worker, and a long-time thought leader in the disability community at the intersection of race, gender, and disability.  For more on TCF's new Disability Economic Justice Team: Read more about the team in the press release announcing its launch and follow The Century Foundation on Twitter at @TCFdotorg Here's more on Kim, more on her prior role at the White House, and follow her on Twitter @kiknack  And here's more on Vilissa, more on Ramp Your Voice!, and follow her on Twitter @VilissaThompson 

Keynote Speech by Melody C. Barnes: "In Search of an Inclusive America: Culture, Politics, and the Narratives That Define Us" on March 22, 2022.About Melody C. BarnesMelody Barnes is executive director of the University of Virginia's Karsh Institute of Democracy. She is also the J. Wilson Newman Professor of Governance at the Miller Center of Public Affairs and a senior fellow at the Karsh Center for Law & Democracy.Ms. Barnes was Assistant to the President and director of the White House Domestic Policy Council during the Administration of President Barack Obama. Prior to her tenure in the Obama Administration, she was executive vice president for policy at the Center for American Progress and chief counsel to the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Barnes is narrator and host of the podcast, LBJ and the Great Society and co-editor of Community Wealth Building & The Reconstruction of American Democracy.  Ms. Barnes earned her B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she graduated with honors in history and her J.D. from the University of Michigan.Music: Quantum Jazz — "Orbiting A Distant Planet" — Provided by Jamendo.

Anette visits with her friends, Carol Scott and Dr. Manuel Gonzales, both leaders in the world of Texas Community Colleges and the Community College Association of Texas Trustees. Manny is the CCATT Director and Carol is board president, a board Anette is honored to also serve on. A great discussion! Find their bios below. Carol A. Scott, APR, Fellow PRSA is chairman of the Community College Association of Texas Trustees board.Carol was first elected to the Del Mar College Board of Regents in November of 2014 and re-elected in 2020. She is serving her second term as DMC Board Chair.Carol is a public affairs consultant from Corpus Christi serving a variety of business sectors including energy, manufacturing, refining, financial, retail and government. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America's College of Fellows and received PRSA's Paul M. Lund Public Service Award.Carol is a graduate of Texas A&M University – Kingsville. She is past president of the Javelina Alumni Association, serves on the President's Leadership Council and is a Distinguished Alumni from the University. Previously she was elected to the Corpus Christi Independent School District Board of Trustees and served three terms as president of the board. She is a past president or chairman of the Texas Public Relations Association, Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, League of Women Voters, and the Arts Council among others. She is a graduate of Leadership Corpus Christi and Leadership Texas.Dr. Manuel Gonzalez serves as Director for the Community College Association of Texas Trustees (CCATT), a membership organization representing more than 400 elected trustees and regents across the state's 50 public community college districts. Dr. Gonzalez builds trustee and regent capacity through professional development, supporting CCATT's leadership and committees, and engaging CCATT members with legislative issues and strategies coordinated by the Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC). Prior to joining CCATT, Dr. Gonzalez served as Senior Institutional Support Consultant and Project Success Operations Lead for Trellis Company where he supported a portfolio of under-resourced 2-year and 4-year Minority-Serving Institutions across the south/southeast region. Dr. Gonzalez's career includes work for the University of Texas at Austin, the Texas House of Representatives, and the White House Domestic Policy Council. Dr. Gonzalez holds a baccalaureate degree from Trinity University, an M.Ed. in College & University Personnel Administration and Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership & Policy, both from the University of Texas at Austin. During his higher education academic career, Dr. Gonzalez received several graduate fellowships to support his studies, along with various recognitions commending his scholarship. In his free time, Dr. Gonzalez enjoys spending time with his wife Andrea and their three young children, watching his favorite teams (Chicago Cubs & San Antonio Spurs), and weightlifting.

The pandemic displayed for us the genius of telehealth - but also its Achilles' Heel. As millions of workers, students, and others went into lockdown, people everywhere from the comfort of their homes were able to see doctors. But over 14 million urban and 4 million rural homes have ZERO broadband and are left out of this digital miracle. The episode of Gigabit Nation explores strategies to ensure that these billions of dollars the federal government plans to spend on broadband are used smartly, equitably, and with better accountability. We'll talk broadband planning, needs assessment, and accountability. And talk about genius, nothing says "pulse of a community" like laundromats! It's a block party, gossip fest, kids' playground and now, telehealth. Local libraries and volunteer groups are turning laundromats across the country into centers of learning and engagement. Today's digital equity warriors are: Drew Clark's day job is telecom attorney at the CommLaw Group. But his a long-standing rep in the broadband world is: Editor and Publisher of Broadband Breakfast, a digital newsletter and a weekly Webinar. His on-point analysis is bringing us through this unprecedented government funding of broadband and digital technologies Katherine Trujillo is Director of Education and Deputy Director of Libraries without Borders, a nonprofit that develops unique library services into low-income communities. She creates pop-up library and digital literacy programs internationally. In the U.S., Ms Trujillo oversees the Wash & Learn program in laundromats. She served on the White House Domestic Policy Council. ----------------------- Get info about telehealth deployment services that help save lives, reduce cost, and improve efficiency of public health.  

In today's episode, Rick and Sam are joined by Roy Austin Jr., Vice President of Civil Rights and Deputy General Counsel for Facebook. Roy discusses this unique role and describes the purpose, goals, successes, and challenges he and his team face as they establish this new endeavor. The conversation touches on the importance of a proactive and deliberative approach to shaping corporate culture, balancing free speech and civil rights in the online world, social media's impacts on social trust in institutions, and Roy's vision of hope in the goodness of humanity and people who want to do the right thing. Closing out the conversation, Sam and Rick thoughtfully discuss their perspectives of these topics through the lens of leadership and values. Roy L. Austin, Jr. is Facebook's VP of Civil Rights and Deputy General Counsel, a role that is the first of its kind in the tech industry and one that is incredibly important for Facebook. Prior to joining Facebook, Roy was a partner with the law firm of Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis LLP where he primarily practiced criminal defense, civil, and civil rights litigation. He also has experience as: an Honors Trial Attorney with the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division where he investigated and prosecuted hate crime and police brutality cases around the country; Deputy Assistant Attorney General (DAAG), Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice where he supervised the Criminal Section, and the Special Litigation Section's law enforcement (police departments, corrections and juvenile justice) portfolio; and as the White House Domestic Policy Council's Deputy Assistant to the President for the Office of Urban Affairs, Justice and Opportunity where he co-authored a report on Big Data and Civil Rights, worked with the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing, helped develop the Police Data Initiative, worked on the expansion of reentry assistance, and was a member of President Obama's My Brother's Keeper Task Force. Sam Scinta is President and Founder of IM Education, a non-profit, and Lecturer in Political Science at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Viterbo University. Rick Kyte is Endowed Professor and Director of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University. Music compliments of Bobby Bridger- “Rendezvous” from "A Ballad of the West" Additional Reading: What are Sam and Rick Reading or Watching? Rick: “Nowhere to Run” by C.J. Box (cjbox.net/nowhere-to-run) Sam: “The Housekeeper and the Professor” by Yōko Ogawa (goodreads.com/book/show/3181564-the-housekeeper-and-the-professor)

Andy Smarick, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and former aid at the White House Domestic Policy Council under President George W. Bush, joins host Amy Marxkors to discuss the future of conservatism and the GOP. Sam Weller, Ray Bradbury's authorized biographer, joins Amy for an indulgent conversation about “Fahrenheit 451.” Amy also talks about her love of language and her fear that our language is being diminished. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2020, the ALN prepared the Advancing Equity with Asset Leadership position paper to highlight the value of ISO 55001 4.2 – identifying relevant stakeholders and learning their requirements – and the other places stakeholders are mentioned. While it sounds simple, it is very complex to involve all relevant stakeholders. But President Biden started his Administration by signing the “Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.” It calls for the White House Domestic Policy Council and the Office of Management and Budget to consider pilot programs and suggest best practices. Consider reading these documents and joining a discussion on how to assist the U.S. Federal Government achieve this mission. This podcast is brought to you by the Andrew James Advisory Group. AJAG provides training in the ISO 55000 standard. Find other podcasts, videos, papers, and more, at AssetLeadership.net

This week your hosts have a double-header of interviews, starting with Julie Kelly from American Greatness, to talk about the ongoing prosecutions of people present at the January 6 riots. In the second half, Joe Grogan, former head of the White House Domestic Policy Council under Trump, to talk about the push for vaccine passports, and efforts to ban them.

Wilks Family Director, Ian L. McHarg Center Billy Fleming is the Wilks Family Director of the Ian L. McHarg Center in the Weitzman School of Design, a senior fellow with Data for Progress, and co-director of the "climate + community project." His fellowship with Data for Progress has focused on the built environment impacts of climate change, and resulted most prominently in the publication of low-carbon public housing policy briefs tied to the “Green New Deal for Public Housing Act” introduced in 2019. In his role at the McHarg Center, Billy is co-editor of the forthcoming book An Adaptation Blueprint (Island Press, 2020), co-editor and co-curator of the book and now internationally-traveling exhibit Design With Nature Now (Lincoln, 2019), and author of the forthcoming Drowning America: The Nature and Politics of Adaptation (Penn Press, expected 2021). Billy is also the lead author of the recently published and widely acclaimed “The 2100 Project: An Atlas for the Green New Deal.” He is also a co-author of the Indivisible Guide (2016). Along with Daniel Aldana Cohen, Billy co-directs the climate + community project (ccp), which works to connect the demands of the climate justice movement to the policy development process. ccp aim to do this by developing new, investment-forward public policy proposals under the framework of the Decade of the Green New Deal that target the intersection of climate justice and the built environment. Its focus has been on foregrounding the role of public housing, public schools, public transportation, public power, public land, and public works in local, state, national, and international climate policy discourse. This work has already resulted in applied policy research and model legislation in the housing, schools, transportation, and electricity sectors, filling a critical gap between the demands of the climate justice movement, the appetite for substantial new policy content from sitting legislators, and the desire of a rising generation of scholars to contribute to their work (including Olufemi Taiwo, Akira Drake Rodridguez, Yonah Freemark, Thea Riofrancos, and Shalanda Baker). His writing on climate, disaster, and design has also been published in The Guardian, The Atlantic, CityLab, Dissent Magazine, Houston Chronicle, Jacobin, Places Journal, and Science for the People Magazine, and he’s frequently asked to weigh in on the infrastructure and built environment implications of climate change, as well as candidate and congressional climate plans, by major climate reporters and congressional staff. His research has been supported by grants from the Lincoln Institute for Land Policy, Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, William Penn Foundation,Summit Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Hewlett Foundation, and by a variety of sponsors in the design and building industry. Prior to joining Penn, he worked as a landscape architect, city planner, organizer, and, later, in the Obama Administration’s White House Domestic Policy Council. He holds a bachelor of landscape architecture (University of Arkansas), master of community and regional planning (University of Texas), and a doctorate of city and regional planning (University of Pennsylvania).

Former Acting Chairman of The White House Council of Economic Advisors and Professor of Public Policy at the University of Chicago --- plus former Director of The White House Domestic Policy Council and Fellow at USC Schaeffer Center.

What we need to know about the threat of far right extremist violence. Plus Bill Press with Susan Rice, incoming Direction of the Domestic Policy Council   An extended conversation with Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate.  Plus, Bill Press with an archive interview from 2019 with Susan Rice on the publication of her memoir.   Brian Levin - Pt. 1 In the lead up to the November election, there was significant concern about right wing inspired political violence, encouraged by Trump's incendiary rhetoric. As we approach the inauguration, those concerns remain as Trump continues to make unprecedented attacks on  the electoral process. Just before the election, we spoke with one of the most trusted voices on hate and extremism in America about how the landscape of political violence has changed under the Trump administration, and why a major election creates a moment of even greater risk.   Brian Levin - Pt. 2 We’re speaking with Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University San Bernardino.   Susan Rice Bill Press with Susan Rice,  President elect Biden’s choice to lead the White House Domestic Policy Council, and author of Tough Love: My Story of Things Worth Fighting For. If you'd like to hear the entire interview, visit BillPresspods.com.   Jim Hightower Is more technology the answer to too much technology?

Both supporters and opponents of the Trump Administration both agree that 'Operation Warp Speed' should be labeled a success. Much of the credit can go to the scientists that worked tirelessly to find a vaccine but also the White House for pushing the FDA to deregulate aspects of the development process in order to expedite it. FOX’s Trey Yingst speaks with Joe Grogan, former Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and COVID task force member, about the factors that are attributed to the speedy development of vaccines and will they remain under a new administration.

Both supporters and opponents of the Trump Administration both agree that 'Operation Warp Speed' should be labeled a success. Much of the credit can go to the scientists that worked tirelessly to find a vaccine but also the White House for pushing the FDA to deregulate aspects of the development process in order to expedite it. FOX’s Trey Yingst speaks with Joe Grogan, former Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and COVID task force member, about the factors that are attributed to the speedy development of vaccines and will they remain under a new administration.

In this episode, Melody Barnes discusses the developments in the Black Lives Matter movement, technology and misinformation, vaccine distribution and the 2020 US election. Melody Barnes is co-director for Policy and Public Affairs for the Democracy Initiative at the University of Virginia. She is the Dorothy Danforth Compton Professor of Practice at the Miller Center of Public Affairs and a Distinguished Fellow at the School of Law. From 2009 until January 2012, Melody was Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. She also served as chief counsel to Senator Edward M. Kennedy on the US Senate Judiciary Committee. The Rethinking Democracy Podcast is produced by the Trinity Long Room Hub in partnership with the Society of Fellows and Heyman Center for the Humanities at Columbia University. Find out more about the Rethinking Democracy Podcast here: https://www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub/rethinking-democracy-podcast.php

12.11.20 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Hundreds of Republicans join the Texas led election lawsuit; Congress backs diversity in media ownership; Biden announces Susan Rice a head of the White House Domestic Policy Council; U.S Senate Candidate Jon Ossoff talks Georgia runoff; MI Rep gets lynching threats over video posted on Facebook; COVID vaccine set for distribution; Despite Jurors pleas to commute Brandon Bernard's sentence he was executed; Mayor Brandon Scott shares his vision for Baltimore; We remember the life and legacy of Tommy 'Tiny' Lister. Support #RolandMartinUnfiltered via the Cash App ☛ https://cash.app/$rmunfiltered or via PayPal ☛https://www.paypal.me/rmartinunfiltered  #RolandMartinUnfiltered is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Texas this week asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its complaint that the states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin unconstitutionally changed the rules in the run-up to the Nov. 3 presidential election. Does the Texas lawsuit make a legally sound argument, and how likely is it that the Supreme Court will hear it? President Donald Trump also asked Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to argue the case since he is a former solicitor general of the state. How likely is it that to happen, and what could it mean?Hans von Spakovsky, manager of The Heritage Foundation’s Election Law Reform Initiative and senior legal fellow in Heritage's Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to answer these and other questions about Texas/ complaint. We also cover these stories: President Trump announced Thursday that diplomatic relations are being restored between Israel and Morocco. Former Vice President Joe Biden has chosen Susan Rice, former United States Ambassador to the United Nations and former United States National Security Advisor in the Obama administration to be his director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Senator Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, is calling for a special counsel to be assembled to investigate nefarious business dealings made by Hunter Biden, former vice president Joe Biden’s son. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week Farai Chideya talks with Representative-Elect Jamaal Bowman of New York about his plans for a more just and equitable district, with a major focus on education. Contributor Errin Haines of The 19th updates listeners on the latest moves in the incoming Biden Administration, and NPR correspondent Hansi Lo Wang explains why the 2020 Census is still not over. Advocate Imani Barbarin discusses the intersection of disability and social media. And Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom beautifully annotates her lived experience as a Black woman and sociologist in her collection of personal essays.EPISODE RUNDOWN1:13 Representative-Elect Jamaal Bowman of New York on why he ran for office. 4:05 Bowman discusses possibilities for adapting education for Covid safety, and why it’s hard to make change in education systems. 8:13 In years prior, Bowman didn’t align with any particular political party, because he “didn't feel either party spoke to my needs personally or the needs of my family and my community.”14:00 Errin Haines discusses the lack of diversity in President-Elect Joe Biden’s administration so far. 15:35 Susan Rice is slated to become the next Director of White House Domestic Policy Council, Haines says, a position that crucially does not require Senate confirmation. 18:37 A new poll out of Georgia finds that a majority of registered Black female voters are highly concerned about the outcome of the Senate races.21:04 Our Covid update highlights the crisis in Navajo Nation, and the systemic difficulties that health care providers face there.24:06 NPR national correspondent Hansi Lo Wang breaks down the importance of the 2020 Census, and how the Supreme Court could be making some historic changes to the way it operates. 33:00 Disability activist Imani Barbarin talks about how she uses social media to get her message out and connect with others in the disability community.35:02 Barbarin explains the parallels between those impacted by Covid and those in the disability community.37:48 Having lived in France, Barbarin says having a disability in the two countries is a completely different experience.38:38 Author, professor and sociologist Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom talks about her latest collection of essays and her lived experience of being a Black woman in America. 40:09 “..whiteness defends itself against change, against progress, against hope, against black dignity, against black lives, against reason,” McMillan Cottom says. 41:46 McMillan Cottom talks about the trauma of her own birthing experience, and explains the dangers of the US healthcare system for Black women and others who are meant to understand their bodies are “incompetent.”

Welcome to Majority.FM's AM QUICKIE! Brought to you by justcoffee.coop TODAY'S HEADLINES: Republicans are trying to suppress the vote in future elections by attacking mail-in balloting at the state level. They blame it in part for Donald Trump’s loss in November, but they also think anything that makes it easier for people to vote is a threat to their power. Meanwhile, there is a growing fissure in the Black Lives Matter movement. At least ten local chapters have taken aim at national organizers over, among other things, money. And lastly, in a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court took the side of Muslims targeted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Three Muslim men were targeted with reprisals after refusing to work as informants, so they sued – and won. THESE ARE THE STORIES YOU NEED TO KNOW: Sore losers that they are, Republicans are attempting to undermine the future use of vote-by-mail, the New York Times reports. Absentee ballots constituted nearly half the votes cast in the 2020 election. Experts call the experiment in mass voting by mail a remarkable success. But that hasn’t stopped Republicans eager to appease Donald Trump, who falsely and cravenly equated mail-in ballots with voter fraud. This week in Georgia, the Times reports, Republican state senators pledged to eliminate no- excuse absentee voting, require a photo ID to obtain a ballot, and outlaw drop boxes. They also want to scrap a court agreement to quickly tell voters about signature problems on ballots so that they can be fixed. Separately, the GOP filed a lawsuit in Atlanta seeking to curtail the use of drop boxes in next month’s runoff elections for the United States Senate. The suit claimed it was illegal to let absentee voters deposit ballots after business hours, which has to be one of the stupidest legal arguments ever committed to paper. And Georgia has company, the Times reports. In Pennsylvania, Republicans are seeking co- sponsors for bills to stiffen identification requirements for mail ballots, tighten standards for signature matching and to repeal the law that allows anyone to vote absentee without an excuse. Michigan Republicans want to review a 2018 ballot initiative approved by two-thirds of voters that authorized no-excuse absentee balloting as well as same-day registration and straight-ticket voting. Texas Republicans have filed bills that would crimp officials’ ability to distribute absentee ballot applications and even make it a felony to offer to help a voter fill out a ballot. They really do hate democracy, don’t they? Internal Feud Threatens BLM Movement politics can get messy. Now Politico reports that the Black Lives Matter movement is buckling under the strain of its own success, with tensions rising between local chapters and national leaders over the group’s goals, direction – and money. After a summer of protests that made BLM a household name, those atop the movement are organizing a political action committee, forming corporate partnerships, adding a third organizing arm and demanding an audience with President-elect Joe Biden. The moves have triggered mutiny in the ranks, Politico reports. Ten local chapters are severing ties with the Black Lives Matter Global Network, as the national leadership is known. They are furious that Patrisse Cullors, its remaining co-founder, named herself executive director of the group and made these decisions without their input. Local BLM activists say national leaders cut them off from funding and decision-making, leaving them broke and taking the movement in a direction with which they fundamentally disagree. Sheri Dickerson, lead organizer of BLM Oklahoma City, told Politico QUOTE We're not a brand. We are a revolution ENDQUOTE. Ten chapters signed an open letter last week that laid out a half-dozen points of contention and long-standing grievances. They said there’s a lack of transparency over $13 million in donations the movement has raised and how chapters can access it. Local organizers said they saw little or no money and were forced to crowdfund to stay afloat. Some organizers say they were barely able to afford gas or housing. With so much money and energy going toward this movement in the past year, it seems wrong for local organizers to get left out in the cold. SCOTUS Ruling Favors Muslims It’s not every day that Christian activists rally for the civil liberties of Muslims targeted by the US government. But yesterday the Supreme Court – minus new Justice Amy Coney Barrett – ruled unanimously that three Muslim men may seek monetary damages from individual government agents, the Washington Post reports. The agents reportedly placed the men on a no-fly list because they refused to become FBI informants. In response, the men filed a lawsuit in 2013 under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which provides relief from government actions that substantially burden a person’s religious beliefs. Muhammad Tanvir and two other men alleged that they were asked to spy on their friends and fellow congregants at mosques in the New York area, the Post reports. They refused, and later discovered that they were placed on the no-fly list. As a result, Tanvir lost the ability to fly home after trips he made as a long-haul trucker. He also lost money on plane tickets he had purchased to see relatives in Pakistan. Throughout the years, he said, agents told him they could get him off the list if he became an informant. Tanvir and the others sued instead. As their lawsuit progressed toward a hearing, the men were told that they were no longer on the list, according to the Post. A federal judge said that made their case moot. But a panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit disagreed, saying the men could bring their claims for damages. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed an amicus brief in the case, and said the ruling was important because government officials often try to get rid of lawsuits by simply stopping the alleged illegal behavior. Senior counsel Lori Windham said QUOTE the government can’t expect to be let off the hook by simply changing its tune at the last second ENDQUOTE. It’s like many of us learned on the playground: No takebacks! AND NOW FOR SOME QUICKER QUICKIES: Joe Biden will nominate Denis McDonough, a former chief of staff to President Barack Obama, to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Washington Post reports. Biden has also picked Susan Rice, Obama’s former national security adviser, to run the White House Domestic Policy Council. The more things change, huh? British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said yesterday there was a strong possibility Britain and the European Union would fail to strike a new trade deal, Reuters reports. That would mean Britain would see trade barriers imposed with the EU, its main economic partner, in just three weeks. Another broken promise from the Brexit boosters – blimey! The Justice Department is investigating the finances of Biden’s son, Hunter, including scrutinizing some of his Chinese business dealings, the Associated Press reports. There is no indication that the investigation has anything to do with Joe, but whoever he appoints as Attorney General will take over the case, assuming it’s still going on then. The longest-serving nonviolent cannabis prisoner was released this week with help from activists, the AP reports. New Yorker Richard DeLisi, now seventy one, was sentenced to ninety years for marijuana trafficking in 1989 at the age of forty. Welcome back, dude! DEC 11, 2020 - AM QUICKIE HOSTS - Sam Seder & Lucie Steiner WRITER - Corey Pein PRODUCER - Dorsey Shaw EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - Brendan Finn

In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Ajamu Baraka, National Organizer for the Black Alliance for Peace, to discuss the significance of International Human Rights Day, Black Alliance for Peace's upcoming webinar, "People(s)-Centered Human Rights: The Black Radical Alternative," and the challenges of reconciling the popular conceptualization of human rights with anti-colonialism and anti-imperialism.In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Tina Landis, organizer and author of the new book, ‘Climate Solutions: Beyond Capitalism,' to discuss the new report by the United Nations Environment Program suggesting the world's wealthiest 1% must cut their emissions by a factor of 30 to meaningfully address climate change, how the rich account for such a disproportionate carbon footprint, and why any real solution to the climate crisis demands a shift away from the capitalist economic system.In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Monica Cruz, co-host of Breakthrough News, to discuss the car caravan of taxi drivers from New York City calling for a "people's stimulus" outside Congress, the basic demands which protest leaders want to see extended to all working people in the US, and how New York's taxi medallion program and the rise of rideshare apps are causing many cab drivers to go broke.Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Danny Haiphong, Contributing Editor of Black Agenda Report, Co-Host of The Left Lens, and co-author of “American Exceptionalism and American Innocence: A People's History of Fake News―From the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror,” to discuss president-elect Joe Biden's nomination of Susan Rice as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, the recently-leaked audio recording in which Biden seems to caution NAACP leaders against demanding police departments be defunded, and the need to look beyond the Democratic Party for real progressive change going forward.

David Gornoski starts the show by commenting on the news that Biden has picked Susan Rice for White House Domestic Policy Council. "We are dealing with problems much deeper than politics," David says while highlighting that the over-reliance on policies, media narratives, and political candidates for solving cultural problems must stop. Is the CIA involved in rigging elections? Are mask mandates effective in "flattening the curve?" Listen to the full episode to find out and more. Visit A Neighbor's Choice at aneighborschoice.com

Melody Barnes has had a distinguished political career. She has worked in various roles on Capitol Hill, held senior positions with the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign and transition teams, and led the White House Domestic Policy Council from 2009-2012. Currently, she is the co-director for policy and public affairs at the University of Virginia’s Democracy Initiative. In this episode of Transition Lab, Barnes joined host David Marchick to discuss post-election transition planning, how new administrations plan and implement policy and why we need a smooth transfer of power today.

Brooke Rollins, acting director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, and House Majority Whip James Clyburn join The Post's Robert Costa as we kick off Post Live's new Election Daily series.

Brooke Rollins, Acting Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council

With a week to go before Election Day, cases of COVID-19 are rising across the country, and economic stimulus talks appear to be stalled. Brooke Rollins is acting director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. She joins Judy Woodruff to discuss where negotiations stand on providing another round of federal pandemic relief and President Trump's plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

On October 2, the Center for Presidential Transition, the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, and several presidential foundations and libraries hosted a virtual conference called “Talking Transitions: Perspectives for First-term and Second-term Administrations.” The event included former government officials, journalists and scholars to discuss managing presidential transitions during national crises.You can view the full event here. This week’s episode of Transition Lab features one panel discussion from this conference. Participants included a who’s who of former federal leaders and transition experts: Stephen Hadley, a longtime foreign policy specialist who served as George W. Bush’s national security advisor; Lisa Monaco, President Obama’s second-term homeland security advisor; Barbara Perry, a renowned historian and the director of presidential studies at the Miller Center; and John Podesta, a chief of staff for President Clinton who later chaired the 2008 Obama transition. Melody Barnes, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council from 2009 to 2012, moderated the discussion. Conversation topics included how administrations address national security threats, share intelligence and enunciate long-term policy goals during presidential transitions. They also discussed the role of Congress in facilitating smooth transfers of power and how COVID-19 will affect the 2020 transition.

Welcome to Majority.FM's AM QUICKIE! Brought to you by justcoffee.coop TODAY'S HEADLINES: Donald Trump faces yet another claim that he sexually assaulted a woman. His accuser says she wants her daughters to know that it’s not okay to treat women the way Trump does. Meanwhile, it turns out the United States Postal Service had a plan to send free masks to every home address in the country. But guess who put the kibosh on that idea. And lastly, is Attorney General Bill Barr climbing down into the bunker with Trump? He’s now openly at odds with Justice Department prosecutors and the head of the FBI THESE ARE THE STORIES YOU NEED TO KNOW: Another Trump assault claim Another woman has come forward with an allegation of sexual assault by Donald Trump. Amy Dorris told the Guardian that Trump assaulted her when she was twenty four years old and he fifty one, and married to his second wife, Marla Maples. The assault allegedly took place outside the bathroom in Trump’s VIP box at the US Open tournament in New York. It was September 5th, 1997. Dorris had been invited there by her boyfriend at the time, who was in real estate and friendly with Trump. When she went to the bathroom to adjust her contact lenses, Trump followed her and waited outside. She told the Guardian that Trump QUOTE shoved his tongue down my throat and I was pushing him off. And then that’s when his grip became tighter and his hands were very gropey and all over my butt, my breasts, my back, everything. I was in his grip, and I couldn’t get out of it ENDQUOTE. She added that she pushed Trump’s tongue out of her mouth with her teeth, and may have hurt his tongue. Dorris provided the Guardian with evidence to support her account, including her ticket to the US Open and six photos showing her with Trump over several days in New York. The newspaper says her account was also corroborated by several people she confided in... They include a friend in New York and Dorris’s mother, both of whom she called immediately after the alleged incident, as well as a therapist and friends she spoke to in the years since. Dorris now lives in Florida. She is 48 and a mother to twin daughters. It was for their benefit she said she decided to come forward now. Trump denied the assault through his lawyers. USPS abandoned mask program A huge trove of US Postal Service documents obtained by the Washington Post shows that the agency was ready to help fight the coronavirus pandemic in a big way – but then didn’t. In April, the documents show, USPS leaders prepared a news release announcing plans to distribute six hundred and fifty million facemasks. That’s five masks for every household in the country. For free. And the plan would have ensured they got sent to the hardest-hit areas first. But Trump’s White House nixed that helpful idea, as it is wont to do. The internal documents came to light thanks to a Freedom of Information Act request by a watchdog group called American Oversight, which shared them with the Post. The info-haul comprised nearly ten thousand pages of emails, legal memos, presentations and other documents. The papers mostly span March and April, before Trump’s flunkie Louis DeJoy took over the Postal Service. The documents also show tense negotiations with Amazon; internal appeals by mail carriers who were fearful of exposure to the coronavirus; and attempts at partisan subterfuge by the Republican Party. But the abortive plan to distribute masks by mail took all the headlines yesterday. One administration official told the Post that there was concern from the White House Domestic Policy Council and vice president Mike Pence’s office that mailing out masks might create a panic. These absolute schmucks! "God-awful" Barr remarks There are some signs lately that Trump’s key allies and enablers, among them Attorney General Bill Barr, are increasingly isolated. For instance, Federal Bureau of Investigation director Chris Wray testified to the House Homeland Security Committee yesterday, and directly contradicted Barr on a matter of fact. Barr has portrayed Antifa as a dangerous extremist group. But when asked about it under oath, Wray said Antifa was QUOTE not a group or an organization — it’s a movement or an ideology ENDQUOTE. He added that racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists were responsible for the most lethal attacks in recent years, with white supremacists making up the largest portion of those killings, NBC News reported. Barr was under fire yesterday for his comments equating pandemic mask mandates to slavery. House Majority Whip James Clyburn yesterday said Barr’s comparison was QUOTE the most ridiculous, tone-deaf, God-awful thing I've ever heard ENDQUOTE. And Barr lashed out at his own staff this week, comparing some to preschoolers and likening his own Justice Department to a trade association for federal prosecutors. He made those comments in a speech at Hillsdale College in Michigan on Wednesday. Another sign of White House allies adopting a bunker mentality: Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf was a no-show at yesterday’s House hearings. Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Michigan, said Wolf’s decision to ignore a subpoena should appall every member of Congress. AND NOW FOR SOME QUICKER QUICKIES: Graduate students at the University of Michigan voted to end their nine-day strike and returned to classes yesterday. University administrators this week sued the Graduate Employees’ Organization over the strike; the union represents about two thousands students who teach classes or assist faculty. Per the Associated Press, the union says it achieved critical progress on childcare options, coronavirus testing and concerns about campus police. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court yesterday knocked the Green Party presidential ticket off the ballot, on the grounds that the candidates did not submit signed filing papers in person, as required by state rules. The decision means election officials can resume preparing ballots for delivery to voters. In separate rulings favoring Democrats, the court allowed for voters to submit ballots via a drop box in addition to the Postal Service, and partially blocked a Republican plan for partisan poll watchers. During anti-Trump protests in Washington, DC, in early June, the military considered deploying an experimental heat ray against peaceful crowds. The news emerged via the Washington Post yesterday thanks to a whistleblower in the DC National Guard, Major Adam DeMarco, who testified to Congress in July. The weapon, called the Active Denial System, was reportedly not used in Iraq or Afghanistan on account of ethical and safety concerns. The Financial Times reported this week that the king of Thailand has built up a large fleet of thirty-eight helicopters and airplanes, including four fighter jets. The king is a billionaire who spends a lot of time at his estate in Germany. The revelation comes as student protesters and opposition politicians grow bolder about challenging the increasingly unpopular monarchy, which is protected by lese majeste (LESS MAJ-ESS-TAY) laws banning criticism. It’s unclear why the king of Thailand needs his own private air force. Maybe, like Elon Musk, he just really hates traffic. That’s all for the AM Quickie. Join us this afternoon on the Majority Report. Sept 18, 2020 - AM Quickie HOSTS - Sam Seder & Lucie Steiner WRITER - Corey Pein PRODUCER - Dorsey Shaw EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - Brendan Finn

In this inaugural episode of The Duckpin Podcast, we speak to education expert Andy Smarick about public schools in the time of the Coronavirus. About the Episode: In this episode we discuss; The impact of the coronavirus on public schools. How the pandemic will affect the achievement gap between high-performing and low-performing schools. How public school systems may adjust their thinking. The debate around the creation of learning pods. How will the pandemic impact the policy debate surrounding charter schools and school vouchers? What will public education look like in the post-pandemic environment? What will the impact of the pandemic be on the Kirwan Commission recommendations and funding? About the Guest: Andy Smarick is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, where his work focuses on education, civil society, and the principles of American conservatism. He was confirmed by the Maryland State Senate in March 2020 for a term on the Maryland Higher Education Commission. He has also served as an aide in the White House Domestic Policy Council of President George W. Bush, president of the Maryland State Board of Education, a deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Education, the New Jersey deputy commissioner of education, and a legislative assistant at the U.S. House of Representatives. Smarick's work has appeared in leading news outlets like the Washington Post and The Atlantic, and he also writes for City Journal, The Bulwark, and The Dispatch. You can follow him on Twitter @smarick. The Duckpin can be found at TheDuckpin.com. We're also @TheDuckpin on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Literally no one is surprised that Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has contracted COVID, and how Sweden’s terrible response could help us move past the broken debate about reopening our economy. Mysterious explosions at military sites in Iran. Garbage right-wing outlets publish fake news by fake people. Joe Biden’s diplomatic style. China’s legal crackdown on Hong Kong. Neo-Nazis infiltrate the German military. And then Ben talks to Cecila Muñoz, former head of the White House Domestic Policy Council, about Trump's latest heinous efforts to restrict immigration and what the next administration will have to do to change course - and about her new book, "More than Ready."

This episode, Senator Heitkamp speaks to Jodi Archambault (Hunkpapa and Oglala Lakota), a strategic advisor for the Bush Foundation and former Special Assistant to the President for Native American Affairs for the White House Domestic Policy Council, Deputy Assistant Secretary to the Assistant-Secretary Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior and separately as the White House Associate Director of Intergovernmental Affairs under the Obama Administration. Jodi and Senator Heitkamp spoke about race in the United States, the resilience of Native Americans, Christopher Columbus, and COVID-19. Below are the resources Jodi spoke about throughout the episode. Reading List Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI (2017) By David Grann Website: https://www.davidgrann.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidgrann Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidGrannAuthor/ A true account of the Osage Murders, a series of crimes against the Osage people in the early 1920s, which resulted in the death of more than 20 Indians and stripped tribal rights to large oil deposits on the reservation. God is Red: A Native View of Religion (1973) By Vine Deloria Jr, Standing Rock Sioux A nonfiction exploration of traditional Native American religious beliefs in relation to Western Christianity. Ceremony (1977) By Leslie Marmon Silko, Laguna Pueblo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lesliemarmon.silko Twitter: https://twitter.com/lesliemsilko7b?lang=en A fictional novel based on the oral traditions and ceremonial practices of the Navajo and Pueblo peoples. The Journey of Crazy Horse: A Lakota History (2005) By Joseph M. Marshall, Sicangu Lakota Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joseph.marshalliii A study of Lakota Culture through the life of Crazy Horse, a revered leader and celebrated native icon. ALSO BY Joseph Marshal: In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse (2015) A fictional story following Jimmy McClean, a young Lakota boy, as he discovers his native heritage through the story of Crazy Horse. Education Illuminative: https://illuminatives.org/ A Native-led initiative to “challenge the negative narrative that surrounds Native communities and to ensure accurate and authentic portrayals of Native communities are present in pop culture and media.” National Congress for American Indians: http://www.ncai.org/ The nation's oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities. How to Help Native American Rights Fund: https://www.narf.org/ National Congress for American Indians: http://www.ncai.org/donate Illuminative: https://secure.donationpay.org/illuminative/ Indian Collective: https://ndncollective.org/donate

Melody Barnes served as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Barack Obama, and is the host of the recent podcast "LBJ and the Great Society." Currently, she's a professor at the University of Virginia's Miller Center and co-director of the university's Democracy Initiative.In this conversation, Barnes reflects on this moment in our nation's history as the promise of systemic reform toward racial equity looms; the striking comparisons between 2020 and 1968, when Martin Luther King Jr. and others used the power of protest toward the power of the pen in bringing about transformational change; and the legacies of both Lyndon Johnson and Barack Obama.

‘People need agency and voice in a crisis. This is a time when, more than ever, governments need to be open and transparent, responsive and accountable to the people they are seeking to protect ….' – Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres, António Guterres As large gatherings of people are prohibited under the measures introduced to prevent the spread of Covid-19, for many the established means of debate and protest have been constrained. At the same time, decision-making processes are increasingly opaque. For those historically marginalised, civic engagement is becoming even more difficult. The pandemic is creating new difficulties for democracies while exposing chronic, long-term challenges. While Covid-19 has fuelled demands for 24-hour coverage and demonstrated the need for experts and reliable content, the media industry is likewise struggling. The loss of vital advertising revenue is placing unsustainable economic pressure on already-stretched traditional news outlets. Control of information and censorship is threatening the freedom of the press in some regions. The pandemic has also been accompanied by a fake news ‘infodemic', spread primarily through social media platforms and promoted by a few prominent leaders. With normal civic life disrupted and journalism facing a potential crisis, this final instalment in the five-part workshop series will ask if democracy can function without the public sphere. Panelists Melody Barnes is Co-Director for Policy and Public Affairs for the Democracy Initiative at the University of Virginia, Dorothy Danforth Compton Professor of Practice at the Miller Center of Public Affairs and a Distinguished Fellow at the School of Law. From 2009 until January 2012, she was Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. She also served as chief counsel to Senator Edward M. Kennedy on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Bill Emmott is a writer and consultant best known for his 13 years as editor-in-chief of The Economist. He is the author of 14 books variously on Japan, Asia, the twentieth century and Italy, and narrated and co-writer of a documentary film about Italy, Girlfriend in a Coma. He is currently chair of the Trinity Long Room Hub board. Fintan O'Toole is an Irish Times columnist and writer. He was the winner of the 2017 European Press Prize and Orwell Prize. His most recent works include Heroic Failure: Brexit and Politics of Pain (2018) and The Politics of Pain: Postwar England and the Rise of Nationalism (2019).

On this episode, we sit with the author of More Than Ready: Be Strong and Be You and Other Lessons for Women of Color on the Rise, Cecilia Muñoz. Drawing from her experience as the first #Latinx to serve as the White House Domestic Policy Council (under President #Obama) and decades fighting for the rights of #immigrants while at #UnidosUS, Cecilia talks to us about her four strategies to combat #selfdoubt, the importance of #empowering your team, and the everyday #heros around us.    Cecilia now serves as vice president for public interest technology and local initiatives at New America and is a recipient of the MacArthur Genius Award. Learn more about Cecilia at http://www.ceciliamunoz.com and order your copy of More Than Ready at here (https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=More+Than+Ready) .   Tamarindo podcast is the Latinx show where hosts discuss politics, pop culture, and how to balance it all con calma, hosted by Brenda Gonzalez and Ana Sheila Victorino. Join us as we delve into discussions on culture, politics, identity, representation, and life! Find us at https://www.tamarindopodcast.com/. Producer Jeff provides original music and sound engineering. Michelle Andrade edits the show. If you want to support our work, please rate and review our show here. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tamarindo/id1102882792?mt=2)   Follow Tamarindo on Instagram @Tamarindopodcast (https://www.instagram.com/tamarindopodcast/) and on twitter @tamarindocast (https://twitter.com/TamarindoCast) or   Follow Brenda on instagram @SweetPixNaranja (https://www.instagram.com/sweetpixnaranja/) and on twitter @BrendaRicards (https://twitter.com/BrendaRicards)   Follow Ana Sheila on instagram @la_anasheila (https://www.instagram.com/la_anasheila/) and twitter@Shelli1228 (https://twitter.com/shelli1228)

Cecilia Muñoz is the former Director of Intergovernmental Affairs in the Obama administration and currently serves as Vice President for Public Interest Technology and Local Initiatives at New America, a public policy think tank. She joins David to talk about growing up as one of the few Latinas in a Midwestern town, her trailblazing work in civil rights advocacy and journey to the White House, Covid-19’s disproportionate impact on communities of color, and more. Her new book, More Than Ready, draws lessons from the challenges she faced as the first Hispanic to serve as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and offers insights to other young women seeking to forge paths of their own.

David and Sarah discuss the administration's moves to protect prayer in public schools with Jennie Bradley Lichter, the deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, Little Sisters return to the Supreme Court, and justices will hear the faithless electors case.

Scott Perry, U.S. Representative for the 10th District of Pennsylvania, on Attorney General Barr’s declaration that killing Soleimani was vetted by the Department of Justice. Hormoz Shariat, President of Iran Alive Ministries, with coverage of the situation on the ground in Iran. Joe Grogan, Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, on the Trump Administration’s efforts to help victims of sex trafficking. David Closson, FRC’s Director of Christian Ethics and Biblical Worldview, on California Governor Newsom’s push to be a “no-kill state” for animals amid abortion expansion. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/loving-liberty/support

Cecilia Muñoz was both White House Domestic Policy Council and White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs under Barack Obama. Even with the faith of the president behind her, she had to practice dealing with imposter syndrome and making sure her voice was heard when she was the only one in the room that looked like her. Cecilia is currently Vice President for Public Interest Technology and Local Initiatives at New America.

Cecilia Muñoz was both White House Domestic Policy Council and White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs under Barack Obama. Even with the faith of the president behind her, she had to practice dealing with imposter syndrome and making sure her voice was heard when she was the only one in the room that looked like her. Cecilia is currently Vice President for Public Interest Technology and Local Initiatives at New America.

Cecilia Muñoz was both White House Domestic Policy Council and White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs under Barack Obama. Even with the faith of the president behind her, she had to practice dealing with imposter syndrome and making sure her voice was heard when she was the only one in the room that looked like her. Cecilia is currently Vice President for Public Interest Technology and Local Initiatives at New America.

The U.S. immigration system is widely acknowledged as being broken. Despite multiple attempts, solutions have proven elusive for administrations and Congress for more than two decades. The evidence of dysfunction is in every direction: Vastly oversubscribed categories for employment visas, deep disagreement between Washington and many state and local governments about immigration enforcement and policy priorities, political paralysis over what to do about a long-settled unauthorized population, years-long caseloads tied up in the immigration court system, sharp pullbacks in refugee admissions and other humanitarian programs, and, most recently, a protracted migration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. As the United States is mired in inaction, its legal immigration system resting on laws dating back to 1965 and 1990, other major immigrant-destination countries have created flexible, modernized immigration systems. What changes are needed to overcome the failings of the current system and meet U.S. economic and security interests in the decades ahead? What values and principles should guide future immigration policymaking? To answer these and similar questions, the Migration Policy Institute is launching a major new initiative—Rethinking U.S. Immigration Policy—that aims to generate a big-picture, evidence-driven vision of the role immigration can and should play in America’s future. This multi-year initiative will provide research, analysis, and policy ideas and proposals—both administrative and legislative—that reflect new realities and needs if immigration is to continue to be a comparative advantage for the United States as a society. Key topics will include employment based-immigration, humanitarian programs, and immigration enforcement.   Historically, immigration policymaking and legislation have only succeeded through across-the-aisle cooperation and consensus-building. This initiative is animated by a commitment to re-energizing such bipartisanship in shaping and advancing feasible solutions. At this event, marking the initiative's launch, MPI's Doris Meissner is joined in a conversation with former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez and Cecilia Muñoz, former Director of White House Domestic Policy Council.

Jepson School of Leadership Studies student India Henderson, ’21, interviews Jepson Leadership Forum speaker Melody Barnes, former Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and Principal and Co-Founder of MB² Solutions LLC, a domestic policy strategy and impact development firm, prior to her presentation, "Can We Make Our Democracy Work?" April 10, 2019

The Jepson Leadership Forum presents Melody Barnes, former director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, principal and co-founder of MB2 Solutions, a domestic policy strategy and impact development firm, for a discussion on "Can We Make Our Democracy Work?" April 10, 2019

New America is a think tank devoted to American Renewal in a time of unprecedented social and technological change. Under the leadership of Anne-Marie Slaughter, it is actually building a new field of endeavor. Known as Public Interest Technology, this field takes a problem-solving approach to addressing issues that affect everyday people and communities. It convenes municipal leaders with public agencies and nonprofits to fix broken systems in areas including foster care, opioid abuse and criminal justice. And it pairs them with technologists, an expertise more associated with Silicon Valley than government and NGOs, to create cost-effective and transformative solutions.  This effort is led by Cecilia Munoz, a longtime leader at the forefront of progressive change making. At the National Council of La Raza (now UnidosUS), our nation's largest Latino civil rights organization, Cecilia mobilized 300 affiliates as a voice for policy change on Capitol Hill. As Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Barack Obama, she led issue experts in developing solutions to our most pressing policy challenges. Cecilia leads Power Station through the myriad ways that Public Interest Technology is upending entrenched ideas about the process of change making and uplifting what actually works. She wants to see these solutions, and those of partners in the field, like Code for America, embedded in our best community based organizations. Redefining policy change has arrived!   

Facing early childhood adversity in the foster system, Keri Hope Richmond is the voice for the voiceless. She has dedicated herself to being an advocate for this vulnerable population and her advocacy has led her to Washington D.C. where she has shared some of her research findings with Members of Congress as well as the White House Domestic Policy Council. Keri has undeniable passion for helping current and future foster youth.   CONNECT with Keri HERE LISTEN to Keri's TEDx talk HERE   BeTheTalk is a 7 day a week podcast where Nathan Eckel chats with talkers from TEDx & branded events. Tips tools and techniques that can help you give the talk to change the world at BeTheTalk.com !

Facing early childhood adversity in the foster system, Keri Hope Richmond is the voice for the voiceless. She has dedicated herself to being an advocate for this vulnerable population and her advocacy has led her to Washington D.C. where she has shared some of her research findings with Members of Congress as well as the White House Domestic Policy Council. Keri has undeniable passion for helping current and future foster youth.   CONNECT with Keri HERE LISTEN to Keri's TEDx talk HERE   BeTheTalk is a 7 day a week podcast where Nathan Eckel chats with talkers from TEDx & branded events. Tips tools and techniques that can help you give the talk to change the world at BeTheTalk.com !

Listen NowCurrently, CMS is accepting public comment on a proposed Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), known more commonly as the Accountable Care Organization (ACO) program, rule.  The MSSP, created under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, is Medicare's flagship pay or performance program currently providing care to over 10 million Medicare beneficiaries.  MSSP or ACO performance, or to the extent the program has reduced Medicare spending growth, has been widely debated largely because CMS has failed to evaluate the program  Under this administration the program has come under substantial criticism.  The proposed rule, published this past August 17 in the Federal Register, is this administration's effort to improve the program's performance moreover by reducing the number of years an provider can participate in the program, from six years to two, without taking financial risk or participate in what are termed upside only contracts.  The administration argues absent financial risk providers do not fully engage in practice reforms to reduce spending.  This assumption is also widely debated.  Absent other substantial payment innovations, the success of the MSSP or ACO program is vital to the Medicare program, now forcasted to go bankrupt in 2026. During this 30 minute conversation Mr. Gronniger begins with a a brief overview of Caravan's work, he discusses or explains what success the ACO program has achieved to date and the program's background.  He moves onto discussing numerous elements of the proposed rule including earned shared savings percents, risk adjustment, aspects of financial benchmarking, low and high revenue ACOs, and beneficiary engagement and incentives, among others.     Mr. Tim Gronniger is currently the Senior Vice President of Development and Strategy at Caravan Health.  Previously, he served as Chief of Staff and Director of Delivery System Reform at CMS.  Previous to that, Mr. Gronniger  was Senior Adviser for Health Care Policy for the White House Domestic Policy Council.  Before that he served as senior professional staff to the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA, now retired).  Mr. Gronniger began his career in Washington, D.C. at the Congressional Budget Office where he studied or scored Medicare and Medicaid legislation.  Mr. Gronniger holds a Masters in Public Policy and Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan and a BA in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard. The proposed ACO rule is at: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/08/17/2018-17101/medicare-program-medicare-shared-savings-program-accountable-care-organizations-pathways-to-successFor information concerning Caravan Health go to: https://caravanhealth.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thehealthcarepolicypodcast.com

August 20, 2018 Episode 066 - Cecilia Muñoz on immigration policy; Julie Lynn from Planned Parenthood on #stopkavanaugh Segment 1: Cecilia Muñoz was the Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council for Obama where she worked on immigration issues among many other things. She was on the team that wrote the DACA policy. Now, Stephen Miller sits in her old office. Currently, Ms. Muñoz is Vice President for Public Interest Technology and Local Initiatives for New America. She joins the ICP this week to talk about what it was like to work for Obama, the pain of watching her hard work under fire, and where we go from here. Segment 2: Julie Lynn is the Director of External Affairs at Planned Parenthood of Illinois Action. Planned Parenthood is leading the charge to stop the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Join the Unite for Justice rally on Sunday, August 26, 2018, 1pm, at Federal Plaza to #stopkavanaugh! ** LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, AND RATE Every week, Indivisible Chicago Podcast host Tom Moss talks to politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists about resisting the Trump agenda. The ICP is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Indivisible Chicago. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen online at IndivisibleChicago.com/podcast. Take a minute to rate us on iTunes. It helps us get the word out about the ICP. INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES AND ACTIONS FOR AUGUST 20, 2018 Indivisible Chicago presents An Evening with JB Pritzker, Juliana Stratton and Other Special Guests. It’s an opportunity to present our views on issues that are important to us and hear what they have to say. Tom will moderate, but the questions will all come from Indivisible Chicago membership. Submit your questions here. Admission is free but space is limited so reserve your spot today. Join Indivisible Chicago and be part of our work shaping the agenda of state and local politics. Indivisible Chicago Presents An Evening with JB Pritzker, Juliana Stratton, and Other Special Guests Thursday August 30, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. First United Methodist Church 77 West Washington Street

Vernon interviews Doug O'Brien, Senior Policy Advisor for Rural Affairs, for the White House Domestic Policy Council. Vernon and Doug discuss marketing cooperatives, the impact cooperatives have had in Rural America, and other initiatives of the Policy Council. Doug O'Brien has served as the Senior Policy Advisor for Rural Affairs since January 2015. Before that time and since March of 2009, O'Brien served in a number of leadership capacities at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including as the Acting Under Secretary for the Rural Development Mission Area. At the White House, he helps lead the work of the White House Rural Council, which President Obama created in 2011 to encourage interagency cooperation and improve the effectiveness of federal programs in rural areas. Recently, the Council announced Rural Impact, an effort focused on rural child poverty. This work builds on O'Brien's leadership in rural community economic development that has focused on both emerging opportunities and in impoverished areas. Prior to serving in the Obama Administration, he worked for two State governors, the Senate Agricultural Committee, the U.S. House of Representatives, and in legal academia as a professor and author. O'Brien has degrees from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, the University of Iowa Law School, and a Masters in Law from the University of Arkansas. He was raised on a diversified farm in Iowa and has dedicated his career to food and rural policy.

The U.S. government has spent hundreds of billions of dollars over the past decade to rebuild coastal cities and towns following hurricanes, yet coastlines remain vulnerable to repeat disaster. Two Penn urban policy experts discuss coastal resiliency and the process by which government allocates recovery funds. -- Federal spending on hurricane disaster relief has risen dramatically since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005. Federal agencies have paid out $200 billion dollars for coastal recovery since. And, more recently, Texas governor Greg Abbott projected that recovery from Hurricane Harvey could total $150 billion or more. As spending rises, the need to ensure that coastal towns and cities are more resilient to future, repeat disasters has come to the forefront. And, with much of the nation’s oil refining and chemical industry located in low lying coastal areas, the challenge includes fortifying energy infrastructure, and protecting communities from toxic hazards. Ellen Neises and Billy Fleming, urban policy experts at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design, discuss the process government uses to select and fund recovery projects, and how coastal areas can be made more resilient. Ellen Neises is Executive Director of Penn Praxis, the center for Applied Research and Planning at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design. Her recent work has focused on developing solutions to rebuild, protect and improve cities hit by Hurricane Sandy. Billy Fleming is Research Coordinator for the Ian L. McHarg Center at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design, where his research focuses on climate adaptation planning along the U.S. coast. During the Obama Administration, he worked on urban policy development on the White House Domestic Policy Council. Related Content Power Down in Puerto Rico: http://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/blog/2017/09/28/power-down-puerto-rico Hot Topics on Climate Change: http://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/policy-digests/hot-topics-climate-change Comparative Pathways to Regional Energy Transition: http://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/pathways Aligning Global Logic with Local Need: http://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/policy-digests/aligning-local-logic-global-need

Nikolai DiPippa, Clinton School Director of Public Programs, sat down with Dr. Billy Fleming, a co-author of The Indivisible Guide and co-founder of Data Refuge – an international consortium of scientists, librarians, and programmers working to backup sensitive environmental data during the Trump administration. Currently, he directs an environmental research center at University of Pennsylvania. Originally from Arkansas and the former student government president at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Fleming worked in the White House Domestic Policy Council during President Barack Obama’s first term.

TAKEOVER is a special series of episodes that puts you on the ground during the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colorado. This episode features Franklin Leonard (The Black List Table Reads podcast) as takeover host in conversation with Melody Barnes (former assistant to the president and director of the White House Domestic Policy Council; co-founder of MB2 Solutions), DeRay Mckesson (protestor, civil rights activist, and educator), and Sarah Lewis (author, curator, and assistant professor at Harvard University). Music: Gillicuddy, Podington Bear

Per Capita event with Melody Barnes hosted by Griffith University. Former Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, Melody Barnes, is in Australia for a series of events with Per Capita. Â At this event, at Griffith University, Ms Barnes spoke about her work at the White House and her role shaping the domestic policy agenda of the Obama Administration.

In February 2016, Per Capita is bringing Melody Barnes to Australia for a series of events. Ms Barnes served as Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and Assistant to US President Obama from 2009 to 2012. Melody Barnes will participate in the following public events while she’s in Australia.

Listen NowShortly before the Supreme Court recesses in early July the Court will rule on David King v. Sylvia Burwell, the case where the plaintiffs argue the Affordable Care Act only allows for tax credit subsidies via state-run exchanges or only those, as the ACA states, "established by the state."  If the court rules in favor of the plaintiff an estimated 5 to 8 million newly insured will lose their coverage absent a subsidy because to date only 16 states plus the District of Columbia have set up state health insurance exchanges or marketplaces.  If this is the Court's ruling how might the Republican-controlled Congress react?   Regardless of the Court's decision the health care reform likely becomes a 2016 presidential campaign issue for the Republican party.  During this 21-minute discussion, Dr. Tevi Troy outlines possible responses by the Republican controlled Congress to a Court's decision in favor of the plaintiffs, how Republican presidential candidates may shape the race's health care reform debate (moreover if the Court rules in favor of Burwell) and he addresses major aspects of the ACA that remain contentious, i.e., the employer mandate, the Cadillac tax and Medicaid reform.Dr. Tevi Troy is currently President of the American Health Policy Institute and Adjunct Fellow at the Hudson Institute.  Previously he served as Deputy Secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush, as Deputy Assistant and Acting Assistant to the White House Domestic Policy Council, as Policy Director for Senator John Ashcroft and as Senior Domestic Policy Adviser and Domestic Policy Director for the House Policy Committee.  Still previously he was a Researcher at the American Enterprise Institute.  His numerous writings include,"What Jefferson Read, Eisenhower Watched and Obama Tweeted, 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House," and "Intellectuals and the American Presidency," Philosophers, Jesters or Technicians?"  Dr. Troy earned his Ph.D. in American Civilizations from the University of Texas as Austin.     Information on Dr. Troy's latest book, ""What Jefferson Read, Eisenhower Watched and Obama Tweeted, 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House” can be found at: http://www.amazon.com/What-Jefferson-Watched-Obama-Tweeted/dp/1621570398/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437409023&sr=8-1&keywords=what+jefferson+read+ike+watched+and+obama+tweeted. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thehealthcarepolicypodcast.com