Democracy

A visit to an event, "Beyond the Books: A Way Forward for White Allies in Democracy", and some time with the event's main presenter, Gerri Williams.

With the threat of internal turmoil or even civil war possible in the US due to red/blue polarization, especially since 2016, the Braver Angels project and organization was founded. Their mission? “We bring Americans together to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen our democratic republic.” It's a tall order in these tense times, but Braver Angels is bringing great energy, dedication, and tools to the work.

Two great guests: the amazing thinker & author, Parker Palmer, is joined by the wonderful singer, songwriter, & world healer, Carrie Newcomer. They share their various collaborations, the first being a word, song & connecting experience called Healing the Heart of Democracy, then there was What We Need Is Here, and their newest collaboration is called The Growing Edge.

Thom Hartman just released his latest book, The Hidden History of American Democracy: Rediscovering Humanity's Ancient Way of Living, and it's full of the kind of historical scrutiny and keen analysis to expose and clarify the facts behind our much-vaunted form o

Thom Hartman just released his latest book, The Hidden History of Monopolies: How Big Business Destroyed the American Dream.

Our main topics today are tyranny & nonviolence. Andrew Fiala is Professor of Philosophy & also director of the Ethics Center at Cal State Fresno.

Mike McCabe is a political reform activist. Farm-raised, Peace Corps-deepened, journalist-honed, Mike worked 15 years with the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. He ran in the 2018 Democratic primary for Wisconsin Governor, and shares the motivations, experiences, & lessons of that run in his new book, Unscrewing America: Hopes from the Heartland .

Thom Hartmann is one of the most articulate voices of progressive radio in the USA, and he's a compelling writer as well. His most recent book is The Hidden History of the War on Voting: Who Stole Your Vote and How to Get It Back combines history, current events, analysis, & insight into the most crucial threat to our representative democracy happening now.

Featured Music:
Vote - by Emma's Revolution

Our democratic republic has been seriously undermined, particularly over the past 10-15 years, but fortunately there are people like Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause - Wisconsin, working diligently to rebuild the structures of democracy. Common Cause works nationally for government of, by, and for the people by fighting against gerrymandering, voter suppression, & buying elections, and working for ethics, accountability, & voting rights.

Too many people ignore the power of local government to transform the most crucial aspects of our world, focusing only on our national government. A groundswell of local activism tilted the county board of Eau Claire, WI, in the progressive direction, and the lessons & possibilities are promising around the country. We speak with 3 recent members of the board of supervisors about their experience & motivations: Martha Nieman, Sandy McKinney, & Don Mowry.