History is our greatest teacher. In this episode Rick speaks with historian David Brown, author of A Hell of a Storm: The Battle for Kansas, the End of Compromise, and the Coming of the Civil War. They explore the significance of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, a pivotal moment that led to the collapse of the Whig Party and fueled tensions that made the Civil War inevitable. Together, they discuss the cultural and political shifts of the time, drawing connections to today's political divisions and the rapid pace of change in American politics.
David's book, A Hell of a Storm: The Battle for Kansas, the End of Compromise, and the Coming of the Civil War, available now.
Politics is a battlefield, and right now, Democrats are struggling to break free from the traps set by Republicans. In this episode Rick Wilson sits with Democratic strategist Joel Payne to discuss the current political landscape and the challenges facing the Democratic Party. They break down the Republican Party’s attempts to box Democrats in on spending bills, the broader cultural and messaging battles, and how Democrats can better connect with voters by focusing on real-world concerns rather than policy jargon. Payne offers insight on the evolving political spectrum, the need for Democrats to fight smarter, and how Trump’s chaos-driven approach presents both challenges and opportunities
The Oligarchs are in the White House with their Teslas parked out on the front lawn. But this didn’t just happen. What seems like sheer chaos is the result of a four-decades-long systematic plan to dismantle our democracy. It is the greatest transfer of wealth and power in world history, and the billionaires convinced half of us that it was done on our behalf. Anne Nelson, author of “Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right,” joined Maya to break down how it all happened - and what the hell we can do about it because you didn't vote for this!
Evelyn Quartz writes: "The ACA fight proved that Americans want progress. They took an imperfect system and fought for it because the alternative was too horrible. It only worked because ordinary Americans refused to let it be taken away."
