Americasdemocrats.org

Doctors take a stand for single payer health care. How Donald Trump is unmaking the presidency. Plus Bill Press on the state of America’s labor movement.   Why doctors are leading a movement to cover medical care for all Americans.Donald Trump’s lasting impact on the highest office in the land. Plus Bill Press talks with Stephen Greenhouse, author of Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor.   Susan Rogers As a physician, Dr. Susan Rogers knows well the daily failures of a profit driven health care system and the inequities it creates. That’s why she says only a single payer system can provide the kind of health care all Americans deserve.   Benjamin Wittes A new book from Benjamin Wittes and co-author Susan Hennessey offers a piercing analysis of Donald Trump’s presidency and a compelling argument that he is transforming the nature of the office.  Wittes says that as Trump continues to put his personal interest ahead of the public good, the future of democratic governance is at

Why labor should support a Green New Deal. Inside the GOP plan to rig elections. Plus Bill Press with the authors of A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America.   Labor organizer Joseph B. Uehlein makes the case for protecting workers in the green new deal. Filmmaker Mac Heller exposes the Republican strategy to suppress the vote and win elections. Plus Bill Press talks with the authors of A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America.   Joseph B. Uehlein Joseph B. Uehlein works at the forefront of building union support for the effort to confront climate change.  He says the Green New Deal has the potential to rebuild the labor movement and unite the working class.     Mac Heller Filmmaker Mac Heller’s latest documentary takes a deep dive in the carefully crafted campaign being used by Republicans to suppress voting. It’s a compelling story of democracy at peril and what we can do about it.   Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker Bill Press talking with Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker,

How the Democratic Party can, and should, engage rural America.  Why it’s time to abolish the electoral college. Plus Bill Press with GOP insider Rick Wilson on how to prevent President Trump from being re-elected.   Jane Kleeb on the importance of rural voters to progressive politics. Reed Hundt on why the nation is ready for a national popular vote. Plus a GOP campaign consultant tells Bill Press how Democrats can, and should, beat Donald Trump. Jane Kleeb One of the lessons from the 2016 election was that Democrats have a problem with rural voters. A new book by Jane Kleeb offers a convincing strategy on how progressive Democrats can connect to the issues rural voters care about and win their support in November. Reed Hundt There’s a growing movement to elect the president by a national popular vote. Former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt says it’s the only way to restore faith in American democracy. Rick Wilson Back Announce: Bill Press talking with Rick Wilson, author of Running Against the Devil: A Plot to Save

Black Voters Matter.  Building the power of black communities at the ballot box. Plus Bill Press with Tom Daschle looking back and looking ahead.   Cliff Albright of the Black Voters Matter Fund on the political power of black communities to determine their own destiny.  Plus Bill Press with former Democratic minority leader Tom Daschle on a divided Congress and a divided nation.   Cliff Albright - Pt. 1 The ethos of the Black Voters Matter Fund is that effective voting is a powerful tool for change and self determination.  Co-Founder Cliff Albright says that when that message is delivered in the right way, black voters are ready to hear it.    Cliff Albright - Pt. 2 Cliff Albright, cofounder of Black Voters Matter Fund, which builds community and organizational capacity related to Black voting power. One of their core beliefs is about the importance of working with existing community based organizations. For Cliff Albright, it allows them to build power from what already exists.   Tom Daschle Bill Press talk

Building progressive power at the state level.  Cutting through the fog of centrist corporate speak.   Plus Bill Press on President Trump’s impeachment trial.   How one organization is powering progressive change at the state level. A guide to what centrists politicians say and what they really mean.  Plus Bill Press with Eleanor Clift on the impeachment trial and what it reveals about the Senate GOP.   Jessie Ulibarri Jessie Ulibarri has dedicated his career to building progressive power at the state level. As a former state senator, he knows how challenging that can be, and what it will take for state lawmakers to build a broader progressive movement.   Richard RJ. Eskow Richard RJ. Eskow pays close attention to the words politicians use, and the true intent behind them.  He says centrist politicians, by design, use language that is often misleading and demands greater precision.   Eleanor Clift Bill Press talks with veteran journalist Eleanor Clift about President Trump’s impeachment trial and what it mean

Can unions save democracy?  And will millionaires help?   Author and organizer Jane McAlevey on her new book,  A Collective Bargain:Unions, Organizing, and the Fight for Democracy.  Plus, the millionaires who want to pay more taxes, not less. Bill Press  talks with Erica Payne, Executive Director of Patriotic Millionaires.      Jane McAlevey Pt. 1 At a time when workers are under attack at  historic levels, strikes are making a comeback. In that, Jane McAlevey sees an opportunity to reset power and politics in America, and clear a path to progressive change.    Jane McAlevey Pt. 2 Jane McAlevey about her  powerful new book, A Collective Bargain:Unions, Organizing, and the Fight for Democracy. She makes the case that unions are central to challenging the corporate class and restoring democracy in America. But what about the millions of workers who don’t have a union?  For Jane McAlevey, that translates into even more opportunity to build the power of organized labor.   Erica Payne The millionaires who are figh

Getting it right in 2020. Making black communities powerful in politics. Turning out progressive voters one conversation at a time. Plus Bill Press talks with former UN Ambassador Susan Rice.   Alicia Garza on what motivates black voters and why politicians should care.  Alex Morgan on upping the progresive ground game in 2020. Plus Bill Press on Donald Trump’s perilous foreign policy with former UN Ambassador Susan Rice.   Alicia Garza Alicia Garza reminds us that black voters are central to changing the direction of the nation,  and that politicians who take black voters for granted do so at their own peril.   Alex Morgan Alex Morgan says that in 2016, Democrats forgot the basics of winning campaigns — face-to-face conversations with voters. That’s why he’s leading a massive effort to turn that around.   Susan Rice Bill Press talks former UN Ambassador Susan Rice about Donald Trump’s disdain for diplomacy and why she supports a War Powers Resolution to curb more military actions against Iran. If you'd like

Donald Trump’s campaign to shred environmental protections.  A grassroots campaign to build the electoral power of Democrats. Plus Bill Press on the biggest foreign policy crisis yet in the Trump Administration.   Dan Farber on what’s next in Donald Trump’s war on regulations and who will pay the price.  Rita Bosworth on the Sister District Project and its plan to flip states from red to blue. Plus Bill Press talks with  nuclear arms expert Joe Cirincione about Iran and the path to war.   Dan Farber Dan Farber works at the intersection of constitutional law and the environment.  He says Donald Trump’s war on regulation sidelines science in the interest of industry profit, and if he has another four years, it will only get worse.   Rita Bosworth The path to power runs through the states.  That’s why Rita Bosworth started the Sister District Project, an organization dedicated to turning states from red to blue. She says it's crucial to invest in state legislative races in order to reverse the course of the coun

Listening to working class voters at the ballot box, and fighting for their future in the workplace.  Plus, Bill Press on the Supreme Court’s swing to the right.   What will it take to bring unions back and help workers stand up for their rights?  Plus, what working class voters want and what that means for 2020. And Bill Press talks with Ruth Marcus about her book, Supreme Ambition: Brett Kavanaugh and the Conservative Takeover.   Shaun Richman After decades of corporate union-busting, author Shaun Richman says never have so many workers needed so much support. His new book offers an action plan to bring the power of unions back to workplaces across America.   Matt Morrison Matt Morrison has worked on over 500 political campaigns.  He now focuses on voter turnout for candidates who support a fair economy for working-class Americans. He says progressive Democrats can win over working class voters if they are willing to show up and listen.   Ruth Marcus The inside story of Brett Kavanaugh’s ascent to the Supre

Our favorite interviews from 2019.  Fighting for the rights of felons to vote.  Why walls don’t work. Plus, why 2020 won’t be won by centrists     The racist roots of denying felons the right to vote.  Everything Donald Trump gets wrong about walls. Plus Robert Reich on the choice that has to be made between oligarchy and an America that works for everyone.   Tierra Bradford The history of denying felons the right to vote is rooted in the history of African American voter suppression. And while restoring that right is gaining traction in the 2020 campaign,  Tierra Bradford says many Democratic hopefuls still don’t get the point.   Adam Smith President Trump often sites The Great Wall of China as evidence that a wall will solve our immigration problems. Adam Smith says it’s a claim that history simply cannot support.   Robert Reich Robert Reich is one of our nation’s leading economists. He says the widening gap between the wealthy and everyone else is the defining issue of our time. And that’s why Democrats ha

Framing the Debate for America’s Future.  Building the case for a wealth tax. Why Democrats need to talk about race and class.  Plus, Bill Press with Tom Friedman on saving American democracy.    Economist Emmanuael Saez on how America’s tax system is pushing us deeper into inequality.  Ian Haney Lopez on why the fight for racial justice will win elections. Plus Tom Friedman tells Bill Press why Trump must be impeached.   Emmanuel Saez Economist Emmanuel Saez studies wealth and income inequality around the world. His newest book argues that the American economy isn’t working for half of the nation and makes the case for a tax system that is truly progressive.   Ian Haney Lopez In his newest book, critical race theorist Ian Haney Lopez offers a roadmap to progressive political victory.  To get there, he argues we need to reframe the way we think about race and class.   Tom Friedman Bill Press talks to New York Times columnist and Pulitzer Prize winning author Tom Friedman on why he believes Donald Trump must b

The past and future of race and democracy in America. How Reconstruction remade the Constitution. The centrality of racial justice in progressive politics today. Plus,  Bill Press takes stock of the Justice Department under Bill Barr.   Historian Eric Foner on the ongoing battle over who is considered equal under the law.  Peniel Joseph on why the strength of the Democratic Party lies in its diversity. Plus, Bill Press talks about justice in the Trump Administration with Ed Chung, Vice President for Criminal Justice Reform at The Center for American Progress   Eric Foner Eric Foner is one of this country's most prominent historians. His newest book tells how the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments altered the course of history and changed what it means to be an American.   Peniel Joseph Peniel Joseph is a leading public scholar on race and democracy in America. Looking ahead to 2020, he says Democrats are ready for a more progressive Party,  but can only win if that includes a commitment to black voters and their

Democracy Fights Back. From outrage to activism, and why it’s not too late to take a stand for the America we want. Plus, Bill Press with Pulitzer prize winning author David Mariniss.   Two authors take us inside the modern day movement for democracy in America and find hope.  Plus, author David Maraniss joins Bill Press to talk about his own family’s history with the Red Scare.   Adam Eichen In his newest book co-authored with Frances Moore Lappe, organizer and scholar Adam Eichen goes to the roots of the anti-democracy movement in America and answers the question, What do we do now?   Dana R. Fisher Dana R. Fisher is one of the leading scholars of protest movements. Her newest book  tells the story of how a grassroots movement has grown into a full-fledged resistance in the era of Donald Trump.   David Maraniss Bill Press interviews celebrated author David Maraniss whose newest book tells the story of his father who was targeted as a communist at the height of McCarthyism. If you'd like to hear the entire i

Losing ground to corporate America. Expanding the space for reporting on poverty.  Plus Bill Press gives a failing grade to Republicans defending Donald Trump.   Thomas Philippon on his new book The Great Reversal: How America Gave Up on Free Markets. Alissa Quart introduces us to the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.  Plus Bill Press explains why the Republican defense of Donald Trump is collapsing. . Thomas Philippon In his newest book, economist Thomas Philippon takes aim at the growing concentration of corporate power in America. He says American markets, once a model for the world, are giving up on healthy competition, and average Americans are paying the price.   Alissa Quart The Economic Hardship Reporting Project aims to change the national conversation around poverty and economic hardship.  Executive Director Alissa Quart explains how the project amplifies the voices of people experiencing economic hardship themselves.   Bill Press Bill Press reviews the Republican defense of Donald Trump during t

Workers are taking a stand.  Are Democrats ready to listen?  Plus Bill Press interviews Norman Ornstein.   Sarah Jaffe on the return of the strike. Mark Dann asks if working class voters can trust the Democrats.  Plus Bill Press with Norman Ornstein on paralysis in Washington and why Republicans are the problem. Sarah Jaffe Workers at GM recently ended the longest auto workers strike in 50 years. Sarah Jaffee says the action signals a revival of picket line politics with a message that is bigger than any one union.   Marc Dann Democrats have a working class problem,  but they still have a chance to fix it. Marc Dann says that has to begin with admitting the betrayals brought on by the last two Democratic administrations.   Norman Ornstein Norman Ornstein tells Bill Press how the GOP  became a cult. If you'd like to hear the entire interview, visit BillPresspods.com.   Jim Hightower How Trump’s poverty subsidy enriches the rich.

A More Equal Union.  The political crisis of extreme inequality.  How the electoral college undermines democracy.  Plus Jerry Brown and Pete Buttigieg together on the Bill Press pod.   Adam Eichen on the fight to end winner take all elections.  Ganesh Sitaraman on reviving the reforms of the progressive era.  Plus Bill Press with Jerry Brown and Pete Buttigieg on why US foreign policy needs a major fix.   Adam Eichen Adam Eichen is an author and activist focused on highlighting the emerging Democracy Movement in the United States. He says that the path to citizen equality demands fundamental reforms to the way we vote.   Ganesh Sitaraman Legal scholar Ganesh Sitaraman writes about the core connection between democracy and economic equality. He says that as concentrated wealth and power distort our democracy, it’s time to recall the progressives who fought back over a hundred years ago.   Pete Buttigieg The role of America in the world today with presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg and former California gove

Democracy’s next test. Why 2020 won’t be won by centrists. How foreign meddling undermines American voters. Plus, an election preview with former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe.   Robert Reich on the choice that has to be made between oligarchy and an America that works for everyone. Fred Wertheimer on the fight that has to be fought against foreign interference in American democracy.  Plus,  Bill Press looks ahead to 2020 with former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe.   Robert Reich Robert Reich is one of our nation’s leading economists. He says the widening gap between the wealthy and everyone else is the defining issue of our time. And that’s why Democrats have to choose a side.   Fred Wertheimer Fred Wertheimer has spent more than four decades working on democracy and governance, and is a national leader and spokesman on money and ethics in politics. He says foreign meddling in American politics has been a threat since the founding, and we now have a way to prevent it.   Terry McAuliffe  Bill Press tal

  Economic Red Flags. America’s middle class on the decline. The unsustainability of economic inequality. Plus, impeachment advice from a veteran of the Clinton war room.   Why America’s middle class is barely getting by. Why the fight against climate change also has to be a fight against inequality.  Plus Bill Press interviews Lanny Davis, former special counsel to President Bill Clinton.   Alissa Quart For her most recent book, Author Alissa Quart tracked the daily life of America’s middle class. What she found were people too often living paycheck to paycheck and struggling just to get by.   James K Galbraith James K Galbraith is one of the world’s leading economists. He says rising inequality in the world today is fundamentally unsustainable and at odds with what needs to be done to confront the realities of climate change.   Lanny Davis Bill Press talks impeachment with the man who ran Bill Clinton's impeachment war room. If you'd like to hear the entire interview, visit BillPressPod.com.   Jim Hightower

Dangers to Democracy. The changing politics of presidential power. The evolution of white nationalism. Plus, Bill Press takes a deep dive into the politics of pot.   A book about the time the GOP stood up to Nixon and what it says about Republicans today. Plus, how the Alt-Right is warping the American imagination.  And Bill Press interviews Justin Strekal (STRAY kel), political director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana .   Michael Koncewicz Historian and author  Michael Koncewicz tells a fascinating history of the Watergate era and reveals how Republican leaders today have little in common with those who resisted Richard Nixon.   Alexandra Minna Stern For her new book, historian Alexandra Minna Stern delves into the changing landscape of  white nationalism to offer an invaluable guide to a new breed of racism that threatens the most fundamental ideals of American democracy.   Justin Strekal Bill Press talking with Justin Strekal, political director of the National Organization for the

Talk Radio’s America. How an industry took over a political party that took over the White House. Plus, Donald Trump’s dangerous war on LBGTQ Americans.   How the rise of conservative talk radio gave us a Republican Party incapable of governing and paved the way for Donald Trump. Plus Bill Press talks with Alphonso David, President of the Human Rights Campaign, about the LGBTQ community’s fight for survival under the Trump Administration.   Brian Rosenwald Pt. 1 Brian Rosenwald is a scholar who works at the intersection of media and politics. His newest book tells the story of how conservative talk radio evolved to turn the political world upside down.    Brian Rosenwald Pt. 2 Part two of our conversation with Brian Rosenwald, author of Talk Radio’s America: How an Industry Took Over a Political Party, on why conservative talk radio embraced Donald Trump.   Alphonso David Donald Trump’s attack on the LGBTQ community.  Bill Press talks with Alphonso David, President of the Human Rights Campaign   If you'd like