Make It Plain with Mark Thompson

There are 99 days until Election Day, and as Mark states plainly, "this is it." The Democratic Party is set to assemble virtually to officially nominate Joe Biden, and Chairman Tom Perez joins Mark to discuss strategy and what the convention will look like in this unprecedented format. As for the election itself, the Chairman says there is "no overconfidence" on the democratic side, as he thinks we took too much for granted in 2016 and does not want to see a repeat. He also touches on our chances of winning the Senate majority, and how the troubling events in Portland are a preview of "Trump's America" taking full form. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Dr. Brittney Cooper is an Associate Professor of Women, Gender, and Africana studies at Rutgers University, as well as the author of two books, "Beyond Respectability" and "Eloquent Rage." She's recently brought attention to the term "necropolitics," but it's more than just a buzzword, and that's what she's on the show to discuss today. Did you know that one in every 1,450 Black people have died from COVID-19? Not just the ones that contracted COVID-19, but out of ALL Black people living in the United States. Dr. Cooper says that's necropolitics in action--a system designed to bring Black people to premature deaths. Hear her incredible insight on this topic and more, including the things that are giving her hope right now, thoughts on Biden's VP pick and if he can afford to NOT pick a black woman, and how she hopes we'll reorganize the way we live in a post-coronavirus world. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entert

If you've listened to #ThursdayKos before then you know that Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos and Civiqs, was once gung-ho for Elizabeth Warren getting on the Biden ticket. But now he's changed his mind, and there's a strategic reason for it. So, who should the VP pick be? He discusses that, the strategy behind it, and why the tactic that pushed Trump to success throughout his entire life is absolutely failing him now. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Eugene Jarecki is an award-winning director and filmmaker and he is also the creator of the Trump Death Clock. What's the Trump Death Clock, you ask? It's a real-time tally of the cost of human lives to coronavirus, aimed directly at Trump and his administration's reckless handling of the pandemic. Eugene believes that the American people need to demand more responsible leadership and this traveling clock draws direct attention to the consequences of Trump's inaction. In today's episode Eugene explains his initial motivation for the clock (hint: it's in Times Square in New York City), the history of presidential accountability, and what city the Trump Death Clock might end up in next. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Rev. Robert R.A. Turner describes being attacked by anti mask protesters last Wednesday during his weekly Repentance & Reparations Rally at Tulsa City Hall. The Pastor of Historic Vernon Chapel AME Church explains why he is demanding reparations for the Greenwood Massacre--the 1921 bombing of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Editor: Andrew Marshello Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

At the annual Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee in 2006, Rev. Mark mic'd John Lewis, so he could describe what happened every step of the way on Bloody Sunday. From Brown Chapel, where the March 7, 1965 march began to the other side of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, here is raw audio of John Lewis describing the 1965 March during the 2006 March. You will hear the voices of Martin Luther King, III and the SNCC Freedom Singers. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Editor: Ryan Woodhall Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Leshia Townsend, McDonald's worker AND agitator for a union at McD's, describes the company's war on its own workers and joins Allyn Umel of fightfor15.org to make the case for the Monday, July 20 Strike For Black Lives. j20strikeforblacklives.org Charisma Troiano of democracyforward.org reacts to Pompeo's July 16 speech, and updates on several lawsuits that have Trump hemmed up. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Rev. Jackson recounts the experience of his first act of civil disobedience as a part of the Greenville Eight at the Greenville, SC whites-only public library on July 16, 1960. Daily Kos Founder Markos Moulitstas talks Trump's dwindling numbers, Biden's ad buy in Texas, Sen. Doug Jones chances after Tuesday's primary and he urges Sen. Lisa Murkowski to leave the GOP. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Associate Producer: Ryan Woodhall Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What kind of power does your boss have over you? What does it mean, in this pandemic world, to think about the conditions under which we work? Are we even conscious of these conditions? This is what Mark explores today with Professor of Sociology and Author Erin Hatton. While researching her book, “Coerced: Work Under the Threat of Punishment,” Dr. Hatton interviewed four groups of people: prisoners, student athletes, welfare recipients, and graduate students. These groups are extremely different from one another, but they have a similar type of coercion, and that is what Dr. Hatton calls “status coercion,” where their bosses have punitive power over them if they refuse to comply with an order. And as our country is gripped by coronavirus, those people in power have even greater control over their workers, and it is becoming apparent just how many types of workers fall victim to status coercion. Is your boss coercing you? Listen to today’s episode and decide. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Britta

Eric Boehlert of pressrun.media is holding the press accountable every week as he scans the coverage of Trump and points directly to their lies--whether in the form of omissions or outright misinformation. “It’s a fantasy that the press wants to advance, that [Trump] is a rational person with our interests at heart, and if he can just focus, we’ll be okay. No. He’s not going to focus and he doesn’t want to help us, and that’s the bottom line,” says Eric, and he outlines the specific moments that show how the federal government is literally done helping the public with coronavirus. All the while, Trump is proudly displaying his racism, and yet the press hasn’t called it what it is: racism, white supremacy, and white nationalism. And why is it important that they DO call him out? Eric explains that in today’s episode. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advert

The veteran journalist and publisher of prorev.com on the importance of people with differences finding things in common to work together for real change--unity in diversity. He also believes that we must confront the strong and convert the weak. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Editor: Ryan Woodhall Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tucker Carlson hasn’t explicitly said that he wants to run for president, but he’s also not denying it, or taking an opportunity to humiliate the reporter who asked about a 2024 run. So, is he really considering it? Angelo Carusone, President of MediaMatters.org, says Carlson is grasping for power as his show's advertising dollars dwindle to nothing, save for MyPillow (remember their CEO at the Trump rally?). Fox insists it doesn’t hurt their bottom line, but Angelo notes some changes in how the network has been promoting the show itself that indicates otherwise. Speaking of presidential runs, Angelo and Mark also get into the whole Kanye West discussion and how Fox is approaching it on-air (spoiler alert: it's a mess). Also covered in today's episode is what’s happening with advertisers over at Facebook, and Angelo clues us in on who is making the decisions and rules around what the platform will mark as false information (hint: he’s a buddy of Brett Kavanaugh). Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

On this week’s Thursday Kos, Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas talks with Mark about Trump’s recent losses including suburban white women and battleground states’ voters dissatisfied with his pandemic response. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We see the term “contact tracing” pop up in the coronavirus conversation quite a bit, but what the heck is it anyway? How does it work, and how can it help? Dr. Keren Landman is a physician, epidemiologist, and journalist, who recently wrote the piece published on Medium titled, “Hey America, What Happened to Contact Tracing?” (link below). In today’s episode, she gives us an understanding of not just what it is, but how it has been used in the past why it’s such a bigger challenge with coronavirus. Mark and Dr. Landman also get into the other side of the coin: are we comfortable giving detailed personal information to the government? And where does tech fit into this conversation--are phone apps up for the task? Dr. Landman answers all these important questions and more. CLICK HERE to read Dr. Landman's piece on contact tracing: https://elemental.medium.com/hey-america-what-happened-to-contact-tracing-47a2dbccc020 Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment

David Shimer, author of "Rigged: America, Russia and 100 Years of Covert Electoral Interference," knows what Russia wants for the United States -- to undermine and discredit our democracy and turn our country into a weakened, corrupt version of itself. After interviewing 26 former advisors to Obama, a handful of Trump officials, and many other national security figures, David is helping us answer the question of "how can we prepare for 2020?" David's research goes well beyond the 2016 election and extends far into the past and across the world, assessing patterns that help us understand exactly what Russia is up to and why it's so difficult for the U.S. to respond. He details all of this in today's eye-opening episode. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: htt

Jobs were added in June, but as Chad Stone, Chief Economist for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, points out, we're still in a massive deficit from what was lost back in February. And now that social distancing has relaxed in many states, and coronavirus begins to surge again, "jobs are going to be disappearing already" from the 4.8 million that were gained last month. Mark and Chad break down individual demographics to better understand who is getting back to work and he lets us know why he thinks July's numbers are "almost surely" going to be worse than this report. But before we get to July, we're also taking a look at how state and government jobs have gotten clobbered, and it could get worse. There is so much more to the jobs report than the number of jobs added, and Chad is here to help us understand it all! Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for pr

Senator Doug Jones of Alabama joins Mark today for an in-depth discussion on everything happening in the U.S. right now, which, as you know, is a lot. Starting with coronavirus, the senator shares his thoughts on Republicans finally getting vocal about battling it with the most basic of recommendations, like masks and social distancing. Though it's better late than never, Senator Jones is concerned that they're too late to play catch-up and states are already suffering the consequences. And while cases are climbing, his focus has now shifted to the monetary burden school districts are experiencing because of coronavirus and his concerns for safely reopening schools in the fall. The conversation also covers the recent Black Lives Matter protests across the country in what the senator calls "a historic time," noting that "we should be a better America than we are, and we've got to do everything that we can to not let the moment pass." They also get into Trump's "white power&#

Markos Moulitsas, our personal polling whiz and founder of DailyKos and Civiqs, gives a hopeful outlook based on the latest numbers. Aside from noting that Biden is "within striking distance of getting 400 electoral votes," he feels confident that we'll flip the Senate in November. And that's not just because Senator Susan Collins is likely doomed, no thanks to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who she held the door for on his way in to his lifetime appointment. We knew that when he allegedly promised her he wouldn't vote against abortion rights, it didn't mean a damn thing, but now we have the proof. All this and much more in today's chat with Markos. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

"Gun rights" supporters are invested in protecting the 2nd Amendment, but often conveniently forget the 1st. Igor Volsky, Executive Director of Guns Down America, is back for today's episode of MIP and the first order of business is the intersection of gun violence and the recent protests for #BlackLivesMatter. Igor and his team looked at instances of firearms at protests from late May into early June, and found that out of 130 instances, 60 appear to be connected to white nationalists and white supremacists. And while we're raising our standards for gun ownership in this country, we should also be raising our standards of the companies we invest in. Guns Down America is now keeping tabs on how major brands (like your beloved Target) are handling the national call to end racism and if they're actually making changes beyond those posted to their timelines and feeds. CLICK HERE for more information on the topics discussed in today's episode: https://gunsdownamerica.org/ Executive Produce

Over the weekend the news broke that Russian bounties to Taliban-linked militants resulted in deaths of U.S. troops, according to intelligence assessments. Now Trump and his aides are dancing around whether or not he was briefed on this months ago. In today's episode, Mark talks with Retired Army Colonel Jasey Briley & Retired Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Malcolm Nance, who provide detailed background and historical context for understanding the significance of the story, consider if the military would escort Trump out of office if necessary, and address racism in the military. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy