Make It Plain with Mark Thompson

Today we're giving you ANOTHER special double episode starting off with Rep. Eric Swalwell on his Twitter takedown of former acting DNI Richard Grenell and whether Russia will exploit the tension over #GeorgeFloyd. Then comes more Russia talk with Max Bergmann, Director of The Moscow Project, on Trump's desperate grab for a scandal with "Obamagate," the detail you might have missed in the first phase of the FBI's investigation of Russian collusion in 2016, and why Max thinks Democrats need to revisit how everything was handled. 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

As our country is faced with yet another senseless murder of an innocent black man, we feel it deeper than ever that we must elect officials who understand what it means to protect and serve constituents; that kind of support is what you get with Sybrina Fulton. You may know her as the mother of Trayvon Martin, but you might also know her for her more than 20 years of service to Miami-Dade County, where she is a lifelong resident. Now she's running for Miami-Dade County District 1 Commissioner, and in today's episode she talks about her campaign and why she's tired of a country that's comfortable watching the murders of innocent black men, women, and children. Today's special double episode also features reporting from Irna Landrum, Campaigns Director for DailyKos, who lives just a few blocks from where George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police. Learn about the community that is both grieving and rising up. And if you stick around 'til the end, you'll hear a special message a

Globally, the number of coronavirus cases has started to rise again. And with 31-percent of all cases occurring in the United States, that's concerning to Sam Smith, Publisher of Prorev.com. He gets into the problematic ways some states are reopening, as well as some talk on Biden--why he thinks Elizabeth Warren is not a strategic pick for VP, and how his "you ain't black" comment serves as a reminder that we're voting for so much more than a president. 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

Defying science and not wearing a mask are actions not just synonymous with support for Trump, but also express a specific worldview even bigger than the Donald, says Michael Tomasky, Special Correspondent for The Daily Beast in today's episode. Aside from that, Michael tells us how he thinks the country has transitioned into a "competitive authoritarianism," defined as a country that has the trappings of a democracy, but one party continues to control both elections and the country. You NEED to hear today's episode, then check out Michael's latest writing here: https://www.thedailybeast.com/author/michael-tomasky 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

Trump is attacking vote-by-mail and early voting, and Senator Amy Klobuchar wants you to stay ahead of the curve, and she lets us know what you can do to ensure your vote is cast in November. She's also been working on quite a bit of legislation, including a bill she authored that will get new types of job training for people who are out of work due to coronavirus, as well as a bill to help struggling non-profits. She also has some questions about why Trump's henchmen are getting released from prison but others are being left to die. All that and more in today's episode with the senator from Minnesota. Producer's note: this interview was conducted just before Joe Biden's "you ain't black" comment was made public. 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

60-percent of black women over the age of 65 live 200% below the poverty line. More than half of black women over 65 live with food insecurity. That's what's on Rep. Stacey Plaskett's mind right now, as she fears those vulnerable populations are falling through the cracks during this pandemic. In today's episode, she discusses this concern as well as overall food insecurity for Americans, and why Dems aren't waiting on Mitch McConnell to supply the kind of aid this country actually needs in the next stimulus package. 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

Stacey Abrams or Elizabeth Warren -- which one should be Joe Biden's VP pick? Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos and Civiqs, thinks he knows which way Biden is leaning, and he shares that insight on each with us in today's episode. Markos also brings to our attention something else Dems should be aware of--polling shows our party is less unified behind Biden than we were during Hilary's 2016 run. Listen to the episode then head to YouTube for Markos' new show "The Brief." 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

In North Carolina, an armed militia of stay-at-home protestors, complete with what appeared to be a bazooka, first harassed a black family walking outside, then entered a Subway for some sandwiches. Igor Volsky, Executive Director of Guns Down America, wants to know why Subway has remained silent in condemning the group who have direct ties to white nationalism and a specific group that is working to start a race war. Get into the details in today's episode then head to SubwayMustAct.org to get involved. 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

Catherine Herridge was the "face of Benghazi" for Fox News, says Eric Boehlert, Publisher of pressrun.media, and now she's leading the "Obamagate" charge from her position as National Security Reporter at CBS. But that's not all she's been up to, and Mark gets into it with Eric in today's episode, as well as some other news network behavior that is blatantly wasting opportunities to hold Trump directly accountable for his failed coronavirus 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

The conversation around gun ownership is changing after our nation experienced the horrific murder of Ahmaud Arbery--black families are now considering what their options are to protect themselves, but also recognizing the double standard. Josh Horwitz is the Executive Director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and Kayla Hicks is the Director of African-American and Community Outreach, and they join Mark today to discuss the potentially deadly challenges of black gun ownership and tackling the complicated question, where do we go from here? 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

Are you or someone you know struggling to afford food during this pandemic? There's a map for that, says Lorrie Clevenger, Director of US Programs for the Grassroots Action Network. She and Alison Cohen, Senior Director of Programs at WhyHunger, join today's episode to tell us about the Find Food COVID Map (link and phone number below), the change in eligibility requirements, and how their organizations are adapting and expanding to meet the rise in demand during coronavirus. Looking for a way to give back? VOLUNTEER! You can do it from anywhere in the country, from the comfort of your home, for however much time you can offer. Download today's episode then head to the link below. FIND FOOD COVID MAP: whyhunger.org/findfood OR, CALL: 1-800-5-HUNGRY VOLUNTEER: https://bit.ly/WHVol 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://

Brandon Gassaway, National Press Secretary of the DNC, joins the show to discuss tonight's FREE virtual forum, "Making The American Dream Accessible and Affordable to Black Men" (registration link below). They also talk New Orleans experiencing Hurricane Katrina déjà vu, DNC convention plans, and some thoughts on the Michael Jordan miniseries "The Last Dance." We then hear from Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos, Civiqs, and Host of the daily YouTube show "The Brief," for the latest on what's happening in the polls. Do you know what a "double hater" is? Well, it's a voting bloc that helped Trump win in 2016, but now, they're leaning to Biden. Find out the story behind that and more in today's episode. REGISTER for the DNC forum here: https://www.mobilize.us/chop-it-up/event/272290/ Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-ou

You might be eligible for SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps, because of how the coronavirus has impacted your life (and in some states, they've changed their rules to accommodate the increase in struggling citizens). According to Rose Afriyie of mRelief, a quick 3-minute self-assessment on their site will determine if you are, and if you or someone you know doesn't have internet access, they've got you covered! Listen to today's episode to hear about the super easy process to access the resources you're entitled to, and head to mRelief.com for more. 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 United States government could implement a permanent universal basic income, says David A. Love, Executive Editor of BlackCommentator.com, but they won't, because it would expose the system of capitalism in America. There's also a connection to the administration's blatant racism. Mark and David explore this tangled web and more on today's episode of Make It Plain. 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 April jobs report shows the worst unemployment numbers since the Great Depression. Despite the fact that it wasn't a surprise, it's still a painful realization that presents a lot of open-ended questions and challenges. Mark and Chad Stone, the Chief Economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, get into the specifics on economy recovery, stimulus checks, an explainer on the wage growth that came along with last month's jobs numbers, and more. 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

Why is paid leave not guaranteed in America? We are one of the only countries in the world that does not have a cohesive national paid leave policy, says Dawn Huckelbridge of the Paid Leave for All Act, even though it ends up saving the federal government money in the long run. In today's episode Dawn talks about the demand from both sides of the aisle for access to emergency paid sick family and medical leave in the midst of coronavirus, and what they're doing with Paid Leave for All to make that happen on a legislative level. Go to paidleaveforall.org for more. 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

Did you know white women are the only demographic who sway back and forth on their approval for Trump? Markos Moulitsas, founder of DailyKos and Civiqs, is on for #ThursdayKos and he breaks down three major Republican voting blocs and where they stand right now on Trump. They also get into Tara Reade's allegations against Joe Biden and how these situations are handled on each side of the aisle. Plus a little debate on who Biden's VP pick should be. 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 truth of the matter is this: we don't know what state our country will be in when November rolls around--if we'll be in quarantine, if coronavirus will be back with a vengeance--we just don't know. That's why Tiana Epps-Johnson, Executive Director of the Center for Tech and Civic Life, says we need a plan that involves technology to lessen the need for people to show up in person on Election Day. Smoother processes and more options are a start, but listen to today's episode with this tech expert for more. 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

What if internet access were a utility we were guaranteed with housing, just like cable and electric? That's what Elandria Williams, Executive Director of PeoplesHub is thinking about lately, and strategizing the ways that could become a reality. And in a time where we are so disconnected, we need that access more than ever, especially in communities dominated by people of color who rely on personal connection to lift them up in trying times. Listen to today's episode and head to peopleshub.org to find out more. 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

Last week, armed civilians conducted their version of a protest at the Michigan capitol to demand the lock-down be lifted, a display to threaten both civilians and lawmakers, says Shannon Watts, Founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Meanwhile, gun sales continue to surge--and all of this fuels the work that Moms Demand Action does every day. Shannon tell us that long after the coronavirus ends, Americans will still be suffering the consequences of the spike in gun ownership, resulting in increased domestic violence, accidental shootings, and gun suicide. In today's episode she also talks about the legislation Moms Demand Action is fighting for, all born out of online activism, staring with a Facebook page created right at her kitchen table. 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 &a