Choosing "The Lesser Evil"

Choosing "The Lesser Evil" In this episode, the hosts discuss how the phrase "Lesser of two Evils" has been overworked in the election context. It has been applied when one or neither of the choices meets the definition of "evil" but rather the view of the voter that both candidates are flawed in some way. The hosts submit that when faced with such a perceived dilemma, the person should use their vote to cause the least harmful outcome. Jamil Ellis and his father, retired Federal Magistrate Judge Ronald Louis Ellis, explore the difference between accepting a candidate's flaws and overlooking the consequences of an election. Drawing on the history of slavery, discrimination in Northern states, and the struggle for integrated schools, they consider how people have pursued greater freedom and opportunity even when the available choices were imperfect. The conversation examines what it means to vote for an entire governing ecosystem—including judicial appointments, agency leadership, party platforms, and legislative priorities. The hosts also discuss how segregation and the suppression of history limit our understanding of one another, and why those divisions matter when evaluating political claims. They bring the discussion back to the human consequences of policy: immigration enforcement's impact on families, projected losses of health insurance and associated risks to life, and estimates of preventable deaths resulting from cuts to USAID. Throughout, they argue that voting and holding elected officials accountable belong together. Choosing the least harmful outcome does not end the work of demanding something better. Resources promised in the episode Leon F. Litwack, North of Slavery: The Negro in the Free States. The book Judge Ellis references about discrimination against free Black Americans in the North before the Civil War. University of Chicago Press — book page press.uchicago.edu Previous Ellis Conversations episode on Project 2025 and party platforms. The strongest match is "The Company Trump Keeps: From David Duke to The Proud Boys to Project 2025 – Intended Consequences" (July 11, 2024). Its notes include both Project 2025 material and party-platform links. Listen on Apple Podcasts Apple Podcasts Additional documents for listeners: Project 2025: Mandate for Leadership — full PDF 2024 Democratic Party platform 2024 Republican Party platform Project 2025 is a Heritage-led policy blueprint, separate from the Republican Party's official platform. static.heritage.org Zohran Mamdani's video about Italian immigrants in New York. This appears to be the piece mentioned: an Italian Heritage Month video recognizing immigrants' contributions and Vito Marcantonio's legacy. Watch the video on the NYC Mayor's Facebook page facebook.com Ford Pinto litigation and the value placed on human life. The relevant case is Grimshaw v. Ford Motor Co. (1981), addressing the Pinto's fuel-system design, a fatal fire, and punitive damages. Read the court opinion law.justia.com School integration: Sheff v. O'Neill The landmark Connecticut school-desegregation case discussed in the episode challenged racial and economic isolation in Hartford-area public schools. The 1996 decision established the state's obligation to address segregation and unequal educational opportunity. legaldefensefund.substack.com Legal Defense Fund: Thirty years after Sheff v. O'Neill—community reflections and continuing impact Legal Defense Fund: Case background and desegregation remedies Connecticut Supreme Court: Read the 1996 decision Voting information for the upcoming election. For NYC listeners, Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026, with polls open 6 a.m.–9 p.m. Early voting runs October 24–November 1. NYC Board of Elections — election information Early voting information Request an early-mail or absentee ballot vote.nyc Sources supporting the statistics and other references ICE street arrests and Latino communities. THE CITY's investigation identified 430 NYC-area street arrests, more than 93% involving Latinos, through court challenges. This describes that investigation's sample, rather than all ICE arrests. Read the investigation The City Reporter Deaths in immigration detention. Reuters documented 50 deaths since January 2025 as of June 2026, and found that the population-adjusted death rate had more than doubled. Label the figure with its reporting date. Reuters — detention mortality investigation www.reuters.com Projected increases in uninsured people. Georgetown summarizes CBO's estimates: 5.2 million additional uninsured people in 2027 and 10 million in 2034 due to the 2025 reconciliation law. Georgetown — CBO coverage estimates Center For Children and Families Potential deaths associated with insurance losses. The published analysis estimated 16,642 additional annual deaths for 7.6 million additional uninsured people under an earlier proposal. Applying the same rate to 10 million produces approximately 22,000 annual deaths. The show notes should identify this as an extrapolation, not a CBO mortality estimate. Annals of Internal Medicine study — abstract pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov USAID: estimated deaths over one year. NPR reporting carried by KPBS quotes Brooke Nichols' estimate of more than 700,000 deaths, including more than half a million children. This is a modeled estimate, not an individually verified death count. NPR/KPBS — reporting and individual cases KPBS Public Media USAID: projected deaths through 2030. The Lancet study projected approximately 14 million additional deaths, including 4.5 million children under five, under sustained steep defunding. This overlaps with the one-year estimate; the figures should not be added together. The Lancet study — abstract pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Sam Altman's comments about accepting AI-related harms. I found reporting matching the remarks paraphrased in the episode. The Verge — October 5, 2026 theverge.com Voting in NYC: Make Your Plan! You have three ways to vote: early in person, by mail, or in person on Election Day. Use the official resources below to check your registration, find your assigned polling place, and make a plan. Check your registration The voter-registration deadline is Saturday, October 24, 2026. Mailed registration applications must be received by that date, not simply postmarked. New York State Board of ... Check your voter registration Learn how to register 1. Vote early in person: October 24–November 1 Vote at your assigned early voting location, which may differ from your Election Day location. Date Hours Saturday, October 24 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday, October 25 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday, October 26 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday, October 27 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Wednesday, October 28 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Thursday, October 29 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Friday, October 30 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday, October 31 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday, November 1 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Find your assigned early voting site · Official early voting information NYC Votes 2. Vote by mail: No excuse required Any registered voter can request an early mail ballot. Absentee ballots also remain available for voters who meet the qualifying conditions. NYC Board of Elections October 24: Deadline for the Board of Elections to receive a ballot request online or by mail. November 2: Last day to request a ballot in person at your county Board of Elections office. November 3: Last day to postmark your completed ballot or deliver it in person by 9 p.m. vote.nyc Follow the ballot instructions carefully, sign and date the security envelope, and seal both envelopes. Return postage is prepaid. You can also deliver your completed ballot to your county Board of Elections office or a polling place in your county during voting hours. Mail it early: the State Board of Elections lists November 10 as the receipt deadline for ballots postmarked by Election Day. nycvotes.org Request an early mail ballot Mail and absentee ballot instructions Request an accessible ballot Track your ballot Already requested a mail ballot but want to vote in person? You will need to use an affidavit ballot, rather than a voting machine. Ask a poll worker for assistance. nycvotes.org 3. Vote on Election Day: Tuesday, November 3 Polls are open 6 a.m.–9 p.m. Vote at your assigned Election Day polling place, and check the location before heading out. vote.nyc Find your Election Day polling place and sample ballot Official 2026 general election information Questions or assistance? Visit the NYC Board of Elections or NYC Votes, or call 1-866-VOTE-NYC (1-866-868-3692). nycvotes.org Dates checked October 16, 2026. Check the official sites for updates before voting.