PODCAST · news
Democracy Nerd
by Democracy Nerd
"Democracy Nerd" is a podcast that asks the question "How do we ensure a more perfect union?" This podcast shines a light on hidden and overt threats facing American democracy. Policy proposals and people-powered movements that help ensure a healthy democracy will be celebrated.
Episodes
-
Behind the White House Curtain w/ Steven L. Herman
In this episode of "Democracy Nerd", host Jefferson Smith interviews Steven L. Herman--the Chief National Correspondent for Voice of America and the author of "Behind the White House Curtain: A Senior Journalist's Story of Covering the President--and Why It Matters"--about the importance of...
-
How the American Media Has Failed Democracy w/ Andrea Grimes
In this episode of "Democracy Nerd," Jefferson is joined by Andrea Grimes, an independent journalist whose writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Texas Observer, and DAME Magazine. The episode includes an in-depth discussion about the current state of American media and its role in...
-
Disinformation and the 2024 Presidential Election w/ David Gilbert
In this episode of "Democracy Nerd," host Jefferson Smith is joined by David Gilbert, a senior reporter for WIRED magazine specializing in disinformation and online extremism. As the 2024 presidential election looms, their conversation delves into the profound implications of disinformation and...
-
How Insurers Helped Build America w/ Hannah Farber
In this episode of "Democracy Nerd," host Jefferson Smith discuses the intersection of insurance, entrepreneurship, and the American founding with guest Hannah Farber, a history professor at Columbia University and author of the book "Underwriters of the United States: How Insurance Shaped the...
-
Protecting Access to the Ballot w/ Campaign Legal Center
In this episode of "Democracy Nerd," host Jefferson Smith engages in a crucial discussion with Paul Smith, the Senior Vice President at the Campaign Legal Center, shedding light on the mounting legal challenges surrounding ballot access heading into the 2024 election year. The conversation begins...
-
Freedom of Speech w/ Eliza Jane Schneider
In the latest episode of the Democracy Nerd podcast, host Jefferson Smith engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Eliza Jane Schneider, a renowned dialect coach and operator of the Internet Dialect Database. The focal point of their discussion revolves around the intricate concept of...
-
Undecided Voters: Who Are They & What Do They Want w/ Oscar Pocasangre
In this episode, Jefferson is joined with Oscar Pocasangre, Senior Data Analyst for New America, to discuss the outsized impact of undecided voters on elections. Besides distinguishing undecided voters from swing or independent voters, Oscar explores the shared perspectives (if any) that might...
-
History of Citizenship Stripping in the United States w/ Amanda Frost
Amanda Frost, a professor at the University of Virginia School of Law and author of "You Are Not American: Citizenship Stripping from Dred Scott to the Dreamers" joins Democracy Nerd to discuss with Jefferson the history of citizenship stripping in the United States. The discussion delves into…
more -
What is Going on in Washington? w/ David Smith
David Smith, D.C. Bureau Chief of The Guardian newspaper, joins Democracy Nerd to discuss recent events in Washington D.C. Topics covered include the historic ouster of Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker, an event that sent shockwaves through the political landscape. Smith reflects on the steps that...
-
Making Voting Fun? There's an App for That w/ Sara Gifford
Sara Gifford, the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of ActiVote, joins Democracy Nerd to discuss how the app offers a new way to engage people with the democratic process. ActiVote's mission is to make voting not just a civic duty but also an enjoyable and accessible experience, ultimately...
-
The Role of Local Newsrooms in Democracy w/ Sarah Alvarez & Chris Fitzsimon
Sarah Alvarez, founder of Detroit-based Outlier Media, and Chris Fitzsimon, publisher of States Newsroom, a national consortium of local newsrooms, join Democracy Nerd for a compelling conversation about how local newsrooms serve as community watchdogs, holding those in power accountable while...
-
Reviewing the Supreme Court's 2023 Term w/ Joshua Douglas
Joshua Douglas, law professor at University of Kentucky and author of the forthcoming "The Voters v. The Court," joins the podcast to shed light on the significant developments and controversies surrounding the Supreme Court's 2023 term, touching on key decisions related to affirmative action,...
-
The Intersection Between Emerging Tech and Politics w/ Matt Krayton
In this episode, the intersection between emerging technology and the world of politics is explored. Matt Krayton, owner and principal of Publitics consulting firm, guides us through the implications, both positive and negative, of technology's evolving role in shaping political landscapes. As...
-
What Do We Owe the Other Side? w/ Robert Talisse
Robert Talisse, professor of philosophy at Vanderbilt University and the author of "Sustaining Democracy: What We Owe to the Other Side," joins the podcast to delve into the vital topic of accepting opposing political views as a cornerstone of a strong democracy. Talisse underscores the...
-
How Women Will Impact the 2024 Election w/ Lauren Leader
The 2022 midterm elections was the first after the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision tossed aside protections for reproductive rights under Roe v. Wade. As a result, women voters decidedly rejected Republican candidates, helping turn a long-assumed projected "red wave" into a "red trickle." As we…
more -
Moore v Harper Democracy is Saved (For Now) w/ Eliza Sweren-Becker
With its 6-3 ruling in Moore v. Harper, the Supreme Court has ruled that the (fringe? debunked?) Independent State Legislature Theory is dead. Eliza Sweren-Becker, Senior Counsel in the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, explains how this decision preserves democracy in the…
more -
Felix Frankfurter: "The Most Dangerous Man" in Supreme Court History? w/ Brad Snyder
Recorded on the day that the Supreme Court issued its Allen v. Milligan decision, Brad Snyder, Professor of Law at Georgetown University, joins the podcast to discuss his book "Democratic Justice: Felix Frankfurter, the Supreme Court, and the Making of the Liberal Establishment" and explains how...
-
How the Supreme Court Divided America w/ Michael Waldman
Michael Waldman, President of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, discusses his new book "The Supermajority: How the Supreme Court Divided America" and explains how the Roberts Supreme Court--instead of serving as a bastion of democracy--has undermined democratic principles...
-
Know Your Shadowy Cabal: The Council for National Policy w/ Anne Nelson
Anne Nelson, an award-winning journalist, author, and playwright, joins Democracy Nerd to discuss the Council for National Policy, which she initially featured in her 2019 book "Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right." You haven't heard of the Council for National...
-
Run For Something w/ Amanda Litman
Have you ever thought "Maybe *I* should run for office?" If so, then Amanda Litman has some advice for you: do it. Amanda co-founded Run For Something on Trump's inauguration day in 2017, with a goal to help progressive candidates get elected into office. Amanda joins the program to discuss the...
-
This Happened Here: The Trumping of America w/ Paul Street
Author Paul Street joins the podcast to discuss his tenth book, "This Happened Here: Amerikaners, Neoloberals and the Trumping of America." Although those who warned that Trump would usher in an era of acceptable fascism were met with scorn or ridicule, Paul points out that they were correct. And...
-
Anatomy of Fake News w/ Nolan Higdon
In this excerpt as guest host of the Thom Hartmann Show, Jefferson speaks with Professor Nolan Higdon, author of "The Anatomy of Fake News" and "Let's Agree to Disagree: A Critical Thinking Guide to Communication, Conflict Management, and Critical Media Literacy," about historic examples of fake...
-
Understanding the Limits of Black Capitalism w/ Francisco Perez
Francisco Perez, Associate Professor Economics at the University of Utah, joins the podcast to discuss his essay "How Do We Build Back Black Wealth? Understanding the Limits of Black Capitalism," pointing out that a racially-diverse oligarchy is not the ideal end result for the purposes of…
more -
Political Disinformation and Misinformation: A Primer w/ Adam Berinsky
In this segment filling in as guest host for the Thom Hartmann Program, Jefferson speaks with Adam Berinsky, the director of MIT's Political Experiments Research Lab, who provides a primer on political disinformation & misinformation, including how each term is defined and also what (if anything)...
-
Polls Show Bipartisan Support for President Biden's Agenda w/ Grace Adcox
Filling in as guest host for The Thom Hartmann Program, Jefferson speaks with Grace Adcox, Polling Analyst for Data for Progress, who parses the data showing bipartisan support from voters for President Biden's legislative agenda, including the protection--even expansion--of Social Security.…
more -
We Need Senators, Not Partisan Hacks: A Senate Update w/ Ira Shapiro
Ira Shapiro, a longtime Capitol Hill staffer and Senate historian, joins the podcast to provide the current pulse of the U.S. Senate, touching on whether any GOP Senators will challenge Donald Trump in the Republican primary; the role age plays in determining a Senator's effectiveness; and…
more -
Using Sortition to Solve "Wicked Problems" w/ Hugh Pope
In the 1980s, noted classicist Maurice Pope wrote a manuscript about how sortition--or lottery-based democracy--should be implemented for a more fair and representative society. This manuscript proceeded to be rejected by each publishing house that had the chance. Decades later, this manuscript,...
-
COVID and Inequality w/ Stephen Bezruchka
Can an unhealthy and unequal democracy meet the needs of its people? The COVID pandemic exacerbated inequality in the United States, reaching levels not seen in a century. Not only do high levels of inequality pose a threat to democracy, but an unequal society is also an unhealthy society. Or so...
-
Spotchecking the Enumerators to Prevent Curbstoning: Inside the 1940 Census w/ Dan Bouk
Dan Bouk, Chair of History at Colgate University, provides insights of the 1940 U.S. census from his book "Democracy's Data: The Hidden Stories in the U.S. Census and How to Read Them" Plus: an emergency NBA trade deadline podcast.
-
Using Honesty to Hold Political Liars Accountable w/ Sarah Croco, Jared McDonald & Candace Turitto
Politicians aren't exactly known to be a paragon of virtue and honesty. Chances are, if they don't lie at least a little bit they don't stand a good chance of getting elected. But does this mean everyone running for office needs to go full-blown George Santos? What if honesty is used to extract...
-
The Constitution Should Not Be a Suicide Pact w/ Rick Hasen
For the first episode of 2023, the podcast is joined by Rick Hasen--operator of the Election Law Blog and one of the top current democracy nerds--who explains why the Supreme Court needs to re-examine its decisions in the need to balance free speech interests with the need to have free & fair...
-
Direct Democracy, Canadian Style w/ Peter MacLeod
In this excerpt while filling in as guest host of the Thom Hartmann Program, Jefferson speaks with Peter MacLeod, a principal from Toronto-based MASS LBP, who assists the Canadian government with the recruitment and running of citizens' assemblies, allowing members of the public to weigh in on...
-
Should Everything Be Privatized? w/ Donald Cohen
Should everything be privatized? What goods or services should be the responsibility of the private sector? What is the proper role of government oversight? In this excerpt from The Thom Hartmann program, Jefferson fills in as host and discusses these issues with Donald Cohen, Founder and…
more -
2022 Midterm Elections: A Red Ripple Instead of a Red Wave
In this excerpt while filling in as guest host of The Thom Hartmann Program, Jefferson speaks with Grace Adcox, polling analyst for Data for Progress who helps explain the circumstances and variables that helped turn the expected "Red Wave" in the 2022 midterm elections into a "Red Ripple."
-
Democracy Day w/ Joe Amditis
September 15, 2022 was the first-ever "Democracy Day," a collaboration with newsrooms across the country in which journalists and opinion writers focused on the current threats facing American democracy. This effort was spearheaded by the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University...
-
The Role of Education When Democracy is Under Attack w/ Judy Pace, Eric Soto-Shed & Elizabeth Yeager Washington
What role does education play when democracy is under attack? How important is it to teach controversial issues when elected officials would prefer to prohibit such discussion? What steps should educators to consider discussing these issues, both inside the classroom and beyond? A panel of guests...
-
The Politics of a Darkening America w/ Keith Boykin
Keith Boykin--regular contributor to CNN and CNBC and the co-founder of the National Black Justice Coalition--joins Democracy Nerd to discuss his recent book "Race Against Time: The Politics of a Darkening America," inspired by the 2020 George Floyd / Black Lives Matter protests, and provides a...
-
Restoring the Right to Vote w/ Desmond Meade
As the Executive Director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, Desmond Meade helped lead the successful passage of Florida's Amendment 4, restoring voting rights to over a million returning citizens who had completed prison sentences yet were unable to participate in society. Desmond…
more -
Approval Voting w/ Aaron Hamlin
There are potential democracy reform models that exist which would be more representative than our current "winner takes all" approach. As the Executive Director for the Center of Election Science, Aaron Hamlin is an advocate for "approval voting." Aaron joins Democracy Nerd to explain approval...
-
The Limits of Party w/ James Curry and Frances E. Lee
Congressional party cohesion--on both sides of the aisle--is at its highest level in decades. Does this have any impact Congress's ability to pass legislation, or have no impact at all? Professors James Curry and Frances E. Lee join Democracy Nerd to discuss their book "The Limits of Party:...
-
The Roberts Court, the Most Activist SCOTUS in History w/ Andrew Koppelman
The Supreme Court ended its term with a series of radical decisions with cataclysmic consequences, including the rolling back of rights enjoyed by previous generations. Law professor Andrew Koppelman discusses the various decisions on abortion rights, guns, and public prayer, explaining how the...
-
Mitch McConnell, "The Architect of Division" w/ Ira Shapiro
Longtime Capitol Hill vet and author Ira Shapiro joins the podcast to discuss how Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republicans have thumbed their nose at institutional norms and reneged on their duty as public servants to help create our current bitterly divided United States of America.
-
How The People Can Push Back Against the Backsliding of Democracy w/ Katie Fahey
With electoral rights and bodily autonomy being degraded, democracy is experiencing a backsliding in the United States. How can organizations push back against this backsliding? After leading a campaign to pass independent redistricting in the state of Michigan, Katie Fahey is the Executive...
-
How Democracies Revive w/ Lee Drutman
If a country backslides from democracy, is there no future hope for democracy. Lee Drutman from New America believes it's possible for democracy to revive itself in countries that otherwise preferred authoritarianism. Drutman describes what a potential revival of American democracy would look…
more -
Can Millionaires Save Democracy? w/ Morris Pearl
Billionaires increasingly control online shopping, access to news, and even "the world's town square" with Elon Musk's recent purchase of Twitter. Is there any other way to push back against this amassed capital--and its influence on our daily lives--then with a countervailing pushback from other...
-
Discussions on Democracy w/ Justin Kempf
Episode 54 - Justin Kempf, host of the "Democracy Paradox" podcast joins Democracy Nerd to discuss various theories about democracy, how to make democracy more engaging, and practical efforts to prevent the backsliding of global democracy.
-
Episode 53: Democracy in Real Time: An Update on Chile's New Constitution w/ Jennifer Piscopo & Peter Siavelis
At a time when global democracy is backsliding into authoritarianism, Chile is currently engaged in the process to draft a new constitution, one that is more representative of indigenous people and other marginalized communities. Very rarely do we get to see "democracy operate in real time."...
-
Episode 52: The Rise of Illberalism w/ Thomas Main
Democracy Book Club! Thomas Main, Professor of Politics at Baruch College, joins Democracy Nerd to discuss his new book "The Rise of Illiberalism." Professor Main describes the defining characteristics of various illiberal movements, explains how illiberal ideology drives mainstream politics, and...
-
Episode 51: From Harding to Biden - 100 Years of American Presidents w/ Ronald Gruner
100 years ago, the United States was reeling from the Spanish Flu and World War I. Similar circumstances fact the country today. How did American Presidents respond to the adversity they face? Which Presidents did the most to expand democracy, both home and abroad? Ronald Gruner, author of "We…
more -
Episode 50: Americans are "awful" at spotting fake news w/ Jonathan Nagler
Heading into the second decade of wide-spread use of social media, and its impact on democracy is less than ideal. Originally applauded as a way around legacy media "gate keepers" but instead acts as an amplifier of extremist voices. Jonathan Nagler, co-director of NYU's Center for Social Media…
more
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
"Democracy Nerd" is a podcast that asks the question "How do we ensure a more perfect union?" This podcast shines a light on hidden and overt threats facing American democracy. Policy proposals and people-powered movements that help ensure a healthy democracy will be celebrated.
HOSTED BY
Democracy Nerd
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Democracy Nerd have?
Democracy Nerd currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Democracy Nerd about?
"Democracy Nerd" is a podcast that asks the question "How do we ensure a more perfect union?" This podcast shines a light on hidden and overt threats facing American democracy. Policy proposals and people-powered movements that help ensure a healthy democracy will be celebrated.
How often does Democracy Nerd release new episodes?
Democracy Nerd has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Democracy Nerd?
You can listen to Democracy Nerd on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Democracy Nerd?
Democracy Nerd is created and hosted by Democracy Nerd.
URL copied to clipboard!