Best Maddie Medved & Sammy Kanter Podcasts (2024)

1
Congressman McGarvey, Maddie & Jack Harlow, and Helping Small Biz 42:43

3d ago42:43

42:43

We all thought Maddie had moved on to Zach Bryan, but her heart is still with Jack Harlow, forever and always, as we find out on this episode with Congressman McGarvey, a fellow Kentuckian. Part match-making for Maddie and Jack Harlow, part conversation on how to help small businesses grow, and part conversation on bipartisanship - not to mention t…

1
Repeat Epi! Basic basic pew pew reform with Kris Brown, President of Brady 1:08:51

17d ago1:08:51

1:08:51

BRB and TBT were back with re-release of an ever-timely interview with Kris Brown, President of Brady. This episode dives into common sense gun reform - covering what some of those reforms look like, what the arguments for and against are, and how we can move them ahead. NEW MERCH → https://www.bonfire.com/the-gov-club-collection/ The Yapper’s Dige…

1
Social Media, Mental Health, & Parenting with Congressman Jake Auchincloss 34:14

24d ago34:14

34:14

How does being the youngest parent in Congress impact how one thinks about policy and its impacts? It’s a question we asked Congressman Auchincloss [D-MA] who has made one of his central policy focuses online safety. And to that, we chat about legislative change and cultural change that’s needed to improve the mental health of kids and adults alike…

1
Normal people need to run for office with Will Rollins, Candidate for Congress [CA-41] 40:39

1M ago40:39

40:39

Will Rollins is running for Congress in SoCal with the goal of thoughtfully escorting the current Republican incumbent to the curb (of one of the buildings that said incumbent allegedly owns and has raised rent prices on for residents during a housing crisis). In this episode, we chat with him about this race, his prior run, and the critical nature…

1
Nevada Politics, Abortion Access, & Career Building with NV State Senate Majority Leader, Nicole Cannizzaro 37:25

1M ago37:25

37:25

All eyes are on the swing state of Nevada this episode because we brought on Nevada State Senate Majority Leader, Nicole Cannizzaro to chat all about the state’s politics, its purple reputation, and an issue that’s top of mind for voters – abortion. We discuss ballot measures, the inter-party politics, and how the state’s independent streak plays a…

1
TX Congressman Colin Allred on his campaign to boot Ted Cruz from his Senate seat 36:54

2M ago36:54

36:54

Ted Cruz could lose his job this year. Not exactly a devastating loss to say the least. But the focus should be on what would be gained if this happens, specifically if Texas Congressman Colin Allred wins the race [for US Senate]. From our conversation with the Congressman, it would mean more bipartisan solutions, more wins for veterans, more wins …

1
Running for Congress in Idaho as a Dem with Candidate Kaylee Peterson 35:20

2M ago35:20

35:20

What’s the political landscape in Idaho? Is it really that conservative? Is there a reason the state seems to embrace right-wingers? And what do people think Dems are trying to take from them? These questions and more on the very red state are answered by Democratic Congressional candidate, Kaylee Peterson. She walks us through the state’s media de…

1
Vegan treats and voters with Anna Thomas for HD-137, PA 36:31

2M ago36:31

36:31

What goes down in PA’s HD-137? Anna Thomas, candidate for state house in the district fills us in. From the magical small businesses to the need for more transportation for commuters this candidate puts a spotlight on it all. She also gives us the lay of the land with voters – what they’re looking for and what issues matter to them most of all. Ann…

1
The Montana Boyz & Running for Governor with Ryan Busse, Dem Candidate for Montana Gov 28:41

2M ago28:41

28:41

All eyes have been on Montana since the Montana Boyz burst onto the scene, but they really should be on this candidate for governor of Montana – Ryan Busse. On this episode, we chat with Ryan about his campaign, what drove him to run for office, and of course, the best things Montana has to offer. If you’ve been curious about Montana [literally we …

1
Baja Blasts, Primaries, & Baby Dog with WV Delegate Kayla Young 42:45

2M ago42:45

42:45

We’re back and we’re having a [baja] blast on this episode with West Virginia Delegate Kayla Young! In our new format, we shoot the shit about what’s going on in WV politically from the upcoming primaries to Baby Dog, and Kristi Noem’s dog [RIP] to everything else and beyond. We catch up on Delegate Young’s epic Vegas wedding, TikToking as a repres…

1
The potential TikTok ban & the ‘24 youth vote with Congressman Maxwell Frost 52:04

4M ago52:04

52:04

What in the world is happening with this potential TikTok ban? And honestly, what even is it? Is it a ban? We asked Gen-Z Congressman Maxwell Frost, who gave us the 411 on the what, the why, the who, and the when. And while we were at, we also talked about the 2024 elections – ya know, those big AF things happening THIS year. Specifically, we zeroe…

1
Two cities, two political trips, two debriefs, and one v exciting announcement 53:56

4M ago53:56

53:56

Ya girls are back with a debrief episode on both our trips – DC and Austin. It’s politics, gossip, takeaways, and a crush on a hot secret service guy. It’s truly a grab bag with discoveries you might not have seen coming, or at least we didn’t. We also chat about an exciting podcast announcement regarding our upcoming format change WHICH IS GOING T…

1
The State of the Union by the numbers with USAFacts President Poppy MacDonald 52:13

4M ago52:13

52:13

There’s little cutie speech that the president gives called the State of the Union Address or as the wonks like to shorten it to, SOTU. Sounds kind of like a fun drink in our opinion, but it’s literally a look at from the president’s eyes the state or status of the nation at the juncture that they give said speech. This one is sure to be a banger, …

1
Run for… school board with the Co-Founder of Run for Something, Amanda Litman 40:46

5M ago40:46

40:46

Have you heard about what’s been happening with school boards? If you haven’t, you’re about to, with our conversation with the Co-Founder of Run for Something’s Amanda Litman. She provides the 411 on how the far-right has long had their eyes on this educational and powerful prize, and where their efforts have led… ya know like to book bans that hav…

1
A Look at The Fentanyl Crisis with JoAnna Vance, Program Coordinator at WV Economic Justice 57:09

5M ago57:09

57:09

The fentanyl crisis has impacted individuals and families in every corner of this country. But how did this crisis start? And where are its impacts the deepest? Many of those answers start in West Virginia. As told by our guest JoAnna Vance, a Program Coordinator at WV Economic Justice, the crisis has taken a huge toll and a huge amount of lives. I…

1
Hot Policy Topic: A look at Immigration Policy Messaging with Beatriz Lopez, Deputy Director of the Immigration Hub 44:18

5M ago44:18

44:18

The topic on the tip of everyone’s tongues right now is immigration. From the border bill to the Trump theatrics to the meltdowns on team GOP, the issue is getting thrown around like a Superbowl football. But what is this messaging really doing? And how will it impact this year’s elections? In a classic look at words matter, this episode brings Bea…

1
The GOP is coming for birth control with Mini Timmaraju, President & CEO of Reproductive Freedom For All 58:05

5M ago58:05

58:05

It’s 2024 and the GOP is coming for birth control. But the thing is this isn’t just a ‘whoops yolo’ by the ultra-conservative crew, it’s the definition of the political long game. It’s this very long game that we dissect with none other than longtime repro rights advocate, Mini Timmaraju, the President & CEO of Reproductive Freedom For All. We look…

1
Get in, we’re learning how to become campaign finance directors with Sydney Levin-Epstein, Director of Development at Arena 40:32

6M ago40:32

40:32

Did we take out our calculators for this episode? No, but we considered it because this interview focuses all on campaign finance and how to cultivate a career in this very needed piece of the successful campaign puzzle. We talk challenges, we talk strategy, and we talk about how we need more young people to explore this vital path with Sydney Levi…

1
Diplomacy, Mary Kate & Ashley, and Bringing Young Voices to the Table with Special Envoy for Global Youth Issues, Abby Finkenauer 54:47

6M ago54:47

54:47

If you’re an OG, you know that we love to put the spotlight on various political careers, sharing the BTS on what they’re like. If you’re new here, that’s a little bit about some of our episodes, including this one with Special Envoy for Global Youth Issues, Abby Finkenauer. In this episode, Abby tells us about her career journey, first as a state …

1
Good Governance with Debbie Cox Bultan, CEO at The NewDEAL 46:12

6M ago46:12

46:12

What do legislators talk about behind closed doors? What happens when they get together? What ideas do they share? How do they collaborate? For leaders and legislators a part of The NewDEAL, they convene, they collaborate, and they bring ideas to the table that help their communities. They also, looking at this election year, are focused on protect…

1
Bipartisanship with VT Future Caucus Co-Chairs, Rep. Mary-Katherine Stone & Rep. Casey Toof 45:34

6M ago45:34

45:34

Bipartisanship is back and we’re so freakin’ glad about it. Working across the aisle is not an easy feat and yet it’s something that members of Future Caucus do regularly. The org brings together young legislators from across the aisle and provides a space for them to talk out issues, ideas, and work together to get shit done. In today’s polarized …

1
Goodbye Manchin, Hello Zach Shrewsbury: The ‘24 Race for WV’s Senate Seat 35:14

6M ago35:14

35:14

If you asked us if we were surprised that Senator Manchin decided to retire, we’d say 50/50. If you asked candidate for Senate, Zach Shrewsbury, he’d say nope, not at all. Zach has had a pulse on how Manchin plays politics for quite some time, interacting with him as an organizer. He’s also had a pulse on West Virginia politics and the needs of WV …

1
Who is ‘Big Hospital’ and shady hospital pricing practices that need to change with Sophia Tripoli, Senior Director of Health Policy at Families USA 38:51

7M ago38:51

38:51

Who is ‘Big Hospital?’ Going once…going twice…going three times… anyone?! Yea, it was an answer we did not have, so we brought in the expert dujour, Sophia Tripoli, the Senior Director of Health Policy at Families USA to give us the scoop. We also brought her on to talk about the role they play in hospital transparency, or the lack thereof, and ove…

1
The 2024 Election Prep Guide with Rudy Garrett, VP at Alliance for Youth Action 1:06:01

7M ago1:06:01

1:06:01

2024 is literally right around the corner. How?! Couldn’t tell you, but here we are getting prepped for a critical election year. Ya know, just another election year where the future of democracy hangs in the balance. #casual. Anyways, back to the prep end of things, this episode is get ready for primary season through general election season 101. …

1
GUIDE: Fact-checking, misinformation, and propaganda in the age of social media and AI with Katie Sanders, Editor in Chief of PolitiFact 53:46

8M ago53:46

53:46

The way we consume media, the way media is shared, and the speed at which it’s shared has evolved rapidly in recent years. What hasn’t caught up is media literacy, a critical understanding of how to decipher media. The consequences of this gap are dangerous – they change the course of world events with too many clicks of a share button on fake vide…

1
Training The Next Generation of Campaign Staff with Lauren Baer, Managing Partner at Arena 48:54

8M ago48:54

48:54

Campaigns are like mini start-ups – they require a lot of minds to move and get off the ground effectively. Those minds fit a range of roles, from finance director to organizer to marketing manager, and beyond. But, how does one prepare to take on those roles? They look to Arena, which provides training for a wide array of campaign jobs. They also …

1
Passing a federal Transgender Bill of Rights & LGBTQ+ Protections with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal 41:20

8M ago41:20

41:20

What would passing a federal Transgender Bill of Rights look like? How would it work? What does the current federal landscape look like for legislation like this? These questions, along with a look at what LGBTQ+ protections are being considered at the federal level are answered in this week’s episode with special guest, Congresswoman Pramila Jayap…

1
Dream blunt rotation politics edition, ‘24 manifestations, the next 100 eppys of GATG 45:21

8M ago45:21

45:21

Every once in a while we like to drop a solo episode, which is really like a duo episode, because there’s two of us. Details, details, details. Anywhooooo, this week we chat about hitting 200 episodes of the pod, what we’re most excited for about the next 100 eppy’s, and some of the funniest moments yet. We then get into what’s ahead for 2024, our …

1
200th Episode: The Fight For Student Debt Cancellation with Melissa Byrne, Founder of We, the 45 Million 1:08:24

9M ago1:08:24

1:08:24

We did it, Joe – we officially have hit 200 episodes of Girl and the Gov, The Podcast! Cue the balloons! The champagne! The confetti! And this episode is def big 2-0-0 energy because we’re talking about the fight for student debt cancellation with Melissa Byrne, the Founder of We, the 45 Million. We’re looking at the background like how many studen…

1
‘23 Governor Races, ‘24 Governor Races, and No Off Years with Ofirah Yheskel, Director of External Affairs at Democratic Governors Association [DGA] 39:52

9M ago39:52

39:52

2023 is considered an off-year election year, which we think we need to rebrand because every election is important **adds to to-do list**. But without turning the description of this week's episode into a meeting about marketing and messaging, let us pivot to the core of this week's interview -- the interview with Ofirah Yheskel the Director of Ex…

1
The American Foster Care System, An Inside Look with Colorado State Rep. Lindsey Daugherty 42:03

10M ago42:03

42:03

What is the foster care system? And who is it set up to help? Does it work? And, what about the system needs to change? Colorado State Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, who prior to her elected role worked as a guardian ad litem, walks us through all of these questions and more. Our conversation serves as a virtual tour through what the system looks like, wh…

1
Reforming SCOTUS, Term Limits, & a 5-Point Plan with Congressman Ro Khanna 39:35

10M ago39:35

39:35

By the time we hit release on this episode, we can only imagine another Clarence Thomas corruption scandal will have broken. I mean, one seems to drop every other minute, so the odds are in our favor for that, just not for fair and just outcomes of cases heard by the Court. Anyways, onto fixing that issue and the many others in the ethics departmen…

1
26 Million people lack IDs in the US – Kat Calvin is working to change that; The Founder of Project ID Action and author of American Identity In Crisis: Notes From An Accidental Activist shares how 58:11

10M ago58:11

58:11

If you’ve tuned into any of the interviews your beloved co-hosts [hi, that’s us] have done, you’ll know that when we’ve been asked what our favorite episode that we’ve done is, we say our interview with Kat Calvin. One of our first interviews ever was with Kat and she blew our minds by painting the picture of America’s ID crisis – how without an ID…

1
The FABRIC Act & Making Change for Garment Workers in the Us With Emily Stochl, Director of Education at Remake 43:57

10M ago43:57

43:57

According to our friends at Remake, garment workers experience the second-highest rates of wage theft of any group of workers, with some earning as little as $2.68 an hour. How, with a federal minimum wage, is that possible? Good ol’ loopholes and worker exploitation, with factories able to use the piece rate system. The system of pay doesn’t pay b…

1
Climate Change, Tourism, and a Green New Deal with Hawai’i State Representative Kapela 45:54

10M ago45:54

45:54

When we first scheduled our interview with Hawai’i State Representative Kapela early this summer we planned on talking about how climate change is affecting Hawaii and what that looks like for the islands. We were also going to talk about bringing a state level Green New Deal to the table. Then, tragedy struck – one interlaced with climate, tourism…

1
Political Careers: Campaign Management 101 with Sarah Andrews, Federal & Gubernatorial Campaigns Director at EMILY’s List and Founder at Created Not Equal 56:50

11M ago56:50

56:50

If you’ve been curious about what it’s like to run a political campaign, this episode is going to be your holy grail. Save it, send it, listen to it time and time again because it’s a walk-through of how to get into campaign management with the former campaign manager for Colorado Governor Polis, Sarah Andrews. She gives us the full lens on what it…

1
Explainer: Disability Justice with Mia Ives-Rublee, Director, Disability Justice Initiative at Center for American Progress 47:30

11M ago47:30

47:30

What is disability justice and how is it achieved? And, what’s the difference between disability justice and disability rights? Wait – and another Q, what about the ADA? What does that do? And what policies and legislation do we need to build upon the ADA legacy? These questions are just a few of the many asked and answered by our guest Mia Ives-Ru…

1
The Fight to End Forced Marriage Across the Us with Fraidy Reiss, Founder/Executive Director at Unchained At Last 58:14

11M ago58:14

58:14

You’re going to walk away with a new vocab word coined by the one and only Fraidy Reiss, Founder/Executive Director at Unchained At Last by the end of this episode. And you’re going to use it to describe vile behavior and vile people. We’d tell you what it is here, but that would ruin the fun wouldn’t it? But we will tell you how this vocab word ca…

1
Affirmative Action’s Past, Present, and Future Explained with Dr. Shaun Harper, Head of USC's Race and Equity Center 54:13

12M ago54:13

54:13

This summer’s SCOTUS decision on affirmative action yielded an array of reactions across the sociopolitical spectrum. And, it also yielded many questions. Some focused more on what affirmative action is or perhaps at this stage, was. Other q’s were pointed at whether affirmative action worked and who it helped if it did. And more questions were air…

1
Hot Strike Summer, Inside Starbucks Workers United with Michelle Eisen 54:06

12M ago54:06

54:06

It’s the summer of the strike, and this week’s episode features an interview with an expert that explains how we got here. Michelle Eisen, of Starbucks Workers United joined us for a convo on strikes and fighting corporate power at large, but also to talk about the Starbucks workers movement. From the chain of events that catalyzed it to the union …

1
The Campaign for Federal Receivership for Rikers with DeRay Mckesson, Executive Director of Campaign Zero 55:51

12M ago55:51

55:51

Rikers hasn’t just forged its reputation from the likes of Law & Order, but for the continual humanitarian crisis that’s ongoing across the island to this day. The crisis has led to a campaign for a federal receivership with a long term plan to close Rikers by 2027. But will that happen? And then what happens next? And also, how did this crisis beg…

1
Running against George Santos and electing young people to Congress with Zak Malamed, Founder of The Next 50 & Candidate for Congress 50:37

1y ago50:37

50:37

If you’re a long time listener of the Girl and the Gov, The Podcast, you’ve without a doubt heard us reference our friend Zak. But who is he? What does he do? Well this episode is his big reveal [minus the people at our last NY event, sorwz for the spoiler]. He’s been working to connect young philanthropists with young future political leaders at h…

1
Paid Leave For All: An explainer on what it would look like, the fight to get it passed, and how not having paid leave for all impacts us all with Dawn Huckelbridge, Director of Paid Leave For All 53:09

1y ago53:09

53:09

Only 25% of US workers have access to paid family leave through an employer. To flip it, 75% of US workers don’t have access to paid family leave through an employer, meaning the majority of people do not have access. Important to add here is the word paid, which is a part of our conversation which defines the differences between terms like materni…

1
Latino Victory’s Executive Director Sindy Benavides on building and protecting a more representative government 57:31

1y ago57:31

57:31

This week’s interview features a conversation with the one, the only, the amazing Executive Director of Latino Victory, Sindy Benavides. Our conversation looks at the work Latino Victory has done to increase Latino representation throughout elected offices across the country – from the strategies to the goals ahead in 2024. Naturally, the current s…

1
The Vanderpump Rules of Legislatures: Nebraska: How Nebraska’s legislative sesh became a reality show with villains and heroes in tow. 57:38

1y ago57:38

57:38

AP News noted that this year’s legislative sesh in Nebraska was most akin to reality TV. And there’s quite a few reasons for that, including marathon filibusters and bad bills that progressive state senators pledged they would stand [quite literally] against. It’s that fight, which involved Nebraska State Senator Megan Hunt at its core, that we nee…

1
What’s up with West Virginia? A deep dive on the state’s politics, Joe Manchin, Jim Justice, and more with WV Delegate Kayla Young 1:08:23

1y ago1:08:23

1:08:23

This week’s interview is with West Virginia Delegate Kayla Young, and is the pod’s very first deep dive into WV politics. If you’ve been confused by Manchin the Menace, this eppy will help to clear it up. If you’re curious about how Jim Justice is not being served justice and is running for Senate while running his companies into the ground from th…

1
Explainer: Florida’s new immigration & voting laws with Devon Murphy-Anderson, co-founder of Mi Vecino 57:25

1y ago57:25

57:25

This week’s interview is with Devon Murphy-Anderson, the co-founder of Mi Vecino, an on-the-ground voter engagement and registration org in Florida that we’re in awe of. The conversation focuses on two immigration related laws passed into existence by DeSantis [if you want to see what we really refer to him as, follow us on Instagram], the horrendo…

1
FMK politics edition, dream prez tickets, worms with mustaches, and top political stories 46:33

1y ago46:33

46:33

Drum roll plz, we bring you a much requested ‘just us’ episode that really gets off to the races right away with a game of FMK politics edition. One of the rounds includes Mike Lindell the pillow guy, and the other round includes George Santos – yea, it’s brutal. You’ll have to tune in to hear who else ended up in the mix and you’ll have to DM us y…

1
Explainer: Background Checks, Safe Storage, Ending Family Fire, and Key Notes Surrounding Gun Violence Prevention & Reduction Strategies with Kris Brown, President of Brady 1:06:57

1y ago1:06:57

1:06:57

This episode is focused on a number of gun violence prevention and reduction facets and is done in an explainer-style courtesy of our amazing guest, Kris Brown, President of Brady. Through the organization and beyond, Kris has been working to reduce gun violence – a topic that has a number of addressable avenues. It’s these avenues – from safe stor…

1
Organizing Arizona: A look at Arizona politics with Alejandra Gomez, Executive Director at LUCHA 59:55

1y ago59:55

59:55

Without fail every major election year leads to a night in November where we’re all glued to a TV watching Steve Kornacki talk about what’s happening in Maricopa County. But what happens between those elections? What does the organizing look like on the ground? And, is the state red, blue, or purple? And how are activists getting folks not just out…

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