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Future Hindsight is a weekly podcast that takes big ideas about civic life and democracy and turns them into action items for everyday citizens.
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The Edifice of Trust is a podcast that provides discussion and analysis of today’s current events from the perspective of America’s Founding Principles. Based on Enlightenment philosophy as espoused by John Locke and economic freedom as described by Adam Smith, the host, Victor Bolles, provides listeners a path toward understanding current events from these timeless principles. Many Americans believe that the country is moving in the wrong direction, the podcast tries to point out a new cour ...
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We may think that the worst of inflation is over, but a changing world order means that inflation will be sticking with us. Globalization of international trade since the collapse of the Soviet Union has kept prices low for decades, but at a cost. But now that globalization is receding Americans must be ready to pay more. In this podcast the Edific…
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We discuss deepening our understanding of the climate crisis, the urgent need for decarbonization, and our role in speaking truth about phasing out fossil fuels. Genevieve’s civic action toolkit recommendations are: Call your elected representatives and demand policies to phase out fossil fuels. If extreme weather comes up in conversation, connect …
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The Framers of the US Constitution conceived of a government that prevented the development of excessive power in any one individual or group. They created three branches of government with separate powers that acted as a check against the development of excessive power in any one branch. These checks and balances have frustrated the progressive le…
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Everybody Benefits from Public Schools: Jennifer Berkshire & Jack Schneider
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52:58
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We discuss the power and the promise of public schools, the universal rejection of book bans by parents across the country, and an inclusive vision for democracy. Their civic action toolkit recommendations are: Have a conversation with people with whom you disagree Remain open-minded. Jennifer Berkshire and Jack Schneider are co-hosts of the educat…
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People Power on the Ballot: Chris Melody Fields Figueredo
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We discuss how ballot measures give voters the opportunity to take power and agency. It is about citizens putting issues that are important to their communities, gathering signatures, and then putting them on the ballot directly to effect policy change. Her civic action toolkit recommendations are: 1. Voting is the starting line, not the finish lin…
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This so-called presidential debate was not as consequential as Mr. Trump’s previous confrontation with Mr. Biden but there was still consequences. Here’s my take on the so-called debate.By Victor C. Bolles
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These confrontations between presidential candidates aren’t really debates. But they are informative and can be consequential. Here’s what to look for.By Victor C. Bolles
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Break Up the Two-Party System: Lee Drutman
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We discuss how two parties alone cannot represent the diversity of views in American society, how fusion voting could solve for better representation, and who exactly should get engaged in our civic lives. His civic action toolkit recommendations are: 1. Support political parties and reforms that create more choices. 2. Be a good neighbor and parti…
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Today we are going to discuss taxes. I could go on and on about taxes but today we will just investigate some broad concepts and not the specific proposals of the presidential candidates. That comes later.By Victor C. Bolles
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What Is It Like to Run for Office?: Wendy Davis
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45:35
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We discuss what it takes for citizens to take action and run for elected office. Wendy ran as a Democrat in Utah because she wanted to give voters a viable, different choice. She knew it was going to be difficult to win as a first time candidate, but she ran so hard that she left a body mark in the wall. She lost by a mere 78 votes. Her civic actio…
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Replacing Joe Biden with Kamala Harris has not really improved the options we voters have in the 2024 presidential elections. The campaign promises of Trump and Harris run the gamut from dopey to scary. Most Americans do not support their radical agendas. Come this November we must vote wisely to protect America. In this podcast the Edifice of Trus…
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In her economic policy speech, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris blamed inflation on price gouging by greedy corporations. But Nobel prize winner Milton Friedman is famous for saying, “Inflation is made by Government and no one else.” Why does Ms. Harris and other progressives doubt that inflation is caused by government? In this podc…
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Joe Spielberger is the policy counsel for the Effective and Accountable Government team at the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), where he advocates in Congress and the executive branch to strengthen whistleblower rights, protect a merit based civil service, and promote government ethics and transparency. We discuss how government can be trans…
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Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. We were fooled by Barack Obama. We were told that Joe Biden was the centrist alternative. Now we are being told that Kamala Harris has changed her mind on her progressive policies such as banning fracking and Medicare for all. Amid all the excitement about her candidacy are we going to be played…
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U.S. Influence in Central America: Daniel Alvarenga
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26:19
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Daniel Alvarenga is a journalist who covers issues pertaining to immigration, racial equity, and Latinx cultures – with a special emphasis on Central America and its diasporas. He’s also the English language podcast host of Humo: Murder and Silence in El Salvador. We discuss the intersection of foreign policy, immigration policy, and democracy. US …
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The little-known movement of National Conservatism rose to prominence after its recent conference featured many speakers from Donald Trump’s Republican Party including J. D. Vance who was named Trump’s vice-presidential running mate only days after his speech at the NatCon Conference. But what is national conservatism and what does it stand for? In…
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Disinformation is Sabotaging America: Barbara McQuade
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Barbara McQuade is a legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, co-host of the podcast #SistersinLaw, and a professor at the University of Michigan Law School. Her first book is Attack From Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America. We discuss the dangers of disinformation and how we can defeat it. Democracy depends on truth, and as Americans we …
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To better understand Trumpism we need to look at the policies he is proposing and how they will impact us after he is gone. In his rallies he proclaims a great new movement that will transform America and he has anointed a new acolyte to carry on this new movement after he is gone. In this podcast, the Edifice of Trust host, Victor Bolles, will loo…
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Daria Dawson is the Executive Director of America Votes, which coordinates more than 400 partners to engage and mobilize voters for elections up and down the ballot across the country. We discuss why 2024 is - yet again - the most important election of our lifetimes. The biggest threat to American democracy is fascism and thus the most important is…
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So why does he lie? I don’t know. We can only speculate. We have gone from George Washington saying, “I cannot tell a lie” (which is probably a lie because there is no proof he ever said it) to “I cannot tell the truth because I don’t know what is the truth.” Lying is so pervasive now that has been renamed “gaslighting.” In this podcast the Edifice…
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Give Up the Bootstrapping Myth!: Alissa Quart
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Alissa Quart is the executive director of the Economic Hardship Reporting Project and the author of Bootstrapped: Liberating Ourselves from the American Dream. We discuss what it really means to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps in America, “the land of the self-made.” Humans are biologically wired to be interdependent. In fact, achievement i…
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A.J. Jacobs is a journalist and author. His most recent book is The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning. We discuss how the Founding Fathers prized humility, experimentation, and a willingness to change their own minds. The heart of our democracy is for the community to come together…
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Americans reacted with shock at the assassination attempt on former President Trump. It was as if they had no idea that all the apocalyptic diatribes from the presidential candidates, all the belligerent rhetoric of other candidates and all the hateful social media posts would ever be translated into action.…
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Nationly is a limited election series podcast by Immigrantly Media. Join hosts Sara Sadhwani and Juan Diego Ramirez as they offer their unique perspectives on swing states pivotal in determining the 2024 election outcomes. Focusing on minority communities—specifically, immigrants and communities of color—'Nationly' uncovers the issues that truly ma…
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The Democrats howl because the Supreme Court does not bow down to the popular will not realizing that the entire purpose of the Court is to frustrate the fickle and often irrational urges of the popular will. Constitutional change requires broad and sustained consensus not a slim majority that could change at a moment’s notice. In this podcast, the…
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Melanie D’Arrigo is the Executive Director of the Campaign for New York Health, which aims to win universal single-payer healthcare for all New Yorkers. We discuss the intersection of democracy and healthcare and what is necessary to create better health outcomes. The New York Health Act is a current bill in the New York State Legislature that woul…
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