Start Me Up With Kimberley A. Johnson podcast

#News #News Talk #Kimberley A Johnson #Sarah Wood

50:30

Episode Notes [00:00] The Importance of Questioning [01:21] Introduction to Curated Questions [02:20] Meet Kevin Kelly [03:56] Kevin Kelly's Mentor: Stewart Brand [05:33] The Role of Questions in Intellectual Traditions [06:47] Disequilibrium and Growth [10:21] Embodied Questions and Exploration [11:11] Balancing Exploration and Exploitation [11:50] The Inefficiency of Questioning [15:53] The Abundance Mindset [18:39] The Inevitable and Quality Questions [19:26] Hill Climbing vs. Hill Making [22:28] The Challenge of Innovation [24:13] The Beauty of Engineering and Innovation [24:34] Navigating the Frontier of New Technologies [25:33] The Role of AI in Question Formulation [26:43] Challenges in Advancing AI Capabilities [29:11] The Long Now Foundation and the 10,000 Year Clock [29:56] Transmitting Values Over Time [31:03] Ethics in AI and Self-Driving Cars [33:26] The Art of Questioning [34:04] Photography: Capturing vs. Creating [36:12] The Inefficiency of Exploration [38:36] Daily Practice and Long-Term Success [40:17] The Importance of Quantity for Quality [43:22] Final Thoughts and Encouragement on Questioning [46:24] Summary Takeaways Resources Mentioned Wired Magazine Whole Earth Review WELL Hackers Conference What Technology Wants by Kevin Kelly The Inevitable by Kevin Kelly Cool Tools Project Long Now Foundation Stewart Brand Socratic Method Koan René Descartes Conde Nast Vouge Olivetti Typewriter Trolley Problem Terry Gross Lex Friedman Tim Ferriss KK.org Kevin2Kelly on Instagram Recomendo Newsletter Excellent Advice for Living Beauty Pill Producer Ben Ford Questions Asked When did you first understand the power of questions? Can I do that? Can that be something that you can learn? How did questions function differently between Eastern versus Western intellectual traditions? What role do you think embodied questions those we explore through doing rather than thinking play in developing wisdom? What's on the other side of the hill? What happens if you go to the end? What's the origin of this? How should one think about the exploratory in one's life? Is there anything that you would add to your list of 15 statements that define what makes a quality question? Is there a qualitative difference between the questions humans are asking and the questions our AI systems are beginning to formulate? What do you think would help them get there? Any idea on a forcing function on how we get them [LLMs] to ask the better questions so that they might improve in that direction? What were some novel questions that broke your brain at the time in thinking about this 10,000-year clock or beyond? What's it good for? What would you use it for? What else could you do over the long term for 10,000 years? How do you transmit values over time? How do you evolve values that need to change, and how do you make a difference? How do even know what you don't want to change? What do you want to continue? What's the most essential aspects of our civilization that we don't want to go away? What are the rules? What is the system? How do you pass things along in time and not change the ones you don't wanna change, and make sure you change the ones that are more adaptable so they can adapt? What do you think about questioning itself as an art form? How has being a photographer influenced the way you question reality, visually compared to verbally? Are you a photographer that takes photos or makes photos? What will happen? What will happen next? What are your right now questions that you are wrestling with or working with in your life? Can someone else do what I'm trying to do here? Am I more me in doing my art or more me in doing the writing? Do you have any other thoughts or encouragement about questions that we haven't explored? What makes a good question? How do you ask a good question? What questions do you dwell on to be in purposeful imbalance? What is your practice in embracing the inefficient nature of questions to achieve breakthroughs? What are the new hills you can build and frontiers you can explore? How can you use your curiosity and humanity to pursue questions that trend toward the fringes?…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson explicit

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Hosted by blogger and author Kimberley A. Johnson.'Start Me Up' isn't just any other podcast. I'm willing to call BS when I see it and I don't care if it's coming from a rightwinger or a self-professed bleedingheart liberal. I'm not always politically correct and I'm a huge fan of loose talk and salty language. Sarcasm is guaranteed and political correctness will be at a minimum. This podcast is for anyone who wants to listen to compelling conversations with a variety of guests about current events and controversial topics.

429 episodes

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson explicit

updated 8 days ago

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429 episodes

#News #News Talk #Kimberley A Johnson #Sarah Wood

All episodes

1
Start Me Up: Kiersten Warren 57:45

8 days ago57:45

57:45

Kiersten is such a delight. No politics today. We chatted about her book, I wish I were an Ocelot: Adventures of an Essential Kitten ; upcoming projects; the hate Pamela Anderson is getting for being and looking 57; the pressure women are under to look sexy (for others) their entire lives, and much, much more. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

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Start Me Up: Stephanie Dominguez Walton 1:13:23

17 days ago1:13:23

1:13:23

Stephanie is back!!!! No prep...just two best friends talking about what's happening out there. Steph talked up Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and shared what happened when she met him; Stephanie passionately discusses the importance of providing healthcare to all, regardless of immigration status or other factors, emphasizing it as a human right; we talked about the protests and backlash against the t regime, what we have to be hopeful about and much more! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

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Start Me Up: Cheri Jacobus 1:08:36

22 days ago1:08:36

1:08:36

Cheri is back! Today's show was more about our personal lives wth a little bit of politics thrown in. Topics: What we do for self-care; Cheri weighs in on what may happen to Social Security; she also shared that surviving cancer has resulted in a healthier lifestyle; we shared rumors we heard about sex before we were sexually active, and we ended with supernatural experiences we've had. It was a light, fun show. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

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Start Me Up: Author Ann Werner (My Mom) 1:22:28

6 weeks ago1:22:28

1:22:28

Topics: We discussed Ann's latest book series, " After the Apocalypse ," and the Democratic party's response to the current political climate, focusing on the recent win of an important Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin and Cory Booker's 25-hour Senate filibuster. Ann emphasized the importance of Democrats showing up to town halls and engaging with constituents--as opposed to Republicans who belittle or run away from them. We also reminisced about our experiences in an acting class and discussed our vastly different high school experiences as well as the concept of manifesting life experiences and much more! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

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Start Me Up: Jody Hamilton 57:22

7 weeks ago57:22

57:22

Jody is Back!!! We avoided politics save for one piece of good news. I record on Zoom and this was the AI description of the show (lol) Kimberley and Jody discussed their personal experiences, including their emotional struggles, lottery wins, and encounters with celebrities. They also reminisced about their shared past, including their childhood trauma from watching a movie, their experiences at nightclubs, and their preferences for colder temperatures. The conversation also touched on their plans if they were to win the lottery, including buying properties and helping friends financially, as well as their desire to travel and explore new places. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

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Start Me Up: Christopher Bouzy 1:05:41

9 weeks ago1:05:41

1:05:41

Christopher Bouzy is a serial entrepreneur, software engineer, and political maven and he’s the founder and CEO of both Bot Sentinel and Spoutible.com . Topics: We talked about the current state of the country and the need for stronger resistance against the fascist regime. Christopher's opinion on what happened in the 2024 election has evolved. We also touched on the potential shift in the Democratic party's identity and how that plays out in the midterm and general elections. The conversation also covered the decline of corporate media and the rise of independent media. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

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Start Me Up: D. Earl Stephens 59:48

10 weeks ago59:48

59:48

D. Earl Stephens is the author of "Toxic Tales: A Caustic Collection of Donald J. Trump's Very Important Letters." He's the former managing editor of Stars & Stripes, a Navy vet, and a prolific writer. His Substack: Enough Already Earl and I are pissed off and we vented BIGLY! We discussed the corrupt influence of money in politics and how it impacts Democratic optics/messaging; the impact of boycotts on companies--and the liberal scolds who only complain and refuse to unify; we shared concerns about the future of democracy, and the likelihood of the Orange scourge declaring a national emergency...SPOILER: He will. All that and a lot more! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

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Start Me Up: Steve Pierson of the The Practivist Podcast 50:35

11 weeks ago50:35

50:35

Steve Pierson is back! He is an activist and seasoned campaign organizer who has dedicated his career to empowering grassroots movements. He and Jess Craven have launched The Practivist Pod -- the practice of activism made practical . Topics: Steve shared the news about his new podcast and then we discussed the importance of focusing on gratitude in these very trying times. We also discussed an upcoming series of boycotts and economic actions aimed at large corporations, the potential impact of Republican actions on healthcare, midterm elections, and the concerns about Elon Musk's mental stability as well as some pushback from the right. Lastly, we talked about the importance of self-care and community action. Lots of good stuff here! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

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Start Me Up: Greg Olear 1:02:38

12 weeks ago1:02:38

1:02:38

Greg Olear is back! He's the author of Rough Beast , PREVAIL columnist & podcaster, and co-host of The Five 8 on YouTube. Topics: We discussed our concerns about the current political climate, including the potential threat to Social Security and Medicare, and the importance of a shift in the political landscape. We also discussed the potential impact of a general strike on February 28th and the need for continued efforts to raise awareness and possibly impact politicians. The conversation also touched on the importance of self-care, the power of individual resistance, and the potential for change in the political landscape. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

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Start Me Up: Writer/Director Jay Arnold 43:06

14 weeks ago43:06

43:06

Writer/Director Jay Arnold is back! He directed and wrote the original screenplay for the 2023 award-winning romantic drama “Shoulder Dance.” Jay’s first Documentary “Sergio Dondoli’s Happy Life” releases in Spring 2025. Topics: First, we talked about his upcoming documentary and then chatted a bit about self-care. Then we got into politics: Musk hacking into major government websites, how systemic racism affects all of us, fighting back against fascism and we end with what we have to be hopeful about. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

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Start Me Up: Tara Dublin 1:20:16

15 weeks ago1:20:16

1:20:16

Tara is back! She's a prominent resister, a freelance writer, and the author of THE SOUND OF SETTLING, A Rock & Roll Love Story. Topics: Tara talks about her book and why she wrote it. We both spent time discussing the importance of self-care and how to achieve goals with how we think and what we believe is possible. Then we focused on how Democrats can improve messaging--and how voters can help make that happen. We spent some time talking about ''liberal" frauds who grift off of whatever makes them money (Lindy Li) and who steal from other political influencers. We are both talkers and this show is jam-packed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

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Start Me Up: Writer, Sarah Wood 1:01:11

16 weeks ago1:01:11

1:01:11

Sarah Wood is back and she's extra sweary today. We love when she's sweary and there's a lot to swear about! Topics: the fascists want to overwhelm us so we disengage; Trump 2.0 will be worse than Trump 1.0 because many guardrails are gone but we still have power and we need to use it; focusing on self-care is vital; Germany knows Elon gave a Nazi salute; our news media is weak and it's failing us; ways to cope and Bishop Mariann Budde is a brave inspiration. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

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Start Me Up: Comedian Mo Collins 1:01:03

17 weeks ago1:01:03

1:01:03

Mo Collins is an actress and comedian. A few of her credits include MadTV; Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Parks and Recreation; 40-Year-Old Virgin and much more. After talking about the devastating fires in Southern California, Mo shared a bit about her life growing up in Minnesota, how she got into improv and comedy; what it's been like for her as a comedian and actress, and then we launched into politics. We discussed what needs to change and some happy and exciting news about what Mark Cuban is currently doing to help rescue democracy. We had a good time chatting and we hope you have fun listening. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

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Start Me Up: Nick Knudsen - DemCast 49:38

18 weeks ago49:38

49:38

Nick Knudsen returns! He's the Executive Director of DemCast USA --a digital movement to combat the prolific disinformation that is spreading online, we ask everyday social media users to share the truth and calls-to-action in their own social media feeds. Topics: Nick shares info about the premiere of his upcoming podcast; what everyday Americans can do to help rescue democracy; the Virginia special election this week was a win for Democrats (a hopeful sign); how we cope during the next four years; giving into hatred is what the right wants from us, and where we can find hope when everything feels hopeless. Important points made in this show about self-care and not allowing the firehose of news to get us down. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

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Start Me Up: Jennifer Taylor-Skinner 1:14:58

22 weeks ago1:14:58

1:14:58

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

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Start Me Up: Lorraine Devon Wilke 1:07:20

25 weeks ago1:07:20

1:07:20

Writer, performer, and activist, Lorraine Devon Wilke is back! She's the author of the award-winning novel, THE ALCHEMY OF NOISE; her next, CHICK SINGER, pubs March 2025, and her latest endeavor is a popular Substack titled "Musings of a Creative Loudmouth." Today's conversation was centered around how the election affected us and what we're doing to cope. We talked about pragmatic, practical things each one of us can do to ease the fear of alarming news we hear daily, and we share personal stories of how non-religious faith (in The Force) is our power. Neither one of us is religious and we don't preach anything--it's more about finding strength and having faith in the loving force within that can help us do what needs to be done. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

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Start Me Up: Christopher Bouzy 1:14:08

26 weeks ago1:14:08

1:14:08

Christopher Bouzy is a serial entrepreneur, software engineer, and political maven and he’s the founder and CEO of both Bot Sentinel and Spoutible.com . Topics: Christopher makes a compelling argument on why he feels the 2024 election was not rigged; Chris also talks about what went wrong with his (and others') optimistic electoral predictions): who can we trust to deliver the news; how we resist now; Xwitter is finally dying, and I share where I am emotionally. Today's show is a bit different. There's no intro or outro music. It's bare-bones talking about what happened. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

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Start Me Up: Stephanie Dominguez Walton 1:10:44

28 weeks ago1:10:44

1:10:44

Steph is BACK for Election Eve Steph is one of my best friends. She works for Planned Parenthood and we had an incredibly uplifting conversation about why there's so much to be optimistic about. She knocked on doors in Nevada and what she experienced was very positive. I detail why Florida is in play, and we both talk about how effective the DNC and the Harris campaign have been. If you're freaking out, listen to us. I promise you will feel better. Plus, we ALWAYS have fun! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

1
https://www.patreon.com/posts/114631664 1:06:23

29 weeks ago1:06:23

1:06:23

D. Earl Stephens is the author of "Toxic Tales: A Caustic Collection of Donald J. Trump's Very Important Letters." He's the former managing editor of Stars & Stripes, a Navy vet, and a prolific writer. Topics: With a little over a week away from Election Day, Earl and I weigh in on what we think the results will be and we specifically talk about Texas, Florida, and Wisconsin; will Gen Z show up this year; Trump and MAGA Republicans are embracing Hitler's ideology; Trump is clearly in mental decline; legacy media is a disaster, but the early vote numbers are encouraging. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

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Start Me Up: Jennifer Taylor-Skinner 57:27

30 weeks ago57:27

57:27

Jennifer Taylor-Skinner is a writer, essayist, and creator & host of the award-winning podcast, The Electorette—one of the longest-running feminist podcasts, offering analyses and solutions to the world's biggest political and social challenges, all through the lens of women. Topics: Trump's campaign is in freefall, he had a disastrous Town Hall in PA earlier this week and a disastrous Univision Town Hall with Latino voters while Harris is nailing every media appearance, including an adversarial interview on Fox; JD Vance's only focus is on demeaning childless women; it has become clear this is about a Vance presidency; Jennifer talks about Harris' Opportunity Agenda for Black Men and how the black community is being pushed out of the voting process by Republicans; and the problematic white women who keep voting red. All that and more! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

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Start Me Up: D. Knight 1:12:55

31 weeks ago1:12:55

1:12:55

D. Knight is the host of the Pardon the Insurrection Podcast . Topics: We discuss the idea of a possible silent majority: will there be massive support for Harris that isn't being measured, or is the race as close as legacy media tells us? Independent media is on the rise; The Harris campaign messaging is what Democratic voters have been waiting to see; talking with MAGA relatives and much more. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

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Start Me Up: Rachel Bitecofer 27:28

32 weeks ago27:28

27:28

Democratic Strategist Rachel Bitocofer is back. She's the author of Hit 'Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game . Topics: What Democrats are getting right in their messaging and how they can improve; the importance of down-ballot voting AND messaging; how the latest Jack Smith filing could affect the election; Donald Trump's rhetoric is increasingly more dangerous as Harris rises in the polls; how important the VP debate was and what you can do before Election Day. All that and more. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

1
Start Me Up: Brian J. Karem 53:18

33 weeks ago53:18

53:18

Brian Karem is a White House Columnist and his latest book is titled Free the Press: The Death of American Journalism and How to Revive It . He's a political analyst for Salon and hosts the " Just Ask The Question " podcast. Topics: Brian weighs in on Harris doing more interviews; the Harris campaign has the momentum, Trump is desperate and begging for money; the Olivia Nuzzi scandal is about journalistic integrity and not about an affair; the Walz/Vance debate will be entertaining but will it sway voters? We discuss Trump's sentencing--the possible outcomes and so much more! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

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Start Me Up: Writer, Sarah Wood 1:03:58

35 weeks ago1:03:58

1:03:58

Writer Sarah Wood is back! That wonderful, fabulous, historic presidential debate! We're still on a high and we celebrate all of the Harris goodness; Trump was humiliated on the world stage--in a way we've never witnessed--and from what we've seen of him to date, it's a good guess he'll spiral into an even more deplorable version of himself before this is all over; the Haitian pet rumor is already causing real-world damage; Sarah and I did our best to navigate what's happening now--all the joy and hope but we temper it with the fact that Trump and the GOP are still a gigantic threat to American democracy. Don't get happy. All gas, no brakes, but we have a real chance at victory this November. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

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Start Me Up: Stephanie Dominguez Walton 1:10:56

36 weeks ago1:10:56

1:10:56

Steph is BACK and we had SO MUCH FUN! Steph is one of my best friends. She works for Planned Parenthood and had the opportunity to go to the DNC this year. We had such an optimistic and hilarious conversation about Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, the future of American democracy and how good it feels to get back to hope and joy. I spill a little tea at the end...Such a fun show. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

1
Start Me Up: Christopher Bouzy 1:06:25

37 weeks ago1:06:25

1:06:25

Christopher Bouzy is a serial entrepreneur, software engineer, and political maven and he’s the founder and CEO of both Bot Sentinel and Spoutible.com . Topics: Christopher has been accurately predicting elections for years--we discuss his latest electoral map, why he says Florida will flip, and why he believes Iowa and Ohio are in play; Trump's upcoming sentencing will likely do even more damage to his campaign; Democrats must win big because Republicans will challenge the close races--but Dems are on it and they have the edge; Harris and Walz will do their first interview tonight and so much more. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

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Start Me Up: Author Ann Werner 53:43

38 weeks ago53:43

53:43

Ann Werner is my mom and the author of many books. Today, we discuss her trilogy about a global pandemic. Book one: The Melt. Book two The Augurs, and book three The Adepts was just released. After we chatted about her books, we dove right into politics; the amazing and very entertaining Democratic National Convention; Tim Walz is our real-life Ted Lasso; if we all vote, we will see a blue wave--maybe even a blue tsunami and why MAGA will likely fail at cheating--but don't get happy! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

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Start Me Up: David Pepper 35:15

39 weeks ago35:15

35:15

David Pepper is a lawyer, writer, political activist, former elected official, and adjunct professor, and served as the Chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party between 2015 and 2021. He's the author of Laboratories of Autocracy and Saving Democracy . Topics: David shares ways you can help save democracy and elect Harris/Walz in the next 80+ days; why State Houses are so important and why voters must vote blue down ballot; Ohio may be in play for Democrats; the Ohio Supreme Court is also in play this November; JD Vance is a gift to Democrats and why/how the Harris/Wlaz ticket is so electric. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

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Start Me Up: Frederic Poag 1:09:15

40 weeks ago1:09:15

1:09:15

Frederic is a former political organizer who now works in the entertainment industry. Topics: The Democratic ticket is enthusiastic and joyful and they are FIRE; Kamala mom'd a heckler and it was glorious, why Tim Walz was a great choice for VP; Trump has no more field offices and ads have slowed--and now Eric Trump is promoting cryptocurrency, hmmmmm; Trump enticing coming up in September; how to deal with election deniers who refuse to certify if/when Trump loses. All that and much more. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

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Start Me Up: Cliff Schecter 1:01:31

41 weeks ago1:01:31