America's Fractured Politics
This is a podcast for listeners who are passionate about politics, policy and the future of our nation. It is different-it not only describes the problems we face but offers real solutions.
I'm an attorney, a longtime Democratic activist and Capitol Hill staffer. I'm passionate about politics myself, and I hope you'll join me on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Episodes
89 episodes
J.D. Vance: A Dangerous Poseur
J.D. Vance is not a conventional politician. He is a product, manufactured by a coterie of dangerous oligarchs. He is more subtle than Trump, and therefore potentially more dangerous. Listen as we discuss his rise, his aberrant behavior and wha...
History as a Mirror: American Racism from Reconstruction to Today
American racism and exclusionism dates back to the beginning of the republic. This episode draws a through line from those early days until today. The parallels are more than striking. They draw a picture of a vast number of Americans who view ...
The Breaking Point: American Democracy in the Trump 2.0 Era
Trump 2.0 was built on the failures of the first go-round. Hear how Project 2025 was implemented and what we can do about it.
How We Box Him In: The Trump Containment Playbook
Getting Donald Trump out of office is and has been close to impossible. Barring the unforeseen, the best way to manage the next three years is to contain him. This episode discusses not just the conventional means, but more resolute measures we...
Seven Months Toward Saving Democracy
This is a message to all of those who despair at what to do as Donald Trump rides roughshod over our civil liberties. There is much we can and must do between now and November, and beyond. Listen as we discuss empowering steps we all can take-n...
A Conversation: Mark Mansour and Phillip James Walker
Join me for a stimulating discussion with Phillip James Walker, a lawyer and former foreign service officer with decades of postings in the Middle East. We discuss Iran, various other foreign policy issues, and some domestic politics as well.
How a Presidency Becomes a Regime
One year into Trump's second term and we have been transformed into an effective dictatorship. Hear how it happened and what we can do, individually and collectively, to reclaim our republic.
The Four Potential Endgames for Iran
The Iran conflict continues unabated, with no exit strategy for the United States. In this episode, I explore four potential endgames. All are fraught with danger and only political will from all sides can lead to an exit ramp that creates an u...
A Republic of One: The Court, the President, and the Fight Over Administrative Power
This episode explores the current term of the Supreme Court, the cases, their meaning, especially for addressing the administrative power of the president and his ability to fire federal employees at will.
From Watchdog to Warning Sign: How America Joined Backsliding Democracies
International organizations have classified America as a backsliding democracy. Thanks to Donald Trump and his acolytes, we have lost our ability to serve as a beacon for the rest of the world. Please join me as we explore what happened to our ...
The Destruction of Lebanon
Benjamin Netanyahu is not defending Israel. He is gambling with its future—and with Lebanon’s survival—to save his own political skin. What he calls a security strategy is, in truth, a rolling catastrophe written in rubble, displacement, and de...
Iran's Invisible Battlefield: The Growing Cyber Threat to America
Iran's cyber warfare capability is a threat to the United States in the best of times. In the situation we find ourselves today, the threat is exacerbated a hundred fold.
The Myth of Isolationism in an Age of Great Power Politics
Donald Trump has effectively isolated America from the rest of the world. Except for the fact that he is willing to engage the world at the point of a gun. Join me as we explore the effects of isolationism on the United States, and n the rest o...
Trump's War of Choice
This episode explores Trump's phony claims about why he and Bibi Netanyahu attacked Iran, the implications for both the Middle East and the United States and above all, what must be done by Congress and the American people to stop this vicious ...
The Delusion of Trump's "Golden Age" and How the Myth Ends
The State of the Union was classic Trump gaslighting. Join me as I explore the myth behind the "Golden Age" and how it ends.
Rockbridge, Claremont, SACR and the New Authoritarian Right
Rockbridge, Claremont and SACR represent the most dangerous threat to democracy we know. Trump may be the bete noire now, but the project of these organizations is built to last. Join me as we explore each of them, who they are, how they functi...
This Electoral System Is Not Sustainable: Here Are Some Ways To Fix It
Citizens United exacerbated an already corrupt electoral system. Here is what is happening, what it means and what we can do about it. It is a no-holds-barred indictment of a system that has rendered our votes nearly irrelevant, leavened by an ...
The Elections Of 1864 And 2026: The Challenges Are Different But The Stakes Are As Existential Today As They Were Then
In this episode we explore the similarities and differences between the elections of 1864 and 2026. Both elections represent existential periods, but in different ways. Listen to how Lincoln navigated a free election during a war, and about our...
How to Make it Hard for Trump to Tamper with the 2026 Election
We worry-rightly-that Trump will prevent free and fair elections in November. This episode discusses in detail the things we-all of us-can do to keep our elections free and fair in the face of a man who will lie, cheat and steal in order to win...
Palantir: What it is and Why it is So Dangerous
Palantir has been around since 2003. But under the Trump regime, it has become the literal brain behind myriad government actions. In this episode, I discuss Palantir's origins, how it insinuated itself into the bowels of government, the gross ...
The Supreme Court and the 2026 Election
This November we will vote again. This episode will discuss how the Supreme Court puts its thumb on the scale for the Republicans. We will never truly have free and fair elections until they and the Court are put in their places.
Trump, Fixed Elections and the Future of Our Democracy
Donald Trump's trial balloon about nationalizing elections must be taken seriously. In this episode, we address what that would entail, what the opposition would like and what we can do about it. Time is growing short.
The Supreme Court Has No Business Taking Up Birthright Citizenship
The Trump v. Barbara birthright citizenship case should never been granted certiorari. In this episode, we'll address what is the real agenda.
The Rockbridge Network: A Dangerous Republican High-Tech Project 2025
The Rockbridge Network: The New, High-Tech Face of Radical Republican PowerWelcome to America’s Fractured Politics—the show that pulls back the curtain on the hidden forces reshaping our democracy. Hosted by Washington, DC attorney and l...