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
65 episodes
Donald Trump's War on the Judiciary and What it Means to the Nation
Join longtime attorney Marc Friedman and me as we delve into Trump's war on the judicial branch and what it means for all of us.
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Season 1
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Episode 65
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35:48
A Conversation: Mark Mansour and J.W. Mansour
Join J.W. Mansour and me for a stimulating, thought-provoking and wide-ranging discussion about Minneapolis, Greenland, Iran, Trump's activities, AI and a host of other issues.
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Season 1
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Episode 64
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49:40
A Conversation: Mark Mansour and Ramona Grigg
Join author Ramona Grigg and me as we discuss current events, writing and life in general.
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Season 1
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Episode 63
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33:14
Cold Blooded Murder in Minneapolis
The murder by an ICE agent of Renee Nicole Good on a Minneapolis street is a moment of truth. Will we and our political leaders rise to the occasion, or will this horrific tragedy be forgotten in a few weeks? We are at an inflection point, and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 62
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11:14
The Fourth Amendment and "Smart Policing"
Every day, countless times, law enforcement uses predictive tools, AI and other means to track citizens' activities. This episode explores the how, and the profound effect on the Fourth Amendment.
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Season 1
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Episode 61
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10:06
We Cannot Allow Billionaires and Trillionaires to Decide How AI is Regulated (Or Not)
A small cadre of billionaires (and one trillionaire) hold in their hands the future of AI, and in the process our futures. This episode explores who these people are, what they want and why we should want no part of it.
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Season 1
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Episode 60
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11:37
Congress Must Force the Release of All of the Epstein Files-Now
The stall has become old already. Donald Trump has something to hide, and Congress and the courts must act now to end this sordid, cruel charade. The girls involved have suffered more than enough, and they, Congress and the public have every ri...
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Season 1
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Episode 59
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15:10
The Recent Forms of Fascism and How They Compared With Trump's Dictatorship
In this episode, we explore the fascist regimes of the twentieth century and assess how Trump's dictatorship is both similar and different.
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Season 1
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Episode 58
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14:47
How Democrats Can Capture Independents and Non-Voters
It is more than fair to say that the absence of many disillusioned Independents and Democratic non-voters cost Democrats the 2024 election. The question is how to get them in the Democratic fold. This episode explores all of these issues and pr...
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Season 1
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Episode 57
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15:52
The Supremely Corrupt Court: How We Got Here and What to Do About It
The Supreme Court is now fundamentally a third political branch. We all have seen the deterioration of intellectual rigor, fairness and justice. This episode will help explain how we got here-and what we can do about it.
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Season 1
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Episode 56
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21:42
Trump's National Security Strategy: A Manual for Dictators, White Nationalists, Warmongers and Agents of Hate
Trump's so-called National Security Strategy is nothing more or less than a manifestation in one document of its blueprint, Project 2025. Replete with hate, dictatorship, xenophobia, international disengagement, aggression in the Western Hemisp...
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Season 1
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Episode 55
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17:10
A Conversation: Mark Mansour, Alexis Ludwig and James Nealon
Please join us for a fascinating look at international law issues raised by the behavior of the Trump regime from the perspective of retired foreign service officers Alexis Ludwig and James Nealon. You won't want to miss this episode.
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Season 1
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Episode 54
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49:06
Restoring Election Integrity
The Republicans under Trump have made a crooked mockery of our elections. In this episode, I discuss what changes should be made, both long and short term, and why reforming the Supreme Court is critical to these efforts.
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Season 1
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Episode 53
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15:10
A Conversation: Mark Mansour, Keith Bumgarner and Richard Gross
Join Keith, Richard and me for a lively discussion about a range of current issues, including Epstein, the Hegseth disaster, undeclared wars, corruption, tariffs, the ACA subsidies and the 2026 elections.
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Season 1
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Episode 52
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45:50
Hegseth's War on International Law
Pete Hegseth's war against alleged narco-terrorists took a new and dangerous turn when an order was given to kill two helpless passengers in a second strike on a boat in the Caribbean. In this episode, we take a deep dive into what happened, ho...
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Season 1
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Episode 51
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24:43
Mark Mansour and Marc Friedman: A Conversation About AI-the Good, the Bad and What Comes Next
Please join Marc Friedman and me as we discuss the present and the future of AI, the good and the bad, and how best we can regulate it to maximize the good an to mitigate the dangers.
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Season 1
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Episode 50
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29:25
The Alito Stay of the Texas Redistricting Case and the Bankruptcy of the Supreme Court
Samuel Alito's outrageous but predictable stay of an appeals court decision invalidating the infamous Texas redistricting map is yet another blot on this wretched Court's sorry record, especially in the area of voting rights. This podcast explo...
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Season 1
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Episode 49
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11:16
Trump is Sinking
While it is easy to discount the idea that Trump is becoming weaker, accumulating evidence suggests that he is. This episode is a deep dive into the cascading failures staring Trump in the face, and the implications of his steadily reduced auth...
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Season 1
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Episode 48
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13:55
The Battle to Save Voting Rights
What we can do together preserve voting rights from relentless attack by the Republicans.
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Season 1
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Episode 47
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15:32
The Deeper Meaning of the Epstein E-mails
This episode explores the impact of the Epstein e-mails, but also the broader meaning of what they contain.
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Season 1
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Episode 46
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18:16
Betrayal and Stupidity: The Wretched End of the Shutdown and the Path Forward
This from the heart essay about the end of the shutdown will infuriate and hopefully inspire. Please listen in and share. Thank you.
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Season 1
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Episode 45
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17:00
It is Time for Ranked Choice Voting
In this episode, we explore an idea whose time has come-ranked choice voting. Done right, it will produce better elections, better candidates and better government. Hear why.
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Season 1
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Episode 44
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8:17
Project 2025's Path of Destruction
This episode delves deeply into the mechanics of Project 2925 and outlines the damage it is doing to our government and our society.
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Season 1
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Episode 43
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10:18
Mark Mansour and Marc Friedman: A Discussion About America's Place in the World Under Trump
Join Marc Friedman and me as we dissect a broad range of foreign policy issues and assess the damage done by Donald Trump in nine interminable months. You won't want to miss this episode.
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Season 1
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Episode 42
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44:22