#1240 The bare-knuckle fight for democracy itself

Air Date: 1/11/2019

Today we take a look at the small-D anti-democratic power grabs implemented by many GOP-led legislatures during the lame-duck session with the explicit intention of subverting the will of the voters and the most significant democracy reform bill since the Watergate era meant to help restore eroded democratic norms that was introduced by the new Congress' House Democrats as their first order of business.

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Paul Rosenberg on GOP Power Grabs across state legislatures - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 12-13-18

Paul Rosenberg helps explain the naked, anti-Democratic power grabs by many GOP legislators in the wake of the 2018 election. They rely on a lack of public awareness, abetted by a lack of media sunlight.

Ch. 2: Michigan GOP looking to overturn election reforms voted for by the public - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 12-4-18

In Michigan, GOPers are jamming through last-minute legislation to block the reforms voters had adopted to expand voting rights.

Ch. 3: Midwest Republicans lost in 2018 — but they’re not giving up power - Vox's The Weeds - Air Date 12-3-18

Jane, Ezra, and Matt talk about state-level GOP power grabs

Ch. 4: Subversions of democracy are aimed at harming the poor - @offkiltershow - Air Date 12-5-18

The recent anti-democratic power grabs from the GOP aren't just reprehensible in principle but are especially horrific as they target the poor.

Ch. 5: North Carolina set the example of lame-duck power grabs - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 12-4-18

In North Carolina, the GOP-controlled legislature is hypocritically ramming through new Photo ID voting restrictions, even with the state in the midst of a massive GOP absentee ballot election fraud scandal in the state’s 9th Congressional district.

Ch. 6: The roots of America's democracy problem - Ezra Klein from Vox - Air Date 11-20-18

What happens when American politics just doesn’t seem fair?

Ch. 7: Ari Berman: Dems Introduce Sweeping Voting Rights Bill to Combat Rampant Voter Suppression - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 1-7-19

Voting rights activists are hailing a new House bill that aims to restore voting rights to millions, crack down on the influence of dark money in politics and restore the landmark Voting Rights Act. The bill has been dubbed the For the People Act.

Ch. 8: HR 1: The Historic Bill No One Is Talking About - Equal Citizens - Air Date 12-31-18

Watch as Lessig invokes the memory of Doris "Granny D" Haddock to illustrate just how significant HR 1 (and the fight to get it passed) will be.

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VOICEMAILS

Ch. 9: Gregorian calendar in use due to colonization - Anonymous

Ch. 10: How do we facilitate the movement of people to the left? + The shutdown is a ripoff - Laura from Alameda, CA

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FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 11: Final comments

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MUSIC:

• Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 
• Entrap - Darby (Blue Dot Sessions)
• PolyCoat - The Cabinetmaker (Blue Dot Sessions)
• The Rampart - Castle Danger (Blue Dot Sessions)
• Astrisx - Bodytonic (Blue Dot Sessions)
• Begrudge - Darby (Blue Dot Sessions)
• Sunday Lights - Onesuch Village (Blue Dot Sessions)
• Celestial Navigation - Aeronaut (Blue Dot Sessions)
• Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
• Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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