Now that the presidential election is out of the way (still gotta win those senate seats in Georgia), we should be strategizing for 2022 and 2024. And for the latter, it’s not Trump who Markos fears, though he wouldn’t rule out his running. Markos fears a smarter version of Trump, someone better at disguising their nefariousness. Markos also gets into the upsetting realization that wearing a mask is what broke America, as COVID cases soar in red states who oppose them. Executive Producer: Adell ...
Nov 19, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 191
Michael Harriot is a Senior Writer for The Root and he tells the story of Quawan Charles, a young boy from Louisiana who went missing and was found dead. Michael is in touch with the family’s attorneys, giving us access to details around the disappearance, the white woman and teenage boy he was last seen with, and what happened when Quawan’s mom reported him missing. Michael also discusses his one-on-one interview with Barack Obama about his new book "A Promised Land: The Presidential Memoirs, V...
Nov 18, 2020•35 min•Season 1Ep. 190
How is it possible for a country to triple its wealth while also doubling the amount of citizens living in poverty? This type of question is at the heart of Mark Blyth’s work and his new book (co-written with Eric Lonergan) titled “Angrynomics.” In today’s conversation, the Marks get into what makes the economy angry: increasing uncertainty, division of class and wealth, and political and economic elites poor excuses and justifications for why things are the way they are. Executive Producer: Ade...
Nov 17, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 189
Treason is tossed around a lot in our political climate, but when is it a legitimate claim, or even further, something worth prosecuting? Professor Carlton Larson is author of the book “On Treason: A Citizen's Guide to the Law,” and today he makes sense of the crime in question and how it appeared in history and why Donald Trump was the reason he decided to write a book about it. BUY the book here! https://www.harpercollins.com/products/on-treason-carlton-f-w-larson Executive Producer: Adell Col...
Nov 16, 2020•22 min•Season 1Ep. 188
Cole Brown grew up in Philadelphia with the benefits of successful parents: summer vacations, private school, and all sorts of opportunities. But his upbringing, in what was considered a “white space,” left him wrestling with the feeling of being in-between. It wasn’t until his college years when he began to unpack how it shaped his worldview, and in his debut collection of essays, he explores parenting, friendship, police brutality, and eventually living under the Donald Trump presidency. Cole ...
Nov 13, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 187
Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos and Civiqs, is back for our first #ThursdayKos since Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were named the winners of the 2020 election. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Nov 12, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 186
Ian Millhiser is a Senior Correspondent at Vox and author of the book “Injustices: The Supreme Court's History of Comforting the Comfortable and Afflicting the Afflicted.” In today’s episode, Mark and Ian break down the details of yesterday’s SCOTUS hearing on the Affordable Care Act, addressing questions such as: What parts of the ACA are being disputed? What is severability (a word used much in the hearings, especially by Justice Kavanaugh)? What happens if the mandate in question is struck do...
Nov 11, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 185
Attorney CK Hoffler is the President of the National Bar Association and the first woman to serve as Chair of the Board of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. She joins today’s show to give her legal analysis of Trump’s lawsuits against individual states for various “issues” he has with their (legal) vote counting processes. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out info...
Nov 10, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 184
“If you look at where we are since February, we are still in a deep hole,” says Chad Stone, Chief Economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Despite jobs added, we’ve still got a 10.1 million job deficit and the recovery rate is starting to slow down. Chad breaks down the parts of the October jobs report that you need to know. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com See acast.com/privacy for ...
Nov 09, 2020•22 min•Season 1Ep. 183
We’ve been watching Nevada and Pennsylvania closely, but what about Arizona? Markos says that’s the state that might actually end up swinging for Trump. And the fight for senate majority isn’t over--there’s runoffs to be had! Markos gets into all the unfinished business that’s unfolding right now. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Advertising...
Nov 06, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 182
Journalist, filmmaker, producer, and author Jonathan Alter (his latest book is "His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, a Life") says this is the most important election since 1864 because we, as a country, are losing to a “full on authoritarian,” should Trump get re-elected. And drawing from his experiences and research for his latest book on Jimmy Carter, Jonathan goes on to explain how Jimmy Carter is the "anti-Trump," examining his legacy through that lens. Producer’s Note: This conversation was record...
Nov 05, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 181
No matter who wins the election, there are certain realities that will persist, and Rev. Dr. William Barber II is here to remind us. We still don’t have universal health care, a logical minimum wage, or a plan to end coronavirus in the United States. And beyond the presidency, when we see Democrats get elected to new house and senate appointments, they must be held accountable for the promises that earned them our endorsements. So what do we have to do? We have to stay steady, says Rev. Barber. ...
Nov 04, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 180
As part of Republicans’ effort to suppress the vote, they hired 50,000 “challengers” to show up at polling places and intimidate voters with an assortment of tactics -- targeting Black communities specifically. Barbara Arnwine has all the information to prepare you for voting today, whether that’s in-person or dropping your ballot off (DON’T mail it in! It runs the risk of not getting counted). If you experience any problems voting or have any questions about anything related to voting, call 866...
Nov 03, 2020•44 min•Season 1Ep. 179
Tennessee State Senator Raumesh Akbari is asking that you not fall for the okey-doke of the GOP. In today’s episode, she explains how Republican gerrymandering has impacted her state and changed its leadership significantly; but Senator Marsha Blackburn’s election to the senate last year actually shows the state’s changing tide. Speaking of change, Sen. Akbari also lets us know how Marquita Bradshaw’s grassroots campaign is doing in its quest to beat out Republican Bill Hegarty. Executive Produc...
Nov 02, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 178
Deyaska Spencer is an Attorney at The Deyaska Spencer Law Firm and her legal expertise comes in handy for today’s #WinWithBlackWomen as she gives us her thoughts on what Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation to the Supreme Court could mean for the country. She also shares her thoughts on Sen. Kamala Harris as VP, and what she thinks about the Black male celebrities, like Kanye and Ice Cube, who have joined in support for Donald Trump. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distri...
Oct 30, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 177
Don’t count on Florida, says Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos and Civiqs. As Election Day approaches, that’s not the swing state to count on; instead, look at what’s happening in Texas and Georgia, for starters. Markos also downloads us on what the numbers look like for early and mail-in voting, and what he has to share may surprise you like it did him. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com See acas...
Oct 29, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 176
Vote early, and vote up and down the ballot, says Ashley Etienne, Senior Advisor of Strategic Planning for Biden/Harris 2020, because every race matters. Ashley shares thoughts on Senator Kamala Harris, the current administration’s cruelty, how the Biden campaign is handling the confusion that Ice Cube created in the Black Community, and her analysis on where we stand in battleground states. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional...
Oct 28, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 175
Angelo Carusone, President of MediaMatters.org, gives his thoughts on how damaging the unverified Hunter Biden story has been, for both the campaign and the press itself; Angelo says they damaged their own reputations in how they handled the attacks on Joe Biden’s son. Also on the media pulse, Fox News broke the law with their news coverage in the early days of coronavirus when they encouraged people to go out and take vacations, despite Rupert Murdoch quarantining himself -- what could that mea...
Oct 27, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 174
Eric Boehlert, Publisher of Pressrun.media, is calling out mainstream and social media for their glaring errors, in both judgment and practice. He digs into Twitter’s flaky stance on banning, and then un-banning, an unverified story on Hunter Biden; it’s par for the course, as the GOP’s main strategy is intimidating journalists and now big tech. And somehow, despite all of Trump’s lies and corruption, the media still treats him like a fascinating reality TV star. All this and more in today’s cha...
Oct 26, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 173
Angela Angel has what could be the best job title we’ve ever heard: Director of Black Power at Bowers Consulting. And it’s exactly like it sounds -- she’s working hard with initiatives like Black Lives Matter to elevate their message and mission. She’s on today to discuss the importance of voting and why conservatives are merely looking to discourage your vote, not gain your support. She also shares some background on her support of Sen. Kamala Harris as VP, as well as her long history with Pete...
Oct 23, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 172
Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos and Civiqs, is back for another installment of #ThursdayKos and we've got big news: Joe Biden is on track to sweep Florida, Minnesota, and Nevada. But there's still another debate between now and Election Day, and Markos thinks Biden needs to speak directly to the American people and resist the urge to respond to Trump's heckling. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.co...
Oct 22, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 171
Wisconsin Representative Jason Fields is stumping for Biden/Harris in today’s episode, where he talks voter turnout and, more disturbingly, the potential for voter suppression in his state. Also addressed is the police shooting of Jacob Blake, which left the unarmed man paralyzed from the waist down. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Editor: Ryan Woodhall Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out...
Oct 21, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 170
LaShawn Warren is the Executive Vice President of Government Affairs at The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights. She joins the show to highlight the ways in which the Supreme Court matters to our rights and issues that impact us every day, how our civil and human rights are hanging in the balance, Amy Coney Barrett’s record on many critical issues, and why the Senate must not confirm any replacement for Justice Ginsburg until after inauguration. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Pr...
Oct 20, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 169
Trump has many strategies to win -- including suppressing the vote and spreading disinformation -- but our goal is singular: vote him out. That's what Holli L. Holliday, President of Sisters Lead Sister Vote, says is the first step before we double down on ALL strategies to improve this country through the senate and beyond. She also gives some insight into the Trump administration cutting the census count short, as well as what exactly is at stake for Black women if we see the confirmation of A...
Oct 16, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 168
The concerns of the moment are many: will Republicans (and their SCOTUS representatives) actually try to mess with the election results? How? What should our strategy be regarding the potential confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett? What will happen to health care, reproductive rights, and marriage equality? Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos and Civiqs is here to break it all down and give us food for thought on some potential outcomes. He also updates us on where we stand with polling for the p...
Oct 15, 2020•40 min•Season 1Ep. 167
Ben Jealous is the President of People for the American Way and he’s on today’s episode to talk about their Defend the Black Vote initiative, which sets out to raise awareness on right-wing attacks that seek to disenfranchise and suppress Black voters. Their goal is to engage more than one million voters by Election Day to fight against these misinformation campaigns. We also welcome DCP Entertainment CEO Chris Colbert, who introduces us to his new podcast project, “Say Their Name,” which featur...
Oct 14, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 166
Susie Madrak is back to give us an update on her coronavirus recovery, but there’s much more than that. She also has an interesting insight into the life and times of Amy Coney Barret, as she was raised in a similar Catholic atmosphere. And on the topic of Barrett, Susie tells us about a lesser known SCOTUS ruling that conservatives are looking to go after, which would allow them to come for any agency that wants to mandate masks. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distr...
Oct 13, 2020•44 min•Season 1Ep. 165
There’s been a lot of talk about the 25th Amendment lately, as Speaker Pelosi publicly questioned Trump’s mental fitness. Today’s show features some explanation from Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, presidential historian and the author of “The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution.” She gets into the origin of the 25th Amendment and its intended purpose, how the cabinet can and should function around a president as aid to his governance, and Supreme Court precedent and t...
Oct 12, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 164
Listen to Black women, win with Black women -- that's our strategy for the 2020 election. Each week we'll hear from powerful Black women on their strategies, concerns, and plans of action leading up to November, because we don't just want the presidency, we want the whole dang hill. This week’s featured guest is Gina Wood, Chair of the Public Policy Committee of National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Northern Virginia Chapter. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Dis...
Oct 09, 2020•35 min•Season 1Ep. 163
I know, I know. The polls in 2016 showed Hillary Clinton ahead of Trump at this point (before Comey’s October Surprise), and since we all know how that turned out, it feels foolish to trust in the data this time around. But Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos and Civiqs, wants you to know that the numbers are showing something different: Trump has lost a couple key demographics that put him in the White House, and that makes a difference. This, along with the potential for a Big Blue Wave in t...
Oct 08, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 162
