Democracy Nerd

The January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol was a fascist attempt to overthrow the results of the 2020 presidential election, using force to disenfranchise 81 million American voters and prevent a peaceful transition of power. The collected writings in The U.S. Anti-Fascism Reader couldn't be more timely. In this episode, host Jefferson Smith speaks to the co-editors of this volume, Bill Mullen and Christopher Vials, to discuss the rhetoric and actions taken by individuals and groups to fight the forces of fascism throughout American history.

The January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol was a fascist attempt to overthrow the results of the 2020 presidential election, using force to disenfranchise 81 million American voters and prevent a peaceful transition of power. The collected writings in The U.S. Anti-Fascism Reader couldn't be more timely. In this episode, host Jefferson Smith speaks to the co-editors of this volume, Bill Mullen and Christopher Vials, to discuss the rhetoric and actions taken by individuals and groups to fight the forces of fascism throughout American history.

In the late 20th century, various perceived threats to American's suburbs helped fuel the rise of right-wing media and the era's political conservative dominance. On this episode of Democracy Nerd, Jefferson speaks with Kyle Riismandel, author of "Neighborhood of Fear: The Suburban Crisis in American Culture, 1975-2001" about the political and social response to these threats--and how this response continues to have a political impact decades later.

In the late 20th century, various perceived threats to American's suburbs helped fuel the rise of right-wing media and the era's political conservative dominance. On this episode of Democracy Nerd, Jefferson speaks with Kyle Riismandel, author of "Neighborhood of Fear: The Suburban Crisis in American Culture, 1975-2001" about the political and social response to these threats--and how this response continues to have a political impact decades later.

In 2020, voters in Alaska passed a ranked choice ballot measure by the slimmest of margins. Now, in upcoming state and federal elections, Alaskan voters can vote for all preferred candidates, instead of just one. On this episode of Democracy Nerd, host Jefferson Smith is joined by Alaskan attorney Scott Kendall, one of the initiative's primary authors, and Alaska State Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins to discuss the various obstacles the ranked choice initiative needed to be overcome, and how the passing of this initative could impact the future expansion of democracy in Alaska.

In 2020, voters in Alaska passed a ranked choice ballot measure by the slimmest of margins. Now, in upcoming state and federal elections, Alaskan voters can vote for all preferred candidates, instead of just one. On this episode of Democracy Nerd, host Jefferson Smith is joined by Alaskan attorney Scott Kendall, one of the initiative's primary authors, and Alaska State Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins to discuss the various obstacles the ranked choice initiative needed to be overcome, and how the passing of this initative could impact the future expansion of democracy in Alaska.

Recorded the day after the attempted violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Laura Williamson, Senior Policy Analyst from think Demos, joins Democracy nerd to discuss the previous day's events, the victories of Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the run-off elections for Georgia's U.S. Senate seats, and the possibility to advance an agenda to help 'accelerate democracy' under the incoming Biden administration.

Recorded the day after the attempted violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Laura Williamson, Senior Policy Analyst from think Demos, joins Democracy nerd to discuss the previous day's events, the victories of Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the run-off elections for Georgia's U.S. Senate seats, and the possibility to advance an agenda to help 'accelerate democracy' under the incoming Biden administration.

In this excerpt from XRAY-FM's morning show, Jefferson speaks with Karen Spencer, who uses her experience as a first-time political candidate to use game theory to help explain the obstacles facing first-time candidates, particularly women and candidates of color.

In this excerpt from XRAY-FM's morning show, Jefferson speaks with Karen Spencer, who uses her experience as a first-time political candidate to use game theory to help explain the obstacles facing first-time candidates, particularly women and candidates of color.