IVN Election Reform Editor Shawn Griffiths recently spoke with Cheryl Graeve, the national community organizer for the National Institute for Civil Discourse (NCID).

NCID is one of 100 organizations sponsoring the National Week of Conversation -- a project of the Bridge Alliance -- from April 20-28.

In this excerpt from the interview, Cheryl talks about the events that will happen across the country during the National Week of Conversations, including the involvement of several elected officials at the local, state, and, federal levels, as well as the NCID's role during and after the week's events.

To get more from this interview, visit Shawn's column, "In Full Color," on IVN.us.

For more information about the National Week of Conversation, visit www.NationalWeekofConversation.org, and follow IVN.us for exclusive coverage.

Thanks for listening

Former CA Legislator Steve Peace on the Data Industrial Complex by Independent Voter Podcast

T.J. O’Hara,the host of Deconstructed, is joined by David Walker again.

The two breakdown the omnibus spending bill versus restoring, improving the traditional appropriations process, the continuing resolutions approach, the effectiveness and non-partisan nature of inspectors general, Dave’s gubernatorial bid in Connecticut, and more.

Dave served as the seventh U.S. Comptroller General, for the Clinton and Bush Administrations, as well as the head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Dave is currently running for Governor of Connecticut.

Dave co-founded No Labels, and founded and lead the Comeback America Initiative (CAI) in order to engage his fellow citizens in the fight to restore fiscal sanity. He has over 20 years of private sector experience, and currently serves on various boards and advisory groups, such as The Can Kicks Back and the Institute for Truth in Accounting.

Dave holds a B.S. in accounting from Jacksonville University, a Senior Management in Government Certificate in public policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and several honorary doctorate degrees. Dave currently resides in Bridgeport, CT. Dave is running for Governor of Connecticut.

IVN Election Reform Editor Shawn Griffiths spoke with Progress for All founder and law professor Tim Canova recently to discuss his independent campaign against Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who has been embroiled in scandals and lawsuits in the 2016 elections.

During the 30-minute conversation, Shawn and Tim discuss the candidate's decision to dump the Democratic Party, his litigation over ballot destruction in Broward County, the need for election and political reform, the Pakistani IT scandal, and more!

In Full Color is the title of Shawn Griffith's Election Reform column on IVN.

Climate and CCA Champion Nicole Capretz Gets Candid with IVNSD...

T.J.’s guest is Greg Orman, an independent candidate for governor in Kansas. Orman discusses how his business background makes him well-suited for governing and problem solving, his refusal to take PAC or special interest money, the breakdown Orman’s 5 key priorities, and the challenges of running as an independent candidate.

Greg Orman is an established businessman an entrepreneur. In 2014, he ran a strong race as an independent Senate candidate and presented a serious challenge to the incumbent. Orman co-founded the Common Sense Coalition to give a voice to those with moderate opinions. Orman’s book “A Declaration of Independents” chronicles his own journey to becoming a political independent.

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Katie Fahey, President and Treasure of Voters Not Politicians, is leading an effort to establish a citizen's redistricting commission in Michigan. She and her team have built a statewide network of donors and volunteers who gathered over 400,000 signatures to put the issue before the voters this November.

I spoke with Katie about her journey--from Facebook poster to movement leader--and the genesis of the Voters Not Politicians campaign. What I learned was how committed Katie is to listening and how central she thinks listening is to rebuilding connection and trust between the American people and our government.

Enjoy the interview. I certainly enjoyed talking with Katie. She's an important leader with a real sense of how people from diverse backgrounds and ideologies are reacting to being told by the political establishment how to be, how to act, how to vote, how to think. She has her finger on a certain pulse and an appetite for shaking things up. Right on!

If you have guest ideas, show ideas, topic ideas, please shoot me a note at [email protected]. I’d like to hear from the IVN community about this new podcast as I get going.

From her classroom to the Supreme Court. After 28 years teaching in California schools, Rebecca Freidrichs came to the end of her rope. Feeling bullied by teacher’s unions into supporting political causes and candidates she disagreed with she filed suit and ended up on the national stage. Her story has an interesting twist. She joins “The Business Of Politics” to shed light on the moment to end forced union affiliation.

This week T.J. is joined by Debra Hanby, the mother of an opioid addict who found her life’s purpose through her son’s experience.

T.J. is the host of 'Deconstructed,' formerly titled 'A Civil Assessment.'

The two discuss the story of Debra’s son, David Hanby. David became a heroin addict after being prescribed Vicodin for chronic pain after back surgery. Debra breaks down the spectrum, how heroin addiction is a chronic brain disease with misplaced stigma, how the opioid crisis came into being, and how recovery programs and insurance plans are currently unable to help addicts fully and completely recover.

If you wish to get in touch with Debra and join her in her cause, please send an email to our producer: [email protected].

Debra Hanby is a sales/marketing professional, a wife and a mother of 3 young men. She has worked nation-wide and has been successful professionally, but is most proud of her family. A graduate of Western Illinois University and originally from Chicago she moved to Dayton, OH 30 years ago. Her family resides in a suburb of Dayton, which is the heart of the heroin epidemic. She has been an advocate for the Recovery Community as the opioid epidemic has touched her life personally.

Hadley Heath Manning, Policy Director for The Independent Women’s Forum pitches her organization’s new idea for maternity leave. It’s budget neutral if you can believe it! It’s got the stamp of approval from Ivanka Trump and Senator Mark Rubio (R). We explore.