INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2021

For nine days in October of 1960, a drama unfolded in Georgia that would determine the future of the civil rights movement, the political fortunes of Kennedy and Nixon, and would steel the determination of Martin Luther King, Jr. whose life literally hung in the balance. This week, Paul Kendrick, co-author of Nine Days: the race to save Martin Luther King's Life and Win the 1960 Election, joins the podcast. Paul is also Executive Director of Rust Belt Rising --rustbeltrising.com.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR JANUARY 25, 2021

This week, excerpts from the Indivisible Chicago Inauguration Celebration extravaganza, featuring a panel co-hosted by Tom and ICA's Marj Halperin with Representatives Lauren Underwood, Sean Casten, and Marie Newman. The show was produced by Chicago4Real and hosted by Justin Kaufmann. Musical guests included Michael McDermott (featured in this week's podcast), Jeff Tweedy, and Jon Langford. Music produced by the Hideout Inn.

Find the complete video presentation, including all music, comedy and MAGIC segments at http://bit.ly/ICA_Inaug.

Support Chicago4Real at www.twitch.tv/chicago4real.

Support The Hideout Inn at hideoutchicago.com.

Also sponsored by WCPT 820 AM at wcpt820.com.

ICP is a member of the DemCast Podcast Network.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR JANUARY 18, 2021

After the George Floyd murder, there was a new commitment among White Americans to confront our national crisis of racism. Eight months later, have we made much progress? Maybe, if we're looking to confront racism, we are not looking in the right places. In a new book, this week's guest argues that the kind of racism that may be doing US the most damage is also the kind we don't even recognize.  The book is Tacit Racism from University of Chicago Press, and my guest is Anne Rawls, Professor of Sociology at Bentley University, who is co-author with University of Pittsburgh sociology professor Waverly Duck.

Link to article mentioned in the interview: https://www.routledge.com/go/black-lives-matter-an-ethnomethodology-freebook

Member of the DemCast Podcast Network

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2021

_1. The failed coup on January 6 was not a surprise. In fact many of us saw it coming as early as 2015.

_2. Excerpts from 2020 episodes focusing on protecting democracy:

--William Howell and Terry M. Moe, authors of Presidents, Populism, and the Crisis of Democracy.

--David Daley, author of Ratf***ed and Unrigged.

--Rachel Blum, author of How the Tea Party Captured the GOP

--Benjamin Page, co-author of Democracy in America? What has gone wrong and what we can do about it.

Member of the DemCast Podcast Network.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021

This is the time of year that we the a look back on the year that was, celebrate the good times and look ahead. While it's been tough, there were a number of things to celebrate this year. Three friends join the podcast this week to reflect on the year that was and look forward to the work that remains. Darcey Regan is executive director of the Indivisible Chicago Alliance; Jessica Droeger is a leader of Indivisible Lincoln Square and ICA board member; and Jason Rieger is founder and ICA board member.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR DECEMBER 28, 2020

1. ICYMI: Celebrating President-elect Biden, and reflections on riding the emotional roller coaster from November 2 to November 7, 2020. While there may be trouble ahead, for today, let's face the music and dance.

2. On Thanksgiving Day in 2016, at a holiday gathering in Austin, Texas, Indivisible was born. Three years later, an Indivisible organization exists in every congressional district in America. This week, an encore presentation with founders Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin, and an interview recorded in November 2019. We talk about the evolution of Indivisible, some of the lessons learned over the past three years, and what’s happening to ensure electoral reform — all of which is cleverly recounted in their book, We are Indivisible.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2020.

Starting this week, the days start getting longer. Hope returns.

ICA board member Marj Halperin joins the podcast to talk Georgia phone-banking. Learn more at indivisiblechicago.com. Also, save the date. Marj and Tom will be hosting Indivisible Chicago's Inaugural Celebration: Everything New is Blue Again on January 20, 2021 at 5:30. Stay tuned for more information.

In early December, the League of Women Voters Chicago celebrated the centennial of that organization, which was founded right here in Chicago in 1920. At that celebration, Lance Gough, outgoing executive director of the Cook County Board of Election, was honored for a remarkable career in the service of democracy. Mr. Gough joins the podcast this week along with League of Women Voters Chicago executive vice president, Catherine Mardikes.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2020

1. With the current president's assault on democracy, one wonders what the ghosts of those who died in wars to protect our democratic way of life might expect of us.

2. For those of us who grew up believing that democratic values would be simply impossible to subvert in this country -- well, Donald Trump, you have our attention. This week, to help explain how we got here and what we need to do now, the authors of the new book Presidents, Populism, and the Crisis of Democracy (University of Chicago Press). William H. Howell is the Sydney Stein Professor in American Politics at the University of Chicago. He is currently chair of the Department of Political Science and Director of the Center for Effective Government. Terry M. Moe is the William Bennett Munro Professor of Political Science at Stanford University and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution.

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020

1. With incredible ratings in one demographic, you might be able to stay on TV, but you can't remain president. This is the lesson the current President is having trouble learning.

2. The ComEd scandal that has gotten everyone's attention over the last few months is really a story of two scandals -- one is a bribery scandal that seems to be closing in around Speaker of the House Madigan. But what of the legislation that was at the heart of the bribery scandal in the first place -- one that promises to deliver services to consumers but failed to do so. Joining the podcast this week, Abe Scarr, director of Illinois PIRG. In Springfield he leads the charge for stronger consumer protections, utility accountability, and good government. In 2017, Abe led a coalition to pass legislation to implement automatic voter registration in Illinois.  Just this week, PIRG released a report, *Guaranteed Profits, Broken Promises*, which  details how ComEd has managed to stay profitable while failing its customers. Find the report at illinoispirg.org

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020

1. The US Constitution was  not delivered to the founders on a mountaintop; it was the product of bitter negotiations and tough compromises. The Electoral College was one such compromise, and we're living with the consequences to this day. Originally posted February 17, 2020. 

2. After the election in 2016, Michigan resident Katie Fahey posted on Facebook to see if anyone was interested in taking on gerrymandering in Michigan. People were interested. Over the next two years, she led the successful fight to end gerrymandering, and is now executive director of The People — thepeople.org. Originally posted August 15, 2020.

Member of the DemCast Podcast Network.