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Why does democracy feel rigged — even before you vote?

Joe sits down with Travis Misurell, founder of Think Futures Now (https://futureis.org/), to explain why voters feel locked out of the political process and how leaders are really chosen behind the scenes.

This isn’t left vs right. It’s a systems-level conversation about money, candidate selection, fear-based voting, and whether fixing how leaders are chosen matters more than who wins the next election.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re voting against someone instead of for something, this episode explains why.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Crisis in Democracy
01:37 Travis Misurell's Vision for Change
03:30 The Disconnect Between Voters and Politicians
06:29 The Role of Money in Politics
10:05 The Need for a Digital Democracy
15:33 Building a Transparent Political System
19:37 What Think Futures Now Coalition Aims to Achieve
23:06 Building a New Political Infrastructure
24:32 The Role of Transparency in Politics
27:22 Empowering Citizens Through Technology
29:11 Breaking the Two-Party Trap
31:45 Connecting Citizens and Candidates
35:05 The Future of Political Engagement
38:06 Creating a Civic Internet

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