It's the Democracy, Stupid Featured Interviews

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Dr. Debra Houry, senior fellow at Yale School of Public Health, adjunct professor at Emory University, former chief medical officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and principal at DH Leadership and Strategy Solutions, through which she is advising California on their PHNIX initiative.

Dr. Houry discussed worsening disease risks, weakened federal health infrastructure, and principles for rebuilding trust and preparedness.

Here is a summary of the conversation:
- Measles cases have risen while kindergarten vaccination rates have declined; measles requires about 95 percent vaccination coverage to limit spread.
- Reduced staffing has weakened responses to foodborne outbreaks and eliminated or impaired programs addressing smoking, oral health, traumatic brain injury, drowning prevention, and concussion safety.
- Houry said political interference, reduced staffing, diminished laboratory capacity, and disputed data have made the CDC less effective and less trusted.
- Medical organizations, state and local health departments, insurers, and primary-care physicians remain alternative sources of evidence-based guidance.
- Houry proposed a science firewall, clear separation of scientific findings from political decisions, congressional oversight of appropriations, and stable expert advisory committees.

(The interview was recorded September 3 and aired September 5.) 

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Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Nicholas Grossman, teaching assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Grossman, an expert in international relations, discussed the impact of Donald Trump's presidency on global institutions like the U.N. and NATO, arguing that their decline was ideologically driven rather than due to institutional failure. He highlighted the administration's policies, such as the withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the acceptance of North Korea as a nuclear power, as increasing global nuclear proliferation risks. Grossman also criticized the current U.S. relationship with Venezuela, describing it as extractive and corrupt. He emphasized the need for accountability and suggested that future Democratic control could set up investigations and oversight to address these issues.

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Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Rev. Earle J. Fisher, Ph.D., senior pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church, founder of  #UPTheVote901, and author of "The Rev. Albert Cleage Jr., and the Black Prophetic Tradition: A Reintroduction of The Black Messiah."

Fisher discussed the erosion of Black political rights and the impact of gerrymandering on Black voter representation. He emphasized the importance of robust voter engagement and community support, highlighting initiatives like #UpTheVote901. Fisher criticized the misuse of religious texts by white nationalists and called for a reclaiming of true Christian values. He stressed the need for long-term political organizing and community involvement to build equitable political power and counteract voter suppression efforts.

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Filling in for Edwin Eisendrath, Jill Wine-Banks is joined by Rachel E. VanLandingham, professor of law and associate dean for research at  Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles and retired Air Force lieutenant colonel.

Here is a summary of the conversation:

Discriminatory Military Promotions
- Van Landingham discusses how Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is removing women and officers of color from promotion lists.
- Approximately 40 high-ranking military promotions have been blocked or delayed, with roughly half involving women or minorities.
- She argues these actions violate the 14th Amendment and undermine national security.

Military Leadership Purges
- The discussion covers the mass purge of senior officers, including the 2025 removal of General CQ Brown as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- High-ranking female leaders like Admiral Lisa Franchetti and Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore have also been targeted.
-These removals are viewed as part of a broader effort to replace rule-of-law advocates with ideological allies.
- The speakers suggest these actions create a "chilling effect" where service members fear retribution for political views.

Testosterone Testing and Equality
- A new DOD policy requires mandatory testosterone testing for male soldiers, which raises equal protection concerns.
- The Talbott case is mentioned regarding the legality of denying hormone treatment to transgender service members.
- T discussion highlights the hypocrisy of offering treatment to cisgender males while restricting it for transgender personnel.
- The speakers argue that focusing on these culture-war issues distracts from actual combat readiness and lethality.

Logistical Failures in Iran War
- The conversation addresses mismanagement and poor logistical supplies during the ongoing Iran war support missions.
- Reports from the USS Abraham Lincoln indicate deteriorating conditions, including lack of clean water and food for service members.
- Service members have faced missile and drone attacks in locations like Kuwait and Jordan due to inadequate planning.
- The administration is criticized for prioritizing culture wars over the safety and well-being of those in harm's way.

Press Freedom at the Pentagon
- The publisher and ombudsman of Stars and Stripes have reportedly been fired, threatening the paper's editorial independence.
- Stars and Stripes was founded by General John J. Pershing to provide independent news to service members.
- Secretary Hegseth has faced litigation for attempting to restrict reporter access and control the military narrative.

Religious Curriculum in Schools
- A new Christian-centric curriculum is being introduced in military schools, potentially violating the First Amendment.
- The curriculum reportedly presents Islam as inherently violent while framing Western civilization through a Christian lens.
- VanLandingham notes that such curricula often lack scholarly rigor by omitting historical contexts, like the Crusades.
- This move is seen as part of a larger effort to align military education with a specific political and religious vision.

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Filling in for Edwin Eisendrath, Jill Wine-Banks is joined by Kwame Raoul, attorney general of Illinois.

Legal Challenges to Tariffs
- Attorney General Raoul discusses a lawsuit against the administration's decision to increase tariffs on more than 80 countries.
- He notes that the action is intended to provide universal relief as tariffs affect imports for the entire country rather than individual states.
- Raoul emphasizes that successful previous legal challenges have already occurred regarding these types of tariff implementations.

Gun Control and Supreme Court Cases
- The discussion covers upcoming Supreme Court cases involving assault weapon bans in Connecticut and Illinois.
- Raoul clarifies that Illinois has successfully defended its statewide assault weapons ban in the 7th Circuit but has not yet been granted cert by the Supreme Court.
- He expresses a strong belief that weapons of war should not be permitted in public streets.

The Equal Rights Amendment Struggle
- Wine-Banks and Raoul discuss the ongoing efforts to secure official recognition of the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment.
- Raoul mentions his office’s past litigation through the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals regarding this issue.
- They discuss potential paths forward, including congressional action to clarify or remove timeline restrictions on ratification.

HUD Funding for Permanent Housing
- Illinois is involved in a multi-state effort to sue the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) over attempts to cap funding for permanent housing projects aimed at addressing homelessness.
- On August 7, a judge in Rhode Island granted summary judgment for a multi-state coalition, finding the HUD notice was arbitrary and capricious.
- Raoul argues that housing stability is an essential first step toward resolving various other social challenges for at-risk populations.

Protecting Election Integrity and Authority
- The conversation shifts to concerns about Department of Justice monitors being deployed nationwide during elections.
- Raoul highlights that Illinois has already challenged the authority to deploy National Guard members and had success when the Supreme Court blocked such deployments in Texas and Illinois.
- He also discusses blocking efforts by the Department of Justice to obtain unredacted voter rolls from individual states, asserting state authority over election administration per the Constitution.

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Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Eric Garcia, Washington bureau chief at The Independent. They discuss current political tensions, legislative action in Congress, and upcoming midterm election dynamics.

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Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Brian Finucane, senior adviser with the U.S. Program at the International Crisis Group and a former attorney-adviser at the U.S. Department of State. They discuss the legal, diplomatic, and strategic implications of the Trump administration's military actions in Iran and Latin America.

Finucane argues that the administration is operating in a lawless manner by violating the U.N. Charter and the U.S. Constitution, and notes that while both chambers of Congress have passed resolutions demanding an end to hostilities, the administration has disregarded it. 

"So yes, I think it is fair to characterize the administration's actions here as lawless," he told WCPT. 

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Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Rachel Cohen, Chicago-based attorney and organizer who resigned from her position as an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in protest of the film's capitulation to the Trump administration. She discusses the weakening of norms in the legal system, particularly in response to the Trump administration's actions, and dismisses the notion that law firms are suddenly prioritizing profits over law, arguing that this has been a long-term trend. 
Cohen explains that much of the pro bono work done by big law firms is driven by marketing rather than a deep commitment to justice. She also details Trump's abuse of executive power where it concerns U.S. immigration courts, temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitian immigrants, and birthright citizenship.    

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Ahead of Tuesday's primary election in Wisconsin, Edwin Eisendrath talks to Pat Kreitlow, founder and editor of Up North News.

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Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Ami Fields-Meyer, senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation, former senior policy adviser at the White House, and co-author (with Julia Angwin) of "On Courage: How to Be a Dissident in an Age of Fear" (2026).

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