KPFK - BradCast w/ Brad Friedman

Corporate media's fixation on their 'doomsday for Democrats' narrative could provide a pretext for Republicans to falsely declare 'fraud' if Dems do well in the 2022 Election. New Jersey and Arizona saw similar voting system failures on Election Day when optical ballot scanners failed -- in NJ voters calmly continued voting, but in AZ, MAGA reactionaries went crazy, baselessly howling 'fraud'. Voters in Houston, TX were actually disenfranchised by voting system failures. Trump announced he will have a big announcement. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

Last day to vote is Tuesday, Nov. 8th. A rare Blood Moon eclipse heralds the last day of voting in the critical 2022 midterm elections, which may be the last free and fair elections in the US -- we explain why. Republicans have filed 100+ lawsuits in hopes of disenfranchising voters in PA, MI, and WI and elsewhere by trying to discard perfectly legitimate ballots. Judge extends deadline for voters in GA who never received their absentee ballots. Callers weigh in on corporate media election coverage and what they think will happen on Election Day.

Guest: Alan Minsky, Progressive Democrats of America

New strong jobs report shows the economy is slowing slightly due to the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes. But corporate media's focus on inflation has failed to inform the public of the danger to democracy itself in the critical 2022 midterm elections next Tuesday, November 8, with hundreds of far-right Republican election deniers running for office and openly plotting to engineer the GOP into permanent minority rule. ALAN MINSKY -- Bernie Sanders supporter, former program director at KPFK, and current Executive Director of Progressive Democrats of America -- warns that reactionary Republicans are now 'emboldened to take down American democracy in their efforts to create a permanent ruling party,' and makes the progressive case for voting for the decidedly imperfect Democratic Party to preserve democracy, free and fair elections, and the future of the progressive agenda.

New reporting reveals Republicans' coordinated national strategy to manufacture chaos in next Tuesday's critical 2022 midterm elections (potentially the last free and fair elections in the US), with the goal of creating pretext to launch legal challenges of election results they don't like. Run by the same grifters and Trump operatives who tried to overthrow the government after the 2020 election, the scheme includes voter intimidation, voter challenges, disrupting voting at polling places and tabulation, and more. Illinois Republicans sue to discard legal ballots of military and overseas voters. New developments in investigations of Donald Trump. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

Guest: Eddie Perez, Open Source Technology Institute

With the critical November 8 midterm elections fast-approaching, voters should be prepared for election challenges and even 'manufactured chaos,' warns EDDIE PEREZ, election technology expert. Perez explains why MAGA Republicans are a threat to our democracy, the kinds of 'manufactured chaos' and disinformation that may unfold, and actions voters and election officials can take to prepare for and defend against them. Also today: a flood of election lawsuits, including a ruling in PA allowing the state to reject absentee ballots over minor technical errors.

Guest: Theeda Murphy, No Exceptions Prison Collective

The Nov. 8 midterms are critical for the survival of American democracy. And slavery is on the ballot - THEEDA MURPHY explains statewide ballot propositions in 5 states to remove language allowing prisoners to be subject to forced labor and involuntary servitude, why it matters, and the national effort to remove a loophole in the Constitution's 13th Amendment allowing slavery as a form of punishment. Supreme Court puts temporary hold on appeals court ruling ordering the IRS to turn Trump's tax returns over to a Congressional oversight committee, but also ruled that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) must testify to a Georgia special grand jury about his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

The Nov. 8, 2022 midterm elections are an inflection point for the future of American democracy and could be the last democratic election in this country, so every vote counts. Voters in Brazil rejected far-right autocrat Jair Bolsonaro in favor of former President Lula in a presidential run-off. Key U.S. Senate races remain extremely close, despite corporate media predictions of doom for Democrats. Republicans joke about attempted assassination of Speaker Pelosi in which her husband was seriously injured by an attacker steeped in the Trump/QAnon conspiracy cult. Callers weigh in...

Guest: Norm Ornstein, CEI; Angela Peoples, Election Defenders

'BradCast' Recounted: some recent interviews you may have missed. Congressional historian Norm Ornstein explains the stakes of the 2022 midterm elections, why Congressional Republicans' threats to hold the debt ceiling hostage next year to extract deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare could wreak extraordinary damage on the US and global economy, and potential tools to neutralize GOP debt ceiling brinkmanship. Angela Peoples of Election Defenders explains their initiative to recruit and volunteers to support voters at the polls who may be targeted by partisan pollwatchers or intimidated by rightwing groups, to ensure no voter is denied their right to cast a ballot, and that voting is a calm, joyful experience.

An unexpected twist: Putin's War on Ukraine is accelerating the transition to clean, renewable energy. U.S. natural gas production is booming, debunking false GOP claims that Biden's policies are 'crippling' the fossil fuel industry. International Energy Agency projects fossil fuel demand will peak in 2025 as countries speed up the shift away from volatile fossil fuels. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is cracking down on illegal 'junk' fees to save consumers money -- but Republicans already vowed to repeal them if they win power in Nov. 8 midterms. Amazon resumes political donations to insurrection-supporting Republicans. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

Guest: Brian Hansbury, Media and Democracy Project

With the midterm elections fast approaching, corporate media has failed to inform the electorate of real threats to democracy, amplifying the lies of hundreds of Republican candidates in races across the country who are openly promoting baseless lies about the 2020 Election. BRIAN HANSBURY explains a new initiative to help citizens engage with and pressure media outlets to protect the public against disinformation and report clearly that this is not an ordinary election but a contest between democracy vs. fascism. Comedian Jon Stewart demonstrates how to counter GOP election lies. Independent PA Senate candidate drops out and endorses Democratic nominee John Fetterman as the only choice to save democracy.