In what may be their best pod yet, Conall and Emerson have a deep, heartfelt discussion on navigating a perilous moment in history, and how to cultivate hope when things feel deeply bleak. Conall offers his broad perspective on the state of democracy in America, a little over one year after Trump has been back in office, alongside his analysis of the scandalous revelations and redactions of the Epstein files by the Department of Justice. Emerson offers a deep perspective on what community and resistance looks like from the heart of Minneapolis amid its invasion by the Department of Homeland Security. Finally, Conall and Emerson pay tribute to the late civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, and repeat his message from nearly 40 years ago: keep hope alive. 

In a far-reaching interview with the redoubtable climate journalist Samantha Harrington of Yale Climate Connections, Conall and Emerson talk with Sam about how climate change is transforming Wisconsin and other parts of the country, how the climate crisis is being successfully fought by Native American communities, along with the Trump administration's latest threats to FEMA and how this threatens disaster response across the US. We cover all of that and more in this hopeful, edifying interview with someone who is an expert in her field.

Sam's author page at Yale Climate Connections: https://yaleclimateconnections.org/author/sam/ 

Please support Sam's life-saving and informative work by reading and sharing it with friends and family. Some of the articles referenced in the podcast are: 

Sam's article about FEMA's struggles - https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2025/06/fema-is-unprepared-for-the-next-hurricane-katrina-disaster-experts-warn/

Sam's article about Wisconsin's tribal nations fighting climate change with great success - https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/06/by-paying-attention-tribes-in-the-northwoods-are-leading-the-way-on-climate-change/

Additional sources cited in the podcast: 

WPR article on the new natural gas plants being built in Oak Creek and Paris: https://www.wpr.org/news/public-service-commission-approves-we-energies-plan-wisconsin-natural-gas-plants

Conall and Emerson discuss the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court election that saw Susan Crawford defeat Elon Musk’s millions in a landslide, alongside other recent events here and in America. We speak about hope, resistance, and the importance of not listening to those who would tell us that what we do doesn’t matter. 

In The Great Purple State's first-ever interview, Conall and Emerson speak with Christian Phelps, a Wisconsin state representative for Assembly District 93 (Eau Claire and the rural areas around it). We cover a wide array of topics, from the Trump administration's illegal funding freeze's impact on farmers in western Wisconsin, our upcoming state Supreme Court race and Elon Musk's attempt to buy it, to the importance of education funding and public schools for all communities, regardless of their political lean. Vote for Susan Crawford and Jill Underly on or before Tuesday, April 1st!

In this pre-inauguration episode, Conall and Emerson discuss the presidential transition, Elon Musk's attempt to buy the American government, and how to stay calm and collected in a time of political crisis. 

Donald Trump has won the 2024 presidential election. He is set to return to Washington more empowered and vengeful than ever. Conall and Emerson give their election retrospectives and more in the Great Purple State's return episode in order to answer that vexing question: "what now?"

In this brief episode, Conall and Emerson discuss broader political trends in the state of Wisconsin and ask ourselves what the future holds for our podcast's titular state. 

Op-ed Conall cites about rural American political trends: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/25/opinion/rural-voters-republican-realignment.html

In this episode, Conall and Emerson discuss the upcoming high stakes supreme court election that will determine the fate of things like Wisconsin's abortion ban, voting rights, and fair maps in the state. We explain our endorsement of Janet Protasiewicz and encourage others to vote for her!

In this final episode of our episode on Derrick Van Orden, the Republican congressional candidate for Wisconsin's Third District , Conall and Emerson make our case for why he represents a threat to Wisconsin's democracy. From his embrace of Trump's election lies to his attendance at the January 6th rally, these render him unfit to serve the people of Wisconsin's Third. 

We also analyze the state of Wisconsin's democracy and how other Republicans like Tim Michels and Ron Johnson also represent a threat to it - and why it's important for us to vote on November 8th to uphold Wisconsin's democracy, protect abortion rights, and more. 

In this episode, Emerson and Conall dive into the culture wars the right has been waging against LGBTQ content, and how Derrick Van Orden's harassment of a teenage library page in Prairie du Chien proves his unfitness for office. We also discuss the extensive issues facing a district like WI-03, including agricultural monopolies, soil depletion, underfunding for rural hospitals, lack of access to healthcare and population loss - and why the Wisconsin GOP's policies have made these problems worse.

We hope you enjoy the masterful intro by Emerson. And yes, we soon learned after we made this that Brad Pfaff's name is pronounced "Paff" - not "Faff".