Before ICE raids, there were pamphlets warning Americans about immigrant "peasants" stealing their jobs and "hell ships" dumping people into the Mexican desert with no food, water, or way to reach their families. Sharon looks back at the parallels between the mass deportations of the past and what’s happening now. 

Plus, historian and author Ana Raquel Minian joins Sharon to discuss her book In the Shadow of Liberty and the cruelty of immigrant detention in the United States. She explains why brutality was the point. 

And be sure to read our newsletter at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope.

Credits:

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

(00:00:00) The Long History of Demonizing Immigrants

(00:13:03) Ellis Island Was a Prison

(00:27:48) Mass Incarceration of Immigrants 

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You might know her as the woman who got dragged to a taco bell where her date ordered one hundred tacos and she got stuck paying for them. Elyse Myers’ hilarious re-telling of that story launched her career, and now she’s out with a new book, That’s a Great Question, I’d Love to Tell You. She joins Sharon to talk about her struggles as a kid, and what happened when she learned her brain worked differently, and there was nothing wrong with that. Plus, Tiya Miles is here to discuss Harriet Tubman, and how her faith guided her. Even if you think you’re an expert on Harriet Tubman, you’ll learn something. 

And be sure to read our newsletter at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope.

Credits:

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

(00:00:00) The Worst First Date Ever

(00:12:25) Learning to Accept Your Differences 

(00:19:06) Harriet Tubman’s Unwavering Faith

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Simply teaching the facts in and out of the classroom has become an act of courage, and sometimes, real risk. Former history teacher Ernest Crim joins Sharon McMahon to talk about why Black history, civics, and knowing your rights are crucial to navigating power abuses, injustice, and democracy. He tells us why he keeps speaking up even when the system falls short. Plus, is reporting the facts partisan? Sharon speaks with Katie Couric about the changes in journalism over the last few years, and how polarization, paywalls, and fear of retaliation are reshaping news coverage.

And be sure to read our newsletter at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope.

Credits:

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

(00:00:00) How to Teach Black History in Today’s Climate

(00:20:39) Pam Bondi Congressional Hearing and Journalism in the Trump Era

(00:32:54) Political Polarization and What Comes Next

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Americans are being offered a false choice: safety or rights, as though “law and order” means obedience from citizens and exceptions for the government. Sharon’s take on ICE violating 96 court orders in Minnesota in just one month. Plus, Jodi Picoult is one of the most banned authors in the country. Why? She writes about racism, gun violence, and LGBTQ+ rights, encouraging young people to use their critical thinking, rather than becoming permission seekers. She shares how to fight back against book bans, and why we need to be louder than the vocal minority. And Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger joins Sharon to talk about the future of the Republic Party, why nobody has gotten in trouble over the Epstein files, and how you can stay engaged without burning out. 

If you’d like to submit a question, head to thepreamble.com/podcast – we’d love to hear from you there.

And be sure to read our weekly magazine at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope.

Credits:

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

(00:00:00) If Court Orders Don’t Matter, Nothing Does

(00:11:13) Book Bans with Jodi Picoult

(00:28:32) How to Find Hope with Adam Kinzinger

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Gen Z Historian Kahlil Greene explains how today’s ICE enforcement has chilling parallels to the slave patrols of the 19th Century, designed to hunt human beings for profit and power. Then, Sharon speaks with author Karen Hao to talk about her new book Empire of AI, and why the biggest names in tech aren’t just building tools, but chasing a quasi-religious vision of control. Karen reveals how that ideology is reshaping democracy, draining the planet, and quietly harming people right now… but, she says, there are ways to change the future of AI before it gets worse. 

If you’d like to submit a question, head to thepreamble.com/podcast – we’d love to hear from you there.

And be sure to read our weekly magazine at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope.

Credits:

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

(00:00:00) How ICE Is Mimicking 19th Century Slave Patrols?

(00:16:36) What AI Tech Billionaires Really Want?

(00:29:27) How AI Is Hurting Us, and the Planet, and What We Can Do About It?

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This episode was recorded before Border Patrol agents shot and killed Twin Cities nurse Alex Pretti.

What happens when the people enforcing the law no longer seem bound by it? Our contributor Elise Labott reports on ICE’s expansive recruitment campaign and training program. Sharon is then joined by MN Representative Angie Craig to discuss the escalating situation in Minnesota and what Congress may, or may not, do in response. Plus, do ICE agents have absolute immunity, as JD Vance claims? Our guest, former DOJ attorney Liz Oyer says absolutely not. 

If you’d like to submit a question, head to thepreamble.com/podcast – we’d love to hear from you there.

And be sure to read our weekly magazine at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope.

Credits:

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

(00:00:00) What’s Drawing Recruits to ICE?

(00:15:52) What is Congress Doing About ICE?

(00:31:18) Do ICE Agents Have Absolute Immunity?

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The War on Drugs is being used to justify U.S. military actions, including a covert operation in Venezuela, but is that going to have an effect on the opioid crisis? Sharon is joined by Beth Macy, author of the bestselling book Dopesick, for a powerful conversation about her new release, Paper Girl, and the addiction, poverty, and deep political divides plaguing communities. Plus, Sharon breaks down the viral video claiming daycare fraud in Minneapolis, walking through what the video alleges, and what investigators have actually found. 

Since the recording of this episode, the Minnesota Attorney General has charged health care owner Mohamed Abdirashid Omarxeyd with 8 felonies for allegedly using his Health Services agency to steal $3.2 million from the Minnesota Medical Assistance (Medicaid) program.

If you’d like to submit a question, head to thepreamble.com/podcast – we’d love to hear from you there.

And be sure to read our weekly magazine at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope.

Credits:

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

(00:00:00) The U.S. War on Drugs and Interview with Beth Macy

(00:22:29) Viral Claims of Fraud at Minnesota Daycares

(00:30:47) What Fraud Has Been Found In Minnesota

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The story you didn’t know: The Pentagon Papers. Politics Professor Casey Burgat tells us about the government lies, coverup, and the reporters who exposed all of it. Then Sharon talks with economist and Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman about the lies you often hear about immigration and its effects on the economy, why American oil companies actually don’t want Venezuelan oil, and his predictions for the 2026 economy.

Plus Sharon answers your most pressing questions:

If you’d like to submit a question, head to thepreamble.com/podcast – we’d love to hear from you there.

And be sure to read our weekly magazine at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope.

Credits:

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

(00:00:00) The Pentagon Papers with Casey Burgat

(00:16:55) Interview with Paul Krugman

(00:30:48) Q&A

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Margaret “Peggy” Taylor was a true pioneer woman, so the White House was never the life she wanted. She spent decades roughing it at remote army posts, surviving war, illness, and devastating loss alongside her soldier husband. When Zachary Taylor became president, Peggy quietly stepped away from Washington society, choosing instead to focus on her faith and family. It’s a reminder that not every First Lady wanted the job.

If you’d like to submit a question for Sharon to answer, head to ThePreamble.com/podcast – we’d love to hear from you there.

And be sure to read our weekly magazine at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of people who still believe understanding is an act of hope.

Credits:

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

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Sarah Polk was one of the most politically powerful women of her era. From running her husband’s political operation behind the scenes to mastering the art of influence, she knew exactly how power worked. She shaped her husband’s presidency, set social rules in the White House, and proved that ambition didn’t have to be loud to be effective. This is the story of a woman who changed American politics.

If you’d like to submit a question for Sharon to answer, head to ThePreamble.com/podcast – we’d love to hear from you there.

And be sure to read our weekly magazine at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of people who still believe understanding is an act of hope.

Credits:

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

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