The Progressive Happy Hour

By The Progressive Happy Hour

News & Politics Government & Organizations Non-Profit

What's The Progressive Happy Hour about?

People For the American Way’s new podcast, “The Progressive Happy Hour,” is all about talking politics with pop culture, organizing with attitude, and the Constitution with a couple of cocktails. Every week hosts Christin “Cici” Battle, director of PFAW’s Young People For Action, and Drew Courtney, PFAW’s vice president for communications and research, discuss the big stories of the day and strategize about ways to create the America we want.

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The Progressive Happy Hour episodes:

03.29.2019
What We Don’t Know About the Mueller Report
William Barr’s letter cherry-picked information from Mueller’s Russia report. Many media outlets took Barr’s letter at face value and reported that Mueller found no proof of collusion, but no one knows the facts. No one outside DOJ has actually seen...
03.22.2019
Confirmed Judges, Confirmed Fears
The Supreme Court and lower federal courts have a direct impact on our rights and liberties, but the president is stacking the bench with narrow-minded elitists who serve the interests of corporations and the rich at the expense of all...
03.15.2019
Disability Rights are Human Rights
One especially shameful detail of the college admissions scandal is that many students faked learning disabilities to game the admissions system. In the March 15 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” cohost Drew Courtney and guest host Diallo Brooks talk...
03.08.2019
The Fight for a Fair and Accurate Census
The importance of the census is far reaching and having accurate data is critical to protecting equity, voting rights and civil rights. In the March 6 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” cohosts Drew Courtney and Cici Battle talk to...
03.01.2019
The Rise of the Global Right
The rise of extremist ideology, leaders and government isn’t just gaining steam in the U.S. – it’s happening in Europe and around the world. In the March 1 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” cohost Drew Courtney and guest host...
02.22.2019
Building a Resilient Resistance
Resilience is critical in sustaining our work as progressive activists, but as bigotry thrives under the Trump administration, the trend to “cancel” even our comrades and allies for their mistakes is on the rise. In the February 22 episode of...
02.15.2019
How the Religious Right is Informing Policy
Members of the Religious Right remain some of the president’s most ardent supporters, in part because of the access they now have to the White House. But that unprecedented access has grave implications for our policies. In the February 15...
02.08.2019
The Real Immigration Crisis
Between Trump’s government shutdown over border wall funding, ICE’s unprecedented levels of violence and terror, ongoing mass deportations and family separations, a surge of anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies continue to instill fear and cause damage to immigrants across the country....
02.01.2019
Fighting for Racial Justice in 2019
In Trump’s era of unabashed racism, racist attacks and rhetoric have escalated at a frightening pace. But a commitment to racial justice requires us to fight the economic, social and political systems that perpetuate racial oppression. In the February 1...
01.25.2019
Film and Politics in the Trump Era
April Reign’s #OscarsSoWhite hashtag shone a spotlight on the lack of diversity in Hollywood, and since then, the Academy and its nominees have become more diverse. Certainly, culture can influence film, but film also shapes our culture – and...
01.18.2019
Who is William Barr?
After forcing out Jeff Sessions last November, President Trump nominated William Barr to fill Sessions’ role as head the Justice Department. Barr’s confirmation hearings were held this week, and were scrutinized by politicians and progressive activists alike. In the January...
01.11.2019
The Trump/Republican Shutdown
It’s been 20 days since Trump shut down the federal government, and the effects of this shutdown continue to pile up. In the January 11 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” cohost Drew Courtney and guest host Diallo Brooks talk...
01.04.2019
Democracy Reform in 2019
House Democrats, emboldened by their new majority in the 116th Congress, are ready to fight for reforms that strengthen our democracy with H.R. 1, their first bill of the new session. In the January 4 episode of “The Progressive Happy...
12.28.2018
New Year’s Eve Spectacular
There are just a few days left before 2019, and New Year’s resolutions are on many people’s minds. In the December 28 New Year’s Eve mini-episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” cohosts Drew Courtney and Cici Battle share their resolutions,...
12.21.2018
2018 Year in Review
From this year’s midterms blue wave to the fight for the Supreme Court to ongoing chaos in the Trump administration, a lot happened in 2018. Progressive activists continued to fight tooth and nail against bigotry and extremism – and along...
12.14.2018
Progressive Organizing in the African American Church
Many African American pastors and ministers still lift up the ideals that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for as a minister and leader of the civil rights movement, but connecting those values with specific actions that advance progressive ideals...
12.07.2018
Catching Up On the Mueller Investigation
As Americans digest the latest news about the Mueller investigation, it’s important to place these developments in the broader context of the threat to our democracy. In the December 7 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” cohost Christin “Cici” Battle...
11.30.2018
Reforming Our Public Schools
Education reform is a political hot topic on both sides of the aisle. And while many progressives understand the inequities that plague public schools, understanding how to enact real change can be daunting. In the November 28 episode of “The...
11.21.2018
A 2018 Thanksgiving Spectacular
This year has been a tumultuous and painful one for so many progressive activists. That’s one reason it’s important to cultivate and recognize gratitude for the good things in our lives. In the November 21 Thanksgiving mini-episode of “The Progressive...
11.16.2018
Empowering Young Elected Leaders
Over the coming months, Congress will welcome dozens of Gen Xers and millennials to its ranks. Their visions for change helped them win their elections, but being in office requires a wider skill set. In the November 16 episode of...
11.09.2018
Takeaways from the 2018 Midterms
Democrats took control of the House in the midterms this week, and it was a historic night for progressive women and people of color, LGBTQ folks, and young candidates. In the November 9 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” cohosts...
11.02.2018
Protecting the Lower Courts
The Supreme Court is becoming a more important issue for many Americans, but lower court judges also have ample opportunity to affect our lives through their rulings. On the November 2 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” cohosts Cici Battle...
10.26.2018
Voting Rights, Restrictions, and Restoration
Republicans in many states have tightened voting restrictions, but these practices are nothing new. From literacy laws to “exact match” laws and restrictions on formerly incarcerated people, voter restrictions have long been a source of inequality. In the October 26...
10.19.2018
Winning the 2018 Midterms
The 2018 midterm elections are less than 18 days away, and many Americans are already voting in what many hope will be a momentous election for progressives. On the October 19 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” host Drew Courtney...
10.12.2018
SCOTUS Debrief: What Now?
Last weekend, Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court, ending a process that was corrupt from the start. When he was first nominated by Trump in July, progressive activists were energized for the fight, but many of us find...
10.05.2018
The Right’s Reaction to the Kavanaugh Hearings
Since Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination, progressive organizations and activists have fought tirelessly against his nomination, but right-wing extremists and media have reacted differently to his nomination and the allegations of sexual assault against him. On the October 5 episode...
09.28.2018
Supporting Abortion Funds and the Need for Self Care
Since Trump took office, conversations on self care have become common. But for those working in progressive spaces, fighting for justice has been especially draining, and self care has become vital. On the September 28 episode of “The Progressive Happy...
09.21.2018
Organizing for Reproductive Rights and Freedom
Since the early 1900s, progressive organizations and activists have fought to ensure that reproductive rights remain protected. On the September 21 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” cohosts Drew Courtney and Cici Battle sit down with Kelley Robinson, national organizing...
09.14.2018
Changing Politics and Intersectional Organizing in Florida
As Florida’s population continues to grow, it has become a key battleground state in national elections. And Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum’s recent primary win is just one indicator of Florida’s changing political tide. In the September 14...
09.07.2018
Disability and Inclusion in the Progressive Movement
Disability activists have noticed that disability representation is an issue that remains underrepresented in progressive spaces. In the September 7 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” Drew Courtney and Diallo Brooks talk to Rachna Sizemore Heizer, disability rights activist and...
08.31.2018
The Fight for Gun Violence Prevention
Over the past several years, as deadly mass shootings continue to occur with alarming frequency, gun violence prevention has been hotly debated by our federal and state officials and the general public. In the August 29 episode of “The...
08.24.2018
Alex Jones, Technology and the Alt Right
Hard-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ podcast was banned from Spotify, Google, YouTube, Apple and other tech companies for violating of their terms of service. In the August 24 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” co-hosts Cici Battle and Drew Courtney...
08.17.2018
Young People For Tallahassee Road Show
The midterm elections are less than 3 months away, and progressive young candidates and data suggests that young progressive voters are galvanizing to take the ballot box by storm. Friends of the podcast may recall that the PFAW Foundation’s Young...
08.10.2018
Young People Building Power to Win
Bigotry and racism have become increasingly normalized, and in response, young people are boldly leading the charge for systemic policy change. Affiliate PFAW Foundation’s Young People For (which co-host Cici Battle leads) leverages young folks’ passion and energy to become...
08.03.2018
Trump’s Anti-Muslim Ideology and the Fight to Restore Religious Freedom
Trump’s anti-Muslim bigotry is no secret. Aside from his hateful rhetoric, he’s enacted the Muslim ban and other policies attacking Muslims that have caused damage to millions of families around the world. In the August 3 episode of “The Progressive Happy...
07.27.2018
Young People, Young Leaders
Progressive activists are fighting back against Trump and his enablers, but it’s local politics that addresses community issues and creates immediate change—and young people are leading the charge. In the July 27 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” co-hosts Drew...
07.21.2018
LGBTQ Rights, Brett Kavanaugh and What’s at Stake
Since Brett Kavanaugh was nominated to the Court, activists are spreading the word about what’s at stake for the LGBTQ community if he were confirmed. In the July 20 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” co-host Drew Courtney and PFAW’s...
07.13.2018
Brett Kavanaugh, Reproductive Justice and the Fight Ahead
Last Monday, July 9, Donald Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to replace Anthony Kennedy in the Supreme Court. In the July 13 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” co-hosts Drew Courtney and Cici Battle sat down with All*Above All Senior Policy...
07.06.2018
Justice Kennedy’s Retirement and the Supreme Court Vacancy
News of Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement from the Supreme Court took the country by storm last week. In the July 6 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” co-hosts Drew Courtney and Cici Battle sat down with People For the American...
06.29.2018
Progressive Resistance in the Trump Era
Progressive political resistance has been on the rise since Donald Trump took office – but it’s not new, and we have much to learn from the activists who came before us. In the June 29 episode of “The Progressive Happy...
06.22.2018
A New Lawsuit on Trump’s Unconstitutional Foreign Emoluments
Since he took office, Donald Trump has continued to prioritize his business interests over those of the American people. In the June 22 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” co-hosts Drew Courtney and PFAW senior director outreach and engagement...
06.15.2018
Mental Health and the Progressive Movement
The high-profile deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain’s by suicide last week focused a spotlight on the importance of addressing mental health and health care. In the June 8 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” co-hosts Christin “Cici” Battle and Drew Courtney...
06.08.2018
Combatting Police Violence Against Communities of Color
With communities of color enduring one tragedy after another at the hands of police, addressing police violence is an issue that should be a priority for everyone. In the June 8 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” co-hosts Christin “Cici”...
06.01.2018
Protecting the Safety and Rights of Sex Workers
June 1 marks the first-ever national day of action in support of the rights of sex workers, with advocates from across the country speaking out against policies that could put their safety and even survival at risk. In the new...
05.25.2018
The Right-Wing Takeover of Our Courts
Since President Trump took office, his administration and Senate Republicans have been filling our courts with narrow-minded, elitist judges at a record pace. In the May 25 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” co-hosts Christin “Cici” Battle and Drew Courtney...
05.18.2018
Transgender Equality in the Trump Era
In early May the Justice Department announced they are rolling back rules that protect transgender people in prisons, the latest attack from an administration that has taken every opportunity to undermine rights for transgender people. In the May 18 episode...
05.11.2018
Far-Right Candidates to Watch in 2018
Disgraced coal baron Don Blankenship received over 27,000 votes in the West Virginia Republican Senate primary, even after being convicted for his role in an explosion that killed 29 coal miners and running a racist campaign. Blankenship lost, but was...
05.04.2018
Fighting for Affordable Housing in the Trump Era
With the lack of affordable housing already at a crisis point across the country, last week HUD Secretary Ben Carson floated a plan that would sharply increase what the lowest-income households have to pay in rent. In the May 4...
04.27.2018
Trump Is Not Above the Law
As Congress advances a bipartisan bill to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, President Trump is not backing down from his efforts to undermine and interfere with this critical work. In the April 27 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,”...
04.20.2018
The Long Fight for Equal Pay
April 10 marked Equal Pay Day, the day when—on average—women’s wages symbolically “catch up” to men’s wages from the previous year. In the April 20 episode of “The Progressive Happy Hour,” co-hosts Christin “Cici” Battle and Drew Courtney sat down...

What's The Progressive Happy Hour about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Progressive Happy Hour episodes:

What We Don’t Know About the Mueller Report

Confirmed Judges, Confirmed Fears

Disability Rights are Human Rights

The Fight for a Fair and Accurate Census

The Rise of the Global Right

Building a Resilient Resistance

How the Religious Right is Informing Policy

The Real Immigration Crisis

Fighting for Racial Justice in 2019

Film and Politics in the Trump Era

Who is William Barr?

The Trump/Republican Shutdown

Democracy Reform in 2019

New Year’s Eve Spectacular

2018 Year in Review

Progressive Organizing in the African American Church

Catching Up On the Mueller Investigation

Reforming Our Public Schools

A 2018 Thanksgiving Spectacular

Empowering Young Elected Leaders

Takeaways from the 2018 Midterms

Protecting the Lower Courts

Voting Rights, Restrictions, and Restoration

Winning the 2018 Midterms

SCOTUS Debrief: What Now?

The Right’s Reaction to the Kavanaugh Hearings

Supporting Abortion Funds and the Need for Self Care

Organizing for Reproductive Rights and Freedom

Changing Politics and Intersectional Organizing in Florida

Disability and Inclusion in the Progressive Movement

The Fight for Gun Violence Prevention

Alex Jones, Technology and the Alt Right

Young People For Tallahassee Road Show

Young People Building Power to Win

Trump’s Anti-Muslim Ideology and the Fight to Restore Religious Freedom

Young People, Young Leaders

LGBTQ Rights, Brett Kavanaugh and What’s at Stake

Brett Kavanaugh, Reproductive Justice and the Fight Ahead

Justice Kennedy’s Retirement and the Supreme Court Vacancy

Progressive Resistance in the Trump Era

A New Lawsuit on Trump’s Unconstitutional Foreign Emoluments

Mental Health and the Progressive Movement

Combatting Police Violence Against Communities of Color

Protecting the Safety and Rights of Sex Workers

The Right-Wing Takeover of Our Courts

Transgender Equality in the Trump Era

Far-Right Candidates to Watch in 2018

Fighting for Affordable Housing in the Trump Era

Trump Is Not Above the Law

The Long Fight for Equal Pay