Climate change is accelerating yet the U.S. political system seems incapable of responding. How does policy change? What processes are at work and how can we contribute to change? Alan discusses these topics, drawing on his background in political science.

Many of our ideas about capitalism are myths, or things we tell ourselves to define ourselves as a community and justify the way we do things. Alan talks about this, as well as the importance of culture and the vast inequality of wealth ownership in the United States.

In this introductory episode Alan presents an overview of his ideas  about the "big picture" of how U.S. politics works, how the U.S. is a  "partial-democracy," why socialism is not necessarily about big  government, the two-party system, and some items for a policy platform to move toward a better society.