The Common Good Podcast — Doug Pagitt and Robb Ryerse sit down for a sobering, urgent conversation about power, fear, and what it means to protect democracy in dangerous times.

They discuss the Trump administration’s decision to send masked federal agents into American cities like Minneapolis—actions that blur the line between law enforcement and intimidation, and that have already resulted in the killing of American citizens. Doug and Robb wrestle with the moral, legal, and spiritual implications of a government willing to deploy force against its own people.

The conversation also turns global, examining the escalating conflict in Venezuela and how Trump’s approach reveals a broader pattern of abuse of power—at home and abroad. Through it all, they ask the question at the heart of the Common Good: How do people of faith respond when authority is used to dominate rather than serve?

A challenging conversation about courage, accountability, and choosing love over fear when it matters most.