Two Worlds, One Country

Erica Etelson is an activist, former lawyer, and co-founder of RUBI. She explains what she learned writing her book, Beyond Contempt: How Liberals Can Communicate Across the Great Divide, about how and why respectful communication is so important.

[4:10] Why the left needs non-defensive communication

[11:08] Listening to conservatives

[16:16] How liberal attacks push conservatives to identify with Trump

[20:23] Moving beyond the liberal bubble

[25:06] Tips for talking to people who disagree with you

More from Erica:

https://www.ericaetelson.com/

@Erica_Etelson

Resources:

braverangels.org

https://www.ericaetelson.com/beyondcontempt/ Buy the book!

Cody Lonning is a lawyer, professor at Eastern Washington University, and a co-founder of RUBI. He discusses his path to RUBI and his work on the recent report about Democratic success in rural America.

[1:24] Growing up farming

[5:18] Getting involved with RUBI

[10:28] Why Democrats should care about rural areas

[13:28] RUBI report: “Can Democrats Succeed in Rural America?”

[18:42] So what makes a good Democratic candidate?

More from Cody:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/codylonning/

Read the report:

https://ruralurbanbridge.org/our-work/distilling-best-practices

Joan Williams is Director of the Centre for WorkLife Law, a professor at the University of California—Hastings School of Law, and author of White Working Class, among others. Joan compares America’s middle class with its elites, talks the role masculinity plays in politics, and explains the divide that college education causes.

[2:57] What middle status in America really looks like

[8:50] College-educated but not rich

[9:52] What do you value: stability or self-development?

[14:25] Blue collar vs. white collar masculinity

[16:56] John Fetterman’s success

[21:10] The diploma divide

More from Joan:

diplomadivide.org

https://joancwilliams.com/

@JoanCWilliams

Dr. Kathy Cramer is co-founder of the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative, professor of political science at UW-Madison, and author of the book The Politics of Resentment. Kathy talks hearing from rural Wisconsinites in gas stations and church basements, the concentration of resources and respect in urban centers, and answers, “are rural conservatives are just racist?”

[1:18] Introduction

[5:30] Studying public opinion by listening to the people

[12:01] No fair share of resources, power, or respect

[14:55] How politicians exploit the rural-urban divide

[20:02] Are rural conservatives just racist?

[23:59} Has the rural-urban divide gotten worse?

More from Kathy:

katherinejcramer.net

https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/P/bo22879533.html to buy the book

Host Anthony Flaccavento is an organic farmer, writer, former candidate for Congress, and the founder of the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative. Anthony explains his own background, why he thinks America is so divided, and what Two Worlds, One Country is going to do about it.

[1:58] Anthony’s background

[7:40] An intro to the podcast

[13:55] Why are Americans so divided?

[24:01] So what can Democrats do about our divisions?

Rural Urban Bridge Initiative:

ruralurbanbridge.org

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHIxldOchOr8sJLICJ8texA

More about Anthony:

https://www.anthonyflaccavento.com/aboutanthony