Beyond Politics

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Why is Israel Erupting Again? Leader of Pro-Democracy Protests Explains. Jul 11, 2023

Show notes

As we record this on the morning of July 11, Israel has once against broken out in massive protests after an overnight vote in their Parliament that pushed forward the far-right governing coalition’s plan to limit their judiciary. Protestors see the plan as nothing less that a more stealthy version of the overt power grab that Prime Minister Netanyahu announced in January and that led to a shutdown of the country in March.

One of co-founders of the pro-democracy protest movement is Gilead Sher. He is a former Chief of Staff and Policy Coordinator to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and a senior peace negotiator. He joins us with an update on what is happening and why.

Further Reading: subscribe to former AP lead Mideast reporter Dan Perry's substack. See Gilead Sher's Times of Israel article.

America's ultimate political insider: four voter types Dems need to win next year Jul 07, 2023

Show notes

Every so often, the political guru that the Washington insiders listen to delivers one of his deep dive analysis memos on what’s going on under the surface in politics. And everyone drops everything to see what he had to say. So when Doug Sosnik delivered his newest analysis -- explaining what the 2024 election will come down to and what four key voting blocs would decide the outcome -- we knew we wanted to bring all of our listeners and viewers the voice that the pros listen to.

Doug served as a senior advisor to President Bill Clinton for 6 years, including as the White House Political Director, and he’s gone on to advise over 50 U.S. Senators and governors. Fortune 100 corporations, foundations and universities for 35 years, including the National Basketball Association, the Motion Picture Association of America, CNBC. And he Doug co-authored a New York Times bestseller, Applebee’s America: How Successful Political, Business and Religious Leaders Connect with the New American Community.

Was the Supreme Court Actually Tricked Into Ruling on a Fake Case? Jul 04, 2023

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The Supreme Court wrapped its term with a rush of rulings, including in a pivotal case that pitted issues of free speech against anti-discrimination laws. Except, the case was built on a fantasy: a web designer who had never designed a website, and a request from a gay couple that never existed. So was the Supreme Court duped? And is the Court veering outside the mainstream of public opinion, or reflecting it? Also, is Ron DeSantis flailing with a bizarre new ad as his poll numbers tank?

Supreme Court Ends Affirmative Action. What Will Colleges Do Now? Jun 30, 2023

Show notes

When the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina were unlawful, rejecting affirmative action at colleges and universities around the nation, it created more questions than it answered about the future of racial diversity in elite college admissions. Dr. Stephanie Hall is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and a leading expert on college accountability, and she joins us to describe what the impact of this decision could be in practical terms.

Important New Poll Has Good News for Trump, Even Better News for Biden Jun 28, 2023

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A major new poll has good news for Donald Trump. But somehow, it has even better news for President Biden. Strangely, it also brings unsettling news about how Americans view our system and the choice that they are determined to make, yet seem to hate.

An epic MAGA showdown in New Hampshire: will anyone win? Jun 27, 2023

Show notes

Former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are descending on New Hampshire at this very moment to hold dueling political events, as new national polling shows a widening gulf between them, and between Trump and the rest of the field. Why is Trump growing his lead, and will that last? Also, MAGA shenanigans hit the US House of Representatives, and the results would be funny if they weren’t so sad.

A Huge Supreme Court Ruling Will Impact the US Congress for Decades to Come Jun 22, 2023

Show notes

When the Supreme Court issued a surprise ruling on Congressional maps last week, it not only created a pathway for Democrats to re-take the House in 2024, it also kept critical protections first enacted in the Voting Rights Act that the Court has otherwise chipped away in recent years. Michaeleen Crowell worked on reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act for civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis, and she joins us to explain what has happened and what the future might hold for voting rights.

One Insane Day: A President, Prison, and Unprecedented Political Peril. Jun 14, 2023

Show notes

Matt Robison joins legendary radio broadcaster Howard Monroe to analyze the American crossroads that we reached yesterday: a twice indicted former President - whose case is being overseen by a political crony who could let him off the hook - and a minefield of bad outcomes ahead. What do we know from legal scholars, polling, and history about what could happen next?

One Hidden Rule Could Let Trump Go Free Even if a Jury Convicts Him Jun 13, 2023

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Law Professor Steve Vladek was in the middle of explaining a pivotal Supreme Court decision to us when he delivered us some chilling news: a little-used legal rule would allow Trump-appointed judge Aileen Cannon to overturn a guilty verdict in the classified documents case and set Trump free even if he is convicted. Professor Vladek explains what this is all about. Plus: what does that key SCOTUS decision mean, and what is the Shadow Docket and why should we be paying more attention to it?

MORE Mailbag Questions! How Do You Turn Family Away From the MAGA Right Wing? Jun 12, 2023

Show notes

Matt Robison and Cliff Schecter tackle listener questions in part two of our mailbag. Can MAGA family members be persuaded? What is happening with the Supreme Court Clarence Thomas scandal since it disappeared from the news? Is Casey DeSantis even crazier than Ron? Did Mark Meadows flip? Can we, or should we, have Congressional term limits? What happened to Sydney Powell? Can we recall Congressman George Santos? Will a Trump conviction matter? All this and more!

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