Politics Brief

Latest Episodes:

Puerto Rico: Before And After The Storm Sep 17, 2018

Show notes

Facing the criticism that nearly 3,000 people died in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, President Trump has claimed that the death toll was a fabrication by Democrats. Joining On The Media is Yarimar Bonilla, political anthropologist. She argues that Trump's lies could be an opportunity. Instead of allowing the president to drag the debate back to the basic facts of Maria, Bonilla says, Puerto Ricans and their allies could harness the attention for deeper understanding of how the island's problems do not begin or end with President Trump.

November In New York Sep 17, 2018

Show notes

On The Brian Lehrer Show, Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, argues New York's elections are in need of reforms. Later, Gloria Pazmino, politics reporter at Politico New York, talks about who may be on the ballot in the November election, and how thay might affect the political makeup of the New York State Senate.

The End Of Bipartisanship Sep 14, 2018

Show notes

The Pew Research Center has been studying American’s public political values since 1994, and says the gap between Democrats and Republicans is wider than it's ever been. Carroll Doherty, the director of political research at Pew, joins The Takeaway to explain how we got here.

Also joining are John Tanner, a former member of congress; Bruce Reed, former chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden; Helen Milby, founder and board chair of the progressive organization The New Deal; and John Murray, who served as deputy chief of staff to former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

Recap of the New York Primary Results Sep 14, 2018

Show notes

Bill Lipton, director of the Working Families Party in New York, and Maurice Mitchell, the WFP national director, join The Brian Lehrer Show to talk election results and look ahead to November. Later, City Comptroller Scott Stringer weighs in.

Voter Suppression And Democracy Sep 13, 2018

Show notes

In the state of Florida, 40 percent of black men cannot vote, and suppression strategies like voter ID laws and voting roll purges make this possible. Carol Anderson, professor of African-American studies at Emory University joined the Brian Lehrer Show to discuss this and her new book, One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy.

New Hampshire's Hot Primary Sep 13, 2018

Show notes

Lauren Chooljian, politics reporter for New Hampshire Public Radio, joins the Takeaway to break down the results of a couple key races in her state.

Postcards To Voters Sep 12, 2018

Show notes

It’s the day before the New York state primaries, and if you’re a registered Democrat, you might find something a little different in your mailbox. Not those glossy, full-color filers from the candidates. Something a little more … motivating. WNYC’s Shumita Basu explains.

Civic Engagement On Your Block Sep 12, 2018

Show notes

For our Ask a Reporter series, we're answering your questions about civic engagement. One thing we’ve learned so far about getting involved: sometimes it’s a good idea to start with your block. Just ask Blanche Romey, long-time Bushwick resident.

A Century Of Free Speech Sep 11, 2018

Show notes

In a new collection of essays called The Free Speech Century, leading First Amendment thinkers reflect on the law's trajectory over the last 100 years. On The Media's Brooke Gladstone spoke with co-editor Geoffrey Stone and law professor Laura Weinrib about how our free speech rights are still evolving.