Democracy on the Move
140 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★ - 6 ratingsDemocracy on the Move is a podcast tribute to all those people and organizations who dare to re-imagine our nation and drive it back to its true principles of democracy
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Episodes
Heartland Pod’s Adam Sommer
September 04, 2022 21:00 - 40 minutes - 32.1 MBAdam Sommer drops by to talk about the Heartland Pod, where he co-hosts “A podcast for the rest of us;” that is, a podcast specially made for the American Heartland. The Heartland Pod looks at American politics from a Heartland perspective, focusing on facts and fundamental fairness, yet not afraid to embrace the humorous as well. Overall, the Heartland Pod is dedicated to the quiet heroes of America's Heartland who are making a difference every day. We talk about Adam’s role in the podcast...
Henry Martin
August 28, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 49.6 MBHenry Martin, Democratic candidate for Missouri's 6th Congressional District, joins us again on Democracy on the Move to discuss how his campaign is progressing. He won the primary, so now it's on to the general election in November. We discuss the problems facing Missouri as well as the rest of the nation, including the economy, Roe v Wade, January 6, the war in Ukraine and several other hot topics of the day.
The Forward Party
August 24, 2022 21:00 - 46 minutes - 35.6 MBIn this special Wednesday edition of Democracy on the Move, we talk with the Missouri State Coordinators for the Forward Party, Lisa Douglas and Blake Ashby. Who is the Forward Party? What is their goal? Where do they stand on the issues? What is their political philosophy? If you’re curious about this rapidly growing political party, listen to this podcast for some of the answers. The Forward Party has a great start, and we’ll be seeing more of them as we head into the 2024 election season.
Voting Rights
August 21, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 45.9 MBMissouri Secretary of State John “Jay” Ashcroft joins us to discuss a new voting law in Missouri and how it impacts upcoming elections. In many ways, voting access has been expanded, though voter identity rules have been tightened. (People can still cast provisional ballots without an ID, BTW.) We then talk with Joan Hubbard, a director of the local League of Women Voters and chair of the League’s Voter Access Committee. She expresses concern over the tightened voter identity laws and is wor...
The Cult of Trump
August 14, 2022 21:00 - 11 minutes - 9.23 MBNot everyone that voted for Trump is in his cult. Very few, actually. But there's enough for Trump to use them as a cudgel to intimidate Republican politicians into his camp. This is a very dangerous turn for America, but there is hope.
Bethany Mann
July 31, 2022 21:00 - 56 minutes - 41.8 MBToday we do an on-the-spot interview with Bethany Mann, who is running for the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the third district in Missouri. In our wide-ranging interview, we talk about the abortion, healthcare, education, voting rights and environmentalism and how all these topics affect people throughout the heartland.
Ray Reed
July 24, 2022 21:00 - 56 minutes - 44.4 MBMeet Ray Reed, candidate for the U.S. Congress in the Second Congressional District of Missouri. Ray is ambitious; he studied political science at the University of Central Missouri, worked within the state governor’s office and has already made his rounds in Washington DC. Don’t mistake his young age for inexperience, he comes to this post with more political experience than a majority of first-time candidates. During our podcast we talk about a range of issues including social inequity, he...
The Harbormasters
July 17, 2022 21:00 - 14 minutes - 11 MBAs we sail the choppy waters in an ocean of information, we look for a safe harbor - someplace where we can surround ourselves with others of like mind. We pledge our loyalty to the harbor in exchange for comfort and security. But when the harbormasters abuse our loyalty, it may be time to head for the open ocean again.
How We Fix America
July 10, 2022 21:00 - 53 minutes - 38.3 MBAuthor and U.S. Congressional candidate John Woodman stops by to talk about his campaign and his book, “How We Fix America.” The book describes how our economic system of capitalism has drifted from what he calls “American Dream Capitalism” to “Vampire Capitalism.” By John’s calculations, Vampire Capitalism steals $24,000 per year or more from the average citizen! He bases this calculation on various anti-democratic trends taking place beginning around 1980 and is now in full swing. These tr...
Hugh McTavish
July 03, 2022 21:00 - 38 minutes - 29.8 MBIndependent Alliance Party candidate Hugh McTavish talks about his run for the governor of Minnesota. Hugh has an idea for a highly participatory form of democracy he calls a “Jury Democracy,” where ordinary citizens - not legislators - vote on bills. We also talk about the destructive effects that the pandemic lock-downs had on widespread depression and suicide, personal liberties, abortion, guns and the Minnesota state bird.
Abortion and Guns
June 26, 2022 21:00 - 13 minutes - 11 MBIn this week’s short solo podcast, I talk about the recent Supreme Court decisions on Abortion and Guns. Is Abortion really about the life of the unborn, or is it simply a politically expedient way to promote a patriarchal government? I argue the latter. Regarding guns, why does the Supreme Court ignore the first four words of the Second Amendment: “A well regulated Militia.” Based on the 2008 decision “District of Columbia v Heller,” it appears the court is reluctant to disarm folks for fea...
Michael Sinclair
June 19, 2022 21:00 - 57 minutes - 43.5 MBMichael Sinclair drops by to talk about his candidacy for the Missouri State Senate, Second District. This district covers much of St. Charles County, west of St. Louis. It is a heavily Republican district, whereas Michael is running as a Democrat. It may seem like an uphill battle, but Michael believes he can prevail by using his “Positive Politics” approach to bridge the divide by finding commonality in our goals and building strong alliances from that point forward. We discuss the second ...
The Spiritual Side of Politics
June 12, 2022 21:00 - 49 minutes - 37 MBOur guest today is Dennis Merritt Jones; Author, keynote speaker, spiritual leader and mentor. We talk about the spiritual and religious side of politics. Many Christians worry that we’re drifting away from God, but the deeper truth may be that our personal beliefs are being diverted toward ungodly concepts like hatred and separation, which is contrary to the teachings of Jesus. Spiritual alignment may be the glue that brings us all back together by helping us recognize that God is indeed Lo...
Tara Anura
June 05, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 48.4 MBTara Anura, candidate for Missouri State Senate District 16, discusses the issues that are important to the people living on the Ozark plateau. We talk about the problems rural people experience with getting proper access to healthcare, educating their children, struggling with the economy, exercising gun safety and the blight of overt racism. Despite adversities, the people of the Ozarks are proud, friendly, social and religious. They share a history of individualism and resiliency. Should ...
Reinette Senum
May 29, 2022 21:00 - 59 minutes - 43.9 MBReinette Senum, independent candidate for California State Governor, drops by to discuss her campaign and California politics in general. We discuss how corruption has influenced political decisions, and what ordinary citizens can do about it. The challenges in California are numerous, from homelessness to forestry management, and it is becoming increasingly critical that we address these issues before it’s too late. Reinette runs as an independent because she feels that the two major politi...
The Politics of Rights
May 15, 2022 21:00 - 11 minutes - 8.48 MBRecently the Supreme Court has indicated it will cut back on rights they clarified 50 years prior. The issue today is abortion, but in the long run, all our rights are at risk.
Henry Martin - candidate for U.S. Congress
May 08, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 55.3 MBHenry Martin, candidate for U.S. Congress representing the 6th District in Missouri, stops by to update us on his campaign. He was a guest on Democracy on the Move last November, but a lot has changed since that time, giving us a lot to talk about. We discuss a wide range of topics including inflation, the recent SCOTUS leaked document on Roe v Wade, charter schools, the war in Ukraine, the role of NATO and more.
Dr. Annie Andrews on Gun Violence Prevention
May 01, 2022 21:00 - 39 minutes - 28.3 MBThis week we return to the topic of gun violence prevention in our discussion with Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Dr. Andrews has first-hand experience dealing with child victims of gun violence, and she cares enough about preventing this violence that she is running to represent South Carolina’s 1st congressional district in the U.S. Congress. South Carolina is a deeply conservative state, where the second amendment resonates lou...
Disney v DeSantis
April 24, 2022 21:00 - 12 minutes - 10.2 MBThis past week we saw Governor DeSantis punish dissent. Though the legitimacy of the reasons he provided are up for debate, the action of punishing dissent is not in line with the true principles of democracy; rather, they echo motivations of autocracy.
Gun Violence Prevention
April 17, 2022 21:00 - 43 minutes - 31.8 MBThis week we talk with candidate Mia Livas Porter about gun violence prevention. Mia is running for the 52nd district of the California State Assembly, which covers much of the area to the immediate north and east of downtown Los Angeles. As a gun violence survivor, Mia is dedicated to bringing common-sense regulations into the California State House. During this podcast, we discuss the impact of gun violence on society, the need for common-sense regulations, the problem of inconsistent gun ...
Civil Discourse
April 10, 2022 21:00 - 14 minutes - 11.7 MB“Civil Discourse” is a concept meant to diffuse the force of hatred in politics. At the center of our nation’s path to success, you’ll find countless people committed to discussing our differences using the rules of common civil discourse, such as respect, patience and a genuine sense of care for each other. Lately, however, civil discourse has become uncivil discourse, where politicians compete for attention in a society that’s becoming increasingly indifferent to the lack of civil discours...
The Opposite of Love
April 03, 2022 21:00 - 14 minutes - 11.6 MBWhat is the opposite of love? Is it hate? Or is it indifference? If you really want to hurt someone, act with indifference toward them. Our argument is that on a grand scale, actions of indifference will tear our nation apart. The only way to stop it is to become a nation again - a nation of people who acknowledge each other, whether or not they agree with each other.
Immanentize the Eschaton?
March 27, 2022 21:00 - 15 minutes - 12.4 MBWhat does it mean to Immanentize the Eschaton? It’s an expression by which the United States falls under the rule of a Christian-based belief in the end of days. Senator Josh Hawley, when starting out his political career penned an article that advocates for such a system of government. Such attempts throughout history have had disastrous and tragic endings, and we would be wise to understand Mr. Hawley’s true motivations as he attempts to ascend to the highest office in the land. You may f...
Move to Amend
March 20, 2022 21:00 - 56 minutes - 38.9 MBGreg Coleridge, the co-director at Move to Amend, talks about the importance of removing corporate influence, money and corruption from our government. Move to Amend calls for the “We the People” Amendment (HJR-48) to the US Constitution that unequivocally states that inalienable rights belong to human beings only, and that money is not a form of protected free speech under the First Amendment and can be regulated in political campaigns. In a nutshell, Move to Amend proposes an amendment tha...
Systems of Oppression
March 13, 2022 21:00 - 40 minutes - 28.5 MBAaron Lerma drops by to talk about the struggle to dismantle systems of oppression in rural areas. Aaron grew up in a small town in a rural area near the border of the Midwest and the South. As a non-binary, trans femme, disabled, white and Latinx organizer, Aaron has experienced oppression first-hand. But rather than dwelling on personal experiences, Aaron organizes for a type of solidarity that promotes re-thinking the underlying structure of our society and challenging the capitalist mind...
Righteous Indignation
March 06, 2022 22:00 - 15 minutes - 12.1 MBIn this short podcast, we briefly discuss the concept of wokeism and how it conforms to the idea of “Righteous Indignation.” We also suggest ways to overcome our differences by making an effort to see each other as humans, rather than being objectified within an “Us” and “Them” narrative.
Marcus Flowers
February 27, 2022 22:00 - 38 minutes - 29.5 MBCandidate Marcus Flowers drops by to talk about his campaign to replace Marjory Taylor Greene in the U.S. House of Representatives. Marcus describes how the January 6 insurrection motivated him to resign his post the very next day and begin campaigning against Greene, whom he considers a threat to our democracy. He also discusses his experiences overseas, most notably how he observed - firsthand - how misinformation and disinformation radicalizes people with deadly consequences. Here at home...
Wokeism
February 20, 2022 22:00 - 55 minutes - 41.7 MBThe concept of wokeism goes deep into the soul of America, where a history that’s often cruel, unfair and unjust tries to reconcile with what we desire to be a modern, just society. The concept speaks of systemic racism and Critical Race Theory as it wrestles with a shifting demographic, where rule by old white men is no longer a given. In this podcast we’re joined by Dr. Michael Karson, who offers a psychological perspective on wokeism. Dr. Karson teaches at the University of Denver’s Grad...
Phillip Caldwell Discusses School Boards
February 13, 2022 22:00 - 59 minutes - 46.4 MBPhillip Caldwell stops by to discuss his campaign for the Board of Education at one of Missouri’s top public school districts. We talk about the difficulty that school boards across the nation face in the era of Covid, Critical Race Theory and budget challenges. Unfortunately, school boards have recently found themselves ducking for cover in the political crossfire of an increasingly polarized society. It’s easy to forget that the top priority with every school board is to ensure our childr...
Transparency
February 06, 2022 22:00 - 24 minutes - 20.3 MBIf information is the currency of democracy, then transparency is the means by which information reveals itself. Transparency is enshrined in our Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), but such transparency doesn’t necessarily mean that our government is forthright and honest. Citizens must participate and demand answers. In today’s podcast, we examine a specific instance of transparency in action and discuss the roadblocks and stone walls encountered in this ongoing journey.
Trish Gunby
January 30, 2022 22:00 - 1 hour - 47.3 MBTrish Gunby, candidate for U.S. Congress - 2nd district in Missouri, drops by to discuss the Democratic party and the important issues in her campaign. Trish currently serves in the state house of representatives; she turned her district from red to blue back in 2019. During this podcast, we discuss voting rights, healthcare, justice reform, building for the future and workers’ rights. The U.S. Congressional 2nd district in Missouri turned from red to purple in the past few elections, so th...
China Unraveled
January 23, 2022 22:00 - 55 minutes - 43.7 MBJason Szeftel, a political and economic writer and podcaster stops by to talk about China. Jason has always been fascinated with China; he learned the language, studied in Beijing and traveled extensively throughout the country. He is familiar with China's culture, its people, its economics and its politics. His upcoming book, China Unraveled, chronicles the story of China’s many cycles of order and chaos, and it poses the question, “What does the next phase in China’s history mean for the U...
Mo CRT
January 16, 2022 22:00 - 57 minutes - 43.5 MBThis week we examine how Critical Race Theory affects state legislation on education. We include audio clips from various legislators in the Missouri State House as they describe their fears and concerns that Critical Race Theory teaches indoctrination and sets the stage for young minds to accept the idea that racial identity dictates destiny. We at Democracy on the Move don’t buy into this mindset, yet we feel it’s important to get an understanding of how racial fears promote extremist pos...
An Inconvenient Minority
January 09, 2022 22:00 - 43 minutes - 32 MBKenny Xu, author of the book An Inconvenient Minority - The Attack on Asian American Excellence and the Fight for Meritocracy, stops by to talk about the Asian American struggle. Kenny’s book discusses the rise of Asian Americans to nation-wide prominence in attaining technical and intellectual expertise; yet at the same time, they become the victims of numerous policies, ostensibly written in the spirit of diversity, but in reality excludes them from the upper ranks of the elite. Listen in...
A Conversation About Law Enforcement
January 02, 2022 22:00 - 38 minutes - 30 MBHappy New Year from Democracy on the Move! In this podcast, we review the top podcast from 2021; an interview with Olayemi Olurin, Staff Attorney at The Legal Aid Society's Criminal Defense Practice in Queens, New York. We discuss the systemic issues in law enforcement. Though this podcast was originally recorded in February 2021, the issues are just as relevant today as they were last year.
Reality for 2021 and Hopes for 2022
December 26, 2021 22:00 - 5 minutes - 5.06 MBIn this very short podcast, we discuss just a few of the hopes we experienced going into 2021 and how they turned out over the year. And then we discuss renewed hopes for 2022.
The Cult of Trump?
December 19, 2021 22:00 - 25 minutes - 21.2 MBThe title asks an intriguing question: Is Trump a cult leader? Listen to some ideas on this topic, along with examples of how manipulation through the media can mobilize a nation.
Meet Candidate Jim Hogan
December 12, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 46.8 MBJim Hogan, candidate for the 126th House District in Missouri, stops by to talk about politics in Missouri. The 126th district encompasses Bates and Vernon counties on the west side of the state, south of Kansas City and up against the border with Kansas. It’s a rural district with strong Midwestern values and common sense. In this podcast we discuss the effects of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (factory farms) on rural areas, our challenged education system, Critical Race Theory, g...
Heather Fleming Discusses MoEEP
December 05, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 50.6 MBHeather Fleming, founder of the Missouri Equity Education Partnership, or “MoEEP,” drops by to talk about topics related to equity in education. She started MoEEP as a grassroots non-profit organization that promotes an equitable community by supporting anti-bias and anti-racist approaches to education. MoEEP believes that diversity and equity education belong in our schools as much as math, science and language arts. MoEEP seeks to engage all students in active listening, belonging, coopera...
Damon Davis on Social Justice
November 28, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 47.9 MBToday’s guest, Damon Davis, talks about social justice and criminal justice reform. Damon is a Juris Doctor candidate who expects to graduate in May and take the bar exam shortly afterward. His life’s journey included several years in federal prison, which gave him deep insight into repressive societal issues. To act on his passion for criminal justice reform, Damon plans to work within a Public Defender’s office and has already received an offer. We start by talking about Damon’s personal c...
Deb Lavender
November 21, 2021 22:00 - 53 minutes - 40.1 MBDeb Lavender, a previous member of the Missouri State House of Representatives, stops by to talk about some of the more urgent political issues of the day. While in the house of representatives, Deb sponsored a number of bills on healthcare, firearms and finance. Her priorities include the expansion of medicaid, protecting women’s reproductive freedom and strengthening our public schools. In this podcast, we discuss the toll of extreme partisanship, gerrymandering, voter suppression, voter n...
Meet Tim Shepard, Candidate for US Senate
November 14, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 49.6 MBTim Shepard drops by to discuss his candidacy for US Senator from Missouri. As a Democrat, he has an uphill battle for this position, as he would replace outgoing Republican Senator Roy Blunt. Missouri overall is deeply Republican and can be outright hostile to Democrats. Yet the issues that Democrats advocate are popular in the Show Me State. In this podcast, we discuss many of these issues including health care, education, the climate crisis, the economy, the corrupting influence of money ...
Meet Henry Martin, Candidate for US Congress
November 07, 2021 22:00 - 36 minutes - 26.6 MBHenry Martin, candidate for US Congress, joins us on the podcast to talk about politics in the northern third of Missouri. Henry is passionate about Missouri and is keenly aware of the issues in both rural and metropolitan areas. He is a native Missourian that joined the US Army and served in the Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations. After returning from combat duty, he enlisted in the National Guard and worked directly with Missourians impacted by the flood of ‘93. His experience taugh...
The Sin of Human Trafficking
October 31, 2021 21:00 - 59 minutes - 43 MBIn this episode, we talk about the sin of human trafficking. It’s an international problem filled with stories of horror, terror and heartbreak. Yet governments the world over largely ignore this issue, and some governments even participate in it. We talk with Cetvies (not her real name) about this issue. Cetvies blogs extensively on human rights, environmental issues, animal rights, LGBT, politics, philosophy and spirituality. She holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degrees, and s...
Are We Color Blind or Simply Blind?
October 24, 2021 21:00 - 8 minutes - 7.18 MBThe concepts of color blindness and meritocracy seem like a good idea. In practice, however, it completely ignores the fact that not everyone is treated equally in our society. But these concepts are sold nevertheless in an insidious maneuver to undermine our democracy.
Ignorance and Entitlement
October 17, 2021 21:00 - 10 minutes - 9.18 MBIn this short podcast, we talk about the way in which our own mythology instills in us a sense of entitlement, and this entitlement makes us both perpetrators and victims.
Impeach Josh Hawley?
October 10, 2021 21:33 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MBIn this short podcast, we focus on a key question regarding the January 6 insurrection: Should those elected members of congress that either participated in or contributed to the insurrection be allowed to remain in congress? Technically, the answer is no; however, as a practical matter, it’s difficult to remove an elected member from congress. Congresspeople are basically untouchable while in office. But that’s not to say that we citizens are powerless. When the next election rolls around, ...
Meet Jenna Roberson, Candidate for State Senate
October 04, 2021 00:00 - 56 minutes - 41.7 MBJenna Roberson joins us on the podcast to talk about politics in the eastern part of Missouri, where she is running for the state senate seat, district 2. Missouri is a super-majority state, heavily favoring Republicans, so Jenna, running as a Democrat, has her work cut out for her. But she’s not backing away from the big issues facing Missourians and the entire Midwest. Listen in as we talk about voting rights, abortion, the Missouri Legislature’s fight against ballot initiatives, critical ...
Meet Spencer Toder, Candidate for U.S. Senate
September 27, 2021 00:00 - 57 minutes - 43.4 MBSpencer Toder joins us on the podcast to discuss his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, representing Missouri. If he wins the primary and the general, Spencer would replace Roy Blunt as one of the two senators from Missouri. During this podcast, we dive into Spencer’s political philosophy and discuss several topics including: What qualifications does Spencer have; he is roughly half Roy Blunt’s age and has no prior political experience. What’s wrong with the Democrats’ messaging? Why do they a...
So You Want to Win a Local Election
September 20, 2021 00:00 - 57 minutes - 43.2 MBWhat does it take to win a local election? Probably a lot more than you think! Jeff Ward, author of the book So You Want to Win a Local Election, lays it all out in brutally honest words. His book is chock-full hard advice you must take into consideration before running for political office. For example: Keep your ego in check; people will find the skeletons in your closet, and if they can't find any, they'll make 'em up. National negative politics doesn't play well at the local level. Do...