Make America Better Now
70 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 33 ratingsHosted by Citizen Koala Monet, Make America Better Now is a make-your-own-manifesto podcast built in real-time, with micro episodes on topics at the intersection of democracy and capitalism. By joining me on this journey, you will have a chance to reflect on big issues and can create your own manifesto alongside my own. I’ll be your guide and have the outline to get you (and me!) started. If you are wondering how this country gets better, then you’ll have a lot of thought-starters to form your own, comprehensive outlook. Talk soon.
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Episodes
MABN Episode 70 - Season 1 Wrap
August 28, 2020 15:00 - 3 minutes - 2.79 MBWe don’t always have to talk about politics, which can feel divisive and uncomfortable. We can always talk about America and our democracy and our economy, because that is based on values, even though the discussions may still be uncomfortable.
MABN Episode 69 - Climate and environment
August 27, 2020 19:00 - 4 minutes - 2.83 MBThe penultimate episode of season 1!
MABN Episode 68 - AI and Robotics
August 26, 2020 16:00 - 4 minutes - 3 MBCan AI and robots support our better America?
MABN Episode 67 - Family planning and immigration
August 25, 2020 16:00 - 4 minutes - 3.23 MBFamily planning and immigration are interlinked and the replacement rate is something that affects both and vice versa. What is the best mix of these policies for our better America?
MABN Episode 66 - Replacement rate
August 24, 2020 16:00 - 3 minutes - 2.62 MBWith over 175,000 dead from the coronavirus and an estimated 500,000 fewer babies to be born this year means the replacement rate will be lower. What does that mean for our better America?
MABN Episode 65 - Equity markets
August 21, 2020 23:00 - 3 minutes - 2.43 MBEquity markets are usually what makes headlines over the credit markets, though there's more than just the stock exchanges.
MABN Episode 64 - Credit markets
August 20, 2020 18:00 - 4 minutes - 3.06 MBFinancial markets make the world go round. No, that's still physics.
MABN August 19 Episode 63 - Bilateral or multilateral trade agreements?
August 19, 2020 17:00 - 3 minutes - 2.58 MBTrade is always good, but what kind of trade is the best trade?
MABN August 18 Episode 62 - Trade
August 18, 2020 18:00 - 3 minutes - 2.39 MBFree trade, fair trade, protectionism, What is trade good for?
MABN Episode 61 - Monopoly and competition
August 17, 2020 15:00 - 4 minutes - 2.9 MBAmerica's titans, not just tech, are dominating markets of all kinds. How much choice do we really have and what are the anti schools of thought to solve this?
MABN Episode 60 - Stock for America
August 14, 2020 15:00 - 3 minutes - 2.71 MBMore dire news on consumer sentiment and also personal incomes. And an idea for turning consumerism into more than just the goods and services at the transaction.
MABN August 13 Episode 59 - Spending and Saving changes during Covid-19
August 13, 2020 16:00 - 4 minutes - 2.81 MBHow will consumer patterns change and will they be long-lasting? What does this mean for our better America?
MABN Episode 58 - Corporations for America
August 12, 2020 15:00 - 4 minutes - 2.94 MBShould we keep the legal entity of the corporation structured as is for our better America?
MABN Episode 57: Nudging our way to a better America
August 11, 2020 15:00 - 4 minutes - 3.11 MBNudging is a behavioral economics concept that is being used worldwide. This episode introduces it and extrapolates these findings for this Koala's manifesto.
MABN Episode 56 - Microeconomics and behavioral economics
August 10, 2020 15:00 - 4 minutes - 3.45 MBNeoclassical economics dominated most of economic thinking, until recently, where behavioral economics has provided a different angle to view self-interest and decision-making.
MABN Episode 55 - The New Old American Dream
August 07, 2020 16:00 - 4 minutes - 3.34 MBTo round out the week riffing off of top articles in my news feed, this episode responds the changing American dream and how it could be for our better America.
MABN Episode 54 - Remote work and real estate
August 06, 2020 15:00 - 4 minutes - 3.1 MBCovid-19 is changing our routines and disrupting the way we work and live, now more blended together than ever.
MABN Episode 53 - National Security and Health Disasters
August 05, 2020 16:00 - 4 minutes - 2.88 MBAt the top my news feed today are articles on the bombing in Beirut and the opening of schools in the state of Mississippi. We explore underlying issues of government responsibility for issues of life and death within their borders.
MABN Episode 52 - Natural Disasters and Creations
August 04, 2020 17:00 - 4 minutes - 2.87 MBLions, tigers, and bears, oh my? Actually, way more intense. Natural disaster disrupt lives and livelihoods. How should we plan for these annual and regular events?
MABN Episode 51 - El Paso One Year After and Do We Trust Dr. Birx?
August 03, 2020 18:00 - 4 minutes - 3.03 MBFor this week, each session will use top articles in this Koala's news feed to practice using the manifesto framework with real life examples.
MABN Episode 50 - Manifesto workbook activity #5 - government services
July 31, 2020 17:00 - 4 minutes - 2.93 MBOn this milestone 50th episode and also the close to the week, we discus what government services are present in this Koala's manifesto. What services do you want to see in our better America?
MABN Episode 49 - Manifesto workbook activity #4 - separation of powers, electoral systems, new states
July 30, 2020 18:00 - 4 minutes - 3 MBThis session discusses what structures should be for our better America. How does separation of powers work? What will the electoral system be? And, wait, what - this Koala wants to encourage new states into the Union?!
MABN Episode 48 - Manifesto Workbook Activity #3 - what rights?
July 29, 2020 16:00 - 4 minutes - 3.47 MBIn this session we focus on democracy and what rights are important for our better America have. Remember that the founders have two views on the bill of rights; some thought it was not necessary while others did. Obviously we knew which camp won out since the Bill of Rights became important politically for the states to ratify the Constitution. That aside, this session takes at look also at the UN Declaration of Human Rights and finds this Koala's manifesto sweet spot in the middle of these...
Make America Better Now July 28 Episode 47 – Manifesto Workbook Activity #2 - Goals and theme for your systems
July 28, 2020 16:00 - 4 minutes - 2.79 MBThis week we continue to summarize and decide on where we stand. Today's session asks what governing and economic system do you want for our better America? And what's the one sentence that describes your goal for each. Lastly, what theme ties your systems together?
MABN Episode 46 - Manifesto Workbook Activity Number 1 - Foundational principles
July 27, 2020 17:00 - 3 minutes - 2.49 MBWe're at the point that we all need to make decisions after having a chance to discuss different options and points of view. This session focuses on three questions: 1) why are we here and how did the earth and universe come to be? 2) what is your view of the natural world? 3) What are some principles or traits that will guide our decision making when it comes to our governing and economic systems?
MABN Episode 45 - Guns, swords, data, and technology as rights?
July 24, 2020 17:00 - 4 minutes - 3.32 MBShould tools and technology be rights? In a world where technological growth has been rapid, the world is also changing rapidly to keep up.
MABN Episode 44 - Healthcare and housing as rights?
July 23, 2020 16:00 - 3 minutes - 2.24 MBThe United Nations Declaration of Human Rights says healthcare and housing are in, but in America they aren't. Should they be rights?
MABN Episode 43 - Do we still need rights? And what kind of rights?
July 22, 2020 18:00 - 4 minutes - 3.29 MBThe Bill of Rights was a guaranteed thing, though it did become a necessary component for the states to ratify the Constitution. This session asks questions to our accepted focus exclusively on individual rights and asks if it can be broadened.
MABN Episode 42 - A basic standard of living as a right?
July 21, 2020 17:00 - 5 minutes - 3.8 MBThe pandemic in the U.S. continues to surface the question of whether our better America should provide a basic standard of living as a right? In this session, we compare the outlook of the UN's Declaration on Human Rights, specifically Article 25 (1), with a listener's comments on public social spending.
MABN Episode 41 - What rights do we need?
July 20, 2020 16:00 - 5 minutes - 3.55 MBIn this session, we begin discussing what rights are needed for a better America? We compare and contrast the US Constitution's Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments with the UN Declaration on Human Rights. We finish talking about the idea of housing as a right.
MABN Episode 40 - The origin of the MABN pod
July 17, 2020 16:00 - 3 minutes - 2.11 MBIn this session, we answer the question, is there an Episode 1? As well as discuss the importance of American civic engagement.
MABN Episode 39 - Tyranny of the majority and minority (education example)
July 16, 2020 15:00 - 4 minutes - 3.11 MBIs it fair if 51% of people get their way, all the time, in our democracy? Or is it fair if 49% of people can get their way and block legislation? Today's session explains how compromise is part of our current democracy.
MABN Episode 38 - Social hierarchy and the myth of the rich
July 15, 2020 15:00 - 4 minutes - 3.06 MBAre social classes unavoidable in society? From the Indian caste system to America, we explore the changing perceptions of social class, especially from the economic lens.
MABN Episode 37 - Pandemic, federalism, and science
July 14, 2020 16:00 - 4 minutes - 3.06 MBIn today's session we tackle how government structure could adapt to better handle today's Covid-19 pandemic in which America is the world's hotspot. With states and local governments offering different guidance and rules, citizens are left wondering what to do.
MABN Episode 36 - Growth without scale; big states and small states
July 13, 2020 21:00 - 4 minutes - 3.02 MBOur country grew and grew and grew up until 1959 when Hawai'i was the most recent state added to the Union. Since then, we haven't scaled our infrastructure or our representative democracy to meet that growth and we've fallen far behind.
MABN Episode 35 - How much risk are you willing to tolerate?
July 12, 2020 17:00 - 4 minutes - 3.12 MBWe continue talking about risk in all forms for society. How risky of a society do we want? What are the risk-reward choices and does our preference change if the risk is for us or others?
MABN Episode 34 - Post office, printing money, and patents
July 11, 2020 16:00 - 4 minutes - 3.42 MBWe take a look today at Article I, Section 8, to ask which of these original government services should we still provide today.
MABN Episode 33 - Economic success measures and risk
July 10, 2020 16:00 - 4 minutes - 3.17 MBThanks to a listener for a short conversation on economic success, which I refine at the top of this session and then introduce today's thought-starter on risk at the bottom half.
MABN Episode 32 - Ensuring liberty inside our borders - security and voting
July 09, 2020 16:00 - 4 minutes - 2.89 MBBe sure to find your host on Twitter (@KoalaMonet) to send me your ideas and arguments so that we can have a conversation. I'll also start including links to the reports and other online resources (or online resource equivalent). Today's episode asks what is the minimum our government should provide to ensure the maximum amount of liberty for all (outside of extreme cases of anarchy or blindly following the leader). From the minimum standards, we can consider adding on other areas of authori...
MABN Episode 31: What does economic success look like?
July 08, 2020 17:00 - 5 minutes - 3.86 MBThis Koala is on Twitter. @KoalaMonet. Send me your suggestions for topics or tell me I'm brilliant or an idiot. Help me be better by sharing your thoughts with me. Today's topic is on economic success, discussing the top industries in America.
MABN Episode 30 - The state and violence
July 07, 2020 15:00 - 4 minutes - 3.42 MBWhat really separates a country or state from an international community, an intergovernmental body, or a political union? That's what we're talking about in today's session as you make-your-own-manifesto.
MABN Episode 29 - What economic system will you choose?
July 06, 2020 17:00 - 5 minutes - 3.76 MBThis week as we talk about the big picture organization of governing and economics, going back and forth each day, we start with economics today. What system makes sense to you? What result do you want the economy to achieve? Join today to continue the make-your-own-manifesto podcast journey with me, your bookish host.
MABN Episode 28 - Three-fifths compromise gives us a clue about voting thresholds
July 05, 2020 16:00 - 5 minutes - 3.88 MBThis week we're talking about big picture principles of governing and economics, which we'll switch back and forth from each day. Today we're talking about if we want to still have federalism to temper raw democracy. We also discuss whether the simple majority is the way to pass laws.
MABN Episode 27 - How should we celebrate Independence Day?
July 04, 2020 17:00 - 5 minutes - 3.62 MBAmerica's narrative is complicated, with highs and lows. In this session, we talk about reconciling the two competing narratives of our country's birth.
MABN Episode 26 - On progress and permanence
July 03, 2020 17:00 - 6 minutes - 4.61 MBWhat is progress? How do we define it? In this session, we pull a couple of quotes and passages from conservatives to weigh progress and permanence. Follow along today on your make-your-own-manifesto journey.
MABN Episode 26 - On progress and permanance
July 03, 2020 17:00 - 6 minutes - 4.61 MBWhat is progress? How do we define it? In this session, we pull a couple of quotes and passages from conservatives to weigh progress and permanence. Follow along today on your make-your-own-manifesto journey.
MABN Episode 25 - On Patriotism
July 02, 2020 17:00 - 7 minutes - 5.48 MBPatriotism - do we still need this concept in a global world? Is it more important than ever now? In this session, we discuss the philosophical and practical concepts around patriotism to arrive at our own definition. Follow along in this make-your-own-manifesto project with today's prompt in advance of Independence Day.
MABN Episode 24 - Long live the American Experiment
July 01, 2020 16:00 - 5 minutes - 4.09 MBWhat's the status of our American Experiment and why is it important to think about today? Also at the end of this session, I encourage you to make-your-own-manifesto. With your bookish Koala as your guide, you can follow along with each session and jot down your own thoughts and writings on the topic. For those that want to create a comprehensive understanding of your own worldview (aka manifesto) then this is the pod for you. Let's make America better now through our deeper understanding o...
MABN Episode 23 - What does personal responsibility mean to you?
June 30, 2020 16:00 - 7 minutes - 4.98 MBContinuing on our theme this week of discussing America's cherished values and traits, we come across personal responsibility. Using examples from capitalism and public health, your host and author, wonders who shoulders more of the personal responsibility.
MABN Episode 22: What do freedom and liberty mean to you?
June 29, 2020 16:00 - 7 minutes - 5.34 MBWith America's birthday coming up this weekend, let's take some time to talk about some of America's quintessential values. We'll talk about the current framing of freedom and liberty and also pull up some quotes from throughout history.