Future Hindsight
Future Hindsight takes big ideas about civic life and democracy and turns them into action items for you.
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America’s Half a Billion Guns: Jonathan Metzl
04/25/2024
America’s Half a Billion Guns: Jonathan Metzl
Jonathan M. Metzl is the Frederick B. Rentschler II Professor of Sociology and Psychiatry and the Director of the Department of Medicine, Health, and Society at Vanderbilt University. His most recent book is What We’ve Become: Living and Dying in a Country of Arms. We discuss how lax gun laws and gun ownership as an identity. The public health narrative is about how guns pose a health risk, a threat to mortality to our bodies. Those who vote based on guns see guns as symbols of power or protection. In fact, many people in the South own guns because they’re afraid of government tyranny. Unfortunately, gun laws have become more and more lax in a country that has almost 500 million civilian-owned firearms. Metzl shares that “We've had a dramatic erosion in the ability of states and towns and the country itself to limit who can own and carry a firearm.” Follow Jonathan on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Sponsor: Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! Sign up for a $1/month trial at . Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Jonathan Metzl Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Everyday Freedom: Philip K. Howard
04/18/2024
Everyday Freedom: Philip K. Howard
Philip K. Howard is the founder and chair of Common Good, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that advocates for simplifying government, and has advised both parties on needed reforms. His latest book is Everyday Freedom: Designing the Framework for a Flourishing Society. Every community depends on democracy to deliver, whether that’s government services, schools, hospitals, or housing. Howard argues that a democracy depends on people being able to take responsibility, to interpret guidelines and perform their jobs or service accordingly. In a time when a significant percentage of Americans no longer believe in democracy, we need a national movement to remake institutions that honor the capacity of humans. Follow Philip on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Philip K Howard Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Power Sharing Liberalism: Danielle Allen
04/11/2024
Power Sharing Liberalism: Danielle Allen
Danielle Allen is the author of Justice by Means of Democracy. She is also the James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University and Director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation at Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. We discuss power sharing liberalism as a new paradigm in the practice of democracy. Whether it’s through ballot measures to introduce ranked choice voting or open primaries, we are experiencing great innovation in democratic practice that make it more possible for us to bring our whole selves and to share political power within US democracy. Power sharing liberalism centers around the lived human experience, which needs foundations for flourishing. To that end, the economy should serve the ends of human flourishing. Allen envisions a “dynamic economy that supports people in their lives and to support people in their lives requires supporting their empowerment politically as well as supporting them materially.” Follow Danielle on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Sponsor: Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! Sign up for a $1/month trial at . Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Danielle Allen Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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The Founders’ Intentions: Jeffrey Rosen
04/04/2024
The Founders’ Intentions: Jeffrey Rosen
Jeffrey Rosen is the president and CEO of the National Constitution Center and the author of The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America. We discuss how the Constitution is a framework for a productive conversation for people with fundamentally different points of view. For the Founders, personal self government was a pre-requisite for political self government. In order to deliberate with fellow citizens and vote wisely, citizens ought first be their best selves, which puts a high bar for citizens to educate themselves. In fact, the founders thought education was central to creating the perfect citizen. Thinking in constitutional terms opens citizens up to hear arguments they might disagree with, which in turn makes it possible to change their minds. Jeffrey Rosen stresses that “that openness, that curiosity to diverse points of view is exactly the point of the Constitution”. Follow Jeffrey on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Jeffrey Rosen Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Cancel Student Debt: Braxton Brewington
03/28/2024
Cancel Student Debt: Braxton Brewington
Braxton Brewington is the Press Secretary of the Debt Collective. We discuss the origins of the Debt Collective in the Rolling Jubilee and its history in canceling student debt. Their example is a powerful model for canceling student debt, which continues to be important for all Americans in this election cycle and beyond. Education is a public good, yet the cost of college over the past couple of decades has risen eight times faster than the average wages. The average student debt is $30,000-$35,000. Two thirds of student debt is owed by women, and a large number of student loan borrowers don't have a college degree. This means that they are paying down student debt on non-college degree wages. The Debt Collective started out as the Rolling Jubilee, which canceled tens of millions of dollars of debt and gave instant relief to borrowers. Canceling student debt creates millions of jobs, boosts the economy, and advances racial and gender justice. Although the Biden administration has canceled billions in student debt, it is only making a small dent in over $1.7 trillion worth of student loans. Follow Braxton on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Sponsor: Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! Sign up for a $1/month trial at . Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Braxton Brewington Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Employ Negative Partisanship: Rachel Bitecofer
03/21/2024
Employ Negative Partisanship: Rachel Bitecofer
Rachel Bitecofer is a political scientist and election forecaster turned political strategist. Her most recent book is Hit ’Em Where it Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game. We discuss why it's time for Democratic Party candidates to embrace negative partisanship in their campaigns. Half of America’s electorate doesn't vote – even in the most consequential elections – because they aren't interested in politics. The Knight Foundation took a very large sample survey of non voters and discovered that the most commonly cited reason for not voting is lack of interest. The US has raised and created a political culture that encourages lack of civic participation and views politics as dirty. Turning the tide on disinterest and bolstering American democracy must include fixing the civic culture. Follow Rachel on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Sponsor: Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! Sign up for a $1/month trial at . Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Rachel Bitecofer Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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A Real Right to Vote: Richard L. Hasen
03/14/2024
A Real Right to Vote: Richard L. Hasen
Richard L. Hasen is Professor of Law and Political Science at UCLA and director of UCLA Law’s Safeguarding Democracy Project. We discuss his most recent book, A Real Right to Vote: How a Constitutional Amendment Can Safeguard American Democracy. A country that believes that its people are equal should ensure equal voting rights. However, the US Constitution does not currently protect the right to vote. All adult non-felon citizens should have a constitutional right to vote where they reside. That vote should be equally weighted and eligible voters should not face unnecessary burdens to voting. Furthermore, minority voters should have voter protection and Congress should have broad powers to protect voting rights. Even though the US has not enacted a constitutional amendment since the 1970s, Americans should start thinking about a movement towards passing a voting rights amendment with the expectation that it might take decades. Rich Hasen reminds us that “Nobody is coming to save American democracy. We have to do it ourselves, and people are stepping up.” Follow Rick on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Sponsor: Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! Sign up for a $1/month trial at . Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Richard L. Hasen Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Policing Equity and Justice: Phillip Atiba Solomon
03/07/2024
Policing Equity and Justice: Phillip Atiba Solomon
Phillip Atiba Solomon is the chair and Carl I. Hovland Professor of African American Studies, Professor of Psychology at Yale University, and co-founder of the Center for Policing Equity. We discuss policing equity, investing in communities, and taking police out of the mental health crisis business. Policing equity is multi-faceted and requires collaboration with communities. Proven solutions to reduce violence include anti-poverty investments, stopping low level traffic stops, sending non-police to mental health crises or to interventions for the houseless, as well as having clear limits and rules to when force can be used. Follow Phillip on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Phillip Atiba Solomon Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Make Your Vote Pack a Punch: Sam Wang
02/29/2024
Make Your Vote Pack a Punch: Sam Wang
Sam Wang is the Director of the Electoral Innovation Lab and a professor of neuroscience at Princeton University. We discuss how we can better understand the current state of district maps across the US, and how they can be made more fair and representative of their constituents. Gerrymandering is not only unfair but also anti-democratic. It favors one party over another, effectively shutting out the possibility of accurate representation in a legislative body. The current electoral system forces voters into opposite camps and then rewards them for doing so. For example, primary elections reward a partisan loyalist who is unlikely to represent the views of the majority of voters. But, local and state elections are a hope for the future because voters are less polarized. Follow Sam on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Sponsor: Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! Sign up for a $1/month trial at . Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Sam Wang Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Rural Democrat: Jess Piper
02/22/2024
Rural Democrat: Jess Piper
Jess Piper is the Executive Director of Blue Missouri and the host of the Dirt Road Democrats podcast. We discuss the reality of living in rural Missouri, the state of education, and the dearth of Democratic candidates across the state. Rural candidates have little to no support from the state party, but Republicans enjoy the support of local churches. One-third of Missouri is rural, but there is not a single elected Democrat representing these areas. Uncontested races are bad for democracy and without Democrats in the race, there is no contest of ideas. In Missouri, for example, multiple school districts only have four days of school, but there have not been elected Democrats who are willing to push back and properly fund these public schools. Follow Jess on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: https://www.futurehindsight.com/episodes/rural-democrat-jess-piper Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Jess Piper Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Patriotism vs. Extremism: Ken Harbaugh
02/15/2024
Patriotism vs. Extremism: Ken Harbaugh
Ken Harbaugh is the host of the Burn the Boats podcast, a former United States Navy pilot, and executive producer of Against All Enemies, a documentary film that explores the critical role of military veterans in domestic violent extremist groups. We discuss why veterans are equally sought out to work in Fortune 500 companies and to be in leadership positions of extremist groups. Most veterans make a successful transition to civilian life, but a small minority become radicalized. Anger and resentment is a common through line for them. Fueled by the big lie about the 2020 election, extremists continue to become more popular. In fact, the big lie has torn our country apart. Ken stresses that “fundamentally, our elections are secure and the will of the people will be honored in November of 2024, as it was in November of 2020.” Follow Ken on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Ken Harbaugh Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Leveling the Playing Field for Women: Cynthia Richie Terrell
02/08/2024
Leveling the Playing Field for Women: Cynthia Richie Terrell
Cynthia Richie Terrell is the founder and executive director of RepresentWomen. We discuss institutional reforms that can reduce the barriers for women to run, win, and govern. There are approximately 520,000 elected office holders in the U.S., but incumbency is the biggest barrier to electing more women. Term limits make more seats open to competition. In addition, ranked choice voting eliminates vote splitting if there is more than one woman on the ballot. In NYC, for example, the combination of term limits and ranked choice voting has resulted in a city council where 61% of the seats are held by women. Policy solutions that address the structural barriers do work. Follow Cynthia on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Cynthia Richie Terrell Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Identify as a Voter: Anat Shenker-Osorio
02/01/2024
Identify as a Voter: Anat Shenker-Osorio
Anat Shenker-Osorio is the host of the Words to Win By podcast and the Principal of ASO Communications. We discuss the winning messages for 2024 and the importance for pro-democracy voters to turn out on Election Day. 2024 is yet another do-or-die election for American democracy, and thus the first and most important message to Americans is to vote. We need to marshal a sense of defiance to participate because if we don’t decide for ourselves, someone else will decide for us. This election is a contest between freedom and fascism. What’s at stake is whether the US is going to continue to be a place where citizens have the freedom to cast their votes and have them counted. Follow Anat on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Sponsor: Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! Sign up for a $1/month trial at . Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Anat Shenker-Osorio Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Make A.I. Work for Democracy: Marietje Schaake
01/25/2024
Make A.I. Work for Democracy: Marietje Schaake
Marietje Schaake is International Policy Director at Stanford University Cyber Policy Center, International Policy Fellow at Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, and also serves on the UN’s A.I. Advisory Body. We take a deep dive into how the digital revolution can still fulfill its promise of a democratic revolution. In other words: make A.I. work for democracy. Over the past 20 years, power became more and more concentrated in the hands of big tech companies, while both Democratic and Republican administrations have chosen to trust market forces, rather than intervening to put on some guardrails. Unsurprisingly, public interest issues are under-addressed. Voluntary commitments by tech companies are often not powerful or enforceable enough to change behavior. But in the last year, more governments and multilateral institutions are recognizing that there are risks with the use of AI. For example, the EU AI Act was just passed to mitigate the risks from the use of AI applications. Follow Marietje on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Marietje Schaake Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Montana is a Bulwark: Ryan Busse
01/18/2024
Montana is a Bulwark: Ryan Busse
Ryan Busse is a Democratic candidate for governor of Montana and the author of Gunfight: My Battle Against the Industry That Radicalized America. We discuss how Montana is a bulwark against anti-democratic forces and how Ryan cuts through the politi-speak on the campaign trail. It's important for Democrats to identify with the basic democratic freedom values of the vast majority of people, whether that’s fair taxes on homeowners or reproductive freedom. Ryan argues that a vibrant democracy depends on both small d democratic values being represented and big D Democratic victories at the ballot box. The stakes are high to elect a pro-democracy governor in Montana. Montana is a bulwark in a sea of red state legislatures. Ryan says, “North Dakota and South Dakota used to have two Democratic senators and Democratic governors. Now there's not a single statewide elected Democrat in North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, and there's only one left in Montana, Jon Tester.” Follow Ryan on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Sponsor Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! Sign up for a $1/month trial at . Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Ryan Busse Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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A Better Way to Vote: Deb Otis
01/11/2024
A Better Way to Vote: Deb Otis
Deb Otis is the Director of Research & Policy at FairVote, a nonpartisan organization that researches and advances voting reforms that make democracy more functional and representative for every American. We discuss the benefits of ranked choice voting and the likelihood that it will become more popular after the 2024 presidential election. Ranked choice voting addresses a variety of problems in “vote one” elections, such as vote splitting among similar candidates; ranking candidates in order of preference; proportional outcomes in multi winner races; more broad based support for the eventual winner; and more successful general election candidates if ranked choice voting is used in the primary. Maine is a state where ranked choice voting will be used in the presidential election. The Fair Representation Act is a bill that would implement ranked choice voting for members of Congress and also make redistricting more proportional and representative for voters. Follow Deb on Twitter: Follow FairVote on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Deb Otis Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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State Races Matter: Lala Wu
01/04/2024
State Races Matter: Lala Wu
Lala Wu is the co-founder and executive director of Sister District, an organization that works to build enduring progressive power in state legislatures. We discuss how state races will continue to be important during the presidential election cycle and why the battle for redistricting will be center stage. State legislatures are where a lot of impactful policy is made, such as abortion laws. They’re also critical because in most states, state legislatures control redistricting. Building progressive power is about winning elections, passing legislation, and then telling the story about legislative successes so that voters want to keep you in power and continue the work. Lala Wu on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Sponsor Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! Sign up for a $1/month trial period at . Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Lala Wu Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Why Dissent is a Part of Democracy: Democracy-ish
12/28/2023
Why Dissent is a Part of Democracy: Democracy-ish
Over the last several years our politics has been pushed from a place of collaboration to bold faced loyalty tests. In his latest book: Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America, our guest, author and NPR Morning Edition co-host, Steve Inskeep, discusses with Waj and Danielle why dissent necessary and is as American as apple pie! Listen to Democracy-ish: Follow Danielle on X: Follow Waj on X: Check out the Future Hindsight website! Credits: Hosts: Danielle Moodie & Wajahat Ali Guests: Steve Inskeep Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Senior Producer: Quinton Hill Distributor: DCP Entertainment
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Building the Public Square: Rich Harwood
12/21/2023
Building the Public Square: Rich Harwood
Rich Harwood is the president and founder of The Harwood Institute, who just launched a campaign to reclaim the public square from the most divisive voices and build it into a place that can make hope real for all. The public square is a noisy and messy place where society disagrees, argues, and also finds solutions. It’s through working out expectations, engaging in the work to be on the right path forward, and holding ourselves accountable to our goals that we engender hope. Acknowledging what has already been accomplished, no matter how small, both to yourself and others, makes the work visible to the community. Paying attention to the civic culture of communities is key to success. Follow The Harwood Institute on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Richard Harwood Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Black Grief/White Grievance: Juliet Hooker
12/14/2023
Black Grief/White Grievance: Juliet Hooker
Juliet Hooker is the author of Black Grief/White Grievance: The Politics of Loss and the Royce Family Professor of Teaching Excellence in Political Science at Brown University. We talk about how racism has narrowed the political imagination of both black and white citizens. In American politics and democracy, neither side is supposed to win all the time. Losing is a fundamental part of democracy, and does not make the losers victims. In a multiracial democracy, having a president or any other elected representative who is not white should not be a big deal. Democratic cultures need to be inclusive, and the nuts and bolts work of “repairing” democracy should be equally distributed among the body politic. Follow Juliet on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Dr. Juliet Hooker Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Housing is a Moral Issue: Shaun Donovan
12/07/2023
Housing is a Moral Issue: Shaun Donovan
Shaun Donovan is the CEO & President of Enterprise Community Partners. We discuss how the deeply entrenched housing crisis has become worse in recent years and the multiple strategies to make home and community places of pride, power, and belonging. Housing is a basic need that is fundamental to democratic participation. The lack of housing is preventing communities around the country from attracting workers and studies show slowing GDP growth due to housing affordability. People across the US are increasingly recognizing that housing isn't just a moral issue or an issue of justice for low-income people. It's a larger challenge for our society. Follow Enterprise Community Partners on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Sponsor: Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! Sign up for a $1/month trial period at . Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Shaun Donovan Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Building a Black Future: Christopher Paul Harris
11/30/2023
Building a Black Future: Christopher Paul Harris
Christopher Paul Harris is Assistant Professor of Global & International Studies at the University of California, Irvine, and the author of To Build A Black Future: The Radical Politics of Joy, Pain, and Care. We discuss why addressing our society’s hard-wired prejudices must be a substantial part of our endeavors toward a truly multicultural democracy. Central to building a Black future is reframing and recreating institutions from the perspective of those who have been historically marginalized. The core of the Black movement is a response to Black pain and anti-Black violence. Despite all the violence, Black Joy is evidence that Black communities are thriving and serve as a prefigurative politics of what’s possible on the other side of pain. Care is recognizing that Black people and other marginalized communities carry trauma and need healing. Follow Chris on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Christopher Paul Harris Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Have the Conversation: Neal Rickner
11/21/2023
Have the Conversation: Neal Rickner
Just in time for Thanksgiving, Neal Rickner joins us to talk about the American Values Coalition, a growing community of Americans who are empowered to lead with truth, reject extremism and misinformation, and defend democracy. Get some pointers to dialogue across political divides and across the table. First, have the courage to have the conversation. As much as hiding in the kitchen sounds preferable, we’re going to engage on the issues one relationship at a time. Begin the conversation with a thoughtful question, and then sit back and really listen. Since we rely on the news to understand what’s happening in the world, our news choices frame our reality. In fact, media source is among the top indicators of political choice. Consult multiple news sources and bring more truth to the conversation. Follow American Values Coalition on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Neal Rickner Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Unions and Democracy: Theda Skocpol
11/16/2023
Unions and Democracy: Theda Skocpol
Thursday, November 16th, 2023 Theda Skocpol is the Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology at Harvard University and co-author of Rust Belt Union Blues: Why Working-Class Voters are Turning Away from the Democratic Party. We learn how unions are true laboratories of democracy and why their demise has eroded our democratic culture. Unions were at the heart of local communities well beyond bargaining for contracts. They were part of recreational and social life, and even the churches were aligned with unions. There was a sense of solidarity for fellow union members, pride in their work, and a natural alignment on politics. If elections are about voting for who is on your side, then politics is partly about who we are — and who they are. American democracy is at an inflection point and the question is whether the news who are engaged are willing to practice and defend democracy. Learn More About Theda: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Sponsor: Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! Sign up for a $1/month trial period at shopify.com/hopeful. Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Theda Skocpol Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Cooperation Democracy: Bernard Harcourt
11/09/2023
Cooperation Democracy: Bernard Harcourt
Thursday, November 9th, 2023 Bernard E. Harcourt is Isidor and Seville Sulzbacher Professor of Law and Professor of Political Science at Columbia University -- and he was also our very first guest on the podcast! Bernard's most recent book, Cooperation: A Political, Economic, and Social Theory, offers the blueprint for a society based on cooperation. The idea of creating a space that benefits the stakeholders, rather than the shareholders, has a long history. Cooperatives offer a robust way of being. They practice self-governance among equals through democratic process. In fact, we could have democratic processes, democratic education, and democratic training in every aspect of our lives. We could even nurture a culture of democratic self-governance at work, which is traditionally one of the least democratic places in our daily lives. Cooperation democracy aims to extend the democratic culture to every facet of our lives. Follow Bernard on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Bernard Harcourt Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Shaping Collective Memory: Hajar Yazdiha
11/02/2023
Shaping Collective Memory: Hajar Yazdiha
Thursday, November 2nd, 2023 Hajar Yazdiha is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences and the author of The Struggle for the People’s King: How Politics Transforms the Memory of the Civil Rights Movement. We discuss the role of collective memory in the myth-making of American exceptionalism. Collective memory is the way that we remember history and that becomes central to our idea of who we are as a people. It’s a process of storytelling and the most central stories to who we are as a people. The civil rights movement has become one of the central collective memories in America's story of both who it is and who it wants to be. However, careful examination of the record reveals that the civil rights movement was a political project that was meant to actually dismantle multicultural democracy. Further, as the collective memory of Dr. King became sanitized and whitewashed, his legacy carried a lot of moral legitimacy, and his moral symbolic authority became ripe for manipulation. Follow Hajar on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Hajar Yazdiha Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Everytown for Gun Safety: Nick Suplina
10/26/2023
Everytown for Gun Safety: Nick Suplina
Thursday, October 26th, 2023 Nick Suplina is Senior Vice President for Law & Policy at Everytown for Gun Safety. He was previously an advisor for New York State’s Attorney General. We discuss how 10 years of grassroots organizing has changed the political calculus on gun safety legislation, starting with the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Although progress is slow, 15 Republican senators did vote for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022. This was made possible because of 10 years worth of pressure from constituents. Since Sandy Hook, grassroots organizing has made a significant difference. The notion that there is no point in fighting because nothing will ever change is false. As Nick told us, “Just because we can’t get everything we want, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t act every way we can.” Follow Nick on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Learn about Everytown for Gun Safety: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Nick Suplina Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Making Government Responsive: Sam Oliker-Friedland
10/19/2023
Making Government Responsive: Sam Oliker-Friedland
Thursday, October 19th, 2023 Sam Oliker-Friedland is the Executive Director of the Institute for Responsive Government and a former Department of Justice voting rights litigator at the Civil Rights Division. We discuss the promise of automation for good governance and democracy. There is a lot of good pro-voter legislation being implemented in states from Nevada to Michigan, Pennsylvania to New York. The success of automatic voter registration laws are fertile ground for better public policy making and better governance across the board. Practical public policy is impact forward. It takes account of on the ground implementation and of the political reality in the states. And then it goes back to see if the policy did achieve the desired impact. Follow Sam on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Sponsor: Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! Sign up for a $1/month trial period at . Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Sam Oliker-Friedland Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Tyranny of the Minority: Steven Levitsky
10/12/2023
Tyranny of the Minority: Steven Levitsky
Thursday, October 12th, 2023 Steven Levitsky is Professor of Government at Harvard University. Together with Daniel Ziblatt, he is co-author of How Democracies Die and has just published Tyranny of the Minority. They argue that reforming American institutions to become more democratic will help us achieve a multiracial democracy—and in the process save democracy itself. We are on the cusp of a multiracial democracy, but to get there we need to reform our constitution and end counter-majoritarian institutions. Majorities should be empowered to govern. If the majorities are not getting serious consideration in the legislature, something is wrong. For example, states with higher populations should get greater representation because democracy represents people, not territory. Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Steven Levitsky Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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Radical Acts of Justice: Jocelyn Simonson
10/05/2023
Radical Acts of Justice: Jocelyn Simonson
Thursday, October 5th, 2023 Jocelyn Simonson is Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School, a former public defender, and the author of Radical Acts of Justice: How Ordinary People Are Dismantling Mass Incarceration. We discuss how certain radical acts of justice challenge the legitimacy of the criminal system and form the underpinning of a new collective legal thought. The four pillars of this work comprise of court watching, community bail funds, participatory defense, and people’s budgets. Bail funds are pulling the rug out from the system's justification for what it's doing. Defunding the system in this way shows that the combination of carceral and economic forces that we currently use to “do justice” is not inevitable. A big part of the power of these acts of justice is that they’re done collectively. Abolition has two sides: breaking down and building up. Jocelyn shared that “we need to simultaneously decarcerate, stop spending our resources, and start building it out.” Follow Jocelyn on Twitter: Follow Mila on Twitter: Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: Love Future Hindsight? Take our Listener Survey! Take the Democracy Group’s Listener Survey! Want to support the show and get it early? Check out the Future Hindsight website! Read the transcript here: Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Jocelyn Simonson Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis
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