Doing the Work of Democracy (Episode 163)

The Leftscape

Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée are back after summer break for the 2024 Season 2 of The Leftscape! Featured guest Jonah Minkoff-Zern (he/him) is the co-director of Public Citizen’s Democracy Campaign. He has organized nationwide mobilizations to challenge ongoing threats to democracy from former President Donald Trump and his allies, coordinated grassroots activities to pass federal voting rights and democracy reforms, and mobilized national action for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. He has led and supported state-based efforts to win voting rights, public financing to protect election officials and prevent artificial intelligence deepfakes in elections, and coordinated national support for the Second Chances Florida ballot initiative, which restored the eligibility to vote to Floridians with felony convictions. Hear him speak with Wendy about the many aspects of the Democracy Campaign’s important work.

In This Fortnight I Learned, Wendy recounts the controvery over which of two simiarly-named people originated Labor Day in 1882 and Robin discusses the first term entered into their personal Pittsburghese dictionary. In News, there is so much to tackle that a great deal more of it is covered in What the Bleep Happened This Summer? on Patreon. X offline in Brazil, the summer COVID surge, the upcoming Harris vs. Trump presidential debate, members of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland elected in Germany, an action against budget cuts at the Rahway Public Library, and the Oasis reunion are some of the stories that made the show. In The Blanket Fort, Robin and Wendy check in on what they’re doing to stay informed without getting overwhelmed. Wendy nominates Frances Perkins as Lefty of the Week.

Things to do:

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Watch the presidential debate on Tuesday, September 10th at 9pm EDT.

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Read “Inmates Training Hard-to-Adopt Dogs in New Mexico Creates Joy On Both Ends of a Leash.“