It's the Democracy, Stupid Featured Interviews

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Skye Perryman , president and CEO of  Democracy Forward . Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).    Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820 Heartland Signal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/H...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Ezra Levin , co-executive director of Indivisible .  Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).      Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820 Heartland Signal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by G. Elliott Morris , data-driven journalist, pollster, author of the Substack newsletter “ Strength In Numbers ” and the book “ Strength in Numbers: How Polls Work and Why We Need Them .” In the interview polling and election forecasts were discussed as useful but inherently uncertain measures of public opinion and electoral outcomes. Here are a...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Jay Kuo , two-time Tony-winning co-producer and composer; CEO and founder of The Social Edge (a social media and digital publishing company based in New York City); author of  The Status Kuo Substack newsletter; and member of the board of directors for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). The interview examined election integrity, accountability, and the reforms Demo...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Juliet Jeske , founder of  Decoding Fox News , a crowd-funded media project. The conversation examined Jeske's monitoring of Fox News and how its coverage is shifting amid political and audience pressures.  Here are a few highlights from the conversation: - Fox News has reduced diner segments and voter panels, while remaining critical of the war and inc...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by David Nir , publisher of  The Downballot . The discussion examined how state and local election dynamics, campaign finances, and election administration shape the broader political landscape. Here are a few highlights from the conversation: - Candidate campaigns can buy broadcast advertising at legally mandated lowest rates; super PACs and other outside grou...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Chicago  Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd Ward). The discussion examined Chicago’s parking-meter contract, federal policy impacts on cities, immigration, and bipartisan local governance. Here are a few key points from the conversation: - Waguespack described the revised parking meter deal as financially imperfect but improved from the 2008 agreement. - City...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Mark Jacob , author of the  Stop the Presses newsletter on Substack, former metro editor at the Chicago Tribune, former Sunday editor at the Sun-Times, and co-author of several books on history and photography. The conversation examined concerns about executive power, institutional checks, election integrity, defense leadership, media ownership, and the economic...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Russ Carnahan , chair of the  Missouri Democratic Party and former member of the U.S. House and the Missouri House. The discussion focused on Missouri Democrats’ election strategy, voter initiative power, redistricting litigation, and election security concerns. Here are a few key points from the conversation: - Carnahan said Democrats are contesting more t...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Clay Wirestone , editor of the Kansas Reflector. Wirestone is also the author of "Opinionated: Kansas Journalists Who Proved Why Commentary Matters: Then and Now" (out September 29).  The conversation examined Kansas politics, the competitiveness of its current statewide races, and the role of informed local opinion journalism.  Here are a few key point...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Aisha Down , global technology reporter for the Guardian; her latest article is " Your AI doomsday questions answered: ‘What, if anything, can people like me do about it?’ " The conversation examined AI’s societal, political, economic, and democratic risks. Here are a few key points from the conversation: - Down argued that extinction narratives ofte...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Andrea Hailey , CEO of Vote.org . She discussed voter registration trends, voting access, election safeguards, and trusted voter information ahead of the election. Here are a few key points from the conversation: - Vote.org reported registration activity about three times higher than in the previous midterm cycle, with 18-year-olds representing about 35 percent o...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Chioma Chukwu , executive director of American Oversight , a nonpartisan watchdog organization that advances accountability and democracy by enforcing the public’s right to government records. Chukwu discussed American Oversight's nonpartisan investigations and litigation concerning government transparency, election administration, civil rights, and government w...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Laura Belin , publisher, editor, and reporter for Bleeding Heartland , a community website focused on Iowa politics. Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).    Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by David Smith , Washington bureau chief for the Guardian. The discussion explored how the post-9/11 response reshaped U.S. power, democracy, civil liberties, and contemporary politics. Here is a brief  summary of the conversation: - The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, detentions, abuses, and expanded national-security powers damaged U.S. credibility and contributed t...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Will Bunch ,  national opinion columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer. His latest column is "In Pa. coal country, local police join with ICE to bring arrests, fear ." The discussion examined the expansion of the federal 287(g) immigration enforcement program and its local effects, then turned to Senator John Fetterman’s political future. Here is a brief su...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Kendall Scudder , chair of the  Texas Democratic Party . Scudder described growing Democratic Party energy in Texas and emphasized voter protection, grassroots organizing, and delivering tangible results for working-class communities. Here is a brief summary of the conversation. - Earlier this year Texas Democrats achieved their highest primary turnout since 2008...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Michael Mann , climatologist, geophysicist, and author of “Science Under Siege: How to Fight the Five Most Powerful Forces that Threaten Our World.” The discussion examined the accelerating effects of climate change, available solutions, and political and media forces obstructing climate action.  Here is a brief summary of the conversation: - Existing...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Dr. Debra Houry , senior fellow at Yale School of Public Health, adjunct professor at Emory University, former chief medical officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and principal at DH Leadership and Strategy Solutions, through which she is advising California on their PHNIX initiative. Dr. Houry discussed worsening disease risks, weakened federal h...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Nicholas Grossman , teaching assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Grossman, an expert in international relations, discussed the impact of Donald Trump's presidency on global institutions like the U.N. and NATO, arguing that their decline was ideologically driven rather than due to institutional fail...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Rev. Earle J. Fisher , Ph. D., senior pastor of  Abyssinian Baptist Church , founder of  #UPTheVote901 , and author of "The Rev. Albert Cleage Jr., and the Black Prophetic Tradition: A Reintroduction of The Black Messiah." Fisher discussed the erosion of Black political rights and the impact of gerrymandering on Black voter representation. He empha...

Filling in for Edwin Eisendrath, Jill Wine-Banks is joined by Rachel E. VanLandingham , professor of law and associate dean for research at  Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles and retired Air Force lieutenant colonel. Here is a summary of the conversation: Discriminatory Military Promotions - Van Landingham discusses how Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is removing women and officers of...

Filling in for Edwin Eisendrath, Jill Wine-Banks is joined by  Kwame Raoul , attorney general of Illinois. Legal Challenges to Tariffs - Attorney General Raoul discusses a lawsuit against the administration's decision to increase tariffs on more than 80 countries. - He notes that the action is intended to provide universal relief as tariffs affect imports for the entire country rather than in...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Eric Garcia , Washington bureau chief at The Independent. They discuss current political tensions, legislative action in Congress, and upcoming midterm election dynamics. Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).    Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsign...

Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Brian Finucane , senior adviser with the U.S. Program at the  International Crisis Group and a former attorney-adviser at the U.S. Department of State. They discuss the legal, diplomatic, and strategic implications of the Trump administration's military actions in Iran and Latin America. Finucane argues that the administration is operating in a lawless manner by...