Democracy on Fire

Takeaways: You heard me: we uncovered a back‑door plan to give a developer private access through Yosemite, with public dollars possibly paying for it — unthinkable and we're pushing back hard. We flagged the likely misuse of the Land and Water Conservation Fund — money meant for conserving land, not underwriting private development — and Congress is already getting squeaky about it. You should ca...

What happens when the ocean is exposed to too much artificial light? Kay Brown talks with environmental researcher and lawyer Willow Hogan about the growing problem of marine light pollution—and how artificial light from coastlines, ports, and ships can disrupt sea turtles, plankton, coral, seabirds, and other marine life. They explore the risks, the push for international regulation, and practica...

California’s Salton Sea is disappearing. So why isn’t the government doing more to stop it? Kay Brown talks with Susan St. Louis of the Salton Sea Coalition about the growing environmental and public-health crisis—and the political roadblocks standing in the way of a real solution. Who is responsible? Who has the power to act? And what will it cost California if the government continues to do noth...

In this episode of Democracy on Fire, Kay Brown talks with songwriter and performer Lauren Mayer about the power of political satire to expose hypocrisy, challenge those in power, and help people move from frustration to action. Lauren shares how her weekly political satire songs began, why laughter can make overwhelming political issues feel less paralyzing, and how humor can help people find the...

In this episode of Democracy on Fire , Kay Brown is joined by Kim Harth to examine the growing pattern of politically motivated investigations and prosecutions and the chilling effect they can have on free speech, dissent, and civic engagement. They take a closer look at the case against the Southern Poverty Law Center, one of the latest targets of what they argue is a campaign of political retrib...

In this episode of Democracy on Fire , Kay Brown talks with Pastor Jane Voigts about the rise of Christian nationalism and its growing influence on American politics and society. They explore what Christian nationalism is, how it differs from mainstream Christian faith, and its impact on democracy, religious freedom, immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, healthcare, and more. Pastor Voigts also discusses ho...

What happens when a prison sentence ends, but the barriers to belonging, opportunity, and full civic participation remain? In this episode of Democracy on Fire , Kay Brown speaks with Marcus Jackson, founder and executive director of Advocacy Based on Lived Experience (ABLE), about his journey from incarceration to becoming a leading voice for criminal justice reform in Kentucky. Jackson shares ho...

Conditions inside the Adelanto ICE Processing Center have become the subject of federal litigation, congressional scrutiny, and growing national debate. In this episode of Democracy on Fire , Kay Brown speaks with Alvaro M. Huerta , Director of Litigation and Advocacy at the Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef), about the lawsuit challenging conditions at the privately operated detention facili...

Alaska has emerged as one of the country's most closely watched political battlegrounds. Former Alaska Senate Minority Leader and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Begich joins Kay Brown to explain why the state could become one of the decisive fronts in the 2026 midterm elections—and what that could mean for the future of American democracy. The conversation examines Senate control, ranked-c...

A critical discussion about the upcoming 2026 midterm elections and the pressing need for grassroots mobilization in the face of staggering opposition funding. Gary Lucks, author of * We Are the Power to Win the Future *, joins host Kay Brown, to lay out a strategic game plan for progressives aiming to reclaim democracy. Gary emphasizes the importance of organizing, fundraising, and engaging with...

Host Kay Brown speaks with Alan Spears of the National Parks Conservation Association about litigation challenging the removal of historical and scientific interpretation from park sites, why inclusive storytelling matters, and how national parks shape public understanding of the American experience. The discussion also explores National Heritage Areas and Julius Rosenwald’s philanthropic legacy,...

In this episode of "Democracy on Fire," Kay Brown speaks with veteran reporter Tom Belden, whose decades covering transportation and tourism provide a vantage point for examining the collapse of traditional newspapers, the rise of digital publishing, and the growth of nonprofit news organizations. Together they consider how smartphones, social media, and fragmented audiences have altered public un...

In this episode of Democracy on Fire , Kay Brown speaks with Bill Ballas, a former marketing and healthcare executive and author of the forthcoming book The Architect. Ballas challenges the widespread assumption that voters are rational actors who weigh policies and facts. Drawing on political psychology, neuroscience, evolutionary biology, and real-world observation, he explains how genetics, epi...

In this episode of Democracy on Fire , Kay Brown talks with Eleanor Andrews about voting rights, her civil rights history and the shrinking space for American democracy. Andrews, an Alaska civic and business leader, traces her political awakening to early encounters with Martin Luther King Jr., Jesse Jackson and the blunt reality of Jim Crow segregation. When she talks about attacks on minority re...

In this urgent conversation, Kay Brown, host of Democracy on Fire, talks with Abraham Bonowitz, a veteran death penalty abolition advocate, who offers a sweeping look at America’s capital punishment system and the political forces shaping its future. Speaking from his car in Texas during a series of executions, Bonowitz recounts his evolution from supporter to opponent, arguing that the system is...

When the courts restrict abortion access, women find another way. In this episode of Democracy on Fire with Kay Brown, public health expert and Plan C co-founder Elisa Wells breaks down how medication abortion has quietly transformed reproductive care in the United States. More than two-thirds of abortions are now pill-based, and nearly 30% happen via telehealth — numbers that reflect not just med...

In a world where we’re bombarded with climate news, it’s easy to miss the ocean of emissions coming from maritime shipping. On this episode of Democracy on Fire, we’re taking a closer look at one of the biggest culprits: black carbon. Our guest from the International Council on Clean Transportation, lays down the facts about how the shipping industry is a major player in global greenhouse gas emis...

California's primary election is here, and it's shaping up to be a wild ride. With ballots hitting the mail, we're diving deep into the crucial races that could change the state's political landscape. Today, we’re chatting with Michelle Singleton, a local expert who knows the ins and outs of the Riverside County scene. We’ll break down the stakes, especially with the governor's race looking like a...

With our political landscape increasingly hostile to transgender rights, this episode featuring Kay Brown and Mia Hutchinson provides a poignant exploration of the ongoing struggles faced by transgender individuals. Kay sets the stage by noting the alarming rise in anti-trans rhetoric and policies under the Trump administration, framing the discussion around the systematic discrimination that has...

In a world where the political landscape feels increasingly bizarre, we take a moment to reflect on the absurdity of Trump’s reign and the pressing need for his removal. We present 23 reasons that range from the outrageous to the downright alarming, all while maintaining a light-hearted tone that makes the heavy subject matter a bit more digestible. From reckless military strategies to undermining...

Democracy isn’t just under pressure—it’s under attack. In this premiere episode of Democracy on Fire , Kay Brown lays out what’s at stake, who’s driving the narrative, and why staying informed is no longer optional. This episode also features a conversation with Grant Nugent, a retired physician, former Republican voter, and Vietnam War veteran, who shares his insights on the moral implications of...

The crux of this discussion resides in the pressing necessity for heightened awareness, community engagement, and proactive activism to safeguard democracy and religious freedom from the insidious encroachments of Christian nationalism. This episode elucidates the alarming ways in which this movement distorts fundamental democratic principles, advocating for a fusion of a particular expression of...

Aaron Brakel from the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council is Kay Brown’s guest to address the the complex and urgent issue of ocean pollution caused by ship emissions, especially from the use of scrubbers on large vessels. They explore how this technology, intended to reduce sulfur emissions, inadvertently dumps toxic pollutants into marine ecosystems and affects human health. The conversation h...

As the nation prepares for the "No Kings 3" protests, Reverend Ian Riddell of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Desert joins Kay Brown to discuss his role as a leader in "the Singing Resistance," a movement born in Minneapolis that uses communal singing to challenge authoritarianism and federal overreach. The conversation delves into the psychological and political power of nonviolent resis...

United Methodist Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank joins Hot Spots with Kay Brown to confront what she describes as escalating fear, violence and injustice facing immigrant communities across California and the nation. Drawing from firsthand accounts, she details ICE actions in and around churches, including warrantless detentions, family separations and the lasting trauma inflicted on children and con...