Breaking The Meta

Breaking the Meta sits down with  @ReedShowalter  progressive candidate for Illinois’s 7th Congressional District, for a deep, wide-ranging conversation about the future of American democracy, economic freedom, ICE raids in Chicago, corporate power, and what real progressive leadership could look like in Congress. Reed shares his background as a former antitrust attorney who worked on investigatio...

In this episode of Breaking The Meta, we sit down with Elizabeth Dempsey-Beggs, a military veteran, foster parent, and progressive Democrat running for Congress in Virginia’s 1st District. Elizabeth shares why she decided to run, what she’s hearing from people across her district, and why affordability, foster care, military accountability, and banning congressional stock trading are central to he...

In this episode of Breaking the Meta, I sit down with Anna Lee Williams, a progressive candidate running in the special election for New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District. Anna shares her story, from community organizing and union work to immigration advocacy and corporate social responsibility, and why she decided to run for Congress at a moment when so many Americans feel priced out, burned o...

In this episode, Mike sits down with Chelsey Hockett, a Texas mom, organizer, and Democratic candidate running for U.S. Congress in Texas’s 5th District. Chelsey shares the deeply personal story that pushed her into politics, from high-risk pregnancies and the impact of Roe being overturned, to organizing protests, hosting empty-chair town halls, and directly confronting a MAGA congressman who has...

This conversation goes deeper than most. Mike Winson talks with Ben Fisher, a creator with more than two million followers and the founder of A String of Hope, opens up about his long journey through alcoholism, opioid addiction, shame, recovery, and rebuilding his life as a husband, father, musician, and mentor. We talk about what addiction really feels like from the inside, why so many people hi...

This episode of A More Perfect Podcast goes inside Portland’s front-line reality. Mike talks with Aimee, a single mom, protester, and livestreamer who has been documenting the nightly clashes at the Portland ICE facility. She describes what it’s actually like on the ground, the misinformation being pushed about the city, why federal agents are escalating force, and what happened the night a protes...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, we talk with author Kate Hill about her new book The Art of After: How to Turn Your Grief into Art. She shares how losing her father at 13 shaped her creative life, why grief needs movement, and how art can help us transform pain into meaning. We also get real about emotional blocks, trauma, resilience, and what it means to stay grounded when the world fe...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, Mike Winson sits down with Leila Staton, a 21-year-old progressive running for Iowa’s 54th District. Leila talks about why she decided to run, Iowa’s healthcare crisis, the loss of OBGYNs after abortion bans, the impact of school vouchers, and the fight to restore political civility. They discuss growing challenge of being a young woman in politics, and w...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, Mike Winson talks with Ally Sammarco, a digital strategist who made the rare journey from MAGA Republican to Democratic campaign staffer. They discuss what it takes to leave an ideology, how propaganda shapes identity, and why the Democratic Party still struggles to connect with voters. Ally explains how she broke free from right-wing media, what she sees...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, Mike Winson and Twitch streamer Tia dive deep into the rise of Christian nationalism, what it’s doing to the church, and how progressive Christians are finding their way through the chaos. They talk about deconstruction, empathy, and hypocrisy in the church, and how politics and religion have merged into something unrecognizable. From worship culture and...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, host Mike Winson sits down with Hannah Preston, MPH, founder of Influence North Carolina, to talk about how political dysfunction is crippling the state — and how young people are stepping up to fix it.🎙️ Topics Covered:-Why North Carolina still doesn’t have a state budget and how it’s hurting teachers, healthcare workers, and families-The fallout from th...

What really happens when creators step into hostile TikTok debates to challenge misinformation? In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, Mike Winson talks with Meg Tomasic (DC-based social media manager and creator) about living with National Guard patrols in DC, confronting rage-bait, and pushing back on propaganda in real time. We also unpack reactions to the Trump–Pete Hegseth military event,...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, host Mike Winson sits down with musician, singer, and streamer Joliet4 for a deep, funny, and emotional conversation about faith, music, motherhood, and what it means to stay true to yourself when the world—and the church—tries to define you. Joliet opens up about growing up in Nashville’s Christian music scene, dealing with postpartum depression, redisco...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, host Mike Winson sits down with Kelley Dugan, the founder and CEO of Bewilder Be Wilder Whiskey, a small-batch whiskey company blending the wild world of mushroom infused whiskey with fearless female entrepreneurship. Kelley shares her inspiring journey from law school hopeful to business owner—mixing her love for foraging, nature, and whiskey into one of...

Military wife, MAGA politics, military families, empathy, conspiracy theories, and Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) culture—this episode of A More Perfect Podcast dives into all of it with guest Reshea. Mike talks with Reshea, a military wife and TikTok creator, about what life is really like inside U.S. military families. We cover the misconceptions about service members, how MAGA politics and Ch...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast , I sit down with Emily Gross, host of Beerocracy —a political podcast that makes politics a little less stuffy and a lot more fun. We talk about how she started her show, what it’s like trying to create political content in such a tense climate, and why nuance in conversation is more important than ever. We dive into the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assass...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, I sit down with my longtime friend and creator, Princess Pashley, for a deeply personal and powerful conversation about parenting a transgender child in today’s America. We talk about what it was like when her daughter first came out, the challenges and fears they faced as a family, and the critical role of supportive schools, affirming doctors, and commu...

Today we sit down with Kaylee Peterson, the Democrat running in Idaho’s 1st Congressional District for 2026. Kaylee talks about why she keeps running in one of the most conservative districts in the country, what she’s hearing on the doorstep, and the concrete policies she says would help rural families — from healthcare and worker protections to campaign finance reform. What we cover-Why Kaylee d...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, Mike Winson sits down with TikTok creator Jordan the Grey Witch for an unfiltered and powerful conversation. Jordan shares her story of building an online community for people who’ve felt out of place—the “land of misfit toys”—and how she uses her platform to empower young people, challenge patriarchy, and speak out against injustice. Together, we dive in...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, Mike Winson sits down with relationship coach Kam Berard to talk about what dating and love look like in 2025.-Subscribe for more conversations on politics, culture, and the realities of modern life.-Find Kam’s work at www.revdating.com and follow her on TikTok @relish.every.vibe. We cover:-How politics and core values now shape modern relationships-The s...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, host Mike Winson sits down with Colombian American performer, writer, and producer Isabella Jamie to talk about Hollywood, politics, and the rise of fascism in America. Isabella shares her journey into acting and filmmaking, her experiences growing up as an “other” in North Carolina, and how her studies of fascism in Europe and Latin America shaped her pe...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, Mike sits down with Twitch streamer Jessieology for an honest conversation about the power and challenges of online communities. We dive into:How the pandemic accelerated online friendships while traditional “third spaces” disappearedThe positives and pitfalls of building a community on platforms like TwitchBalancing authenticity, boundaries, and vulnerab...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, I sit down with Lindsay, better known as Miss Mayday on TikTok, to talk about what’s really happening inside America’s classrooms. We dive into the impact of chronic underfunding, teacher shortages, and political attacks on education — and why these problems hit the most vulnerable students the hardest. From the shifting role of technology and AI in schoo...

In this episode of A More Perfect Podcast, Mike is joined by Clara Cox for a raw, fast-moving conversation about the state of American politics. They dive deep into the “Big Beautiful Bill” just passed by the House, breaking down how it quietly shifts wealth to the top while gutting programs like Medicaid. From there, they unpack socialism vs. capitalism, challenge myths around taxation and govern...

In this episode, we sit down with Jordan Wood , Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, to talk about what’s at stake in 2025 and beyond. Jordan shares his vision for Maine’s working families, his stance on climate action, healthcare, labor rights, and how he plans to stand up to corporate interests in Washington. We get into: Why he’s running now The challenges facing everyday Mainers His...