Cuckoo 4 Politics 😎

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Americans are asking difficult questions about democracy, freedom, race, identity, and whether the nation is still living up to the ideals upon which it was founded. In the premiere episode of the America at 250 series, host Michael Desrosiers sits down with Tameko Patterson , former Chair of the Monroe County Democratic Committee, corporate e...

After the votes are counted, what happens next? In this episode of  The Debrief , host Michael Desrosiers sits down with former PA-7 congressional candidate Carol Obando-Derstine for an honest conversation about the realities of running for office — and what campaigns reveal long before Election Day. Carol reflects on the role of endorsements, fundraising, outside influence, voter engagement, and...

The Debrief, hosted by Michael Desrosiers, is an extension of the Cuckoo4Politics Podcast — a space where conversations continue beyond the formal interview to unpack deeper meaning, reflection, and perspective. Using reflections from recent interviews — including a conversation with congressional candidate , Carol Obando-Derstine — this episode examines how meaningful engagement does not always e...

On this edition of  The Debrief  on the  Cuckoo4Politics Podcast , host  Michael Desrosiers  continues the conversation with the outgoing United Airlines MEC President  Ken Diaz  for a deeper look into the long game behind airline labor negotiations. Building beyond the TA2 discussion, Ken breaks down how the Railway Labor Act, prolonged negotiations, targeted bargaining strategies, leadership acc...

On this episode of the Cuckoo4Politics Podcast, host Michael Desrosiers sits down with Ken Diaz, Master Executive Council President representing United Airlines Flight Attendants, which is part of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), for an in-depth conversation breaking down the realities behind one of the airline industry’s most closely watched labor negotiations. From the overwhe...

Season 5 of the  Cuckoo4Politics Podcast  premieres with host Michael Desrosiers sitting down for a timely and engaging conversation with Carol Obando-Derstine, candidate for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District. Together, they explore grassroots organizing, coalition-building, and the changing political landscape shaping communities across Pennsylvania and beyond. Carol shares her campaign p...

Breast cancer often surfaces in the moments people don’t talk about—appointments pushed months out, mixed messages from providers, and the quiet fear that something serious might be brushed aside. In this episode, Michael Desrosiers sits down with flight attendants Kimberly Burckhalter and Derrian Aversa, whose diagnoses are decades apart yet shaped by the same need to push for answers. Kim recall...

In this episode of Cuckoo4Politics , host Michael engages with Shaneka Storey , a candidate for the East Stroudsburg School Board . They discuss the challenges facing the school district, including funding issues, educational equity, and the importance of diverse representation in education. Storey shares her personal motivations for running, emphasizing her commitment to advocating for all childr...

Welcome to Shift Change- Closing Arguments . In this pivotal episode, titled Closing Argument , I am joined by the union president who helped lead negotiations for the tentative agreement with United Airlines. As the vote deadline approaches, he delivers more than just a case for the agreement—he offers a message about leadership, unity, and the personal toll this entire process has taken on him ,...

In this episode , I sit down with a passionate union member who stands firm against the recently proposed tentative agreement. Despite the known challenges, he is advocating that a better deal can be made with emphasis in the need for stronger protections and fairer terms for flight attendants. In this episode, we explore perspectives on what it means to push for change from within and the importa...

In this episode of Cuckoo4Politics, host Michael engages with negotiator Ken Diaz to discuss the intricacies of union negotiations, particularly focusing on the recent tentative agreement (TA) affecting flight attendants. They delve into various topics including hotel standards, dispute resolution processes, changes in communication methods, the significance of side letters in contracts, retiremen...

Flight attendants are asking for more than better pay. They’re asking to be seen for the long hours, the missed time with family, and the toll that decades of demanding schedules have taken on their lives. Michael Desrosiers reconnects with Ken Diaz, a longtime flight attendant and the lead negotiator for United’s union, to talk through the tentative agreement now in the hands of the members. Ken...

What happens when a 100-year-old labor law meets a modern airline CEO determined to draw the line on healthcare? In Part 2 of the Shift Change series, Michael welcomes back Ken Diaz, President of the United Airlines Master Executive Council, for a frank and detailed look at what really happens at the bargaining table. What’s behind the years-long delays in reaching a contract? And why is healthcar...

When corporate profits hit record highs but workers are still fighting for fair pay, safe conditions, and a seat at the table, something’s off. In this premiere episode of The Debrief, a special series from Cuckoo 4 Politics, host Michael Desrosiers brings you one-on-one conversations and post-show commentary that go deeper than the main episode ever could. These are the follow-ups, the “after the...

Flight attendants are the face of the airline industry, yet many still aren't paid until the plane leaves the gate—while executives take home millions. Michael Desrosiers talks with Sara Nelson, International President of the Association of Flight Attendants, about what’s behind the latest contract fight at United Airlines and why this moment matters for every airline worker. With decades of exper...

When governments want to help, they do. Refugees learn quickly who is seen and who is overlooked. Michael Desrosiers talks with Kayra Martinez, the founder of Love Without Borders for Refugees in Need, about what real support looks like and who gets it. Kayra has spent nearly a decade working with refugees in Greece, building an art-centered nonprofit that gives people more than just supplies. It...

Immigration is a human story shaped by trauma, resilience and the fight to be seen beyond stereotypes. Michael Desrosiers is joined by Kayra Martinez, the founder of Love Without Borders for Refugees in Need, for a conversation that moves beyond headlines to the lived experiences of those forced to leave everything behind. What do we really know about the people crossing borders in search of safet...

Families are drifting apart, friendships are fading, and the political divide feels deeper than ever. Michael Desrosiers sits down with returning guest Ken Diaz to talk about the personal cost of today’s political climate. Ken, a longtime advocate for workers’ rights and LGBTQ+ issues, shares how his own family relationships have unraveled over politics. What happens when a loved one shuts you out...

Union power, corporate influence, and a presidency without guardrails—Michael Desrosiers and Ken Diaz break down what’s ahead for labor rights in Trump’s second term. Michael sits down with Ken Diaz, Master Executive Council President for United Airlines Flight Attendants, to talk about the challenges unions may face under the new administration. With Trump back in office, what happens to the surg...

“Is this America that I woke up to? I was naive to think we’ve moved forward,” says Michael Desrosiers in this episode of Cuckoo 4 Politics. Joined by his Raw & Uncut “sidekick” Sam Jean and Dr. Damary Bonilla-Rodriguez, an expert in diversity-focused leadership, Michael confronts the “aftermath”—raw emotions and deeper truths revealed by the recent election. Why do so many voters support flaw...

“We don’t want a candidate or a politician who uses strokes of fear. We want someone with plausible solutions.” Michael Desrosiers and Sam Jean discuss how race, gender, and identity shape the political landscape as we approach the November 5th election. They break down Donald Trump’s use of “silent signals.” These signals, which are in some form of coded language, speak to certain voter groups to...

“Trump’s cult of personality is also disturbing. He has cultivated a celebrity persona, blurring the lines between reality and perception, which led to the acceptance of concepts like alternative facts, or fake news,” says Michael Desrosiers as he unpacks Trump’s unique influence over public perception. In this new season opener of Cuckoo 4 Politics, Michael is joined by recurring guest Sam Jean t...

“In this country, because someone has a lot of money, we treat them like they have the right to tell us what to do.” Sam Jean returns for the Season 3 finale, picking up where he and Michael left off in the previous episode’s discussion about the border crisis, the latest stirrings in Congress, and of course, Donald Trump. It seems Republicans will blame non-Americans for everything. While they co...

“Hopefully, this is a renaissance,” says Sam Jean, who returns to Cuckoo 4 Politics for another episode of Raw & Uncut as we wrap up 2023. It’s been a year full of high profile labor strikes, which remind people of the power of unions to stand up to corporations to fight for a living wage. Of course, this doesn’t stop many people from blaming immigrants for depressed wages and low employment....

“I don’t care that he’s 80, because the choice is between him and Donald Trump,” says Sam Jean, who returns to weigh in on President Joe Biden as Biden prepares to run for re-election in 2024. The greatest criticism leveled at the president, from his own party as well as his Republican detractors, is that he is too old for the job. Sam argues that people’s perception of Biden is based on the media...