Incorruptible Mass

Climate: Vanuatu demands climate justice; new study finds plastics more harmful to health than previously thought.  International and national: protests in Israel and France; deaths at a migrant facility in Mexico; school shooting in Nashville; California bill to penalize oil profits moves forward; Warren to run again.  State: New MBTA boss; campaign finance reform bill introduced; tenant protecti...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about power -- what is it? Why do we need it? How is wielding power different in a blue state from in a purple state? What does exercising power look like? Spoiler alert: being close to power is not enough. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the audio version of the Incorruptible Mass podcast, se...

Please donate to the show ! Today we cover 13 myths that many people believe about politics.  Any of these sound familiar? Myth: Massachusetts state government is in good hands. Myth: It's better to spend time and money organizing in red or purple states.  Myth: My state rep votes the way they tell me they are voting.  Myth: If a candidate says during a campaign they will support certain poli...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about the insane amount of power the Speaker of the MA State House has over what bills are allowed to pass. He controls the salaries of more than half of the 160 members, and only he can control who chairs committees, where your office is, how many staff you get, where your parking spot is, and so much more. We dive into how this affects our democracy. Jor...

Please donate to the show ! Do you think Massachusetts is doing pretty well, and doesn't need your activism? Then this is the podcast for you. Today we talk about how far our policies are from the views of the electorate, which policies are voted down year after year that are in the Democratic party platform, and policies where Massachusetts falls behind many other states including deep red s...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about why state level politics is the most impactful way you can cause progressive change. Any policy that matters to you can be passed more easily at the state level than nationally -- and will benefit 7M people. It's much, much cheaper to win state-level seats, so your dollars and volunteering go much further. And passing legislation at the state le...

Welcome to Season 5! Please donate to the show ! We know that change cannot happen without a vision of the world we want to create. So join us today as we paint a picture of what we could have here in Massachusetts if we fixed our state politics. In dozens of other countries, people go to the doctor without worrying about the cost. Roads are well-paved and pothole free.  Water that comes out of th...

Today we thought we'd dream about the Massachusetts we could have if our legislature were not so dysfunctional. We mostly dive into the big three -- Housing, Health care, and Education. We wish everyone a happy and healthy holidays, and may we all have a better 2023! Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the audio version of the Incorr...

Today we talk about the 2022 ballot questions -- which ones passed and failed, and by how much. We get some intel on how they fared in different parts of the state and why. And we discuss why state rep incumbent 'fears' of voting for immigrant rights are really just excuses. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the video version...

This November you will have at least four and up to seven "Questions" on your ballot -- today we talk about each one. We hope you'll come away inspired to vote yes on them all and to canvass or phone bank for Question 1 (Fair Share Amendment) and Question 4 (Eligibility for Driver's Licenses). Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politic...

This election season was not a good one for progressive candidates. Today we go over what happened and why. How did vote-by-mail affect the outcomes and why? Why was it so hard to get volunteers out to work on campaigns? And what can we expect from this new State House, given that more progressives left than were elected? Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusett...

Today we talk to Mallory Hanora from Families for Justice as Healing. They have been working toward a 5-year prison moratorium, organizing thousands of people in marches, canvassing, phonebanking, and more. The State House waited until the end of the session to pass the bill, and no surprise -- it was vetoed by Governor Baker. Now unless the House comes back for a special session, this 2-year cycl...

We have reached the end of the two-year legislative session! Today we talk about how the MA State House structure is set up to cause bills to fail. We go through all the different points at which a bill can be voted down, quietly killed, or just forgotten about, and we discuss all the bills this session that should have passed but didn't. A must-listen! Join our canvasses to help our jointly-...

Even in Our Backyard: Our Broken Democracy in Massachusetts. This discussion between former state rep Kathy Teahan and state rep candidate Jack Stanton will open your eyes to the gritty reality of our democracy in crisis. Kathy Teahan is the author of "For the People, Against the Tide," where she lays out specific details of the dysfunction of our State House. She and Jack talk about why...

The state primaries are coming right up on September 6th! Today we talk about the six state rep candidates that have been endorsed by all three of our organizations, why we love them, and why their districts deserve better. Raul Fernandez: https://www.raulforrep.com/ Vivian Birchall: https://www.vivianbirchall.com/ Teresa English: https://www.voteteresaenglish.org/ Sam Montaño: https://www.samforb...

Hi, this is Anna Callahan from Incorruptible Mass with a special announcement.  You understand state politics, you know why it’s so broken, you know what we could have here in MA if we fixed it, so I want to let you know how you can get involved.  Join us this Sunday, July 24th, at 10:30am, at the JP Boat House to meet our slate of 13 candidates for the State House.  We’ll have food, drinks, &...

Today we talk with Timmy Sullivan about his campaign for the state rep seat in Burlington and surrounds. Listen in to hear about how all of us can create change even when our government refuses, and Timmy's plans to accomplish faster action on climate with or without the State House's permission. It's an amazing discussion! You can meet all the Incorruptible Mass candidates this Sun...

With Roe v. Wade now officially overturned by the Supreme Court, we discuss women's rights with Nichole Mossalam, who is running against an anti-choice opponent. We also discuss how incumbents can be pushed on issues during a campaign, and whether that leads to lasting change. Jordan Berg Powers and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the audio version of the Incorruptibl...

Raul Fernandez, Select Board Member in Brookline and dad, grew up in public housing in a union family. We talk about his style of co-governance and how he engages marginalized voices in the political process. We also cover the big news of the day -- the mega-million dollar anti-worker ballot question that Uber and Lyft were behind is dead! Woot! Jordan Berg Powers and Anna Callahan chat about Mass...

It's election season, and we're spending today talking about how we can all do better. People often expect their elected officials to take care of things once they get into office, despite all our experience to the contrary. Today we talk not about our electeds, but about ourselves, and how we can build on the outside to ensure our policies get passed. Jordan Berg Powers and Anna Callaha...

Heather May, educator, mom, and union organizer, is running against an incumbent in Waltham. We talk about how her successful five-year battle to organize her union is great preparation for doing the deep work necessary to get bills passed in Massachusetts. We also talk about housing, climate, and other issues she will fight for. Jordan Berg Powers and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politi...

Hi, this is Anna from Incorruptible Mass with a special announcement. We know you understand state politics, you know why it is so broken, you know what we could have here in MA if we fixed it, so I want to let you know how you can get involved.  This Thursday, tomorrow, at 7:30pm we are having our second Incorruptible Mass candidate forum, where you’ll hear from some amazing candidates for state...

Teresa English, teacher, mom, and veteran, is running against a Republican incumbent in Billerica. She is deeply committed to supporting working people in Billerica and across the Commonwealth, and her experience as a teacher gives her insight into education policy and beyond. Jordan Berg Powers and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the audio version of the Incorruptible Mas...

Our state legislature could have funded unemployment insurance properly, but instead we're now deep in debt. Small businesses pay a higher rate than large corporations, we punish seasonal businesses, and the payments to unemployed people don't even cover food & rent. We talk to Molly Kivi about how we can fix it. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn (absent), and Anna Callahan chat abou...

Meet Incorruptible Mass candidate Vivian Birchall! With her years of experience doing anti-corruption and transparency work, she is perfect for the MA State House. We talk about her background, issues, and her skill at facilitating listening sessions to bring marginalized people into the political process. Jordan Berg Powers and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the audio ve...