Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other

We welcome our favorite "travieso" and political consultant Mike Madrid , co-founder of the Lincoln Project, to discuss the evolving role of the Latino electorate within American democracy. We explore Mike's new book, THE LATINO CENTURY , and delve into contemporary political trends, generational perspectives, and economic challenges facing Latino communities. Our discussion highlights the impact...

Some folks are worried about the conflicts of certain SCOTUS Justices (and their wives). Some are buying into conspiracy theories that have been distilled into talking points about a "weaponized Department of Justice." So we're taking a step back to say, "Relax. The judiciary branch is actually working well."   It would mean so much if you could leave us a review: https://ratethispodcast.com/goodf...

Can we learn to disagree with empathy and respect? Yes we can. And if you disagree with that, you're wrong... JK ;-)   It would mean so much if you could leave us a review: https://ratethispodcast.com/goodfaithpolitics     Dr. John Inazu is a law professor and political theorist who teaches at Washington University in St. Louis, where he is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and...

Tim Alberta is not only an excellent writer, he's also a practicing Christian and the son of an Evangelical pastor. So it's no wonder his recent book THE KINGDOM, THE POWER AND THE GLORY struck such a nerve as it "paints an expansive and profoundly troubling portrait of the American evangelical movement."   It would mean so much if you could leave us a review: https://ratethispodcast.com/goodfaith...

On today’s edition, we shook it up a bit. Rachel Bitecofer, Ph. D. has dissected well-worn tactics that today’s Republican Party deploys with a great deal of success. Her latest book HIT ‘EM WHERE IT HURTS is about how to “beat Republicans at their own game.” As former RNC Chair, Michael Steele, has said, “Democrats and Republicans who care about democracy would be wise to pay attention to her wor...

We all have opinions. And there are more ways than ever to voice those opinions. But before expressing those opinions, have we really taken the time to understand the complexity of any given issue? More specifically, have we taken the time to speak with and consider the views of folks who are on the “other side” of that issue?   In this edition, we’ll be looking at the widespread phenomenon of cam...

With Nikki Haley having dropped out of the race for the Republican nomination for president, why is she still getting so many votes in primaries all over the country? Even though it's been months since Haley suspended her campaign, she still gets significant percentages of the vote in the Republican primary contest. So where will those Haley voters turn in the general election? Robert Schwartz, th...

Let's talk about the words, actions and character of Donald J. Trump in light of what the Bible says about virtue and vice. But instead of starting with our political preferences and prejudices and THEN backing shards of Scripture into what we want, what if we started with what the Bible actually says FIRST? Then we can more earnestly reckon with the implications of what we're dealing with today. ...

Can an atheist and a Christian have a meaningful, friendly conversation? Can we explore our differences without being jerks to each other? Well, here's one atheist and one Christian who gave it a whirl!   Kate Cohen , a Washington Post contributing columnist , is a writer whose latest book, WE OF LITTLE FAITH , is "an impassioned call for nonbelievers to be honest with themselves and their familie...

What does it mean to be a conservative? What about being a Christian? What does that mean in terms of how one would understand and uphold virtue vs vice? And if I am truly a conservative and a Christian, can I then support Donald Trump?   In this edition, we explore the nuances of conservative values and Christian beliefs amidst our politically charged environment. To get clarity on what it means...

From 9/11 to 1/6; from growing up as a Christian to reckoning with the current state of the Evangelical church in America; Elizabeth Neumann, the former Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention at the US Department of Homeland Security, has the experience and has done the work to understand what's at stake in our country. So it was an honor to have her back on the program to...

"Bringing people together to learn how to do democracy again. And we're gonna go after the crazies in the political environment that do not have the interest of the country at heart." -  Adam Kinzinger   Rep. Adam Kinzinger served with integrity during his time in the U.S. Congress as well as the Air Force. Yet, the mere mention of his name sends a certain ex-President (HINT: rhymes with Shmump) a...

Are REPUBLICAN VOTERS AGAINST TRUMP our greatest BULWARK against authoritarianism and the most significant constituency in DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER? (Dad jokes about the future of our Constitutional Republic aside...) Bill Kristol shares his thoughts on the state of our democracy and how this year's consequential election is shaping up.   So glad to be joined again by Bill Kristol , Editor at...

What do we say when others label us one way or another? Why do folks have a tendency to do that in the first place? Why is it important to engage when someone mischaracterizes our views? And, if we don't fall neatly into one category, what might be a more accurate way to describe how we do identify politically?    In this edition, host Corey Nathan goes through these questions including whether it...

Our democracy is brittle. Many would say our Constitutional Republic is in trouble. So what kind of work can we do on "actually renovating our institutions"?   We were fortunate to be joined by Dr. Danielle Allen, a democracy advocate, Harvard professor and nonprofit leader who's doing something about it. We talked about how to maintain a loving spirit when faced with "a lot of bleeps"; Danielle's...

Fred Guttenberg became a nationally known activist on gun safety after his daughter Jaime was tragically murdered in the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. Former Congressman Joe Walsh has been a self-described "rabid gun rights advocate." So how did these two guys go from being on completely different sides of such a heated issue to becoming dear friends who are now collaborating on a national t...

Why is it that when there's a criticism of Donald Trump, that some folks who support him react as if it's an attack on them personally?    On this installment of our program, host Corey Nathan explores this phenomenon. There have been a number of times when Corey and/or the guests have examined the words, actions and character of Donald Trump - and let's face it, there's much to criticize. Like, e...

What’s it like to be targeted by Donald Trump? What’s it like to be viciously attacked and to have one’s family under threat due to the ex-President’s middle of the night rage tweets?   This is a story of resilience. It's a story of making a difference. But it's also about life being unpredictable and messy - and even having a messy kitchen! Mostly, it’s about how to “keep moving forward.”   Rache...

How do we harness the power of communication in bridging societal divides? We spoke with Elliot Kirschner, an Emmy award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker, to help us “Through the Fog…”    Elliot shares his journey from CBS to his Substack “ Through the Fog ,” his dedication to science communication , and reflections on the role of journalism and science in democracy. We delve into his...

Some might be inclined to believe recent discussions about totalitarianism are hyperbolic. In fact, the U.S. has a long history in which law, culture, medicine and religion have all been in the mix on exactly such experiments.   In our latest visit with Jon Rauch , we go into depth on his recent piece in The Atlantic,  THE U.S. SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO GAY PEOPLE , which profiles America's historical a...

If the goal here is to reach across our differences and at least to try and understand each other better, this was an epic FAIL!   This edition recounts an experience Corey had with someone he's known for a long time and has had many conversations with. But this pseudonymously named "Evan" did something after October 7th that put all subsequent dialogue on a much more strained path. Corey shares s...

Gotta admit: This was fun! Tina Nguyen, national correspondent for Puck and author of THE MAGA DIARIES , gives us an inside look at the complexities within the right-wing movement, Trump's influence, the dynamics at play in today’s Republican party and her behind-the-scenes perspective at different political events (yes, those events). She also talks about what it was like to write this book and h...

In this episode we discuss the problem of vilifying and generalizing political and social groups. You know: “Them” or “those people.” Just as an exercise, Corey did a quick search of “top conservative podcasts” and it was quite revealing. There’s a consistent, pervasive use of sensationalist and divisive rhetoric to portray liberals, “leftists” and anyone not aligned with their respective views, w...

*What if, at a pinnacle of our civilization’s technological achievement, everything just broke — the institutions we’ve come to rely upon in navigating a modern complex world, the shared stories that hold a large and diverse democratic republic together, and even a common language through which to navigate the rising tide of crisis.  According to renowned social psychologist and author Jonathan Ha...

Have you ever posted something on social media only to have someone drop in to completely disagree with you? Well, that sort of thing is the genesis of this conversation. Corey's buddy from high school, Rich Weiss, joins us to discuss politics, education, media influence, and the impact of social media on public discourse. Rich Weiss, a musician with the band Guilty Pleasures and an 8th grade teac...