Talking Strategy, Making History

"We talk about how and why candidates who identify as democratic socialists are winning in elections across the country. What are the potentials--and the dilemmas and pitfalls--for the emerging Left electoral project. And what does "socialism " mean anyway?  We hope to resolve all  such questions--or at least pose them-- by the end of the summer., and we hope you'll share the journey.. Music: "Wha...

The current primary campaign for California governor appears messy--too many candidates on the Democratic side, who are at once qualified and flawed, and primary rules that could result in two unpopular Republicans as the November choice. Daraya has years of experience as a county and state Democrat reform leader, whose PhD research mapped the history of leftwing efforts to influence the party; Di...

#56 Talking with Miriam Pawel about the Cautionary Tale of Cesar Chavez Miriam Pawel is one of California's leading journalist/historians. She wrote two great books about Cesar Chavez and the struggles of California"s farmworkers: THE UNION OF THEIR DREAMS (2010) and THE CRUSADES OF CESAR CHAVEZ (2014), based on extensive oral histories and immersion in the vast written and taped archives Cesar Ch...

#55: Daraka & Dick Talk About the State of California Democrats Daraka has been a long time leader for progressive movement in the California Democratic Party. He was chair of the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party for many years, and elected vice chair of the state party a few years ago. In this episode we examine the messy governor' primary, and the absence of statewide progressive and la...

Ali Ekbati was a leader of Sweden's Left Party  in 2014 when he was elected to parliament where he served for a decade. In recent years he's been a popular blogger and economic analyst, now living in Oslo, Norway from where he spoke with us. His family emigrated to Scandinavia from Iran when he was a child. The conversation helps illuminate the current stagnation of the once exemplary Scandinavian...

#53 Talking with University of Minnesota Professor Joshua Page on the streets of Minneapolis. Josh Page is  the Fink Professor of Sociology and Law at the University of Minnesota. He is the author of  The Toughest Beat: Politics, Punishment, and the Prison Officers Union in California  and co-author  of  Breaking the Pendulum: The Long Struggle over Criminal Justice  ; just published is  Legal  Pl...

#52 Talking with Democratic Party reformer Sam Rosenthal about how the Democrats lost in 2024 and what is to be done. Sam Rosenthal is political director of Roots Action, whose autopsy of the 2024 election offers a springboard for creating a strategy to change the party. Sam has, as well, been a national leader in DSA's eletoral activity. We're all preoccupied with the Venezuela situation (which h...

#51 Talking about Seattle's astonishing mayoral election with union organizer Michael Laslett & Prof. Jim Gregory Seattle's mayoral election was, like the Mamdani victory in NY, an important progressive victory. Veteran community organizer Kate Wilson, defeated the incumbent, liberal mayor. We (Dick Flacks & Daraka Larimore Hall) invited University of Washington labor historian Jim Gregory...

#50 Daraka & Dick Talking About the Recent Election Mamdani's astonishing campaign in NYC along with the Democratic sweep last week inspired us to grab our mics for a conversation. How will Mamdani be able to bring the change his supporters are hoping for? How can the electoral repudiation of MAGA be built on and to what ends? We try to go beyond the horse race patter and cynical tone of media...

#49: Talking with faculty leaders resisting the Trump assault on the University of California Prof. Jessica Taft, co-president of the Council of UC Faculty Associations (CUCFA) and Prof. Charmaine Chua, CUCFA director of campus organizing, talk about the new lawsuits challenging the Trump  coercive actions against UC, sponsored by a historic coalition of university based unions, CUCFA and the nati...

"#48: Talking History and Strategy with David Duhalde David is a long tme DSA leader. He served as deputy director of DSA  and as director of the DSA Fund. We invited him back to reflect on his recent article which situates DSA today within the long history of American socialist organization. Ww try to draw good lessons from the past that can help going forward. Music: "Understanding Marx"  by the...

#47 Talking with JW Mason about what Zohran can accomplish Jpsh Mason is an economics professor at John Jay College, CUNY and a senior fellow at Groundwork, whose recent article in  Dissent  provides much insight into what Mamdani, if elected,  can do to advance the "democratic socialist"  agenda that helped inspire his grassroots victory in the NY mayoral primary. You may be surprised by his take...

#46: Talking with Michael Podhorzer about how to understand elections Michael recently retired as Political  Director of the AFL-CIO.  He's a brilliant analyst of election data and pioneered the use of data for progressive electoral strategy. His Substack site: www.weekendreading.net, where you'll find a bunch of the analysis we talk about. Subscribe to TALKING STRATEGY MAKING HISTORY AT PATREON.C...

Prof. Nelson Lichtenstein returns to talk with us about his new book, an anthology of writings about the labor movement over the last 75 years from the pages of DISSENT magazine, called LABOR'S PARTISANS, that history illuminates the current scene. Nelson shares well informed insights' about the potentials and problems for workers organizing in this critical time.  Music: "Step by Step" performed...

Eric Blanc is sociologiste/labor activist whose new book WE ARE THE UNION documents the spreading efforts by workers to initiate and carry forward union organizing without dependence on professional organizers. We explore some key examples and talk about what this  might promise for empowering the working class. music: "You are the U in Union" a Si Kahn Song performed by Joe Jencks

#43 Talking about class, race, identity politics & DEI Daraka and Dick critically examine a lot of the talking points and arguments in Democratic circles about how class, race, sexuality and immigration are intertwined--and offer some thoughts about how a\  democratic popular working-class majority can be built and sustained.   music 'Black Brown and  White Blues by Bill Broonzy

After years of legendary success as a labor and community organizer, Harley embarked on a journey to recruit and train organizers and volunteers to reach out to working-class voters in swing states. In this conversation, he reflects on this work, inspired by finding many folk ready to listen and engage.   Music: 'Step by Step"  Sung by Sweet Honey in the Rock

Daraka suggests a 3 R framework for organizing and action in the coming time: REFORM, REALIGNMENT, RESISTANCE--and in this episode we  describe what each of these might involve. We promise from now on to strive to be 'Grunny". To find out what we're talking about, click on.. Give us your ideas, suggestions and feedback--and subscribe at: patreon.com/tsmh Music: Kris Kristofferson  passed away  in...

"BONUS: Talking About Ethel Rosenberg with her son, Michael Meeropol For Dick interviewed Michael Meeropol for his weekly radio show 'Culture of Protest". triggered by new evidence that Ethel Rosenberg was executed along with Julius even though the government knew she was not guilty. President Biden is being petitioned to declare her exonerated before he leaves office. The conversation illuminates...

Jeremy Brecher 's books on social change have changed how many activists think about labor and anti-globalization movements. On Dick Flacks' long running radio show he etalksabout his just published book: THE GREEN NEW DEAL FROM BELOW., and we've added this conversation to our podcast series. Do you know about the Liliput Strategy? To comment on this or other episodes, go to patreon.com/tsmh music...

"n which Daraka and Dick talk about the most important things Left activists should learn from the election results and what we need to figure out. Can we imagine a Democratic Party that's intersectional and working class?  Music: 'What We Want" by Joe Hill (on the 109th anniversary of his execution) performed by the Shelby Bottom duo   Mixed & Edited by Next Day Podcast info@nextdaypodcast.co...

Harold Meyerson is editor at large of  Americn Prospect,   Formerly a columnist forrthe Washington Post and the LA Times, a much respected reporter on the labor movement, the Demoratic Partty and California politics. He was one of the founders of DSA  (Democratic Socialists of America) and we talk to him abut the Demoratic conventions of 2024, 1968 and 1980 (all of which he atttended) --and much e...

Historian Maurice Isserman’s new book:  Reds: The Tragedy of American Communism  helps us think about how the organized left ought to be organized. We talk about the past’s relevance to the present; Maurice, like us, is an  activist, vitally concerned with building a Left that’s democratic and effective. The episode ends with the voice of Swedish singer-songwriter Molly Nilssen. It’s a track on he...

Phyllis Bennis is a unique left journalist, having dedicated her life's work to reporting from the UN and helping the antiwar movements understand international law and diplomacy. She's a long time activist for Palestinian justice, a fellow at the Institute for Policy 'studies, and international advisor for Jewish 'voice for Peace. And an alumna of UC Santa Barbara. Muisc: David Rovics "This is Ge...

Daraka & Dick engage with Vladidas Khaykin, anti-semitism specialist with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), abd Matthew Finkelstein, co-founder, Progressive Zionists of California. They spell out their experience of leftwing anti-semitism and we all try to define a common ground for a just peace. closing music: David Broza "Yiyeh Tov (It will be better)"   Mixed & Edited by Next Day Podcas...