Austin Interview – Podcast March 24, 2024

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Gary LaMaster

Saving Democracy From Ourselves. Steve Williamson and Karen McClelland welcome Michael Austin, Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs at Snow College in Utah and author of “We Must Not Be Enemies: Restoring America’s Civic Tradition.” The title of his latest book comes from a quote by Abraham Lincoln from a time when we were even more divided than now.

Austin says that what usually kills democracy is negative partisanship – voting against a candidate rather than for a candidate you like. He notes that a large percentage of Americans believe the other side has no right to exist.

Yet he believes there is a way across the divide, but politicians can’t do it because they are a reflection of the population. Austin says, “We have to stop looking for a structural fix to the problem. We have to stop looking for a huge, redefining election that’s going to make our side dominant. Constitutional fixes aren’t going to happen. We aren’t going to change our system. We have to change ourselves…to understand that disagreement is inherent in human nature and necessary to democracy. Right now, the path we’re headed down leads to the end of democracy.”

Posted in Civil Liberties, Civil Society, Compassion, Constitutional Issues, Cultural Diversity, Disinformation, Domestic Extremism, Elections, Government, Interviews, Journalism, National Politics, Political Polarization, Social Media | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Podcast March 17, 2024

Posted on March 20, 2024 by Gary LaMaster

Trump In His Own Words And Actions. Now that Trump has sealed up the Republican nomination, we decided it was time to consider what he might do in a second term in the White House. (Remember, he has already been named our worst president by a panel of historians.)

Fortunately, it didn’t take a great deal of research. Through the many slurred names, mispronounced words, and dementia-fueled mistakes (confusing Nikki Haley for Nancy Pelosi and Biden for Obama), Trump and his associates have made their plans clear.

Yet, even in an hour show, there is not time to fully explain what a disaster a second Trump term could be for our democracy. So, we encourage you to look up Agenda 47 (Trump would be the 47th president of the United States) and Project 2025. There, between the platitudes and the thinly disguised racism and hate, you will discover a roadmap for autocracy with Trump as dictator for life.

Posted in Abortion, Affordable Care Act, Anti-Gay Discrimination, Autocracy, Bigotry, Capital Punishment, Civil Liberties, Civil Rights, Class Conflict, Climate Change, Conservative Paranoia, Constitutional Issues, Corporations, Corruption, Criminal Justice Reform, De-regulation, Domestic Extremism, Domestic Terrorism, Education, Elections, Entitlements, Environmental Issues, Foreign Policy, Government, Health Care Policy, Human Rights, Immigration, Inflation, International Relations, Judicial System, Labor Unions, LGBTQ Issues, Mass Incarceration, Medicaid, Medicare, Military Policy, National Politics, Nuclear Weapons, Pandemic, Political Polarization, Presidential Elections, Public Accountability, Racism, Refugees, Russia, Social Security, Ukraine, Voter Suppression, Women's Rights | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Nez Interview – Podcast March 10, 2024

Posted on March 12, 2024 by Gary LaMaster

Representing Constituents. Not An Ideology. Steve Williamson and Karen McClelland welcome Jonathon Nez, Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives. He is running against Republican Eli Crane, the extremist incumbent who doesn’t even live in the congressional district he is supposed to represent.

A resident of Flagstaff, Nez is a longtime public servant who most recently served as President of the Navajo Nation. During his four-year tenure as president, he accomplished many things including leading the Navajo people through the COVID-19 pandemic, securing funds to construct new health care facilities and homes for veterans, investing in public safety, and improving roads and bringing clean water and electricity to thousands of previously unserved residents.

A true moderate, Nez is committed to addressing the issues that are most important to the mostly rural district. These include elder care, childcare, infrastructure, environment, conservation, water, broadband, and much more.

Posted in Arizona Economy, Arizona Politics, Civic Renewal, Cultural Diversity, Democratic Governance, Department of the Interior, Development, Domestic Extremism, Education, Elections, Environment, Environmental Issues, Federal Lands, Government, Health Care, Infrastructure, Infrastructure Investment, Interviews, Jobs and Employment, Justice System, Local Politics, National Politics, Native American Issues, Opioid Epidemic, Pandemic, Political Candidacy, Political Polarization, Public Accountability, Public Lands, Public Service, Small Business, Social Services, Taxation, U.S. Forest Service, Veterans' Issues, Voting, Water Policy, Women's Rights | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Nez Interview – Podcast March 10, 2024

Check Interview – Podcast March 3, 2024

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Gary LaMaster

A Promise To Listen And Be Available To County Residents. Co-hosts Steve Williamson and Karen McClelland welcome Nikki Check, District 3 candidate for the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors. She is running against incumbent Donna Michaels, a fellow Democrat.

The former mayor of Jerome and the founding director of the Southwest Wine Center at Yavapai College, Check has also served on several non-profit boards including the former Verde River Basin Partnership, the Verde Valley Wine Consortium, and the Verde Valley Forum for Public Affairs.

With an extensive background in agriculture, Check values the mostly rural nature of Yavapai County. Among the many issues she considers important are protecting the watershed, transit, attainable housing, and connecting trails.

“It’s really important to be a good listener as a leader,” she says. “You’re really representing people. They trust you. And I’m willing to go the extra mile to make sure people’s problems get addressed to the best extent that they can.”

Posted in Agricultural Policy, Arizona Politics, Community, Democratic Governance, Development, Elections, Environmental Issues, Fiscal Policy, Government, Housing, Infrastructure, Interviews, Local Politics, Oenology, Policing, Political Candidacy, Public Accountability, Public Lands, Public Policy, Public Service, Taxation, Tourism, Viticulture, Water Policy | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Check Interview – Podcast March 3, 2024

Hill Interview – Podcast February 25, 2024

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Gary LaMaster

From Controlling Mars Rovers To Controlling Arizona Utilities And Corporations. Steve Williamson and Karen McClelland welcome Jonathon Hill, candidate for the Arizona Corporation Commission. Hill is an engineer and scientist who has worked on the Mars probe for the past 17 years.

Now he would like to bring his expertise with science and technology to the commission that controls utilities and corporations, as well as railroad and pipeline safety in Arizona.

Traditionally, commissioners have consisted of attorneys, business owners, politicians and people with ties to utility companies. But with the growing number of technical and cybersecurity issues, Hill believes it’s time for a commissioner with a technical background.

His other priorities include reinstating renewable energy standards and helping small utility companies that are struggling and lack the resources to ask the commission to raise their rates.

Hill is running a Clean Elections campaign and is currently collecting signatures to be on the ballot. You can sign his other candidates’ petitions online and donate to Clean Elections candidates at the Arizona Secretary of State’s website.

Posted in Arizona Politics, Business, Climate Change, Community, Corporations, Elections, Environmental Issues, Government, Infrastructure, Interviews, Political Candidacy, Public Accountability, Public Policy, Regulation, Regulatory Agencies, Renewable Energy, Small Business, Technology, Voting, Water Policy | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Hill Interview – Podcast February 25, 2024

Podcast February 18, 2024

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Gary LaMaster

Republican Plans For A Trump Dictatorship. Trump has said that, if elected, he will be a dictator for a day. But the plans already being implemented by his campaign and rightwing organizations indicate that he expects to be a Putin-style dictator for far longer.

Democratic Perspective co-hosts, Steve Williamson and Karen McClelland, along with contributor, Gary LaMaster, delve into what appears to be a worldwide movement away from democracy.

We try to explain the appeal of autocratic strongmen and the tactics that politicians like Trump use to become dictators for life.

Posted in Autocracy, Civil Liberties, Conservatives and Reactionaries, Constitutional Issues, Corporations, Corruption, Democratic Governance, Disinformation, Domestic Extremism, Elections, Genocide, Government, Human Rights, Immigration, International Terrorism, Israel, Judicial System, National Politics, Political Action Committees, Political Candidacy, Presidential Elections, Propaganda, Russia, Ukraine, Voter Suppression, Voting | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Podcast February 18, 2024

Post Interview – Podcast February 11, 2024

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Gary LaMaster

The Latest Republican Attacks On The Constitution, Diversity, Migrants, Voting And Common Sense. Steve Williamson and Karen McClelland welcome Dianne Post back to the show. Post is an attorney, activist, author, and teacher who specializes in human rights and women’s rights. She joins us to discuss the latest crackpot bills that have been introduced by Arizona Republican legislators.

To begin, Post explains that Republicans have introduced a number of highly partisan resolutions that, if passed, could be added to the ballot and prevent the Governor from vetoing them. These include a prohibition of voting centers aimed at reducing voter turnout, and the prohibition of the spending of federal money.

In addition, Post details several amendments that Republicans would like to add to the Arizona Constitution. Among these outlandish ideas are amendments that would establish extreme sentencing guidelines for sex crimes, an amendment that would prohibit Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs, and an amendment that would prohibit cities from banning the use of a specific type of energy, i.e. fossil fuels.

Posted in Abortion, Arizona Politics, Bigotry, Civil Liberties, Community, Conservative Paranoia, Constitutional Issues, Corrections Policy, Cultural Change, Cultural Diversity, De-regulation, Domestic Extremism, Education, Elections, Energy Policy, Government, Immigration, Interviews, Legal Issues, LGBT Issues, Misogyny, Political Polarization, Private Prisons, Racism, Regulation, Renewable Energy, States' Rights, Voter Suppression, Voting, Women's Rights | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Post Interview – Podcast February 11, 2024

Singal Interview – Podcast February 4, 2024

Posted on February 6, 2024 by Gary LaMaster

The Professor Gazes Into His Electoral Crystal Ball Once Again. Steve Williamson and Karen McClelland welcome Dan Singal back to the show to discuss the upcoming elections. Singal is an author and Emeritus Professor of History at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Asked about the prospects of a Biden-Trump rematch in the upcoming election, Singal says, “Well, if there was a major conviction in one of the [Trump] trials before the convention, then it’s possible it could derail things. But I don’t expect that to happen and I’m not sure that it would be that big a factor even if it did. I think they would still choose him.”

“I think he [Trump] could go out and shoot someone in the street on Fifth Avenue. I think he could do that and probably the courts would take ten years before they got around to it and he would be acquitted,” Singal explains. “Although I do think the indictments and a trial…during the period of the general election campaign, that could have some bearing.”

On previous shows Singal accurately predicted the outcome of the 2020 presidential election and the 2022 mid-term elections in which he said Republicans would take the House by a narrow margin and that Democrats would hold onto the Senate. In 2022, Singal also predicted that Biden would be re-elected in 2024. And he’s sticking with that prediction. “I think that’s where we’re headed,” he says.

To support his prediction, Singal points to the economy, noting that gas prices have come down as oil supplies have gone up, inflation has come down to 1.7 percent – lower than the Fed’s goal of 2 percent – and unemployment is near a 50-year low of just 3.7 percent.

“I would say that he is our best president since World War II,” Singal says of Biden.

Additionally, Singal expects Democrats will retake the House this year and hold onto control of the Senate.

Posted in Abortion, Arizona Politics, Civil Liberties, Democratic Governance, Domestic Policy, Economic Policy, Education, Elections, Fiscal Policy, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Government, International Relations, Interviews, Israel, Jobs and Employment, Middle East Policy, Monetary Policy, National Politics, Palestinian/Israeli Conflict, Pharmaceutical Pricing and Procurement, Political Candidacy, Political History, Presidential Elections, Ukraine, Voting | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Singal Interview – Podcast February 4, 2024

Ruby Interview – Podcast January 28, 2024

Posted on January 31, 2024 by Gary LaMaster

From Theater To Politics. Steve Williamson and Karen McClelland welcome Jay Ruby, theater company director, actor, activist, and Democratic candidate for the Arizona State Legislature.

Ruby has experience in organizing people, beginning with his efforts to establish a theater company nearly 20 years ago. In addition, he previously worked behind the scenes to help other Democratic electoral candidates, including David Brill’s campaign for U.S. Congress against incumbent Paul Gosar. He says, “…I learned a lot from that campaign. And that campaign also vitalized people. And I think that’s the crossover for me between theater and politics is that you can create a place where people come alive and feel, I guess, more confidence in living.”

Ruby adds, “When you bring people together in a common experience where they see beauty and they see connection between people and they see trust…what it does for an audience when they see trust in action, they believe that they can trust the world more.”

As for why he’s running for office, Ruby states on the Clean Slate for Democracy website, “I am running for State Representative in Legislative District 1 to renew the art of dialogue in the Arizona State House to improve the quality of life for all of us.”

Posted in Arizona Politics, Art, Autocracy, Campaign Finance, Civic Renewal, Civil Society, Community, Community Activism, Elections, Environmental Issues, Fiscal Policy, Government, Health Care, Interviews, Local Politics, Philosophy, Political Candidacy, Political Parties, Political Polarization, Public Education | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Ruby Interview – Podcast January 28, 2024

Podcast January 14, 2024

Posted on January 18, 2024 by Gary LaMaster

Are Israel And Russia Guilty Of Genocide? Steve Williamson and Gary LaMaster consider the accusations of genocide leveled against the two nations. What are the latest numbers of death and destruction in the two wars? When do the actions of war combatants crossover into war crimes? Do the charges listed in South Africa’s case against Israel meet the definition of genocide?

Posted in Bigotry, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Genocide, Housing, Human Rights, International Relations, International Terrorism, Israel, Judicial System, Justice System, Mass Incarceration, Middle East, Middle East Policy, Military, Morality, Palestinian/Israeli Conflict, Religion, Resistance, Russia, Ukraine | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Podcast January 14, 2024