Keeping Democracy Alive With Burt Cohen

It’s the bedrock of who we are today. But to believe there was agreement among the “Founding Fathers,” that they aimed to to replace plutocracy with democracy is just wrong. In this lively interview, historian Woody Holton reveals fascinating little-known The post The Truth Behind the Myth of the American Revolution appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

In light of the Israeli state’s massive assault on Gaza, the question comes up: what does it mean to be a  Jew? Our guest veteran New York Times sportswriter Robert Lipsyte says being a Jew entails certain responsibilities and obligations; The post Netanyahu and Jewish Identity appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

The intent is humiliation, eating away at one’s humanity. How can that make one a better person? Former figure skater Keri Blakinger’s new book Corrections In Ink tells the story from the inside and asks:  does locking up groups of The post “As if We Were Trash.” One Woman’s Prison Memoir appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

In her new book Of Rule and Office: Plato’s Ideas of the Political, Princeton Professor of Politics Melissa Lane shows how the orange one serves both anarchy and tyranny. Better politicians use virtue and justice to achieve success, and get The post Plato: The Benefits of Acting Justly appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

Politicians know the consequences of voters being ignored.There are tens of millions of people who used to be middle class but a revived Poor People’s Campaign just may connect and inspire. According to today’s guest, campaign policy director Shailly Gupta The post Waking the Sleeping Giant: 85 Million Americans appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

The comfort of colonial powers relied on them not seeing the damage to exploited nations. So it is with mining and milling the uranium for nuclear power. Victims then as now are people without power, indigenous populations which are health The post Green? Not Hardly: Nuclear Power is Racist, Sexist, and Ageist. appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

Fun attracts people but let’s face it: environmentalists tend to be a dour bunch. Saving the planet is serious stuff. Average working people can get turned off. But what about dark comedy? We’ve seen where it works. On this show The post Using Comedy to Fight Climate Change appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

Progressive Americans have looked to Europe for successful building of a strong economy which addresses climate change effectively. But now there is a new rise of a far right throughout Europe, starting with Trump’s buddy Orban in Hungary. As with The post The End of Europe? appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

As we head into the elections, both parties have made “the border crisis” THE issue. But humans have always moved. Our guest, John Washington whose new book is The Case for Open Borders, argues stopping immigration exacerbates crime. The negative The post The Only Crisis is What the Refugees are Fleeing appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

When you’re in a hole, stop digging. The currently pervasive approach to abuse disorder is a total failure; it exacerbates the problem. Could it be time to stop doing that? On this show experts in the field with personal knowledge The post Not Punishment: Treat Addicts as Full and Complete Humans? appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

We’re in wars all over the globe; is America more secure now? It’s basically been one war party in Washington for decades. The idea of restraint has been anathema to any member of congress, as every one seeks re-election and The post Conservatives Emerging Against Perpetual War appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

Large transfers of population, meaning massive destruction of living areas. Racist colonialism; the intent to eliminate. Total domination through force. On this show Franklin and Marshall College History professor Van Gosse talks about similarities and differences between the American War The post Israel’s Vietnam? appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

“Those kids.” It’s tough enough being in the 9th grade, but imagine if your parent, aunt, or uncle were behind bars. Democracy needs citizens to feel part-of, but these kids feel left out. On this show Amy Friedman of “POPS: The post Kids With Loved Ones in Prison appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

India enjoys a romanticized image; you may think of Gandhi or the Beatles visit there. The reality is open repression and violence against the large Muslim minority. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visited America and the bulldozer is the symbol The post Not Just America: India’s Exceptionally Harsh Religious Nationalism appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

America today is not the America of the past. But in his new book What it Took to Win, author and history professor  Michael Kazin, it’s clear what has and still works. This fear of popular movements  has fed the The post What it Takes for Democrats to Win: Historian Michael Kazin appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

So many mass shootings; how did the gun culture become so powerful? Look to the Civil War: Militarily devastated, the angry determined Confederate culture transformed guns into a totem. In this revealing discussion, U of Wisconsin-Madison professor Nick Buttrick sheds The post The South Won: Today’s Gun Culture appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

They’re not supposed to be an arm of either political party. The word “supreme” means above it all but that’s not what we’ve got in 2024. The majority often contrives constitutional reasons to impose a right wing agenda. How can The post The Supreme Court: How Can We Fix it? appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

The big fish love the UN Security Council. It keeps them able to make wars. But the UN was not always toothless nor must it always remain so. Two badly behaved little boys really can’t be the only option for The post With Courage In The UN, Peace is Possible in Ukraine appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

History moves in many different directions at the same time. On this show author and independent journalist Patrick Lawrence explains how as we begin a new year there is optimism beneath the pessimism. The failure of our many imperial policies The post 2024: The Positive Breakdown of “Rules Based Order.” appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.

It’s so much easier to break things than to build them. The right wing group Moms for Liberty claimed that “Parental rights do not stop at the classroom door,” but their real goal was to destroy public education. On this The post The Rise and Stunning Fall of “Moms for Liberty” appeared first on Keeping Democracy Alive.