866OurVote is a national non-partisan election protection coalition working year round to ensure that voters have an equal opportunity to vote and have that vote count. We provide Americans from coast to coast with comprehensive information and assistance at all stages of voting – from registration to absentee and early voting, to casting a vote at the polls, to overcoming obstacles to their participation. Our volunteers provide voter information, document problems they encounter when voting and work with partners and volunteers on the ground to identify and remove barriers to voting.
ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge’s mission is to foster civic culture and institutionalize democratic engagement activities and programs at colleges and universities, making them a defining feature of campus life. By recognizing colleges and universities for their commitment to increasing student voting rates, through its national awards program, ALL IN encourages higher education institutions to help students form the habits of active and informed citizenship, make democratic participation a core value on their campus, and cultivate generations of engaged citizens who are essential to a healthy democracy.
Anti-Defamation League is a leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. ADL is a global leader in exposing extremism and delivering anti-bias education, and is a leading organization in training law enforcement. ADL is the first call when acts of anti-Semitism occur. ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate.
The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that seeks to improve our systems of democracy and justice. We work to hold our political institutions and laws accountable to the twin American ideals of democracy and equal justice for all. The Center’s work ranges from voting rights to campaign finance reform, from ending mass incarceration to preserving Constitutional protection in the fight against terrorism.
The California Center for Civic Participation is a non-partisan, non-profit civic education organization, engaging high school students by sparking their interest with exposure to real excitement of the democratic process. We believe that youth hold so much untapped and unlimited power to change their communities and their world and we exist to expose and nurture that power.
Learn more about the California Center for Civic Participation and volunteer opportunities.
The Center’s mission is to promote an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy. The Center has reached more than 30 million students and their teachers since 1965.
The Center for Civic Education helps students develop (1) an increased understanding of the institutions of constitutional democracy and the fundamental principles and values upon which they are founded, (2) the skills necessary to participate as competent and responsible citizens, and (3) the willingness to use democratic procedures for making decisions and managing conflict.
The Center for Common Ground empowers under-represented voters through non-partisan voter registration and Get Out the Vote. It provide voter information through door knock canvassing, texting, phone-banking. It also provide free rides to the polls on Election Day.
Learn more about the Center for Common Ground and volunteer opportunities.
Center for Election Innovation & Research engages in cutting-edge work to build voter trust, increase voter participation, and improve the efficiency of election administration. Their work helps elections officials maintain accurate and complete voter lists and secure election technology infrastructure.
Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. We work to ensure open, honest, and accountable government; to promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all; and to empower all people to make their voices heard as equals in the political process. Common cause works across four major issue areas: voting and elections; money and politics; ethics, transparency and government accountability; and media and democracy.
Learn more about Common Cause and the Common Cause Education Fund.
Democracy North Carolina is a nonpartisan organization that uses research, organizing, and advocacy to strengthen democratic structures, build power among disenfranchised communities, and inspire confidence in a transformed political process that works for all.
ElectionDay.Org engages businesses to provide resources and tools to promote voting within their organizations including information on how to register, voting methods, and relevant deadlines.
Equal Justice Works creates opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service. Equal Justice Works is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization and is the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law. Equal Justice Works brings together an extensive network of law students, lawyers, legal services organizations, and supporters to promote a lifelong commitment to public service and equal justice. The organization believes that a community of lawyers committed to public service can fulfill our nation’s promise of equal justice for all. Following their Fellowships, more than 85% of Equal Justice Works Fellows remain in public service positions, continuing to pursue equal justice for underserved communities.
Learn more about Equal Justice Works and available volunteer opportunities.
The Election Official Legal Defense Network (EOLDN) is a project of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Center for Election Innovation & Research. EOLDN connects licensed, qualified, pro bono attorneys with election administrators who need advice or assistance. Election workers from all over the country, at the state and local level, can contact EOLDN via this website or by phone (1-877-313-5210) at any time, to request to be connected to a lawyer who can help them, at no cost. This service is available regardless of the election official’s political affiliation, or whether they work in a blue or red state or county.
Learn more about Election Official Legal Defense Network and available volunteer opportunities.
FairVote is a nonpartisan organization seeking better elections for all. They research and advance voting reforms that make democracy more functional and representative for every American. FairVote has a proven record since 1992 as a nonpartisan trailblazer that advances and wins electoral reforms at the local, state and national level through strategic research, communications and collaboration. Today, we are the driving force behind advancing ranked choice voting and fair representation in multi-winner legislative districts that will open up our elections to better choices, fairer representation and more civil campaigns.
HeadCount is a non-partisan organization that uses the power of music to register voters and promote participation in democracy. HeadCount uses a grassroots approach to reach young people and music fans at concerts and online to inform and empower. Like music and democracy? Come work (or volunteer) with us!
Learn about how to be involved at a concert or event near you.
Indivisible is committed to providing civic education, policy resources, strategic guidance, and targeted trainings for groups across the country. It educates and empowers civic leaders at the community level across the country.
Learn more about Indivisible and volunteer opportunities available in several states.
Leaders We Deserve is a grassroots organization dedicated to electing young progressives to Congress and State Legislatures across the country to help defeat the far-right agenda and advance a progressive vision for the future.
The League of Women Voters of the United States encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
The Lincoln Project is a leading pro-democracy organization in the United States — dedicated to the preservation, protection, and defense of democracy. The Lincoln Project launched with two stated objectives. The first was to defeat Donald Trump at the ballot box. The second was to ensure Trumpism failed alongside him. As we have seen, our fight against Trumpism is only beginning. We must combat these forces everywhere and at all times. Our democracy depends on it.
Learn more about The Lincoln Project and available volunteer opportunities.
People For the American Way Foundation conducts research, legal, and education work on behalf of First Amendment freedoms and democratic values; monitors, exposes, and challenges the Religious Right movement and its political allies; identifies, trains, and supports the next generation of progressive leaders through its Young People For youth leadership programs and its Young Elected Officials Network; and carries out nonpartisan voter education, registration, civic participation, and election protection activities.
Project Vote is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded on the belief that an organized, diverse electorate is the key to a better America. Project Vote’s mission is to build an electorate that accurately represents the diversity of this nation’s citizenry, and to ensure that every eligible citizen can register, vote, and cast a ballot that counts.
Project Vote Smart offers services and programs for political journalists to enhance their coverage of politics and elections. The Project partners with more than 300 national, state, and local news organizations, all endorsing Project programs. In addition to comprehensive databases on more than 40,000 candidates and incumbents, the Project provides journalists with special research services and publications. We devote considerable effort to researching information about all candidates for presidential, congressional, gubernatorial and state legislative office and elected officials. Voters thus have access to unbiased information on candidates as well as those serving in elected positions.
Learn more about Project Vote Smart and available volunteer opportunities.
The Public Citizen Foundation supports Public Citizen’s education, litigation, research, and public information activities. Public Citizen is a national consumer advocacy organization founded in 1971 to represent consumer interests in Congress, the executive branch and the courts. Public Citizen fights for openness and democratic accountability in government, for the right of consumers to seek redress in the courts; for clean, safe and sustainable energy sources; for social and economic justice in trade policies; for strong health, safety and environmental protections; and for safe, effective and affordable prescription drugs and health care.
Learn more about Public Citizen and available opportunities.
Rideshare2Vote was created to increase the voice and power of people by expanding their civic engagement and voting rights. We have created a voter touch outreach field program that includes our transportation service specifically for Democratic and progressive voters. Rideshare2Vote focuses our work in disenfranchised communities; voting for the first time; who are not voting in every election; that are disabled; living in poverty and who are elderly.
Learn more about Rideshare2Vote and available volunteer opportunities.
Fusing pop culture, politics, and technology, Rock the Vote works to mobilize the millennial voting bloc and the youth vote, protect voting rights, and advocate for an electoral process and voting system that works for the 21st century electorate. For almost 25 years, Rock the Vote has pioneered ways to make voting easier by simplifying and demystifying voter registration and elections for young adults.
Learn more about Rock the Vote and available volunteer opportunities.
The Andrew Goodman Foundation makes young voices and votes a powerful force in democracy. Our ability to spark their passion — today — will result in change, tomorrow. The Andrew Goodman Foundation supports youth leadership development, voting accessibility, and social justice initiatives on campuses across the country with mini-grants to select institutions of higher learning and other financial assistance to students.
Our vision is that young people will become active, engaged citizens who ensure a just democracy and sustainable future. Join us during this critical time for American democracy and help shape the next generation of civic leaders.
Learn more about The Andrew Goodman Foundation and available volunteer opportunities.
The Center for Public Integrity is dedicated to producing original, responsible investigative journalism on issues of public concern. The mission of the Center for Public Integrity is to protect democracy and inspire change using investigative reporting that exposes betrayals of the public trust by powerful interests. To pursue its mission, the Center generates high-quality, accessible investigative reports, databases, and contextual analysis on issues of public importance; disseminates work to journalists, policymakers, scholars, and citizens using a combination of digital, electronic, and print media; and educates, engages, and empowers citizens with the tools and skills they need to hold government and other private institutions accountable.
The Civics Center is dedicated to building the foundations of youth civic engagement and voter participation in high schools through education, organizing, and advocacy. We support student-led, peer-to-peer voter registration and pre-registration efforts in high school communities.
Learn more about The Civics Center and available volunteer opportunities.
TurnUp is non-profit organization and mobile app that comprises the largest youth-led voter registration and turnout initiative. TurnUp’s 2024 election engagement plans include four integrated programs that work together to increase youth voter registration and turnout: physical registration and turnout drives; relational registration and turnout drives; grassroots organizing; and digital campaigns. TurnUp has Volunteer and Internship positions for high school, college, and recent graduates.
VoteRiders is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with a mission to ensure that all citizens are able to exercise their freedom to vote. VoteRiders informs and helps citizens to secure their voter ID as well as inspires and supports organizations, local volunteers, and communities to sustain voter ID education and assistance efforts. VoteRiders offers a variety of volunteer options including virtual and on the ground positions.
When We All Vote is a leading national, nonpartisan initiative on a mission to change the culture around voting and to increase participation in each and every election by helping to close the race and age gap. Created by Michelle Obama, When We All Vote brings together individuals, institutions, brands, and organizations to register new voters across the country and advance civic education for the entire family and voters of every age to build an informed and engaged electorate for today and generations to come. We empower our supporters and volunteers to take action through voting, advocating for their rights, and holding their elected officials accountable.
Learn more about When We All Vote and available volunteer opportunities.
Resources
Defending our values through knowledge and action.
Dear Friend:
If you missed yesterday’s program featuring Harry Litman in conversation with Patt Morrison, you can watch the program at THIS PAST EVENTS LINK. The program will post a few hours after it ends. Starting Thursday morning, you can listen AT THIS PODCAST LINK.
Next Wednesday, April 2 at 5 pm Pacific we welcome Ambassador Dennis Ross (see bio below), who will be in conversation with Larry Mantle: “Statecraft: Donald Trump, the Prospects for the Middle East and US Foreign Policy in 2025” (Register Here)
Ambassador Dennis Ross is counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. For more than twelve years, Ambassador Ross played a leading role in shaping U.S. involvement in the Middle East peace process and dealing directly with the parties in negotiations. A highly skilled diplomat, Ambassador Ross was U.S. point man on the peace process in both the George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations. Dennis Ross has published seven books relating to diplomacy. His newest book is “Statecraft 2.0,” which focuses on what American diplomacy must do to lead in the new multipolar world reality in which the U.S. has multiple military and economic competitors.
The Washington Institute
Here’s Why the U.S. Is No Longer the World’s Only Superpower
by Dennis Ross
Mar 4, 2025
Over the past several decades, the world order has shifted. Today, the United States is no longer a unipolar uber-power, and this shift has dramatic implications for those inside, and outside, of our borders.
I have long been a student and practitioner of statecraft. For four decades, I worked for both Democratic and Republican Presidents, including as the head of Policy Planning for President George H.W. Bush and as a Special Envoy for President Bill Clinton, as well as a member of the National Security Council staff for Presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama.
In 2006, I wrote a book about statecraft to explain what I felt was missing from the foreign policy of George W. Bush. Statecraft involves using all the tools that we have—diplomatic, economic, military, intelligence, management, information, organization—to advance our interests, deter threats, and defend the country. At the time, I felt that the Bush policies, especially the decision to go to war in Iraq, reflected little understanding about what the U.S. was getting into—and we paid the price with a very costly war, with very limited gains, as a result.
One of the ironies of writing a new book on statecraft is that I was able to analyze how President Bush changed during his second term, particularly with regards to Iraq. In deciding to go to war in Iraq in 2003, the president presided over a groupthink that assumed away the prospect of failure. There was no real debate about the pros and cons of going to war, and those who did raise questions were increasingly excluded from the decision-making process. But by 2007, our policy was failing and Iraq was disintegrating into a sectarian war. It was President Bush who raised hard questions about our strategy, and his national security advisor, Steve Hadley, made sure there was a systematic review of all options. The processes could not have been more different—and so were the results. Bush made the decision to surge forces which restored some security to Iraqis, stopped the sectarian violence, and produced greater stability.
(to read the complete article click here)
Dear Friend:
Wednesday, March 26 at 5 pm Pacific we welcome legal analyst Harry Litman (see bio below), who will be in conversation with Patt Morrison on the topice: “Can our Justice System Weather this Storm?” (Register Here)
Harry Litman, a former United States Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General, is the creator and executive producer of the podcast “Talking Feds,” a weekly roundtable with prominent guests. Talking Feds franchises include a “Talking Books” series; a weekly 1-on-1 interview with diverse national figures; daily you tube explainers at the Talking Feds youtube channel; a “Talking San Diego” series of 1-on-1 live conversations; and Litman’ssubstack, where he posts 3 times a week. Litman is also a regular commentator on MSNBC, CNN, NPR, and CBS News; a founding contributor to the Contrarian; the Senior Legal Columnist for The New Republic; and a Senior Fellow at the USC’s Annenberg Center on Communication, Leadership, and Policy.
The Washington Post
David French
The Last Thing Democrats Need Is Their Own Tea Party
March 20, 2025
Everywhere I turn, I hear Democrats asking the same question: Is it time for a liberal Tea Party?
I was asked a version of that question this week on MSNBC. I’ve seen that question in publication after publication. I understand the impulse. In retrospect it seems that Republican confusion and despair after Barack Obama’s decisive victory in 2008 lasted for a remarkably short time. It certainly seems that the Tea Party gave the Republicans a blueprint for defiance and ultimate triumph.
But I see things differently. As a conservative who once represented dozens of Tea Party organizations in court I’m here to answer that question with an emphatic no. A new Tea Party wouldn’t work for the Democrats the way it worked for Republicans, and more important, it would be terrible for the country. The Democrats would fight fire with fire, and we would all get burned.
(to read the complete article click here)
The Washington Post
David Ignatius
Trump is nearing a sharp fork in the road to Ukraine peace
Putin’s maximalist stance might force the U.S. president’s hand.
March 18, 2025
President Donald Trump appears far more eager for a peace deal in Ukraine than does Russian President Vladimir Putin. That’s the obvious takeaway from Tuesday’s two-hour call between the two leaders.
Trump comes across as an avid suitor in his brief, upbeat readout of the conversation, describing the talks as “very good and productive.” Putin is more guarded in the longer Kremlin version, friendly but unyielding on his basic demands. He agreed to a 30-day pause in “attacks on energy infrastructure facilities.” Ukraine had endorsed Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire on all fronts for that period. Make sense of the latest news and debates with our daily newsletter
This wasn’t a telephonic version of Yalta, in short, despite the ballyhoo that preceded the call. It highlighted differences more than agreement. And this first round confirmed what intelligence officials had predicted to me: that Putin hasn’t given up his desire to dominate Kyiv. He hopes to win in negotiations what he hasn’t been able to on the battlefield.Putin’s maximalist stance might force the U.S. president’s hand.
(to read the complete article click here)
Dear Friend:
Wednesday, March 26 at 5 pm Pacific we welcome legal analyst Harry Litman (see bio below), who will be in conversation with Patt Morrison on the topice: “Can our Justice System Weather this Storm?” (Register Here)
Harry Litman is the creator and executive producer of “Talking Fed’s” a popular podcast and YouTube channel that brings together prominent figures from government, law, and journalism for dynamic discussions on the most important topics of the day. He is a founding contributor to The Contrarian, and is also the creator of the Talking San Diego speaker series. Litman is the senior legal columnist for the New Republic, a regular commentator on MSNBC and CNN, and a former United States Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General.
The Washington Post
David French
The Last Thing Democrats Need Is Their Own Tea Party
March 20, 2025
Everywhere I turn, I hear Democrats asking the same question: Is it time for a liberal Tea Party?
I was asked a version of that question this week on MSNBC. I’ve seen that question in publication after publication. I understand the impulse. In retrospect it seems that Republican confusion and despair after Barack Obama’s decisive victory in 2008 lasted for a remarkably short time. It certainly seems that the Tea Party gave the Republicans a blueprint for defiance and ultimate triumph.
But I see things differently. As a conservative who once represented dozens of Tea Party organizations in court I’m here to answer that question with an emphatic no. A new Tea Party wouldn’t work for the Democrats the way it worked for Republicans, and more important, it would be terrible for the country. The Democrats would fight fire with fire, and we would all get burned.
(to read the complete article click here)
The Washington Post
David Ignatius
Trump is nearing a sharp fork in the road to Ukraine peace
Putin’s maximalist stance might force the U.S. president’s hand.
March 18, 2025
President Donald Trump appears far more eager for a peace deal in Ukraine than does Russian President Vladimir Putin. That’s the obvious takeaway from Tuesday’s two-hour call between the two leaders.
Trump comes across as an avid suitor in his brief, upbeat readout of the conversation, describing the talks as “very good and productive.” Putin is more guarded in the longer Kremlin version, friendly but unyielding on his basic demands. He agreed to a 30-day pause in “attacks on energy infrastructure facilities.” Ukraine had endorsed Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire on all fronts for that period. Make sense of the latest news and debates with our daily newsletter
This wasn’t a telephonic version of Yalta, in short, despite the ballyhoo that preceded the call. It highlighted differences more than agreement. And this first round confirmed what intelligence officials had predicted to me: that Putin hasn’t given up his desire to dominate Kyiv. He hopes to win in negotiations what he hasn’t been able to on the battlefield.Putin’s maximalist stance might force the U.S. president’s hand.
(to read the complete article click here)
Dear Friend:
If you missed today’s program featuring Susan Glasser in conversation with Madeleine Brand, you can watch the program at THIS PAST EVENTS LINK. The program will post a few hours after it ends. Starting Thursday morning, you can listen AT THIS PODCAST LINK.
Next Wednesday, March 26 at 5 pm Pacific we welcome former US Attorney Harry Litman (see bio below), who will be in conversation with Patt Morrison: “Can our Justice System Weather the Storm?” (Register Here)
Harry Litman is the creator and executive producer of “Talking Fed’s” a popular podcast and YouTube channel that brings together prominent figures from government, law, and journalism for dynamic discussions on the most important topics of the day. He is a founding contributor to The Contrarian, and is also the creator of the Talking San Diego speaker series. Litman is the senior legal columnist for the New Republic, a regular commentator on MSNBC and CNN, and a former United States Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General.
The Washington Post
David Ignatius
Trump is nearing a sharp fork in the road to Ukraine peace
Putin’s maximalist stance might force the U.S. president’s hand.
March 18, 2025
President Donald Trump appears far more eager for a peace deal in Ukraine than does Russian President Vladimir Putin. That’s the obvious takeaway from Tuesday’s two-hour call between the two leaders.
Trump comes across as an avid suitor in his brief, upbeat readout of the conversation, describing the talks as “very good and productive.” Putin is more guarded in the longer Kremlin version, friendly but unyielding on his basic demands. He agreed to a 30-day pause in “attacks on energy infrastructure facilities.” Ukraine had endorsed Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire on all fronts for that period. Make sense of the latest news and debates with our daily newsletter
This wasn’t a telephonic version of Yalta, in short, despite the ballyhoo that preceded the call. It highlighted differences more than agreement. And this first round confirmed what intelligence officials had predicted to me: that Putin hasn’t given up his desire to dominate Kyiv. He hopes to win in negotiations what he hasn’t been able to on the battlefield.Putin’s maximalist stance might force the U.S. president’s hand.
(to read the complete article click here)
The Washington Post
Trump is launching America’s version of the Cultural Revolution
The president’s war on colleges undermines a crucial competitive edge.
March 14, 2025
There is no area in which the United States’ global dominance is more total than higher education. With about 4 percent of the world’s population and 25 percent of its gross domestic product, America has 72 percent of the world’s 25 top universities by one ranking and 64 percent by another. But this crucial U.S. competitive advantage is being undermined by the Trump administration’s war on colleges. Hat tip to the New York Times’s Michelle Goldberg for raising this issue as well.
“We have to honestly and aggressively attack the universities in this country. The professors are the enemy,” said JD Vance during a speech to the National Conservatism Conference in 2021. The administration has put those words into action. The most dramatic assault has been financial: a freezing or massive reduction in research grants and loans from the federal government. Some of these efforts are under court review, but the cumulative impact could be billions of dollars in cuts to basic research, much of it disrupting ongoing projects and programs.
High quality research in the United States has emerged in a unique ecosystem. The federal government provides much of the funding through prominent institutions such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. Private foundations and companies account for most of the rest. Professors at universities, both public and private, use these funds to conduct the research. No other country has a system that works as well. What is at risk now is what Holden Thorp, the editor in chief of the Science family of journals, calls, “the social contract that the federal government and institutions have had to enable the scientific research enterprise in America in the last 80 years.”
(to read the complete article click here)
Dear Friend:
This Wednesday, March 19 at 5 pm Pacific we welcome American journalist and news editor Susan B. Glasser (see bio below), who will be in conversation with Madeleine Brand: “The Trump Cabinet” (Register Here)
Susan B. Glasser writes the on-line column “Letter from Trump’s Washington” in The New Yorker, where she is a staff writer. She has served as editor of Politico, was founding editor of Politico Magazine, and editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy magazine, which won three National Magazine Awards during her tenure.
The Washington Post
Trump is launching America’s version of the Cultural Revolution
The president’s war on colleges undermines a crucial competitive edge.
March 14, 2025
There is no area in which the United States’ global dominance is more total than higher education. With about 4 percent of the world’s population and 25 percent of its gross domestic product, America has 72 percent of the world’s 25 top universities by one ranking and 64 percent by another. But this crucial U.S. competitive advantage is being undermined by the Trump administration’s war on colleges. Hat tip to the New York Times’s Michelle Goldberg for raising this issue as well.
“We have to honestly and aggressively attack the universities in this country. The professors are the enemy,” said JD Vance during a speech to the National Conservatism Conference in 2021. The administration has put those words into action. The most dramatic assault has been financial: a freezing or massive reduction in research grants and loans from the federal government. Some of these efforts are under court review, but the cumulative impact could be billions of dollars in cuts to basic research, much of it disrupting ongoing projects and programs.
High quality research in the United States has emerged in a unique ecosystem. The federal government provides much of the funding through prominent institutions such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. Private foundations and companies account for most of the rest. Professors at universities, both public and private, use these funds to conduct the research. No other country has a system that works as well. What is at risk now is what Holden Thorp, the editor in chief of the Science family of journals, calls, “the social contract that the federal government and institutions have had to enable the scientific research enterprise in America in the last 80 years.”
(to read the complete article click here)
Dear Friend:
If you missed today’s program featuring Jennifer Rubin in conversation with Larry Mantle, you can watch the program at THIS PAST EVENTS LINK. The program will post a few hours after it ends. Starting Thursday morning, you can listen AT THIS PODCAST LINK.
Next Wednesday, March 19 at 5 pm Pacific we welcome American journalist and news editor Susan B. Glasser (see bio below), who will be in conversation with Madeleine Brand: “The Trump Cabinet” (Register Here)
Susan B. Glasser writes the on-line column “Letter from Trump’s Washington” in The New Yorker, where she is a staff writer. She has served as editor of Politico, was founding editor of Politico Magazine, and editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy magazine, which won three National Magazine Awards during her tenure.
The Washington Post
Where a better Trump resistance would start
Governors and attorneys general have more powers to fight Trump than congressional Democrats.
March 10, 2025
Many rank-and-file Democrats are furious with party leaders in Washington for their lackluster response to the Trump administration. But they might be complaining about the wrong Democrats.
Governors, attorneys general and other state-level Democratic officials should play leading roles in the fight against President Donald Trump because they have more formal powers than congressional Democrats to restrain him and can implement alternative policies that will help the party win elections over the long term. That’s the argument of Democratic
strategists Arkadi Gerney and Sarah Knight — and they are correct.
Last May, Gerney and Knight sent a 178-page report to Democratic politicians, operatives and donors that laid out ways officials in blue states can most aggressively use their powers. It was modeled after the tactics of red-state Republican governors and attorneys general when Joe Biden was president. This approach would have been useful even if Kamala Harris had been elected, but it’s particularly relevant in a second Trump administration. (The full report is not public, but the two strategists summarized its outlines in an American Prospect essay.)
This Wednesday, March 12 at 5 pm Pacific we welcome political commentator Jennifer Rubin (see bio below), who will be in conversation with Larry Mantle: “Can Democracy and a Free Press Survive Billionaire Ownership of Major Media?” (Register Here)
Jennifer Rubin is a journalist and political commentator who, until January 13, 2025, wrote opinion columns for The Washington Post. On January 13, 2025, she announced that she had resigned from that newspaper to begin writing at a Substack named The Contrarian. Previously Rubin worked at Commentary, PJ Media, Human Events, and The Weekly Standard. Her work has been published in media outlets including Politico, New York Post, New York Daily News, National Review, and The Jerusalem Post.A conservative political commentator throughout most of her career, she became a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and in September 2020, she announced that she no longer identifies as a conservative.
The Contrarian (in its words) was established in response to “the unprecedented threat from an authoritarian movement built on lies and contempt for the rule of law…Corporate and Billionaire media owners have shied away from confrontation… and sought to curry favor with Donald Trump.” The Contrarian describes itself as “unflinching, unapologetic, and unwavering in its commitment to truth-telling. The Contrarian contributors may not agree on all issues (and, in fact, enjoy lively debate), but we share an unequivocal determination to defend our fundamental freedoms and the values essential to a pluralistic democracy.”
The New York Times
Patrick Healy & David Brooks
March 6, 2025
David Brooks on Why the Democrats Are Losing to Trump
The columnist David Brooks joins Times Opinion’s deputy editor, Patrick Healy, to take stock of President Trump’s fifth address to Congress, to analyze the Democrats’ response and to discuss where Americans who care about moral leadership should put their energy today.
(To listen to or read the Patrick Healy-David Brooks interview, click here)
On Wednesday, March 12 at 5 pm we welcome political commentator Jennifer Rubin (see bio below), who will be in conversation with Larry Mantle: “Can Democracy and a Free Press Survive Billionaire Ownership of Major Media?” (Register Here)
Jennifer Rubin is a journalist and political commentator who, until January 13, 2025, wrote opinion columns for The Washington Post. On January 13, 2025, she announced that she had resigned from that newspaper to begin writing at a Substack named The Contrarian. Previously Rubin worked at Commentary, PJ Media, Human Events, and The Weekly Standard. Her work has been published in media outlets including Politico, New York Post, New York Daily News, National Review, and The Jerusalem Post.A conservative political commentator throughout most of her career, she became a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and in September 2020, she announced that she no longer identifies as a conservative.
The Contrarian (in its words) was established in response to “the unprecedented threat from an authoritarian movement built on lies and contempt for the rule of law…Corporate and Billionaire media owners have shied away from confrontation… and sought to curry favor with Donald Trump.” The Contrarian describes itself as “unflinching, unapologetic, and unwavering in its commitment to truth-telling. The Contrarian contributors may not agree on all issues (and, in fact, enjoy lively debate), but we share an unequivocal determination to defend our fundamental freedoms and the values essential to a pluralistic democracy.”
The Washington Post Opinion
March 4, 2025
How to lose the 21st century, in three easy steps
Trump is throwing away what could have been the next great American century.
More than anything else, President Donald Trump loves winning. Yet he has already positioned America to lose the 21st century, in three simple steps:
Alienate your friends.
Destroy your business environment.
Slaughter your golden goose (i.e., science and research).
Trump most vividly demonstrated Step 1 with his Oval Office tantrum against a war-torn ally. But it also includes his gratuitous insults of our friends; abrupt termination of programs tackling global public health menaces (including some that the United States caused); and threats to punish our closest trading partners, with no clear objective.
All that soft power the United States accumulated over the past century is vaporizing. This means no friends to support us against our adversaries, whether rogue nations or terrorist groups. Ticking off our allies also means ticking off some of our best customers, who will turn to economic competitors. In some cases, these customers are outright boycotting U.S. products.
Which brings me to Step 2: our business advantage.
Investors have long viewed the United States as more attractive than other powerful or growing economies (such as, say, China), given our free capital markets, strong property rights, (relatively) predictable regulatory landscape and — most importantly — rule of law. Businesses can be confident, for example, that the state will not expropriate their assets without due process. They can trust that if they enter into a legally binding contract to buy some good or service, their counterparty will deliver — and if not, they will have legal recourse, regardless of the other side’s political connections.
Under the Trump administration, however, none of these business conditions can be taken for granted.
(to read the complete article click here)
The New York Times
Patrick Healy & David Brooks
March 6, 2025
David Brooks on Why the Democrats Are Losing to Trump
The columnist David Brooks joins Times Opinion’s deputy editor, Patrick Healy, to take stock of President Trump’s fifth address to Congress, to analyze the Democrats’ response and to discuss where Americans who care about moral leadership should put their energy today.
(To listen to or read the Patrick Healy-David Brooks interview, click here)
Dear Friend:
If you missed today’s program featuring Michael Posner in conversation with Madeleine Brand, you can watch the program at THIS PAST EVENTS LINK. The program will post a few hours after it ends. Starting Thursday morning, you can listen AT THIS PODCAST LINK.
Next Wednesday, March 12 at 5 pm we welcome American political commentator Jennifer Rubin (see bio below), who will be in conversation with Larry Mantle: “Can Democracy and a Free Press Survive Billionaire Ownership of Major Media?” (Register Here)
Jennifer Rubin is a journalist and political commentator who, until January 13, 2025, wrote opinion columns for The Washington Post. On January 13, 2025, she announced that she had resigned from that newspaper to begin writing at a Substack named The Contrarian. Previously Rubin worked at Commentary, PJ Media, Human Events, and The Weekly Standard. Her work has been published in media outlets including Politico, New York Post, New York Daily News, National Review, and The Jerusalem Post.A conservative political commentator throughout most of her career, she became a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and in September 2020, she announced that she no longer identifies as a conservative.
The Contrarian (in its words) was established in response to “the unprecedented threat from an authoritarian movement built on lies and contempt for the rule of law…Corporate and Billionaire media owners have shied away from confrontation… and sought to curry favor with Donald Trump.” The Contrarian describes itself as “unflinching, unapologetic, and unwavering in its commitment to truth-telling. The Contrarian contributors may not agree on all issues (and, in fact, enjoy lively debate), but we share an unequivocal determination to defend our fundamental freedoms and the values essential to a pluralistic democracy.”
The Washington Post Opinion
March 4, 2025
Unable to count on the U.S. anymore, Europe needs its own army
As Trump turns from Europe toward Russia, European leaders need to bolster defenses, quickly.
For Europe, this is a break-glass-in-case-of-
Nothing better symbolizes this disturbing volte-face than the United Nations vote last week on the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The United States joined 17 members, including rogue regimes such as those in North Korea, Sudan and Belarus, in voting against a resolution condemning the unprovoked Russian attack. Trump justifies his new policy by claiming that he must show neutrality to negotiate an end to the war. Yet he doesn’t hesitate to harshly condemn Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He has called Zelensky a dictator but not Vladimir Putin.
Even before the shocking collapse of the Trump-Zelensky summit on Friday and Trump’s reprehensible decision on Monday to pause all U.S. aid to Ukraine, Germany’s newly elected chancellor, Friedrich Merz, was already speaking about the need to “strengthen Europe as quickly as possible, so that we achieve independence from the U.S.” Anders Fogh Rasmussen, a former NATO secretary general, agrees, writing in the Economist, “Europe must come to terms with the fact that we are not only existentially vulnerable, but also seemingly alone.”
Foreign Affairs
Elaine McCusker
December 13, 2024
The Price of Russian Victory
Why Letting Putin Win Would Cost America More Than Supporting Ukraine
Many Americans are concerned about the cost of aid to Ukraine. It took the U.S. Congress seven months to approve the last funding measure to provide aid. A November Pew poll indicates that most Americans support helping Ukraine, yet roughly a quarter believe that Washington has been providing too much assistance. Elected officials, including the Vice President-elect JD Vance, continue making misleading comments about being “half a trillion dollars in the hole for the Ukraine conflict.” The billionaire Elon Musk, who is helping the incoming Trump administration sort out plans to cut federal spending, posted on social media last February that it was “insane” for the United States to continue its investment in Ukraine.
Such worries are understandable. The United States is faced with numerous challenges. Illegal immigration, financing the national debt, competition with China, war in the Middle East, and a generally unpredictable global security environment all compete for attention and resources. It is not surprising that it is difficult for Washington to sort out its priorities.
(to read the complete article click here)
Voting Rights and Empowerment
Immigration and Asylum
Equality - Fighting Hate and Discrimination
Freedom of the Press
Voting Rights and Empowerment
CENTER FOR COMMON GROUND’S RECLAIM OUR VOTE CAMPAIGN
Ongoing voter suppression and voter list purging have been disenfranchising millions of eligible voters — especially voters of color. Reclaim Our Vote works in those voter suppression states. Our volunteers inform and mobilize voters of color to make sure they are registered and they know how to get a ballot and vote. It is a nonpartisan campaign of the nonprofit 501(c)3 Center for Common Ground.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
The League of Women Voters of the United States encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
POSTCARDS TO VOTERS
Postcards to Voters are friendly, handwritten reminders from volunteers to targeted voters giving Democrats a winning edge in close, key races coast to coast.
ROCK THE VOTE
In 1990, music executives founded Rock the Vote in response to the censorship of hip-hop and rap artists. Our first partnership, with MTV, promoted the message that “Censorship is Un-American” and activated millions of young people across the country to exercise their rights and represent their interests. For thirty years, we have continuously adapted to the changing landscapes of media, technology and culture to breakthrough and empower each new generation.
VOTE.ORG
Vote.org uses technology to simplify political engagement, increase voter turnout, and strengthen American democracy.
WHEN WE ALL VOTE
When We All Vote is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that is on a mission to increase participation in every election and close the race and age voting gap by changing the culture around voting, harnessing grassroots energy, and through strategic partnerships to reach every American.
Immigration and Asylum
ACLU
For nearly one hundred years, ACLU lawyers have been at the center of one history-making court case after another, participating in more Supreme Court cases than any other private organization. With attorneys nationwide, we handle thousands of cases each year on behalf of clients whose rights have been violated.
Bet Tzedek
Bet Tzedek attorneys and advocates help people of all communities and generations secure life’s necessities. Wherever people are in crisis, Bet Tzedek’s core services and rapid response programs provide stability and hope.
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights
CHIRLA is a California leader with the national impact made of diverse immigrant families and individuals who act as agents of social change to achieve a world with freedom of mobility, full human rights, and true participatory democracy. CHIRLA’s mission is to achieve a just society fully inclusive of immigrants.
HIAS
HIAS works around the world to protect refugees who have been forced to flee their homelands because of who they are, including ethnic, religious, and sexual minorities. For more than 130 years, HIAS has been helping refugees rebuild their lives in safety and dignity.
Public Counsel
Public Counsel is the largest pro bono law firm in the nation. We work with major law firms and corporations to change people’s futures. A staff of 71 attorneys and 50 support staff – including five social workers – along with over 5,000 volunteer lawyers, law students and legal professionals assists over 30,000 children, youth, families, and community organizations every year.
Equality - Fighting Hate and Discrimination
ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE
ADL is a leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. ADL is a global leader in exposing extremism and delivering anti-bias education, and is a leading organization in training law enforcement. ADL is the first call when acts of anti-Semitism occur. ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate.
BEND THE ARC
Bend the Arc is a movement of tens of thousands of progressive Jews all across the country. For years, we’ve worked to build a more just society. Now we’re rising up in solidarity with everyone threatened by the Trump agenda to fight for the soul of our nation.
EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
The Equal Justice Initiative is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.
INTEGRITY FIRST FOR AMERICA
Integrity First for America (IFA) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to holding those accountable who threaten longstanding principles of our democracy—including our country’s commitment to civil rights and equal justice.
NAACP
Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
Freedom of the Press
ACLU
For nearly one hundred years, ACLU lawyers have been at the center of one history-making court case after another, participating in more Supreme Court cases than any other private organization. With attorneys nationwide, we handle thousands of cases each year on behalf of clients whose rights have been violated.
REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press provides pro bono legal representation, amicus curiae support, and other legal resources to protect First Amendment freedoms and the newsgathering rights of journalists.