Podcast

This episode features a conversation with Grace Cowan of Frogmore Stew, a podcast focused on South Carolina politics. Nancy and Grace thought it would be interesting, on the cusp of this momentous election, to see how life looks like on the other side of our red state and blue state fences. They talk about how when it comes down to everyday issues there really is a lot more blurring of the partisan lines than the media and national party propaganda would have us believe. They also discuss how certain issues like climate change can transcend party, and that, in the…

What if Trump wins? On this episode, Nancy has a conversation with Mark Bergman about something none of us want to think about: what would happen to the rule of law and American democracy in a second Trump term. Last spring, Mark was an observer at a series of large scale simulated exercises (aka war games) stress testing democracy under an authoritarian ruler. Hosted by the Brennan Center, a nonpartisan think tank at NYU Law School, the exercises were conducted as part of the Democracy Futures Project. Nancy and Mark discuss the outcome of the games, our lack of preparedness…

This episode features a conversation with Nimit Sawhney of Voatz, a mobile voting app that uses cutting edge technology to make voting more accessible, secure and auditable. Voatz is already in use in elections around the world and has the potential to transform our electoral system here in the U.S. Nimit and Nancy discuss the app’s blockchain-based technology; they do a deep dive on security concerns; and Nimit explains how Voatz has the potential to restore public trust in the voting process. This is the third episode in a series on the transformative power of mobile voting. The first featured Episode…

This episode features a conversation with Nathaniel Stinnett of the Environmental Voter Project, a nonprofit that is building political power for climate issues not by changing minds but by changing behavior. As a political campaign veteran, Nathaniel noticed that an enormous number of registered voters lists the environment as a top priority but does not vote. So he came up with the brilliant idea of turning them into consistent voters to build the political power to fix the climate crisis.  Nathaniel and Nancy discuss the highly accurate predictive models that they use to identify these voters; how to turn these…

On this episode, Nancy catches up with activist Margie Stein of 140 Florida Blue who continues to work tirelessly to make Florida blue again. Nancy and Margie speak about why she is once again recruiting and funding Democrats to run in every single Florida district, even where Democrats don’t normally win; the reverse coattails effect; the abortion amendment on the ballot; and the path to making Florida a swing state once again. It does cost money to help a candidate run, but the long term impact could be priceless. Click here to donate and click here to watch David Pepper’s…

This episode features a conversation with Jason Springer about how the Education Truth Project, a New Jersey super PAC, is keeping school boards free of outside, extremist voices. Jason and Nancy discuss how, in recent years, out of state groups have been infiltrating  local school boards, using children as pawns to advance political agendas; how we need to return to dialogue versus the “my way or the highway” mentality; and the importance of local solutions to local issues. For more information on the Education Truth Project, visit their website. 

This episode features a conversation with Jocelyn Bucaro of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Mobile Voting Project. Could mobile voting save democracy?  Jocelyn and Nancy speak about how it’s already being used in many jurisdictions in the US and around the world; creating public trust in the technology; and how it has the potential to transform our hyper partisan political landscape and help our democracy work better for us all. For more information, go to the Mobile Voting Project website where you can also sign up to volunteer or follow them on social media.

This episode features a conversation with Ramon Perez of the Digital Democracy Project. Imagine a world where you have the same access to your representatives as a lobbyist or a wealthy donor, where you get to say how you would like them to vote on a bill and see how they vote in real time. You decide for yourself, without the partisan slant, and you see how your fellow constituents weighed in too. And it’s all on an app on the phone in your pocket. That’s called the Digital Democracy Project, and it’s currently a reality in Florida with plans…

Who among us isn’t feeling at least a tinge, if not a tsunami, of panic right now, with a disastrous debate, dystopian Supreme Court decisions and Project 2025 lurking in our nightmares? I’m not good at sitting with anxiety, so my reaction is always to get to work – and right now that means more new episodes of the New Faces of Democracy podcast. So if you’re looking for a balm for your frazzled soul, check out the new season that’s well underway featuring conversations with people who are nothing short of warriors for democracy.