Indivisible Chicago Podcast

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR APRIL 12, 2021 The most pressing issue we are facing the country at this moment is defending our freedom to vote. Forty-three states across the country have introduced legislation intended to strip that freedom from Black and brown voters. And Republicans in Georgia have gone so far as to make it illegal to hand out water to people in line to vote. On Wednesday, April 7, 2021, Tom Moss and Marj Halperin co-hosted the Indivisible Chicago Alliance...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, APRIL 5, 2021 1. Number one, remove Trump from office. Check. Number two, demand democracy and the freedom to vote. To learn more about what's at stake, and what we can do about it, join Marj Halperin and Tom Moss on Wednesday, April 7, at 7pm on Facebook for a panel discussion featuring Dan Weiner from the Brennan Center; Angela Lang from Black Leaders Organizing for Change in Milwaukee; Jonah Minkoff-Zern from Public Citizen; and Barbara...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 29, 2021 1. As more people are vaccinated, the prospect of returning to "normal" creates a new kind of stress. Licensed Clinical Social worker and Erickson Institute adjunct faculty member Lili Gray joins the podcast to help start thinking about the stress of this next transition. 2. Members of Indivisible Chicago will recognize this week's guest. She has been a fixture at a number of our events, rallies, our events at the Athenaeum...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MARCH 22, 2021 Most of us grew up believing that Democracy was unassailable — that especially in America, Democracy was so embedded in our being that nothing and no one could tear it down. The last several years have proven how misguided that thinking was. But there are reasons to be optimistic about the future. Benjamin Page, a professor of Political Science at Northwestern and co-author of Democracy in America? What has gone wrong and what we can...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2021 1. Reflecting on all that has been lost over the past year, perhaps it’s the casual encounters with not-so-close acquaintances that will do us the most good. The article referred to is here: http://bit.ly/3exHQnf. 2. After a year of pandemic living, things seem to be looking up. This week's guests reflect on the year of living cautiously, with a look ahead to what we generally agree is a light at the end of the tunnel and not...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 8, 2021 _1. Distribution of vaccines is up. More and more people say they are going to get the vaccine. Consumer confidence is up. Biden remains popular with approval ratings the previous president never saw. Something we haven't been able to say for a long time: This week was a pretty good week. _2. Indivisible grew from a Google Doc in December, 2016, to a going concern with an office, a cadre of employees, and a national network...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2021 _1. 2020 was such a bad year, it's hard sometimes to recognize when good things happen. But a few good things are happening. Articles referenced: Michael Grunwald - Politico Newsletter - http://politi.co/3dPyOla Zeynep Tufekci - The Atlantic - http://bit.ly/3ks45vQ Tom Nichols - The Atlantic - http://bit.ly/3q0Uvkz _2. Ann Williams is a longtime member of the state legislature, representing her Northside district. She has been...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR FEBRUARY 22, 2021 1. To make American's lives better, we may need to end the filibuster. But Democrats always focus on the second part -- the process -- and not the first part -- the good stuff. We need to get it right this time. More about Hozier's song Nina Cried Power here: https://songexploder.net/hozier. More about Anat Shenker Osario here: https://bit.ly/37v0GH5. 2. A month or so ago, Mike Simmons had a full plate as deputy director of the My...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR FEBRUARY 15, 2021 1. Indivisible Chicago Alliance Exec Director Darcey Regan joins to podcast to discuss our Valentines for Democracy project. 2. Renato Mariotti is a CNN Legal Analyst and the host of the podcast, On Topic. He is the Legal Affairs Columnist for Politico Magazine, and has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time Magazine, and other publications. We turn to Renato whenever we want to get into the weeds on legal...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR FEBRUARY 8, 2021 _1. The former President pushed the internet's tall tales, gaslit the country, and denied science and reality. And it took him a long way. But there’s evidence this week that fabulist thinking has its limit. The article referenced is here: https://nyti.ms/3jnYCp8. _2. Many of us have any number of options for how and where we buy our food. Others, especially people living on the south and west sides, live as much as four miles from...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2021 For nine days in October of 1960, a drama unfolded in Georgia that would determine the future of the civil rights movement, the political fortunes of Kennedy and Nixon, and would steel the determination of Martin Luther King, Jr. whose life literally hung in the balance. This week, Paul Kendrick, co-author of Nine Days: the race to save Martin Luther King's Life and Win the 1960 Election, joins the podcast. Paul is also...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR JANUARY 25, 2021 This week, excerpts from the Indivisible Chicago Inauguration Celebration extravaganza, featuring a panel co-hosted by Tom and ICA's Marj Halperin with Representatives Lauren Underwood, Sean Casten, and Marie Newman. The show was produced by Chicago4Real and hosted by Justin Kaufmann. Musical guests included Michael McDermott (featured in this week's podcast), Jeff Tweedy, and Jon Langford. Music produced by the Hideout Inn. Find...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR JANUARY 18, 2021 After the George Floyd murder, there was a new commitment among White Americans to confront our national crisis of racism. Eight months later, have we made much progress? Maybe, if we're looking to confront racism, we are not looking in the right places. In a new book, this week's guest argues that the kind of racism that may be doing US the most damage is also the kind we don't even recognize. The book is Tacit Racism from...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2021 _1. The failed coup on January 6 was not a surprise. In fact many of us saw it coming as early as 2015. _2. Excerpts from 2020 episodes focusing on protecting democracy: --William Howell and Terry M. Moe, authors of Presidents, Populism, and the Crisis of Democracy. --David Daley, author of Ratf***ed and Unrigged. --Rachel Blum, author of How the Tea Party Captured the GOP --Benjamin Page, co-author of Democracy in America?...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021 This is the time of year that we the a look back on the year that was, celebrate the good times and look ahead. While it's been tough, there were a number of things to celebrate this year. Three friends join the podcast this week to reflect on the year that was and look forward to the work that remains. Darcey Regan is executive director of the Indivisible Chicago Alliance; Jessica Droeger is a leader of Indivisible Lincoln...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR DECEMBER 28, 2020 1. ICYMI: Celebrating President-elect Biden, and reflections on riding the emotional roller coaster from November 2 to November 7, 2020. While there may be trouble ahead, for today, let's face the music and dance. 2. On Thanksgiving Day in 2016, at a holiday gathering in Austin, Texas, Indivisible was born. Three years later, an Indivisible organization exists in every congressional district in America. This week, an encore...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2020. Starting this week, the days start getting longer. Hope returns. ICA board member Marj Halperin joins the podcast to talk Georgia phone-banking. Learn more at indivisiblechicago.com. Also, save the date. Marj and Tom will be hosting Indivisible Chicago's Inaugural Celebration: Everything New is Blue Again on January 20, 2021 at 5:30. Stay tuned for more information. In early December, the League of Women Voters Chicago...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2020 1. With the current president's assault on democracy, one wonders what the ghosts of those who died in wars to protect our democratic way of life might expect of us. 2. For those of us who grew up believing that democratic values would be simply impossible to subvert in this country -- well, Donald Trump, you have our attention. This week, to help explain how we got here and what we need to do now, the authors of the new...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020 1. With incredible ratings in one demographic, you might be able to stay on TV, but you can't remain president. This is the lesson the current President is having trouble learning. 2. The ComEd scandal that has gotten everyone's attention over the last few months is really a story of two scandals -- one is a bribery scandal that seems to be closing in around Speaker of the House Madigan. But what of the legislation that was...

INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 1. The US Constitution was not delivered to the founders on a mountaintop; it was the product of bitter negotiations and tough compromises. The Electoral College was one such compromise, and we're living with the consequences to this day. Originally posted February 17, 2020. 2. After the election in 2016, Michigan resident Katie Fahey posted on Facebook to see if anyone was interested in taking on gerrymandering in...