The Nexus with Art Swift Art Swift

Matt Castelli, a former CIA officer, is running for Congress in Upstate New York against prominent GOP House leader Elise Stefanik. What’s it like to run for Congress as a Democrat in what may be a Republican “wave” election? We discuss the landscape of Castelli’s unique congressional district, his background in the CIA and the Biden agenda. Also, I wonder if there is a “real America” out there, especially after in light of tornadoes devastating Kentucky.

Poppy MacDonald, the President of USAFacts, a not-for-profit organization and website devoted to making government facts and data accessible to the public, joins me in The Nexus to discuss the mission of this organization and why combatting misinformation is so vital. Will people ever be able to accept one set of facts in national discourse? Also, I wonder what has happened to “strong and silent” men and why so many powerful men have become overly emotional and irresponsible.

Thomas Bingham, a senior grassroots trainer at Americans for Prosperity, discusses the pending PRO Act in Congress and how it will have an impact on the “gig” economy. Is this legislation a way for independent workers to be protected with benefits and the ability to unionize or will it force many freelancers out of their side jobs? We explore these issues and I tackle Hurricane Ida and climate change.

Michael Karlis from Salon.com joins us to discuss the trend of concerned citizens who are taking booster shots for COVID-19 even if they haven’t been legally approved yet. By fervently monitoring their antibody levels, these folks are becoming “citizen scientists.” Are they crazy or on the cutting edge? Also, I’ll offer my personal thoughts on my experience in Afghanistan and how this current crisis compares to Vietnam. The two conflicts are very much not the same, as the world has changed dramatically in 50 years.   

Lane Garrison, screenwriter and producer, as well as one of the stars of the new movie “12 Mighty Orphans” joins me in the Nexus to discuss why this film about an underdog high school football team in the Great Depression may be the perfect movie to see post-pandemic. Yet some critics have lambasted the film for so-called “toxic masculinity” and not having enough of a spotlight on women and struggles of Latino players. Garrison talks about these issues, along with working with the legendary Robert Duvall, and provides some enlightening memories about starring in Prison Break and as a recurring character on Yellowstone. Also, I’ll talk about my thoughts on America reopening far and wide. 

Meet Robe Imbriano, the creator and executive producer of “Amemd: The Fight for America,” a star- studded limited series about the 14th Amendment, hosted by Will Smith. We discuss why equal protection under the law is vital now and how this controversial amendment has had an impact on civil rights, women’s equality, marriage equality and immigration. Robe also mentions how a top shelf Netflix series is made. Also, I’ll talk about the new 2020 Census results and what they mean.