American Fever Dream Betches

1:20 Sami and V are joined by Representative Ro Khanna to share his economic philosophies and proposed changes to the legislative and judicial branches, which already have bipartisan support among voters (though not lawmakers!)
9:00 They discuss the threat of AI to elections and discourse, and what regulations are needed around to rebuild trust in political information on social media.
16:30 They dive into Rep. Khanna’s Political Reform Resolution, which presents a comprehensive roadmap to achieving broad political reform for the federal government through things like court term limits and a binding code of ethics.
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13:00 TEMP CHECK: Will this week’s headlines give you a fever or make you freeze?
45:00 MAIN NEWS: Sami and V define the term ‘Manufactured Consensus’ and how social media has been used to sway popular opinion towards believing that a third party has more support than we think. Not sure how to spot a bot? Make sure to tune in next week for an in depth media literacy lesson.
1:01:40 DOWN BALLOT: Our down ballot girlie of the week goes to The Working Families Party, which is going about the third party thing the right way, while striving to build a multiracial party of working people to transform our country.
1:06:00 AMER-I-CAN’T: Why is the rent so high? Because corporate landlords are fixing it!
Pre-Order Democracy In Retrograde: https://shorturl.at/7xQO2
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7:55 TEMP CHECK: Sami and V are back this week to check your temperature on 6 new headlines. Have you ever heard of auto-brewery syndrome?
33:40 MAIN NEWS: After reviewing Trump’s convictions, Sami and V uncover how social media could be the end to elections and how foreign interference poses a significant threat to democratic processes (and also the Olympics).
1:01:30 DOWN BALLOT: Representative Kathy Manning was gerrymandered out of her district, but her bill Right to Contraception Act which will be voted on in the senate tomorrow and if passed will guarantee the right for people to obtain contraceptives.
1:03:07 AMER-I-CAN’T: Two UT Austin professors are suing to win the right to fail students for having an abortion, and to refuse to employ a teaching assistant if they have had an abortion.
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2:00 Sami and V are joined by New York Governor Kathy Hochul to discuss the impact of New York becoming the first state to create a paid family leave program for prenatal care.
8:00 A $1 billion plan was put forward to overhaul New York state’s mental health system, allocating $1.6 million specifically for maternal mental health initiatives. They discuss what happens when mental health issues and law enforcement interface, and how future plans in New York seek to reduce incidents.
24:00 Looking to flip six New York House seats, Governor Hochul reinforces that voter engagement is crucial in upcoming state races to ensure that our democracy is upheld and life-saving legislation is passed.
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2:30 TEMP CHECK: New take on Temp Check where we cover 8 wild headlines. Does your fever spike or sink?
25:15 MAIN NEWS: In honor of Memorial Day, they sound the alarm against the treatment of veterans and the proposed changes to veterans’ benefits under Project 2025. But don’t worry, Biden dropped a new fiscal budget with $369 billion for the DoD and VA.
43:00 DOWN BALLOT: Our Down Ballot bestie this week goes to VoteVets.org. Vote Vets elevates the voices of veterans and military families through progressive legislative policies and electoral endorsements that impact the lives of active service members and their families.
44:30 AMER-I-CAN’T: Sami and V air their frustrations with the lack of etiquette around voice notes and the changing nature of communication among the different generations. How do you use voice notes? Let us know at AmericanFeverDream@betches.com
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Topics:

Representative Colin Allred discusses his vision for a more equitable Texas and his campaign to unseat Ted Cruz, stressing the need for a more engaged and representative leader.

Allred shares his journey from being an NFL linebacker to a lawyer and now a representative, driven by a desire to represent all 30 million Texans.

Sami and V ask Allred to address looming issues such as the Texas power grid, paternity leave, and the near-total ban on abortion.


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