Lever Time

The Lever
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Lever Time
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From LeverNews.com — Lever Time is the flagship podcast from the investigative news outlet The Lever. Hosted by award-winning journalist, Oscar-nominated writer, and Bernie Sanders' 2020 speechwriter David Sirota, Lever Time features exclusive reporting from The Lever’s newsroom, high-profile guest interviews, and expert analysis from the sharpest minds in media and politics.

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    Welcome To The United States of Crypto

    No matter what, the cryptocurrency industry was going to win the election. After spending hundreds of millions to influence politicians in both parties, the industry defeated some of its fiercest critics and scored bipartisan support, particularly from President-elect Donald Trump, despite crypto’s potential risks for consumers and the financial system. Today on Lever Time, Lever reporter Freddy Brewster discusses crypto’s emergence as a political power broker and what industry insiders are hoping for in return for their massive donations. Then, Senior Podcast Producer Arjun Singh sits down with documentarian Cullen Hoback to discuss his new film Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, in which Hoback alleges to have discovered the identity of the enigmatic inventor of the groundbreaking cryptocurrency Bitcoin.

    47 min

  2. 14 NOV • LEVER PREMIUM ONLY

    LEVER TIME PREMIUM: The Populist Paradox Of Matt Gaetz

    Donald Trump’s pick of Congressman Matt Gaetz for attorney general has rocked Washington. Gaetz’s controversial history, including a Justice Department investigation into alleged sex trafficking, makes him an absurd choice. But political analyst and Lever contributor Matt Stoller points out that Gaetz has a surprising record on antitrust and corporate power issues, raising questions about his potential impact on corporate regulation if he manages to be confirmed. Stoller discusses the unpredictable dynamics of Trump’s administration and why Gaetz’s past actions may not dictate his potential future as the country’s top prosecutor. NOTE: This episode version is for paid Apple Podcast subscribers. If you’re already a paid subscriber through LeverNews.com, please access it through your Premium account or email podcasts@levernews.com for assistance.

    20 min
  3. LEVER TIME PREMIUM: Why Pennsylvanians Handed Trump The Presidency

    11 NOV • LEVER PREMIUM ONLY

    LEVER TIME PREMIUM: Why Pennsylvanians Handed Trump The Presidency

    In a special Lever Time post-election bonus episode, David Sirota and podcast producer Jared Jacang Maher interview Democratic officials on the ground in Pennsylvania about how the party lost its edge with working class voters. State Senator Katie Muth and former state auditor Eugene DePasquale argue that structural deficiencies within the state Democratic Party and poor messaging from the Harris campaign led to losses in the state. NOTE: This episode version is for paid Apple Podcast subscribers. If you’re already a paid subscriber through LeverNews.com, please access it through your Premium account or email podcasts@levernews.com for assistance.

    40 min

  4. 8 NOV

    How Democrats Can Win Back The Working Class

    Donald Trump easily won reelection with the help of voters who were once considered bedrocks of the Democratic base. In this election, the former president managed to win over more working-class voters than in his 2016 campaign and made historic inroads with nonwhite voters. Why did this happen — and how can Democrats win them back? Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh sits down with political analyst Krystal Ball, host of the show Breaking Points, to discuss why Trump’s authoritarian, populist rhetoric may have struck a chord with voters. Then David Sirota speaks with Jeff Weaver, architect of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) two presidential runs, to hear how Sanders built a similar multiracial coalition of working class voters during his campaigns and why those voters may have now migrated to Trump. Have a comment or a pitch about the show? Reach out to Arjun directly at asingh@levernews.com or follow him on X and Instagram at lever_singh.

    56 min

  5. 5 NOV

    Project 2025 Is Even More Radical Than You Think

    If elected, former president Donald Trump has promised to implement mass deportations, target journalists, and carry out other unprecedented actions. How could he pull it off? Project 2025, a radical plan to reshape the government under Trump, highlights the key to his sweeping agenda: Schedule F, a policy that would expose federal workers to political interference and give the president broad leeway to govern through fear.  Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh unpacks this radical strategy for Trump’s second term — and explores the religious fundamentalism and free-market ideology driving the creators of Project 2025, the right-wing think tank called The Heritage Foundation.  In the early 1980s, the Heritage Foundation became the intellectual backbone of the conservative movement and today wields huge influence over the Republican party. Unlike other conservative think tanks, the Heritage Foundation was unique in blending the principles of free market capitalism with Christian nationalism, creating a blueprint for conservative politics that has now become the status quo. Over the past four years, a brain trust within the foundation has been drawing up Project 2025, laying the groundwork for how Trump could warp the tools of government and deliver ineradicable changes.

    33 min

  6. 1 NOV

    The New Movie Trump Doesn’t Want You To See

    A biopic of former president Donald Trump released right before the election seems ripe for box office success. But when screenwriter Gabriel Sherman looked for a distributor for his new film The Apprentice, Trump threatened legal action, and major studios got cold feet. Today on Lever Time, Sherman sits down with David Sirota and Arjun Singh to discuss the battle to release The Apprentice and how Wall Street’s Hollywood takeover is making it more difficult for political films to get made. In the early 2000s, a seismic shift happened in Hollywood. After decades of movie-studio dominance, media deregulation and favorable market conditions opened the doors for Wall Street to move in and consolidate the industry. the balance of power shifted from filmmakers to bankers. Now, with a potential Trump presidency looming, some filmmakers are concerned it could cast a chill over the industry and frighten studios from backing films that could be seen as critical of Trump or his allies.

    50 min

  7. 29 OCT

    Did Elon Musk Just Buy The Presidency? (PREMIUM PREVIEW)

    This is a preview of a bonus episode exclusive for premium subscribers. To become a premium subscriber go here.

    9 min
  8. LEVER TIME PREMIUM: Did Elon Musk Just Buy The Presidency?

    27 OCT · BONUS • LEVER PREMIUM ONLY

    LEVER TIME PREMIUM: Did Elon Musk Just Buy The Presidency?

    In this special Lever Time bonus episode, David Sirota, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh, and political journalist Jacob Silverman discuss how the world’s richest person, Elon Musk, has used his billions to buy unprecedented power and influence in the 2024 election. Their conversation covers Silicon Valley’s realignment with the conservative right, how Musk got rich off lucrative public-private partnerships, and the unprecedented benefits the tycoon stands to gain from a second Trump presidency. Premium episodes like this are available to paid listeners who subscribe through Apple Podcasts. But to gain *FULL ACCESS* to The Lever’s investigative reporting, exclusive subscriber-only content, and podcasts, upgrade to a full subscription at levernews.com/subscribe.

    37 min
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  • A secret plot. A public theft. A democracy corrupted. Discover the truth on Master Plan, winner of the 2024 Signal Awards for News & Politics and Best Writing. Hosted by David Sirota, former speechwriter for Bernie Sanders and Oscar-nominated co-writer of Don’t Look Up, Master Plan uncovers a deliberate scheme to legalize corruption in the U.S., enabling the wealthy to buy policies that serve them at the public’s expense. How did our democracy become a kleptocracy? The Lever has unearthed never-before-reported documents revealing this 50-year plot as a coordinated effort by wealthy individuals and political ideologues. Across 11 episodes, the series traces this historic thread from the Watergate scandal in the ’70s to the Citizens United decision, current Supreme Court outrages, and the 2024 election. It’s a story of infamous figures like President Richard Nixon, Senator Mitch McConnell, and Fox News founder Roger Ailes—plus operatives and oligarchs you’ve never heard of. www.masterplanpodcast.com

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From LeverNews.com — Lever Time is the flagship podcast from the investigative news outlet The Lever. Hosted by award-winning journalist, Oscar-nominated writer, and Bernie Sanders' 2020 speechwriter David Sirota, Lever Time features exclusive reporting from The Lever’s newsroom, high-profile guest interviews, and expert analysis from the sharpest minds in media and politics.

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