Master Plan

The Lever
  • 4.9 (519)
  • HISTORY
  • WEEKLY SERIES
Master Plan
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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

  1. Milk Money

    EPISODE 1

    Milk Money

    Ever wonder how America became so corrupt? It didn’t have to be this way. Our series begins in 1971, a time when hot pants were hot, bell bottoms were swinging, and campaign cash flowed like… milk.  Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, exclusive content and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com Follow us on social X: @LeverNewsYoutube: @LeverNewsInstagram: @LeverNewsFacebook: /TheLeverNewsSend feedback, questions, or ideas to podcasts@levernews.com

    32 min
  2. The Other Watergate

    EPISODE 2

    The Other Watergate

    There’s a lost tale behind Watergate: corporate bagmen, suitcases of illegal cash, and Nixon circumventing the very campaign finance rules he’d just signed into law. Amid the blowback, Nixon leaves a ticking time bomb in the heart of Washington. Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, exclusive content, and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com Follow us on social X: @LeverNewsYoutube: @LeverNewsInstagram: @LeverNewsFacebook: /TheLeverNewsSend feedback, questions, or ideas to podcasts@levernews.com

    42 min
  3. The Powell Memo

    EPISODE 3

    The Powell Memo

    A seemingly moderate corporate lawyer grows alarmed by anti-corruption reformers’ policy wins and writes a manifesto detailing how corporations and oligarchs can dominate American politics. Months later, he’s confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court by senators unaware that his manifesto is going viral among the business elite.    View related materials here. Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, exclusive content, and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com Follow us on social X: @LeverNewsYoutube: @LeverNewsInstagram: @LeverNewsFacebook: /TheLeverNewsSend feedback, questions, or ideas to podcasts@levernews.com

    51 min
  4. The Secret Task Force

    EPISODE 4

    The Secret Task Force

    How did corporate executives and politicians turn Lewis Powell’s memo from a blueprint into a master plan — and begin executing it? In this episode, we uncover proof of a secret “Powell Memo Task Force,” as well as clandestine meetings involving America’s most powerful businessmen, a future president, and an ambitious young media consultant. The results would change history. Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, exclusive content, and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com Follow us on social X: @LeverNewsYoutube: @LeverNewsInstagram: @LeverNewsFacebook: /TheLeverNewsSend feedback, questions, or ideas to podcasts@levernews.com

    46 min
  5. Corporations Are People, My Friend

    EPISODE 5

    Corporations Are People, My Friend

    You might remember Mitt Romney’s infamous line: “Corporations are people, my friend.” But where did this idea come from? In this episode: how the Ford Administration and the Powell Memo movement turned to the Supreme Court to establish the precedent that legalized corruption: money is speech, and corporations are entitled to First Amendment rights.  Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, score exclusive content, and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com Follow us on social X: @LeverNewsYoutube: @LeverNewsInstagram: @LeverNewsFacebook: /TheLeverNewsSend feedback, questions, or ideas to podcasts@levernews.com

    48 min
  6. The Maverick

    EPISODE 6

    The Maverick

    When five U.S. senators get caught pressuring a regulator on behalf of a financial magnate, they become known as the “Keating Five.” The public is predictably outraged. But what no one expects is that one of those senators will learn from his mistakes and become the staunchest campaign finance reformer in decades.  Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, exclusive content, and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com Follow us on social X: @LeverNewsYoutube: @LeverNewsInstagram: @LeverNewsFacebook: /TheLeverNewsSend feedback, questions, or ideas to podcasts@levernews.com

    58 min
  7. Rise of the Machine

    EPISODE 7

    Rise of the Machine

    After a series of setbacks in the push to legalize corruption, the master planners know they must take over the U.S. Supreme Court and halt the trend of Republican-appointed justices siding with campaign finance reformers. So in the early 2000s, they deploy their new judicial machine in an epic battle to try to permanently change the courts from the bottom up. This is part one of a two-part story about how the Roberts Court was built. Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, exclusive content, and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com Follow us on social X: @LeverNewsYoutube: @LeverNewsInstagram: @LeverNewsFacebook: /TheLeverNewsSend feedback, questions, or ideas to podcasts@levernews.com

    54 min
  8. Shock and Awe

    EPISODE 8

    Shock and Awe

    As President George W. Bush declares “Mission Accomplished” in the Iraq War, his administration wages a different war with swing-state senators defying his judicial nominees. Operatives like Leonard Leo and Brett Kavanaugh seize the moment to try to dramatically shift the balance of the Supreme Court. But when Bush goes off script and nominates a trusted legal aide for a Supreme Court vacancy, the conservative legal movement launches an insurgency. This is part two of our story about the creation of the Roberts Court. Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, exclusive content, and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com Follow us on social X: @LeverNewsYoutube: @LeverNewsInstagram: @LeverNewsFacebook: /TheLeverNewsSend feedback, questions, or ideas to podcasts@levernews.com

    48 min
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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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4.9
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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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