Keeping Democracy Alive with Burt Cohen Burt Cohen

Another Earth Day has come and gone, and how are we doing? The 19th and 20th century systems of control of the earth have failed; there’s a connection between famines, global warming  and empire. Especially in the face of climate change, we have a lot to learn from indigenous and peasant systems; the idea of the commons is something we should learn from for a sustainable future. On this show Professor Jo Guldi, whose new book is The Long Land War, explains little known UN efforts and how planning for land use can address the global threat.

Listening to working people’s concerns is key. Democrats have almost always won this constituency. That is until recently. Biden’s shift to the economic left is connecting and can yield electoral success. The New Republic’s Timothy Noah says tangible gains like capping the price of insulin is a real winner, as is challenging the drug companies and raising taxes on the ultra-rich. And he  says “deep canvassing” is a key to victory. Listen in!

Democracy is itself largely improvisation. Pushing back against the powers that be; the mainstream. Our guest Randy Fertel, author of the new book Winging It; Improv’s Power and Peril in the Age of Trump, says rationality alone is not enough; improvisation is needed to enrich rationality.There’s a lot to learn from Trump’s successful use (and abuse) of improvisation if we want to save American democracy.

Truman was down and nearly out. Then he did a campaign whistle stop tour of America and beat the odds. TV eye candy is one thing but seeing a president in the flesh connects far better, and connection is needed to win. On this show author of Whistle Stop Politics: Campaign Trains and the Reporters Who Covered Them, crisis management expert Edward Segal tells why and how the great theater of a train tour of America could uniquely generate public support.

The Right gets it; where are Democrats? In his new book What it Took to Win, author and history professor  Michael Kazin looks at the last hundred or so years and says it’s clear what has and still works.  Whether it’s the labor movement, or now perhaps the pro-choice movement, that’s far more powerful than mere party politics. Americans are against corporate greed, the cause of today’s inflation; so why are today’s politicians afraid to say that? Kazin says what connects and inspires is the prospect of  Moral Capitalism. Give a listen!

After decades in a coma, the nuclear industry is back. But the truth is nuclear power is not an acceptable stopgap measure, it’s a diversion from real, actually economic, safer solutions. On this show policy analyst Paul Gunter tells the truth behind the new nuclear PR campaign. He really knows his stuff.