Washington Monthly

Washington Monthly
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Bold ideas. Honest journalism. Smart analysis. Since 1969, the Washington Monthly has brought a sharp eye to politics, policy and the business of government. Our mission: Champion democracy, support good governance, and promote American opportunity for all. Join co-hosts Anne Kim and Garrett Epps each week for expert analysis on both the biggest issues driving Washington - and the issues you may not know about but should.

  1. 11H AGO

    Gen Z's Problem with "Fake" News | Chuck Salter

    In the eyes of today’s teens, journalism and the media are doomed. In two major surveys of US teens conducted over the last two years, the nonprofit News Literacy Project found deep levels of mistrust and misunderstanding of the news: Only about half ofteens know that “branded content” is a form of advertising;Only 52 percent of teens understand that articleslabeled “commentary” are opinions; ·Teens have overwhelmingly negative impressionsof news, calling it “fake,” “crazy,” “biased,” “boring,” and “bad”; Just 15 percent of teens actively seek out news,and many hold low opinions of journalists’ truthfulness and ethics. Half of teens, for instance, believe that journalists make up quotes. The root of this distrust is the lack of “newsliteracy,” argues Charles ("Chuck") Salter, the News Literacy Project’s President and CEO. Host: Anne Kim, Senior Editor, Washington Monthly Guest, Charles Salter, President and CEO, News Literacy Project Chapters 00:00 Introduction to News Literacy and Its Importance 03:37 The Disturbing Findings of the Studies 06:01 Understanding Teenagers' News Literacy Levels 08:47 The Negative Perception of Journalism Among Teens 11:20 The Role of Popular Culture in Shaping Attitudes 14:01 The Risks of Low News Literacy 16:40 The Societal Impact of Mistrust in Journalism 19:30 Advice for Journalists and Conclusion

    24 min

  2. JAN 28

    Why Democrats need to win back rural voters | Suzanne Mettler and Trevor Brown

    President Donald Trump won 93 percent of rural counties in 2024. Rural voters also made up 36 percent of the Trump vote, according to the Pew Research Center, compared to just 16 percent of voters for Harris. Political scientists Suzanne Mettler of Cornell University and Trevor Brown of Johns Hopkins argue that Democrats must work to bridge this urban-rural chasm, both for the sake of Democrats’ political fortunes but for the sake of preserving democracy. Mettler and Brown are the authors of the new book, Rural versus Urban: The Growing Divide That Threatens Democracy, in which they argue for robust investments in rural America to rebuild the Democratic Party. They also lay out a surprising analysis of why Democrats lost rural voters. The blame lies not with major policy differences between rural and urban voters, but Democratic neglect and disdain of the rural vote. Hosts: Anne Kim and Garrett Epps Guests: Suzanne Mettler, Interim Chair & John L. Senior Professor of American Institutions, Cornell University; Trevor Brown, Postdoctoral Fellow in Moral and Political Economy, Johns Hopkins University. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Rural vs Urban Divide 02:55 Defining Rural Voters and Their Political Impact 05:39 Exploring the Myths of Rural and Urban Voter Differences 10:20 Historical Context: The New Deal and Rural Politics 14:17 Current Challenges for Democrats in Rural Areas 16:38 The Role of Race and Ethnicity in the Divide 19:55 The Importance of Competition in Rural Politics 25:25 Strategies for Democrats to Reconnect with Rural Voters

    30 min

  3. JAN 14

    A promising new strategy to end super PACs and dark money in politics | Lawrence Lessig

    In 2010, the Supreme Court opened the floodgates to money in politics with its decision in  Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission. The Court struck down longstanding federal restrictions on “independent” political spending by corporations and outside groups, ruling that such expenditures were protected “speech” under the First Amendment. Since then, according to the Brennan Center, super PACs have spent more than $10 billion on federal elections. For many campaign finance reform advocates, reversing Citizens United is the holy grail. Some nonprofits, for instance,have called for a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision—an effort Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has endorsed as well. But with the passage of such an amendment is unlikely,, a group of prominent legal scholars is arguing for an alternative path. The Supreme Court could choose to end super PACs, they say,and without overturning Citizens United. Among these advocates is Lawrence Lessig, the Roy L. FurmanProfessor of Law and Leadership at Harvard Law School and the founder of Equal Citizens.org, a new nonprofit leading the legal campaign against super PACs. Lessig says a critical test willcome this spring, when the First Circuit Court of Appeals hears a case involving a voter initiative passed in Maine last fall to limit super PAC contributions. Super PACs have challenged the restrictions as unconstitutional—an argument that’slikely to end up in front of the Supreme Court. Hosts: Anne Kim and Garrett Epps Guest: Lawrence Lessig, Harvard Law School Chapters 00:00 The Rise of Super PACs and Their Impact on Democracy 06:35 Legal Challenges Against Super PACs: The Maine Initiative 12:07 The Argument for Regulating Contributions to Super PACs 17:37 The Role of Amicus Briefs and Evidence of Corruption 22:37 Future Steps: Reviving Campaign Finance Reform 28:48 Engaging Citizens in the Fight Against Super PACs

    32 min

  4. JAN 7

    The case against billionaires | Chuck Collins

    Billionaires have become a uniquely destructive force to both democracy and the planet, says author Chuck Collins. Collins' new book, "Burned by Billionaires: How Concentrated Wealth and Power Are Ruining Our Lives and Planet," argues that the rise of the billionaire class has profoundly damaging impacts on ordinary Americans’ lives and on the functioning of democracy. Collins is a senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies, where he co-edits Inequality.org, and is the author of several books on inequality and wealth, including Wealth and Our Commonwealth, co-authored with Bill Gates, Sr. Host: Anne KimGuest: Chuck CollinsChapters00:00 The Rise of the Billionaire Class02:59 Impact of Billionaires on the Planet05:41 Billionaires and the Housing Crisis08:38 Billionaire Influence on the Economy11:28 Billionaires and Political Power14:08 Proposed Solutions to Wealth Inequality16:58 Grassroots Movements and Citizen ActionSubscribe to the Washington Monthly's podcast:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLonp7h9esu5hYFpElBTi8uC8HT5bSqpFQ&si=VMM10M3WJpqDN3RqRead the Washington Monthly:www.washingtonmonthly.comSubscribe to the Washington Monthly's PolicyFix playlist:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLonp7h9esu5j_rTTHx-0Vv_T_AyQqoRaO&si=AANgMFJ6G2_cOUM4

    22 min

  5. 12/17/2025

    Government is, in fact, broken | Hannah Garden-Monheit

    It’s slow, inefficient and sclerotic. Here’s a progressive blueprint to fix it. President Donald Trump’s unrelenting assault on the federalworkforce has prompted many progressives to leap reflexively to government’s defense.   Some progressives, however, are acknowledging the need for reform. “The truth is, Trump and Elon Musk alone didn’t break our governing institutions,” write Hannah Garden-Monheit and Tresa Joseph in a new report for the Roosevelt Institute. “Unfortunately, for most Americans, the federal government is distant, abstract, labyrinthine." Garden-Monheit and Joseph interviewed 45 former officials from President Joe Biden’s administration, many of whom conveyed the frustration of ambitions thwarted by risk aversion, red tape and a cumbersome civil service system.  Based on these conversations, they offer more than 160 fixes to make government more efficient and responsive. Rebuilding public trust, Garden-Monheit and Joseph argue, demands bold action that delivers visible benefits to Americans’ lives. Host: Anne Kim Guest: Hannah Garden-Monheit, former director of the Office of Policy Planning, Federal Trade Commission

    28 min

  6. 12/10/2025

    Tough Medicine for Democrats: “Too liberal” and “out of touch” | Simon Bazelon

    Democrats are riding high after this year’s special elections,but that still doesn’t mean they’re popular with voters. Strategist Simon Bazelon has advice on what to fix. Less than a year into his second term, President DonaldTrump is already hobbling toward lame duck status. His approval rating has plummeted to 36 percent, according to Gallup’s latest survey, including just a 25 percent thumbs-up among independents. He’s squandered his gains with Latino voters, with nearly 80 percent now telling Pew that his policies are more harmful than helpful. Democrats, meanwhile, are enjoying an uptick in theirelectoral fortunes. Democratic gubernatorial candidates Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill cruised to victory in Virginia and New Jersey, while generic Congressional ballots have begun to show commanding leads for Democrats hopeful of capturing the House. But don’t mistake Trump’s unpopularity with newfoundaffection for Democrats, warns strategist Simon Bazelon, a Research Fellow at the Democratically-aligned organization Welcome. Democrats have increasingly shifted leftward in recent years, Bazelon argues, and are perceived as too liberal and out of touch. Bazelon is the lead author of Deciding to Win, an exhaustive,data-driven autopsy of the Democratic Party recently published by Welcome. He advocates a new brand of “moderation” among Democratic candidates, defined not by old models of compromise and “triangulation” but by the dictates of popular opinion. Host: Anne Kim Guest: Simon Bazelon, Research Fellow, Welcome

    26 min

  7. 12/03/2025

    How Democrats Won Virginia and New Jersey | Angela Kuefler

    We go behind the scenes with Angela Kuefler, the pollsterwho helped engineer the historic victories of governors-elect Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill. Earlier this month, Democratic gubernatorial candidates AbigailSpanberger and Mikie Sherrill notched blockbuster victories in Virginia and New Jersey.  Spanberger trounced her Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by a 15-point margin, while Sherrilldefeated businessman Jack Ciattarrelli by 13-points. The Virginia and New Jersey campaigns relied on similar tactics:A core message on affordability; an emphasis on the national security backgrounds of both candidates; and a willingness to stand up against Trump. One of the chief strategists who devised this approach is pollster Angela Kuefler, a partner at Global Strategy Group who worked with both candidates. Kuefler also brought to both races her perspective as the rare female pollster in a male-dominated field. Hosts: Anne Kim and Matt Cooper Guest: Angela Kuefler, Partner, Global Strategy Group

    31 min

  8. 11/26/2025

    US-Canada relations have hit rock bottom | Hon. James Blanchard

    The Trump administration’s policies have damaged the economies of both countries, says former U.S. Ambassador to Canada James Blanchard. A month after President Donald Trump abruptly ended trade talks with Canada over an anti-tariff ad featuring former President Ronald Reagan, the two countries have yet to resume negotiations. The rift between America and its ally to the north is in fact “the worst in modern history,” says former US Ambassador to Canada James Blanchard. And it’s no wonder. Trump has threatened to annex Canada as the “51st state,” and mocked former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as its “governor.” He’s blamed the country for flooding America with fentanyl and illegal immigrants, though neither charge bears resemblance to reality. And he’s levied punitive tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, among other exports, all the while accusing Canada of “cheating” on trade. Even after Trump’s eventual departure from office, these wounds will be hard to heal, says Blanchard, who served as Ambassador to Canada under President Bill Clinton. Blanchard also served two terms as governor of Michigan and four terms in Congress. Hosts: Anne Kim and Garrett Epps Guest: The Hon. James Blanchard Chapters 00:50 Current US-Canada Relations 02:43 Elbows Up? 05:12 Tariff Impacts on Canadian Economy 06:54 Trump unifies Canadians against him 11:42 Carney's performance 14:04 Tariffs benefit no one 17:16 The future of US-Canada relations

    23 min
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About

Bold ideas. Honest journalism. Smart analysis. Since 1969, the Washington Monthly has brought a sharp eye to politics, policy and the business of government. Our mission: Champion democracy, support good governance, and promote American opportunity for all. Join co-hosts Anne Kim and Garrett Epps each week for expert analysis on both the biggest issues driving Washington - and the issues you may not know about but should.

Information

  • Creator
    Washington Monthly
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    70
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Washington Monthly
  • Show Website
    Washington Monthly

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