We Can Do Better

Fran Quigley
  • 5,0 (3)
  • À but non lucratif

Fran Quigley is a law professor who goes with his students every week to eviction court, representing people facing forcible removal from their homes. They are among the tens of millions of people in the U.S. who are behind on their rent or already homeless, who are forced to skip filling prescriptions, and who often go hungry—despite living in the richest nation in the world. We can do better. Other nations already do far better, and the U.S. has often done better in the past. This podcast lifts up the many people and organizations working to make housing, healthcare, and a decent life enforceable human rights.

Épisodes

  1. -5 j

    Celebrating America's 250th: Reclaiming the Pursuit of Happiness

    This week, we are doing something different from welcoming an outside guest. For our episode on the week of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we are going to talk about an article Fran recently published on the website Common Dreams: Reclaiming the Pursuit of Happiness: Let’s Celebrate the Declaration’s 250th by Ending Poverty (https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/reclaiming-pursuit-of-happiness) To lead our conversation, we pulled out from behind the scenes our podcast’s guru and producer Jack Quigley.  Jack is a journalist and writer, now Chief Marketing Officer for 14 Regional Construction Trade Magazines.Jack takes over the questioning and asks Fran about his article, including:      •    The historical evidence showing that, by promising that our new government would fulfill “the pursuit of happiness” as an inalienable right, the founders meant a government guarantee of housing, healthcare, and meeting critical needs;     •    How civil rights like voting, free speech, etc. are completely dependent on fulfilling economic rights to housing, healthcare, etc.;     •    Why the record shows that the U.S. people, now and throughout history, are nowhere near as hostile to guaranteeing economic rights to housing, healthcare, etc. as we have been led to believe;     •    Why the U.S. ratifying the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights could solve our poverty crisis. The full article is available here: Reclaiming the Pursuit of Happiness: Let’s Celebrate the Declaration’s 250th by Ending Poverty (https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/reclaiming-pursuit-of-happiness)

    31 min

  2. 24 juin

    How Millions Are Losing Food Assistance

    In this episode, we talk with Catlin Nchako of the topnotch research and policy institute Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Catlin and his colleagues are documenting the devastating impact of the Trump/Republican “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” As Catlin told us, the law has already pushed 3.5 million people off of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) aka Food Stamps program.. You can see those numbers, and the numbers for your own state on the Center on Budget’s website, specifically an ongoing feature called, SNAP Tracker: People Are Losing Food Assistance as the Republican Megabill Is Implemented (link below). Catlin is a data researcher, but he emphasizes here the human cost to children and to our communities. He also explains how to fix this: the federal government needs to press pause on the transfer of SNAP responsibility to the states. That could help ease the very real suffering going on in the short-term, while repealing these mean-spirited barriers (more on the impact of red-tape work requirements here ) is the long-term answer. 🔗: https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-as... 🔗: https://endpovertynow.substack.com/p/...

    32 min

  3. 17 juin

    The Arms Industry: Robbing the Working Class of a Better Life

    Stephen Semler is a self-described “producer of charts & policy analysis for the working class.” As the author of the newsletter Polygraph and a co-founder of the Security Policy Reform Institute, he is the best there is at explaining how the arms industry has used piles of campaign money to take over U.S. budgets via Congress and Presidential administrations, and the price we all pay for this domination. We talk about his journey from a short stint as an arms industry lobbyist himself to now writing amazing articles like, What $1.5 Trillion for the Pentagon Could Fund Instead–a stunning list that includes ending world hunger, ending U.S. homelessness, Medicaid for the uninsured, power half of U.S. households with solar–with plenty of billions left over. Reading that article spurred Fran to become a paid subscriber to Polygraph. For a podcast that insists we can do better, Stephen explains where the money is to accomplish all of our goals.

    48 min

  4. 10 juin

    Giving Up Billionaires for Lent

    Sister Emily TeKolste is an organizer for NETWORK Advocates and Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, https://www.networkadvocates.org/ and https://networklobby.org/. Sr. Emily tells us about her journey through activism and service to become a Sister of Providence and organizer for economic justice. Sr. Emily tells us how “giving up billionaires for Lent” is part of the program linking multi-faith values to direct advocacy to lawmakers, an agenda that was a key part of the abolition movement, the civil rights movement, and creating and defending the Affordable Care Act. We learn how progressive organizing can take a lesson from conservative movements–which have nurtured activism by emphasizing relationships and community first. Which leads Sr. Emily and colleagues to be nurturing “squad goals” in the push for higher wages, paid family leave, and healthcare for all. #economicjustice #healthcareforall #workersrights #livingwage #communityorganizing #socialjustice #publicpolicy #faithinaction #wecandobetter

    44 min

  5. 3 juin

    Ending Poverty in California and Beyond

    Devon Gray is the president of End Poverty in California, EPIC, https://endpovertyinca.org/ In this episode, we talk with Devon about EPIC’s work to change the narrative about poverty, focusing on amplifying the voices of workers through its #Listen2Workers campaign. Check EPIC’s website and social media, @EndPovertyCA,  for direct conversations with fast food workers, child care providers, gig drivers, etc. Devon tells us about his journey from Stanford Law to working with Stockton, CA mayor and EPIC founder Michael Tubbs, who created successful guaranteed income and student scholarship programs.  We discuss EPIC’s Blueprint to End Poverty, and the lessons EPIC has learned that apply to all states, including the red ones. The Blueprint  is available to read on its site, under the same Issues tab that includes some of the legislation they push, including a $21 minimum wage for healthcare workers, corporate transparency, and limitations on renter security deposits.

    38 min
  • 5 épisodes

Notes et avis

5
sur 5
3 notes

À propos

Fran Quigley is a law professor who goes with his students every week to eviction court, representing people facing forcible removal from their homes. They are among the tens of millions of people in the U.S. who are behind on their rent or already homeless, who are forced to skip filling prescriptions, and who often go hungry—despite living in the richest nation in the world. We can do better. Other nations already do far better, and the U.S. has often done better in the past. This podcast lifts up the many people and organizations working to make housing, healthcare, and a decent life enforceable human rights.

Informations

  • Création
    Fran Quigley
  • Années d’activité
    2 k
  • Épisodes
    5
  • Classification
    Tous publics
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Fran Quigley
  • Site web de l’émission
    We Can Do Better

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