Category: video
The Greatest Sentence Ever Written
by Walter Isaacson
Isaacson explores the origins of the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
• He breaks down the historical context, showing how Jefferson drafted it and Franklin and Adams edited it.
• The book highlights how those words shaped the American Dream and remain relevant in today’s polarized times.
Ali Velshi interviews Walter Isaacson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
This Is the Way You Beat Trump — and Trumpism
Retribution
Donald Trump and the Campaign that Changed America
by Jonathan Karl
Publisher: Dutton
Recommended by: Steve Gadol
The must-read new book from Jonathan Karl, the author of New York Times bestsellers Tired of Winning, Betrayal, and Front Row at the Trump Show
In Retribution, Jonathan Karl’s unparalleled access brings us behind closed doors deep inside the White House and presidential campaigns, revealing the extraordinary moments that ended one man’s presidency and brought another back to power.
This is a story of unprecedented political plot twists, showing what happened behind the scenes as political fortunes fell and rose again, and as a new team coalesced around President Trump with the goal of creating an entirely new world order. From President Biden’s shocking withdrawal and Vice President Harris’s historic run, to the multiple assassination attempts on President Trump, his election, and the changes he has brought to every corner of the country, this book reveals in surprising new detail how we got here, and what we can expect from American politics in the years to come.
Interview with Jonathan Karl about Retribution
Autocrats vs. Democrats
China, Russia, America and the New Global Disorder
by Michael McFaul
Publisher: Mariner Books
“A history, an analysis, and a set of prescriptions for the greatest geopolitical challenge of our time: the threat to the democratic world posed by China and Russia.” —Anne Applebaum, author of Autocracy, Inc.
“A monumental account of contemporary geopolitics”—Francis Fukuyama, author of Liberalism and Its Discontents
From New York Times bestselling author and former ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul comes a bold, clear-eyed look at how the autocracies of China and Russia are challenging the current global order, and how America’s future depends on successfully confronting this threat.
Community Conversation – October 23, 2025
With Anna Eshoo and Genavieve Koenigshofer
Listen to retired US Congresswoman Anna Eshoo and Genavieve Koenigshofer, Executive Director of GenUP, speak at the amazing event organized by IPV leader, JoAnn Loulan, with video by Bruce Rafnel.
No Kings 2 – Parade & Fair
Stanford University journalism students made this video of the Parade up Embarcadero to the Democracy Fair at Rinconada Park. The video includes IPV organizer JoAnn Loulan speaking about how important it is to VOTE YES ON PROP 50!
No Kings 2 – Sam Liccardo
by Bruce Rafnel
Location: Palo Alto, CA; 1:00–4:00 p.m. at Rinconada Cultural Park.
Organizers
- It’s Blue Turn – https://itsblueturn.com/
- Indivisible Palo Alto – https://indivisiblepaloaltoplus.org/
- Indivisible Portola Valley – https://indivisiblepv.com/
- Indivisible Mid-Peninsula – https://indivisiblemp.org/
Event Program: https://tinyurl.com/u8wmfprf
No Kings 2 – Heham Sallam
by Bruce Rafnel
Location: Palo Alto, CA; 1:00–4:00 p.m. at Rinconada Cultural Park.
Organizers
- It’s Blue Turn – https://itsblueturn.com/
- Indivisible Palo Alto – https://indivisiblepaloaltoplus.org/
- Indivisible Portola Valley – https://indivisiblepv.com/
- Indivisible Mid-Peninsula – https://indivisiblemp.org/
Event Program: https://tinyurl.com/u8wmfprf
No Kings 2 – Ladoris Cordell
by Bruce Rafnel
Location: Palo Alto, CA; 1:00–4:00 p.m. at Rinconada Cultural Park.
Organizers
- It’s Blue Turn – https://itsblueturn.com/
- Indivisible Palo Alto – https://indivisiblepaloaltoplus.org/
- Indivisible Portola Valley – https://indivisiblepv.com/
- Indivisible Mid-Peninsula – https://indivisiblemp.org/
Event Program: https://tinyurl.com/u8wmfprf
No Kings 2 – Democracy Fair
by Bruce Rafnel
Location: Palo Alto, CA; 1:00–4:00 p.m. at Rinconada Cultural Park.
IPV videographer, Bruce Rafnel, prepared this 47-minute video showing many of the activities and speakers at the Democracy Fair at Rinconada Park. Bruce’s coverage includes the closing program featuring retired CA Supreme Court Justice La Doris Cordell, Hesham Sallem of Stanford, Congressman Sam Liccardo, and many Indivisible collaborators.
Organizers
- It’s Blue Turn – https://itsblueturn.com/
- Indivisible Palo Alto – https://indivisiblepaloaltoplus.org/
- Indivisible Portola Valley – https://indivisiblepv.com/
- Indivisible Mid-Peninsula – https://indivisiblemp.org/
The Shadow President
How Russell Vought became Trump's Shadow President
by Andy Kroll
Publisher: ProPublica
From the wholesale gutting of federal agencies to the ongoing government shutdown, Russell Vought has drawn the road map for Trump’s second term. Vought has consolidated power to an extent that insiders say they feel like “he is the commander in chief.”
What Vought has done in the nine months since Trump took office goes much further than slashing foreign aid. Relying on an expansive theory of presidential power and a willingness to test the rule of law, he has frozen vast sums of federal spending, terminated tens of thousands of federal workers and, in a few cases, brought entire agencies to a standstill. In early October, after Senate Democrats refused to vote for a budget resolution without additional health care protections, effectively shutting down the government, Vought became the face of the White House’s response. On the second day of the closure, Trump shared an AI-generated video that depicted his budget director — who, by then, had threatened mass firings across the federal workforce and paused or canceled $26 billion in funding for infrastructure and clean-energy projects in blue states — as the Grim Reaper of Washington, D.C. “We work for the president of the United States,” a senior agency official who regularly deals with the OMB told me. But right now “it feels like we work for Russ Vought. He has centralized decision-making power to an extent that he is the commander in chief.”
Watch: “We Want the Bureaucrats to Be Traumatically Affected”
The ONE THING You Can Do to Fight Fascism RIGHT NOW
by Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin
Publisher: The Ripple Effect Institute
Recommended by: Bruce R.
If it feels like America is sliding deeper into darkness—with voter suppression, book bans, gag orders, and fear spreading daily—you’re not alone. The truth is, fascism thrives when good people hesitate, but democracy grows stronger when ordinary people take action. You don’t need the full roadmap to change the world; you just need to take the next best step. Even the smallest action—whether it’s organizing in your community, speaking out at a school board meeting, or showing up for your neighbors—can disrupt authoritarianism and build momentum for lasting change. In this video, I’ll share why action is the antidote to despair and how you can start making a difference today, no matter your resources or time. History shows us that small acts, multiplied by thousands, topple regimes and create movements. Don’t wait for the “perfect” moment or the “perfect” leader—your courage matters now.
A FREE GUIDE FOR PROGRESSIVE LEADERS READY TO CREATE LASTING IMPACT
How to Lead Change Without Burning Out
What’s the Plan? With guest: Erica Chenoweth
Trump’s Power & the Rule of Law (full documentary) | FRONTLINE
FRONTLINE goes inside the showdown between U.S. President Donald Trump and the courts over presidential power.
President Donald Trump’s allies, opponents and experts talk about how he is testing the extent of his power, the legal pushback and the impact on the rule of law.
Continue reading Trump’s Power & the Rule of Law (full documentary) | FRONTLINE
No Kings
For the latest information about No Kings events, go to this website: https://www.nokings.org
About No Kings
In June, we did what many claimed was impossible: peacefully mobilized millions of people to take to the streets and declare with one voice — America has No Kings. And it mattered. The world saw the power of the people. President Trump’s birthday parade was drowned out by protests in every state and across the globe. His attempt to turn June 14 into a coronation collapsed, and the story became the strength of a movement rising against his authoritarian power grabs.
Four months later, that movement roared back even stronger. On October 18, over seven million Americans joined 2,700+ events in all 50 states — a nationwide uprising 14 times larger than both of Trump’s inaugurations combined. What began in June as a single day of defiance has become a sustained national resistance to tyranny, spreading from small towns to city centers and across every community determined to defend democracy.
Now, President Trump has doubled down. His administration is sending masked agents into our streets, terrorizing our communities. They are targeting immigrant families, profiling, arresting, and detaining people without warrants. Threatening to overtake elections. Gutting healthcare, environmental protections, and education when families need them most. Rigging maps to silence voters. Ignoring mass shootings at our schools and in our communities. Driving up the cost of living while handing out massive giveaways to billionaire allies, as families struggle.
The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings — and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty.
Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger. “No Kings” is more than just a slogan; it is the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, shouted by millions, carried on posters and chants, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together.
Because this country does not belong to kings, dictators, or tyrants. It belongs to We the People — the people who care, who show up, and who fight for dignity, a life we can afford, and real opportunity. No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings.
No King YouTube Channel
NO KINGS: Eyes on ICE: Document and Record
NO KINGS: Eyes on ICE: Document and Record
After the most recent killings in Minneapolis and elsewhere – and as we prepare for the next No Kings mobilization on March 28 – exercising our constitutional right to document and record ICE and federal agents is more important than ever. This call will give you the tools to exercise your rights in a moment when federal agents are terrorizing our communities and using excessive force.
Eyes on ICE: Document and Record
On Saturday, federal agents horrifically shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who cared for veterans, in the Eat Street neighborhood of south Minneapolis after brutally beating him in front of witnesses. Enough is enough. Exercising our constitutional right to document and record ICE and federal agents is more important than ever. This call will give you the tools to exercise your rights in a moment when federal agents are terrorizing our communities and using …
Mass Call: What’s Next After No Kings?
No Kings was massive, powerful, and meaningful – but it’s not the end, it’s only the beginning. There are more of us than there are of them. Our growing movement of over 7 million people is coming together to hear from leaders and fellow local activists after the big day to celebrate what we accomplished, and learn about what’s next. Join us.
Millions rise up at over 2,500 peaceful protests to say: No Kings
Millions are rising up at thousands of No Kings events marking a day of defiance against President Trump’s authoritarian power grab, cutting access to affordable health care and militarizing our cities. Peaceful protests are being held in all 50 states, in cities and towns large and small, organized by average Americans across personal, political, and geographic demographics. More than 5 million people protested at the last No Kings day of action. Our mobilization today is the next chapter …
No Kings: Protest Safety, Know Your Rights, & Deescalation – 10/15
Before you hit the streets, watch our Know Your Rights, protest safety, and de-escalation training from the ACLU. — No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings. On October 18, millions of us are rising again to show the world: America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people. As President Trump escalates his authoritarian power grab, the NO KINGS movement continues to rise stronger. We, the majority of millions, are united to remind the world: America has No Kings.
No Kings: Conoce tus derechos – 10/15
Antes de salir a las calles, vea nuestra capacitación “Conoce tus derechos: seguridad en las protestas y estrategias para disminuir tensiones” de la ACLU. — No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings. On October 18, millions of us are rising again to show the world: America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people. As President Trump escalates his authoritarian power grab, the NO KINGS movement continues to rise stronger. We, the majority of millions, are united to remind the world: America …
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White Rural Rage
The Threat to American Democracy
by Tom Schaller and Paul Waldman
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
In White Rural Rage, Tom Schaller and Paul Waldman explore why rural Whites have failed to reap the benefits from their outsize political power and why, as a result, they are the most likely group to abandon democratic norms and traditions. Their rage—stoked daily by Republican politicians and the conservative media—now poses an existential threat to the United States.
INTERVIEW: Tom Schaller and Paul Waldman talk to Matt Lewis Media
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4 tips for developing critical thinking skills
By: Steve Pearlman, Ph.D
Publisher: TEDx Talks, TEDxCapeMay
“Critical thinking” increasingly stands as the most sought-after skill that has long been too fleeting to define. Employers rate it as a pinnacle skill, but one of which they see too little, and educators claim to teach it, but over half of Millennials recently failed a simple Mindedge critical thinking test. So, what is critical thinking? Analysis? Information literacy? Thinking outside the box? Informal logic? Problem-solving? Evaluating data? Decision science? What if all of our efforts to define critical thinking as above have been the core problem with teaching it?
What if, instead of using our brains to devise conceptions of critical thinking, we eliminated the noise and revolutionized a way to teach people how to think better by tracing critical thinking back to its core evolutionary survival mechanisms?
What are the basic survival skills for all organisms?
- Perceive their environment
- Sense danger vs. reward
- Decide between danger and reward
- Act on the decision
Democracy Requires Our Courage
Gov. J.B. Pritzker: “Tyranny requires your fear, your silence, and your compliance. Democracy requires your courage”
Stand Together in Courage
How to Organize Our Way Out of the Trump-Musk Putsch
A plan to harness grassroots energy—and to hold Democratic leaders accountable.
by Ezra Levin, Leah Greenberg
Summary
Indivisible founders, Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, wrote this inspiring article for The Nation. Reviewed by Rachael Maddow.
Continue reading How to Organize Our Way Out of the Trump-Musk PutschOutraged
Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground
By Kurt Gray
Publisher: Pantheon
It’s easy to assume that liberals and conservatives have radically different moral foundations. In Outraged, Kurt Gray showcases the latest science to demonstrate that we all have the same moral mind—that everyone’s moral judgments stem from feeling threatened or vulnerable to harm.
We all care about protecting ourselves and the vulnerable. Conflict arises, however, when we have different perceptions of harm. We get outraged when we disagree about who the “real” victim is, whether we’re talking about political issues, fights with our in-laws, or arguments on the playground.
In this fascinating and insightful tour of our moral minds, Gray tackles popular myths that prevent us from understanding ourselves and those around us. While it is commonly believed that our ancestors were apex predators, Gray argues that for the majority of our evolutionary history, humans were more hunted than hunter. This explains why our minds are hard-wired to perceive threats, and provides surprising insights on the scientific origins of our values and beliefs. Though we might think ourselves driven by objective reasoning, Gray unveils new research that finds our moral judgments are based on gut feelings rather than rational thought, and presents a compelling reminder that we are more alike than we might think.
Drawing on groundbreaking research, Gray provides a captivating new explanation for our moral outrage, and unpacks how to best bridge divides. If you want to understand the morals of the “other side,” ask yourself a simple question—what harms do they see?
Tyranny of the Minority
Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt offer a coherent framework for understanding these volatile times. They draw on a wealth of examples—from 1930s France to present-day Thailand—to explain why and how political parties turn against democracy. They then show how our Constitution makes us uniquely vulnerable to attacks from within: It is a pernicious enabler of minority rule, allowing partisan minorities to consistently thwart and even rule over popular majorities. Most modern democracies—from Germany and Sweden to Argentina and New Zealand—have eliminated outdated institutions like elite upper chambers, indirect elections, and lifetime tenure for judges. The United States lags dangerously behind.
INTERVIEW: Levitsky and Ziblatt with journalist Tiziana Dearing at Harvard
Review
Why do we celebrate incompetent leaders?
By: Martin Gutmann
Publisher: TEDxTalks, TEDxBerlin
Recommended by: Bruce R.
“The evidence is clear that boring management matters.“–Raffaella Sadun
Leader selection mistake: People often pick leaders because they make for a good “story.” Excellent leaders have boring stories because they have avoided the conflicts that make for a good story.
We see leadership potential in people who:
- speak more (regardless of what they say)
- appear confident (regardless of competence)
- are perpetually busy (regardless of what they’re doing)
“since we reward people who are good in crises (and ignore people who are such good manager that there are very few crises), [people] soon learn to seek out (or reframe situations as) crises.”–Keith Grint
A Citizen’s Guide to Preserving Democracy
by PBS
With American democracy under threat, diplomat Dr. Richard Haass outlines ten habits to help citizens preserve democracy. Haass also explores real-life examples of Americans who are working towards strengthening democracy and renewing the spirit of a more informed and engaged citizenry. Premiered January 2, 2024 on PBS.
Watch the Video
Grand Bargain Project
Recommended by: Bob B. – “A nonprofit working to create large collaborative projects to promote consensus policies frameworks with details that could be enacted by Congress on the basis of broad acceptance within the country from Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.”
In a recent YouGov poll, 83% of citizens wanted lawmakers from both parties to make our package of 39 life-enhancing reforms “a priority.”
These reforms would significantly advance citizens’ long-thwarted aspirations for:
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Greater economic opportunity and growth
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Schools that enable kids to reach their potential
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Effective & affordable healthcare
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Curbing the national debt
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Reliable, clean & affordable energy
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Fairer, simpler tax code
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Congress organized to resolve our differences
Among the reforms that voters across the spectrum support, all but two have been around for years.
Congress has enacted NONE
The reason: Lawmakers win reelection over 90% of the time by blaming the other party for our critical problems and offering sound bites as remedies.
To overcome these dysfunctions, the Grand Bargain includes three reforms that would reward lawmakers who make major progress on our long-term ills — while those who stood in the way would be likely to lose their seats.
Hear Vinay Orekondy from the Grand Bargain Project talk passionately about our project at EarthX 2025 as part of a Rotaract Club spotlight.
News Feed
- The current Grand Bargain would produce vastly more benefits to society than the major legislation of this century, while shrinking the debt as a percentage of GDP.
- For Independents, it’s not about reinventing the entire legislative process – it’s about re-designing the incentives and the system so that they work to benefit the American people.
- The avenue for unity already exists. The Grand Bargain Project is the roadmap to get us all there.
- Recently, our founder and CEO Sol Erdman, wrote about why the Grand Bargain framework needed to be updated to include a 7th aspiration
- To uplift the aspirations of the American people and identify a roadmap that could achieve them.
- Generation Z – adults aged 18-29 – represented by far the lowest turnout in the 2024 election, with only around 20 million voting despite more than double that number being eligible.
- When communities struggle, the economy weakens, workforce shortages increase, and political divides deepen. If leaders continue to ignore these issues, the long-term consequences will be severe.
- America, much like our universe, has always been a nation in motion. It has weathered crises, conflicts, and economic upheavals, yet through the lens of history, the country maintains a sense of forward momentum.
- In a recent conversation with Lura Forcum, President at the Independent Center, it became clear just how much thought and purpose is driving this quiet movement. From voter education to future electoral influence, the Independent Center is carving out space for independents to belong and lead.
- Smart budgeting isn’t about reducing numbers on a spreadsheet for a single fiscal year it’s about building the conditions for long-term growth
- As individuals grow from childhood dependence to adult independence, true maturity comes when we recognize that we are stronger when we work together
- If economic mobility is so critical to national prosperity, why has it become so elusive? And how do we shift from talking about the problem
How to Know a Person
The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen
by David Brooks
Summary
Recommended by Bob
Driven by his trademark sense of curiosity and his determination to grow as a person, David Brooks draws from the fields of psychology and neuroscience and from the worlds of theater, philosophy, history, and education to present a welcoming, hopeful, integrated approach to human connection. How to Know a Person helps readers become more understanding and considerate toward others, and to find the joy that comes from being seen. Along the way it offers a possible remedy for a society that is riven by fragmentation, hostility, and misperception.
Continue reading How to Know a PersonDemocracy Awakening
Notes on the State of America
by Heather Cox Richardson
Publisher: Penguin Random House
At a time when the very foundations of American democracy seem under threat, the lessons of the past offer a road map for navigating a moment of political crisis. In Democracy Awakening, acclaimed historian Heather Cox Richardson delves into the tumultuous journey of American democracy, tracing the roots of Donald Trump’s “authoritarian experiment” to the earliest days of the republic. She examines the historical forces that have led to the current political climate, showing how modern conservatism has preyed upon a disaffected population, weaponizing language and promoting false history to consolidate power.
With remarkable clarity and the same accessible voice that brings millions to her newsletter, Letters from an American, Richardson wrangles a chaotic news feed into a story that pivots effortlessly from the Founders to the abolitionists to Nixon to the January 6 insurrection. An essential read for anyone concerned about the state of America, Democracy Awakening is more than a history book; it’s a call to action. Richardson reminds us that democracy requires constant vigilance and participation from all of us, showing how we, as a nation, can take the lessons of the past to secure a more just and equitable future.
Heather Cox Richardson | Democracy Awakening
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Prequel
An American Fight Against Fascism
By Rachel Maddow
Inspired by her research for the hit podcast Ultra, Rachel Maddow charts the rise of a wild American strain of authoritarianism that has been alive on the far-right edge of our politics for the better part of a century. Before and even after our troops had begun fighting abroad in World War II, a clandestine network flooded the country with disinformation aimed at sapping the strength of the U.S. war effort and persuading Americans that our natural alliance was with the Axis, not against it. It was a sophisticated and shockingly well-funded campaign to undermine democratic institutions, promote antisemitism, and destroy citizens’ confidence in their elected leaders, with the ultimate goal of overthrowing the U.S. government and installing authoritarian rule.
Continue reading Prequel
The Conspiracy to End America
Five Ways My Old Party Is Driving Our Democracy to Autocracy
by Stuart Stevens
Publisher: Hachette Book Group
Former chief Republican strategist, Lincoln Project adviser, and bestselling author of It Was All a Lie, Stuart Stevens offers an ominous warning that the GOP is dragging our country toward autocracy—and if we don’t wake up to the crisis in our system, 2024 may well be our last free and fair election.
INTERVIEW: Stuart Stevens talks to Brian Watt (KQED) at the Commonwealth Club
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The Divider
Trump in the White House, 2017-2021
by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser
Publisher: Vintage
The Divider brings us into the Oval Office for countless scenes both tense and comical, revealing how close we got to nuclear war with North Korea, which cabinet members had a resignation pact, whether Trump asked Japan’s prime minister to nominate him for a Nobel Prize and much more. The book also explores the moral choices confronting those around Trump—how they justified working for a man they considered unfit for office, and where they drew their lines.
INTERVIEW: Susan Glasser and Peter Baker on C-SPAN
Review
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Muffle MAGA’s Megaphone
SWING LEFT PENINSULA created these engaging videos to help spread the word effectively that things are better when Democrats are in office AND to counter MAGA Republicans’ anti-democracy messages.
To Muffle the MAGAphone:
- Avoid amplifying MAGA messages.
- Amplify pro-Democracy messages.
- Don’t Repeat Disinformation – What’s the best thing to do when encountering MAGA disinformation? NOTHING!
- Ignore DogWhistles – Ever wonder why MAGA Republicans repeat certain words and phrases? Hint: Dog whistles
- Stay United! – Why do MAGA Republicans spend so much time attacking an ever-growing list of others?
- Frame It Our Way! – We need to avoid repeating MAGA GOP frames, even to refute them. Talk about the good stuff – what we need for all Americans to thrive.
- Share Effectively – What makes an effective message? Lead with shared values. Identify who stands in the way of those values and why. End with your vision for a better future.
Why Do Conservatives Fall For Fake News?
Leeja Miller’s deep dive into how people fall for fake news. (28 min.)
Why do conservatives fall for fake news? Is it just them, or are we all culpable? How did Americans become so susceptible to falling for disinformation? And what can we do about it??
Peril
by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Woodward and Costa interviewed more than 200 people at the center of the turmoil, resulting in more than 6,000 pages of transcripts—and a spellbinding and definitive portrait of a nation on the brink. This classic study of Washington takes readers deep inside the Trump White House, the Biden White House, the 2020 campaign, and the Pentagon and Congress, with vivid, eyewitness accounts of what really happened.
Woodward and Costa on Washington Post Live
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Thank You for Your Servitude
Donald Trump’s Washington and the Price of Submission
By Mark Leibovich
Publisher: Penguin Press
Recommended by Cindi
“This is a really funny book.” Kara Swisher.
Mark Leibovich’s unflinching account of the moral rout of a major American political party, tracking the transformation of Rubio, Cruz, Graham, and their ilk into the administration’s chief enablers, and the swamp’s lesser lights into frantic chasers of the grift…isn’t another view from the Oval Office: it’s the view from the Trump Hotel.
Why We Did It
A Travelogue From the Republican Road to Hell
by Tim Miller
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Recommended by: Cindi Sears
In a bracingly honest reflection on both his own past work for the Republican Party and the contortions of his former peers in the GOP establishment, Tim Miller draws a straight line between the actions of the 2000s GOP to the Republican political class’s Trumpian takeover, including the horrors of January 6th.
From ruminations on the mental jujitsu that allowed him as a gay man to justify becoming a hitman for homophobes, to astonishingly raw interviews with former colleagues who jumped on the Trump Train, Miller diagrams the flattering and delusional stories GOP operatives tell themselves so they can sleep at night. With a humorous touch he reveals Reince Priebus’ neediness, Sean Spicer’s desperation, Elise Stefanik and Chris Christie’s raw ambition, and his close friends’ submission to a MAGA psychosis.
Why We Did It is a vital, darkly satirical warning that all the narcissistic justifications that got us to this place still thrive within the Republican party, which means they will continue to make the same mistakes and political calculations that got us here, with disastrous consequences for the nation
Read Review
High Conflict
Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out
by Amanda Ripley
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Recommended by: Cindi, Bob & Linda
When we are baffled by the insanity of the “other side”—in our politics, at work, or at home—it’s because we aren’t seeing how the conflict itself has taken over. That’s what “high conflict” does. It’s the invisible hand of our time. And it’s different from the useful friction of “healthy conflict”. That’s good conflict, and it’s a necessary force that pushes us to be better people.
Read Review
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Insurgency
How Republicans Lost Their Party and Got Everything They Ever Wanted
by Jeremy W. Peters
Publisher: Random House Publishing House
NYTimes reporter, Jeremy W. Peters’ epic narrative chronicles the fracturing of the Republican Party. Insurgency is a fantasia-like story of a party establishment that believed it could control the dark energy it helped foment—right up until it suddenly couldn’t. How, Peters asks, did conservative values that Republicans claimed to cherish, like small government, fiscal responsibility, and morality get completely eroded?
Read Review
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How Civil Wars Start
and How To Stop Them
by Barbara F. Walter
Publisher: Crown
Barbara F. Walter, a political science professor at U.C. San Diego, has spent over three decades studying civil conflict. Over the last two decades, the number of active civil wars around the world has almost doubled. Walter reveals the warning signs—where wars tend to start, who initiates them, what triggers them—and why some countries tip over into conflict while others remain stable. Drawing on the latest international research and lessons from over twenty countries, Walter identifies the crucial risk factors, from democratic backsliding to factionalization and the politics of resentment. A civil war today won’t look like America in the 1860s, Russia in the 1920s, or Spain in the 1930s. It will begin with sporadic acts of violence and terror, accelerated by social media. It will sneak up on us and leave us wondering how we could have been so blind.
Read Review
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Unthinkable
Trauma, Truth and the Trials of American Democracy
by James Raskin
Publisher: Harper
In this searing memoir, Congressman Jamie Raskin tells the story of the forty-five days at the start of 2021 that permanently changed his life—and his family’s—as he confronted the painful loss of his son to suicide, lived through the violent insurrection in our nation’s Capital, and led the impeachment effort to hold President Trump accountable for inciting the political violence.
Jamie Raskin in conversation at The National Arts Club
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The Art & Science of Persuasion Playbook
A Message from Galvanize Action about a huge block of persuadable voters!
“White women are the largest voting bloc in this country and will be for decades to come. They account for 38% of the national vote share and 43% of the vote share across Galvanize Action’s priority states. Within this voting bloc, we’ve identified 44,093,812 moderate women who are not ideologically entrenched, meaning they are open to new ideas and perspectives and movable on key issues such as reproductive freedom, healthcare, gender equity, climate, and the economy.”
Galvanize Action has a fabulous interactive messaging worksheet we can all use!
Galvanize Action says, “We’ll share with you exactly how to create a message that meets people at their values and how to turn those into an effective ad. Our interactive worksheet will guide you through the process with prompts about your target audience and the issue you want to move them on. You’ll walk away with customized advice!”
Betrayal
The Final Act of the Trump Show
by Johnathan Karl
Publisher: Dutton
This is the explosive look at the aftermath of the 2020 election–and the January 6th uprising–from ABC News’ chief Washington correspondent, Jonathan Karl. Jonathan Karl, the reporter who has known Donald Trump longer than any other White House correspondent, Karl told the story of Trump’s rise in the New York Times bestseller Front Row at the Trump Show. Now he tells the story of Trump’s downfall, complete with riveting behind-the-scenes accounts of some of the darkest days in the history of the American presidency and packed with original reporting and on-the-record interviews with central figures in this drama who are telling their stories for the first time.
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Corruptible
Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us
By: Brian Klaas
Publisher: Scribner
Recommended by: Bruce R.
Does power corrupt, or are corrupt people drawn to power? Are tyrants made or born? Are entrepreneurs who embezzle and cops who kill the result of poorly designed systems or are they just bad people? If you were suddenly thrust into a position of power, would you be able to resist the temptation to line your pockets or seek revenge against your enemies?
To answer these questions, Corruptible draws on over 500 interviews with some of the world’s top leaders—from the noblest to the dirtiest—including presidents and philanthropists as well as rebels, cultists, and dictators. Some of the fascinating insights include: how facial appearance determines who we pick as leaders, why narcissists make more money, why some people don’t want power at all and others are drawn to it out of a psychopathic impulse, and why being the “beta” (second in command) may actually be the optimal place for health and well-being.
Corruptible also features a wealth of counterintuitive examples from history and social science: you’ll meet the worst bioterrorist in American history, hit the slopes with a ski instructor who once ruled Iraq, and learn why the inability of chimpanzees to play baseball is central to the development of human hierarchies.
Professor Jason Stanley outlines how fascism takes over a country
Fascism is a cult of the leader, who promises national restoration in the face of supposed humiliation by immigrants, leftists, liberals, minorities, homosexuals, women, in the face of what the fascist leader says is a takeover of the country’s media, cultural institutions, schools by these forces.
Fascist movements typically, though not invariably, rest on an urban/rural divide. The cities are where there’s decadence, where the elites congregate, where there’s immigrants, and where there’s criminality.
Each of these individuals alone is not in and of itself fascist, but you have to worry when they’re all grouped together, seeing the other as less than. Those moments are the times when societies need to worry about fascism.
Laboratories of Autocracy
A Wake-Up Call From Behind The Lines
by David Pepper
Publisher: St. Helena Press
Recommended by: Cindi Sears
David Pepper shows that far more than the high-profile antics of national politicians and Trump himself, it’s anonymous, often corrupt politicians in statehouses across the country who pose the greatest dangers to American democracy. Amid all the chaos, these statehouses are hard at work, every day, hacking away at core principles and protections of our democratic system. And they’re getting more audacious every year.
Because these statehouses no longer operate as functioning democracies, these unknown politicians have all the incentive to keep doing greater damage, and can not be held accountable however extreme they get. This has driven steep declines in states like Ohio and others across the country. And collectively, it’s placed American democracy in its greatest peril since the dawn of the Jim Crow era.
But Pepper doesn’t stop there. He lays out a robust pro-democracy agenda outlining how everyone from elected officials to business leaders to everyday citizens can fight back.
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Strongmen
Mussolini to the Present
by Ruth Ben-Ghiat
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Ruth Ben-Ghiat is the expert on the “strongman” playbook employed by authoritarian demagogues from Mussolini to Putin—enabling her to predict with uncanny accuracy the recent experience in America and Europe. In Strongmen, she lays bare the blueprint these leaders have followed over the past 100 years, and empowers us to recognize, resist, and prevent their disastrous rule in the future.
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Ruth Ben-Ghiat interviewed by Dean Peter Arnade at University of Hawai
There’s Nothing For You Here
Finding Opportunity in the 21st Century
by Fiona Hill
Publisher: Mariner Books
A celebrated foreign-policy expert and key impeachment witness reveals how declining opportunity has set America on the grim path of modern Russia – and draws on her personal journey out of poverty, and her unique perspectives as a historian and policy maker, to show how we can return hope to our forgotten places.
Fiona Hill grew up in a world of terminal decay. The last of the local mines had closed, businesses were shuttering, and despair was etched in the faces around her. Her father urged her to get out of their blighted corner of northern England: “There is nothing for you here, pet,” he said.
The coal-miner’s daughter managed to go further than he ever could have dreamed. She studied in Moscow and at Harvard, became an American citizen, and served three U.S. Presidents. But in the heartlands of both Russia and the United States, she saw troubling reflections of her hometown and similar populist impulses. By the time she offered her brave testimony in the first impeachment inquiry of President Trump, Hill knew that the desperation of forgotten people was driving American politics over the brink—and that we were running out of time to save ourselves from Russia’s fate. In this powerful, deeply personal account, she shares what she has learned, and shows why expanding opportunity is the only long-term hope for our democracy.
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Twilight of Democracy
The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism
Recommended by: Linda and Cindi
Despotic leaders do not rule alone; they rely on political allies, bureaucrats, and media figures to pave their way and support their rule. The authoritarian and nationalist parties that have arisen within modern democracies offer new paths to wealth or power for their adherents.
Buy
Authoritarian Nightmare
The Ongoing Threat of Trump's Followers / Trump and His Followers
by John W. Dean and Bob Altemeyer
Publisher: Melville House
John Dean, of Watergate fame, joined with Bob Altemeter, an expert on authoritarianism, to look at the entirety of the Trump phenomenon, using psychological and social science studies, as well as polling analyses, to understand Donald Trump’s followers. How did America end up with a leader who acts so crudely and despotically, and counter to our democratic principles? Why do his followers stick with him, even when he acts against their interests?
John Dean interview on Democracy Now
Buy
How to recognize disinformation and how to stop it
Deb Lavoy explains how we fall for disinformation and how to train ourselves to avoid falling for it. (11 min.)
Deb Lavoy is on a mission to eradicate disinformation. As a former software engineer and digital marketer, she recognized the established social media marketing techniques that disinformation perpetrators appropriating to manipulate us into believing falsehoods. This talk provides tips on recognizing these tricks and how to counter them. Deb Lavoy is on a mission to eradicate disinformation. Her experience in software engineering and marketing, gave her a unique perspective on the rise of disinformation in 2016: the perpetrators were maliciously appropriating tried and tested digital marketing techniques. Deb founded the nonprofit Reality Team in response.
Reality Team drowns out the lies perpetrated over social media with simply stated truths, and arms people with tools and information to join the fight. The organization builds campaigns that change the ratio of truthful to untruthful information on social media feeds and provides tools and techniques to make it easier to tell the difference.
Robert Reich on Substack
by Robert Reich
Robert Reich on Substack
Robert Reich’s is Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley and Senior Fellow at the Blum Center. He served as Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration for which Time Magazine named him one of the 10 most effective cabinet secretaries of the twentieth century. He has written 18 books, including
Latest Posts
- History will judge this a crime against humanity.
- Ordinary people serving on grand juries have become a new front line in the resistance against the Trump regime.
- AI will make most of us poorer and a few fabulously wealthy — unless its productivity gains are allocated fairly. Here’s what we should we be considering now.
- Here are the views of some experts about what’s wrong and what we can expect. What do you think?
- How David beat Goliath
- You are not powerless. You can stop their complicity in this humanitarian disaster.
- And last week’s winner
The Upswing
how America came together a century ago and how we can do it again
by Robert D. Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
“An eminent political scientist’s brilliant synthesis of social and political trends over the past century that shows how we have gone from an individualistic society to a more communitarian society and then back again — and how we can use that experience to overcome once again the individualism that currently weakens our country”
We can’t go back to when things were “good.” But we can learn from when things ware “bad.” In the early 1900’s the Guilded Age of the robber barons, things were really bad for most US citizens; they feared for the end of democracy and the take-over by the oligarchs.
Buy
Interview: Robert Putnam Knows Why You’re Lonely
The 2023 Ithiel de Sola Pool Lecture by Robert D. Putnam
Sep 22, 2023
Join or Die — Trailer (2023)
The Documentary “Join or Die” (2023) is currently available on Netflix (2025-08-11)
Divided We Fall
America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation
by David French
Summary
Reestablishing national unity will require the bravery to commit ourselves to embracing qualities of kindness, decency, and grace towards those we disagree with ideologically. David French calls on all of us to demonstrate true tolerance so we can heal the American divide. If we want to remain united, we must learn to stand together again.
Continue reading Divided We Fall
The Cult of Trump
A Leading Cult Expert Explains How the President Uses Mind Control
by Steve Hassan
Publisher: Free Press
Mind control and licensed mental health expert Steven Hassan draws parallels between our 45th president and people like Jim Jones, David Koresh, Ron Hubbard, and Sun Myung Moon, arguing that this presidency is in many ways like a destructive cult. He specifically details the ways in which people are influenced through an array of social psychology methods and how they become fiercely loyal and obedient.
Dr. Steven Hassan’s presentation to Commonwealth Club of CA
Buy
On Tyranny
Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century
by Timothy Snyder
Publisher: Crown
Timothy Snyder provides a stark warning for the future of American democracy. Too easily we are ignoring the ways in which tyranny starts to eat away at democracy. As our political system faces new threats – not unlike those faced by democracies in the 20th century – we must look to the past to safeguard our future.
INTERVIEW: Listen to Professor Snyder discuss his book at Politics and Prose Bookstore
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The success of nonviolent civil resistance
The Righteous Mind
Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion
by Jonathan Haidt
Drawing on his twenty-five years of groundbreaking research on moral psychology, Jonathan Haidt shows how moral judgments arise not from reason but from gut feelings. He shows why liberals, conservatives, and libertarians have such different intuitions about right and wrong, and he shows why each side is actually right about many of its central concerns.
If you are not interested in reading the book, he has a TED talk that covers his main points. See:
Continue reading The Righteous Mind
Lawfare
Lawfare is a non-profit multimedia publication dedicated to “Hard National Security Choices.” We provide non-partisan, timely analysis of thorny legal and policy issues through our written, audio, and other content—all of which you can find here. We strive to achieve academic-level depth with magazine-level readability at the pace of news. We aim to improve the discourse on the law and policy of national security with a relentless focus on substantive issues that matter—in a fashion that is useful to policymakers and practitioners, but also accessible to anyone who wants to access it. Our areas of coverage range from national security law, threats to democracy, cybersecurity, executive powers, content moderation, domestic extremism, and foreign policy, among many others.
Lawfare Daily Playlist
Lawfare Daily: Why AI Won't Revolutionize Law (At Least Not Yet)
The report argues that despite AI’s impressive capabilities, structural features of the legal profession will prevent the technology from delivering dramatic cost savings anytime soon. The conversation covered the “AI as normal technology” framework and why technological diffusion takes longer than capability gains suggest; why legal services are expensive due to their nature as credence goods, adversarial dynamics, and professional regulations; three bottlenecks preventing AI from reducing legal costs, including unauthorized practice of law rules, arms-race dynamics in litigation, and the need for human oversight; proposed reforms such as regulatory sandboxes and regulatory markets; and the normative case for keeping human decision-makers in the judicial system.
To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at http://www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Show More
Lawfare Daily: Why AI Won't Revolutionize Law (At Least Not Yet)
Alan Rozenshtein, research director at Lawfare, speaks with Justin Curl, a third-year J.D. candidate at Harvard Law School, and Arvind Narayanan, professor of computer science at Princeton University and director of the Center for Information Technology Policy, about their new Lawfare research report, “AI Won’t Automatically Make Legal Services Cheaper,” co-authored with Princeton Ph.D. candidate Sayash Kapoor. The report argues that despite AI’s impressive capabilities, structural features …
Lawfare Daily: Dockets Die in Darkness with Peter Beck and Seamus Hughes
In his recent piece for Court Watch, a news site covering interesting, yet often overlooked federal court filings, Lawfare Associate Editor Peter Beck wrote about the Middle District of Georgia, which is “filled with rich news stories that even a few years ago would have been quickly reported” but which “now sits in a so-called ‘news desert,’ a place that is largely devoid of even a single newspaper, let alone a reporter dedicated to its federal court.” Out of Georgia’s 17 counties without …
Lawfare Daily: What To Expect on the Immigration Front in Year 2 of Trump's Second Term
Lawfare Senior Editor Eric Columbus talks with Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council to discuss what is—and isn’t—likely to look different in the upcoming year of Trump administration immigration policy. After a whirlwind year, ICE and CBP have a lot more resources than at the dawn of the administration—but also a lot more opposition. How will it all shake out? To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also …
Lawfare Daily: Iran Protests and Internet Shutdown
Information about the recent protests in Iran and the regime’s brutal crackdown are only starting to come to light, having been severely limited by the internet shutdown over the past few weeks. The picture that is emerging is horrifying: Thousands and possibly tens of thousands have been killed by regime security forces. In this episode, Lawfare Public Service Fellow Ariane Tabatabai talks to Nate Swanson and Iria Puyosa of the Atlantic Council to make sense of what has been going on in …
Lawfare Daily: The U.S. Plan for Venezuelan Oil Revenue
On today’s podcast, Executive Editor Natalie Orpett speaks with Lawfare Senior Editor Scott R. Anderson about the recently announced U.S. plan to take possession of Venezuelan oil, sell it on the world market, and hold the revenue from those sales in accounts based in Qatar. Scott and Lawfare Contributing Editor Alex Zerden recently published an article in Lawfare digging into the complexities of the plan. Scott and Natalie talk through them all—what exactly this plan is, how it’s supposed …
Lawfare Daily: Unearthing and Reckoning with the Intelligence Excesses of the Cold War
Lawfare Senior Editor Michael Feinberg sits down with Matthew Guariglia and Brian Hochman to discuss their new book, “The Church Committee Report: Revelations from the Bombshell 1970s Investigation into the National Security State,” in which they chronicle the law enforcement and intelligence community’s Cold War excesses, the Senate committee which uncovered them, and what we can learn about the resulting report in terms of our own era. …
Lawfare Daily: Misogyny and Violent Extremism with Cynthia Miller-Idriss
Cynthia Miller-Idriss, a professor at American University, discusses her new book, “Man Up: The New Misogyny & the Rise of Violence Extremism,” with Lawfare Foreign Policy Editor Daniel Byman. She explains how different forms of misogyny shape lead to political and social violence, why most scholarship and media accounts usually ignore the role of gender, and what individuals can do to fight back. To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. …
Lawfare Daily: The Thousands of Lawsuits Challenging Pres. Trump’s Mandatory Alien Detention Policy
Kyle Cheney, senior legal affairs reporter for Politico, speaks to Lawfare Senior Editor Roger Parloff about the thousands of habeas corpus cases he has pored through challenging a Trump administration policy requiring mandatory detention for most detained aliens. They discuss how judges have ruled on these cases, the degree to which those rulings do or don’t correlate with political expectations, the appellate prospects for such cases, and why they haven’t been resolved by class action. …
Lawfare Daily: Trump, Greenland, and the International Order
The crisis over President Trump’s threats to annex Greenland appears to be over for now. But the second- and third-order consequences continue to unfold as NATO allies try to manage their relationship with the United States. In this episode, Lawfare Senior Editor Molly Roberts, Lawfare Public Service Fellow Ariane Tabatabai, and Egmont Institute Visiting Fellow John Drennan give an overview of the crisis and discuss its implications for the United States and NATO, as well as talk though how …
Lawfare Daily: Elizabeth Tsurkov on Her Captivity in Iraq
Editor in Chief Benjamin Wittes sits down with Princeton PhD candidate Elizabeth Tsurkov to talk about the 903 days that she was held in captivity by Kata’ib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq. Tsurkov describes the circumstances of her detention, the realities of life in captivity, and the sociological study she undertook of her captors while imprisoned. Wittes and Tsurkov also explore changes in U.S. hostage policy under the Biden and Trump administrations, as well as how …
Lawfare Daily: The Military’s Operational Technology Cyber Vulnerabilities
Andy Grotto, William J. Perry International Security Fellow and the founder and co-director of the Program on Geopolitics, Technology, and Governance at Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC), and Jim Dempsey, a senior policy adviser to that program and a Lecturer at the UC Berkeley Law School, join Lawfare’s Justin Sherman to discuss their recent study on the U.S. military’s domestic operational technology (OT) cybersecurity vulnerabilities, …
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Convergence Learning Lab for government
Recommended by: Bob B. – “Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, provides services and training for those wishing to transform conflict into collaboration.”
In a country marred by deep conflict, city, county, and state officials face mounting pressure to engage diverse stakeholders in resolving contentious and complex public policy issues. The Convergence Learning Lab’s training and consultation services empower leaders with the necessary skills to bridge these divides resulting in more productive public meetings, more constructive community engagement, and, ultimately, better outcomes for constituents.
Lab services are built on our unique, evidence-based collaborative problem-solving methodology which has been used to successfully address seemingly intractable political, social, organizational, and community-based issues.
Our process has proven consistently successful at producing the kinds of results that drive impact.
Convergence’s success offers a beacon of hope for the majorities of Americans frustrated by divisiveness that change is not only possible, but that we have the tools and the knowledge to bridge even the starkest divides with consistency. In addition, our success highlights the rich set of tools, practices, and resources that others can use to achieve similar successes.
- We select issues that are ripe and amenable for Convergence and stakeholder-participants to collaboratively “unstick,” and frame a discussion-onramp to the issue that is both crucial and disarming.
- We convene diverse tables of participant leaders and doers, many of whom oppose each other so stridently they never thought they could talk to one another.
- We facilitate participants to build trust, find common ground. Participants abide by a set of ground rules including honoring all points of view, respecting the confidentiality of the conversation, and listening carefully when others speak.
- We generate consensus solutions collaboratively among dialogue participants through establishing guiding principles that create a framework for the policy discussions to come. Once stakeholders are aligned on a bigger vision, they are ready to work together to produce new ideas and solutions.
- We deliver societal impact and on-the-ground implementation of the solutions. By design, a Convergence project strives to engage stakeholders to take action on their ideas after the dialogue stage is completed, or in some instances, even while the dialogue is going on. Convergence itself does not formally endorse stakeholders’ proposals – it remains policy neutral – but often plays a stewarding role to maximize the impact stakeholders can achieve.
George Lakoff
George Lakoff is the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Distinguished Professor of Cognitive Science and Linguistics at the University of California at Berkeley, where he taught from 1972 to 2016.
Recommended by: Bob B. – “Books by George Lakoff (e.g., Moral Politics, Metaphors We Live By, Don’t Think of an Elephant, etc.), explain how framing of political messages can be improved by progressives, based on cognitive science.”
Framing Lab
For more on framing see the Framing-Lab
The ALL NEW Don’t Think of an Elephant!
Know Your Values and Frame the Debate
Ten years after writing the definitive, international bestselling book on political debate and messaging, George Lakoff returns with new strategies about how to frame today’s essential issues. Called the “father of framing” by The New York Times, Lakoff explains how framing is about ideas—ideas that come before policy, ideas that make sense of facts, ideas that are proactive not reactive, positive not negative, ideas that need to be communicated out loud every day in public. The ALL NEW Don’t Think of an Elephant! picks up where the original book left off—delving deeper into how framing works, how framing has evolved in the past decade, how to speak to people who harbor elements of both progressive and conservative worldviews, how to counter propaganda and slogans, and more. In this updated and expanded edition, Lakoff, urges progressives to go beyond the typical laundry list of facts, policies, and programs and present a clear moral vision to the country—one that is traditionally American and can become a guidepost for developing compassionate, effective policy that upholds citizens’ well-being and freedom.
Available from:Amazon, iTunes, Publisher, B&N, Books Inc, IndieBound, Powell’s, WorldCat.org
The Little Blue Book
The Essential Guide to Thinking and Talking Democratic
Voters cast their ballots for what they believe is right, for the things that make moral sense. Yet Democrats have too often failed to use language linking their moral values with their policies. The Little Blue Book demonstrates how to make that connection clearly and forcefully, with hands-on advice for discussing the most pressing issues of our time: the economy, health care, women’s issues, energy and environmental policy, education, food policy, and more.
Available from:Amazon, iTunes, Publisher, B&N, Google, Books Inc, IndieBound, Powell’s, Goodreads, WorldCat.org
Moral Politics
How Liberals and Conservatives Think
In this classic text, the first full-scale application of cognitive science to politics, George Lakoff analyzes the unconscious and rhetorical worldviews of liberals and conservatives, discovering radically different but remarkably consistent conceptions of morality on both the left and right. For this new edition, Lakoff adds a preface and an afterword extending his observations to major ideological conflicts since the book’s original publication, from the impeachment of Bill Clinton to the 2000 presidential election and its aftermath.
Available from:Amazon, iTunes, Publisher, B&N, Google, Books Inc, IndieBound, Powell’s, Goodreads, WorldCat.org
Thinking Points
Communicating Our American Values and Vision
In Thinking Points, George Lakoff and the Rockridge Institute not only offer a deep understanding of the progressive worldview, but also reveal the nature of the so-called political center. They show why the most effective way to appeal to those who identify themselves as moderates is to remain true to core progressive values. Download “Thinking Points” in its entirety here.
Available from:Amazon, iTunes, Publisher, B&N, Google, Books Inc, IndieBound, Powell’s, Goodreads, WorldCat.org
Whose Freedom?
The Battle Over America’s Most Important Idea
“Freedom” is one of the most contested words in American political discourse. In Whose Freedom? The Battle Over America’s Most Important Idea, George Lakoff describes how the country is divided by two dramatically different worldviews, cognitive frames that determine how we think about economic policy, religion, science, foreign affairs – and freedom.
Available from:Amazon, iTunes, iTunes Audiobook, Publisher, B&N, Google, Books Inc, IndieBound, Powell’s, Goodreads, WorldCat.org
The Political Mind
Why You Can’t Understand 21st-Century American Politics with an 18th-Century Brain
In his new book, Lakoff spells out what cognitive science has discovered about reason, and reveals that human reason is far more interesting than we thought it was. Reason is physical, mostly unconscious, metaphorical, emotion-laden, and tied to empathy-and there are biological explanations behind our moral and political thought processes. His call for a New Enlightenment is a bold and striking challenge to the cherished beliefs not only of philosophers, but of pundits, pollsters, and political leaders. The Political Mind is a passionate, erudite, and groundbreaking book that will appeal to anyone interested in how the mind works and how we function socially and politically.
Available from:Amazon, iTunes, iTunes Audiobook, Publisher, B&N, Google, Books Inc, IndieBound, Powell’s, Goodreads, WorldCat.org
His Blog
- The FrameLab Book Club is launching in 2025! First on the list: “The Political Mind: A Cognitive Scientist’s Guide to Your Brain and Its Politics” by Dr. George Lakoff. Nearly 400 readers have signed up to participate! This online book club will feature personal insights from Dr. Lakoff, as well as an ongoing Q&A with […]
- It happened. Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris. A twice-impeached convicted felon who has promised to act as a dictator will return to the White House in 2025. There’s no way to sugarcoat this nightmare scenario. The consequences of this election will unfold for decades to come. They will likely prove destructive to the very fabric […]
- To stay abreast of Dr. George Lakoff’s latest work, please subscribe to the FrameLab Newsletter (it’s totally free!). In the current essay, “Kamala Harris and the Strategy of Joy,” Dr. Lakoff talks about the important role of emotion in political campaigns: “Joy is powerful because it plays on your emotions. And your emotions are everything […]
- From George Lakoff and Gil Duran at the FrameLab Newsletter: Moderate and centrist are political weasel words. Their definitions vary widely because there is no such thing as a moderate or centrist ideology. There is no united “middle” or “center” in politics, no single set of ideas on which all moderates or centrists agree. Some […]
- Big news: FrameLab just hit a major milestone — 10,000 total subscribers! Thank you so much for reading. If you can afford it, please consider becoming one of our paid subscribers. Because your support makes a big difference. — George and Gil Part 3 in the Moral Warfare 101 series: Ninety-eight percent. That’s an estimate of how much […]
MS Now
MS NOW is the go-to destination for domestic and international breaking news, and best-in-class opinion journalism.
YouTube Channel
LIVE: Senate Homeland Security hearing on ICE, CBP, USCIS
MS NOW: My Source for News, Opinion, and the World.
Same mission. New name.
» Subscribe to MS NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@msnow
MS NOW is the go-to destination for domestic and international breaking news, and best-in-class opinion journalism. For more context and news coverage of the most important stories of our day click here: https://www.ms.now/Show More
LIVE: Senate Homeland Security hearing on ICE, CBP, USCIS
Watch live coverage of the Senate Homeland Security hearing on ICE, CBP, USCIS featuring testimonies from House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, Minnesota State Rep. Harry Niska, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minnesota Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell, and more. MS NOW: My Source for News, Opinion, and the World. Same mission. New name. » Subscribe to MS NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@msnow MS NOW is the go-to destination for domestic and international breaking news, …
LIVE: Gov. Walz speaks as Trump admin says ICE surge in MN has "concluded"
Watch live coverage as Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks after Border czar Tom Homan said Thursday that the federal law enforcement operation in Minnesota, which killed two U.S. citizens and sparked national protests, is ending. MS NOW: My Source for News, Opinion, and the World. Same mission. New name. » Subscribe to MS NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@msnow MS NOW is the go-to destination for domestic and international breaking news, and best-in-class opinion journalism. For more context …
BREAKING: Homan announces ICE surge in Minnesota is ENDING
“I have proposed and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude.” BREAKING: Border Czar Tom Homan announces that the Trump administration is ending its immigration surge in Minneapolis, Minnesota. MS NOW: My Source for News, Opinion, and the World. Same mission. New name. » Subscribe to MS NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@msnow MS NOW is the go-to destination for domestic and international breaking news, and best-in-class opinion journalism. For more context and news …
'Extraordinary disrespect for the rule of law': Rep. Raskin on AG Bondi's hearing
House Judiciary Committee ranking member, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., discusses Wednesday’s hearing with AG Pam Bondi over the DOJ’s release of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. MS NOW: My Source for News, Opinion, and the World. Same mission. New name. » Subscribe to MS NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@msnow MS NOW is the go-to destination for domestic and international breaking news, and best-in-class opinion journalism. For more context and news coverage of the most …
BREAKING: Tom Homan says ICE surge in Minnesota has concluded
Border czar Tom Homan says Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota has concluded but some security teams will remain. MS NOW: My Source for News, Opinion, and the World. Same mission. New name. » Subscribe to MS NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@msnow MS NOW is the go-to destination for domestic and international breaking news, and best-in-class opinion journalism. For more context and news coverage of the most important stories of our day click here: https://www.ms.now/ #ICE #Immigration #Minnesota
LIVE: Border Czar Tom Homan announces end of Minnesota immigration operation
Watch live coverage as Border Czar Tom Homan holds a press conference. MS NOW: My Source for News, Opinion, and the World. Same mission. New name. » Subscribe to MS NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@msnow MS NOW is the go-to destination for domestic and international breaking news, and best-in-class opinion journalism. For more context and news coverage of the most important stories of our day click here: https://www.ms.now/
Olympic curler from Minnesota slams ICE
Team USA curler Rich Ruohonen is calling out the ongoing ICE terror in his home state. MS NOW: My Source for News, Opinion, and the World. Same mission. New name. » Subscribe to MS NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@msnow MS NOW is the go-to destination for domestic and international breaking news, and best-in-class opinion journalism. For more context and news coverage of the most important stories of our day click here: https://www.ms.now/
HEATED Moments: Pam Bondi testifies before House Judiciary Cmtte addressing Epstein victims
Attorney General Pam Bondi faces intense questioning during a heated House Judiciary hearing with lawmakers pressing her over the DOJ’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Rep. Ted Lieu challenged her statements under oath, Rep Jasmine Crockett demanded accountability for survivors and Rep. Jamie Raskin confronts the department of shielding key details. MS NOW: My Source for News, Opinion, and the World. Same mission. New name. » Subscribe to MS NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@msnow MS NOW …
FDA refuses to review Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine
The Food and Drug Administration rejected Moderna’s application for its mRNA-based flu vaccine, the drugmaker said Tuesday. The move is the latest sign that the FDA, under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is slow-walking vaccine approvals and taking a harder line on shots that use messenger RNA technology. Moderna President Stephen Hoge discusses. MS NOW: My Source for News, Opinion, and the World. Same mission. New name. » Subscribe to MS NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@msnow MS NOW …
CLOCK IT! Crockett vs. Trump, Kid Rocks JORTS, Mike Tyson's govt money, Benito Bowl Breakdown
In the inaugural episode of “MS NOW Presents: Clock It,” Symone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels get into the political topics dominating their group chats. In this episode, you’ll hear about Jasmine Crockett, Melania Trump, Kid Rock, Jeff Bezos, Michelle Obama, Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, Mike Tyson — and how it’s all tied to the political discourse. Plus, President Fitzgerald Grant III (aka Tony Goldwyn) stops by, along with Tony-winning actor Myles Frost. They talk about their new play …
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