In the new book, “Winging It: Improv’s Power and Peril in the Time of Trump”, the author explores popular cultural and public affairs, ranging deftly from the unmediated experience in Fred Astaire’s tap dancing, Frans Hal’s brush strokes, hook-up culture, psychedelic trips, social media, and Hamilton’s hip-hop to, last, though not least, the performative and demagogic posturing of Donald Trump. 

The gesture all improvisations share is “I will create this on the fly,” or as Trump has stated, “my gut knows more than my brains” This defies rationality and elevates embodied emotions, instinct, and intuition that challenges our assumption that everything of value depends upon long study, tradition, and hard work. Claiming to be free of serious purpose … improvisation only pursues pleasure. Or so it says.

Interview Guest:

Randy Fertel, PhD, is a writer and philanthropist dedicated to the arts, education, New Orleans, and the environment. Randy holds a Ph.D. in English and American literature from Harvard University and is the author of A Taste for Chaos: The Art of Literary Improvisation and The Gorilla Man and the Empress of Steak: A New Orleans Family Memoir. 

Dr. Fertel has taught English at Harvard University, Tulane University, LeMoyne College, and the New School for Social Research. He specializes in the literature of the Vietnam War and the literature of exile. In addition to his writing, Randy is president of the Fertel Foundation and the Ruth U. Fertel Foundation, named for his mother Ruth Fertel, founder of Ruth’s Chris Steak House. He is co-founder of the Ridenhour Prizes for Courageous Truth-telling, now in its 20th year. He lives in New Orleans and New York.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, July 14, 2024 at 5:00pm (PT)

America has fatal flaws in its economic paradigm.

Neoclassical Economics has ruled the United States for most of the past century. Valid economics cannot be separated from values, and what it means to be human.

Any notion of “Utility” must honor and encourage the best within us. 

At this, Neoclassical Economics is an abject failure. 

Neoclassical Economics legitimizes the short-term pillage of Earth, and discounts away the value of future civilization, indeed for all future life on our planet.

Dr. Richard Nolthenius will dissect its worst flaws, with special emphasis on how it trivializes climate damage to our present and future, and how its proponents have allied themselves to be servants not to humanity, but to their paymasters in corporate America and in the halls of political power.

Interview Guest:

Dr. Richard Nolthenius is a member of the “Earth Futures Institute”, with a specialty in economics, at UC Santa Cruz. Dr. Nolthenius is the Astronomy Program Chair at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, CA. In the past 10 years, Richard added climate science to his expertise, teaching a comprehensive course in Climate Science and its civilization context.  

By examining the climate science problem and searching for solutions, he has found its connected fundamentally to, well, everything. In addition, Richard is a contributing chapter author in Climate Abandoned: We’re on the Endangered Species List, a #1 Amazon bestseller.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, June 16, 2024 at 5:00pm (PT)

Throughout Reagan’s eight years in the oval office, the “Great Communicator” was largely successful in shaping the soul of America to reflect his durable mantra that “government is the problem.”

That same American soul later embraced Donald Trump—a president who, arguably would have appalled Reagan.

Reagan’s contemporary mythology as tax cutter, deficit hawk, promoter of deregulation, the ordinary citizen, champion of traditional family values, small government and free market capitalism – all indelible images.

Reagan’s myth persists, and by understanding his time in office in the context of American history and of the American presidency, we can understand how a transformative president created more than policy by also shaping culture with the instrumental force of mythology.

Interview Guest:

Ed Oswald is a lawyer with an expertise in the federal taxation of municipal bonds. He is a partner in an international law firm in Washington, D.C. Ed is a frequent lecturer and speaker on financing infrastructure for State and local governments, non-profit organizations, and related matters. A graduate of St. John’s University in New York, B.S Accounting. He received his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review. In 1991, he received an LL.M. in taxation from New York University. 

Ed served as an attorney-advisor at the US Treasury Department’s Office of Tax Legislative Counsel during the second term of the Clinton Administration, where he worked on tax policy matters impacting US public infrastructure. At the US Treasury, he worked with the IRS, SEC, White House staff and economists, House Ways & Means Committee, and the Senate Financing Committee staff on a range of matters.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel. The American College of Tax Counsel is a professional association of tax attorneys who are “recognized for their extraordinary accomplishments and professional achievements and for their dedication to improving the practice of tax law.” Fellows must be nominated by their peers and undergo a rigorous screening process before being admitted. Membership is limited to a maximum of 700 tax attorneys across the United States.Ed’s new book, From Ronald to Donald: How the Myth of Reagan Became the Cult of Trump, is now available wherever books are sold.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, June 2, 2024 at 5:00pm (PT)

John F. Rothmann is a renowned radio talk show host, popular lecturer and political and foreign policy consultant.  

John will discuss Donald Trump’s 34 convictions, Justice Alito’s upside-down flags, Project 25, and the pivotal upcoming election.  And, what the future might hold if we do or don’t get out and vote!

vote this year.

John was a long-time host on KGO Radio until the station’s management suddenly changed its format. John has been a professor at the University of San Francisco Fromm Institute since 2004 and he has been involved in many political campaigns on the national, state and local levels. John has published a wide range of articles and books on education, the Middle East and on American political history.

Today, John Rothmann hosts a popular podcast called:“Around the Political World with John Rothmann.”

Interview Guest:

John F. Rothmann is a radio talk show host on KGO 810 AM in San Francisco. John first joined the KGO family in 1996.

A frequent lecturer on American politics and the presidency, John has spoken on over 150 university campuses throughout the United States, Canada and Israel. John has been a professor at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco since 2004.

John has been involved in many political campaigns on the national, state and local levels including Richard Nixon's 1968 presidential campaign and Senator Frank Church's California Presidential campaign in 1976. He served as Chief of Staff to Senator Milton Marks and as Field Representative for Senator Quentin Kopp, both of San Francisco.

John's passion is his 15,000-volume library, one of the finest private libraries in the country, specializing in American political history and political biography.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday,

May 19, 2024 at 5:00pm (PT)

“First they came for the journalists. We don’t know what happened after that.” – Maria Ressa

Project Censored, in their latest book, takes the pulse of the media, highlights the most underreported stories of the past year, and exposes corporate manipulation of the news.

State of the Free Press 2024, brings together some of the most incisive media critics to expose the impact of corporate money and political influence on the press, highlights the top 25 most underreported stories of the past year, and profiles those brave journalists who continue to fight for a media that is free of both for-profit benefactors and political agendas. 

This book comes at a time when trust in the media is at an 

all-time low.

Interview Guest:

Mickey Huff is the director of Project Censored and president of the nonprofit Media Freedom Foundation. Since 2009, he has coedited the Project Censored yearbook, including its most recent volume, State of the Free Press 2024. He is also coauthor, with Nolan Higdon, of United States of Distraction: Media Manipulation in Post-Truth America (City Lights, 2019) and Let’s Agree to Disagree: A Critical Thinking Guide to Communication, Conflict Management, and Critical Media Literacy

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, May 5, 2024 at 5:00pm (PT)

Back in 1929 when the market crashed and the Great Depression began, Uber, TaskRabbit, and the gig economy were almost a century in the future. So why are the laws we use to protect the workers who power those businesses unchanged from 100 years ago?

As we learned with startling clarity during the unprecedented economic upheaval of the pandemic, our social safety net legislation is divorced from how Americans on the margins survive today.

Government policies have not kept up with the changing nature of how we work, and too many people—the forgotten jobless of the gig-economy who don’t qualify for government assistance—are falling through the cracks. While the relief money provided during the pandemic was a godsend for millions, for others, namely workers like drivers, delivery people, and handymen, that vital assistance never came due to archaic and pro-business unemployment laws. 

Interview Guest:

Alexandrea Ravenelle, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  Her first book, Hustle and Gig: Struggling and Surviving in the Sharing Economy has been translated into Korean, Spanish, and Traditional Chinese.  

Dr. Ravenelle’s research has been published in The New York Times; Regions, Economy and Society; Journal of Managerial Psychology; Consumption Markets and Culture; and New Media & Society.

She is the recipient of grants from the National Science Foundation and Russell Sage Foundation to study the impact of COVID-19 on precarious workers in New York, and funding from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to study the impact of elite gig work.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, April 21, 2024 at 5:00pm (PT)

Associated Press: Updated 6:02 AM PDT, April 10, 2024:

“Humanity has only two years left “to save the world” by making dramatic changes in the way it spews heat trapping emissions and it has even less time to act to get the finances behind such a massive shift, the head of the United Nations. [Climate Secretary, Simon Stiell]”

The climate emergency is often described as a "wicked" problem—one that results from numerous factors that interact in new and surprising ways to defy standard solutions—the pervasive distresses and traumas it generates are also "wicked" problems that cannot be resolved through conventional, professionally delivered, individualized clinical treatment services.

Facing our climate future will require entire neighborhoods and communities be engaged to prevent and heal the distresses and traumas generated during the long climate mega-emergency. If whole-community initiatives are launched throughout industrialized nations and worldwide, the indomitable human spirit and capacity for resilience can be activated.

Interview Guest:

Bob Doppelt founded and coordinates the International Transformational Resilience Coalition (ITRC), a network of mental health, social service, disaster management, climate, and faith organizations and professionals. He is trained in both counseling psychology (M.S.) and environmental science (M.S.) and has combined the two fields throughout his career. He is also a Graduate of the International Program on the Management of Sustainability, in Ziest, The Netherlands, and a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Instructor. He is also a former Fellow at the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center.

Bob is the author of a number of books on the interface between individual, group, community, and social resilience and change and ecological regeneration. His newest book is Preventing and Healing Climate Traumas: A Guide for Building Resilience and Hope in Communities. Bob also writes for Psychology Today. Due to his many years of work, in 2015 Bob was named one of the world’s “50 Most Talented Social Innovators” by the World CRS Congress.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, March 24, 2024 at 5:00pm (PT)

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Moral courage is in the spotlight today given an upsurge in authoritarian regimes worldwide. To date, 96 investigative journalists have been killed in the Israeli /Hamas war.

Why do investigative journalists stand up to intolerant regimes, often single-handedly? In the book, Moral Courage, 19 international journalists explain their rational for the work they do.

Hear how these extraordinary people (who possess Moral Courage to fight Moral Injury) literally put their bodies on the line so that the rest of us may learn the truth.

We speak with Canadian neuropsychiatrist Anthony Feinstein who has a strong and lauded track record in the field of conflict journalism research and we will learn what motivates investigative journalists to expose crime, corruption, and greed despite the personal risks involved.

Interview Guest:

Anthony Feinstein, Ph.D., is a neuropsychiatrist and professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. His research follows two strands – the search for cerebral correlates of behavioral disorders associated with multiple sclerosis, and exploring the psychological effects of conflict on journalists. 

Dr. Feinstein consults with news organizations including the New York Times, CNN and The Globe & Mail providing educational sessions about frontline journalists’ emotional health. He is the author of seven books including his most recent,  Moral Courage: 19 Profiles of Investigative Journalists.

In 2000-2001 he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship to study mental health issues in post-apartheid Namibia. In 2012, he produced a documentary, “Under Fire” based on his research of journalists in war zones, which won a Peabody Award.

"Understandably, as the consequences of responding to morally egregious behavior become increasingly more hazardous, the number of people prepared to say something or take action becomes very small indeed." - Anthony Feinstein

“Be Bold America!” Sunday,

April 7, 2024 at 5:00pm (PT)

“We are not prepared, have no plan, don’t know how bad it’s going to get, and have no time to waste. Everything and everyone is at risk.” ~ Kasper Benjamin Reimer Bjorkskov, Danish Climate Activist

As the European Environmental Agency reported, “We are entering an era of ‘Total Climate F-ery.’” You know what the “F’ stands for.

The underestimated extreme heat occurrences, the rising ocean acidity that is scaring scientists, the unchecked deterioration of biodiversity loss, and water and food crises around the world are almost beyond our capacity to correct.

Why is this existential threat to humanity not being covered as if everything did not depend on what we do next? 

Betsy Rosenberg will share key indicators of ecosystems in decline and share her insights as a broadcast journalist insider about why the corporate news gatekeepers are only covering the tip of melting icebergs.

Last year was the hottest in recorded history, yet the networks focused less than ONE Percent of their coverage on the climate crisis! 

Please join “Be Bold America!” on Sunday, April 7 at 5:00 pm to hear how the news media is not covering the biggest “If it bleeds; it leads story” in history and what we can do about it!

Interview Guest:

Betsy Rosenberg has been a broadcast journalist for her entire career, beginning with a stint at ABC Sports during the Olympics in 1976 while still in college. Her first on air position was with CBS Radio, where she worked for two decades as a reporter at KCBS in San Francisco and later as a network anchor in New York City. 

After 20 years of covering breaking news, she left to cover environmental challenges and solutions as an independent radio host and producer. First on the Air America Network, and later on Internet Radio, Betsy conducted hundreds of interviews with leading eco-innovators and experts covering all shades of green--with extra emphasis on the worsening climate crisis. 

In addition to public speaking, she has written articles on Huff Post and Medium and has contributed to two books including Climate Abandoned—We’re on the Endangered Species List. Most recently Betsy was co-founder and host on GreenTV.com

 “Be Bold America!” Sunday, February 25, 2024 at 5:00pm (PDT)

This interview will take you on a journey into the recesses of your soul and will explore the ontological question:

What is our underlying essence?

Internationally acclaimed, Pulitzer Prize nominated, and local author and filmmaker, Michael A. Allen, uses the metaphor of the sea, and its ebb and flow, to describe the Tao of life’s cycle.

And, he discovers within this unique reflection a new way to comfort and heal the Self from the trauma of death. Michael was inspired to write his book Tao of Surfing: Finding Depth at Low Tide after his lifelong best friend and surfing partner suddenly came out as gay and died from AIDS in 1989.   

The book subsequently became the basis for the soon-to-be-released feature film, A Long Road to Tao, which Michael co-wrote and produced.

Michael Allen will be joined in this interview by A Long Road to Tao cast member and fellow surfer, Mike Clancy, to discuss the book, the making of the film, the politics surrounding the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, and how the film relates to political issues facing the LGBTQ community today.

Interview Guest (picture attached):

Michael A Allen: Internationally acclaimed, and Pulitzer Prize nominated author Michael A Allen, hold a Master’s degree in Philosophy and Certificate and Asian Studies from California State University at Long Beach, and is a member of the Phi Sigma Tau Philosophy Honor Society. While serving as President of the Student Philosophy Association, he chaired a Medical Ethics session for a seminar on Applied Ethics. He also presented “The Application of Taoist Principles in Everyday Living” at University of Hawaii’s International Society for Chinese Philosophy Conference. Michael, his wife, and their children live along the Central Coast of California. He has been surfing for over 30 years.

Interview Guest (picture attached):

Mike Clancy holds degrees in oceanography and meteorology and is a former Technical and Scientific Director of the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center in Monterey.  He has authored over 100 publications in meteorology, oceanography and information technology, and received over 50 professional awards, including the Navy’s highest civilian award, the Distinguished Civilian Service Award, signed by the Secretary of the Navy.  Mike serves on the “Question Review Team” for the Annual Leon Panetta Lecture Series and is a frequent public speaker on climate change.   He currently Chairs the Monterey County Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, January 28, 2024 at 5:00pm (PDT)

As climate change and atmospheric rivers bring flooding, wind storms, and power outages to the Central Coast, Monterey County must prepare for an ongoing shift in its communities. This includes being faced with significant social and economic impacts including disadvantaged populations.

“Be Bold America!” has the honor of interviewing, not one, but two Monterey County Board of Supervisors, Mary Adams and Glenn Church, who are intimately aware of Monterey County’s challenges and potential solutions from the Pajaro flooding to the erosion of its beautiful coastline. So, please join “Be Bold America!” on January 28 at 5:00pm to hear, The Climate Crisis Hits Monterey County.

INTERVIEW GUESTS:

Monterey County Supervisor Mary Adams has led a 30-year career of public service solving problems for local families. She advocates on issues ranging from disaster and economic recovery to land use to creative solutions to our county’s housing and homelessness crisis.

Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church, a fourth-generation North Monterey County resident, was born in Salinas in 1959 and grew up in the Elkhorn/Royal Oaks area. The son of a County Supervisor (Warren Church, 1965-1977,) Glenn learned the vital significance of public service, and that government should make life easier for people rather than being an obstacle. 

GUEST COHOST:

Mike Clancy serves on the “Question Review Team” for the Annual Leon Panetta Lecture Series. Michael has authored over 100 publications in meteorology, oceanography and information technology. Mike is also a frequent lecturer on climate change and currently serves as Chair of the Monterey County Chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

When Policing the Border, Cruelty is the Point!

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, January 14, 2024 at 5:00pm (PT)

“Because whatever has happened to humanity, whatever is currently happening to humanity, it is happening to all of us. No matter how hidden the cruelty, no matter how far off the screams of pain and terror, we live in one world.” – Alice Walker

It is time for the United States Border Patrol to experience an unflinching analysis of its actions because it is riddled with corruption, racism, and misogyny. There is an ugly underbelly and, today, Jenn Budd is the most important voice exposing what most of us never see about immigration enforcement in the United States. Jenn is raw and truthful and no one escapes judgment … not even herself. 

Jenn searches deep within herself to examine her own prejudices as a white, southerner and the role she played as a border patrol agent. Her book, “Against the Wall: My Journey from Border Patrol Agent to Immigrant Rights Activist” challenges us, as individuals and as a nation, to face the consequences of our actions.  She also gives harrowing testimony about rape culture, white privilege, women and law-enforcement, LGBTQ issues, mental illness, survival and forgiveness. 

Interview Guest: 

Jenn Budd was a Senior Patrol Agent with the US Border Patrol in San Diego, a Senior Intelligence Agent at San Diego Sector Headquarters and an Acting Supervisory Border Patrol Agent from 1995 to 2001 when she resigned in protest due to the rampant corruption and brutality she witnessed on a daily basis. After nearly 30 years of border experience on both sides of the issues, she came to the realization that our immigration policies have created an intentional brutal system that in her opinion resembles a slow-moving genocide for asylum seekers. 

Jenn is the author of the acclaimed memoir "Against the Wall: My Journey From Border Patrol Agent to Immigrant Rights Activist" The book was selected as a finalist in Publishing Triangle's prestigious Randy Shilts Award, and received an Honorable mention in the Los Angeles Book festival Awards.

She is often quoted and consulted on Border Patrol articles for outlets such as The New York Times, Newsweek, The Nation, The Guardian, Washington Post, Daily Koz, NPR, Telemundo, CNN, Politico, Mother Jones, John Oliver, Samantha Bee and recently featured in "The Nation" Dec 25, 2023 - January 1, 2024 Issue. She can also be found in the halls of Congress speaking with members on humane immigration policies. 

Guest Cohost:

Blanca Zarazua, ESQ. Blanca Zarazúa’s father, Aquilino, came to the United States in 1945 when he began working as a Bracero or guest worker in Chualar, California.  Ms. Zarazua maintains her own law practice in Monterey County, California and has been in practice since 1987. Ms. Zarazúa is now representing individuals and families with respect to immigration law matters.  

She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and has served on the board of the Latin America District Chapter which serves Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. In 2003 Ms. Zarazúa was]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/beboldamerica/2839081 15b33e0f-6221-4cde-9353-81d1aa52f6d5 3490 full 6 6 1 1 false Thu, 18 Jan 2024 00:09:31 GMT Produced by KSQD 90.7, 89.5 & 89.7FM

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 5:00pm (PT)

From praising the health benefits of cigarettes to moralizing on the character-building qualities of child labor, rich corporate overlords have gone to astonishing, often morally indefensible lengths to defend their profits.

Since the dawn of capitalism, they’ve told the same lies over and over to explain why their bottom line is always more important than the greater good.

You say you want to raise the federal minimum wage? Why, you’ll only make things worse for the very people you want to help! Should we hold polluters accountable for the toxins they’re dumping in our air and water? No, the free market will save us!

It’s always the same tired, threats and finger-pointing, and a concentrated campaign to keep wealth and power in the hands of the wealthy and powerful.

Interview Guest: 

Donald Cohen is the founder and executive director of the research and policy center “In the Public Interest” and the co-author (with Allen Mikaelian) of The Privatization of Everything and (with Nick Hanauer and Joan Walsh) of Corporate Bullsh*t (both from The New Press). He lives in Los Angeles.

(Note: You can still hear, but mic was not on but comes back soon)

No one present at the battle of Cape Lopez off the coast of West Africa in 1722 could have known that they were on the edge of history.

This obscure, yet fierce naval battle, would have a monumental impact on British colonies and the future of slavery in America

We will have the honor to be speaking with historian Dr. Angela Sutton, who outlines the complex network of trade routes spanning the Atlantic Ocean trafficked by agents of empire, private merchants, and brutal pirates alike.

Drawing from a wide range of primary historical sources, Dr. Sutton offers a new perspective on how a single battle that played a pivotal role in reshaping the trade of enslaved people in ways that affect America to this day.

Interview Guest: 

Dr. Angela C. Sutton, https://twitter.com/DrAngelaSutton, is an assistant research professor at Vanderbilt University, where she has taught Seapower in History, the Golden Age of Piracy, and Comparative Slavery. Dr. Sutton is author of the new book, Pirates of the Slave Trade: The Battle of Cape Lopez and the Birth of an American Institution.

She is director of Builders and Defenders, a database of the enslaved and free Black laborers and soldiers who built and defended Fort Negley, a Civil War fortification in Nashville on the UNESCO Routes of Enslaved Peoples, as well as the Fort Negley Descendants Project, an oral history archive of the stories of this population’s descendants.

(See below post-show note from Congressman Farr)

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 5:00pm (PDT)

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank

America is at an inflection point! We never thought authoritarian forces could take hold here, right? Wouldn’t our democracy live forever? The US has the longest standing democracy in the world …nearly 250 years old. Yet, losing the oldest democracy in the world is possible and, believe it or not, the loss is happening right now. 

Former Congressmember Sam Farr served in the House of Representatives for 24 years. What were those years like and what changes has he seen since his retirement in 2017?What are his observations of the Democratic Party, Republican Party, the Supreme Court? Is money in politics the death knell for democracy? How would our lives change if an authoritarian leader uses democratic processes to kill our republic … as happened in Hungary? 

Interview Guest: 

Congressmember Sam Farr was born in San Francisco. He grew up in Carmel where he still lives with his wife, Shary.  Sam was educated at Willamette University, Santa Clara University, and the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Congressmember Farr's public service career began in the California Assembly, where he worked as a staffer on budget issues for a decade. 

In 1975, he ran for and won a seat on the Monterey County Board of Supervisors.  In 1980 he was elected to the California State Assembly, where he became a champion for the organics industry and wrote one of the country's strictest oil spill liability laws. He served in the Assembly until his election to Congress in 1993. 

Congressmember Farr was elected to the House of Representatives in 1993 through a special election when former Congressman Leon Panetta resigned to become President Clinton's budget director, defeating Republican Bill McCampbell. 

Post show note from Congressman Sam Farr:

I am sure that those who needed to hear what we were saying don’t listen. Suggest you encourage your listeners to seek out those who support Trump. Ask them to speak to them gently and politely inquiring where they are getting their information. The discussion ought to be around listening to opposites and suggest good listening, watching and reading responsible reporting. Angry conversations never result in change. Think of interventions where friends and family politely suggest alternatives with a plan the patient voluntarily accepts. In our case listens to or watches. Hardest part is remaining calm while listening to so much BS. The professional calming listens and suggests positive alternatives. If you don’t enjoy being a teacher, don’t get mad, get even!Get your side to vote. Voting the the bad guys out is the only solution and winning that contest is very satisfying. Best wishes. Thanks for asking me to participate. Sam Farr

“Trump’s Mind, America’s Soul”

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, November 5, 2023 at 5:00pm (PDT)

(Some important points made in this interview: Dr. Lee shared that she isn’t political but that politics found her. She talks about how her life changed course after her decision ... her "Duty to Warn.  Dr. Lee states that fascism is not an ideology but is a pathology; a disease. She explains the American Psychiatric Association disinformation efforts. Also, Dr. Lee explains that media and social media (KSQD is not corporate media) follows pathology and that pathology drives to destruction and death. In addition, Dr. Lee states that the mental health pandemic is more contagious than a virus.)

We will meet the brave forensic psychiatrist who diagnosed Donald Trump. In this interview, Dr. Bandy X. Lee, will go beyond explaining Donald Trump, but the followers who elevated him and the nation that tolerated him as president.

Why does Donald Trump speak and act as he does? Why must he provoke violence? Why do many in the country still support and follow him? How can he possibly be the Republican Party’s choice for president again?

Dr. Lee will tell us the missing piece that answers these questions. With 20-years of experience treating violent offenders and on violence prevention, Dr. Lee was the first to call out Donald Trump’s psychological dangers in a major way and lost her faculty position at Yale University over exercising her responsibility, her “Duty to Warn.”

Interview Guest: 

Dr. Bandy Lee is a medical doctor, a forensic psychiatrist, and a world expert on violence who taught at Yale School of Medicine and Yale Law School for 17 years before transferring her activities to Columbia and Harvard. 

She became known to the public by leading a group of mental health professional colleagues in breaking the silence about the immediate past U.S. president’s dangerous psychology and publishing the New York Times bestseller, “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President.” 

The volume proceeded from an ethics conference she organized at Yale School of Medicine, which led to her consulting with over 50 members of the U.S. Congress. She is currently president of the World Mental Health Coalition, the largest professional organization to address the problem of dangerous leadership and its contribution to a “mental health pandemic.” For more information, visit: bandylee.com.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, September 24, 2023 at 5:00pm (PDT)

“We don’t need to rely just on climate scientists anymore to warn us that we are in a Code Red emergency.” - John J. Berger

The news is undeniably grim. Raging wildfires, record-breaking temperatures, monster storms, and any number of other climate-related disasters … warn us regularly that we are barreling toward environmental ruin.

Yet, Dr. Berger also insists that rescue is possible. In his new book, “Solving the Climate Crisis: Frontline Reports from the Race to Save the Earth” he introduces us to the bold, practical, proven solutions that are ready to scale right now, and he profiles the scientists, ranchers, business leaders, community organizers, activists, engineers, farmers, and (yes) politicians who are implementing them.

Interview Guest: 

JOHN J. BERGER Ph.D. is an environmental science and policy specialist, prize-winning author, and journalist. A graduate of Stanford and the University of California, he has written and edited 11 books, including three previous books on climate change, and written over 100 articles on climate change and transitioning to clean energy. His journalism has appeared in Scientific American, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe and others. 

He has been a consultant to the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences, corporations, utilities, and the U.S. Congress, as well as a newspaperman, editor, and a professor at the University of Maryland. John co-founded the Nuclear Information and Resource Service to assist citizen safe-energy groups and founded Restoring the Earth, to bring environmental restoration to national attention. He lives in El Cerrito, CA.

Guest Cohost:

Mike Clancy is the current Chair of the Monterey County Chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby and serves on the Question Review Team for the Annual Leon Panetta Lecture Series.  He has authored over 100 publications and is the recipient of the Navy’s highest civilian award, the Distinguished Civilian Service Award.

(Note: If you have not yet heard about Project 2025 , a $22M scheme to destroy democracy once and for all, it is discussed in this interview.)

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, September 10, 2023 at 5:00pm (PDT)

“Holocaust education must sound the alarm—clearly, insistently, repeatedly: The Holocaust is a warning.” write the philosophers John K. Roth and Leonard Grob, two of the most respected Holocaust scholars in the world

As extreme right-wing political movements, anti-liberal fury, disrespect for truth and the rule of law, rampant “othering” and "whataboutism" gain traction in the U.S. and throughout the world—stoked by demagogic figures like Trump and Putin— we must heed that warning.

A dangerous contempt for democracy lies at the heart of recent and alarming developments, including the January 6 insurrection, the persistence of Trump and his MAGA rightwing, and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. These events warn Americans that democracy must not be taken for granted. It is in the crosshairs of authoritarian forces that will undermine our democracy unless renewed commitment—ethical as well as political—resists them.

Interview Guests:

Leonard Grob, Professor Emeritus of philosophy at Fairleigh Dickinson University Teaneck, NJ, where he taught full-time for thirty-nine years and part-time for another fifteen. Dr. Grob was the Chairperson of Philosophy Studies and Director of the University’s Humanities Core Curriculum. Dr. Grob’s Holocaust Studies have also provided the necessary background for him to begin exploring ideas related to resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: memory of the genocide of the Jews has most certainly informed Israeli political thought. Dr. Grob centers his scholarship on lessons of the Holocaust for those alive today.

John Roth, is the Edward J. Sexton professor emeritus of philosophy at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California. Dr. Roth was named the 1988 U. S. National Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Dr. Roth's expertise in Holocaust and genocide studies, as well as in philosophy, ethics, American studies, and religious studies, has been advanced by postdoctoral appointments as a Graves Fellow in the Humanities, a Fulbright Lecturer in American Studies at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, and a Fellow of the National Humanities Institute, Yale University.

(Along with being colleagues, Roth and Grob, a Christian and a Jew, have enjoyed an interfaith, philosophical friendship for decades. It has been rich in the kind of respectful and vigorous dialogue and debate that promotes and nurtures democracy.)

Guest Cohost:

Mike Clancy is the current Chair of the Monterey County Chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby and serves on the Question Review Team for the Annual Leon Panetta Lecture Series. He has authored over 100 publications and is the recipient of the Navy’s highest civilian award, the Distinguished Civilian Service Award.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, August 27, 2023 at 5:00pm (PDT)

“You are not alone … and there is a solution. The stark polarization in American politics is woven into the fabric of our culture – but it doesn’t have to be.” – Ruth Backstrom

Are you tired of broken politics and the deteriorating quality of life in America and aware that we need a dramatic shift for democracy to survive? Igniting A Bold New Democracy is an inspiring guide for creating a powerful pro-democracy movement using powerful approaches American citizens have used in the past to create reforms. Igniting A Bold New Democracy shares how proven facilitation methods, such as Dynamic Facilitation, could draw on our collective wisdom to design a vision for the new modern democracy that we deserve and need.

Interview Guest: 

Dr. Ruth Backstrom, holds a BA in history and a PhD in education. Ruth spent 10 years working as a community advocate for more sustainability, and a champion for creating a food policy council. As she discovered that people are yearning to have conversations about how to solve the problems in our country, Ruth envisioned ways that citizens could come together to have authentic problem-solving conversations again, discover how to respond to these tumultuous times, and then enact reforms as all want.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday July 30, 2023 at 5:00pm (PDT

In 2007, Dr. Robin Stern coined the phrase “gaslight effect” to explain the long-term effects of repeated gaslighting: an insidious, and sometimes covert form of emotional abuse in which a gaslighter undermines and controls another person by deflecting, twisting and denying the reality. 

Gaslighting can happen in a romantic relationship between family members, or at work – but in every case it leaves, you constantly second-guessing yourself, unable to make simple decisions, and destabilize from the constant reality shift.

Also, have we been politically gaslighted on a national level?

Interview Guest: 

Robin, Stern, PhD, is the cofounder and associate director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and co-developer of RULER, an evidence-based approach adopted by over 4000 schools worldwide. 

Dr. Stern is a license psychoanalyst with 30 years of experience and the author of Project Rebirth, The Gaslight Effect, The Gaslight Effect Recovery Guide, and the host of "The Gaslight Effect Podcast," 

Dr. Stern offers invaluable insights into the dynamics of gaslighting and its impact on emotional well-being. She regularly contributes to esteemed publications and media outlets on topics related to psychology and emotional intelligence. 

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, July 16, 2023 at 5:00pm (PDT)

What do red deer, birds, and gnats have in common with democracy?

Democracy is the default state of virtually every animal species on earth, and humanity is no exception. Only with the power of great wealth, control of media, or the force of arms and technology is it overcome by dictators, popes, and kings.

In Thom Hartmann’s powerful, sweeping history and analysis of American democracy,he shows how democracy is the one form of government most likely to produce peace and happiness among people.

Now, our democracy is under targeted threat. So how do we save our democracy?

Interview Guest: Thom Hartmann is a progressive nationally and internationally syndicated talk show host. Talkers Magazine named him America’s #1 most important progressive host and the host of one of the top ten talk radio shows in the country every year for more than a decade. 

A four-time recipient of the Project Censored Award, Hartmann is also a New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty books, translated into multiple languages. He was born in Michigan and retains strong ties to the Midwest, although he has lived in many regions. He now lives on the Columbia River in Portland, Oregon.

Co-Interview Guest: Andrew Goldenkranz has been a public educator for 35 years and since 2020 has been Chair of the Santa Cruz County Democratic Party, representing 112,000 local Democrats. 

As part of his career in Education, he conducted research at the American Museum of Natural History and developed public health curriculum at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Andrew's political organizing comes from his career experience and personal background and is driven to fight for a seat at the table for those who historically have not had one. 

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, July 2, 2023 at 5:00pm (PDT)

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is a pay-to-play operation in which legislators and corporate lobbyists meet behind closed doors to write model legislation that advances a radical right-wing, pro-corporate, and pro-Republican agenda on everything from suppressing voter access and denying the climate breakdown to crushing unions and undermining public education.

ALEC embraced the Christian Right extremists who pushed for the nationwide abortion ban and, at last summer’s annual meeting, they celebrated the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, removing the right to an abortion in the United States, over a “late night, dessert and coffee.”
ALEC members are urgently strategizing their efforts to radically rewrite the US Constitution and are blacklisting “woke” companies that embrace climate protection goals.

Common Cause is shining a light and fighting them!

Interview Guest: 

Viki Harrison is currently Common Cause’s “Director of Constitutional Convention and Protecting Dissent Programs.” She leads the non-profit’s work on stopping a dangerous constitutional convention that would rewrite the entire United States Constitution.

Viki previously served as Director of State Operations for Common Cause and was the Executive Director in Common Cause New Mexico. Viki Harrison graduated summa cum laude from the University of New Mexico with a degree in Women’s Studies and African American Studies.

 Be Bold America!  June 18, 2023 at 5:00pm (PDT)

Jill Cody, is a pro-democracy truth activist

Jill is fighting for Americans to reclaim their boldness in pursuit of a creative, constructive, and compelling America that nurtures an America with ethical principles and functional systems. Jill believes we can be a country with engaged citizens whose lives are politically active and personally meaningful.

"Talk of the Bay" host, Christine Barrington, takes you "Behind the Mic" with host Jill Cody, author of America Abandoned: The Secret Velvet Coup that Cost Us Our Democracy and Climate Abandoned: We're on the Endangered Species List whose vision for an American political renaissance centers on igniting citizen action.

Every other Sunday on KSQD, Jill hosts local and national thought leaders who offer knowledge, insight, and strategic choices for recreating Democracy. Join Christine to discover what inspired Jill to become a bold and dedicated voice for empowering political structures that work for all of life.

To hear "Be Bold America" catalog of interviews, please visit: ksqd.org/be-bold-america or jillcodyauthor.com

"Behind the Mic" Interview Host:

Christine Barrington has lived on numerous continents and is an avid student of the stories human beings tell to create meaningful lives. She practices as a transformational coach and is dedicated to being of service in uplifting individual brilliance and capacity.

Christine is a talk show host for "Talk of the Bay" and the "Behind the Mic" series on KSQD 89.5, 89.7 & 90.7 FM bringing stories of creativity and commitment from local and national personalities as humanity strives to meet this moment of dire transformation on planet earth. 

KSQD 90.7FM “Be Bold America!” Sunday, June 4, 2023 at 5:00pm (PDT)

In this interview the New York Times bestselling author, John Perkins, blows the whistle on China’s economic hitman strategy, exposes corruption on an international scale, and offers much needed solutions for curing the global Death Economy. In his shocking expose, former Economic Hit Man, John Perkins gives an insider view into the corrupt system that cheats and strong-arms countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. 

In John Perkin’s third edition, he reveals the wave infecting the world, and at the peak of the devastation sits China with its modified version of the US Economic Hit Man strategy. This new model has proven even more dangerous and successful at enticing lower-income nations into its claws. However, all is not lost. Perkins provides a source of hope for transforming the Death Economy into a Life Economy and inspires readers to participate in a new era of global cooperation

Interview Guest:

John Perkins is a former chief economist who advised the World Bank, the United Nations, Fortune 500 corporations, and governments around the world. Now as a sought-after speaker and author of 11 books that have been on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 70 weeks, sold over 2 million copies, and are translated into more than 35 languages, he exposes the world of international intrigue and corruption bred by the empire building EHM strategy. His latest book,Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, 3rd Edition - China's EHM Strategy: Ways to Stop the Global Takeover, continues his revelations and describes China’s highly effective and dangerous modifications to the EHM strategy. Learn more at johnperkins.org/economichitmanbook.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, May 21, 2023 at 5:00pm (PDT)

“Your power is already in you. Now that you know, it’s up to you to believe and wield it on behalf of the powerless.” – Bill Wong

Bill Wong, a renowned strategist to a bevy of iconic California politicians, offers readers in his new book “Better to Win” a unique and proven perspective on the craft and power of politics. 

It examines the mindset and machinery involved in the use of power, and the sacrifices, necessary to affect meaningful change for those who don’t (yet) have a voice in the halls of power. 

“Better to Win,” shares impactful skills and strategies for change agents and powerful stories of Asian Americans who played and continue to play an important role at the table where decisions are made. 

Interview Guest:

Bill Wong is an award-winning political strategist who has been included in Capitol Weekly’s Top 100 power list from 2018 to 2021. 

A consummate insider whose formidable political knowledge and influence helped shepherd a historic number of Asian Americans into the halls of power. Bill is also an expert in mobilizing the emergent power of AAPI communities.

Bill served as senior political advisor to Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, chief of staff to California State Assemblymember Judy Chu, chief of staff to California State Senator Hilda Solis, and legislative director to California State Assemblymember Mike Honda. Bill has advised non-profits, labor organizations, and Fortune 100 companies.

Warren Hern develops a deep and unsettling comparison between metastatic cancer and the expanding footprint of humanity, as we consume and degrade the environment that sustains us. - John W. Terborgh, Duke University

What is Homo Ecophagus? It is a new term meaning, “The man who devours the ecosystem.”

Over the course of its evolution, humans have evolved cultures and adaptations that have now become malignant and that the human species, at the global level, has all the major characteristics of a malignant neoplasm – converting all plant, animal, organic, and inorganic material into human biomass or its adaptive, adjuncts and support systems. 

This process is incompatible with continued survival of the human species and most other species on the planet.

Interview Guest:

Warren M. Hern, MD, MPH, PHD, is a practicing physician in Boulder, Colorado, where he is also on the anthropology faculty at the University of Colorado. He holds a Master of Public Health degree and a PhD in epidemiology. His clinical and epidemiologic research has been published widely in scientific and medical journals, including BioScience and Population Studies. His public advocacy of reproductive rights has appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, CBS’ 60 Minutes, and other prominent venues. He has conducted decades of research in fertility and population trends based in the Peruvian Amazon. Dr. Hern created the new term “Homo Ecophagus” to describe human-kind’s devastation to the planet.

Guest Cohost:

Mike Clancy holds degrees in Oceanography and Meteorology and has worked at the Science Applications International Corporation, the Naval Research Lab, and the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) in Monterey. Michael has authored over 100 publications in meteorology, oceanography and information technology, and received over 50 professional awards, including the Navy’s highest civilian award, the Distinguished Civilian Service Award, signed by the Secretary of the Navy.  Mr. Clancy is a frequent lecturer on climate change and currently serves as Chair of the Monterey County Chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, April 23, 2023 at 5:00pm (PDT)

The UN report released last month stated that “climate change is speeding toward catastrophe.” And … that, “the pace and scale of what has been done so far and … current plans are insufficient to tackle climate change. We are walking when we should be sprinting.”  Recently, a climate scientist stated, “that every 10th of a degree is worth fighting for.”

INTERVIEW GUEST

Dr. Richard Nolthenious is the Astronomy Program Chair at Cabrillo College and in the past 10 years, you have added climate science to your expertise, and created and began teaching a comprehensive course in Climate Science and its civilization context.  By examining the climate science problem and searching for solutions, you have found it is connected fundamentally to, well, everything. You are also a member of University of California Santa Cruz Earth Futures Institute. In addition, Dr. Nolthenious was a contributing multi-chapter author in Climate Abandoned: We’re on the Endangered Species List.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, March 26, 2023 at 5:00pm (PDT)

Media shape our sense of who we are, what we value, and our place in the world.

Against the backdrop of pundits and politicians promoting fearful understandings of “fake news,” and the negative impacts of social media. The book, “The Media and Me: A Guide to Critical Media Literacy” empowers readers to become savvy media users, who can analyze claims, see through manipulation, and recognize when political or economic interests drive the media we use.

For this program, we will be interviewing one of ten authors of this timely and imperative book.

Interview Guest:

Dr. Allison Butler is Director of the Media Literacy Certificate Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Communication. Dr. Butler also co-directs the grassroots organization, Mass Media Literacy, where she develops and runs teacher trainings for the inclusion of critical media literacy in K-12 schools. She is the author of numerous articles and books on media literacy, including Educating Media Literacy and Key Scholarship in Media Literacy.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 5:00pm (PST)

In July 2022 the hashtag #ClimateScam suddenly spiked on Twitter, and by December had accrued over 362k mentions (including retweets) from 91k unique users. ~ “Deny, Deceive, Delay, Exposing New Trends in Climate Mis-and Disinformation” at COP27

The climate crisis’ resulting harm to our global biodiversity is one of the world’s most pressing challenges. The complexity of the climate crisis requires global, national, and local actions informed by multidisciplinary research.

The goal of Creative Commons’ multi-year Open Climate Campaign is to promote open access to research that will accelerate progress towards solving the climate crisis and preserving global biodiversity.

If we are going to solve our global challenges, the global knowledge … meaning the research, data, educational resources, and software … must be open and available to all.

Interview Guest:

Dr. Monica Granados has a PhD in ecology from McGill University. While working on her PhD, Monica discovered incentives in academia which promote practices that make knowledge less accessible. Since then, Monica has devoted her career to working in the open science space in pursuit of making knowledge more equitable and accessible. Monica is presently Assistant Director, Open Climate at Creative Commonsworking on the Open Climate Campaign promoting open access of climate and biodiversity research.  Dr. Monica Granados lives in Ottawa, Canada.

Guest CoHost:

Richard Nolthenius, Ph.D. is Astronomy Program Chair at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, CA. In the past 10 years, Richard added climate science to his expertise, teaching a comprehensive course in Climate Science and its civilization context. By examining the climate science problem and searching for solutions, he has found its connected fundamentally to, well, everything. In addition, Richard is a contributing chapter author in Climate Abandoned: We’re on the Endangered Species List, a #1 Amazon bestseller.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, February 26, 2023 at 5:00pm (PST)

“We are all affecting the world every moment, whether we mean to, or not. Our actions and states of mind matter, because we are so deeply interconnected with one another.” – Ram Dass

You Are the Universe: Ram Dass Maps the Journey, is a beautifully illustrated guidebook that is an accessible perspective on our world through Ram Dass’ eyes. It explores timeless answers for today’s most urgent questions.

Sourced from five decades of recordings, Ram Dass shares his life story and transformative teachings in his own words, with honesty and humor. He offers teens and adults of all ages, life-altering inspiration for understanding universal truths, navigating their unique paths with compassion and awareness, and living a meaningful life.

Interview Guest:

Julie Weinstein’s professional career is devoted to advancing environmental and social justice. She also serves as both a Jewish and Buddhist chaplain in the jails, within the justice movement and for people experiencing loss, grief and trauma. She is a death educator, burial society leader, and artist, and is pursuing ordination as a Rabbinic Pastor. She’s been practicing Ram Dass’ teachings for over two decades, and co-leads community initiatives for the Love Serve Remember Foundation.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, February 12, 2023 at 5:00pm (PST)

Kuni can be created anywhere through the determination of one person. ~ Tsuyoshi Sekihara

As we despair about shrinking rural areas and are intimidated by cities growing to a monstrous scale, where are we supposed to go? We are dazzled by image, enslaved by fads, and compelled to buy, buy, buy.

Can we stop buying and start making? Stop viewing and start finding? Stop speaking and start listening? When did these things become so difficult?

Kuni offers a unique model for the revitalization of rural and de-industrialized lands and communities—and shares lessons in citizen-led regeneration for all of us, regardless of where we live.

Interview Guest:

Richard McCarthy is the coauthor, with Tsuyoshi Sekihara, of Kuni: A Japanese Vision and Practice for Urban-Rural Reconnection and is the Founder and former Executive Director of Market Umbrella in New Orleans, and the former Executive Director of Slow Food USA. After studyingpolitical science at the London School of Economics, he returned to put ideas into action. In all his work, two important themes prevail: To facilitate trusting relations between urban and rural communities, and to instigate lasting social change by creating opportunities for behavior change to come first. Ideas follow.

Richard’s work became increasingly global through partnerships with the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development, Project for Public Spaces, and Slow Food. Today, he works with Meatless Monday, Slow Food International, FAO, the World Farmers Markets Coalition, and others to cultivate community through food. He addresses audiences all over the planet, has published chapters in two books, and has produced short films and radio programs. Visit Richard at: ThinkLikePirates.com.

Guest Host:

Christine Barrington has lived on numerous continents and is an avid student of the stories human beings tell to create meaningful lives. She practices as a transformational coach and is dedicated to being of service in uplifting individual brilliance and capacity. She is a talk show host for Talk of the Bay on KSQD 90.7 FM bringing stories of creativity and commitment from local and national personalities as humanity strives to meet this moment of dire transformation on planet earth.

Note: What does inequality look like today in America? It is 50 trillion dollars moved from the middle class to the 1% since Reagan took office in 1981. It looks like only three billionaires owning as much wealth as the bottom half of America. It looks like one Millennial owning more money than all the other millennials in the country! Inequality is killing us ... literally!

“Inequality Kills Us All”

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, January 29, 2023 at 5:00pm (PST)

The aim is to have a society that treats everyone well – and health will follow.

The complex answer to why the United States does so poorly in health measures has at its base, one pervasive issue: the United States has by far the highest levels of inequality of all the rich countries.  The antidote must start with a broader awareness of the nature of the problem.

Inequality Kills Us All details how living in a society with entrenched hierarchies increases the negative effects of illnesses for everyone. Dr. Bezruchka states that health in the United States is not what should be expected for such a rich country, one that spends a fortune on medical care.

He now looks at the country as the patient in need of treatment.

Interview Guest:

Stephen Bezruchka, M.D., M.P.H. is the author of Inequality Kills Us All and he is an Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Health Systems & Population Health and of Global Health at the School of Public Health, University of Washington.

Due to decades as an emergency physician and his years of community health experience in Nepal, Dr. Bezruchka discovered that health in the United States is not what should be expected for such a rich country, one that spends a fortune on medical care. To understand why that was true, he obtained a Master of Public Health degree at Johns Hopkins University, where he was exposed to the social and political factors that matter most to advance health.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, January 15, 2023 at 5:00pm (PDT)

How can art be a catalyst for political change?

In a new autobiography, groundbreaking and acclaimed artist, Aviva Rahmani, shares her evolution as a woman, an artist, an ecofeminist, and a fearless defender of the natural world.

In the world of ecoart, a genre which combines art techniques, political activism, and scientific insight to create pieces that speak directly to our current ecological threat, Rahmani’s cutting-edge work grapples with the political, social, and cultural realities of the day and expresses a deep compassion and concern for injustice.

Her autobiography, Divining Chaos: The Autobiography of an Idea, offers an intimate tour of her life and work. Along the way Rahmani hones her inventive style integrating painting, sculpture, film, music, performance, and, ultimately, the natural world. In one of her most celebrated pieces, The Blued Trees Symphony, she used a series of endangered forest sites, starting in New York state, as her canvas by painting trees with a blue marking that corresponded to the musical movements of an aerial symphony.

Interview Guest:

Aviva Rahmani, PhD is a pioneering ecological artist who has worked at the cutting edge of the avant-garde since she committed to her career in art at the age of nineteen. Rahmani is an affiliate of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She earned her PhD from the University of Plymouth, UK, and received her BFA and MFA at the California Institute of the Arts. She co-edited the anthology, Ecoart in Action: Activities, Case Studies, and Provocations for Classrooms and Communities. She frequently exhibits, publishes, and presents internationally. Recently, she completed a residency with the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council on Governors Island in New York. 

Visit: https://nyupress.org/9781613321669/divining-chaos/ and https://www.avivarahmani.com/climate-change-ecoart.

Note: It’s live radio, folks! What a crazy show. There were technical issues (edited out) and the confirmed interview guest was a no show. Thank goodness Jill and Pettis read Lynne Twist’s book, Living a Committed Life: Finding Freedom and Fulfillment in a Purpose Larger Than Yourself. However, it turned out to be a great program. Pettis and Jill talk about how they are living a committed lives right now!

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, December 18 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

How does one person make a difference in the world? People constantly seek to discover meaning in their lives, but as humans take on the challenges facing us in this decade and beyond, we are searching for it now more than ever.

A committed life demonstrates the power of dedication that goes beyond the self, and teaches how to live a committed life that enables you to draw on resources and capacities from your most authentic self. In five parts, Lynne Twist shows how to make and keep commitments, engage in individual and collective action, and discover ways to connect and collaborate to make a difference.

Jill Cody, MPA, "Be Bold America!" Producer and Host. Jill is a political activist, author, and radio show host. America Abandoned: The Secret Velvet Coup that Cost Us Our Democracy, won several national awards. Jill is the editor and contributor to her anthology, Climate Abandoned: We’re on the Endangered Species List, that became a #1 Amazon Bestseller. Visit: jillcodyauthor.com.

Pettis Perry, EdD, "Be Bold America!" Cohost.Pettis Diversity & Fairness thought leader-champion | Improve individual and organizational performance | organizational effectiveness analyst | leadership trainer | instructional content architect.Visit: www.perryoec.com

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, December 4 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

“Natural Consequences” is a collection of 42 environmental essays. These essays variously encourage readers to get out in nature and restore our relationship to the land in order to better recognize the challenges of climate change. Collected into six sections, these personal narratives, explore the threats of fire, drought, development, and fracking.

These essays are thoughtful vignettes and are fascinating historical interpretations that clearly lay out our challenges and they offer local, regional, and global solutions to reduce the natural consequences of our actions.

Interview Guest:

Char Miller is the W.M. Keck Professor of Environmental Analysis and History at Pomona College. Professor Miller is a publicly, engaged, historian, widely active in efforts to address, environmental issues, and provide historical context to climate change. His is the author of over 15 books.

In addition to his academic work, Miller is active in the leadership programs for the US forest service, as well as building, public awareness of environmental and climate change issues. This has led to his contributions to museum exhibitions, such as California continued at the archery museum in Los Angeles, and numerous op-eds, and commentaries in theWashington Post, Los Angeles Times, and San Francisco Chronicle.

(Live streams, worldwide, on any electronic device. Visit the ksqd.org website)

KSQD 90.7FM “Be Bold America!” Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

So...

that's why I tell you

to keep your eyes wide.

To keep them wide open...

at least on one side.

~ Dr. Seuss

Keep at least one eye open and focused on the climate crisis these next two years!

The House of Representatives most likely will be Republican controlled.

It is sad to say, the Grand Old Party has no interest in writing active policies to address the climate emergency.

How will the midterm election results affect the long-term climate crisis? How will "deny-o-saurs" continue to block progress? Big stakes are involved!

Learn about Green TV - that picks up where the mainstream media leaves off, offering the public compelling science and solutions-based programming in support of environmental sustainability, social justice, and spiritual wisdom - and the actions needed to further these goals.

Interview Guest:

Betsy Rosenberg is an award-winning national broadcast journalist who spent the first half of her career as a reporter and anchor with the CBS Radio News network. On Earth Day, 1997, Betsy launched TrashTalk minutes on KCBS Radio in San Francisco. Betsy has interviewed leading eco-innovators of our time from science, politics, business, tech, activism, and the arts and she is a keen observer, writer, and speaker on how mainstream news outlets cover climate change and other environmental issues. She has also written many articles and contributed to an anthology, edited by Jill Cody, titled Climate Abandoned — We’re on the Endangered List. Betsy is cofounder and Chief Content Creator with GreenTV. Visit: greentv.com to learn more.

(Live streams, worldwide, on any electronic device. Visit the ksqd.org website)

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

Will we still have a Democratic Republic on Wednesday, November 9?

This coming election will be a real moment of truth. It has come to this …  you are either for democracy or you are not. One political party embraces democracy and one party has abandoned it. Each offers two very different futures for America.

How did we get to this pivotal moment in history?

What might be the results of the Tuesday, November 8 election?

Join KSQD “Be Bold America!” when we ask John Rothmann, formerly with KGO Radio and long-time political expert, to look into his crystal ball and tell us what he foresees happening on November 8.

Interview Guest:

John F. Rothmann is a long-time radio talk show host and was with KGO 810 since 1996. John also has been involved in many political campaigns on the national, state and local levels. A frequent lecturer on American politics and the presidency, John has spoken at over 150 university campuses throughout the United States, Canada and Israel. Since 2004, John has been a Fromm Institute professor at the University of San Francisco. John has published a wide range of articles on American political history and the Middle East and has coauthored and authored several books. John's passion is his 15,000-volume library, one of the finest private libraries in the country, specializing in American political history and political biography.

(Live streams, worldwide, on any electronic device. Visit the ksqd.org website)

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, October 23, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

“It is time for all women to come out of the closet and roar with all their spiritual power … because that is our true sound.” – Acharya Shunya

In light of women in the United States losing rights … and women in Iran fighting for theirs, … we’ll be speaking with Acharya Shunya, author of

“Roar Like a Goddess.”

In “Roar Like a Goddess”, trailblazing Vedic spiritual teacher Acharya Shunya honors her progressive Vedic roots while breaking the shackles of tradition to bring modern-day women an inclusive, feminist spirituality.

Through a revolutionary revision of ancient India’s primary goddess archetypes, Shunya invites us to step into our divine immensity and lead lives of power, abundance, and freedom.

Interview Guest:

Acharya Shunya is a highly-rated motivational speaker, workshop facilitator and retreat leader with 20+ years of experience as a spiritual, wellness, relationship and women's empowerment coach and group facilitator. Shunya works with individuals, groups, and organizations to amplify their authenticity and empower them to become a better version of themselves, utilizing goddess archetypes from her culture as tools for unapologetic living. Shunya lectures on eastern spirituality, psychology and wellness (Ayurveda) and she has been invited to prestigious conferences at universities such as UCLA UCSF, and Stanford.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

“A fascinating and compelling case that right-wing politics has subverted our democracy … This book unmasks the politics of fear – the deeper chords touched by campaigns that appeal to the dark side.” – Robert Shrum

Bryant Welch is a clinical psychologist and attorney who has been observing the American mind as it has played out in the political arena for over two decades.

Dr. Welch’s most recent book, “State of Confusion: Political Manipulation and The Assault on the American Mind,” was prescient in its prediction of the current American political climate.

He wrote “State of Confusion” due to his increasing concerns with the growing instability of the American mind, itself, as it struggles under trauma and political manipulation to bear the psychological burdens needed to maintain democracy.

Dr. Welch predicted that the assault from the right would destabilize the ability of citizens to discern right from wrong, honest from dishonest, pushing our democracy into a slide towards dictatorship.

Interview Guest:

Bryant Welch. Ph.D. J.D., is a nationally renowned clinical psychologist and attorney. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, Dr. Welch received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of North Carolina and later was a Research Associate Graduate of the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute. He has won advocacy awards from the American Psychological Association, and took a hard stand against their involvement in torture under the Bush Administration. Dr. Welch currently lives and practices clinical psychology in Sausalito, California.

“The United States of Distraction”

 “Be Bold America!” Sunday, September 25, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

"Sorry. It’s a terrible thing to say. But bring it on, Donald. Keep going… It may not be good for America but it’s damn good for CBS." ~  Les Moonves, (at the time) the Executive Chairman and CEO, CBS Network

The United States of Distraction: Media Manipulation in Post-Truth America explains that the role of news media in a free society is to investigate, inform, and provide a crucial check on political power.

But does it?

It’s no secret that the goal of corporate-owned media is to increase the profit of the few, not to empower the many. As a result, people are increasingly immersed in an information system structured to reinforce their social biases and market to their buying preferences. Journalism's essential role has been drastically compromised, and Donald Trump’s repeated claims of “fake news” and framing of the media as an “enemy of the people” have made a bad scenario worse.

"Ever since the few began to control the many, disinformation, fabrications, and distractions having used to shape consent, impose submission, and maintain domination." – Ralph Nader

Interview Guest:

MICKEY HUFF is the director of Project Censored, founded in 1976, and president of the Media Freedom Foundation. Since 2009, he has coedited the Project Censored yearbook, including its most recent volume, State of the Free Press 2022. He is coauthor, with Nolan Higdon, of United States of Distraction: Media Manipulation in Post-Truth America  and Let’s Agree to Disagree: A Critical Thinking Guide to Communication, Conflict Management, and Critical Media Literacy.

In 2019, Mickey was recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, Northern California Chapter, for their annual James Madison Freedom of Information, Beverly Kees Educator award.

Mickey continues to co-author articles on media and propaganda for several scholarly journals and news publications. He co-directed Project Censored's latest documentary on fake news and critical media literacy, "United States of Distraction: Fighting the Fake News Invasion."

(Live streams, worldwide, on any electronic device. Visit the ksqd.org website)

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, September 11, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

While America is at a crossroads regarding its economic future, many of us don’t fully understand how we got here!  How and why did neoliberalism become so prevalent in the U.S. and why is it time for us to turn our backs to it?

The Hidden History of Neoliberalism: How Reaganism Gutted America and How to Restore Its Greatness traces the history of neoliberalism—which applies to a set of capitalistic philosophiesfavoring free trade, financial austerity, and deregulation—up to the present. This book explains how neoliberalism was sold as a cure for wars and the Great Depression. It outlines the impact that it has had on America, looking at different sectors, including healthcare, unemployment, and education.

New York Times bestselling author, Thom Hartmann, highlights how America can go one of two ways: continue going down the road to neoliberal oligarchy, as supported by the GOP, or choose to return to FDR’s Keynesian economics by raising taxes on the rich, reversing free trade, and creating a more pluralistic society.

Interview Guest (picture attached): Thom Hartmann is a progressive nationally and internationally syndicated talk show host. Talkers Magazine named him America’s #1 most important progressive host and the host of one of the top ten talk radio shows in the country every year for more than a decade.

A four-time recipient of the Project Censored Award, Hartmann is also a New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty books, translated into multiple languages. He was born in Michigan and retains strong ties to the Midwest, although he has lived in many regions. He now lives on the Columbia River in Portland, Oregon.

KSQD 90.7FM “Be Bold America!” Sunday, August 28, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

“It is universally admitted that a well-instructed people alone can be permanently a free people.” ~ James Madison

In states all over the country, classrooms have become culture war battlegrounds. The National Education Association stated that 55% of America's educators are considering leaving the profession (in Texas it is 70%!). Teachers experience less support from parents, must deal with political rhetoric, potential gun violence, diminishing respect and inferior pay.

Watch Florida. It is the canary in the coal mine. As one Florida teacher said of the new state curriculum: “There was this Christian Nationalism philosophy that was just baked into everything that was there.”

School teachers and school boards used to focus on educating children, drafting lesson plans, designing curriculum, working with large classroom sizes and dwindling budgets, and maintaining school classrooms and districts. In addition, they now contend with political ideology, gun violence, religion, book banning, taxpayer funded charter schools, dwindling respect, non-commensurate pay, and their peers quitting the profession and leaving those who stay with more to do.

As one high school teacher said about what is happening: “It is the biggest attack on freedom in a classroom that I have ever seen.”

Interview Guest (picture attached): Dr. Deneen Guss was elected and sworn in as the Monterey County Superintendent of Schools in January 2019 for her first term and will begin her second term of office in January 2023. Dr. Guss is a 35-year veteran educator with a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership.  She has been an administrator for over 25 years, and has received numerous awards for her service in education and her service to the community, including the 2021 Ruth Vreeland Memorial Public Official of the Year award. With a lens on community and equity, Dr. Guss is focused on strengthening community engagement and improving educational outcomes.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, August 14, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

“You’ve got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going ‘cause you might not get there.” – Yogi Berra

For over 50 years Common Cause has served as a vehicle to strengthen public participation and ensure public officials and public institution are accountable and responsive to all citizens … like you! A vibrant democracy demands strong public participation and accountability for those with position power.

Common Cause fights for access to the ballot box and voting rights, fights manipulated gerrymandering and fights for fair district representation, fights for judicial and legislative ethics and accountability (including ALEC!), fights against the influence of money in politics, fights for freedom of the press, advocates for fixing the filibuster, and fights against the right-wing plan to rewrite the US Constitution.

What are they doing in bring California into the 21st Century? They are fighting to increase voting accessibility for all populations, increase voting language accessibility, to hold contractor donations accountable with City Councils and School Boards. In addition, with this upcoming midterm election being the first election after the adoption of California’s Fair Maps Act,  they will analyze the results for recommending improvements to the California State Legislature.

Interview Guest: Pedro Hernandez, J.D. is the Legal and Policy Director for California Common Cause where he helps lead the organization’s statewide policy and legislative work. He currently serves on the state’s Language Accessibility Advisory Committee and is Vice-Chair of the Berkeley City Fair Campaign Practices Commission.

Before joining California Common Cause, Pedro was Senior Policy Coordinator for FairVote, where he developed an education plan and helped implement a proportional representation system as part of the settlement in United States v. Eastpointe. Through his local advocacy work, he helped strengthen San Francisco’s public finance system, and has conducted several voter educational campaigns. He previously worked as an Associate at the Law Office of Robert Rubin where he specialized in claims under the California Voting Rights Act.

Pedro earned his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Hastings Race & Poverty Law Journal.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, July 31, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

Women! Did you just wake up and realize that the Supreme Court stole your body?

What was the Constitutional reasoning to overturn Roe v. Wade after nearly 50 years?

What was the Dobbs v. Jackson lawsuit all about? How did the majority of judges use it to allow government forced birth?  What did the concurrence and dissent opinions say?

Justice Clarence Thomas stated that other cases should be revisited. What does THAT mean and did he and other justices mislead the Senate and the public at their confirmation hearings? What is “stare decisis” anyway and how is it used to cause judicial continuity?

Interview Guest: Margaret M. Russell, JD. Professor Russell is an associate Professor of Law and has been on the Santa Clara University School of Law faculty since 1990. Professor Russell is affiliated with the University’s Center for Social Justice & Public Service, the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, and the Center for Multicultural Learning.

She has been honored for her contributions to student life at Santa Clara by the Asian Pacific Law Students Association and the Black Law Students Association. In 1991, she traveled to South Africa with a delegation of legal scholars to provide consultation on constitution-drafting for the post-apartheid transition.

Prior to joining the Santa Clara Law faculty, Professor Russell was a fellow at the public interest firm Public Advocates, Inc., a law firm in San Francisco. She served as the director of Public Interest Programs and as the acting assistant dean of student affairs at Stanford University, and also clerked for the Honorable James E. Doyle of the U.S. District Court in Madison, Wisconsin.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, July 17, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

“How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!” 

― Thomas Jefferson

How do we do politics right when the Republican Party has abandoned America?

Americans were in “possession of” and were building upon, the “precious blessings” of the traditions, principles, values, rights, and the Rule of Law that no other people on earth enjoyed until the Republican Party abandoned:

Truth, Science, Women (Choice/ERA), LGBTQ+ citizens, Black citizens, Voting, Healthcare, Unions, Public Education, Child Care, Separation of Church and State, Higher Education, Minimum Wage, Equality, Environmental Issues, Covid Masks/Vaccine, Gun Safety, Fair Elections, the Climate Crisis, and even Democracy itself.

How do we do American politics right when over the past four+ decades, Republicans and some Democrats have subjected the American people to massive amounts of stress and levels of strain that could make our society crack?

Interview Guest: Egberto Willies, producer and host of “Politics Done Right,” is an activist, author, political blogger, radio show host, business owner, software developer, web designer, and mechanical engineer in Kingwood, TX. Egberto Willies is an ardent Liberal who believes tolerance is essential. His favorite phrase is “political involvement should be a requirement for citizenship.” Egberto also believes that we must get away from the current policies that reward those who simply move money and capital to become wealthy but who produce nothing tangible for our society. If a change in these policies does not occur, America will be no different from other oligarchic societies where a few accumulate massive wealth while the rest are mathematically left out because it is impossible to catch up. Egberto discusses these issues daily on his Pacifica Network radio show, “Politics Done Right” and at his blog www.egbertowillies.com.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, June 19, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

“… that the utmost reward of daring should still be to dare.” – Robert Frost

Americans should honor and remember those who failed in pursuit a great goal; in this case, the presidency of the United States. Some handle their defeat on a world stage creatively and some never psychologically recovered after such a loss. Why?

In the Arena: A History of American Presidential Hopefuls profiles 34 American leaders who captured their party’s nomination for the presidency but never reached the Oval Office. Author Peter Shea chronicles the rise, early careers, campaigns, and later achievements of historical giants like Aaron Burr through modern candidates like Hillary Clinton.

Interview Guest: Peter Shea has been a writer, editor, and teacher for over 25 years, and a history geek for far longer. He has written about prominent Irish Americans, educational gaming, and cutting-edge technologies in higher education. Peter is a Director of Professional Development at the community college level. In the Arena marks his return to the subject of public lives in America.

(Note: if you've ever wondered what the full version of the show's theme music, "New Visions", is like listen at the end of the show!)

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, June 5, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

“The conspiracy theory rabbit hole is a complicated place, and the people are complicated individuals.” – Mick West

The World Trade Center collapse was a controlled demolition, planes are spraying poison to control the weather, and actors faked the Sandy Hook massacre. All these claims are bunk: falsehoods, mistakes, and in some cases, outright lies. But many people passionately believe one or more of these conspiracy theories.

In Escaping The Rabbit Hole: How to Debunk Conspiracy Theories Using Facts, Logic, and Respect, author Mick West shares over a decade’s worth of knowledge and experience investigating and debunking false conspiracy theories through his forum, metabunk.org, and set forth a practical guide to helping friends and loved ones recognize these theories for what they really are. The most successful approaches to helping individuals are not comprised of simply explaining why they are wrong; rather, West tried and tested approach emphasizes clear communication based on mutual respect, honesty, openness and patience. Also, tune in to hear Mick’s thoughts on QAnon!

Interview Guest (picture attached): Mick West is the author of "Escaping the Rabbit Hole - How to Debunk Conspiracy Theories Using Facts, Logic, and Respect" and the host of the podcast: "Tales From The Rabbit Hole". He focuses on developing tools for understanding and helping people who have been sucked in conspiracy theories. He's a retired videogame programmer who helped make the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Franchise. Mick also runs the website Metabunk.org, where he investigates conspiracy theories, debunks pseudoscience, and analyzes UFO videos.

(Action Requested: Flood the White House switchboard to urge President Biden to stop DCE/REACH today! Call 202-456-1111 from 11:00am-3:00pm EST. A script may be found at www.nationalsinglepayer.com and click on the call-in script link.)

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

When Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks, he responded, “because that’s where the money is.”

During the final days of the Trump Administration, officials at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) launched a dangerous and insidious pilot program known as Medicare Direct Contracting. (This program was recently rebranded as REACH by the Biden Administration.)

Left unchecked, Direct Contracting and REACH would allow profit-hungry middlemen to “manage” the care of up to 30 million traditional Medicare beneficiaries. These middlemen, some of whom have received a huge influx of money from private equity, have every incentive to frustrate patients and deny medically necessary care!

Unless we stop REACH, this program could spell the end of Medicare as a public, nonprofit, social insurance program.

“Medicare was designed as a lifeline for America’s seniors and those with disabilities, NOT a playground for Wall Street investors.”– Dr. Susan Rogers, President, PNHP

Interview Guest:

Dr. Ana Malinow spent decades working as a pediatrician with immigrant, refugee and underserved children in Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania and California. She is past president of Physicians for a National Health Program, co-founder of Health Care for All Texas, and lead organizer for the National Single Payer. She has authored opinion pieces on how national single payer will improve patient care and bring us closer to social justice. She has been a speaker on healthcare reform and featured on national and international television and radio. She recently retired as Professor of Pediatrics from the University of California in San Francisco.

KSQD 90.7FM “Be Bold America!” Sunday, May 8, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

Tidal alludes to water. More importantly, though, it connotes a movement caused by disruptions from below.

Tidal Equality is about expanding equity and inclusion by expanding democratic decision-making. Co CEO’s and Founders, Dr. Kristen Liesch and Anna Dewar Gully work to help organizations reduce and solve for inequities of all kinds. As mothers, they have observed how those inequities differ among mothers from a variety of identities, backgrounds, and lived experiences.

Dr. Liesch and Ms. Gully will share their landmark methodology, the Equity Sequence™, which can help invite equity-seeking individuals from a variety of backgrounds—including mothers and parents—into the design of workplace decisions that work better for all.

Interview Guests:

Dr. Kristen Liesch is co-CEO and co-founder of Tidal Equality. Named a Forbes Diversity & Inclusion Trailblazer, Kristen is a strategist and educator with 15 + years of experience designing transformative curricula, implementing equitable process changes, and capacity-building programs to support the design of more equitable organizations in Canada, the U.S., Europe, and New Zealand.

Anna Dewar Gully is co-CEO and co-founder of Tidal Equality. Anna is an organizational strategist with 15 + years of experience designing enterprise-wide strategy, advising boards and leading on governance, spearheading transformation initiatives, and building greater equality in large systems and organizations in Canada, the U.S., Europe, and the UK.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, April 24, 2022 at 5:00pm (PDT)

The impacts of climate change have become dire.

Rising temperatures, volatile weather, and poor air quality affect our physical and mental health in dangerous new ways. From increasing the risk of infectious disease to amplifying emotional stress and anxiety—even the healthiest among us are at risk. Bonnie Schneider has tracked environmentally-linked physiological impacts throughout her career as a TV journalist, meteorologist, and the founder of Weather & Wellness©—a platform that explores the connection between weather, climate change, and health. In her new book, Taking the Heat, Schneider provides crucial advice from science experts and medical professionals to help you:

•  Cope with the mental anguish of “eco-anxiety” and other climate change fears for our planet’s future, particularly expressed by millennials and Gen-Z

•  Identify health hazards caused by extreme heat and air pollution that disproportionally affect low-income and minority communities

•  Uncover the science behind longer and stronger allergy seasons and learn new ways to reduce your risk of adverse allergic reactions

•  Detect the increased threat of dangerous pathogens lurking in unexpected places and why we may face future pandemics

•  Understand how seasonal fluctuations of sunlight, heat, and humidity can not only factor into feelings of depression and anxiety but also can trigger flare-ups for certain auto-immune diseases

•  Discover how meditation and mindfulness practices can ease the psychological stress that often occurs in the aftermath of devastating natural disasters

•  Explore how the Earth’s rising temperatures may rob you of restorative sleep and impair mental sharpness

•  Learn why increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere may reduce the availability of what you choose to eat; learn sustainable solutions—from food to fitness. And more!

Interview Guest:

Bonnie Schneider is a national television meteorologist and Peabody Award-winning journalist based in New York City who appears on MSNBC/NBC News and Yahoo! Finance. She created a platform Weather and Wellness, successfully launching its original video content focusing on climate change and health for the New York Newsday’s digital site. She connects with her fans and answers their weather questions through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Bonnie has provided on-camera insight and expertise on everything from hurricanes to snowstorms for CNN, HLN, Bloomberg TV, and the Weather Channel.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, April 10, 2022 at 5:00pm (PT)

“Once upon a time, there was an average American family living in an average American town. After the family moved to a new state, the father left his carpool and began a long solo commute to work. And gradually, he began to change. He looked the same. He dressed the same. But something was very different. But this isn’t a story about just one man. It’s the story of a media phenomenon that changed a father … and divided the nation.” - Jen Senko

Join KSQD90.7FM “Be Bold America!” Sunday, April 10 at 5:00pm (PT) to hear the award-winning documentary filmmaker and author, Jen Senko, discuss her book:  The Brainwashing of My Dad: How the Rise of the Right-Wing Media Changed a Father and Divided Our Nation … And How We Can Fight Back.

Jen Senko, in her new book, uncovers the alarming right-wing strategy to wield the media as a weapon against our very democracy. Ms. Senko’s story shows us how Fox News and other ultraconservative media outlets are reshaping the way millions of Americans view the world and encourages us to fight back. Jen pulls back the curtain on how this media served as the most powerful tool for Libertarian billionaires to get ordinary Americans to vote against their own interests and to gain one-party rule.

Interview Guest:

Jen Senko: is an award-winning documentary filmmaker based in New York City. Her documentaries focus on socio-political themes with the intent of inspiring discussion and fomenting change. Senko’s 2016 documentary, narrated by Matthew Modine, The Brainwashing of My Dad, tracks the pernicious, addictive and disturbing rise of right-wing media. This widely acclaimed project has most recently won the prestigious “2021 Webby People’s Voice Award: Public Service & Activism” award. Jen’s work focuses on socio-political themes with the intent of inspiring activism and fomenting change.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, March 27, 2022 at 5:00pm (PT)

Authoritarianism is antithetical to democracy. The January 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, the invasion of Ukraine, and the militarizing of police in many of our cities are living examples of authoritarianism in action. Are there any similarities between them?

Our two interview guests, Dr. William Benet, creator of the Polarities of Democracy theory, and Dr, Joseph McMillan, former President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, say: “Yes!” They say, residents often feel as though the police are an occupying force rather than helpful servants of the people in those communities. Join us to talk about challenging police officers to change their minds. Our two expert guests will discuss how Polarities of Democracycan be applied through the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement (NOBLE)

Interview Guest:

Dr. Joseph McMillian is a Fellow with the Institute of Polarities of Democracy, a Contributing Faculty member in the Walden University School of Criminal Justice, a Past National President for the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Executive Research Foundation, and the American Society of Criminology.

Dr. McMillan received a BA in Criminal Justice, from Wilmington College, a MA in Criminal Justice with an emphasis on Crime in Commerce from George Washington University, a MS in Strategic Intelligence from the National Defense Intelligence College, and his PhD. in Criminal Justice from Walden University.  Dr. McMillan is also a graduate of the Air War College non-resident program and the Federal Executive Institute.

Dr. William Benet is an activist, educator, and researcher who developed the Polarities of Democracy theory through his doctoral and post-doctoral research at the University of Toronto. He has over 50 years’ experience in politics and social justice activism. He served in the US Army from 1965 to 1968, followed by 28 years in the Monroe County Legislature in Rochester, New York, including five years as Majority Leader.

Dr. Benet currently holds academic appointments as a Dissertation Committee Chair with Walden University’s School of Public Policy and Administration, and an Associate Researcher with the University of Toronto’s Adult Education and Community Development Program. He serves as Vice-President and Senior Fellow for the Institute for Polarities of Democracy.

KSQD 90.7FM “Be Bold America!” Sunday, March 13, 2022 at 5:00pm (PT)

Most Americans are worried about how companies, like Facebook, invade their privacy and harvest their data, but that many people don’t fully understand the details of how their information is being adapted and misused.

Progressive radio host and author, Thom Hartmann will tell us how Big Brother invents “whiteness” to keep power, how the surveillance industry is booming, how democracy requires trust and how authoritarianism requires fear, along with many other privacy topics. He uses extensive, vivid examples to highlight the consequences of Big Data on all aspects of our lives.

Interview Guest:

Thom Hartmann is a progressive national and internationally syndicated talk show host. Talkersmagazine named him America's most important progressive host and has named his show one of the top ten talk radio shows in the country every year for over a decade. A four-time recipient of the Project Censored Award, Hartmann is also a New York Times bestselling author of nearly 30 books, translated into multiple languages.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, February 27, 2022 at 5:00pm (PT)

Is there a larger problem than Donald Trump’s “Big Lie?”

David Pepper’s “Laboratories of Autocracy” shows that far more than the high-profile antics of D.C. politicians like Marjorie Taylor Green or Jim Jordan that there is an even bigger challenge to American Democracy.

It is the anonymous, often corrupt politicians in statehouse across the country who pose the greatest dangers to American Democracy. But, David Pepper doesn’t stop there. He lays out a robust pro-democracy agenda outlining how everyone from elected officials to everyday citizens can fight back.

“The Life of William Grimes: The Runaway Slave” KSQD 90.7FM “Be Bold America!” Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 5:00pm (PT)

“Let anyone suppose himself a husband and father, possessed of a house, home, and livelihood: a stranger enters that house; before his children, and in fair daylight, puts the chain on his leg, where it remains till the last cent of his property buys from avarice and cruelty, the remnant of a life, whose best years have been spent in misery! Let anyone imagine this, and think what I have felt.” - William Grimes Litchfield, October 1, 1824

Life of William Grimes, the Runaway Slave is the first fugitive slave narrative in American history. Because Mr. Grimes wrote and published his narrative on his own, without deference to white editors, publishers, or sponsors, his Life has an immediacy, candor, and no-holds-barred realism unparalleled in the famous antebellum slave narratives of the period.

On this show you will hear from his direct ancestor, Regina E. Mason and her story of her 15-year path to authenticate her ancestor’s story and the intense personal sacrifices that made editing and publishing a new edition, “Life of William Grimes, The Runaway Slave,” possible and its subsequent documentary.

In making the film, “Gina’s Journey: The Search for William Grimes,” Director and Producer, Sean Durant, sought to convey not only Mason’s long road to uncover her past, but also the unimaginable conditions that faced William Grimes as he struggled to free himself from slavery. The documentary is captivating, inspiring, unforgettable, and historically significant as it dramatizes two powerful stories: the heart wrenching travails of William Grimes and Regina E. Mason who discovers long-hidden truths about her forebear’s lives.

Interview Guest:

Regina E. Mason is an international Speaker, Author, Film Producer, and Storyteller, who believes in the extraordinary will of the human spirit. She has spent 15 years researching the life of her great-great-great-grandfather, William Grimes who penned his life story in 1825 at a time when African American autobiography was rare.

She has shared her story on college and university campuses across the nation and in the United Kingdom. Her story has been featured on RTE Radio in Ireland and on C-Span2 Book TV and on NPR’s Fresh Air with host Terry Gross. She is the recipient of several awards including the celebrated AMISTAD "MAKE US FREE" award by the state of Connecticut’s Amistad Committee. A retiree from the University of California at Berkeley, Regina resides in Oakland with her family.

“Smart Politics: Stop arguing. Stop avoiding. Start making a difference!”

 Sunday, January 30, 2022 at 5:00pm (PT)

Do you dread talking politics with your Republican family? Many of us hate the idea of having political conversations with our Republican family members. We may even avoid them to keep peace. If you’re worried about the rise of authoritarianism, concerned about the climate crisis, or committed to ending systemic racism, talking about politics with Republican family and friends isn’t just a good thing to do – it’s a moral obligation!

Learn how to be a powerful voice for change without compromising your beliefs! There are three keys to persuasive political communication: 1) Lower defensiveness by creating safer conversations, 2) Connect and build trust so people listen to your perspective, and 3) Reduce bias by encouraging empathy, rationality, and self-reflection.

Interview Guest:

Dr. Karin Tamerius is a political psychiatrist and the founder of Smart Politics, a nonprofit that teaches progressives how to communicate more productively and persuasively with people who disagree with them, including conservatives. Dr. Tamerius holds a B.A. in political science from UC Berkeley and an M.D. from U.C. San Francisco

The “Defenders of Democracy Against Disinformation’s” mission is to identify, publicly call out, and reduce financial incentives to those sources – media, public officials, or others – who participate in disseminating lies and disinformation to the detriment of our national well-being.

DDAD has identified Fox News opinion programs as the biggest source of disinformation. These programs draw the largest audiences on Fox and are condoned by the highest levels of its parent corporation. Fox Corp lawyers defended Tucker Carlson in a slander case in U.S. District Court by claiming that no reasonable person would believe that he conveys “actual facts.”

This defense worked. The U.S. District Court sided with Fox News despite that Tucker Carlson’s viewers actually do believe he is telling them “actual facts.” Therefore, the court inferred, by its ruling, that if you believe Tucker Carlson then you are not a “reasonable person.” Do his viewers realize they have been determined, by a court of law, not to be reasonable?

Listen to the cofounders of the “Defenders of Democracy Against Disinformation” (stopdisinformation.org) and learn more about this dangerous challenge to truth and how you counter disinformation.

Interview Guests:

Julie Greenberg is President and cofounder of DDAD. She is a former secondary math teacher who retired as a director of evaluations of teacher preparation programs at the National Council on Teacher Quality. Since fall 2016, Julie has dedicated virtually all her time to volunteer activities, especially in-person and digital ad voter outreach in initiatives organized through 31st St. Swing Left. In fall 2021, Julie co-founded Defenders of Democracy Against Disinformation, a clearinghouse of actions individuals can take to counter disinformation media outlets, particularly Fox News.

Nadine Semer, MD, MPH, FACS, is a reconstructive plastic surgeon who spent 15 years in practice while also taking time to volunteer her services in rural areas around the world. In 2014, she decided to shift her career to Palliative Medicine. She currently resides in Carmel, CA and is the Director of Palliative Medicine at a district hospital in Salinas, California. After witnessing the devastating human effects of disinformation on her community in the past two years, Dr. Semer was moved to act in a more coordinated fashion, and is a co-founder of “Defenders of Democracy Against Disinformation.”

"Be Bold America!" Sunday, December 5, 2021 at 5:00pm (PT)

Every day we are drifting farther to the political right as a minority of the country uses brute force to undermine the basic tenets of our democracy.

This perspective is to win at all costs, as though we live in a zero-sum universe, rather than finding a balance on common ground when polar opposite perspectives exist.

It is a win at all costs mentality. Polarities of Democracy theory takes opposing perspectives in which one side wins and the other loses, and reframes them to create win-win for both perspectives.

The both-perspectives discussion is void in many states today with open carry laws. If we are unable to settle our differences through discourse, we are very likely heading to a second civil war. There are many planning it now.

Interview Guest:

William Benet, PhD is an activist, educator, and researcher who developed the Polarities of Democracy theory.  He has over 50 years’ experience in politics and social justice activism. He served 28 years in the Monroe County Legislature in Rochester, New York, including five years as Majority Leader.

Dr. Benet currently holds academic appointments as a Dissertation Committee Chair with Walden University’s School of Public Policy and Administration, and an Associate Researcher with the University of Toronto’s Adult Education and Community Development Program. He also serves as Vice-President and Senior Fellow for the Institute for Polarities of Democracy.

Dr. Benet’s work is now being used around the world by those seeking to make the promise of democracy a reality for all people.

Note: Two days before the show, President Biden appointed two new members to the Post Office's Board of Governors but, as Porter McConnell points out, Louis DeJoy could still remain as Postmaster General.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, November 21 2021 at 5:00pm (PT)

This is not what Ben Franklin had in mind. First Class mail is now moving more slowly than the 1970s.  Post Master General, Louis DeJoy, launched his slow down plan on October 1. Less planes; more ground transportation.

Yet, DeJoy raised postal rates for his slower service and, maybe not too surprisingly, is unapologetic about his attempts to undermine the Post Office.

If that wasn’t enough, the FBI is even investigating Mr. DeJoy in connection with past (alleged) political fundraising to the Trump campaign.

Interview Guest:

Porter McConnell is the cofounder of “Save The Post Office Coalition” and she is the campaign director for Take on Wall Street. She previously ran the Financial Transparency Coalition, a global network of civil society, governments, and experts working to stop illicit financial flows out of developing countries. Porter has a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Michigan and a B.A. from Williams College. She has contributed policy analysis to media outlets including Vox, National Public Radio, MarketWatch, The Guardian, American Banker, Reuters AlertNet, Daily Nation Kenya, EU Observer, and Fusion TV.

"The End of White Christian America with Robert P. Jones"

Sunday, November 7, 2021 at 5:00pm (PT)

For most of the country’s history, white Christian America – a cultural and political identity built primarily by white Protestant Christians – set the tone for our national policy and shaped American ideals.

But in recent decades this has changed. Drawing on findings from one of the largest troves of survey data on contemporary politics and religion, Robert Jones shows how today’s most heated political controversies can be fully understood only in the context of the anxieties that white Christians feel as the racial, religious, and cultural landscape has changed around them.

Looking ahead, Jones forecasts the way that white Christians might adjust to their new reality – and the consequences for the country if they don’t.

Interview Guest:

Robert P. Jones is the CEO and founder of Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and the author of White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity, which won the 2021 American Book Award. He is also the author of The End of White Christian America, which won the 2019 Grawemeyer Award in Religion. Jones writes regularly on politics, culture, and religion for The Atlantic online, NBC Think, and other outlets. He is frequently featured in major national media, such as CNN, MSNBC, NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and others. Jones writes weekly at https://robertpjones.substack.com, a newsletter for those dedicated to the work of truth-telling, repair, and recovery from the legacy of white supremacy in American Christianity. He holds a Ph.D. in religion from Emory University and a M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

“Fall in Love, Have Children, Stay Put, Save the Planet, Be Happy”

October 24, 2021 at 5:00pm

“Frank Schaeffer has written a revolutionary manifesto for our deeply troubled world. “ – Laura Dawn, Filmmaker, founding cultural director, MoveOn.org

From NY Times Bestselling Author Frank Schaeffer, Comes a Post-Pandemic Blueprint for Rebalancing Work and Family.

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down our world, the forced sheltering in place with our families opened many people’s eyes to how we were meant to live. The only real “how to” for a happy life is simple and exists in our DNA: a meaningful, loving connection to others. We evolved to feel happiest when caring for others, not when seeking power over them.

As we move forward to a post-pandemic world, there is no better time than right now to rebalance our work and family lives in favor of love and living. In his new book, bestselling author Frank Schaeffer implores us to follow this directive: Fall in Love, Have Children, Stay Put, Save the Planet, Be Happy.

Interview Guest:

Frank Schaeffer is a New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen fiction and nonfiction books, including Crazy for God and Keeping Faith: A Father Son Story about Love and the United States Marine Corps. He is the son of the late theologian and author Francis Schaeffer. He became a Hollywood film director and author, writing several internationally acclaimed novels depicting life in a strict evangelical household including books such as: Portofino, Zermatt, Saving Grandma, Letter to Lucy, and Why I am an Atheist Who Believes in God. While Frank was a conservative, fundamentalist Christian in his youth, he has changed his views, becoming a liberal Democrat, and a self-described atheist.

“The Decarbonization Imperative”

KSQD 90.7FM “Be Bold America!” Sunday,

October 10, 2021 at 5:00pm

“Climate change is a challenge of our lifetimes. If we fail to act, and act soon, we risk leaving our children a world in which humanity’s ability to flourish will be severely tested." – Michael Lenox & Rebecca Duff

Time is of the essence. Climate change looms as a malignant force that will reshape our economy and society for generations to come. If we’re going to avoid the worst effects of climate change, we’re going to need to effectively “decarbonize” the global economy by 2050!

This doesn’t mean a modest, or even a drastic, improvement in fuel-efficient standards for automobiles. It means 100% of the cars on the road being powered by non-carbon emitting powertrains. It means 100% of our global electricity needs being met by renewables and other non-carbon-admitting sources such as nuclear power. It means electrifying the global industry sector and replacing carbon intensive chemical processes with green alternatives.

With regards to existent business practices and products, how much and what kind of transformation can be achieved? Michael Lenox asserts that markets are critical to achieving the needed change. He and his co-author, Rebecca Duff, conclude with an analysis of policy interventions and strategies that could move us toward clean tech and decarbonization by 2050. Hear author Michael Lenox detail these policy interventions and strategies on “Be Bold America!”

Interview Guest:

Michael Lenox is the Tayloe Murphy Professor of Business Administration and Senior Associate Dean and Chief Strategy Officer at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business and co-author of The Decarbonization Imperative and Can Business Save the Earth? His work has been cited by the New York Times, the Financial Times, and the Economist. He has been recognized as a Faculty Pioneer by the Aspen Institute, as the top strategy professor under 40 by the Strategic Management Society, and one of the top 40 business professors under 40 by Poets & Quants.

Guest Cohost:

Dr. Richard Nolthenius is Astronomy Program Chair at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, CA. Dr. Nolthenius began his career in Mathematics, moved to Aerospace Thermodynamics in private industry, then to Applied Physics at Stanford University, and then to his boyhood love of Astronomy at UCLA, and beyond. In the past 10 years, he’s added climate science to his expertise, teaching a comprehensive course – Astro 7 - in Climate Science and its civilization context.  But examining the climate science problem and searching for solutions, he has found it connected fundamentally to everything – from physics and evolutionary biology, to psychology, to economics and politics, to the thermodynamics of complex dynamical systems, and even the “strange attractors” of Chaos Theory. Solutions are not going to come from techno-wizardry, nor from politicians on the horizon today, nor from anyone mired in our current paradigms. He is a multiple chapter author in the award-winning anthology, “Climate Abandoned: We’re on the Endangered Species List.”

“The Hidden History of American Healthcare: Why Sickness Bankrupts You and Makes Others Insanely Rich”

KSQD 90.7FM “Be Bold America!” Sunday,

September 26, 2021 at 5:00pm

"The simple fact is that, were it not for slavery, white supremacy, and the legacy of 'scientific racism,' America would have had a national, single-payer healthcare system in 1915 ... ." - Thom Hartmann

In this upcoming interview, Thom Hartmann offers a deep dive into the shameful history of American healthcare, showing how greed, racism, and oligarchic corruption led to the current “sickness for profit” system. Modern attempts to create some kind of government healthcare have been hobbled at every turn – including Obama care, which Hartmann regards is basically a sellout to the health insurance industry.

There is a simple solution: Medicare for all. Thom Hartmann will describe the extraordinary benefits it would provide the American people and economy and the steps we need to take to make it a reality.

It is time for America to join every industrialized country in the world and make healthcare a right, not a privilege.

Interview Guest:

Thom Hartmann is a progressive national and internationally syndicated talk show host. Talkersmagazine named him America's most important progressive host and has named his show one of the top ten talk radio shows in the country every year for over a decade. A four-time recipient of the Project Censored Award, Hartmann is also a New York Times bestselling author of twenty-six books, translated into multiple languages.

“Be Bold America!”

Sunday, September 12, 2021 at 5:00pm (PT)

KSQD 90.7FM ~ "Many voices. One station” ksqd.org/be-bold-america

"You can observe a lot by watching." -Yogi Berra

You have been watching, but have you been observing?

If you have been observing and taking it all in, then you realize that our democracy is taking its last breaths. For over four decades, Republicans have been intentionally "drowning government in a bathtub." In the last several years, the Republican Party has been succeeding in destroying governmental institutions, such as closing all three pandemic offices just before a worldwide pandemic swept the country and the world.

The moment has arrived. Will enough of us fight back, in every way we can, or will our democratic republic die kicking and screaming in the tub water?

One bizarre, upside-down, undemocratic danger to our democracy is that it is governed by a minority, not by a majority of "We the People." And, that minority just happens to hate democracy. Democracy gets in the way of maximizing their power and profits.

Our interview guest, Mark Karlin, will share the current "buzz" on who the minority is, how they rule, and what ideology the authoritarians want to foist on the rest of us. We'll be asking him what listeners can Keep doing, Stop doing, and Start doing to fight for our democracy!

Interview Guest:

Mark Karlin is the founder, editor, and publisher of BuzzFlash.com. Over 20 years ago, BuzzFlash was among the first reader-powered progressive sites on the Internet. It aggressively exposes the undermining of democracy and the ongoing peril of the Trump administration. Mark Karlin holds a Bachelor's Degree in English, cum laude, from Yale University and a Master's Degree in English from the University of Illinois. He resides in the Midwest, which provides him with a political perspective from outside the Washington, DC, bubble.

KSQD 90.7FM “Be Bold America!” Sunday,

August 29, 2021 at 5:00pm

(Funny and delightful!)

The Shariah-based system of laws and ethics would never have survived for a millennium had it not been equitable. Since the early 1990s, at least twenty-three Muslim-majority countries have become more democratic. Why isn’t the Taliban doing the same in Afghanistan?

Sumbal Ali-Karamali will be returning to “Be Bold America!” to discuss and explain her views regarding the fall of Afghanistan and the rise of Taliban rule. The Taliban say they are establishing an Islamic State. Will it really be an Islamic State? Will the Taliban be adhering to Islamic laws and ethics written in the Quran? Or, are they making up laws to serve their own purposes?

In addition, Sumbul will define Islamophobia and the Islamophobia industry.

Interview Guest:

Sumbul Ali-Karamali is the author of Demystifying Shariah: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It’s Not Taking Over Our Country. She is an award-winning author and popular speaker whose books, articles, blogs, and speaking events are her way of promoting intercultural understanding in the world. Sumbul grew up in Southern California, answering questions about Islam and Muslims. With her degree in English (from Stanford University), her law degree (from the University of California at Davis), and her additional law degree in Islamic law (from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies), she left the world of corporate law to start writing books to answer those very questions. For more information, please visit https://the muslimnextdoor.com

“The Web of Meaning” on "Be Bold America!" April 15, 2021

Who am I? Why am I? How should I live? These are some of the oldest questions humans have grappled with. In our modern, high-tech society we may seem to have the answers. After all, hasn’t science shown that humans are hardwired for selfishness? That we are separate from nature (which is ours to exploit)? That we do best when left alone to pursue our own individual goals? In his new book, “The Web of Meaning: Integrating Science and Traditional Wisdom to Find Our Place in the Universe,” award-winning author Jeremy Lent answers with a resounding “no”—not because he doesn’t like these conclusions, but because the latest science shows them to be false.

This groundbreaking new book weaves together the latest scientific findings and age-old philosophical insights to show how some of our most ingrained beliefs about human nature and the world are mistaken—and offers a powerful alternative to help us heal a planet in peril.

Interview Guest:

Jeremy Lent, described by The Guardian journalist George Monbiot as “one of the greatest thinkers of our age,” is an author and speaker whose work investigates the underlying causes of our civilization’s existential crisis, and explores pathways toward a life-affirming future. Born in London, England, Lent received a BA in English Literature from Cambridge University, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and was a former internet company CEO. His award-winning book, The Patterning Instinct: A Cultural History of Humanity's Search for Meaning, explores the way humans have made meaning from the cosmos from hunter-gatherer times to the present day. He is founder of the nonprofit Liology Institute, dedicated to fostering an integrated worldview that could enable humanity to thrive sustainably on the Earth, and he writes topical articles exploring the deeper patterns of political and cultural developments at Patterns of Meaning. He lives with his partner in Berkeley, California. Learn more by visiting: www.jeremylent.com.

“One of the most brilliant and insightful minds of our age, Jeremy Lent has written one of the most essential and compelling books of our time. TheWeb of Meaning invites us to rethink at the deepest level who we are as a species and what we might become.”—David Korten, author, When Corporations Rule the World and The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community

“Demystifying Shariah and How It’s Not" Taking Over Our Country” ~ “Be Bold America!” ~ August 1, 2021

Through scare tactics and deliberate misinformation campaigns, anti-Muslim propagandists insist wrongly that shariah is a draconian and oppressive Islamic law that all Muslims must abide by.

They circulate horror stories, encouraging Americans to fear the “takeover of shariah law” and even mounting anti-shariah protests with no evidence that shariah has taken over any part of our country.

Yet, we do have evidence of domestic terrorists, as FBI Director Christopher Wray referred to them, try to take over our Capital building, our Citadel of Democracy.

It would be almost funny if it weren’t so terrifyingly wrong.

Interview Guest:

Sumbul Ali-Karamali is the author of Demystifying Shariah: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It’s Not Taking Over Our Country. She is an award-winning author and popular speaker whose books, articles, blogs, and speaking events are her way of promoting intercultural understanding in the world. Sumbul grew up in Southern California, answering questions about Islam and Muslims. With her degree in English (from Stanford University), her law degree (from the University of California at Davis), and her additional law degree in Islamic law (from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies), she left the world of corporate law to start writing books to answer those very questions. For more information, please visit https://sumbulalikaramali.com

Fiery and passionate, 87 year old Dr. Jane Elliott can’t be more direct or blunt about race.

The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King on April 4, 1968 was the catalyst for a young elementary school teacher in Riceville, Iowa to want to teach her class the next day about diversity. The lesson plan she created to do so became known as the “Blue eyes/Brown eyes” exercise.

The results were startling and astounding and rippled throughout the country, including hateful negative reactions from parents such as, "How dare you try this cruel experiment out on white children? Black children grow up accustomed to such behavior, but white children, there's no way they could possibly understand it. It's cruel to white children and will cause them great psychological damage."

Sound familiar? This very same argument is being made today as the university-level concept of “Critical Race Theory” is exploited to remove discussion and lesson plans about race from many elementary and high school curriculums.

Today, the fiery 87-year-old Dr. Elliott has plenty to say about racism in America. Jane’s life has been dedicated, and she is extremely impatient about it, to exposing prejudice and bigotry for what it is, an irrational class system based upon purely arbitrary factors. And, as she says, “if you think this does not apply to you … you are in for a rude awakening.”

Interview Guest:

Dr. Jane Elliott is an internationally known teacher, lecturer, and diversity trainer. Dr. Elliott’s elementary school class “Blue Eye & Brown Eye Exercise” in 1968 had shocking and controversial results. So much so that in 1970, ABC created a documentary, Eye of the Storm, to explain it. Then, in 1985, Frontline created a documentary, A Class Divided, that included a reunion of the schoolchildren featured in Eye of the Storm, for which Dr. Elliott received The Hillman Prize. A televised edition of the exercise was shown on October 29, 2009, entitled The Event: How Racist Are You? Dr. Elliott was also featured by Peter Jennings on ABC as “Person of the Week” on April 24, 1992. Dr. Elliott is listed on the timeline of 30 notable educators by textbook editor McGraw-Hill along with Confucius, Plato, Booker T. Washington and Maria Montessori. She appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show five times and was on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.  Learn more at: janeelliott.com.

“Democracy Abandoned with Governor Don Siegelman”

Charles Blow, New York Times ~ May 14, 2021 opinion column excerpts:

“Democracy cannot exist in a society in which nearly half the participants have abandoned it, a lie is elevated to the position of truth, participation becomes the thing being poisoned.”

“The Republican Party is no longer simply a part of our political system; it is a threat to our political system. The party has converted itself into the enemy within.”

~~~

America is at a tipping point. One political party believes in democracy and the other one is a major anti-democratic force. In this special interview, we will be speaking with the author of Stealing Our Democracy by former Gov. Don Siegelman.

Right before our eyes and that’s why it is hard to believe, the Republican leadership (RNC/Congress/GOP governors) have a ruthless plan underway to subvert our constitutional republic. They have turned ‘democracy” into a wedge issue with the intent of dismantling democracy for the acquisition and permanent retention of illegitimate power = tyranny.

It can happen here too and democracy is weakening around the world. We’re heading towards a total breakdown in a few years and no one can take our democracy for granted any longer. We must realize it now so that we are equipped to stop it. Democracy operates on an honor system. What happens when dishonorable people are in charge?

Interview Guest:

Governor Don Siegelman is “America’s Political Prisoner #1” who also is the only politician in Alabama history to hold all the state’s top constitutional offices: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and secretary of state. As his 2006 campaign was getting underway, he was indicted ― wrongfully, according to scores of attorneys general from states across the nation ― convicted, and given a harsh prison sentence by a prosecutor and judge with links to GOP operatives Karl Rove and Jack Abramoff.

Gov. Siegelman's case was the subject of a CBS 60 Minutes report and a full-length documentary titled, "Atticus v. the Architect.” He is the author of Stealing Our Democracy (now out on Audible!), that explodes the myth of an impartial U.S. judicial system and tells the story of his living nightmare of being an American political prisoner who was convicted of a crime he did not commit. https://donsiegelman.org

“My husband and I felt we were going to have a heart attack.” – Allison Guevara

As a special Mothers Day program, we’ll be speaking with Allison Guevara who is a wife and a mother of three. She’ll be sharing with us her intense, traumatic and stressful pandemic year where both she and her husband felt they were going to have a heart attack. Allison will talk about dealing with the pressures of facing the ups-and-downs and zigzags of the pandemic while seeing to the education of their children from 2 to 11years old. Both of them worked while, at the same time, dealt with foot surgery and Allison’s father being in and out of the hospital. All of these struggles were overlaid with feeling the emotions of the radicalized violence in our country. Mothers (and fathers too)? Does this sound familiar?

Interview Guest:

Allison Guevara is a Social Impact Consultant and mother of 3 children, ages 11, 8, and 2. She co-founded and currently leads the “Live Oak Cradle to Career Initiative” and the “Central Coast Early Childhood Advocacy Network.” Allison grew up in Minnesota and has lived in Santa Cruz with her husband, J. (Jay) since 2004.

This is a game changer. Many people still believe that the transition to a green economy will involve high costs and fewer choices, but we are finding that the opposite can be the case.

Our first guest, Joseph Majkut, will discuss what that unexciting word, “infrastructure,” will really be leading to more exciting action and projects throughout the United States in President Biden’s infrastructure bill. He will talk about specific examples such as electricity transmission, resilient infrastructure, and EVs. As the President said, “This is no time to build back to the way things were. This is the moment to reimagine and rebuild a new economy.”

Our second guest joining the discussion will be David Richardson, who will talk about his PhD dissertation research that focuses on attitude formation and persuasive messaging, specifically relating to attitudes about public policy issues. His dissertation uses psychological distancing and construal level (a way a person understands the world or particular situation) as a lens for examining how we can improve environmental attitudes to increase support for policies designed to overcome the climate crisis.

Interview Guest Bios:

Joseph Majkut is director of climate policy at the Niskanen Center, where his group works to better characterize the risks of climate change and promote market-based climate solutions. He is an expert in climate science, climate policy, and risk and uncertainty analysis for decision making. Majkut is frequently cited by the top climate trade publications and is also routinely featured in outlets including: the Washington Post, the New York Times, Bloomberg, Axios, The Atlantic, and Vice News. Majkut has also testified before Congress on climate and scientific research.

Before joining the Niskanen Center, he worked on climate change policy in Congress as a congressional science fellow, supported by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He holds a PhD from Princeton University in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Harvey Mudd College.

David Richardson is dedicated to promoting positive social change through effective, research-based communication. In dual roles as the Senior Manager for Webinars and Digital Events at Walden University and the owner and chief consultant of Richardson Applied Research, David fosters interdisciplinary collaboration to raise awareness of important public policy issues and drive meaningful conversations about those topics.

Capt. Pete Bethune, has been run over by Japanese whalers, shot at by illegal gold miners, knifed in the chest while following the illegal pet trade, and most recently nearly died after being bitten by south America’s deadliest snake. It is safe to say that Capt. Bethune is the Indiana Jones for saving endangered species worldwide.

From serving months in a maximum-security prison for fighting Japanese whalers to saving endangered red monkeys from poachers in the Amazon to his K9 tracking program in the jungles of Costa Rica, Pete Bethune’s KSQD 90.7FM “Be Bold America! interview will move and inspire you.

Pete Bethune takes conservation to the extreme. As the founder of Earthrace (earthrace.net), Pete is a world record holder, circling the globe four times on his powerboat, Earthrace. His missions have seen him shot at, incarcerated in Libya and Japan and held under armed guard in a Guatemalan Military camp. As the producer of his show ‘The Operatives’, Pete runs a team of former special forces operatives to combat wildlife poaching, smuggling and illegal fishing in Africa, Asia, and Central America. He also works closely with government enforcement units, training them in coastal surveillance and hostile vessel takedown. At the heart of it all, Pete is a ship captain with a dangerous environmental mission.

Capt. Bethune TEDxAuckland Talk was one of the most emotional speeches where by Pete argues that we can all lead extraordinary and meaningful lives, but the key is to find and stand for a cause you truly believe in – that is worth dying for:

https://www.ted.com/talks/pete_bethune_find_a_cause_worth_dying_for

Fox News spent more than twice as much time discussing Dr. Seuss being “canceled” as covering major news on vaccine distribution and the FBI Director’s testimony on the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Media Matter's determined that The Fox News Network covered Dr. Seuss and the “cancel culture” for 1 hour and 9 minutes, more than twice the time it spent covering FBI Director Wray’s testimony of 22 minutes, and the vaccine distribution news of 26 minutes.

Not only did the Wray hearing get scant coverage (the network didn't air any of it live), but nearly half of the discussion about it was from prime-time host Laura Ingraham, who used the time to argue that “Congress relies on the smear that America is teeming with racists” and criticized Wray for devoting resources to white supremacist extremism. Even though Director Wray stated at the hearing, “the vast majority" of racially motivated violent extremism is “what you would call white supremacist violence."

Interview Guest:

Parker Molloy is an editor at large with Media Matters, where she has worked since September 2018. She has a bachelor’s degree in arts, entertainment, and media management from Columbia College Chicago. She is the author of numerous articles including "Fox News' Dr. Seuss obsession, by the numbers."

What does humility mean and why does it matter in age of golden escalators and billionaire entrepreneurs? How can the cultivation of humility empower us to see success in failure, to fight against injustice, to stretch beyond our usual ways of thinking, and foster a culture of listening in an era of digital shouting. Listen to the Editors of Radical Humility: Essays on Ordinary Acts explore what we can learn from psychologists, artists, and renowned scholars.

Included in this anthology are Charles M. Blow, Op Ed columnist for The New York Times who examines the corrosive effect of Donald Trump’s self-aggrandizing lies on our democracy. Another essayist, is artist Ruth Nicole Brown who describes lessons learned from her aunt about living a life of “you before me” and how this informed her work celebrating black girls. Also, included is journalist Lynette Clemence, who discusses the conflicts for journalists trained to recede into the background but now are urged to be social media presences.

These and other writers consider humility as a valuable process - a state of being - with the power to impact institutions, systems, families, and individuals and give voice to the ways in which humility is practiced in many ordinary but extraordinary actions.

Interview Guests:

Rebekah Modrak is a writer and interventionist artist whose artworks resist consumer culture. Re Made Co. (remadeco.org) poses as an online “company” promoting ($350) artisanal toilet plungers to parody an actual company Best Made Co., seller of $350 luxury hand-painted axes. RETHINK SHINOLA (rethinkshinola.com; guides viewers through the Shinola company’s past and present of marketing white supremacy. She is a Professor in the Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan.

Jamie Vander Broek is a Librarian for Art & Design at the University of Michigan. This summer, she bought a book made of cheese for her library. You can read about it on saveur.com. She holds a tailored Master’s degree from the U-M School of Information in Art and Art Museum Librarianship, and received a B.A. in Art History with a minor in Italian Studies from Wellesley College. Since arriving in Ann Arbor, she has been active in the local art and book communities, and is currently on the board of the Ann Arbor District Library.

“We the people must oversee what our overseers have been overlooking.” — Swami Beyondananda

Now that the most toxic election of our lifetime seems to be resolved, let us congratulate ourselves on making the better of two binary choices, to take our country back from self-serving lies, divisive meanness, and autocratic rule. We have excised the malignancy, and now we must deal with the chronic heart disease that allowed the opportunistic infection to take hold.

We now face the even more challenging task of taking our country forward. This cannot be done by one political party, or even a faction of a political party. It requires cultivating a “sane and sacred center” that reflects the virtues and values that the 90% of us who aren’t sociopaths hold dear and have been unable to assert because of the toxic divisiveness that has characterized our “bi-polar” political system.

Fortunately, we have the ways and means to turn the ideal into the real deal, if we intentionally use the next four years as a transition period from oligarchic rule to self-governance.

Interview Guest:

Wiki Politiki host Steve Bhaerman is a writer, author, and humorist, who’s spent the past 30 years writing and performing in the guise of cosmic comic Swami Beyondananda.  Swami’s comedy has been described both as “comedy disguised as wisdom” and “wisdom disguised as comedy.”  Noted author Marianne Williamson has called Steve / Swami “the Mark Twain of our times.” Prior to launching his career as the Swami, Steve was an educator, author and publisher.  He started an alternative high school in Washington, D.C.

A political science major (and no, he never did get to dissect a politician in poly sci lab), Steve has always been a “political solutionary” looking to apply what he learned about holistic health to “the body politic.”  In 2009, he co-authored a book with cellular biologist Bruce H. Lipton, Spontaneous Evolution:  Our Positive Future and a Way to Get There From Here (Hay House), where the chapter “Re-Discovering America” looks at the spiritual and Native American influences in the founding of the United States, and the chapter “Healing the Body Politic” highlights promising solutions for the present and future.

(Podcast fact correction: 59% (not 49%) of Democrats view Republicans as the “political opposition.”)

We have a crisis in politics that can’t be ignored. And! We have a crisis in acceptable character and principle-centered living that can’t be ignored either. How could Dr.Pettis Perry will be joining Jill Cody, to talk about politics, social justice, and how the individual could live a more meaningful and principle-centered political and personal life.

74M people voted for Trump in 2020 AND that number includes 1M more than in 2016. Really? Why? Why … from him throwing skittles at the German Prime Minister Angela Merkel, at a world summit meeting, to caging and kidnapping children from their parents? And, from nearly 500,000 COVID deaths from a plague that entered this country that he couldn’t be bothered with to numerous sexual assault charges?  Why is it that these voters cannot see this unprincipled, character-less, and corrupt president for who he is?

This is someone who you wouldn’t tolerate in your family, as a friend, or in your workplace, unless you don’t know any better.  Would you want skittles thrown in your face? Or let you die from neglect? I don’t think so. Then why is it ok for the country?

Pettis Perry, Ed.D. joins the show as cohost for the first time to discuss these issues with Jill and guest Jeffery Slough, a teacher, singer/songwriter and performer. He uses music and powerful storytelling to entertain, educate and motivate from the stage to the classroom.

At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time,
or die by suicide. —Abraham Lincoln, Lyceum Address, 1838

Thom Hartmann, the most popular progressive radio host in America and New York Times bestselling author will be visiting KSQD “Be Bold America!” to talk about his latest book in his Hidden History series, The Hidden History of American Oligarchy: Reclaiming Our Democracy from the Ruling Class.

Billionaire oligarchs want to own our republic and they are nearly there thanks to legislation and Supreme Court decisions that they have essentially bought. They put Trump and his political allies into office and support a vast network of think tanks, publications, and social media that everyday pushes our nation closer and closer to police-state tyranny. With the increasing right-wing control of the media, unlimited campaign contributions, and a conservative takeover of the judicial system, we are at a crisis point.

Thom will also share his views on the January 6 attack on the Capitol and what role the oligarchy played over the years that led to an insurrection against democracy.

Interview Guest:

Thom Hartmann is a progressive national and internationally syndicated talk show host. Talkersmagazine named him America's most important progressive host and has named his show one of the top ten talk radio shows in the country every year for over a decade. A four-time recipient of the Project Censored Award, Hartmann is also a New York Times bestselling author of twenty-six books, translated into multiple languages.

“Like someone dying of thirst in the desert, conservatives drank heavily from the Fox waters.” - Bruce Bartlett, 2015

There is a difference between news and propaganda. We have hauntingly witnessed the rot in American politics with the angry insurrection on democracy’s Capital.  Fox News has played an intentional role in creating mass anger in America because, simply, it sells. It is Fox News’ product. As a veteran Fox News producer said, “Ratings are the only thing that matter.” Trump torched the anger, but Fox News sprayed it with gasoline first.

Arthur West is returning to “Be Bold America!” to discuss Fox News’ role in the attack by an angry mob on our Capital and to also give us an update on WASHLITE’s lawsuit against Fox News.

Interview Guests:

Arthur West is chair of the non-profit, The Washington League for Increased Transparency and Ethics (WASHLITE). WASHLITE claims that Fox News and other defendants “willfully and maliciously engaged in a campaign of deception and omission regarding the danger of the international proliferation of the novel Coronavirus. For the last 25 years Mr. West has lived in Olympia Washington, and has litigated numerous cases against large organizations, including Intel, Weyerhaeuser, the Ports of Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia, and the State Associations of Counties and Cities. From 2011-2012 West collaborated with Fairfax County on a successful NEPA campaign to challenge and force amendments to the Bush Administration's 2 Billion Dollar Hot Lanes Project. He has over a dozen published opinions in open government and environmental law.

Ryan Sarnataro studied Psychology and Economics from Syracuse University and attended Jungian grad school in Berkeley. He possesses a deep interest in in the psychology of why disinformation is so successful.

Listener Testimonial: Oh WOW Jill, Jeremy Lent's on your show?  Even without its being Lent, the "Five Conspiracies" program sounds, like all your shows, illuminating and provocative. But Lent -- oh my! I'm a big fan of his The Patterning Instinct: A Cultural History of Humanity's Search for Meaning (2017) is epic in scope.

he world is awash in a deluge of dangerous conspiracy theories. One of the most harmful results of these bogus conspiracy theories is that they help deflect people’s attention from the real conspiracies that are systematically damaging billions of people around the world, destroying the living Earth, and—if left unchecked—may drive our entire civilization to collapse.

Jeremy Lent will explain and analyze 5 real and damaging conspiracies that we all should know about such as:

1) Conspiracy to turn the world into a giant marketplace for the benefit of the wealthy elite,

2) Conspiracy by transnational corporations to turn billions of people into addicts,

3) Conspiracy to plunder the Global South for the benefit of the Global North,

4) Conspiracy to hide the effects of climate breakdown for corporate profit, and

5) Conspiracy to grow the global economy indefinitely, while killing most of life on Earth and risking the collapse of civilization.

Interview Guest:

Jeremy Lent is an author whose writings investigate the patterns of thought that have led our civilization to its current existential crisis. His recent book, The Patterning Instinct: A Cultural History of Humanity’s Search for Meaning, explores the way humans have made meaning from the cosmos from hunter-gatherer times to the present day. He is founder of the nonprofit Liology Institute, dedicated to fostering an integrated worldview that could enable humanity to thrive sustainably on the Earth. His upcoming book, The Web of Meaning: Integrating Science and Traditional Wisdom to Find Our Place in the Universe, will be published in June 2021 by New Society Publishers (USA/Canada) and Profile Books (UK & Commonwealth). Jeremy writes topical articles exploring the deeper patterns of political and cultural developments at Patterns of Meaning.

(Program note: Many of us have wondered why so many women support Donald Trump? Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat provides the answer!)

Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat is an international, award-winning, scholar on authoritarianism and fascism who told Don Lemon on CNN Tonight, during the October 2019 impeachment process that, “once authoritarians get into office, it’s very difficult to get them out.”

Dr. Ben-Ghiat’s new book is the first book to place Donald Trump in the context of a century of authoritarianism. Knowing that Donald Trump uses the same playbook as past rulers - corruption, machismo, propaganda, and incitements to violence - has allowed Dr. Ghiat to forecast his actions since 2016, including the possibility he would refuse to concede an election. And, as we’ve seen, hasn’t!

Listen to Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat for her help to guide us through this rocky transition and learn about her brief daily videos that comment on why Trump does what he does and what to expect from him in the coming weeks and months because he views “exit from office a kind-of psychological annihilation and is all to happy to drag others down with him.”

Interview Guest:

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University, is an award-winning author and political commentator on fascism, authoritarian leadership, and propaganda.

She has received Guggenheim, Getty, Library of Congress, NEH, and other fellowships and she offers historically informed analyses of current events in regular columns for CNN.com and the Washington Post, and on radio, podcasts, and television. Her new, recently published, book is: “Strongman: Mussolini to the Present." Follow her on Twitter @ruthbenghiat.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, November 8, 2020 at 5:00p

Many have been talking about a "coup" and "civil insurrection" in the streets, no matter how the election turns out? Have you ever wondered how and why countries fall into civil war?  Or why we think the United States is immune to this process?  Hear why the U.S. is neither unique nor the first country in the world to fall victim to the consequences of capitalist globalization.

Interview Guest:

More than 25 years ago, Dr. Ronnie Lipschutz studied and wrote about cultural conflict and the potential for civil violence in America. He taught politics for 30 years at UCSC and retired this past July and now is Professor Emeritus of Politics.  Today, Dr. Lipschutz is Co-director of the Sustainable Systems Research Foundation in Santa Cruz.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday October 25, 2020 at 5:00pm

October is the 15th Anniversary of LGBT History Month. The LGBT community is the only community worldwide that is not taught its history at home, in public schools or in religious institutions. LGBT History Month provides role models, builds community and makes the civil rights statement about their extraordinary national and international contributions.

Michelangelo is one of those extraordinary contributors to the LGBTQ community and to all of us with his sharp and astute political analysis of our times. He will share with us contributions of LGBTQ community icons in honor of history month and, also, provide some hard-hitting commentary of what may lay ahead for all of us, politically, now that we’re facing a more that contentious presidential election, a nail-biting Senatorial race, and a new out-of-the main stream justice on the Supreme Court.

Interview Guests:

Michelangelo Signorile is a journalist, author, blogger (The Signorile Report), and radio host. His radio program, The Michelangelo Signorile Show on Sirius XM Radio is aired each weekday across the United States, Canada and globally online.

Michelangelo was editor-at-large for HuffPost from 2011-2019. He is a political liberal and covers a wide variety of political and cultural issues. Michelangelo is noted for his various books and articles on gay and lesbian politics, and is an outspoken supporter of gay rights. In August 2011, Michelangelo was inducted into the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association LGBT Journalist Hall of fame.

Adam Spickler was elected to the Cabrillo College Board of Trustees in 2018 to represent roughly 27,000 residents in Santa Cruz County and, Adam, is the first openly transgender MAN to hold elected office, at any level, in the state of California. In addition to serving as a Cabrillo Trustee, Adam is a Senior Analyst for the County of Santa Cruz Human Services Department and prior to working for the County, Adam spent seven years as senior district staff for two state lawmakers—CA State Senator Bill Monning and former CA State Assembly member and Secretary of Natural Resources John Laird.

What is The Election Whisperer’s forecast for the 2020 Presidential Election? The Electoral College? Will Trump win? Will Biden win? Will democracy live or die?

Donald Trump has one formidable asset that could impact his reelection prospects: political polarization and hyper-partisanship, which even in the face of a recession and potential fallout from COVID19 management will likely provide him with a steady and reliable base of support.

However, Democrats are fired up in a way they were not in 2016 because of negative partisanship powered by a backlash to Trump and thus would increase their turnout significantly and be less likely to defect to third-party candidates.

What is The Election Whisperer’s forecast for Congress? Will democrats retain the majority in the House of Representatives? Can they win the uphill battle by overwhelming the Republican gerrymandered district advantage to take the majority in the Senate?

Our future and our American democracy hang in the balance.

Interview Guest:

Rachel Bitecofer is a nationally recognized election forecaster and a senior fellow at The Niskanen Center in Washington D.C. where she conducts pro-democracy research. Her 2020 presidential forecast can be viewed here and her forecast for Congress here. Her voter file analysis in The New Republic shows that despite conventional wisdom that Democratic House gains in the 2018 Midterms were powered by disaffected Republicans in the suburbs, these districts flipped because of the turnout surges her 2018 forecasting work anticipated months before Election Day manifested due to negative partisanship powered by backlash to Donald Trump.

Rachel's work appears in a variety of the nation's leading media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico, The Guardian, MSNBC, and Realtime w Bill Maher, and she's been guests on several prominent podcasts including Rumble with Michael Moore, The Michael Steele Podcast, and Cape Up with Jonathan Capehart, to name just a few. She is the host of The Election Whisperer.

The presidential election is bearing down upon us. When considering their choices, voters must consider accountability for an elected official’s personal and professional actions first rather than ideology or political party. In a democracy, it is up to the citizens to hold the politicians’ feet to the fire. They chose to run for office. Was their choice based on service or self-service?

Social media is a force to be reckoned with. Even more so as this presidential election is rife with emotions and false-narratives. When you make your choice for whom to vote for have you taken a firm stand on the issues you’re most concern about?

Accountability also means that citizens deserve open government, but how can that be accomplished? Would those you have chosen to vote for be willing to consider legislation that would require them to:

(1) Wear cameras and microphones for recording all public-business conversations,

(2) Publish all written public-business communications sent out or received-and-read,

(3) Appear every 14 days on television across the table from a citizen chosen by lottery (or the citizen’s proxy spokesperson) for a 30-minute conversation, and

(4) Archive all of the above daily on the internet?

Interview Guests:

Ed Frey, JD, has practiced law since the late 60s beginning in San Francisco. He moved to Santa Cruz in 1984 and has been representing the poor and near-poor ever since. Ed is a Santa Cruz community activist and ran for Congress and District Attorney each twice.

Mark Karlin is the founder, editor and publisher of BuzzFlash.com, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this past May. BuzzFlash was among the first reader-powered progressive sites on the Internet. It aggressively exposes the undermining of democracy and the ongoing peril of the Trump administration.

Mark holds a Bachelor's Degree in English, cum laude, from Yale University and a Master's Degree in English from the University of Illinois. He resides in the Midwest, which provides him with a political perspective from outside the Washington, DC, bubble.

"Has Trump Created the Largest Cult in America?" with cult and mind control expert Steve Hassan

Since his election in 2016, Donald Trump’s behavior has become increasingly erratic and alarming. He rallies his followers with chants of “fake news” and “build the wall”, and continues to spread the us-versus-them mentality that is dividing friends, families, and our nation. And yet many of his followers remain blindly devoted. Behind this bizarre display of lies and narcissism there is a familiar pattern, of a cult leader and his followers.

Steven Hassan, one of America’s leading cult and mind control experts, will take us on a journey into the dark and dangerous world of mind manipulation, drawing parallels between Trump and notorious cult leaders. He’ll relate, compellingly and in disturbing detail, how Trump mirrors cult leaders both in his narcissistic personality and the influence and mind-control techniques he uses to keep his followers believing in him. 

Steven Hassan explains what 4th Generation Warfare is ... Instead of converting someone to your way of thinking, it discredits leaders, discredits institutions, discredits science, and discredits truth to disorient people and confuse people so they’d be more receptive to authoritarian indoctrination.

Interview Guests:

Steven Hassan, M.A., M.Ed, LMHC, NCC is a world renowned expert on undue influence and cults, a mental health professional, speaker, consultant, author, and educator. He has been helping people leave destructive cults since 1976 after he was deprogrammed from Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church. He is the founding director of the Freedom of Mind Resource Center. He has authored four books including Combating Cult Mind Control, Freedom of Mind, and The Cult of Trump. He frequently speaks to advocacy groups, legal and mental health professional organizations, psychiatry training programs, think tanks, and government entities combating destructive cults, human trafficking, and extremism. He has been seen on CNN, Fox News, 60 Minutes, Dr. Phil, and the Today Show, to name a few.

Produced by KSQD 90.7FM

Tune in to “Be Bold America!” Sunday, August 30, 2020 at 5:00pm

“You can observe a lot by watching” – Yogi Berra

What you believe becomes reality. But, is that reality, real? Our minds pick up what’s familiar and comfortable but maybe not what’s true. In fact, we observe the world by not “watching,” but through filters. These filters are what make sense to us, but the filter from which we “observe” might have been created with polarization strategies. Strategies developed by those who want you to see the world their way, not as it might actually be. The polarization industry is a money-making enterprise and doesn’t care if the message received is real or not.

This Talk #2 between a Democrat and a Republican will be moderated by Andrew Hanauer, President and CEO of the One America Movement. Andrew will relate how we observe the world through our own lens and the strategies used to polarize America. In addition, Republican Kristen Collishaw and Democrat Jill Cody will discuss issues such as their conventions, mail-in ballots, and why they each chose to join their political party.

Interview Guests:

Kristen Collishaw is the Chair of the Santa Cruz County Republican Party and has lived in Santa Cruz County for 18 years where she and her husband raised three children.  She was brought up in a household where politics and local issues were often discussed, and differing opinions encouraged and respected. Knowing that understanding both sides of an issue were important for a successful country, kept the conversations lively and interesting.  A strong belief in America and all the opportunities that are part of this country have led her to be a lifelong conservative.

Andrew Hanauer is the President and CEO of the One America Movement, an organization founded by faith and community leaders to address divisiveness in American society. Under Andrew’s leadership, One America has launched projects that bring Americans together across religious, racial, and political divides to address race relations, opioids, poverty and homelessness and many other issues through One America chapters across the country.

 “Be Bold America!” Sunday, August 16, 2020 at 5:00pm

Starting to feel nervous or overwhelmed?  Let’s fix that.  Forget duty and patriotism for a moment.

Ignore those who have used harsh words such as apathetic, ignorant, lazy or who have accused you of shirking yourpatriotic duty.  Take a cleansing breath, put your hand on your heart and listen – This is your country. You deserve to feel comfy in it.  Once you understand more about basic civics, citizenship and communication you can involve yourself in your own way on your own terms.

Whether you choose to vote or not, you deserve to feel comfy in your country. If you have an interest in voting, but can’t take the politics of it all, you will enjoy this interview.

Interview Guest:

Speaker Lisa Ann Fontana is the author of Me, The People.  She didn’t cast her first vote for anything until she turned 35 years old.  She tried to buy a book to teach her about politics or government so she could vote with confidence, but the bookstore shelves were lined with negativity, and all of them played the blame game.  Instead, she researched it herself until she became the expert, and now she shares her expertise with the other 92 million people who might be looking for it too.  Using her background as a professional actor, Lisa Ann created the character Citizen Cupcakes and designed ‘Welcome Parties’ to help current non-voters get Comfy In Their Country.  Her focus is on putting democracy back where it belongs – In the hands of you and Me, The People.

"A National Reckoning on Racism"

Tune in to “Be Bold America!” Sunday, August 2, 2020 at 5:00pm

The former governor of Alabama has a few things to say about racism.

Gov. Don Siegelman, author of Stealing Our Democracy now a “hot” top five book listed on “The National Book Review”, is uniquely positioned to speak on this subject as a life-long Alabama resident and as the only politician in Alabama history to hold all the state’s top constitutional offices: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and secretary of state. While holding those executive offices, he methodically removed symbols of racism in the state.

With his years of experience facing and addressing racism, he has a unique and deep perceptive on Donald Trump claiming the Confederate flag is a symbol of freedom of speech. In addition, as seen through his lens of experience, he will present his views about Confederate statues, renaming the Edmond Pettus bridge, police power and abuse, education, healthcare as a right, higher minimum wage, after school jobs, tax reform, and the imperative to change policies, politics, and the laws now.

In addition, Dr. Pettis Perry, Walden University Leadership and Management Professor, will join this “national reckoning on racism” conversation. As a side note, Dr. Perry believes his father changed the spelling of his first name from using a “u” to an “i” when his father saw the bridge named for KKK Grand Dragon, Edmond Pettus.

Interview Guests:

“America’s Political Prisoner #1”, former Governor Don Siegelman, is the only politician in Alabama history to hold all the state’s top constitutional offices: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and secretary of state. As his 2006 campaign was getting underway, he was indicted ― wrongfully, according to scores of attorneys general from states across the nation ― convicted, and given a harsh prison sentence by a prosecutor and judge with links to GOP operatives Karl Rove and Jack Abramoff. https://donsiegelman.org

Pettis Perry, Ph.D. is a full-time faculty member at Walden University where he teaches a variety of leadership and management courses in the Master of Science in Leadership and Master of Science in Management degree programs. He provides technical assistance and training to an array of schools, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and small and large businesses. In response to students describing their personal traumas and in response to the trauma produced by the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Perry produced webinars titled Creating a Meaningful Life in the Aftermath of Trauma and Beyond Posttraumatic Growth and Selfcare in Times of Crisis: Living in a Topsy-Turvy World.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, July 19, 2020 at 5:00pm

“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” – Abraham Lincoln

Are we destroying ourselves? Our democratic republic is not sustainable when one American is demonized against another. There are powerful political, religious, corporate, and ideological forces that increase their money and power from the conflict, and it is not the average citizen.

This show will be the first of several discussions between a life-long Republican and a life-long Democrat that both share at least one paramount viewpoint, which is that our democracy will not survive if we don’t stop tearing ourselves apart from the inside-out. We are embroiled in multiple crises that demand all of us, no matter what political party, to solve. Our goal is to model how two people, with different points of view, might be able to bridge the political divide to reimagine unity.

These discussions will be moderated by Andrew Hanauer, President and CEO of the One America Movement (oneamericamovement.org), who will guide these discussions to ensure they are productive, build trust, and find common ground. He will also explain the neuroscience behind why Americans are divided.

Interview Guests:

Kristen Collishaw is the Chair of the Santa Cruz County Republican Party and has lived in Santa Cruz County for 18 years where she and her husband raised three children.  She was brought up in a household where politics and local issues were often discussed, and differing opinions encouraged and respected. Knowing that understanding both sides of an issue were important for a successful country, kept the conversations lively and interesting.  A strong belief in America and all the opportunities that are part of this country have led her to be a lifelong conservative.

Andrew Hanauer is the President and CEO of the One America Movement, an organization founded by faith and community leaders to address divisiveness in American society. Under Andrew’s leadership, One America has launched projects that bring Americans together across religious, racial, and political divides to address race relations, opioids, poverty and homelessness and many other issues through One America chapters across the country.

“Crushing Democracy: From the Pandemic to the Protests”

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, July 5, 2020 at 5:00pm

Democracy stands at a critical crossroads. Is the Trump presidency taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic and protests for racial justice, to increase executive branch power? Is the November presidential election in peril given the skirmish over mail-in ballots, the uncurbed pandemic, and Donald Trump’s ego and fear of accountability?

In addition, Donald Trump and Mike Pence are attempting to gaslight the public in believing that the coronavirus will "disappear like magic." Is it disappearing? In reality, its toll is starting to rise again and because of this, the European Union is considering banning flights from America to Europe starting July 1. Although most Americans regard the current situation with profound concern, is Donald Trump creating chaos as a cover for advancing his autocratic goals?

Interview Guest:

Mark Karlin is the founder, editor and publisher of BuzzFlash.com, that celebrated its 20th anniversary last May. BuzzFlash was among the first reader-powered progressive sites on the Internet. It aggressively exposes the undermining of democracy and the ongoing peril of the Trump administration. Mark has had an eagle-eye view of democracy’s erosion over the past two decades.

Mark holds a Bachelor's Degree in English, cum laude, from Yale University and a Master's Degree in English from the University of Illinois. He resides in the Midwest, which provides him with a political perspective from outside the Washington, DC, bubble.

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, June 21, 2020 at 5:00pm

What we have been seeing on our streets as protesters or on our television screens, have shown us a dystopian America. We have seen for ourselves a society that is undesirable and frightening. In the past weeks, we have watched the actualization of a world where the state of our society produces great injustice and suffering for large segments of our population.

What is “Collective Trauma?” How does it manifest in combat, mass shootings, and from visions of police in riot gear using military force against Americans? This interview will discuss four types of aftereffects and treatment options on mental models, life scripts and interrupting the reflexive loop.

How does “Collective Trauma” impact our response to the pandemic? How did “Collective Trauma” affect the rise of white supremacy and privilege? How can understanding “Collective Trauma” assist us in reuniting America and save our democracy?

Interview Guests:

Pettis Perry, Ph.D. is a full-time faculty member at Walden University where he teaches a variety of leadership and management courses in the Master of Science in Leadership and Master of Science in Management degree programs. He provides technical assistance and training to an array of schools, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and small and large businesses. In response to students describing their personal traumas and in response to the trauma produced by the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Perry produced webinars titled Creating a Meaningful Life in the Aftermath of Trauma and Beyond Posttraumatic Growth and Selfcare in Times of Crisis: Living in a Topsy-Turvy World.

Michael Gatson, Ph.D. is an Army veteran, author, professor, and expert in military social work and psychology with issues related to military mental health. He currently serves as the Director of a Mental Health Clinic in the VA Maryland Healthcare System. Dr. Gatson has a B.S. degree in Psychology from Northwestern, MSW from Grambling State University, and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Walden University. He has published in several professional journals and has a new children's book entitled “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.”

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, May 24, 2020 at 5:00pm

Produced by KSQD 90.7FM

“The biggest political threat of all for the Bush White House and the Karl Rove prosecution machine was in Alabama.” – Scott Horton, human rights attorney and journalist

Governor Siegelman's case was the subject of a CBS 60 Minutes report and a full-length documentary, "Atticus and the Architect” that may be watched for free on Prime Video.

Gov. Siegelman served five years in federal prison ― including long stretches in solitary confinement ― before being released on probation. One of the solitary confinements happened after Don spoke with progressive talk show host Thom Hartmann!

100 State Attorneys General - both Democratic and Republican - wrote a letter to President Obama requesting that Gov. Don Siegelman be released, since there had been no crime. He was a political prisoner, not a criminal. President Obama did nothing.

Now 73, Gov. Siegelman has devoted himself to promoting prison and judicial reform. His book, "Stealing Our Democracy”, available June 16, explodes the myth of an impartial U.S. judicial system. Listen directly from Governor Don Siegelman about his living nightmare of being an American political prisoner who was convicted of a crime he did not commit.

Hear about his life in federal prison, his abandonment by the Democratic Party, and his new mission to create substantive changes in the criminal justice system.

Visit: https://www.stealingourdemocracy.com

Interview Guest:

“America’s Political Prisoner #1”, former Governor Don Siegelman, is the only politician in Alabama history to hold all the state’s top constitutional offices: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and secretary of state. As his 2006 campaign was getting underway, he was indicted ― wrongfully, according to scores of attorneys general from states across the nation ― convicted, and given a harsh prison sentence by a prosecutor and judge with links to GOP operatives Karl Rove and Jack Abramoff. https://donsiegelman.org

Produced at KSQD 90.7FM

Democracy is being challenged by a pandemic.

The Covid-19 pandemic challenges not only physicians, public health agencies, scientists and ordinary people, but also democracy.  Never before has the US had to confront a virus that generated government behavioral edicts and required elected officials to have to interpret the unknown behavior of a disease-causing pathogen, the Corona Virus -19. News, information and recommendations now become known quickly with social media reaching the entire country overnight.

In past epidemics, the behavior of the causative agent or pathogen was known sufficiently for physicians to give generally agreed upon advice, even though often that advice was incorrect or had little or no effect on the disease.  This time, with nothing known about this new virus, a quarantine was imposed by state governors and these decisions had an enormous impact on peoples’ daily lives. The public was asked or required to stay home and not go to school or work.  The impact was quickly enormous economically hastening the stock market to crash and 20-million people were out of work. Public animosity towards the quarantine decisions and the shutdown of peoples’ lives has grown and became a political issue.

With scientists looking for a successful treatment or drug and with pharmaceutical companies all over the world searching for a vaccine to prevent the disease, there is now international involvement.  Policy issues arose in this country and across the world.  In the US there is a generally recognized divide between political parties that, until well into the pandemic, paralyzed the legislative process and provoked great confusion regarding what was the scientific basis used to implement or not implement the best scientific and medical advice.  This political divide undermined public confidence in their elected leaders and made them suspicious of all medical and leadership directives or did it?

Interview Guest :

Peter Levin, ScD, is the former Dean of the School of Public Health for the State University of New York (SUNY) and the founding Dean of the College of Public Health, South Florida, Tampa. He was Dean and professor of Hospital Administration in the College of Public Health at Oklahoma University and was Assistant Professor of Yale’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health.

In addition, Dr. Levin was the Health Policy Counsel for Senator Connie Mack, Republican-FL. and Associate Commissioner of Health for Program Analysis and Planning at New York City’s Department of Health. More locally, Dr. Levin was Associate Vice President for Medical Affairs, at Stanford University Medical Center and Executive Director of Stanford University Hospital. Dr. Levin’s recognition and awards are numerous and his experience and credentials are extensive since his years of education at Yale, Harvard, and Johns Hopkins Universities.

Currently, Dr. Peter Levin is a Public Health Consultant residing in Carmel, CA and, to add one more item of note, he was a Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Democracy at Queens University, Canada.

Mainstream news media outlets have been slow to recognize and report on the climate and other ecological systems collapse. Is it out of ignorance, arrogance or both? In the vacuum, disinformation campaigns have filled the void, “fueled” by right wing media and oil industry money. More than 90% of radio hosts are conservative. This is a big part of the denialism in our country.

Has the news media abandoned the climate and other environmental threats while doing the opposite with the coronavirus? The common denominators in both crises are: 1) Deadly global threat, no one is exempt, 2) Information and action can thwart or slow spread, 3) Personal actions have a public impact, 4) Requires national and international cooperation to reduce threat, 5) Requires some individual and societal sacrifice but benefit outweighs risk (suffering and death).

What corporate news organizations choose to focus on determines what the public is focused upon and this narrow-vision contributes to ignorance, avoidance, and lack of response. This failure has been key in the lack of national response thus worsening the climate crisis during critical years. Media managers don’t see it as their duty to provide solutions. So, whose responsibility IS it? What could possibly go wrong?

Interview Guests:

Betsy Rosenberg’s broadcast career in television began working for ABC Sports for the Olympics and then working, for two decades, in radio as a reporter and anchor with CBS News. Later, she created, hosted, and produced “EcoTalk” heard on the Air America radio network attracting an audience of 50,000 and becoming the first daily green show in broadcast history. During its ten-year run, Betsy interviewed hundreds of eco-leaders in science, politics, culture, business, tech, arts and activism - from Al Gore and Bernie Sanders to Drs. Jim Hansen and Katherine Hayhoe to CEO’s from all the pioneering green companies. Betsy blazed a trail in the field of environmental and climate journalism. She has written for Huffington Post and Medium.com, often about the media’s failure to cover climate change, and is a contributing chapter author in Climate Abandoned: We’re on the Endangered Species List, a #1 Amazon bestseller.

Dr. Richard Nolthenius is Astronomy Program Chair at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, CA. Dr. Nolthenius specializes in Mathematics, Aerospace Thermodynamics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy. In the past 10 years, Richard added climate science to his expertise, teaching a comprehensive course – Astro 7 - in Climate Science and its civilization context.  By examining the climate science problem and searching for solutions, he has found it connected fundamentally to everything – from physics and evolutionary biology, to psychology, to economics and politics, to the thermodynamics of complex dynamical systems, and even the “strange attractors” of Chaos Theory. Solutions are not going to come from techno-wizardry, nor from politicians on the horizon today, nor from anyone mired in our current paradigms. Richard is a contributing chapter author in Climate Abandoned: We’re on the Endangered Species List, a #1 Amazon bestseller.

For all of human evolution, we’ve been rewarded by Nature for maximizing our growth.  That reward - the very brain chemistry that has programmed us - is now propelling us towards calamity. Climate change, political fascism, pandemics, exponential increases in denialism, fake news and lies of all kinds…. Are these symptoms of an evolutionary mistake? As we hit the finite limits of the only living planet in the known universe, and the only one which can ever hope to sustain humanity – what are the unacknowledged constrictions which bind our choices and which frustrate our attempts to use old habits born of evolutionary adaptations, to deal with a fundamentally new world?

In this show, we will explore what are the limits to our choices imposed by physical reality, by biological reality and how these impacts the individual and the emergent civilization he or she has made. We’ll then explore how the future might evolve…  and how it most likely will, evolve.

Interview Guest:

Dr. Richard Nolthenius is Astronomy Program Chair at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, CA. Dr. Nolthenius began his career in Mathematics, moved to Aerospace Thermodynamics in private industry, then to Applied Physics at Stanford University, and then to his boyhood love of Astronomy at UCLA, and beyond. In the past 10 years, he’s added climate science to his expertise, teaching a comprehensive course – Astro 7 - in Climate Science and its civilization context.  But examining the climate science problem and searching for solutions, he has found it connected fundamentally to everything – from physics and evolutionary biology, to psychology, to economics and politics, to the thermodynamics of complex dynamical systems, and even the “strange attractors” of Chaos Theory. Solutions are not going to come from techno-wizardry, nor from politicians on the horizon today, nor from anyone mired in our current paradigms.

The Constitution is being strenuously tested. How is our Constitution being adhered to or challenged today? Or, is it just a quaint piece of paper as former AG Roberto Gonzales once stated? What are the impacts of the hostility between the president and a few Supreme Court judges who, like himself, are supposed to function as impartial judges and enforcers of the Constitution?  Like the president himself, many executive roles have been manipulated to gain political advantage and powers expanded or contracted accordingly, but these certain governmental functions were intended to be above the fray.

Also, as the President recently stated is he really the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of America? Are free speech rights under attack, or being abused?

Interview Guests:

Michelle (Mickey) Welsh, J.D., is a professor of Constitutional Law and Employment Law at Monterey College of Law with a legal expertise in employment, education and civil rights. She is a previous chair of the Northern California American Civil Liberties Union board of directors and has been an active member in the Monterey County chapter for 40 years.  Currently, Mickey chairs their Legal Committee. In addition, Mickey is past chair of the Monterey County Women Lawyers Association and has served on numerous organization board of directors in Monterey County.

Mike Rotkin is a former five-time mayor of the City of Santa Cruz and served six terms on the Santa Cruz City Council between 1979 and 2010. Mike retired after teaching 42 years in the Community Studies Dept. at UCSC, where he served as Director of the Field Studies Program. Mike was on the board of directors on the Santa Cruz chapter of the ACLU for several decades. And currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Coastal Watershed Council and the Democratic Women’s Club of Santa Cruz County.

Gen Z.  Who are they and what do they think of American democracy?

Tune in for a very special discussion on the role this coming-of-age generation plays in the preservation of democracy. What does a democratic republic and a two-party system mean to them? What methods are they thinking about to encourage political discussion in productive and non-inflammatory ways. How is this even possible with the deep tribalism that has taken hold in America? How to they respond to a politicians' lack of accountability and dishonesty and what are their ideas to combat it? Also find out Gen Z’s views are on impeachment, immigration, and social media.

Interview Guests:

Zoe Garderet is completing her senior year at Carmel High School, CA. She is interested in studying Psychology and Law in college. With her involvement on her school’s Mock Trial team, Zoe has become fascinated by the world of politics and law, learning the flaws of both systems in the hopes of one day fixing them.

Jordi Faxon is a senior at Carmel High School, CA who lives with his parents, twin brother, and 3 dogs in Carmel Valley. He is a jazz pianist with the Monterey Jazz Festival, and he is interested in studying Philosophy and Literature. His call to democracy comes from following the Catalan independence movement, as it represents his mother’s heritage, of the Catalan people.

“Our worldview is the set of assumptions we hold about how things work: how society functions, its relationship with the natural world, what’s valuable and what’s possible. It often remains unquestioned and unstated but is deeply felt and underlies many of the choices we make in our lives.” – Jeremy Lent

What shaky foundations could our democratic republic currently be built upon? Do our House and Senate representatives believe “humans are fundamentally selfish” and, therefore, make legislative and funding decisions based on that assumption? Maybe that thinking creates a structural flaw and a new foundation from which to make decisions could be that “humans are fundamentally cooperative?”

Could the current Administration be implementing another structural flaw by making policy based on the thinking that “humans are separate from nature?” This flaw seems to be clearly demonstrated by the selling off federal land to oil drilling and by rolling back clean air and water requirements? What federal policy decisions could be made if decision makers based policy on thinking that  “humans are an integral part of nature?”

These questions and more will be discussed with Jeremy Lent, author of The Patterning Instinct: A Cultural History of Humanity’s Future, based on a simple but compelling theme – culture shapes values and those values shape history. So, how do those shaped values contribute to the culture wars fiercely debated and manipulated in America today?

Interview Guest:

Jeremy Lent is an author whose writings investigate the patterns of thought that have led our civilization to its current crisis of sustainability. His recent book, The Patterning Instinct: A Cultural History of Humanity’s Search for Meaning, explores the way humans have made meaning from the cosmos from hunter-gatherer times to the present day. He is founder of the nonprofit Liology Institute dedicated to fostering an integrated worldview that could enable humanity to thrive sustainably on the earth. His upcoming book is titled, The Web of Meaning: Integrating Science and Traditional Wisdom to Find Our Place in the Universe. Jeremy was born and raised in London and attended Cambridge University and the University of Chicago and currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“Fredrickson exposes the powerful, wealthy string-pullers manipulating American politics with dark money, fake science, front groups, and—increasingly—amenable judges. Knowledge is power, and her book will help empower us to reclaim our country.” — Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, author of "Captured: The Corporate Infiltration of American Democracy"

What gave the Right the winning hand was not unethical or anti-democratic content, but the fact that they had grabbed control of the rule book.

In elections, the Left needs to put as much or more energy into the composition of the electorate as into the campaign platform – while the Right has tried to limit the number of voters, the Left needs to expand the pool and make it easier to vote.  Redistricting and election administration, court rules and administrative procedures, all of these must rise to the top of the progressive agenda.  We can be ruthless about gaining power and changing the rules of the game while remaining true to our values of democracy, equality, and justice.

Interview Guests:

Caroline Fredrickson is the author of The Democracy’s Fix. Caroline was President of the American Constitution Society (ACS) from 2009-2019 and now is President Emerita. During her tenure, Caroline helped grow the ACS that now has lawyer chapters across the country, student chapters in nearly every law school in the United States, and thousands of members throughout the nation. Caroline has published works on many legal and constitutional issues and is a frequent guest on television and radio, including noteworthy appearances on “All in with Chris Hayes” on MSNBC in 2018 discussing the Russia investigation.

Mike Rotkin is a former five-time mayor of the City of Santa Cruz and served six terms on the Santa Cruz City Council between 1979 and 2010. Mike retired after teaching 42 years in the Community Studies Dept. at UCSC, where he served as Director of the Field Studies Program, supervising student interns working on social and environmental issues in Santa Cruz and around the globe. Mike currently does part-time organizing and grievance work for the University Council of the American Federation of Teachers. He has been recalled to teach part-time at UCSC and serves on the Board of Directors of the Coastal Watershed Council and the Democratic Women’s Club of Santa Cruz County.

What does it do to democracy when the President of the United States uses political sound-bites to capture the country’s attention such as “coup” and “civil war?”

In our overwhelming news-culture, a short clip of speech that typifies a lengthier concept is increasingly employed by politicians to summarize their positions and/or label opponents and ideas whether true or not. In the past few years, this strategy has been increasingly exploited. With the current impeachment inquiry and the upcoming presidential election, the war of sound-bites will become deafening.

In the political uproar, the truth might not win out over the shortest and most clever sound-bite. The American attention span is very short. There are no truth-in-advertising laws for political ads and political ads employ short narratives to convince listeners of agendas that may not be to their benefit. Yet, we have the tools to become well-informed. We have minds that can hold competing thoughts in our heads until we do our research. Then, why do so many people fall for the bumper sticker sound-bite?

Interview Guest:

Carl Petersen has been a political activist and has run for elected office. He is a father of five with two on the autism spectrum, and is a special education advocate. He is an extensive writer whose articles have been published in OpEdNews (“Losing the Sound-Bite War”), K-12 News Network (“Education for Sale”), and Medium (“Universal Acceptance”).

Our democracy is in danger and Protect Democracy (protectdemocracy.org) is watching and indexing the threats not seen in generations. In partnership with the “Authoritarian Warning Survey”, they currently rank the threat level as: “Substantial Erosion.” What does this mean and how do we fight the significant threats to our already teetering democracy?

Protect Democracy has identified six threats to our ability to save our American democracy: Politicizing Independent Institutions, Spreading Disinformation, Executive Power Grabs, Quashing Dissent, Delegitimizing Communities, and Corrupting Elections. Please join in by listening to Ben Berwick, Counsel for Protect Democracy, and Mike Rotkin, five-time Mayor of the City of Santa Cruz, as they discuss more fully what these threats are and how we may fight to save the Republic.

Interview Guests:

Ben Berwick, Counsel, Before joining Protect Democracy, Ben worked for 6.5 years in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) – spending most of the time as a Trial Attorney with the Civil Division, Federal Programs Branch. In that capacity, Ben defended against challenges to federal statutes and actions of the Executive Branch. He litigated cases involving a variety of statutes and agencies, including as the lead attorney in cases challenging the Department of Education’s and DOJ’s interpretation of Title IX as prohibiting discrimination against transgender students.

Mike Rotkin is a former five-time mayor of the City of Santa Cruz and served six terms on the Santa Cruz City Council between 1979 and 2010. Mike retired after teaching 42 years in the Community Studies Dept. at UCSC, where he served as Director of the Field Studies Program, supervising student interns working on social and environmental issues in Santa Cruz and around the globe. Mike currently does part-time organizing and grievance work for the University Council of the American Federation of Teachers. He has been recalled to teach part-time at UCSC and serves on the Board of Directors of the Coastal Watershed Council and the Democratic Women’s Club of Santa Cruz County.

The horror movie has begun. Global fire. Oceans rising. Pestilence. The movie is getting more frightening every minute.  Will it have a good ending? What part can our American democracy play? Will it be the courageous hero who fights the scary monster head on or will it play the monster who gruesomely will destroy civilization?

Organizers and participants of the upcoming “Global Climate Strike,” to be held the week of September 20-27, 2019, are mobilizing to inspire elected politicians and policy makers to metamorphize into courageous and bold heroes who fight the horror movie villain … planetary climate breakdown. Be a bold hero and participate in one, or all, of over a dozen local Climate Strike events (https://scruzclimate.org).

Join Nancy-Glock-Grueneich, Host of The Future We Need and How to Get It television series and Stan Rushworth, Cabrillo College Instructor Emeritus of Native American Literature and Critical Thinking to discuss democracy’s power for good or evil, in fighting the climate crisis and to learn how you may participate in many local climate strike events.

Interview Guests:

Stan Rushworth is Instructor Emeritus of Native American Literature and Critical Thinking surrounding Indigenous issues at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California. He was a tenured professor from 1992-2008 with a focus on Native American Literature, indigenous issues and development of support for under-represented students. Today, the topic of the climate crisis is a great concern. Stan is a teacher, speaker, and author. He is the author of Going to Water: The Journal of Beginning Rain and Sam Woods: American Healing.

Nancy Glock-Grueneich, Ph.D. is the Founder of Within Reach Network for Strategic Citizen Action. She is host of a seven-part series, The Future We Need and How to Get It, that looks at sources of citizen power: 1) Change the Story, 2) Change Our Ways, 3) Move the Money, 4) Change the Rules, 5) Change the Politics 6) Change the Game, and 7) What we can do. To watch the series, visit: (http://www.future-we-need.tv/). Nancy was also Vice President of Intellitics and a faculty member at Shandong Youth University of Political Science, Jinan, China.

Our democracy is in danger and Protect Democracy (protectdemocracy.org) is watching and indexing the threats not seen in generations. In partnership with the “Authoritarian Warning Survey”, they currently rank the threat level as: “Substantial Erosion.” What does this mean and how do we fight the significant threats to our already teetering democracy?

Protect Democracy has identified six threats to our ability to save our American democracy: Politicizing Independent Institutions, Spreading Disinformation, Executive Power Grabs, Quashing Dissent, Delegitimizing Communities, and Corrupting Elections. Please join in by listening to Paulina Montañez-Montes from Protect Democracy, and Mike Rotkin, five-time Mayor of the City of Santa Cruz, as they discuss more fully what thesProtect Democracy Media Releasee threats are and how we can fight to save the Republic.

Interview Guests:

Paulina Montañez-Montes has spent nearly a decade serving as an advisor and operative in both local and federal government and for political campaigns. Before joining Protect Democracy, she was Senior Digital Strategist at a boutique digital firm where she led fundraising email programs for a number of high-profile Congressional races critical to flipping the House in 2018. She has also served the Obama administration in Secretary Penny Pritzker’s office at the U.S. Department of Commerce and on the Advance Travel Team for the Office of the Vice President Joe Biden, ensuring the seamless execution of trips or engagements in the U.S. and abroad. Paulina earned her master’s degree from the George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management.

Mike Rotkin is a former five-time mayor of the City of Santa Cruz and served six terms on the Santa Cruz City Council between 1979 and 2010. Mike retired after teaching 42 years in the Community Studies Dept. at UCSC, where he served as Director of the Field Studies Program, supervising student interns working on social and environmental issues in Santa Cruz and around the globe. Mike currently does part-time organizing and grievance work for the University Council of the American Federation of Teachers. He has been recalled to teach part-time at UCSC and serves on the Board of Directors of the Coastal Watershed Council and the Democratic Women’s Club of Santa Cruz County.

More than ever, America needs an “upwising.” What exactly does that mean? The Swami Beyondananda (aka Steve Bhearman) will tell us along with how heart-opening humor and politics work.

As the Swami heralds: “Despite what we hear and see on the news, we have a deeply UNITED body politic in America.  Whether people identify as progressive, conservative, independent or ‘other’, the vast majority of Americans believe our current pay-to-play political system doesn’t represent them.”

In addition, the Swami will be joined by Santa Cruz’s very own political comedian, Richard Stockton. Richard is a relative of the only signer of the Declaration of Independence who was captured and tortured by the British. He was also named Richard Stockton and was sent by New Jersey to vote for independence. Hear his story. Listen to Steve Bhearman and Richard Stockton for their expert and often humorous views on the state of our democracy.

Interview Guests:

Steve Bhearman is a writer, author, and humorist, who’s spent the past 30 years writing and performing in the guise of cosmic comic Swami Beyondananda.  Swami’s comedy has been described both as “comedy disguised as wisdom” and “wisdom disguised as comedy.”  Noted author and current Presidential candidate Marianne Williamson, has called Steve/Swami “the Mark Twain of our times.” (wikipolitiki.com)

Richard Stockton is a stand-up comic who has appeared on dozens of national TV shows, performed as a sketch comedy player on Live From LA on BET, headlined A List comedy clubs from coast to coast– Improv, Punchline, Comedy Underground, Comedy Works, and more. His first book, “Fondle The Fear,” is now in its third printing. He, also, will soon be bringing back Planet Cruz Comedy a live comedy/variety show. (richardstockton.com)

A serious void exists in the public discourse relating to the issues that directly and/or disproportionately impact the African-American community. Dr. Wilmer Leon discusses issues such as the prison industrial complex, environmental racism, school vouchers, health care, crime policy, economic globalization, American domestic and foreign policy from as much of a non-biased and academically accurate perspective as possible.  Dr. Leon’s perspective and lectures are grounded in the history of the African American community and the radical tradition of African American scholarship.

Interview Guests:

Dr. Wilmer Leon, is a Political Scientist whose expertise is in the areas of Black Politics, America Government, and Public Policy. Dr. Leon is a nationally broadcast radio talk show host on SiriusXM of “Inside the Issues with Wilmer Leon.” He is a regular contributor to TruthOut.org, The Root.com, Politics In Color.com, BlackStar News.com, Black Agenda Report, and over 200 newspapers and other web sites across the country. His latest book is "Politics Another Perspective: Commentary and Analysis on Race, War, Ethics, and the American Political Landscape.

Akin Babatola, is a Molecular Biologist and, since 2002, the Laboratory and Environmental Compliance Manager for the City of Santa Cruz. He is a life time member in the NAACP and is a member of the 100 Black Men Inc, Silicon Valley Chapter. He is frequently published in professional environmental water quality science publications. Akin has a commitment to dialectical thinking to his world view which he hopes is transparent in his science and politics and consistently in his social and professional affiliations.

The return of the strongman. Principles of democratic rule are being challenged, and authoritarian leadership styles are gaining greater attention even in America, the greatest democracy the world has ever known. Strongmen rule over some of the most populous and powerful nations on earth such as China, Russia, Egypt, Turkey, Hungary and even America. The American republic could die and is considered by many to no longer be one. In 2015, President Jimmy Carter stated: “We've become, now, an oligarchy instead of a democracy.”

Listen to Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Dr. Ronnie Lipschutz to hear their expert views on authoritarianism, fascism, the state of our democracy, and what we can expect next.

Interview Guests:

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University, is an award-winning author and political commentator on fascism, authoritarian leadership, and propaganda, offering historically informed analyses of current events in regular columns for CNN.com, the Washington Post, and on radio, podcasts, and television. She is the author of the award-winning book, Italian Fascism’s Empire Cinema, and several others (ruthbenghiat.com).

Dr. Ronnie Lipschutz is a Politics Dept. professor at UCSC and is the author of two books on politics and popular culture—Cold War Fantasies: Film, Fiction and Foreign Policy and Political Economy, Capitalism and Popular Culture—and a number of articles along the same lines—and an aficionado of science fiction films and novels.

How did we get into this mess -  having dark, unaccountable money silently funding our democracy?

What is the most difficult and rigorous process in a democracy? Passing a Constitutional amendment.  Yet, it is the only tool left in the tool box to fix campaign spending. The Supreme Court opened elections to the highest bidder and there is nothing Congress can do now. Only we-the-people can fix it with an amendment passed by 38 state legislatures. Don’t think it can be done? Well, American Promise and our guest Johannes Epke thinks it can! How can you make it happen? 

Interview Guests:

Johannes Epke is a lawyer who has spent most of his career working on elections and campaign finance reforms. He is a California native, a proud banana slug - class of 2005, and graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. He is currently on staff with American Promise and previously worked for Move to Amend.

Mike Rotkin is a five-time former Mayor of the City of Santa Cruz who also taught for 42 years in UCSC’s Community Services Dept. and must have been there when Johannes was a student! Mike currently does part-time organizing and grievance work for the University Council of the American Federation of Teachers and was also union president at UCSC and he still teaches part-time at the University.

Have you been wondering lately about what, exactly, is happening around the world?  Are you curious about what the United States is trying to accomplish out there?  Do you understand Brexit or why our President thinks it’s so great? And are you thoroughly confused by the dueling Twitters emanating from the White House, State Department, Pentagon, National Security Agency and others?  Well, wonder no more.

Interview Guest:

Ronnie Lipschutz, Ph.D., is a University of Santa Cruz Politics Dept. Professor who is going to (try to) explain US foreign policy in the Age of Trump. Ronnie has been a Professor of Politics at UCSC since 1990 where he was previously assigned to teach U.S. foreign policy to undergraduates.  His most recent book on the topic is "The Constitution of Imperium." He also hosts his own radio show on KSQD 90.7FM, "Sustainability Now."

Celebrating Be Bold America!’s 5-year Anniversary!

Back by popular demand! One of the most listened to “Be Bold America!” programs in five years. If you missed it, here is another chance!

 Be Bold America!” Sunday, February 11, 2024 at 5:00pm (PT)

New Zealander, Capt. Pete Bethune, has been run over by Japanese whalers, shot at by illegal gold miners, knifed in the chest while following the illegal pet trade, and nearly diedafter being bitten by south America’s deadliest snake. It is safe to say that Capt. Bethune is the Indiana Jones for saving endangered species worldwide.

From serving months in a maximum-security prison for fighting Japanese whalers to saving endangered red monkeys from poachers in the Amazon to his K9 tracking program in the jungles of Costa Rica, Pete Bethune’s KSQD 90.7FM “Be Bold America! interview will move and inspire you. 

Pete Bethune takes conservation to the extreme. As the founder of Earthrace Conservation (earthrace.net), Pete is a world record holder of circling the globe four times in his powerboat named, Earthrace.

At the heart of it all, Pete is a ship captain with a dangerous environmental mission.

Interview Guest:

Capt. Bethune TEDxAuckland talk was one of the most emotional speeches where by Pete argues that we can all lead extraordinary and meaningful lives, but the key is to find and stand for a cause you truly believe in – that is worth dying for.

His missions have seen him shot at, incarcerated in Libya and Japan and held under armed guardin a Guatemalan Military camp. As the producer of his show ‘The Operatives’, Pete runs a team of former special forces operatives to combat wildlife poaching, smuggling and illegal fishing in Africa, Asia, and Central America. He also works closely with government enforcement units, training them in coastal surveillance and hostile vessel takedown. 

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, December 3, 2023 at 5:00pm (PT)

Noam Chomsky states: “Dying for Capitalism is carefully reasoned and informed, spelling out what we can and must do, without delay.”

We are dying—literally—from capitalism, and if our species is to survive we need a new abolitionist movement whose goal is to overturn capitalism and replace it with policies and politics that are designed to meet the needs of the many, instead of the bottom lines of the few.

A triangle of extinction … capitalism, environmental destruction, and war, are creating an emergency that humanity-as-a-whole has never faced before.

Interview guest, Dr. Charles Derber, will tell us how runaway capitalism has brought us to the brink of extinction, trace the history of how the U.S. became the leading capitalist power, and chart a way to a more hopeful future.

Interview Guest: 

Dr. Charles Derber is Professor of Sociology at Boston College and has written 26 books- on politics, democracy, fascism, corporations, capitalism, climate change, war, the culture wars, culture and conversation, and social change. 

He writes for and has been reviewed in the NY Times, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, Truthout, and other leading media. His books are translated into 14 languages and his most recent books include Dying for Capitalism, Welcome to the Revolution, Moving Beyond Fear, Sociopathic Society: A People's Sociology of the United States; Capitalism: Should You Buy It?

Guest Cohost:

Richard Nolthenius, Ph.D. is a member of the Earth Futures Institute with specialty in economics, at UC Santa Cruz, and is also Chair of the Astronomy Department at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, CA. Since 2009 Richard has shifted his focused to climate science and the human poly-crisis, and teaches a comprehensive course on climate change and its civilization context. By following the crisis’ threads, he finds no solution is possible which neglects the deep causes for human behavior, in virtually all areas. It’s not just a techno problem.

Who is the bold personality behind “Be Bold America!”?

"Talk of the Bay" host, Christine Barrington, takes you "Behind the Mic" with host Jill Cody, author of America Abandoned and Climate Abandoned whose vision for an American political renaissance centers on igniting citizen action. 

Every other Sunday at 5:00pm (PT) on KSQD, Jill hosts local and national thought leaders who offer knowledge, insight, and strategic choices for recreating Democracy. Join Christine to discover what inspired Jill to become a bold and dedicated voice for empowering political structures that work for all of life.

INTERVIEW HOST:

Christine Barrington has lived on numerous continents and is an avid student of the stories human beings tell to create meaningful lives. She practices as a transformational coach and is dedicated to being of service in uplifting individual brilliance and capacity. 

Christine is a talk show host for "Talk of the Bay" and the "Behind the Mic" series on KSQD 90.7 FM bringing stories of creativity and commitment from local and national personalities as humanity strives to meet this moment of dire transformation on planet earth. 

“Be Bold America!” Sunday, June 20, 2021 at 5:00pm

“The real threat to our future is Biden and the well-heeled powerful forces who want us to lose sight of what made America great in the first place. It’s not our diversity. It’s our freedom.” - Laura Ingraham - Fox News

What is freedom, really? It is when someone says, "It's my freedom to not get vaccinated"?  Is it when, in the view of Laura Ingraham, that well-heeled forces are trying to get her to lose sight of what made America great in the first place?

What did make America great in the first place? If it isn't our diversity that is adopted in our country's motto, e pluribus unum (out of many, one), then what is it? Who are these "well-heeled" forces anyway and are there no "well-healed" powerful forces threatening our future from the alt-right?

Victor Frankl, psychiatrist and Nazi concentration camp survivor said that his concentration camp guards had more liberty than he, but that he had more freedom than his captors. What did he mean by this?

Have we lost the definition of freedom? Have we manipulated it to support our selfishness and/ or our political beliefs?

Interview Guest:

Thomas J. Main is a Professor at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs of Baruch College, CUNY. He is author of The Rise of Illiberalism (Brookings, forthcoming Fall 2021), The Rise of the Alt-Right, (Brookings 2018) and Homelessness in New York City: Policymaking from Koch to de Blasio (NYU Press 2016).  His research interests are: liberal democracy and its challenges, bureaucracy and public administration, urban politics, homelessness, and the American Constitution and founding. Prof. Main holds a Ph.D. in Politics from Princeton University, a two-year MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a BA from the University of Chicago. He is currently writing

The day after the domestic terrorist attack on our nation's Capitol Building KSQD's program director, Howard Feldstein, coordinated a discussion  with leading experts: Steven Zunes, Univeristy of San Francisco politics professor and Jill Cody, political scientists and author of America Abandoned: The Secret Velvet Coup That Cost Us Our Democracy (and KSQD's "Be Bold America!" radio show host) and San Farr, former Democratic member of the U.S. House representing California's 20th Congressional District and Ronnie Lipschutz, Univeristy of California Santa Cruz politics professor and Rachel Ann Goodman, KSQD President and journalist professor. Hosted by Chris Krohn, Talk of the Bay.

When the seat of democracy was being assaulted by domestic terrorists on January 6, 2021, KSQD's program director, Howard Feldstein, raced to gather experts to discuss what was happening that very moment in our country. Guests are:  Jill Cody, Political Scientist and author of America Abandoned: The Velvet Coup That Cost Us Our Democracy (and KSQD's "Be Bold America!" radio show host), Tony Russomanno, Journalist with two Peabody Awards and a multiple Emmy Award winner for news, features, and personal reporting at KGO-TV and KPIX-TV. And, fortunately available at the last minute,  Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University, is an award-winning author and political commentator on fascism, authoritarian leadership, and propaganda, offering historically informed analyses of current events in regular columns for CNN.com and the Washington Post, and on radio, podcasts, and television. Her new, recently published, book is: “Strongman: Mussolini to the Present." Strongman is the first academic book to add Donald J Trump to the infamous list of authoritarian leaders. Hosted by Len Beyea, Talk of the Bay.

“Suing Fox News - The case: WASHLITE v. Fox Corporation No. 20-2-07428-4, King County, California”

The Washington League for Increased Transparency and Ethics (WASHLITE) claims that Fox News and other defendants “willfully and maliciously engaged in a campaign of deception and omission regarding the danger of the international proliferation of the novel Coronavirus.” The core of the group’s argument is that certain Fox News segments downplayed the danger the virus posed and therefore allowed the virus to spread in a less checked manner than might otherwise have occurred and is suing Fox News under the consumer-protection law. WASHLITE wants the court to order the network to stop making false statements about the virus.

Fox News was faced last week with a judge who was skeptical of its claim that the US Constitution’s First Amendment bars lawsuits alleging that a hose on the network downplayed the danger by calling it a “hoax.” WASHLITE states that cable networks aren’t afforded the same First Amendment protections as print media. The Fox News attorney states that the network is protected by the First Amendment and that the lawsuit is “absurd and unconstitutional.”

WASLITE’s claim also took exception to Fox News referring to itself as a “news” broadcast.

Interview Guest:

Arthur West grew up in Madison Wisconsin in the 1960s. Since then he has lived in Japan, Germany, Ethiopia, Santa Cruz and Escondido. For the last 25 years he has lived in Olympia Washington, and has litigated numerous cases against large organizations, including Intel, Weyerhaeuser, the Ports of Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia, and the State Associations of Counties and Cities. West is currently litigating a records case with Tacoma over records of their Stingray equipment, and an OPMA case with Seattle over their clandestine decision to withdrawal the EHO Tax. From 2011-2012 West collaborated with Fairfax County on a successful NEPA campaign to challenge and force amendments to the Bush Administration's 2 Billion Dollar Hot Lanes Project. He has over a dozen published opinions in open government and environmental law.

How will the Electoral College be made irrelevant? The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It already has been enacted into law in 16 jurisdictions with 196 votes. The bill will go into effect when enacted by states with an additional 74 electoral votes. The bill is close! How will they be secured?

Also, what is Swing Left Santa Cruz doing to focus on the 12 “Super States” that could flip the White House, the Senate and roll back Republican gerrymandering? They organized countless actions towards flipping the House in 2018 and flipped 7 seats in California. How will the Santa Cruz chapter build on its 2018 success?

Interview Guests :

Scott Drexel, representing the National Popular Vote, is a longtime advisor to some of the country’s most active donors, activists, and business leaders. He serves on finance committees for several national democratic committees, and has been active in the campaigns of numerous candidates. He has worked in over 30 states on behalf of National Popular Vote. Scoot lives in Tiburon, CA with his wife and daughter.

Rene’ Bloch, representing Swing Left Santa Cruz, organized the Santa Cruz chapter after the 2016 presidential election and has experience significant success in just three short years. They organized 100 people to canvass in Congressional District 10 and organized 35 people to register voters in Arizona. Plans for the 2020 election are in full swing … to the Left! Rene’

“The rise of conservative talk radio has changed American politics and American life, and Brian Rosenwald tells a careful and comprehensive story of its rise and its mushrooming influence. From Rush Limbaugh’s humble beginnings to the election of Donald Trump, Talk Radio’s America shows through careful research and subtle argument how talk radio moved well beyond entertainment and grievance to change the role and make up of mainstream media, the kinds of stories Americans consume in the pliable nature of truth. A superb guide to one of the most potent forces in modern political history.” – John Dickerson, 60 Minutes correspondent

While talk radio largely benefits Republicans, the medium has constrained elected Republican leaders and hindered their ability to build a big tent party by enacting an agenda with broad appeal. Brian Rosenwald’s book, Talk Radio’s America: How an Industry Took Over a Political Party That Took Over the United States, argues that hosts have emerged over the last 25 years as republican party leaders. They preform many traditional leadership functions, including fundraising and motivating listeners to vote, and they also use their unique platforms to aid Republicans in spreading a message and combatting crisis. Unsurprisingly, over time hosts have become increasingly hostile towards moderate Republicans and, especially in the last decade, conservatives inclined to compromise. Because of these hosts’ ability to affect primary elections, talk radio has contributed to the increasing conservatism of the Republican Party, and to political polarization and gridlock. Brian Rosenwald’s book also explores the consequences of the Democrat’s struggles with talk radio and facing an electorate the majority of which only receives a conservative message.

Interview Guest:

Brian Rosenwald is scholar in residence at the Partnership for Effective Public Administration and Leadership Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania and Editor-in-Chief of Made a History, a Washington Post history section. His new book, Talk Radio’s America: How an Industry Took Over a Political Party That Took Over the United States is available now. Rosenwald’s work and expertise have been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Atlantic, the Wall Street Journal, and other publications, and he is a frequent guest on radio and television, including on NPR and CNN. For more information, see BrianRosenwald.com, or follow Brian on Twitter: @brianros1.

Listen to why Bottom-Up thinking is one of the most positive disruptive forces in the world. Bottom-Up is a way of life and a n impactful way of doing business. The Bottom-Up Revolution, picks up where Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point left off. This new, hopeful paradigm shift is well on the way to changing the world, and you can ride the wave and help make it happen. Bottom-Up thinking builds and accesses power --political, personal, community, organizational— that was not available in the top-down world, before the bottom-up revolution. The Bottom-Up uprising, which includes debillionarizing the world, will bring economic balance and take America back from the precipice of narcissistic idiocracy our democracy is struggling with.

Interview Guest:

Rob Kall, robkall.com, is an award-winning journalist, inventor, software architect, connector and visionary. He is the author of The Bottom-Up Revolution: Mastering the Emerging World of Connectivity. Articles by and about him have been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, ABC, the HuffPost, Success, Discover, and other media. He hosts some of the world’s smartest, most interesting, and powerful people on his “Bottom Up Radio Show” heard on Pacific stations. Rob founded and publishes one of the top Google-ranked progressive news and opinion sites, OpEdNews.com, where he writes extensively on the challenges facing democracy today.

In a recent nationwide poll, 71% of the general public agreed that witnesses should be required to testify at Donald Trump’s senate impeachment trial. That is, until some learned their political tribe leaders stood against it. Those in the Republican political tribe realized their faction wasn’t supporting witness testimony and, thus, they couldn’t either. Predictively, support for witnesses being called to testify at the senate trial declined to a little over 50%, with Republicans having withdrawn their approval.  Common sense would lean towards hearing from witnesses and gathering as much facts and information as possible for a trial, but once the tribe leaders had spoken, common sense flew out the window. Why can’t we admit when the “other side” has a good idea? How do we live with hypocrisy and bias? What is naïve realism?

Interview Guest:

Daniel Stalder, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He’s received awards for his teaching and research. His recent book is The Power of Context: How to Manage Our Bias and Improve Our Understanding of Others. Dr. Stalder has written articles about political tribalism, hypocrisy, bias, and individual differences, and he has also been interviewed and consulted by outlets such as The Atlantic, The Verge, and NPR.

“Forget the politicians. The politicians are put there to give you the idea you have freedom of choice. You don't. You have no choice." - George Carlin

Executive producer, Jeff Cohen, will discuss his movie and the powerful political influence of American corporations today. The movie, THE CORPORATE COUP D'ÉTAT, takes a complex political/historical theme and brings it to life. It creates a powerful cinematic experience that explains how President Trump is the result of failed neoliberal globalist policies, and a 'corporate coup d'état' in which corporations and billionaires were able to gradually take control of the political process in the U.S. and elsewhere. Listen to how and why this movie had to be made and learn Jeff's views on politics today, his time as a TV commentator for CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News, and about his activism in co-founding Roots Action and Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR).

Interview Guest:

Jeff Cohen, jeffcohen.org, media critic and lecturer, was founding director of the Park Center for Independent Media at Ithaca College, where he was an associate professor of journalism. He founded the media watch group FAIR in 1986, and cofounded the online activist group RootsAction.org in 2011. Cohen has coproduced documentary movies, including “The Corporate Coup D’Etat” and “All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception and the Spirit of I.F. Stone.” He is the author of Cable News Confidential: My Misadventures in Corporate Media. He has been a TV commentator at CNN, Fox News and MSNBC, and was senior producer of MSNBC’s Phil Donahue primetime show until it was terminated three weeks before the Iraq invasion. His columns have been published online at such websites as HuffPost, CommonDreams and Truthout—and in dozens of dailies, including USA Today, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Atlanta Constitution, and Miami Herald.

“Be Bold America!” is a live, biweekly, talk show for those who are motivated to step out with the bold actions necessary to reunite this country and reclaim our democracy. “Be Bold America!” is for those who want to understand the unique challenges ahead, and who are curious to learn what they can Keep doing, Stop doing, and Start doing to reclaim our democratic republic. We have big things to do.

Jill Cody,MPA, is a political activist, author, and radio show host. Her first book, America Abandoned: The Secret Velvet Coup That Cost Us Our Democracy, won two international awards, the “2017 Next Generation” Indie Finalist Award and the “Best Books” Finalist Award. Jill was editor and contributor to her second book, Climate Abandoned: We’re on the Endangered Species List, that became a #1 Amazon Bestseller, won the “2019 Living Now” Bronze Award, and has been nominated for the 2020 Readers Choice Award. Jill now is producer and host of KSQD 90.7FM “Be Bold America!,” that discusses how to reunite this country and face the challenges ahead to save our democracy with Keep/Stop/Start activities presented by interview guests. Our future depends on it.