Shows
Black Like MeS11 E203: A Burgeoning Movement Across The Country To Fight Back And Build Something Better: Ben Wikler Talks About What's NextBen Wikler returns to the show again in this wild political moment both locally and nationally. As he is stepping out of his role as Chair of Wisconsin Democratic Party he is energized by a recent state Supreme Court win. Dr. Gee asks him about how the Black community fits into the vision of the Democratic Party in the current environment. Are Black voters acknowledged outside of an election? Hear what Ben is doing after his current role and how he is processing his experience in the high profile political climate of Wisconsin. The discussion covers the...
2025-05-271h 04
The Recombobulation AreaOne-on-one with Ben WiklerDan Shafer sits down with the outgoing party chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, Ben Wikler. Dan and Ben discuss the recent news that billionaire Elon Musk is stepping away from politics after the defeat in Wisconsin's April elections, the upcoming race to fill the role of DPW Chair, and more!
To learn more about this show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the network on Facebook, BlueSky, YouTube, X, and Instagram to keep up with Civic Media! Guest...
2025-05-2247 min
Hello Merge Tag: Where Social Media and Politics IntersectScaling Up: Lessons from WisDems’ Remarkable Digital Growth with Ben Wikler"Democrats can absolutely win, even in the face of this flood of money from the right and every horrific tactic that the right wants to use."
Y’all know Ben Wikler. He’s currently the head of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin — a role he’s held since 2019.
Here’s a quick relevant fact for you: I live in Wisconsin and do a lot of work in Wisconsin politics. Back in 2018, I was hired by WisDems to help train their comms team on digital — because at the time, they literally didn’t have a single digital staffe...
2025-05-2151 min
Defending Democracy with Marc EliasElon Musk Helped Democrats Win in Wisconsin | Ben WiklerWisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler joins Marc Elias to discuss the state Supreme Court victory, why even Republicans hate Musk right now and Wikler's advice to Democrats running nationwide.
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2025-04-0931 min
Impolitic with John HeilemannRon Fournier & Ben Wikler: Appetite for DestructionJohn is joined by former AP Washington Bureau Chief Ron Fournier and current Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler to discuss a week in which America’s de facto co-presidents seemed trying to outdo each other in terms of wreaking havoc and stoking panic. Fournier assesses the motives behind Donald Trump’s market-crashing tariffs and their potential political implications; explains why the results of Tuesday’s special elections in Florida and Wisconsin are so ominous for Republicans; and issues a partial mea culpa for being dismissive about Cory Booker’s 25-hour Senate filibuster. Then Wikler takes listeners inside the Wisconsi...
2025-04-041h 14
Point Taken with Steve Scaffidi & Kristin BreyBen Wikler on Losing the Democratic National Chair RaceWTMJ host Steve Scaffidi was joined on the phone by Wisconsin Democratic Chair Ben Wikler and began by asking him about his loss in the vote for the National Chair position. Steve also asks Ben who the future of the Democratic party is and more.
The Wisconsin State Supreme Court candidate debate would be later this evening; Steve asked Ben what he was expecting from it and the funding.
2025-03-1214 min
American Fever DreamCensorship In The NFL, "Breaking" News & The Future Of The DNC ft. Ben WiklerIt's the Tuesday after the Bills' loss, and Sami & V talk about the intersection of sports, politics, and social media censorship in the NFL.12:00 - V warns us about "breaking news culture" and how it can lead to confusion and misinformation. 27:30 - This week we're joined by Ben Wikler, the current chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, who's running for the DNC Chairman. Wikler talks about using new media to engage voters, what keeps him motivated, and emphasizing the need for hope. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...
2025-01-2847 min
Outside the Box with Ben Cominos01/03/25| Ben Wikler Receives Major Establishment Endorsement For DNC ChairBen Wikler receives an endorsement from the Democratic Senate Majority leader, I take a look at another example of egregious consolidation within the food industry, and Fox News doubles down on incorrect reporting surrounding the terrorist acts carried out on New Year's Day.
2025-01-031h 35
PolitixSpecial Politix Interview With Ben WiklerThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.politix.fmThe mailbag episode will have to wait, but for good reason! An opportunity arose for us to interview Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair (and DNC chair candidate) Ben Wikler. So we jumped on it—and warmly extend an invitation to other DNC chair candidates to join us in the new year.In this episode, Matt and Brian ask Ben:* What he thinks happened in the election, and whether the lessons are actionable for a DNC chairman;* Wh...
2024-12-1836 min
La Crosse Talk PM WIZMBen Wikler, Wisconsin Democratic Party chair, on elections, Wisconsin's $4 billion budget surplus, HalloweenBen Wikler, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin chair, in studio, right before he sent his kids off to either go door knocking or trick-or-treating. On the show with Wikler (3:15), we took a top-down approach to the fall elections, starting with Kamala Harris v. Donald Trump and then moving on to the US Senate race and then state Legislature battles. We also discussed some of the policies each race features, like Harris' proposals for first-time homebuyers, first-time parents and new small business owners. And what it would take in Congress to get those passed. W...
2024-11-0133 min
Stay Tuned with Preet2024 Election Battlegrounds (with Ben Wikler)Ben Wikler is the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin—one of the seven battleground states in this extremely competitive presidential election. Hailed as a “winning machine” for Democrats, Wikler joined Preet for a live taping to discuss political humor, third party candidates, and the state of the race in swing states. To learn more about WisDems and how to get involved, click here. For show notes and a transcript of the episode head to: https://cafe.com/stay-tuned/election-swing-states-wisconsin-ben-wikler/ Have a question for Preet...
2024-10-171h 06
Politics War Room with James Carville & Al HuntPutting It All On The Line with Ben Wikler And Martina NavratilovaPolitics War Room ON TOUR - live show in Boston on 11/2 at politicon.com/tour
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
James and Al react to the VP debate, call on Kamala’s campaign to go on the offensive, and welcome Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler. They strategize about how to win his state, defend the Blue Wall of northern battleground states, and expose the disastrous impact of Trump’s proposed tariffs on workers and inflation. Then, they’re joined by tennis legend Martina Navratilova to discuss her activism on behalf of women...
2024-10-031h 16Black Like MeS10 E189: "Let's Watch What Black Women Will Do," Ben Wikler Brings The Inside Story Of Black Women In The Presidential CampaignHear the inside story on the transition from Joe Biden to Kamala Harris as the presidential candidate from Ben Wikler, Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. Ben considers how Harris has been active as the Vice President and making energetic appearances but the broader media has chosen not to report on this angle of Harris until her presidential candidacy. They also discuss this year's Democratic National Convention and how it felt more joyful and stood out. Ben also explains the use of "weird" comments in the election process. Dr. Gee and Ben also explore the r...
2024-09-2452 min
Rational RevolutionBen Wikler & Kristin LyerlyThis week Mark Becker is joined by Ben Wikler the Chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic party. They discuss the excitement bubbling from the upcoming DNC, the opportunities of moving forward instead of backward, and how important this is for Wisconsin.
Democratic Candidate for the 8th Congressional District in Wisconsin, Dr. Kristin Lyerly, joins the second half of the program. She discusses how important rural counties are and the need to create a space for them to have their voices heard too as well as the importance of post-partum care and how it's still a part of pregnancy...
2024-08-1045 min
Rational RevolutionBen Wikler & Kristin LyerlyThis week Mark Becker is joined by Ben Wikler the Chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic party. They discuss the excitement bubbling from the upcoming DNC, the opportunities of moving forward instead of backward, and how important this is for Wisconsin.
Democratic Candidate for the 8th Congressional District in Wisconsin, Dr. Kristin Lyerly, joins the second half of the program. She discusses how important rural counties are and the need to create a space for them to have their voices heard too as well as the importance of post-partum care and how it's still a part of pregnancy...
2024-08-1045 minRational RevolutionBen Wikler & Kristin LyerlyThis week Mark Becker is joined by Ben Wikler the Chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic party. They discuss the excitement bubbling from the upcoming DNC, the opportunities of moving forward instead of backward, and how important this is for Wisconsin.
Democratic Candidate for the 8th Congressional District in Wisconsin, Dr. Kristin Lyerly, joins the second half of the program. She discusses how important rural counties are and the need to create a space for them to have their voices heard too as well as the importance of post-partum care and how it's still a part of pregnancy...
2024-08-1045 minRational RevolutionBen Wikler & Kristin LyerlyThis week Mark Becker is joined by Ben Wikler the Chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic party. They discuss the excitement bubbling from the upcoming DNC, the opportunities of moving forward instead of backward, and how important this is for Wisconsin.
Democratic Candidate for the 8th Congressional District in Wisconsin, Dr. Kristin Lyerly, joins the second half of the program. She discusses how important rural counties are and the need to create a space for them to have their voices heard too as well as the importance of post-partum care and how it's still a part of pregnancy...
2024-08-1045 min
Jen Rubin's Green RoomBuilding a Unified Operation for Success with Ben WiklerBen Wikler, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, discusses the grassroots organizing efforts that have made Wisconsin a key battleground state. He highlights the importance of neighbor-to-neighbor organizing and building a unified operation. Wikler also emphasizes the significance of issues like reproductive rights and democracy in motivating voters. He praises Vice President Kamala Harris for her ability to connect with voters and make the stakes of the election clear. Wikler believes that Democrats can replicate the success of Wisconsin's organizing efforts in other states by focusing on key fights and giving people a way to be part of something...
2024-07-0353 min
Rational RevolutionRational Revolution: Ben WiklerChairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin Ben Wikler joins Mark Becker this week to talk about this very important election year. Ben shares stories about his parents who helped shape who has become, and then talks about what he feels the party can do to connect with voters across the state of Wisconsin.
Rational Revolution with Mark Becker is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Saturdays at 2 across the network. . Subscribed to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and...
2024-04-2745 minRational RevolutionRational Revolution: Ben WiklerChairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin Ben Wikler joins Mark Becker this week to talk about this very important election year. Ben shares stories about his parents who helped shape who has become, and then talks about what he feels the party can do to connect with voters across the state of Wisconsin.
Rational Revolution with Mark Becker is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Saturdays at 2 across the network. . Subscribed to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and...
2024-04-2745 minRational RevolutionRational Revolution: Ben WiklerChairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin Ben Wikler joins Mark Becker this week to talk about this very important election year. Ben shares stories about his parents who helped shape who has become, and then talks about what he feels the party can do to connect with voters across the state of Wisconsin.
Rational Revolution with Mark Becker is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Saturdays at 2 across the network. . Subscribed to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and...
2024-04-2745 minRational RevolutionRational Revolution: Ben WiklerChairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin Ben Wikler joins Mark Becker this week to talk about this very important election year. Ben shares stories about his parents who helped shape who has become, and then talks about what he feels the party can do to connect with voters across the state of Wisconsin.
Rational Revolution with Mark Becker is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Saturdays at 2 across the network. . Subscribed to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and...
2024-04-2745 min
The Al Franken PodcastBattleground States: Wisconsin: Ben Wikler – Wisconsin Democratic Party ChairThe Republican Party has spent years undoing the will of the people in the state of Wisconsin. With gerrymandered voting maps, they've been able to lose the popular vote and still have a huge majority in the state legislature. But things are changing thanks to Ben Wikler and the Wisconsin Democratic Party! In our first Battleground State episode, Ben explains the work that is being done to preserve democracy in this critical swing state and how they are organizing to secure a win for Joe Biden in November.
2024-04-1436 min
Politics War Room with James Carville & Al HuntWisDems with Ben WiklerJames and Al are joined by Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler to discuss their critical upcoming Supreme Court election that will decide the balance of power in their state’s justice system. At stake is the right to abortion that faces draconian limitations, and voting suppression initiatives that threaten democracy and hand elections to Republicans for years to come.Email your questions to James and Al at politicswarroom@gmail.com or tweet them to @politicon. Make sure to include your city, we love to hear where you’re from!Get More From This Week’s Guest:
2023-03-231h 02Defending Democracy with Marc EliasWhat’s at Stake in the Wisconsin Supreme Court Race Feat. Ben WiklerWisconsin has long been an important swing state for presidential elections, but it has grown into a major battleground in the fight for democracy. All eyes are on the Wisconsin Supreme Court race that will determine decisions related to gerrymandering, abortion access and the 2024 presidential election. Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler joins to discuss what’s at stake in the April 4 election, Republicans’ continued attacks on democracy and how people — in and out of state — can help.
Volunteer with WisDems | Donate to WisDemsFor a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@democracydocket.com.
Make s...
2023-03-1747 min
iGen PoliticsBen WiklerHosts Jill Wine-Banks and Victor Shi are joined by Ben Wikler, Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. Together, they talk about one of the most important elections happening in 2023 in exactly 7 weeks: the Wisconsin Supreme Court election. They talk about why this election is so important, what must happen so Democrats win and don’t tip the balance of the Court to Republicans, and why state and local races matter so much. Hosts Jill and Victor then chat about the latest shooting at Michigan State University and whether Trump is any closer to being held accountable in Georgia.
Ema...
2023-02-1551 minPolitics War Room with James Carville & Al HuntThe State of Wisconsin with Ben WiklerJames and Al give an update on the politics of the Ukraine War and the ongoing fight for our rights. Then, they bring on Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler to analyze the gubernatorial and senate races in his state, expound on the quality of the candidates, and tell us how to make an impact. Will extremism and retrograde Republican policies deliver them big losses in this crucial midterm election?
Email your questions to James and Al at politicswarroom@gmail.com or tweet them to @politicon. Make sure to include your city, we love to hear where you’re fr...
2022-09-1554 minBlack Like MeS5 Ep123: Black Women Are The Backbone Of New Political Organizing: Wisconsin Democratic Chair Ben Wikler Returns To Evaluate Recent ElectionsDr. Gee brings Ben Wikler, Wisconsin Democratic Chair, back to the show for a conversation on elections. They cover the role of Black voters, the power of Black women organizing, voter suppression, and the vital position of Wisconsin in the election. This is the election and voter perspective that you aren't going to hear other places. Ben Wikler was raised in Madison, Wisconsin, where he now lives with his wife, Beth, and their three children. Ben has spent his life fighting for economic, social, and racial justice. In his work, most recently for the progressive group MoveOn...
2021-03-3027 min
Clusterf*ckedEpisode 26 - Ben Wikler, Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic PartyWisconsin Democratic Chair Ben Wikler joins Roger to discuss Wisconsin politics: how Biden beat Trump in the state, the 2022 campaign to defeat Republican Senator Ron Johnson, how candidates can win regularly in Wisconsin, and more.
2021-02-2630 minBlack Like MeRelevant Re-Drop: Do Black Wisconsinites Control The Fate Of Humanity In The 2020 Election?: Interview With Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben WiklerBecause of recent events that are bringing greater attention to issues that impact African Americans, Black Like Me is highlighting past episodes that are relevant to the current national conversation. Dr. Alex Gee interviews Ben Wikler, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, about the power of Wisconsin politics for America and the world. The discussion covers the potential of the Black vote, the need for Black wealth, and practical ways to make an impact. Ben has spent his life fighting for economic, social, and racial justice. In his work, most recently for the progressive...
2020-08-201h 20
Pod Save the PeopleSwing State Stress (with Ben Wikler)DeRay, Sam, Kaya, and De'Ara dive into recent overlooked news including HBCUs joining Esports, streaming DNC, mental health in a pandemic, and Burundi's reparations. Johnetta Elzie joins again to update us about developments around the current protests. Then, DeRay chats with Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, to discuss the fight over one of 2020's most important swing states. Links:DeRay: https://www.insider.com/cdc-11-percent-us-adults-seriously-considered-suicide-in-june-2020-8De'Ara: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/17/us/politics/democratic-national-convention-speakers-schedule.htmlKaya: https://theundefeated.com/features/hbcu...
2020-08-181h 07
Politics War Room with James Carville & Al HuntBen Wikler on the Realities of a Virtual Convention and Dan Mathews on America's Relationship with the ElderlyCOVID-19 has changed the landscape of American politics in countless ways. The logistics of the November election leave a lot of questions lingering in the air. However, the chair of the Democratic Party for the state of Wisconsin Ben Wikler has plans laid out, not only for the national convention, but also for addressing voter suppression and Trump's dismantling of the United State Postal Service. Senior Vice President of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Dan Mathews also underlines the the troubling inadequacies in how the country treats its aging population while discussing his unique relationship with his s...
2020-08-131h 04
The Cycle- On SubstackThe Election Whisperer with Rachel Bitecofer ("How the Midwest Was Won" with Ben Wikler)Video version here. Rachel Bitecofer welcomes Wisconsin Democratic state chair Ben Wikler, for an (uninterrupted!) discussion of the state's pivotal role in the 2020 presidential election and the stunning upset they pulled off this spring. Plus, Rachel answers your questions and reveals who (if anyone) won the inaugural Question Of the Week swag challenge. Subscribe to the show and submit a question of your own at ElectionWhisperer.com. All content and opinions presented herein, whether by hosts and guests, are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment or oth...
2020-07-081h 07
The Practivist PodVirtual Organizing with Ben WiklerJoining us today is Ben Wikler -- head of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. They have a big fight on their hands next week, and their election is still on! Ben breaks down what’s going on and how volunteers are helping by phone and by social media to turn out vote-by-mail voters for a race that’s going to have national implications. But first, Steve and Mariah give you important ways to help out, while you stay home.
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
2020-04-0144 minBlack Like MeS3 Ep. 70: Do Black Wisconsinites Control The Fate Of Humanity In The 2020 Election?: Interview With Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben WiklerDr. Alex Gee interviews Ben Wikler, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, about the power of Wisconsin politics for America and the world. The discussion covers the potential of the Black vote, the need for Black wealth, and practical ways to make an impact. Ben has spent his life fighting for economic, social, and racial justice. In his work, most recently for the progressive group MoveOn.org, Ben has played a leadership role in some of the most critical political fights of recent years. From a young age, Ben has been driven by a passion for c...
2019-10-081h 19
Two Broads Talking PoliticsBen WiklerSophy and Kelly talk to Ben Wikler, Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, about Wisconsin's progressive roots and how Democrats win in Wisconsin in 2020; and Sophy and Ben bond over their love for living in Madison.
2019-09-2124 min
Wedge IssuesBen WiklerMoveOn senior adviser Ben Wikler talks with Jessie about why he's running to serve as chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, how he got his start in activism and what foods go best with cheddar cheese (spoiler: all of them).
Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS
See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
2019-03-2238 min
The Third Story with Leo SidranBen Wikler, Anat Shenker-Osorio, Dan KaufmanMadison, Wisconsin in the 1960s was one of the most radicalized university campuses in the country. It was a center for the kind of counter culture that has come to feel like a cliché today. There was plenty of sex, drugs, and rock & roll, sure. But there was also political activism, civil rights, environmentalism. Because of the University of Wisconsin, thousands of young people move through Madison and take the values of the city with them when they leave. Earlier this summer, The Madison Reunion brought over one thousand people with ties to Madison in t...
2018-07-161h 11
POLITICO's Pulse CheckBen Wikler: ‘The Resistance’ isn’t futileThe Senate GOP is pushing forward with plans to roll back all or part of the Affordable Care Act, threatening insurance coverage for millions of Americans. A devastating moment for progressives? Not at all, says Ben Wikler, the Washington director for MoveOn.org, who argues that the drawn-out fight to repeal the ACA has turned into a major win. Wikler joined PULSE CHECK to talk about activism in the Trump era, how “the Resistance” in 2017 compares to the Tea Party in 2009 and how he’s thinking about the health care fight and what lies ahead. (Starts at the 9:25 mark.) But fi...
2017-07-2634 min
The Good Fight, with Ben WiklerSen. Gillibrand, sexual assault, and the fight to fix military justice (Rerun from #5)Women and men who serve in uniform often face an enemy within their own ranks: sexual assault. In this story, newly remastered from The Good Fight's 5th episode in December 2013, we tell the story of survivor Trina McDonald as she went from enlistee to victim to survivor to fearless advocate, and how she joined forces with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand to take on the system that had failed her.
Note: The Good Fight is on a summer hiatus, but will continue posting remastered reruns until we return with brand-new episodes. Happy summer!
2015-08-0728 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler44: How Al Franken beat Comcast and saved the InternetOne monopoly to rule them all: Comcast's attempt to gobble up Time Warner threatened the very Internet as we know it. But one senator fought back.
2015-06-2726 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler43: Using the ocean without using it upMarine biologist Ayana Johnson has a plan to bring back the fish, one island at a time. To do it, she'll have to drink a lot of beer. http://tgf.fm/43
2015-05-0937 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler42: Coal, you're going to lose. You too, ALEC.Spring is finally here. Daffodils dancing int he breeze, pollen collecting on car roofs, and the symphony of coughs filling the air. It's not just allergies that are making it hard to breathe. It's also coal. Ending coal fired power is the best weapon against the US's asthma epidemic. Host Ben Wikler checks in With Mary Anne Hitt, the Director of the Sierra Club's beyond Coal Campaign, about her recent victories. And Nick Rathod brings Ben up to speed ont he progress of the young but mighty State Innovation Exchange, Progressive's best weapon against the evil ALEC. Here comes...
2015-04-1431 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler41: We're back! Had a baby. Got Kickstarted. And talked to three heroes.So much glory: Kickstarter triumph, new baby, and encore visits from three beloved guests. Sister Simone gets back on the nun bus; Shannon Watts faces down the NRA; and Garlin Gilchrist makes us all want to move to Detroit. http://tgf.fm/41
2015-03-2535 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler40: Why #BlackLivesMatterCo-founder Alicia Garza shares the story of how #BlackLivesMatter began—and how it became the rallying cry for a movement, ignited by tragedy, that is fighting for survival. http://tgf.fm/40 And back the show by Feb 5 here: http://tgf.fm/ks
2015-02-0435 min
The Good Fight, with Ben WiklerVIDEO: Kickstarter for Good Fight, Year Two. Featuring Al Franken.Want more Good Fight magic in the world? This is the moment to help, at tgf.fm/ks. We're running a Kickstarter campaign to raise $100,000 for our second year of shows, and we're already halfway there—but if we don't raise $50,000 more in the next seven days, it all disappears.
Chip in now, and then read this special message from Ben Wikler: Seven reasons to back The Good Fight.
1. Our guests should be household names.
Frank Mugisha is the leading gay rights activist—in Uganda. Sister Simone Campbell is a powerhouse lobbyist... nun. Jose Antonio Vargas won his Pulitzer Prize at...
2015-01-3004 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler39: ALEC: Match.com for evilFor decades, corporations have found Republicans ready to do their bidding thanks to a shadowy outfit known as ALEC. But Nick Rathod, a preacher's son, has a plan to fight back. http://tgf.fm/39
2014-12-1728 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler38: How the kid with two moms saved the Boy ScoutsZach Wahls, as a teenage Eagle Scout, gave a speech that changed the nation. If you ever clicked the headline "Two lesbians had a baby, and this is what they got," that speech was what you got—a speech that shifted the way millions of people thought about marriage equality. But as it turned out, that speech was just his warm-up act. On the latest Good Fight, Zach Wahls tell his extraordinary story—a tale of family, growing up, and a David-and-Goliath struggle to rescue the soul of a great American institution.
2014-12-0342 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler37: What $10 million buys you in U.S. politicsMayday SuperPAC, Lawrence Lessig's anti-corruption moonshot, lost nearly all of its races in the 2014 midterms. Does that mean it failed? Or does the shadow of money in politics extend beyond mere wins and losses? Professor Lessig and the Progressive Campaign Change Committee's Adam Green take us behind the vote tally and into the heart of the campaign-finance darkness for part 3 of The Good Fight's Mayday 2014 trilogy. http://tgf.fm/37
2014-11-1729 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler36: Turn Out For What2014 was the election that young people were supposed to ignore. But then came the voting anthem nobody can stop humming. Today on The Good Fight, the inside story of Turn Out For What—as recounted by Rock The Vote's Ashley Spillane and Dan McSwain, and featuring the voices of Lil Jon, Lena Dunham, Fred Armisen, and Whoopi Goldberg. It's the electoral viral mega-hit of the year, 10 million views strong, exactly when we need it most.
See the video at http://tgf.fm/36, help turn out voters at moveon.org/calls, and remember to vote on November 4!
2014-10-2921 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler35: The progressive secret weaponConservatives might have money, but progressives have something even more powerful: science. That's right: gigantic, statistically valid, scientifically rigorous experiments about the best way to win elections.
If that's a surprise to you, there's a reason: the most fascinating experiments are all being kept secret. And that's by design. This isn't academia, where the goal is the pursuit of truth. This is politics--where once the other side learns what you've figured out, knowledge stops being power.
At the heart of the progressive electoral-scientific revolution is a little low-profile outfit called The Analyst Institute. It stays a...
2014-10-2526 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler34: Fed up with the economy?Why haven't wages risen in 40 years? It's not just bad luck. The mostly invisible, ultra-powerful folks who run at the Federal Reserve have gone to great lengths to keep it that way. When too many people get jobs, when pay starts going up... wham! They knock things back down again.
But lately, things have been a little different. The financial crisis jolted the Fed into superhero mode—and Janet Yellen, the new boss, seems determined to make the economy work for regular people. Trouble is, the old guard's not happy about it. What's needed is another jol...
2014-10-1633 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler33: Inside the ginormous, huge-tastic climate marchThey promised the biggest climate march in world history. But when the big morning arrived, the Weather app showed a thundercloud.
Hear what happened next—and feel the (renewable) energy of a giant, urgent movement hitting the streets together for the first time—as The Good Fight takes you inside the most ambitious grassroots mobilization of the year.
2014-09-2624 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler32: Will police body cameras prevent the next Ferguson?The killing of Michael Brown, and the military-style police crackdown that followed, exposed millions of Americans to the wide-open Pandora's Box that is the American way of law enforcement. In the weeks since, as the nation wrestled with fundamental questions of race and justice, media across the country have alighted on what seems like an easy answer: just put cameras on the police!
Turns out, it might actually be a great idea. Not because it solves everything, or even because it generates world-changing footage. In fact, as it turns out, the least important thing about body-worn police c...
2014-09-1524 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler31: Mayday Super PAC Strikes BackLawrence Lessig's Mayday Super PAC stunned the political world by raising $7 million to fight corruption. Now comes the hard part: using money in politics to kick money out of politics. Lessig returns to the show to bring us inside the battle.
2014-08-2618 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler30: Garlin Gilchrist II: Detroit, diaspora, and destinyBefore the Win Report, before MoveOn.org, Garlin Gilchrist II was exactly the person Detroit couldn't afford to lose: a brilliant, entrepreneurial computer engineer and civic patriot. He left. But now he's back. Here's his story. http://tgf.fm/30
2014-08-1346 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler29: Live from NetrootsThe soon-to-be legendary live taping of The Good Fight from Netroots Nation 2014! Hear amazing stories from NARAL president Ilyse Hogue and newly-elected NEA president Lily Eskelsen Garcia, thrill to a live Win Report with Garlin Gilchrist II, and march through the streets with Mark Ruffalo and a big crowd of Detroiters as they try to get their water turned back on. Netroots is a massive annual gathering of progressive activists, organizers, and media/tech people; featured speakers this year included Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren. But the highight of it all happened in room 320: the Good Fight Live.
2014-07-2052 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler28: Cory Booker and Rand Paul: partners on crimeFor decades, criminal justice reform was political Kryptonite. But Cory Booker isn't from Krypton. Booker joins us to explain why he's tackling this fight—and how, in a Festivus miracle of bipartisanship, he teamed up with Rand Paul. http://tgf.fm/28
2014-07-1628 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler27: War on women? Meet the resistanceUltraViolet co-founder Nita Chaudhary takes us behind the scenes in the insurgent, devastatingly effective campaign to make the anti-feminist backlash backfire. The strategy: using cutting-edge online advocacy to put a political and economic price on sexism. The good news: it's working. Hobby Lobby, watch out. Find background info, links to sources, and how to get involved here: http://tgf.fm/27
2014-07-1135 minThe Good Fight, with Ben WiklerWin Report: Hobby Lobby, Hillary, and the Beyonce votersIn this week's Win Report, the Supreme Court rules on Hobby Lobby blocking birth control and home-care workers' rights. Good news and bad news on climate change. Plus, marriage equality in Kentucky, a gay police chief in South Carolina, and more updates from around the country.
2014-07-0314 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler26: Pulitzer winner. Undocumented. American.When Jose Antonio Vargas was 16, he discovered his green card was fake. At 26, he won journalism’s biggest prize. At 30, he outed himself as undocumented.
Vargas’s powerful new film, #Documented, tells his story—and it will change the way you think about immigration. He joins The Good Fight to discuss his life, how it felt to see his mother after 21 years, and what it’s like to be asked by journalists "Why don’t you just become legal?" More info: http://tgf.fm/26
2014-07-0141 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler25: Lawrence Lessig, Aaron Swartz, and the Super PAC to end Super PACsWhat if you’re doing the wrong thing with your life? That’s what 20-year-old Aaron Swartz asked Lawrence Lessig. In response, Lessig transformed his career. Today, he’s got an insanely audacious plan to kick billionaires out of politics… with help from billionaires. Hear his story: http://tgf.fm/25
2014-06-2434 minThe Good Fight, with Ben WiklerWin Report: Rick Perry said what?!A stand-alone Win Report! The latest victories and defeats in progressive fights throughout the country, including Gov. Rick Perry's stupid comment about homosexuality and Obama's recent and awesome executive orders. http://tgf.fm/WR0620
2014-06-2109 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler24: The 347 climate wins you've never heard ofObama's new carbon pollution rules are the biggest step ever taken by the U.S. government to fight climate change—but they're not the biggest step taken by the country. The most important win is one that's taken place invisibly, in city by city battles over the last decade: a grassroots campaign that's blocked 90% of proposed coal-fired power plants (182 in all) and shut down a third of the existing coal plants in the nation—165 and counting.
It's a wave of unheralded victories that set the stage for surge in renewable energy, created the political space for the new Obama policies, and co...
2014-06-1226 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler23: The plot to bring democracy to AmericaThe National Popular Vote campaign is on track to do the impossible: fix the broken, crazy, undemocratic way the USA picks its presidents. The New Yorker's Hendrik Hertzberg takes us inside the fight. Plus, a new Win Report.
2014-05-2844 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler22: You've got to hear this preacherRev. Jim Wallis left evangelical Christianity to fight for social justice—and then found his vocation by mixing them together. Now, he's a spiritual adviser to Obama, a force in immigration, and our guest. Plus: a new Win Report. http://tgf.fm/22
2014-05-1634 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler21: Beating the Koch brothersThe documentary Citizen Koch was almost crushed by the Koch brothers' power. But filmmakers Tia Lessin and Carl Deal fought back. Today, the story behind the movie America's ultra-conservative power brokers don't want you to see.
2014-05-0635 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler20: Minimum wage myths, bustedOpponents of raising the minimum wage like to claim that economists are on their side. They're wrong. In this episode: the truth about minimum wage economics, the fight in the field, and the reason the jobs debate is a sideshow. Learn more at http://thegoodfight.fm/20
2014-04-2444 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler19: NRA, watch out: Meet Bloomberg's supermom secret weaponFor two long decades, gun safety reform was a nonstarter. And then came the Newtown massacre. Outrage swept the country. Politicians vowed to act. And in Zionsville, Indiana, a stay-at-home mother of five logged on to Facebook and created a page that would become the epicenter of a new movement of moms to demand action and save lives.
That mom, Shannon Watts, was a political neophyte, but her communications expertise—honed in her past career as a PR pro—made her an instant force to be reckoned with. Within a year, she and her network became the grass...
2014-04-1731 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler18: The muckraker and the border patrolEveryone working at the border crossing knew that it was happening: brutal violence and abuses by border patrol agents. Sometimes even lethally. But the U.S. Customs and Border Protection wasn't talking, and politicians seemed more concerned with increasing its size and military power than in holding it accountable.
Enter John Carlos Frey, muckraker.
An investigative reporter of the old school, he got a tip about a secret videotape of a killing, in which a dozen border patrol agents brutally beat a hogtied migrant. Where thousands of reported abuses hadn't made a dent in official policy, maybe this video could spar...
2014-04-1141 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler17: The Nanny UprisingBig Oil. Bankers. Global mega-corporations. Those are the powerful. But sometimes, the powerless win too—and this episode is about one of those times. It's the story of the Domestic Worker's Bill of Rights in New York, and the surging movement across the country of nannies, home health aides, and other domestic workers who are fighting for the rights and dignity that every worker deserves.
If you think taking care of kids all day isn't work, that's probably because you haven't done it. But for decades, even the most basic labor laws haven't protected the millions of Ame...
2014-04-0440 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler16 Guns in libraries, Hobby Lobby birth control, happy dolphinsAn all-Win Report episode! The latest victories and defeats—plus a special Winportunity report from MSNBC's Irin Carmon, who just watched the Supreme Court argue over whether corporations can have religions... and if so, whether corporations like Hobby Lobby can refuse to cover birth control prescriptions for their employees.
In the Win Report proper, we cover Georgia's crazy new gun law, a ban on plastic bottles that will bring a smile to the heart of every bottle-nosed dolphin in the Pacific, and a bevy of other fights from across the country. Tune in, spread the word, email us at show@theg...
2014-03-2719 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler15: The really dumb reason 5 million people are uninsuredFor 5 million unlucky Americans, health care reform currently means... zilch. But as Ron Pollack, the country's leading health care advocate, explains on this episode, this is a fight we're going to win. And as you'll realize as he tells amazing stories about the battles he's helped win in decades past (you'll find out how Nixon was essentially hoodwinked into launching the national Food Stamp program), Ron's a guy you should listen to.
Plus: MoveOn.org's Anna Galland tells us why Bobby Jindal's administration in Louisiana is suing MoveOn.org for telling the truth; a real-life emotional moment a...
2014-03-2038 minThe Good Fight, with Ben Wikler14: This interview is illegal in UgandaIn Uganda, under the new anti-gay law, you—you reading this now—would almost certainly be a criminal. Know gay people, but don't report them? Prison. "Promote homosexuality" by posting on Facebook or Twitter about gay rights, or doing an interview for a podcast? Prison. Gay yourself? Life sentence.
But Frank Mugisha, an openly gay activist for equality, isn't leaving. And his allies, in Uganda and around the world, aren't giving up either.
In this episode, through interviews with Frank and with Andre Banks, who runs the global advocacy group All Out, we tell the story...
2014-03-1440 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler13: Social Security cuts: the clearest explanation anywhereA year ago, President Obama did something jaw-dropping, and not in a good way: He proposed, in his budget, cuts to Social Security benefits. This year, though? The cuts were gone. To understand why he made the proposal, and why he reversed course, you have to understand a much bigger battle. The debt ceiling, the rolling fiscal crises, the doomed Grand Bargain—they're all actually one story, and to understand the Social Security showdown is to see how they fit together. In this episode, we take you behind the scenes of the progressive flank in that fight, and celebrate a...
2014-03-0748 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler12: Did we just prevent a war with Iran?The Iran sanctions bill was the kind of measure that usually passes Congress unanimously. And, as always, dozens of Senators signed on right away—even though the law would've destroyed the most promising US-Iran peace negotiations in a generation, and put us on a road to war.
But then, suddenly, the bill collapsed.
What happened? On this episode of The Good Fight, we take you behind the scenes of the rapid-response, highly strategic progressive mobilization that pulled Democratic Senators away, at the last second, from an incredibly dangerous vote. It's the story of a movement that...
2014-02-2549 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler11: Utah? Gay marriage in Utah?The story of Utah's same-sex marriage movement starts with chutzpah and ends with a ridiculously, touchingly exuberant series of victory celebrations. You might get halfway through before you mist up, but don't count on it. Telling the story are Mark Lawrence, the man behind the lawsuit that struck down Utah's vicious anti-equality constitutional amendment, and his friend Troy Williams, an activist who more than earns his unofficial title as "the gay mayor of Salt Lake City." Plus, a delightful non-war with Iran and a win-tastic Win Report guest-hosted by the New Organizing Institute's Bridget Todd.
Episode notes...
2014-02-0742 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler10: More leaders like this, pleaseWhen Heather McGhee's new job was announced, Elizabeth Warren called her "a champion," the head of the AFL-CIO said he was "thrilled," and Chris Hayes hailed her as "hands down one of the most impressive, ferociously intelligent, committed, passionate people I've had the great fortune to meet in progressive politics."
She's 33. She recently helped pass a law that saves consumers $20 billion a year. And she was just chosen to become the president of one of America's leading think tanks.
In this interview, a special mini episode of The Good Fight, you'll meet Heather McGhee, one of...
2014-01-2836 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler9: This prison is weirdA guy commits some crimes, gets caught, goes to prison. And then everything gets weird. Plus, before that: 2014's first #WinReport, and an exclusive global traffic and weather update that stretches from Sochi, Russia to Chris Christie's New Jersey highways.
Find show notes, and sign up for our email list, at http://thegoodfight.fm/9.
2014-01-2438 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler8: The 2013 Winnie AwardsThe Good Fight's own annual awards show—recognizing the wins and losses in the most important fights of the year. Your hosts: Garlin Gilchrist II, Ben Wikler, and Winifred the Win Horse. Plus a window into what 2013 meant for people the marriage equality movement, and the fight for equality as a whole, with activist Darlene Nipper.
Thanks to Karl Frisch for joining us as the announcer! Find show notes, and sign up for our email list, at http://thegoodfight.fm/8.
2014-01-1044 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler7 Short: How the nuns saved ObamacareIn the final days before the bill passed, who saved Obamacare? Catholic nuns. Sister Simone Campbell—one of the most charming, utterly down-to-earth, and profoundly committed people I've ever met—explains why. And in the process, she tells her own fascinating story, from an anti-segregation sit-in where, as a teenager, she decided to take her vows, all the way to the present and her delight in the joyous tone set by Pope Francis.
If you're glad that Obamacare is finally here—that millions of Americans are, at last, covered by health insurance—then you'll love this mini, Christma...
2013-12-2633 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler6: Coca-Cola voter suppression. Beating ALEC. LIVE from Rootscamp.Diet Coke. Cherry Coke. Voter Suppression Coke. Thanks to a brilliant grassroots campaign, one of these products has been discontinued. On this episode, recorded live at the Rootscamp activist summit, we take you behind the slingshot in the astonishingly successful fight to expose and shame the corporations backing the notorious American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC is the shadowy, far-right group behind crafted such state policy gems as Voter ID laws and Stand Your Ground—but because of our guest and his allies, it's on the retreat. Plus, the first cameo by Ben's two-year-old son Mac; a special three-per...
2013-12-1957 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler5: Gillibrand. Rape in the military. NSA World of Warcraft.Senator Kirsten Gillibrand brings us inside her fight against military sexual assault. She's joined by Navy veteran Trina McDonald, whose story will break your heart—and then put it back together stronger.
If you saw Trina in the Oscar-nominated documentary The Invisible War, you've probably already realized it: you can't miss this episode. And if you've been reading about Senator Gillibrand and her battle to change the military justice system, this is where you'll find out why she'll never give up.
Plus, before that story, it's everything you love about The Good Fight: a mind-bending descent into our secret underground studi...
2013-12-1253 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler4: Fast food strike. McQuiz. The Ballad of Healthcare.gov.The podcast for people who want to fix not just a website, but the whole economy.
Does the Obamacare website make you want to sing? Don't answer. Just listen: we've taken care of that for you already. And once the music stops, it's time for a visit to an uprising in the underbelly of our unsurpassedly unequal economy: the great fast food strike of 2013. You'll meet a Taco Bell worker standing up for her rights, an powerhouse organizer working behind the scenes—and you'll take The Good Fight's soon-to-be-beloved McDonald's McResources McQuiz.
Plus, a Win Report that examines the Obamacare predi...
2013-12-061h 12
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler3: Nuclear option. Drugs. Thanksgiving.Has the so-called "nuclear option" destroyed all life in the U.S. Senate? If not, why is it empty this week? And speaking of military metaphors in politics: was the war on drugs ever good policy? Plus: what might be lurking in America's turkey this Thanksgiving, and what is it trying to tell us? We explore these questions and more in episode 3 of The Good Fight, featuring a classic Win Report with MoveOn's Garlin Gilchrist; an important message from a microorganism, and an in-depth interview with our featured guest: Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance. He'll blow your...
2013-11-281h 02
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler2: Obamacare. DREAMers. Escaping the fever swamp.As seen by denizens of the far-right fever swamps of American politics, Obamacare is a terrifying nightmare—a nightmare Ben accidentally discovers on his way to the office. After a swashbuckling escape, he's joined by MoveOn's Garlin for the second, world-traversing Win Report, and then, for our epic story of the week, immigrant rights champion Prerna Lal. Prerna tells her own story, and takes us inside the movement that aimed for the DREAM Act... and won something called DACHA that changed millions of lives.Plus, the debut of the Obamacare Defense League—a league composed of Good Fight l...
2013-11-221h 17
The Flaming Sword of Justice, with Ben WiklerRelaunching: subscribe now to The Good Fight, with Ben WiklerAfter 64 hours of original interviews, inspiring stories, and flames that leapt from our honed steel edge up to the merciless skies, The Flaming Sword of Justice has been reforged.Check out its successor, The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler, here!
The Good Fight is a new weekly podcast and radio show with the same spirit, same host, and same sponsor, but a new city (DC), format (pre-recorded, mixing comedy and news with in-depth interviews), time slot (Saturdays), and name. If you loved the Flaming Sword of Justice, you'll be utterly enthralled by The Good Fight.
2013-11-1501 min
The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler1: Launch. Franken. Obamacare. Wins.Gunfire, explosions, and the roars of marauding ultraconservatives fill the DC air as Ben launches the first episode of The Good Fight. Then: a jam-packed hour featuring the inaugural Win Report, with MoveOn.org's Garlin Gilchrist II; advice from Al Franken; and a mind-blowing perspective on Obamacare from legendary activist Heather Booth. Join the battle. Spread the word. The next era of human history starts now.
2013-11-141h 08
The Good Fight, with Ben WiklerComing soon!Subscribe. Brace yourself. Post an early review, even, if you're feeling optimistic. Because The Good Fight, with Ben Wikler is about to arrive.
2013-11-1100 min
The Flaming Sword of Justice, with Ben Wikler#18: Dream Defenders: Origins (re-release)The Dream Defenders have been occupying the Florida State Capitol for 17 days, making national headlines with their call for a special legislative session to pass a "Trayvon's Law"--to repeal Stand Your Ground, ban racial profiling, and end the school-to-prison pipeline.
They've made headlines coast to coast. They're being recognized as the next generation of civil rights leaders. But rewind a month or two, and almost nobody had heard of them. So who are they, and where did they come from?
This episode of the Flaming Sword of Justice brings you a slice of the b...
2013-08-0244 min
The Flaming Sword of Justice, with Ben Wikler#64: The world. Getting better?92 years of life can give you some perspective. Especially if you spend seven-odd decades in service of others, as a diplomat and peacebuilder working on five continents. Today, we interview Ambassador John W. McDonald, co-founder and chair of the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy, about his extraordinary journey: from his far-flung childhood in a military family to his arrival as a young foreign service officer in postwar Germany in 1947; from the Berlin airlift to the nerve center of the Marshall Plan; from camel caravans through snow-choked Afghanistan to jungle airports in Bolivia. Our guest built a railroa...
2013-07-251h 11
The Flaming Sword of Justice, with Ben Wikler#63: Minutemen MurdersWhat happened to the Minutemen? A refresher: the Minutemen were the group that whipped up American conservatives into hysterics around the supposed issue of "border security" a few years back. They called themselves "a citizens' Neighborhood Watch on our border," and organized press stunts in which armed white people would tromp around the border with Mexico and argue that they weren't racist. You don't hear from them so much anymore. Partly, that's because their positions—and many of their former members—moved on to the Tea Party. But partly that's because of the story you'll hear in t...
2013-07-111h 01
The Flaming Sword of Justice, with Ben Wikler#62: DOMA Loses, Love WinsWhen the Christian Right launched the organization "True Love Waits," they might not have been intentionally referring to the wait for a Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality of the Defense Of Marriage Act. But as of Wednesday, June 26th, 2013, the wait is over. And true love won.
Today on the Flaming Sword of Justice, we bring you three voices from inside the struggle for equality. First, Darlene Nipper of the Task Force tells about the moment she heard the news about DOMA, reflects on the struggle to get here, and fires us up for the fights ahead.
2013-06-261h 05
The Flaming Sword of Justice, with Ben Wikler#61: Not supposed to winRemember the Dean campaign? It never ended. A decade later, the people he inspired are still winning elections coast to coast, using the idea that was always at the heart of his campaign: people powered politics.In 2003, a 22-year-old named Arshad Hasan joined Dean's campaign for president. Today, he's preparing to depart from his post as Executive Director of Democracy for America, the organization that sprang up from the Dean community after the campaign's end. On today's Flaming Sword of Justice, recorded live at the Netroots Nation 2013 conference in San Jose, Arshad tells the story of his p...
2013-06-2658 min
The Flaming Sword of Justice, with Ben Wikler#59: PRISM BreakThe NSA vs the ACLU: one side knows everything. The other has read the Constitution very carefully. Winner gets bragging rights. And shapes the course of history.
On today's show, we'll talk to two of America's foremost experts and advocates about liberty, privacy, and digital security—and the explosive new revelations of omnipresent domestic and global surveillance by the National Security Agency. First, Ben Wizener of the ACLU will tell us about the American Civil Liberty Union's new case: a lawsuit demanding that the Obama administration bring its surveillance activities in line with the law and the US Constitution. And th...
2013-06-121h 05
The Flaming Sword of Justice, with Ben Wikler#33: AaronA year ago, our founding producer Aaron Swartz guest-hosted an episode of The Flaming Sword of Justice when Ben Wikler was out of town. Four months ago, facing trial, Aaron took his own life. Today, in his memory—and in support of the Demand Progress and Internet Defense League Week of Action, which is working to reform the unjust Computer Fraud and Abuse Act that was used to charge Aaron—we're airing his episode for the first time.
You'll hear Aaron interview Mike "Rortybomb" Konczal, who tells the story of how he went from being a financial engineer...
2013-04-1144 min
The Flaming Sword of Justice, with Ben Wikler#8: Local politicsJohn Raskin beats the West Side Stadium; Aaron Swartz tells the surprising story of zoning and urban sprawl; and Ben Wikler tells how he got started in activism fighting a Coca-Cola deal in local schools.
2012-03-111h 00
The Flaming Sword of Justice, with Ben Wikler#7: Oz climate movement miracleAnna Rose, Simon Sheikh, and Ben Margetts tell the story of Australia's climate movement -- from college friendship to national legislative victory, with a marriage along the way.
2012-02-2658 min