Full Conversation- Another January 6 Insurrection?: 'War Game' Film Asks if We’re Ready

Full Description:  What if January 6 happened again? Are we prepared for another post-election insurrection? “War Game” is a riveting political thriller that tackles this question head-on in what Rolling Stone calls, “the scariest documentary you’ll see this year.” “War Game” features a cast of senior officials war-gaming a constitutional crisis, including former North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp, playing a senior advisor to a newly elected President, Retired US Army Lieutenant General Jeffrey Buchanan and Janessa Goldbeck, a Marine Corps veteran and the CEO of Vet Voice Foundation. This time on Laura Flanders & Friends, Laura’s joined by Goldbeck who also produced the war game that is at the center of the film as well as the film’s directors, Tony Gerber and Jesse Moss, both of whom are award-winning filmmakers. Together they discuss why many Americans — disproportionately military veterans — have joined domestic extremist groups, and what can be done. What reforms to the Insurrection Act are necessary at this moment? All that, plus a commentary from Laura on Donald Trump’s appearance at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

“. . . Domestic extremist groups, particularly on the far Right, have been targeting veterans and military family members for recruitment . . . We've seen veterans and active duty military disproportionately represented in places like the January 6 insurrection in 2021, where one in five of the people who were charged in the insurrection were actually military veterans.” - Janessa Goldbeck

“The notion that democracy is this sort of idyllic perfect thing that was once great and will be great again is a complete fabrication. Democracy has always been flawed, it's always been in process . . . There's got to be certain issues that we can all agree on, like the peaceful transfer of power.” - Tony Gerber

“[In the war game], we see a healthy politics model, people who probably disagree on a lot of things politically, but actually agree on one important thing, which is safeguarding our democracy . . . I think modeling healthy politics is really valuable today. It's hard to look around and see how people are working together across partisan divides to get work done on Capitol Hill or in state houses.” - Jesse Moss

Guests:

• Tony Gerber: Co-Director & Writer, War Game

• Janessa Goldbeck: CEO, Vet Voice Foundation; Game Producer, War Game

• Jesse Moss: Co-Director, Writer & Producer, War Game

Watch the broadcast episode cut for time airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel

Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:

•  Political Violence & MAGA Militancy: Strategies to Protect Democracy Watch / Podcast + Uncut Full Conversation

•  Congressman Jamie Raskin On January 6th: After a Failed Coup, a Successful One?  Watch / Podcast + Uncut Full Conversation

• Community Safety in a Time of Insurrection: Watch / Podcast  

•  Graphic Artists Drawing Comix At The Margins:  Nate Powell and Mohammad Saba’aneh  Watch / Podcast

Related Articles and Resources:

• ‘War Game’ Is the Scariest Documentary You’ll See This Year, by David Fear,August 2, 2024, Rolling Stone

•. The Posse Comitatus Act Explained, by Joseph Nunn, October 14, 2021, Brennan Center

• Legal experts worry about presidential abuse of the Insurrection Act. Here’s Why, by Carrie Johnson, March 28, 2024, NPR-WAMU

•  ‘Mischief and problems’:  rightwing activists ramp up drive to hand-count ballots, by Rachel Leingang, The Guardian

Full Episode Notes are located HERE. They include related episodes, articles, and more.

Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer;  Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer.

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ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel