How to Fix It with John Avlon

What happens when universities stop defending debate—and politicians start punishing dissent? John Avlon interviews Greg Lukianoff, President of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and co-author of The Coddling of the American Mind. They unpack the escalating war over free speech—from college campuses to the courtroom—and explore how institutions meant to protect liberty are now leading the charge to suppress it.

Larry Diamond joins John Avlon to sound the alarm on the growing threat of authoritarianism in America. From legal intimidation to undermining democratic institutions, they break down Trump’s “authoritarian project” and what we can do to resist it—through civil action, unity, and courage. Democracy Without America? https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/democracy-without-america-trump-larry-diamond This Is What the Courts Can Do if Trump Defies Them https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/16/opinion/what-if-trump-defies-courts.html First They Came for Columbia https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/3/14/enos-levitsky-harvard-columbia-trump/

John Avlon talks to Thomas Chatterton Williams on how to tackle one of the biggest challenges in American politics: Can Democrats move beyond identity politics and embrace a unifying vision of liberal democracy?

John Avlon and former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul to discuss the Trump administration’s alarming realignment towards Russia. From halting military aid to Ukraine to inviting Putin back into the G7, McFaul breaks down the stunning policy shifts that threaten America's democratic alliances.

John Avlon sits down with fiscal policy expert Maya MacGuineas to dissect the growing national debt, deficit, and the political dysfunction surrounding fiscal responsibility in Washington. They explore why skyrocketing debt should concern every American—not just economists and policymakers—and discuss practical, bipartisan solutions to restore fiscal balance.

Climate activists have long advocated for consuming less energy and shrinking our carbon footprint. But a growing ecomodernist movement argues that we need more energy for prosperity, security—and to help combat climate change as well. Philanthropist Rachel Pritzker joins John to discuss the renewed interest in nuclear power, the bipartisan support for more energy infrastructure, and reorienting away from environmental orthodoxies. Rachel Pritzker joins John Avlon. show notes "The Center Must Hold," a collection of essays, including Rachel's case for energy abundance The Breakthrough Institute, where Rachel is chair of the board The WSJ column Rachel referenced Third Way think tank, where Rachel chairs the Board of Trustees The Energy for Growth Hub, which works on reframing the problems of energy, climate, and poverty

Since the ‘90s, tech companies have been virtually immune from lawsuits over what’s posted on their platforms, even though their algorithms are amplifying misinformation, hate, and dangerous content that incites violence. Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes tells John that the public would never agree to a blanket liability shield for industries like banking, airlines, food, and pharmaceuticals—and it's high time that Section 230 gets scrapped. show notes Follow Chris on Substack Chris's forthcoming book, "Marketcrafters: The 100-Year Struggle to Shape the American Economy"

The Founding Fathers were aware that yawning gaps between rich and poor destabilize a society. And with AI driving ever greater income inequality while it eats through American jobs—blue-collar, white-collar, and the kind of work in professional services firms that college grads have trained for— our country’s leaders should be responding to the reality that is already upon us. Andrew Yang has been warning for years about the inevitable impacts of AI on our economy and our democracy, and he joins John to discuss possible solutions, including universal basic income and child tax credits. Andrew Yang joins John Avlon. show notes Andrew's 2018 book, "The War on Normal People"

In other democracies, when a party wins an election it wins all the power. But American democracy is different, and under the Constitution, members of Congress are supposed to engage in cross-partisan bargaining—yet they’re failing at this very basic job. What we’re left with are spending bills finalized at midnight before a government shutdown, and party line votes that are undone by other party line votes. Yuval Levin joins John to discuss some remedies: expanding the number of House members, re-empowering committees to reduce some of the leadership’s power, and using rank-choice voting to get the kind of candidates who bargain and build coalitions.

Elon wants to cut government programs, but that won’t make government more efficient. But changing how the government does things—by streamlining the permitting and purchasing processes, for example—will make government more effective, efficient, and responsive to the public. Plus, instilling fear among federal employees and helping fulfill Trump’s urge to say “you’re fired.” show notes Philip's group, Common Good Philip's books, "Everyday Freedom" and "Try Common Sense" Will Marshall's piece arguing for Democrats to have their own kind of DOGE