This is Democracy

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Ruth Simmons to discuss her experiences and attitudes toward learning in the context of her new book, "Up Home: One Girl's Journey." Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "If The Leaves Could Speak." Dr. Ruth Simmons is the former president of Smith College, Brown University, and Prairie View A&M University -- Texas's oldest Historically Black College and University.  She grew up in Grapeland, Texas, the youngest of 12 children born to sharecroppers.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Peter Beinart to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israeli and Palestinian forces and the destruction left in its wake. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "For the Children of Israel, and the Ones Who Will Try to Forget." Peter Beinart is Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the Newmark School of Journalism at the City University of New York. He is also Editor-at-Large of Jewish Currents, an MSNBC political commentator, a frequent contributor to The New York Times, and a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He writes the Beinart Notebook newsletter on https://substack.com. His first book, The Good Fight, was published by HarperCollins in 2006.  His second book, The Icarus Syndrome, was published by HarperCollins in 2010. His third, The Crisis of Zionism, was published by Times Books in 2012.  Beinart recently published an important essay in the New York Times (October 14, 2023): "There is a Jewish Hope for Palestinian Liberation. It Must Survive."

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. William Jones to discuss the history of labor unions and the current ongoing strike by the United Auto Workers union. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "From The UAW Picket Line" William Jones is a professor of history at the University of Minnesota, where he is a leading scholar of workers, unions, and race in the United States. Prof. Jones is the author of: The Tribe of Black Ulysses: African American Lumber Workers in the Jim Crow South (2005) and The March on Washington: Jobs, Freedom and the Forgotten History of Civil Rights (2013).

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Joe Jaworski to discuss the recent acquittal of Attorney General Ken Paxton by the Texas Senate, as well as the potential fallout and ramifications that may come of it. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "A Bad Sonnet for a Bad Man" Joe Jaworski is a third-generation Texas trial attorney and former Mayor of Galveston, Texas. He has served as a law clerk to the United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit, and he has spent 32 years in private practice as a trial attorney, mediator, and legal commentator.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by guests Randy Denzer and Dr. Alison Alter to discuss the increasing incidence of wildfires in the United States and what efforts have been made to mitigate them. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "When the Fire Comes." Randy Denzer has more than 30 years in the fire service and is one of the highest certified and qualified wildland firefighters in central Texas. He retired last year as a operations Battalion Chief with the Austin Fire Department (AFD). During Randy’s career at the Austin Fire Department, he wrote many wildland response policies for the AFD. Randy currently sits as an appointed member of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Wildland Fire Fighting Taskforce Committee in Washington DC Dr. Alison Alter is the elected representative for District 10 on the Austin City Council. She was first elected in 2016. Among other issues, wildfire prevention is one of her priorities. She has worked closely with various stakeholders to improve wildfire prevention and community resiliency around Austin. 

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Pawel Sawicki to discuss the history of Auschwitz-Birkenau, and what lessons can be learned from its past. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "Neue Synagoge, Oranienburger Straße" Pawel Sawicki is the press and public relations officer at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Poland.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Michael Kimmage to discuss the current state of the Ukraine War, and potential paths for it going forward. Zachary sets this scene with his poem entitled, "For Yegor." Dr. Michael Kimmage is a professor of history at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC. He is also a fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and chair of the Advisory Council for the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington DC. From 2014 to 2017, Kimmage served on the Secretary’s Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, where he held the Russia/Ukraine portfolio. He publishes widely on international affairs, U.S.-Russian relations and American diplomatic history. Kimmage is the author of: The Conservative Turn: Lionel Trilling, Whittaker Chambers and the Lessons of Anti-Communism (2009); In History’s Grip: Philip Roth’s Newark Trilogy (2012); The Abandonment of the West: The History of an Idea in American Foreign Policy (2020). He writes frequently for Foreign Affairs and other major publications. He has a forthcoming book on the history of the Ukraine War, Collisions.

Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Andrew Yang and former New Jersey governor, Christine Todd Whitman to discuss the problems with, and potential solutions to the two-party system in the United States. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "Four Questions". Christine Todd Whitman served as the 50th Governor of New Jersey, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency during the George W. Bush administration, and she is now Co-Chair of the Forward Party. Whitman began her political career in the Nixon administration's Office of Economic Opportunity. In 1993, she helped found the Committee for Responsible Government (now the Republican Leadership Council), a group advocating for moderate positions within the Republican Party. Whitman authored It's My Party, Too: Taking Back the Republican Party…And Bringing the Country Together Again. Andrew Yang is an entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, non-profit leader, former 2020 presidential candidate, and co-Chair of the new Forward Party. After working as a lawyer and executive at several early-stage technology companies, Andrew eventually became CEO of an education company that became #1 in the country. He then started a national entrepreneurship non-profit, Venture for America, which worked to empower thousands of young entrepreneurs to bring their dynamism to communities across the country. He is the author of Forward: Notes on the Future of Democracy.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by guest Joe Jaworski to discuss the recent impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton. Zachary sets this scene with his poem entitled, "Musings on the Great Liars and One Smited Attorney General" Joe Jaworski is a third-generation Texas trial attorney and former Mayor of Galveston, Texas. He has served as a law clerk to the United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit, and he has spent 32 years in private practice as a trial attorney, mediator, and legal commentator.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary discuss evangelical religion's role and history in U.S politics with Dr. Daniel Hummel. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "A Dispensation For The Dispensationalists". Dr. Daniel Hummel is the Director for University Engagement at Upper House, a Christian study center serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Daniel is the author of The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism: How the Evangelical Battle Over the End Times Shaped a Nation and Covenant Brothers: Evangelicals, Jews, and U.S.-Israeli Relations. Daniel has written about religion, politics, and foreign policy for the Washington Post, Christianity Today, and Religion News Service. His academic research has been published in Religion & American Culture and Church History.