This is Democracy

Matthew Dallek is a historian and professor of political management at George Washington University’s College of Professional Studies. He is the author of: The Right Moment: Ronald Reagan's First Victory and the Decisive Turning Point in American Politics; Defenseless Under the Night: The Franklin Roosevelt Years and the Origins of Homeland Security; and, most recently, Birchers: How the John Birch Society Radicalized the American Right. Dallek's writings frequently appear in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Politico, and other publications.

Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez to discuss young voters and the role they are playing in our democracy. Zachary sets the scene with his poem: "For My Generation and the Story We Will Write" Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez is the president and executive director of NextGen America, the largest youth-vote mobilization organization in the country. She is a millennial, a civil rights leader, and a 2020 U.S. Senate candidate who has spent the last 20 years taking on some of the most powerful special interests in her home state of Texas. Cristina’s dedication to lifting up the largest and most diverse generation in history is rooted in her conviction that young people have the power — and the right — to determine the future of our country.

Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Atar David to discuss the controversy surrounding the overhaul and fundamental efforts to transform the judiciary and the ways in which justice is administered in Israel. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "Passover 2023." Atar David is an agricultural and environmental historian, currently completing his doctorate in the history department at UT-Austin. His current project examines the trans-regional history of agricultural practices, commodity exchange, and knowledge production between the Middle East and the American Southwest at the turn of the 19th century.

Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Jeffrey Engel to discuss the recent indictments on former president Trump, and other instances of presidential law-breaking. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "Some Messes Can Only Be Cleaned Up With Time." Jeffrey Engel is a professor of history at Southern Methodist University, where he is the founding director of the Center for Presidential History. He is the author and editor of at least 10 books, including: Cold War at 30,000 Feet: The Anglo-American Fight for Aviation Supremacy, Impeachment: An American History, and When the World Seemed New: George H.W. Bush and the End of the Cold War.

Mikkael Sekeres is a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Hematology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Sekeres has published hundreds of scholarly and Op-Ed articles, and he is the author of 8 books, including: When Blood Breaks Down: Life Lessons from Leukemia (The MIT Press 2020) and most recently, Drugs and the FDA: Safety, Efficacy, and the Public’s Trust (The MIT Press 2022).

Dr. Melvyn P. Leffler is the Edward Stettinius Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Virginia. He is one of the leading historians of U.S. foreign policy. Professor Leffler is the author of numerous prize-winning books, including: A Preponderance of Power: National Security, The Truman Administration, and the Cold War; For the Soul of Mankind: The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War; Safeguarding Democratic Captialism; and, most recently, Confronting Saddam Hussein: George W. Bush and the Invasion of Iraq.

Benjamin Griffin is the Chief of the Military History Division in the History Department at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he is a Major in the U.S. Army. Ben holds a PhD in History from the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of: Reagan's War Stories: A Cold War Presidency.

Jonathan Alter is an award-winning author, political analyst, documentary filmmaker, columnist, television producer, and radio host. Alter’s most recent book is “His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, a Life.” (2020), which received uniformly favorable reviews. His earlier books include three New York Times bestsellers: “The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies” (2013), “The Promise: President Obama, Year One” (2010) and “The Defining Moment: FDR’s Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope” (2006), also one of the Times’ “Notable Books” of the year. 

Dr. Gönül Tol is the founding director of the Turkey program at the Middle East Institute, a think tank in Washington DC. She is the author of Erdogan's War: A Strongman's Struggle at Home and in Syria, which was published in January. She has taught at both George Washington University and the National Defense University.

In this week's episode, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by John Sipher to discuss intelligence and the ways in which US intelligence agencies collect information on China and Russia. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "Conceiving the Spies Lament." John Sipher retired in 2014 after a 28-year career in the Central Intelligence Agency’s National Clandestine Service. At the time of his retirement, he was a member of the CIA’s Senior Intelligence Service, the leadership team that guides CIA activities globally. John served multiple overseas tours as Chief of Station and Deputy Chief of Station in Europe, Asia, and in high-threat environments. John also served as a lead instructor in the CIA’s clandestine training school and was a regular lecturer at the CIA’s leadership development program.