Jen Rubin's Green Room

Jen is joined by author and veteran political consultant Stuart Stevens to take a journey through the evolution of the Republican party towards authoritarianism under Trump.  They explain how it became dominated by white grievance and the religious right by forgoing policy solutions that could attract minorities, women, and young people in favor of conspiracy and control.  Jen and Stuart believe it was possible because Republican party leaders capitulated to the MAGA movement for power and the hope of getting their preferred policies without compromise– eroding our democracy.  To save it, they lay out what it will take to reclaim the principles essential to freedom, and make the argument that restoring democracy is the only issue that should decide elections when the alternative is conceding to one party rule.  Will 2024 be the turning point?  Get More From This Week’s Guest: Stuart Stevens: Twitter | The Lincoln Project | Website | Author of “The Conspiracy To End America” & Other Books Get More From Jennifer Rubin: Twitter | WaPo | Author of “Resistance: How Women Saved Democracy From Donald Trump”

Jen is joined by the co-founder of Protect Democracy Ian Bassin to explore the growing threat of authoritarianism at home and abroad by laying out the cultural, institutional, and personal forces that Trump and the MAGA Right are exploiting to undermine our democracy.  They examine how times of uncertainty allow the siren song of the strong man to encourage voters to compromise on our national values, how the politicization of the SCOTUS is weakening the independence of the justice system, and why our institutions are essential to fighting back.  In addition to reform, they emphasize the role we all play in becoming single issue voters against tyranny and participating in communities that bind us together in the democratic experiment.  Will it be enough to save us? HelloFresh:  Enjoy 50% off plus free shipping with delicious HelloFresh meals delivered right to your door when you go to hellofresh.com/50greenroom and use promo code: 50GREENROOM Get More From This Week’s Guest: Ian Bassin: Twitter | Protect Democracy | MacArthur Foundation Get More From Jennifer Rubin: Twitter | WaPo | Author of “Resistance: How Women Saved Democracy From Donald Trump”

Jen welcomes creator of The 1619 Project Nicole Hannah-Jones to illuminate how she has used the Black experience to revolutionize our understanding of our history across multiple mediums.  While explaining her process, they discuss the power of the personal story to connect to the past, how The 1619 Project uses the collective to take back control of our past from elites and those in power.  They also lay out how our country’s continuum of systemic injustice divides us, undermines our democracy, and stops us from reaching true equality.  To fight back, they share the successes of the Black press, rebuke both-sidesism and the tendency to defer to power, and call for the courage to tell the truth. Get More From This Week’s Guests: Nicole Hannah-Jones: Twitter | NYT | Howard University | Center for Journalism & Democracy | Instagram | Hulu’s The 1619 Project | Ida B. Wells Society | Author Get More From Jennifer Rubin: Twitter | WaPo | Author of “Resistance: How Women Saved Democracy From Donald Trump”

Jen is joined by legal maven and ethics expert Norm Eisen to review the pending cases against Trump and his associates.  They discuss how he is his own worst enemy, why we should put our faith in the juries, the effect of his potential testimony, and the legal strategies he will likely use.  Further, they examine the impact of the 2024 election, the evidence against him and his co-conspirators, and the results of the war on the rule of law that he and other Republicans continue to wage.  Will an alliance of voters, lawyers, and the resilience of our judicial system be enough to win back our democracy?           Get More From This Week’s Guests: Norm Eisen: Twitter | Brookings Institute | Just Security | States United | Website | Author Get More From Jennifer Rubin: Twitter | WaPo | Author of “Resistance: How Women Saved Democracy From Donald Trump”

Jen is joined by the authors of “Tyranny of the Minority”, Professors Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky, to discuss how Republicans are wielding minority power to undermine our democracy.  They explore the constitutional mechanisms enabling them, spanning the electoral college, unbalanced representation in the Senate, and the adoption of the filibuster.  Then they lay out their proposals to fix things, including; removing constitutional protectionism, expanding popular representation, term limits, ending the filibuster, and adopting the interstate national vote compact.  Most importantly, they emphasize the need to vote and build momentum for change.       Get More From This Week’s Guests: Daniel Ziblatt: Twitter | Center For European Studies | Harvard | Google Scholar | WZB | Author of “Tyranny of the Minority” & Other Books Steven Levitsky: Harvard | Kellogg Institute | Google Scholar | University of Chicago | DRCLAS | Author of “Tyranny of the Minority” & Other Books Get More From Jennifer Rubin: Twitter | WaPo | Author of “Resistance: How Women Saved Democracy From Donald Trump”

Jen is joined by Reed Galen and Rick Wilson of the Lincoln Project to discuss the fight to take down Trump. A fight they’ve waged since he revealed his authoritarian tendencies.  They explain why he can’t be fought like a normal candidate, how the media gets played by conservatives, and argue that defeating him is a battle for democracy that goes beyond party divisions.  Together, they explore how he fooled Republican voters, his use of vengeance while wielding power, the impact of his court cases, Kevin McCarthy’s failures, and how Trump’s primary challengers can gain ground.  Will our democracy be able to survive him? Get More From This Week’s Guests: Rick Wilson: Twitter | Website | Substack | Lincoln Project | The Lincoln Project Podcast | YouTube | Instagram | Author Reed Galen: Twitter | Resolute Square | Lincoln Project | The Lincoln Project Podcast | YouTube | Instagram Get More From Jennifer Rubin: Twitter | WaPo | Author of “Resistance: How Women Saved Democracy From Donald Trump”

Jen is joined by Pulitzer Prize winning author Diane McWhorter to discuss the civil rights movement in the South that arose to defeat the fascistic alliance between industrialists, the wealthy, and their enforcers in the Klan.  They lay out how Black activists, labor unions, and their allies put aside their differences to overcome them and make civil rights a national issue.  During the conversation, they look at the internal dynamics of the civil rights movement, the role of Martin Luther King Jr., and the nefarious actions of government, Bull Connor, and law enforcement.  Perhaps most importantly, what will it take to honor and advance the legacy of those who fought so hard for freedom and equality? This Week’s Guest: Diane McWhorter: Website | Pulitzer.org | Author Get More From Jennifer Rubin: Twitter | WaPo | Author of “Resistance: How Women Saved Democracy From Donald Trump”

Jen is joined by Rep. Jamie Raskin to lay out the case against Trump and examine the legal issues that should keep him out of the presidency.  They cover the potential of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to keep him out of office for his role in the January 6th insurrection, why his incitement against the election is not protected by the Constitution, and how he attacked our voting rights and pressured officials to break their oaths.  They also discuss the bottom up legal strategy being used to prosecute him and those he inspired, and emphasize the role our institutions have in defending our democracy. This Week’s Guest: Congressman Jamie Raskin: Twitter | Website | House.gov | Author of “Unthinkable” Get More From Jennifer Rubin: Twitter | WaPo | Author of “Resistance: How Women Saved Democracy From Donald Trump”

Jen is joined by master political strategist Simon Rosenberg to discuss why polling vastly overestimated the non-existent so-called Red Wave in 2022 and how the results of the special elections since then demonstrate that the electorate is continuing to punish Republicans.  They explore how the Dobbs decision, Supreme Court radicalism, Trump and his party’s attempts to overturn the election, the possibility of a government shutdown, and their inability to moderate is giving democratic candidates positive numbers not seen in decades.  Building upon the decline in inflation and other successful policies, is a Blue Wave coming? This Week’s Guest: Simon Rosenberg: Twitter | New Democrat Network Bio | Substack Get More From Jennifer Rubin: Twitter | WaPo | Author of “Resistance: How Women Saved Democracy From Donald Trump”

Jen is joined by finance expert and human rights campaigner Bill Browder for an inside look at the corruption and oppression in Putin’s Russia that directly targeted Bill’s company and friends.  In their conversation they cover Putin’s massive theft from businesses operating there, how he uses torture and violence against his political enemies, and why defeating him in Ukraine is essential to protecting freedom and democracy around the world.  They also discuss how the bi-partisan Magnitsky Act is one of the most effective weapons in the war because of its power to freeze accounts and directly target the oligarchs behind the invasion.  Now that it is being passed in dozens of other countries, are we gaining the upper hand? This Week’s Guest: Bill Browder: Twitter | Website | Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign | Author of “Freezing Order” Get More From Jennifer Rubin: Twitter | WaPo | Author of “Resistance: How Women Saved Democracy From Donald Trump”