Today I sit down with my friend Rick Kahlenberg, an expert on all things affirmative action and the author of the forthcoming book, Class Matters: The Fight to Get Beyond Race Preferences, Reduce Inequality, and Build Real Diversity at America’s Colleges. We kick off with a discussion of DEI trainings, the educational bureaucracy, and Trump’s latest executive orders. We then chat about how both sides of the political spectrum have problems with their approaches to racial diversity. Rick walks us through his 40-year journey to move Democrats towards class-based preferences in college admissions—a position that both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama once supported. Finally, we close with a preview of our upcoming co-authored report titled, “Bobby Kennedy: Liberal Patriot.”A transcript of this podcast is available on the post page on the website. Get full access to The Liberal Patriot at www.liberalpatriot.com/subscribe

This week I have the privilege of talking with Peter Moskos—a sociologist, former Baltimore City police officer, and expert on criminal justice and policing. His forthcoming book, Back from the Brink: Inside the NYPD and New York City's Extraordinary 1990s Crime Drop, is a must read when it drops in March. We start off with a discussion of the latest crime statistics. How and where are we getting these numbers? Is this data actually correct? Peter tells us why he’s skeptical before diving into the reasons behind the 2020-2021 crime spike. We then move towards politics: Why does the left not care about public order? We chat about how white progressives tend to impose a utopian and foolish vision of public safety. Tune in for a fascinating conversation on all things policing!A transcript of this podcast is available on the post page on the website. Get full access to The Liberal Patriot at www.liberalpatriot.com/subscribe

Today I chat with Lisa Selin Davis, the author of Tomboy: The Surprising History and Future of Girls Who Dare to Be Different, and Housewife: Why Women Still Do It All and What to Do Instead. We open with a discussion of Trump’s recent executive orders relating to sex and gender. What might the practical impact be? How should Democrats respond? Lisa talks us through the latest on how the left sows division based on biological sex and explains the resistance she faced discussing gender ideology in ultra-progressive Brooklyn. We cover the New York Times latest poll on trans rights and examine how Republicans have built a bigger tent on these issues. Tune in for all things gender politics!Editor’s note: A transcript is available on the post page for those reading this on email. Get full access to The Liberal Patriot at www.liberalpatriot.com/subscribe

Welcome to another year of The Liberal Patriot Podcast! We kick off 2025 with Sohrab Ahmari, formerly of Compact and now the U.S. editor of UnHerd. Sohrab fills us in on his grand plans for the new gig and walks us through his most recent book Tyranny, Inc. We chat about the administrative state, American manufacturing, and whether the labor movement can find an institutional home in the Republican Party. We conclude with a discussion of the Democrats’ “anti-normative normality” and Sohrab gives us a sneak peak of his forthcoming book. Get full access to The Liberal Patriot at www.liberalpatriot.com/subscribe

In our final episode of the year, I’m joined by Dustin “Dino” Guastella, the director of operations for Teamsters Local 623 in Philadelphia and a research associate at the Center for Working-Class Politics. We kick off with a discussion of the Harris campaign’s “democracy” message and why it alienated working-class voters. Why did Democrats ditch economically populist messaging? What should a progressive economic program look like anyway? Dino and I tackle manufacturing, infrastructure, bureaucratic red tape, and more. We wrap up by discussing the fertility crisis and why so many leftists oppose pro-social policies. Thanks for listening this year—we’re excited to bring you more in 2025! Get full access to The Liberal Patriot at www.liberalpatriot.com/subscribe

This week I sit down with Ross Barkan, a contributing writer to The New York Times Magazine and expert on the American left who has his own great newsletter, Political Currents. We begin with a review of the legacy media’s performance during the 2024 election—and why you might have been better prepared for the results if you read the right people here on Substack. After extolling the virtues of independent media, Ross, a Brooklyn native, breaks down why Democrats performed so poorly in New York City and how the party can chart a path forward. Which Democrats might take up Obama’s mantle of party spokesperson? Is the answer to Democrat’s working-class woes economic populism mixed with social moderation? Can Democrats finally ditch the "alphabet" left? Tune in for a rollicking conversation on all that and more. Get full access to The Liberal Patriot at www.liberalpatriot.com/subscribe

In our first post-election episode, I’m joined by Patrick Ruffini, a co-founder of Echelon Insights and the author of Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP. We dive right into last week’s results, starting with how and why non-white voters shifted so much towards Trump. We cover the “cosmopolitan trap” that Democrats have fallen into—focusing solely on issues that motivate white voters with a college degree—and why the Harris campaign over-indexed on abortion and democracy. Will Democrats finally have a “Sister Souljah” moment? Who might emerge as the face of a changed Democratic Party? What can the Trump administration focus on to improve the GOP’s standing with their new voters?  Get full access to The Liberal Patriot at www.liberalpatriot.com/subscribe

In this engaging discussion, Tim Shenk, a history professor at George Washington University and author of "Left Adrift," delves into the evolution of liberal politics since Bill Clinton's campaign. He contrasts the coalition-building strategies of political strategists Stan Greenberg and Doug Schoen. Shenk also assesses Kamala Harris's campaign approach and its potential to reshape Democratic rhetoric. Lastly, he emphasizes the need for progressives to engage meaningfully with working-class voters to foster unity ahead of the 2024 elections.

As Election Day draws closer, I'm joined by my AEI colleague Sean Trende to break down all things 2024. We discuss swing state polling before moving into who we think might be favored to win the White House. Did Democrats make the wrong VP pick? What's behind Harris's stubborn leads in the Midwestern battlegrounds? Why are some pollsters suddenly weighting on recalled vote? Who's favored to win the House and Senate? Tune in for answers to all that and more! Get full access to The Liberal Patriot at www.liberalpatriot.com/subscribe

Musa al-Gharbi, an assistant professor at Stony Brook and columnist for Compact Magazine, dives into his book, 'We Have Never Been Woke.' He discusses how social justice discourse can perpetuate inequality, especially in blue cities. Al-Gharbi critiques the disconnect between elite narratives and working-class realities, exploring the irony of those pushing social justice while being part of the elite. He also reflects on the evolution of 'wokeness' in political campaigns and the need for genuine community engagement in discussions about issues like prison abolition.