Democracy in America is in danger.  Public trust in government is at an all-time low. Ordinary citizens have a negligible effect on government policy while wealthy individuals, large corporations, and special interest groups exercise considerable political clout.   Gridlock and partisan polarization are blocking measures which the majority of Americans agree are necessary. Income inequality is at its highest point in nearly a century and the American Dream is out of reach for many.  How did we get here and what can be done to save our democracy?

In today’s episode we’ll hear from Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Hedrick Smith, whose one-hour PBS documentary “The Democracy Rebellion” chronicles the rise of citizen reform movements across America working to restore fairer, cleaner elections and to limit the corrosive influence of big money in our politics.  Hedrick Smith describes the grassroots movements pushing for partisan gerrymander reform, voting rights, and exposing dark money, providing compelling evidence that our democracy can be saved when ordinary citizens take action.

The “Democracy Rebellion”, available for live streaming on YouTube, provides viewers with an uplifting perspective on what is possible.  Learn about other grassroots activism on Hedrick’s website: ReclaimtheAmericanDream.org.  To understand how we got here and the complex challenge facing American democracy, Hedrick draws upon his analysis from his 2012 book Who Stole the American Dream? to explain the rise of economic inequality and how big money interests have captured our political system.

Join us for an enlightening conversation.

TRANSCRIPT

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jbgFBCvBwU5OeuwP6_PAFOjhB_NwLgrorFR6sW_1h1o/edit