In the Ten Steps to Autocracy, step four is convincing citizens that democracy just isn’t working. If democracy isn’t working, then people will be seduced by populist promises and grievance politics. That’s why Democrats and the rest of us standing up to autocracy must have a positive vision of the future, and a realistic path to get there. One idea that has taken off among those thinking about Democrats’ next act is the “abundance agenda.” Crafted in their co-authored book Abundance, Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson argue for a simple but powerful idea: Democrats need to operate from a place of plenty, not scarcity. Liberalism can’t just protect and preserve, it must build the economy, infrastructure, power and reach. On today’s show, Stacey sits down with Ezra Klein, New York Times columnist, host of his popular eponymous podcast, The Ezra Klein Show, and co-author of Abundance, to ask: Can this vision help us reclaim the promise of democracy and redefine Democrats as the party that actually serves the people? And how can it be used not only to improve Americans’ lives, but also to stop Trump and the Republicans in their tracks?

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Learn & Do More:

1. BE CURIOUS: If you want to dig deeper into the Abundance Agenda grab Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson’s book Abundance—available wherever books are sold. And for smart, trusted takes, I strongly encourage you to listen to The Ezra Klein Show.
2. SOLVE PROBLEMS: As Ezra said, the hoops we often have to jump through to be heard by people in power favors those who are already powerful. Show up to local meetings where the public has the right to comment on something that’s happening in your community, and advocate for those who can’t be there.

DO GOOD: What is unfolding in D.C. is more than an over-reach. It is yet another example of Step 9 of the 10 steps toward autocracy, which expands the use of military power and creates space for private violence. One of the targets for this occupation and removal are the homeless in Washington. If you want to support those who are pushing back, please consider making a donation to Miriam’s Kitchen, which uses a comprehensive approach to eliminating the housing crisis in Washington – from providing meals and connecting people to social services, to advocating for providing the homeless with permanent, stable housing. Visit miriamskitchen.org.

Christian nationalism is an extremist, anti-democratic ideology rooted in the belief that the United States should be a nation for Christians to the exclusion of all others. In modern times, the Trump administration and its Republican allies have wielded this ideology as a weapon to divide Americans and implement an agenda via plans like the infamous Project 2025 that eviscerates the rights of immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community, questions the rights of women to vote, restores a freedom to discriminate against others and targets reproductive rights. This week, in response to a listener question asking what Christian nationalism has to do with the central tenets of Christianity, Stacey shares her own experience as a progressive, democratic Christian, pulling back the curtain on a core truth: the malice and hatred preached by right-wing religious leaders who shape our politics has nothing to do with Jesus’s actual teachings. She’s joined by Bishop William Barber, president of Repairers of the Breach, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, and professor at Yale Divinity School and Father Greg Boyle, Jesuit priest, founder of Homeboy Industries, and author. Together, they break down the threat Christian nationalism poses to democracy and show how faith, at its best, can be a powerful force for justice and progress. This inspiring conversation has so much to offer all our listeners, whether they come from a Christian background, some other faith background, or no faith at all.

Learn & Do More:

BE CURIOUS: To learn more about progressive Christian philosophy, liberation theology is a good place to start: read “A Theology of Liberation” by Gustavo Gutierrez and “The Cross and the Lynching Tree” by James Cone.

SOLVE PROBLEMS: Join secular or interfaith organizations that can oppose the march of Christian nationalism and reassert our faith pluralism. Check out the Interfaith Alliance at interfaithalliance.org, whose mission is to advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America. Look for similar groups where you live — but remember, belonging must be met with volume and action.

DO GOOD: Visit homeboyindustries.org to learn how you can volunteer or donate to support their programs. Check out poorpeoplescampaign.org to get involved with a movement led by the poor and dedicated to supporting those in poverty across the country.

Donald Trump has been called many things: authoritarian, racist, liar, scam artist. Stacey Abrams is adding one more…aspiring autocrat. Inspired by Princeton professor Kim Scheppele, Stacey has remixed the “The Ten Steps to Autocracy” to reflect today’s political reality. And embedded in that framework is a chilling move the administration and Republicans have played repeatedly since inauguration: attack the media until no one knows what’s true.

Just this year alone, Trump has launched frivolous lawsuits against CBS, ABC, and the Wall Street Journal. He banned the Associated Press from the White House press pool for months. And his administration has weaponized the Federal Communications Commission against major broadcasters and public media alike. For Republicans, “fake news” often just means news that tells the truth about their attacks on America. Their response? Undermine, sue, intimidate, block access. And many media corporations are bowing to the pressure. This week, Stacey sits down with journalist and founder of STATUS, a new media venture shining a light on the power dynamics inside the press, Oliver Darcy, to unpack the state of media independence as the Trump administration’s attacks escalate.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Learn & Do More:

BE CURIOUS: Subscribe to Oliver’s newsletter, Status, at status.news, and check out his new podcast Power Lines to learn more about how media shapes society.

SOLVE PROBLEMS: Consider donating to your local public radio station and to PBS to help keep important programming and vital emergency alerts alive.

DO GOOD: You can also support trusted news outlets by purchasing a subscription. These organizations rely on reader support—especially during times of financial uncertainty.

On July 4th, Trump signed the devastating and dangerous Republican "Megabill" into law — a sweeping measure that targets the young and the vulnerable to further enrich the wealthy. But we’re all collateral damage. Among its many cruelties: new Medicaid restrictions that could strip coverage from 11.8 million Americans over the next decade, a cost shift in SNAP that may cut food benefits for 22.3 million families, and a $5 trillion debt ceiling hike. While working and middle class families across the board will suffer, some groups stand to lose even more, like women of color, young millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha. This week, Stacey sits down with Natasha Sarin, Yale professor and founder of the Yale Budget Lab, and Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman, Harvard Kennedy School doctoral candidate and author of the upcoming The Double Tax: How Women of Color Are Overcharged and Underpaid, to unpack how this Republican tax-and-spend bill uniquely harms, displaces, and disenfranchises marginalized Americans.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Learn & Do More:

1. BE CURIOUS: Tax policy feels remote and complicated, but remember: that’s intentional. It’s easier for politicians to control your money when you don’t understand the rules. Read Anna's book, The Double Tax, and follow her at @itsafronomics on Tiktok and Instagram.
2. SOLVE PROBLEMS: State and local governments will now have to take on more and more of the costs for federal failures. We must understand how our state legislatures work. Already, states are planning to cut programs or shut down hospitals. Let them know you are watching. Look up your state rep and state senator, then call and introduce yourself. Ask for a meeting with you and your friends to discuss how they plan to protect you from these dangerous decisions. It doesn't matter which party you voted for — if they got elected, they work for you. Remind them.
3. DO GOOD: As this bill accelerates the cost of living crisis, consider getting involved in ways that might help foster your own security and help the most vulnerable in your community. According to the organization Feeding America, SNAP already gives just six dollars and sixteen cents a day to the average person, which they note is barely enough for a basic breakfast. Now these cuts will result in families having even less. If you are most concerned about food insecurity, visit feedingamerica.org/advocate/snap to type in your zip code and learn about how cuts will impact your community. Consider donating if you are able, and seek out food assistance programs where you live to get involved. If you are worried about housing costs, find out if there is a tenants union available to you, or consider creating one. Visit the National Housing Law Project at https://www.nhlp.org/ to read the National Tenants Bill of Rights and learn more. To protect healthcare access, continue supporting Planned Parenthood as their funding remains in jeopardy. Finally, to keep your community informed amidst massive cuts to public media, check out ways to support your local public radio station.

In the very first edition of Assembly Required’s listener mailbag, Stacey Abrams tackles your wide-ranging, urgent questions—from politics to pop culture. She dives into MAGA’s Epstein-fueled outrage, breaks down Trump’s mega-bill, and fully embraces her inner nerd with takes on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek, her all-time favorite romance novels, and much more!

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Learn & Do More:

Crooked’s Vote Save America is running a pilot program for the 2026 cycle to recruit you, our listeners, to run for office. Whether it’s school board, city council, state legislature, or anything in between, VSA’s in-state partners have identified the races that need candidates and are ready to help you run for office. Learn more about the program and sign up at votesaveamerica.com/run.

Political humor is more than just a distraction. It’s where punchlines meet headlines and chaos turns into catharsis. It offers us moments of levity amid an overwhelming, anxiety-fueled news cycle. In an America galloping towards autocracy, where the political landscape shifts by the hour and human rights teeter on the edge of policy, humor isn't just helpful…it’s essential. This week, Stacey sits down with someone who knows how to find the funny in the bleakest of times. Amber Ruffin, comedian, writer on Late Night with Seth Meyers and host of Have I Got News for You, joins the show to talk about how we can navigate this relentless moment in history with more laughter and maybe a little less fear.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Learn & Do More:

• As Amber said, “a healthy you is a strong you..the solution can't come to a sad mind.” Do something that makes you laugh. Watch one of Amber's shows. Binge your favorite comfort show. Read something light. Spend time with the people who make you feel good. Whatever it is, make sure it puts a genuine smile on your face. You deserve that. Now more than ever.

National parks and public lands tell us who we are - and remind us of how we fit into the grander scheme of things. They give people the chance to connect with the awe-inspiring beauty of nature, create jobs and fuel economic growth, and preserve vital historical and cultural landmarks. But despite their broad, bipartisan popularity, Republicans appear determined to dismantle our parks and auction off our natural history to the highest bidder. Back in February, the administration began gutting the National Park Service—firing over a thousand employees. And the destruction hasn’t stopped. At the center of this assault is Trump’s barbaric megabill that guts a wide variety of crucial programs. The version that recently passed the Senate further slashes the National Parks Service budget and opens public lands to private development and fossil fuel development… all to help fund tax cuts for billionaires. This week, Stacey sits down with former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, who walks us through the rich history of public lands as cultural and historical resources and the devastating impact these proposed cuts could have. Then, conservation activist and Outdoor Afro founder Rue Mapp joins the conversation to share the importance of public lands for all of us, including marginalized communities who do not always have access to the outdoors, how we can protect these lands, and how we fight to keep them public.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Note: Our interviews this week were recorded before the budget bill was signed into law.

Learn & Do More:

1. BE CURIOUS: No matter where you live, you’re probably near a place that is part of our network of public lands. Get curious about what’s in your neighborhood, and look beyond just the National Parks. National Historic Sites, National Forests, National Wildlife Refuges, and National Monuments are all managed by our federal government in trust for the public. There are city, state and tribal managed lands too. Go visit these places and inform yourself about their history. And stay up to date with local news to inform yourself about what’s happening with public lands near you.
2. SOLVE PROBLEMS: Our local, state, and national representatives are always making decisions about our public spaces. There are often open rounds of public comment when changes are being made, so make your voice heard and let local leaders know what you think. And call your members of Congress to let them know what you think of cuts to the National Parks Service and other land bureaus. Let them know you want to see these places conserved, not exploited.
3. DO GOOD: Donate to organizations doing the work to advocate for the protection of our parks and lands, and who tell an inclusive story about who the public lands are for. You can donate to The Wilderness Society at act.wilderness.org and the National Parks Conservation Association at support.npca.org. Organizations like these advocate for strong environmental policies, fight legal battles to stop destructive development, and work to ensure public lands stay public. You can also support Rue Mapp’s work connecting marginalized people with natural spaces, in this critical time of political upheaval. Find Outdoor Afro at https://outdoorafro.org/donate