Episodes

  • S2 Ep35: How to Fight Back Against Gerrymandering (with James Talarico)

    S2 Ep35: How to Fight Back Against Gerrymandering (with James Talarico)
    Aug 7 2025
    John Avlon and Texas state legislator James Talarico focus on solutions for defending democracy against partisan power grabs. Talarico outlines the Texas Democrats’ bold strategy of breaking quorum to block a mid-decade gerrymander, framing it as a model of using every available tool to protect free and fair elections. He stresses that reform must start with banning gerrymandering altogether—whether in red or blue states—to ensure voters choose their leaders, not the other way around.

    Beyond redistricting, Avlon and Talarico argue Democrats should reclaim the language of faith as part of a broader effort to connect with more voters. By grounding politics in service and moral responsibility, leaders can bridge divides and counter extremist narratives. He also calls for strengthening the separation of church and state to protect both democracy and religious freedom.

    Finally, he believes Democrats must adopt a more aggressive, grassroots-driven approach, running for local office, contesting every seat, and showing voters they’re willing to act boldly to fix the system and make it work for everyone.
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    20 mins
  • S2 Ep34: Fight Everywhere or Lose Everything! (w/ David Pepper)

    S2 Ep34: Fight Everywhere or Lose Everything! (w/ David Pepper)
    Aug 3 2025
    John Avlon talks with David Pepper about how gerrymandering is undermining democracy, Trump’s push for new congressional maps in Texas, and how everyday citizens can fight back by running for local office, registering voters, and holding corrupt officials accountable.
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    38 mins
  • S2 Ep33: How to Lower Temperatures in Cities for Next to Nothing

    S2 Ep33: How to Lower Temperatures in Cities for Next to Nothing
    Jul 27 2025
    John Avlon is joined by Greg Kats where they focus on the growing threat of urban heat waves, and how “smart surfaces” offer an affordable, effective solution. Greg Kats explains that cities are getting hotter due to heat-absorbing infrastructure like dark roofs, asphalt, and concrete. These surfaces trap heat, especially in low-income neighborhoods, leading to higher energy bills, health risks, and even deaths.These fixes don’t require massive new spending.

    Simple upgrades like reflective roofing, porous pavement, green spaces, and solar panels—can dramatically cool cities, reduce flooding, and cut emissions. These smart surface strategies are already being tested in cities like Atlanta and Baltimore, showing real success. The episode highlights how a mix of data, common-sense planning, and political will could scale these solutions nationally making communities healthier, safer, and more climate-resilient for a relatively low cost.

    Smart Surfaces Coalition:

    https://smartsurfacescoalition.org
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    25 mins
  • S2 Ep32: How the New GOP Tax Law Screws the Middle Class

    S2 Ep32: How the New GOP Tax Law Screws the Middle Class
    Jul 20 2025
    John Avlon speaks with NYU law professor and former Obama/Biden advisor David Kamin about the dangers of Trump’s economic agenda and the newly passed Republican tax law. They warn that Trump’s renewed threats to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell could undermine global trust in U.S. financial stability by politicizing the central bank, potentially worsening inflation and damaging markets.
    They break down the tax law’s deep unfairness, massive cuts for the ultra-wealthy, growing income inequality, and a ballooning deficit. Kamin explains how the law rewards certain professions arbitrarily, penalizes employees, and opens new loopholes while slashing Medicaid and food assistance. They discuss alternative reforms, including closing corporate tax loopholes, enforcing a global minimum tax, and simplifying the system to support fairness, growth, and middle-class opportunity.
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    38 mins
  • S2 Ep31: Rural Hospitals Are the First to Go. You’re Next.

    S2 Ep31: Rural Hospitals Are the First to Go. You’re Next.
    Jul 15 2025
    John Avlon and Jonathan Cohn dive into the GOP’s renewed push to slash Medicare, exposing the real-world consequences of proposed $1 trillion cuts. What’s really at stake and why these cuts could be devastating. They unpack how these reductions would impact millions of seniors, unravel the social safety net, and fund tax breaks for the wealthy, all while political leaders try to keep it quiet.
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    30 mins
  • S2 Ep30: Will Elon's America Party Bomb Like Other Third Parties?

    S2 Ep30: Will Elon's America Party Bomb Like Other Third Parties?
    Jul 9 2025
    John Avlon joined Rick Wilson for a Substack Live on Rick Wilson’s Against All Enemies. The two political veterans deliver a no-nonsense breakdown of America’s volatile political landscape. They dive into the collapse of the GOP establishment, the dangers of third-party fantasies like Elon Musk’s "America Party," and why Trumpism remains a threat to democracy. With decades of insider experience, they unpack how fear, media manipulation, and political cowardice got us here, and what it’ll take to fight back.

    Rick Wilson’s Against All Enemies | Substack
    https://therickwilson.substack.com/
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    30 mins
  • S2 Ep29: Trump's Crypto Scheme Shows That We Need New Rules Now

    S2 Ep29: Trump's Crypto Scheme Shows That We Need New Rules Now
    Jul 6 2025
    John Avlon and Thomas Pacchia dive into the future of Bitcoin and crypto policy in the U.S., highlighting the regulatory confusion, partisan risks, and missed opportunities under the Biden administration. Now that Trump is embroiled in a crypto scheme, the time for talking about new rules is now.

    Guest Thomas Pacchia explains the key differences between Bitcoin and broader crypto, warns against overregulation, and makes the case for light-touch rules, tax clarity, and what Trump coin means in this moment for change.
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    45 mins
  • S2 Ep28: Could NYC Go Broke Again?

    S2 Ep28: Could NYC Go Broke Again?
    Jun 29 2025
    Richard E. Farley wrote a book called Drop Dead about New York City's 1975 fiscal crisis. John Avlon and Richard compare it to today, highlighting similar risks: rising interest rates, job and tax-base uncertainty, reduced federal support, and political dysfunction. Unlike in 1975, today's polarized politics make federal bailouts harder, emphasizing the urgent need to restore fiscal discipline and cooperative governance.
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    35 mins