Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips

Trump didn't believe in COVID; then he got COVID. Then he got better (or so it is seeming, at least for now). Schadenfreude abounded especially when the news that he had tested positive for the virus was first announced. In this episode, we talk about why our country, this election, and Democrats’ prospects for taking back the White House and Senate are better off if No. 45’s health stays steady/doesn't take a nosedive. Our special guest Dr. Bob Wachter, chair of the department of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and Twitter celeb for his insightful posts on Trump’s health, shares with us his thoughts on the president’s medical outlook. [17:22] And data scientist extraordinaire Dr. Julie Martinez Ortega joins us to explain why the top two Senate races that progressives should be supporting in these final weeks before Election Day are those in Georgia and Texas. [37:21] Also this episode—our 30th—marks the one-year anniversary of this podcast! Thank you to all of our listeners! REFERENCES: Dr. Bob Wachter - @Bob_Wachter Steve Phillips // The Nation - These Are the States to Focus on to Flip the Senate https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/elections-senate-texas-georgia/ The New York Times // Tram Nguyen - Democrats Could Learn a Lot From What Happened in Virginia States Don’t Become Battlegrounds Overnight https://nytimes.com/2019/11/06/opinion/virginia-election-democrats.html Megan Thee Stallion - @theestallion Megan Thee Stallion // The New York Times - Why I Speak Up for Black Women https://nytimes.com/2020/10/13/opinion/megan-thee-stallion-black-women.html Susan Sandler - Series of Essays: When I First Found Out I had Cancer - Website http://Braincancerandme.com Senate Candidates Raphael Warnock for GA - https://warnockforgeorgia.com Jon Ossof for GA - https://electjon.com MJ Hagar for TX - https://mjfortexas.com Sara Gideon for ME - https://saragideon.com Jamie Harrison for SC - https://jaimeharrison.com Organizations New Virginia Majority - https://newvirginiamajority.org New Georgia Project Action Fund - https://www.ngpaf.org Texas Organizing Project Website - https://organizetexas.org

With Election Day only 33 days away, we answer a question on everyone’s mind—What more can I do in these final few weeks? In this episode, we offer suggestions on top actions you can take right now to make a difference before November 3rd. We also sit down with Krystal Ortiz, a director of NEWCO Strategies, who shares insight about strategic election-related volunteering options. Steve describes NEWCO, a political consulting firm, as “a quiet, behind-the-scenes force supporting a lot of the most important work happening in progressive politics and social change in this country.” Steve also discusses what recent developments since RBG’s death have revealed about the exact nature of the fight we are currently in as a nation and why Democrats and progressives need to get clear on this, and fast. REFERENCES: Krystal Ortiz, Director at NEWCO Strategies - https://newcostrategies.com/krystal-ortiz - @klortiz14 Campaign Healthy Website - @EatReal2Win - https://healthycampaign.org The New York Times // Lisa Lerer - ‘Election Stress Disorder,’ the Sequel https://nytimes.com/2020/09/24/us/politics/election-stress-disorder.html Bobby Seale Founder of the Black Panthers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Seale Nse Ufot @NseUfot - Clip - Q&A: And She Could Be Next https://youtube.com/watch?v=rvcURUQhK0s And She Could Be Next - https://andshecouldbenext.com Where to Donate: Arizona Wins - http://az-wins.org New Georgia Project Action Fund Website - @ngpaction - https://ngpaf.org New Florida Majority Website - @NewFLMajority - https://newfloridamajority.org One Pennsylvania Website - @OnePennsylvania - https://onepa.org/vote Casa in Action Website - @CASAinAction - https://casainaction.org/pennsylvania Where to Volunteer if you have Time and Energy: Swing Left’s The Last Weekends - https://thelastweekends.org/democracyincolor Vote Forward Website - @votefwd - https://votefwd.org/democracyincolor Protecting Voting Results: Protect the Results - https://protecttheresults.com Power the Polls - @PowerThePolls - https://powerthepolls.org Television Show Choices: Krystal: Schitt’s Creek, CBC/Netflix Sharline: Avatar The Last Airbender, Nickelodeon/Netflix Steve: Ted Lasso, Apple+; The Bridge, BBC; Trapped, BBC

We are here for you. In this episode, we offer insight and analysis to help talk you and your friends off the ledge as we all anxiously wait and work towards the November elections, which is less than 50 days away. We offer facts and information to back up our assertion that we truly believe Democrats have—in a fair election—an electoral advantage, even in a number of swing states. We hope this episode will sustain you and help you focus your energy and efforts in these final weeks before Election Day. REFERENCES: Ron Brownstein - @RonBrownstein Joy Reid - @JoyAnnReid // TheReidOut https://msnbc.com/reidout POLLS Voter Doubt of 2020 Outcome Possible - Monmouth University Poll https://monmouth.edu/polling-institute/documents/monmouthpoll_us_091020.pdf/ The New York Times/Siena College National Poll https://scri.siena.edu/2020/06/24/biden-leads-trump-50-36-in-national-poll/ ORGANIZATIONS Fairfight https://fairfight.com PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste) https://pcun.org Vote Save America https://votesaveamerica.com Plant Based Fitness Oakland https://plantbfitness.com/ MEDIA The New York Times // Astead W. Herndon Minnesota Seemed Ripe for a Trump Breakout. It Has Not Arrived. https://nytimes.com/2020/09/13/us/politics/Minnesota-poll-Biden-Trump.html NPR Politics Podcast with Domenico Montanaro https://npr.org/podcasts/510310/npr-politics-podcast Brown is the New White // Steve Phillips https://thenewpress.com/books/brown-new-white GENERAL FiveThirtyEight Presidential Forecast https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-election-forecast/ Nixon’s campaign and “law and order” position https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Nixon_1968_presidential_campaign Voting Right Act of 1965 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_Rights_Act_of_1965

Hot off the press! Democracy in Color just released our 2020 Report Cards on the Democratic Party SuperPACs—the organizations that raise and spend hundreds of millions of dollars to elect Democratic candidates. These SuperPACs have already raised more than $600 million. We issue these Report Cards to reveal how these organizations are performing so far this cycle, whether they are on track in terms of spending and strategizing to win on Election Day. Spoiler alert: Most of them are barely getting passing grades. We also take a moment to remember actor Chadwick Boseman, who starred in Black Panther and other movies, and who recently passed away at the age of 43. References: Democratic SuperPACs 2020 Report Cards: The Good, The Bad, and The Wasteful https://democracyincolor.com/2020overview Ludovic Blain - @LudovicSpeaks // California Donor Table https://californiadonortable.org Stacey Abrams - @staceyabrams // Fair Fight https://fairfight.com Tram Nguyen - @TramNVM // New Virginia Majority https://newvirginiamajority.org Tom Steyer - @TomSteyer // NextGen America https://nextgenamerica.org Chadwick Boseman - @chadwickbosman // Black Panther - https://marvel.com/movies/black-panther

Few people know Kamala Harris like we in the Bay Area do. We discuss Joe Biden’s selection of the former San Francisco district attorney and Oakland native as his running mate. We also hear from one of Kamala’s long-time mentees—another Bay Area political star—Lateefah Simon, who was hired by Kamala 20 years ago despite not having a college degree at the time. Simon, an award-winning nonprofit leader and elected official who is currently president of the Akonadi Foundation where she runs one of the leading racial justice foundations in the country, talks about what it’s like when your mentor becomes the Democratic vice presidential candidate. She also shares how Kamala’s belief in the potential of and encouragement of young women like herself is just one example of her commitment to improving society and the lives of others. References: Lateefah Simon - @lateefahsimon // Lateefah for BART https://www.lateefahforbart.com Kamala Harris - @KamalaHarris 2009 Bart shooting - Oscar Grant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Oscar_Grant Organizations Akonadi Foundation Website https://akonadi.org Bart Board Website https://bart.gov/about/bod MacArthur Fellows Program - Website https://macfound.org Young Women’s Freedom Center Website https://youngwomenfree.org Videos Joe Biden Introduces Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) As Running Mate Clip https://youtube.com/watch?v=ymyY7jez0rM Kamala Harris on George Floyd Clip https://youtube.com/watch?v=d_2KIrsaddA Kamala Harris on her mother Clip https://twitter.com/mayaharris_/status/1293342255089168390

A vice presidential candidate will be chosen by Joe Biden any day now. The top six finalists are Kamala Harris, Susan Rice, Karen Bass, Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth and Val Demings. We discuss the historic significance of this year's vice presidential selection process. We also dive into factors Biden is likely weighing before making his decision, and the maddening critique of some Black women contenders as being “too ambitious.” And lastly, Steve, who is friends with four of the people Biden has considered, offers his prediction—who he thinks the winner of the 2020 Veepstakes will be! References: Democracy in Color - The White List https://democracyincolor.com/signhr40 Potential VP Picks Stacey Abrams - @staceyabrams Karen Bass - @RepKarenBass Val Demings - @RepValDemings Tammy Duckworth - @SenDuckworth Kamala Harris - @KamalaHarris Susan Rice - @AmbassadorRice Elizabeth Warren - @SenWarren Book Richard Ben Cramer // What It Takes: The Way to the White House https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/380057.What_It_Takes Scholarship Cecil Rhodes Scholarship https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Rhodes Organization Venceremos Brigade - Website https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venceremos_Brigade Audio Clip C-SPAN - John McCain Speech 2008 Republican Convention https://www.c-span.org/video/?280812-2/open-phones

With the recent passing of Civil Rights legends Congressman John Lewis and Reverend C.T. Vivian, many people are focusing on who will take the baton of leadership and carry it forward. In today’s episode, we are joined by two of the country’s most inspirational young leaders — Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs and Stockton First Partner Anna Malaika Nti-Asare-Tubbs whose work will be featured in a new HBO documentary, “Stockton On My Mind,” which debuts July 28th. From Universal Basic Income to fighting for gender justice to being new parents, Michael and Anna discuss their respective and collective work to carry on the struggle for justice and equality. References: Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs - @MichaelDTubbs Stockton 1st Partner Anna Malaika Nti-Asare-Tubbs - @annas_tea_ Video Clips Washington University in St. Louis - U.S. Rep John Lewis on Bloody in Selma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjZZ3r7Nuuk Visionary Project - C.T. Vivian: Freedom Rides https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zTjNKLVLO4 The Obama White House - President Obama Delivers Remarks on the 50th Anniversary of the Selma Marches https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvAIvauhQGQ The Obama White House - The Benediction at the Inauguration of Obama by Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb2UJ6r1A3E Michael Tubbs HBO Documentary - Stockton on my Mind - Television Tues, July 28, 9:00PM PT; On Demand Available Wed, July 29 https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/stockton-on-my-mind Books Anna Malaika Nti-Asare-Tubbs - The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20202078.Anna_Nti_Asare_Tubbs Martin Luther King Jr. - Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211888.Where_Do_We_Go_from_Here Connie Schultz - . . . and His Lovely Wife: A Memoir from the Woman Beside the Man https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10928._and_His_Lovely_Wife Reports San Joaquin Community Data Co-op in partnership with Anna Nti-Asare-Tubbs and Sukhi Samra // Report on the Status of Women 2018 https://www.michaeldtubbs.com/stockton-womens-report Organizations: Economic Security Project https://www.economicsecurityproject.org/ Mayors for a Guaranteed Income https://www.mayorsforagi.org/ Stockton Strong https://www.stocktonstrong.org/ Stockton Scholars https://www.stocktonscholars.org/ Other Authors and Writings Steve Phillips - Justice and Hope: Past Reflections and Future Visions of the Stanford Black Student Union, 1967-1989 https://exhibits.stanford.edu/stanford-pubs/catalog/pw849rd2893 Prof. Clayborne Carson - Martin Luther King Papers Project https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/about-papers-project Author Paulo Freire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire

School is not back in session yet but clearly there are a lot of people who need schooling, especially when it comes to understanding reparations. In this episode, "Professor” Steve Phillips breaks down the history of slavery and its legacy in this country and answers the question: Does the U.S. government owe anything to Black Americans? We also talk about why it's so important for Congress to act now and pass HR 40, the bill to establish a commission to study the legacy of slavery and to make recommendations about possible remedies, including reparations. References: Sign our Petition: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/sign-the-petition-black-americans-deserve-reparations-demand-congress-commission-a-reparations-study-now?source=direct_link&referrer=group-democracy-in-color H.R. 40 is a bill that would create a commission to study the effects of slavery on African Americans and explore possible remedies—including reparations Congress.gov - https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/40 Other Reparations Resources NJ-S322 - New Jersey Reparations Task Force https://www.billtrack50.com/BillDetail/1169949 Forbes // Rachel Sandler - California Assembly Passes Reparations Bill https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2020/06/13/california-assembly-passes-reparations-bill/ Reparations to Japanese Americans - Civil Liberties Act of 1988 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Liberties_Act_of_1988 Video and Audio clips Martin Luther King Jr. I Have a Dream Speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARvrvJV4th4 Trevor Noah on the Daily Show - The Reparations Debate Should America Compensate the Descendants of Slaves https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Uf_XDFXvzU Beverly Hillbillies - Opening and Closing Theme Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvE9zJgm8OY Daily News Post Reports Podcast, hosted by Martine Powers - Why Americans Don’t Learn About Tulsa, or Junteenth https://www.washingtonpost.com/podcasts/post-reports/why-americans-dont-learn-about-tulsa-or-juneteenth/ TIME - Mitch McConnell Says Reparations for Slavery Are Not a ‘Good Idea’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQz7kL_qrE4 PBS News Hour - Ta-Nehisi Coates Full Opening Statement on Reparations at House Hearing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcCnQ3iRkys Books Sven Beckert - Empire of Cotton https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20758057-empire-of-cotton Articles The Nation // Steve Phillips - This is the Perfect Moment to Push for Reparations https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/black-reparations-hr40-congress/ The New York Times // Angela Glover Blackwell and Michael McAfee - Banks Should Face History and Pay Reparations https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/opinion/sunday/banks-reparations-racism-inequality.html The New York Times // Nikole Hannah-Jones - What is Owed https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/24/magazine/reparations-slavery.html Study National Bureau of Economic Research - “Are Emily and Greg More Employable than Lakisha and Jamal?” https://www.nber.org/papers/w9873

From failed political rallies to plummeting poll numbers to big losses in the Supreme Court, Trump is descending rapidly toward the nadir of his presidency. We discuss how the political tide is turning in America and why this is happening. In addition, our special guest—“Super Lawyer" and former Supreme Court clerk Stacey Leyton—offers insight into last week's major decisions and a “behind the scenes” look at how the Supreme Court functions. References: Stacey Leyton is a partner at the San Francisco law firm Altshuler Berzon where she practices constitutional and labor law. - @Stacemundo // https://altshulerberzon.com Ruth Bader Ginsburg - @scotusginsburg Civil Rights Act - Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deferred_Action_for_Childhood_Arrivals Book: Bruce Wright - Black Robes, White Justice https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/795527.Black_Robes_White_Justice Court cases: Dred Scot v. Stanford - In 1857, right before the Civil War, in the Dred Scot case, the Court held descendants of Africa, “had no rights which the white man was bound to respect” and could not become U.S. citizens https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dred_Scott_v._Sandford Plessy v. Ferguson - In 1896, after the destruction of Reconstruction, the court ruled in Plessy v. Ferguson, the separate but equal case, they wrote, “The white race deems itself to be the dominant race in this country. And so it is in prestige, in achievements, in education, in wealth and in power. So, I doubt not, it will continue to be for all time if it remains true to its great heritage and holds fast to the principles of constitutional liberty. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plessy_v._Ferguson Ozawa v. United States - In 1922, the court ruled in the Ozawa vs United States case that Asians could not become U.S. citizens because they were not white (citing the original immigration law restricting immigration to “free white persons.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozawa_v._United_States Video Clips: ABC13 Houston - Houston members of FIEL, Dreamers React to DACA vote https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxi0NIDpD74 Bostock vs. Clayton County oral arguments US Supreme Court - Stanford Professor Pam Karlan making her case last October in court https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO81baYrWPk

As the nation continues to protest anti-Black police violence, including the recent killing of Rayshard Brooks, we sit down with Sen. Elizabeth Warren for a special episode to discuss the Black Lives Matter movement, the potential for reparations, and what white allies should do in this moment. “White progressives need to be active, anti-racist allies in this moment and beyond,” Warren says. “Being anti-racist means fighting for anti-racist public policy. Being race neutral just won't work.” Our wide-ranging conversation begins with Sen. Warren’s response to the police killing of George Floyd, the ongoing global and national protests and how Congress is responding. We also discuss the prevalence of racism in virtually every American institution. References: Senator Warren - @SenWarren Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The CFPB is committed to providing consumers with up-to-date information and resources to protect and manage their finances. https://www.consumerfinance.gov Author Ta-Nehisi Coates - https://ta-nehisicoates.com Press Releases: Warren to Introduce Legislation to Investigate and Hold Police Officers and Departments Accountable for Discriminatory Practices https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-to-introduce-legislation-to-investigate-and-hold-police-officers-and-departments-accountable-for-discriminatory-practices Booker Reparations Bill Reaches 12 Senate Cosponsors https://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press/booker-reparations-bill-reaches-12-senate-cosponsors Elizabeth Warren and Ro Khanna Unveil Essential Workers Bill of Rights https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/elizabeth-warren-and-ro-khanna-unveil-essential-workers-bill-of-rights

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of the Minneapolis police, an historic nationwide and global movement has emerged in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, calling for the end of anti-black racism and police brutality, and defunding the police. Demonstrations have been held in all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 800 cities on six continents across the world. In this episode, we discuss how we’re processing all this through our respective cultural lenses and then we dive into how we, as a nation, got here and what should happen next to ensure that this moment brings about lasting meaningful change. In addition, we discuss what this moment means in terms of growing support for Black equality and what that means for this November's elections and beyond. References: James Baldwin Quote - To Be Black and Conscious in America https://quotefancy.com/quote/963966/James-Baldwin-To-be-black-and-conscious-in-America-is-to-be-in-a-constant-state-of-rage Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison - @AGEllison Jessica Byrd, Electoral Justice Project - @JessicaLBYRD Simone Jacques - a 17-year-old Mission District teen leads protest of thousands in San Francisco // video clip by Jay Jaspar Pugao https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=11&v=lUqXhM6rwgQ BBC news clip - Slave trader’s statue toppled in Bristol as thousands join antiracist protest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs36SAytfuE&feature=youtu.be CBS This Morning news clip - Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones on protesting and democracy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpHhQgZSJ9s Movie trailer // Ava DuVernay - 13th https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krfcq5pF8u8 The New York Times // Michelle Alexander - America, This Is Your Chance https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/08/opinion/george-floyd-protests-race.html Robin DiAngelo - White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43708708-white-fragility Erica Armstrong Dunbar - Never Caught: The Washington's Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30753748-never-caught Ibram X. Kendi - How to Be an Antiracist https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40265832-how-to-be-an-antiracist and Stamped From the Beginning https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25898216-stamped-from-the-beginning Dr. Monica Muñoz Martinez - The Injustice Never Leaves You: Anti-Mexican Violence in Texas https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38240526-the-injustice-never-leaves-you Andrea J. Ritchie - Invisible, No More Urgent Police Violence Against Black Women and Women of Color https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32026054-invisible-no-more Doug J. Swanson - Cult of Glory: The Bold and Brutal History of the Texas Rangers https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48812040-cult-of-glory

The enormity of this crisis has revealed the ugly underpinnings of our public assistance system — both in terms of how we think about people who are struggling financially and also about the systems designed to help those people. Unemployment figures in the U.S. are at their highest since the Great Depression—nearly 40 million people have filed for unemployment since the pandemic began. (That's greater than the combined population of 21 states, according to Forbes.) In this episode, we talk about why we have a system that is so adversarial to people in dire economic straits and how this crisis also presents an opportunity for rethinking and redesigning these systems for the coming era. Namely, what can we do from here on out to shape U.S policy and politics for decades to come in terms of how we treat and perceive the poor? We also talk about two recent law enforcement shootings of innocent men and one “Karen, Please” incident in the news that have further cemented the fact that to be African American in this country means to have your every move in your everyday life be regarded as a potential threat to white existence. REFERENCES: The New York Times front page // Sunday, May 24, 2020 - An Incalculable Loss https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/05/24/us/us-coronavirus-deaths-100000.html The Washington Post // Stephanie McCrummen - ‘This feels great’: A preview from Georgia about how America might reemerge from the coronavirus https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/17/coronavirus-reopening-shopping-mall-georgia/?arc404=true PBS Newshour clip - How missed rent payments spark a ‘cascade’ of financial hardship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvyazdooRgA PBS Newshour clip - The true story behind the ‘welfare queen’ stereotype https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr_8B1IzFFY The Nation // James Baldwin - Notes on the House of Bondage https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/notes-house-bondage/ Fox News clip - McConnell slams Dems for trying to ‘incentivize’ unemployment in new bill https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8JHzE-sR3A The New York Times // Nikole Hannah Jones - 1619 Project https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html NPR // Barbara Sprunt - Biden And Sanders Announce Task Forces To Find Party Unity Over Policy https://www.npr.org/2020/05/13/855203151/biden-and-sanders-announce-task-forces-to-find-party-unity-over-policy