Lever Time

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Andrew Perez who details their new story published by The Lever: "This year, for the first time, a majority of seniors eligible for Medicare will be on privatized Medicare Advantage plans. Now, the insurance companies raking in giant profits from these for-profit plans are mounting a pressure campaign and planning to sue the government to protect years of overpayments they’ve extracted from Medicare." To read the full story, click here. If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: Last October, grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons announced they planned to merge and become one of the largest grocery monopolies in the country. To learn what’s at stake, David Sirota is joined by journalist Moe Tkacik, who has been covering the story for months, and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, who recently launched a multistate antitrust investigation into the potential merger (10:00). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Julia Rock, who details their new story published by The Lever: Pharmaceutical giants rang in the new year by quietly announcing price hikes in the United States on more than 350 drugs — and they continue to insist these price hikes are necessary for innovation. But new research shows that the business model of America’s largest pharmaceutical companies involves far more spending on enriching shareholders and executives than on research and development. To read the full story, click here. If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: After the Southwest Airlines debacle that saw over 2,500 flights canceled and up to a million travelers stranded over the holidays, David Sirota explores how the U.S. airline industry became one of the most concentrated and despised industries in the country with the help of William J. McGee, a senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economic Liberties Project. William explains to David the history of airline deregulation and the federal preemption that left oversight of the industry solely in the questionable hands of the Secretary of Transportation (10:50). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. To sign our open letter, go to LeverNews.com/Airlines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Matthew Cunningham-Cook who details their new story published by The Lever: For years, the retirement savings of teachers, firefighters, and other government workers have been funneled by public officials to secretive Wall Street firms that charge high fees in exchange for the false promise of outsized returns. But as the stock market plummets and asset values drop, there are new fears that pensioners will be unable to access their cash, while insiders will be allowed to pull their money out before things get worse. Now, Wall Street firms and their political allies — including a U.S. Senator with substantial private equity holdings — are trying to stop federal regulators from intervening to protect retirees by banning firms from giving some investors preferential treatment. And there are no rules requiring lawmakers with investments in private equity to disclose whether they are being given special investment preferences while they lobby to protect those asset managers. To read the full story, click here. If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Rebecca Burns who details their new story published by The Lever: Amid a financial crime spree and spate of corporate convictions, federal regulators recently floated a proposed fix: strengthening an existing rule designed to bar criminal banks from managing — and profiting off — trillions of dollars of retirement funds. To read the full story, click here. If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: In light of Elon Musk’s Twitter flippantly banning journalists last week, David Sirota chats with Producer Frank and Jordan Uhl about the broader implications. Is this just another culture war sideshow, or is it the most forward-facing example of what happens when oligarchs control the public discourse (1:50)? Then, David is joined by Evan Greer, the director of the digital rights advocacy group Fight For The Future, who helps unpack the significance of Twitter’s implosion. Unlike other social media websites, Twitter is both a news source and a town square, which makes Elon’s unilateral control of the company all the more concerning. They also dig into the practicalities of content moderation and why freedom of expression is so crucial in the digital age (21:02). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. https://www.fightforthefuture.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Rebecca Burns who details her new story published by The Lever: BlackRock, the world’s largest investment company, has become a top target of the right’s crusade against so-called “woke capitalism” because of its rhetoric around climate change and sustainable investing. But when it comes to climate action, the giant asset manager isn’t presently all that far apart from its GOP detractors. Both BlackRock and congressional Republicans are fighting — albeit through different strategies — to defang a forthcoming regulation that would force companies to disclose their carbon emissions and the risks that climate change pose to their business models. To read the full story, click here. If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This mini-episode is part of our Lever News series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Andrew Perez who details his new story published by The Lever. Flush with money after receiving the largest-known political advocacy donation in U.S. history, conservative activist Leonard Leo and his associates are spending millions of dollars to influence some of the Supreme Court’s most consequential recent cases, newly released tax documents obtained by ProPublica and The Lever show. (This story was reported in partnership between The Lever and ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power.) To read the full story, click here. If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: In light of the recent breakthrough in nuclear fusion technology, David Sirota sits down with UK plasma physicist Dr. Arthur Turrell to learn about this “holy grail” of scientific research. Could nuclear fusion be deployed to combat the climate crisis, and how long would it take to do so (8:37)? If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by New York Times global economics correspondent Peter S. Goodman to explore why President Biden and the Democrats chose to side with railroad barons by forcing rail workers to accept a contract they had already rejected. They also dig into why the rail workers’ demand for additional paid sick days became such a sticking point in negotiations, and what a potential rail strike could mean for the U.S. economy (6:24). Then, The Lever’s Julia Rock sits down with journalist and filmmaker Blake Zeff to discuss his new documentary Loan Wolves, which details the history of America’s student debt crisis, which politicians are to blame, and how student debt has impacted Americans across the country (30:24). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: Andrew Perez sits down with Lindsay Owens, executive director of the progressive think tank Groundwork Collaborative, to talk about why the upcoming fight in Congress over the debt ceiling is so pivotal. Owens explains how inflation will play a role in the negotiations, and discusses whether or not President Joe Biden will allow the conflict to be used as an excuse to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits (7:32). Then, David Sirota is joined by comedy legend David Cross, known for his roles in Mr. Show and Arrested Development and one of the most subversive comedians of the modern era. The two Davids discuss the state of modern comedy, the debate around cancel culture and free speech, and what is the most constructive way to make fun of people you disagree with (25:46). Finally, for this week’s bonus segment, David speaks with journalist and author Geoff Dembicki about his new book The Petroleum Papers: Inside the Far-Right Conspiracy to Cover Up Climate Change, which details the how the fossil fuel industry has spent the last several decades spreading disinformation about climate science (1:05:09). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. groundworkcollaborative.org officialdavidcross.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota discusses one of the country’s first-ever dark money disclosure laws passed during the recent midterms — Arizona Proposition 211 — and speaks with former Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, who has spent the better part of the last decade fighting to get the law passed (4:37). Then, David is joined by Jordan Uhl, who has been covering last week’s Ticketmaster debacle in which thousands of Taylor Swift fans learned the hard way what happens when antitrust law isn’t enforced. The two were also joined by Max Collins, frontman for the rock band Eve 6, who has firsthand experience with the abusive practices of the giant corporations that now control the music industry (25:46). Finally, for this week’s bonus segment, David sits down with former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Gary Hart for a long-form conversation about the evolution of American politics since the late 1980s, and his new book about saving American democracy (52:11). A rough transcript of this episode is available here. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: Progressive candidates win big! First, Producer Frank chats with The Lever’s Jordan Uhl about his takeaways from attending a recent Congressional Progressive Caucus event welcoming eleven new members of the House Democrats’ progressive wing (6:49). Then, David Sirota discusses the recent implosion of the cryptocurrency market following the collapse of the FTX exchange and resignation of its CEO. David is joined by journalist and crypto policy expert Jacob Silverman, as well as director of research at the American Economic Liberties Project Matt Stoller, who explain the crypto debacle, why regulators were asleep at the wheel, and what should be done to fix the problem (26:09). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: It’s the day after the midterm elections! David Sirota and The Lever’s entire reporting staff break down all the key takeaways, including the big progressive wins, the stunning MAGA losses, the victories for abortion rights, the surprising exit poll data, and the important ballot measures that passed (4:57). Then, David is joined by Krystal Ball, co-host of Breaking Points, for a big-picture conversation about the election results. David and Krystal discuss shifting electoral trends, what the next two years of Biden’s presidency might look like, and what it all could mean for the 2024 presidential election (34:24). If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this bonus episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is on the campaign trail tracking key Pennsylvania races in the lead-up to next week’s midterms. First, David interviews Summer Lee, the Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania’s 12th congressional district. David speaks with Summer about the flood of money that has been spent against her, first in the Democratic primary and now in the general election (:47). Then, David sits down with Josh Shapiro, the Democratic nominee for governor of Pennsylvania. David asks Josh about the future of fracking in the state, his running mate Austin Davis, his history as corporate prosecutor, and the pressure he feels running against Republican Doug Mastriano, who is a full-blown election denier (11:21). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. https://summerforpa.com/ https://joshshapiro.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, who also serves as the chair of the Democratic Secretaries of State Association. David and Jena discuss the slate of election-denying Republican candidates who are running to oversee their state’s elections, and why the results of this year’s secretaries of state races are so vital (7:46). Then, David and Andrew Perez sit down with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) to talk about his new book, The Scheme: How the Right Wing Used Dark Money to Capture the Supreme Court, and what’s next in the battle to end dark money — like the $1.6 billion secret donation we exposed — in politics (30:10). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by MSNBC host Chris Hayes for a deep-dive discussion on this year’s midterm elections, the responsibility of the media in covering unprecedented threats to democracy, and what it’s like being the lead anchor of one of the country’s largest cable news networks (6:27). Then, David sits down with journalist and author Anand Giridharadas to talk about his new book, The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy, and how the art of persuasion is one of the most powerful — yet neglected — tools for overcoming the extreme polarization of modern politics (50:57). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by The Lever’s reporters Julia Rock and Rebecca Burns to discuss recent news, including a climate protest that made international headlines for dousing a Van Gogh painting in tomato soup (4:38), and a sketchy financial bait-and-switch by Microchip giant Intel (9:00). Julia and Rebecca also break down their massive stories on Republican Senate candidate Ted Budd, who during his terms as a Congressman has helped his donors bypass predatory lending laws, and helped facilitate the merger of two giant banks, all while collecting mountains of cash from the financial industry (12:56). Then, David sits down with Melissa Jacoby, one of the foremost experts on bankruptcy law, for a deep dive on how corporations abuse the bankruptcy system to shield themselves from liability, while real people are afforded none of the same protections (27:41). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: On this week’s episode of Lever Time Premium: Joel Warner speaks with attorney and drug policy expert Shaleen Title about Joe Biden’s recent announcement on marijuana decriminalization and reform. Joel and Shaleen break down every aspect of Biden’s plan, as well as the corporate interests hoping to turn a profit from marijuana legalization (6:03). Then, David Sirota interviews Gary Chambers, a progressive Democrat running for a U.S. Senate seat in Louisiana. David talks with Gary about his roots as a community organizer, the resistance he’s met from the Democratic establishment, and how he hopes to become the state’s first Black senator (34:06). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. ParabolaCenter.com ChambersForLouisiana.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David is joined by comedian Dave Anthony and screenwriter Josh Olson, hosts of the Lever’s new “educational” podcast, The Audit. David, Dave, and Josh break down the news of the week, including shocking revelations about Herschel Walker and Dr. Oz, new GOP Facebook ads attempting to monetize their cruelty towards migrants, and the new slate of high-profile Supreme Court cases this session (3:58). Then, David is joined by media theorist Douglas Rushkoff to discuss his new book, Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires, which details how the ultra-wealthy are currently preparing for a “world-ending” event (33:08). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by Andrew Perez and Jacobin staff writer Luke Savage to analyze a moment of open corruption during a House committee meeting (1:57), discuss how Joe Manchin’s dirty pipeline bill is getting “greenwashed” (12:46), and score an inside look at Savage’s new book, The Dead Center, about the failures of modern Liberalism (23:03). Then, David and Julia Rock press Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) on his support for Manchin’s permitting reform deal (30:54). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David is joined by New York Times’ global economics correspondent Peter S. Goodman and Labor Notes reporter Jonah Furman to break down the looming railroad workers strike, which could potentially bring the U.S. economy to a screeching halt (7:03). Then, David interviews Charlie Crist, the Democratic nominee running for governor of Florida against Ron DeSantis. David and Charlie discuss DeSantis’ recent horrible political stunt, plus what it would take to unseat him this November (35:24). https://charliecrist.com/ If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by The Lever’s Andrew Perez and ProPublica’s Andy Kroll, who break down their follow-up reporting on Barre Seid, the secretive Chicago billionaire responsible for the single largest political advocacy donation in U.S. history (3:25). Then, David sits down with political sportswriter Dave Zirin to discuss his new documentary about the history of the NFL’s political influence on American culture (24:16). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Head over to SheetsGiggles.com/LEVER to get 15% off your order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time Premium: David Sirota discusses Joe Biden’s recent comments on what he considers the biggest threat to American democracy (2:35); Julia Rock breaks down her reporting on the dark side of Biden’s student debt policy, including how his Justice Department is fighting debtors in bankruptcy court (9:38); and Matthew Cunningham-Cook updates us on how a corporate Democrat’s big bet on pumping workers’ retirement funds into private equity is now paying off in his Rhode Island congressional race (17:00). Then, Producer Frank and Julia share their on-the-ground coverage from this past Monday’s Labor Day march which was co-organized by the Amazon Labor Union and Starbucks Workers United, including their interview with ALU President Chris Smalls (24:15). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by The Lever’s Andrew Perez and Matthew Cunningham-Cook to discuss Joe Biden’s student debt relief plan and dissect the internet’s obsession with ‘Dark Brandon' (3:15). Then, David sits down with author, filmmaker, and co-founder of the Debt Collective, Astra Taylor, and Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Utah, Marshall Steinbaum, for an in-depth analysis of Biden’s student debt relief plan (37:55). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota breaks down The Lever’s blockbuster story detailing the largest political donation in U.S. history — $1.6 billion — and how that money found its way into the hands of Leonard Leo, the man responsible for packing the Supreme Court with right-wing extremists. David is joined by The Lever’s Andrew Perez, who uncovered the donation, as well as ProPublica’s Andy Kroll and Justin Elliott, who co-wrote the resulting story with Andrew (3:34). Then, David interviews Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Elizabeth Kolbert about how Republicans became the party of climate denial and obstruction (47:47). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Head over to SheetsGiggles.com/LEVER to get 15% off your order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota and Andrew Perez discuss Andrew’s recent investigative reporting on the Washington Post’s fact checker, which led WaPo to issue a correction (2:10). Then, Julia Rock interviews technology procurement expert Hassan Khan about the recently passed CHIPS Act and what it means for domestic semiconductor manufacturing and the tech giants who will benefit from it (17:25). Finally, David sits down with Stacey Walker, the first African-American elected to the Linn County Board of Supervisors in Iowa, to discuss Walker’s experience governing as a progressive Democrat in a red state during the Trump era (40:45). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time Premium: The Lever’s staff discuss the Democratic party’s favorite constituents: the Private Equity industry (3:16). Then, Julia Rock and Producer Frank sit down with journalist Alex Pareene to explore the history of centrist Democrats’ “Never-Ending War on the Woke” (24:13). Finally, Matthew Cunningham-Cook and Julia Rock interview economist Jason Furman, who was one of the top economic advisers for President Obama and one of the biggest proponents of The Federal Reserve’s controversial interest rate hikes (48:41). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David speaks with New York Times columnist David Wallace-Wells about the strengths and weaknesses of Democrats’ surprise climate deal (10:20). He then talks to Josh Shapiro, the Democratic nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, who’s running against a right-wing extremist in arguably the most important race of 2022 (42:15). Finally, David sits down with actor and activist Susan Sarandon to discuss how she became liberals’ favorite scapegoat to blame for the Democratic Party’s glaring failures (1:10:54). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. JoshShapiro.org SheetsGiggles.com/Lever Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time Premium: In the midst of a global heatwave, David discusses Biden’s pattern of inaction (2:20). Next, David speaks with journalist Laura Krantz about her new narrative podcast series, Wild Thing: Going Nuclear, which explores the history and potential future of nuclear energy (14:00). Then, David interviews human rights attorney Steven Donziger, the man who successfully sued Chevron for polluting the Ecuadorian rainforest, and as a result was placed under house arrest for nearly 1,000 days (34:58). If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism: levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. freedonziger.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David speaks with historian Harvey Kaye and journalist Robert Kuttner about how Joe Biden will need to “go big” with his policy proposals in order to salvage his presidency and stave off rising fascism in the United States, in the same way as FDR (9:10). Next, David sits down with Lucas Kunce, who’s running in a Democratic primary for Senate in Missouri, and whose working class politics are the driving force behind his campaign (29:53). Then, The Lever interviews Amazon Labor Union (ALU) president Chris Smalls, who helped organize the first-ever union at an Amazon warehouse in the U.S. David and the team spoke to Chris about his experience testifying before Congress, his #HotLaborSummer tour, and the future of the ALU (52:51). LucasKunce.com AmazonLaborUnion.org If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Head over to SheetsGiggles.com/LEVER to get 15% off your order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David speaks with Democratic strategist Mark Longabaugh about what a potential Biden 2024 presidential run could mean for the future of the Democratic Party (7:46). Then, he’s joined by the hosts of 5-4 Pod for an in-depth conversation about how the Supreme Court methodically legalized corruption, culminating in the recent decision in FEC v. Ted Cruz For Senate (32:24). Finally, David chats with president of Planned Parenthood, Alexis McGill Johnson, to discuss the overturning of Roe and the organization’s plan for dealing with the fallout (1:02:25). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. PlannedParenthood.org AbortionFinder.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After this past week’s barrage of devastating Supreme Court decisions, we’re doing a SCOTUS deep-dive. First, David is joined by The Lever’s Andrew Perez to discuss his recent piece about the conservative dark money network that has been bankrolling judicial nominees for the past twenty years. Then, David speaks with Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Colorado State Senator Julie Gonzales about what the Dobbs ruling means for millions of women in the country, and what authority cities and states have to protect abortion access. Finally, David interviews award-winning journalist Amy Westervelt about the upcoming Supreme Court case West Virginia v. EPA, in which a group of Republican Attorneys General are suing the EPA over its ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. We really appreciate your support :) levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David speaks with Alex Lawson, the executive director of Social Security Works, to discuss Lindsey Graham’s recent comments on entitlement reform and whether the Biden administration will capitulate to Republicans (5:07). He’s then joined by Andrew Perez, whose recent Lever story explored a free medical clinic filling critical health care gaps in Sen. Manchin’s home state of West Virginia, after the corporate Democrat blocked Medicare expansion (27:40). Finally, Julia Rock interviews climate organizer Pete Sikora, a campaign director for New York Communities for Change, about New York Dems’ recent efforts to kill a renewable energy bill (45:50). If you'd like to support the independent journalism we're doing, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. We really appreciate your support :) levernews.com/tipjar Head over to SheetsGiggles.com/LEVER to get 15% off your order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David exposes the major problem with the January 6 hearings and how they may result in a better outcome for Republicans than Democrats (2:42). Then he’s joined by economics professor Joshua William Mason and The Lever’s Julia Rock to discuss Julia’s recent piece about how the Federal Reserve is planning to curb inflation… by lowering workers’ wages (16:10). After that, due to the cataclysmic failures of the two-party system, David discusses the reality of third parties in the US. To do so, he interviews Philadelphia City Councilmember Kendra Brooks (40:15) and former Vermont Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (1:00:35), both of whom have run successful campaigns as third party candidates. kendraforphilly.com zuckermanforvt.com If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. We really appreciate your support :) levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David is joined by author and professor Roger Stahl to discuss the “military-entertainment complex” as it relates to the recent success of Top Gun: Maverick (3:10). Then The Lever’s Matthew Cunningham-Cook stops by to talk through his recent piece about how the Biden administration is hiking the price of Medicare premiums and funneling the money to private insurers (35:58). Finally, in light of the national trend of corporate interests flooding Democratic primaries with campaign cash, David sits down with Elisabeth Epps — a progressive candidate running for a house seat in the Colorado state legislature — to talk about the monied interests attempting to crush her campaign (50:58). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. We really appreciate your support :) levernews.com/tipjar Elisabeth Epps’ campaign website: https://www.elisabethepps.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the inaugural episode of Lever Time, David speaks with civil rights lawyer and founder of Civil Rights Corps, Alec Karakatsanis, about how police in the US are not legally obligated to protect its citizens (10:10). Next, The Lever's Julia Rock discusses her reporting on the landmark climate justice lawsuit Juliana v. United States in which a group of teenagers are suing the federal government for the right to a livable planet (35:40). Then, renowned comedian and filmmaker Judd Apatow joins us to talk about his new HBO documentary, George Carlin's American Dream (55.40). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. Head over to SheetsGiggles.com/LEVER to get 15% off your order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coming soon — it's Lever Time! Hosted by award-winning journalist David Sirota, Lever Time is the flagship podcast from the investigative news outlet The Lever. This is the trailer for that podcast. Just listen to it. It'll explain everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices