Make It Plain with Mark Thompson

Progressives want an infrastructure bill PLUS the Build Back Better legislation, otherwise they’re not voting for infrastructure. Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos, Civiqs, and podcast “The Brief,” is back to give us the play-by-play on what’s happened so far and what might be around the corner, much of that dependent on the moves made by the so-called-centrist Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. Speaking of Sinema, what exactly knocked her down to an all-time-low 18-percent approval rating? Civiqs data has the answer. And what is to come with the debt ceiling, what happens if lawmakers don't’ raise it, and how does this ordeal definitively prove that Republicans are trying to sink the economic recovery from COVID-19? Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Sojourner Gibbs was slipping into diabetic shock, so someone called 911 to help her. When the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived, they accused her of drug use, swept her feet out from under her, slammed her to the dirt face-first, and zip-tied her hands together. Even as she screamed, “I’m diabetic! I need help!” The officer who knocked her down was later promoted to detective. This disturbing event and lack of consequences for the officers does not surprise the residents of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. Richard Webster, a New Orleans-based investigative journalist, produced a story on the horrifying abuses of power, and the physical abuse of local residents, at the hands of Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies. He details the stories of Sojourner and several others, in hopes of bringing much-needed attention to the police violence in the district, similar to what is being implemented in New Orleans to improve conditions. And in a first sign of hope for change, the ACLU has called for a f

Williams Evans and Omar Holman created a community on their popular website BlackNerdProblems.com as a response to the lack of diversity in comic and gaming culture. What grew from that is their new book of the same name, featuring a collection of essays that they call a “love letter to nerd culture” that also speaks to the sometimes-complicated intersection of race and nerd culture. The founders and authors talk with Mark about what it is to be a modern-day nerd, a title that no longer bears a negative connotation. Beyond that, what is it to be a Black nerd? What exactly are “Black nerd problems?” The three also discuss the death of Darrien Hunt and the potentially dangerous side to “cosplaying while Black.” BUY their book here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Black-Nerd-Problems/William-Evans/9781982150235 READ their website here: www.blacknerdproblems.com Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising In

Dr. Katharine Hayhoe is the author of “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World,” and in today’s episode, she impresses the importance that we all have a critical role to play in slowing climate change. Building off some details from a recent conversation with the White House Climate Advisor, Dr. Hayhoe and Mark examine heat-related deaths disproportionately impacting Black and Brown communities. And as Dr. Hayhoe outlines for us, climate change is responsible for 9 million deaths every year, but is never framed as a life-or-death emergency and is not often being discussed as a top priority on mainstream news networks. And Dr. Hayhoe gives her take on something we’ve wondered about many times on MIP: how do you overcome the apathy or helplessness when it comes to fighting climate change? Bonus… if you’re a TikTok-er, Dr. Hayhoe also talks about her debut on the platform and what kind of content she plans to share, including some jaw-dropping statistics that are sure to sho

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of people were released from prison to finish their sentences on home confinement, many of whom are elderly and immunocompromised. Now, those people are at risk of being sent back to prison when the pandemic recedes--unless President Biden acts NOW. Scott Roberts is the Senior Director of Criminal Justice and Democracy for Color of Change, and he shares the reality many are facing if the administration fails to follow through on promises to reduce the federal prison population AND grant clemency to those who were already released. GET INVOLVED BY TEXTING “CLEMENCY” to 55156 Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It’s time for #ThursdayKos and there’s plenty to unpack this week, as haunting images of Haitians getting whipped at the US/Mexico border by patrol agents have some Democrats demanding the Biden administration rectify the situation immediately. What else is Biden’s problem? Markos Moulitsas, founder of DailyKos, Civiqs, and podcast “The Brief,” say that dealing with Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema and their “so-called moderate” behavior, which is clearly motivated by donations and not the desire to be a real centrist. Markos also brings our focus back to 2022/24, detailing the specific races we need to focus on, and where new opportunities might be found. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jennifer Rubin left the Republican party, declaring herself a “NeverTrump, pro-democracy opinion writer,” according to her Twitter page. And now Politico has taken it upon themselves to try and bring her down, publishing an “off the record” email she wrote, escalating the drama, which as Eric explains, boils down to their anger over her very-typical press practices. Eric Boehlert is the writer and publisher of Pressrun.media, our stalwart source for holding the press accountable, and he unpacks the Politico/Jennifer Rubin story and explains how Politico’s act of publishing her off-the-record email proves the point she was making in the email in question. Eric also gets into the coverage of the California recall election, and how it isn’t surprising that the press isn’t calling it like it is, as Republicans’ embarrassing failure. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsP

Gina McCarthy is the former EPA Administrator for the Obama administration and she’s now back in the White House serving as the first-ever National Climate Advisor, and her appointment comes at a dire time in the process of climate change. We’re currently experiencing unprecedented and record heat levels across the country, and since there’s no turning back to “pre-heat” days, the Biden administration is focusing efforts on investing in communities to keep people safe. This includes fighting heat stress, managing forests, and improving work conditions for those who must be subjected to the intense heat. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jelani Cobb was watching the news one day when he heard a right-wing figure blatantly lie about Critical Race Theory (CRT). And as it’s become a widely discussed theory in the last year, Jelani knew he had to do his part to preserve the work and legacy of its creator, Derek Bell. Jelani is a Columbia Journalism professor, New Yorker columnist, and author of the book “The Matter of Black Lives,” and in his latest piece for the New Yorker, he details the life and work of the incredible Derek Bell, who begged the question: if the activism and anti-racist work that has been done was so momentous at its time, why are people of color still experiencing the same problems? In today’s episode, Jelani addresses the misinformation that threatens Critical Race Theory while diving into Derek Bell’s legacy as a man who practiced what he preached in every sense of the word, walking away from prestigious professional appointments as a stand against the racial injustices he witnessed and refused to be a party to. READ Jelani

A right-wing rally is headed to D.C. tomorrow (Saturday, Sept 18th), and the participants will be armed. Justin Wagner is the Director of Investigations for Everytown for Gun Safety, and the organization is concerned about what lies ahead for this particular rally, given that their data shows definitive proof that guns in the mix make the scenario more dangerous. Everytown released a report that looked at thousands of protests in 2020, finding 560 instances of open-carry and a nearly 6x greater chance the event will turn destructive or violent. This, of course, goes against everything gun lobbyists want you to believe, based on their claim that guns make us safer. But as Justin explains, it’s gun laws that make us safer, and their hope is this information will continue to push forward the work on gun law reform. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-

Gavin Newsome is safe, for now, after winning the recall election that threatened his position as California’s governor. Markos Moulitsas, founder of DailyKos and Civiqs and host of podcast “The Brief,” is back for #ThursdayKos, detailing Civiq’s extremely accurate predictions on the election’s outcome, despite minds like Nate Silver who was convinced Newsome was on his way out. Markos has an idea on how he got it wrong, how the recall works in California, and how the state wound up in this money-wasting mess to begin with. Mark and Markos also revisit no one’s favorite middle-man, Senator Joe Manchin, who met with Mitch McConnell with zero success for his watered down voting rights proposal. And while reproductive rights are under threat, Markos shows the ties between the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade and voter turnout in 2022/24. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.c

Robert P. Jones is the author of “White Too Long” (which recently received the American Book Award), as well as a leading commentator on the crossroads of politics and religion. He brings us his expertise in data and theology with what he has titled the “racism index,” a scale used to examine the impact religion has had on a person’s potential racism through a series of racial attitude questions. His results were both affirming and surprising, and he explains them in today’s episode, as he and Mark question what a movement to integrate Sunday morning might look like. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

There is tangible momentum happening with cannabis reform at the state level, which might have you thinking that things have changed, but the people who are still sitting in prison for related offenses would beg to differ--as would Natalie Papillion, Director of Strategic Initiatives for Last Prisoner Project (LPP). LPP is an organization of attorneys, criminal justice reformers, advocates, and justice-impacted individuals who are dedicated to reforming cannabis law and policy, and working toward the release of those imprisoned for cannabis-related offenses; they recently submitted comments and suggested improvements to the cannabis reform proposal, “The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act,” offered by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden, and Senator Cory Booker. Natalie details their feedback to the act, explaining how restorative justice elements are not where they need to be, and LPP has some specific revisions in mind. She also shares details of their recent par

The school year has begun for most people in the United States, but the big question still remains: are the children and faculty safe? Randi Weingarten is President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and she joins us from her Back to School tour to discuss the importance of getting kids back in community at school, but doing so safely. And in states like Florida, where Governor Ron DeSantis refuses to administer the $7 billion dollars the state was granted in the American Rescue Plan to schools, that safety is what hangs in the balance. And if you’re a parent, who happens to disagree with what your local officials are doing to prevent children from being able to wear masks, Randi has a special request for you as your kids head back to the classroom. *This recording took place just after Hurricane Ida made its way through the Northeast. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://re

Texas lawmakers are busy at work restricting reproductive healthcare access, but they’re simultaneously expanding the right to carry a firearm with one of their newest laws--a law that is opposed by the majority of Texas voters as well as law enforcement officials. Igor Volsky is the Executive Director of Guns Down America and he points to the research that shows states that pass more permissive gun-carry laws immediately see an increase in gun violence, meaning they just made their constituents a lot less safe. Igor also shows us how President Biden’s agenda is falling short on gun reform, as the administration has yet to kickstart their promised fight to end gun violence. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Markos Moulitsas discusses the California recall, anti-vaxxers and Texas’s assault on Roe on this week’s Thursday Kos. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Did you know that the handful of guests invited on the top three news networks to comment on the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan are also responsible for pushing for the invasion 20 years ago? Angelo Carusone, President of Media Matters for America (MMFA) shows how that small group of guests appeared on those networks to discuss Afghanistan a total of 51 times in 10 days, ultimately shaping the coverage and giving little to no time for those who have been advocating for peace. And it should come as no surprise those people have a vested interest in the war itself. Additionally, Angelo and his team at MMFA demonstrate how the media did not adequately cover Trump’s deal with the Taliban and largely ignored the sole congresswoman who voted against invading Afghanistan.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Voting and reproductive rights are under attack, reparations have not been paid, gun violence is a public health crisis, and our climate is worsening by the day. So it only makes sense that our country’s biggest civil rights leaders would gather in Washington D.C. for a historic Make Good Trouble Rally, in honor of the late Congressman John Lewis, to fire up the masses and speak to the realities that we are collectively facing at this time. Today you will hear from: Congresswoman Cori Bush; LaTosha Brown and Cliff Albright, Co-Founders of Black Voters Matter; Alicia Garza, Black Futures Lab; Rashad Robinson, President of Color of Change Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Chad Stone, Chief Economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, is back for his monthly diagnosis of our economy and our recovery since we fell into a COVID-19 recession. Where did we gain and lose, and what is the story behind the numbers? Chad breaks it all down from the August jobs report in today’s episode. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Voting rights and reproductive rights are under attack, reparations have not been paid, gun violence is a public health crisis, and our climate is worsening by the day. So it only makes sense that our country’s biggest civil rights leaders would gather in Washington D.C. for a historic Make Good Trouble Rally, in honor of the late Congressman John Lewis, to fire up the masses and speak to the realities that we are collectively facing at this time. Today you will hear from: Congressman Jamaal Bowman; Rev. Dr. William Barber III and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, Co-Chairs of the Poor People’s Campaign; Deborah Watts, Representing the family of Emmett Till Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy