Make It Plain with Mark Thompson

Senator Joe Manchin met with civil rights leaders to discuss the voting rights bill, but he remains opposed (despite the fact that he initially co-signed it). Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos and Civiqs and host of podcast “The Brief,” attempts to unpack Manchin’s recent hypocrisies. Markos also gets into the Wuhan lab leak and Biden’s call for an investigation, but ultimately points out how the virus’s origin doesn’t mean anything in the context of how Trump mishandled its outbreak in the U.S. and failed to protect Americans. And we finish off with some thoughts on Rep. Val Demings running against Marco Rubio for a Florida senate seat. 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

Randi Weingarten is President of the American Federation of Teachers, and she recently made an appearance on Fox News that got quite a bit of buzz. Fox News Host Martha MacCallum pressed Randi on the legitimacy of the 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones, and Randi responded by saying she believes in the 1619 Project and also suggested that Fox has some reckoning to do with the legitimacy on their reporting regarding the 2020 election and Joe Biden winning the presidency. Randi unpacks her Fox moment as well as what it's going to take to safely open schools at full capacity in the fall on 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

June is Gun Violence Awareness Month, and we’ve got our resident expert back on the show to honor the month and discuss where we’re at with congress and gun safety laws. Igor Volsky is Executive Director of Guns Down America and author of “Guns Down: How to Defeat the NRA and Build a Safer Future with Fewer Guns,” and he has a very specific challenge for Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who thinks she can changes the minds of GOP members with her powers of persuasion. Igor also fills us in on where the NRA stands after their failed attempt to file for bankruptcy and flee New York. By the way, did you hear that West Virginia is raffling off rifles in exchange for getting vaccinated? Igor fills us in on that strange program and more 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

The May jobs report is here and Chad Stone, Chief Economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, is back for our monthly chat where he breaks it all down and explains exactly where we stand in our recovery since slipping into a recession in 2020. Chad says we are definitely heading in the right direction, but it’s not going to simply be a steady incline, and he explains that and more, including some insight on unemployment insurance, in today’s episode. Read Chad’s latest blog post here: https://www.cbpp.org/blog/may-job-growth-strong-but-unemployment-insurance-reform-still-needed 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

The May jobs report is out today, and Mark is joined by Labor Secretary Marty Walsh to reflect on the disappointments from April and discuss where we stand now over a year since the pandemic began and our economy fell into recession. 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

Republicans used the filibuster to squash a bill that would have created a commission to investigate the deadly insurrection on January 6th. Now, Speaker Pelosi is floating the idea of an independent investigation--so what could happen next? Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos and Civiqs and host of podcast “The Brief,” explains that, while there are benefits, the outside commission would be without a crucial legal power. Markos also gets into some news out of Arizona, and an organization that is dedicated to candidate recruitment at the local level, helping people through the process of their first run for office. 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

America is the wealthiest country in the world and yet our federal paid leave, or rather, lack thereof, comes up way short in comparison to other countries. Carol Joyner is the Director of Labor Project for Working Families and in today’s episode, she explains that we’re at a pivotal moment in our country’s history where we have the potential to pass the first federal paid leave mandate--but how likely is that to actually happen? She fills us in on the challenges the legislation faces, why she’s optimistic, and where there is still room for improvement on the granular details. She also details how Labor Project for Working Families, in conjunction with a nationwide network of unions, partners, and organizations, have worked to pass paid leave legislation in 9 states and Washington D.C. over the last 20 years. More information: https://familyvaluesatwork.org/laborproject/ Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertis

Racial injustices in the criminal justice system are front of mind for many people today, but one element of that system is not discussed nearly enough, says author Jonathan Rapping, and that’s public defenders. Jonathan is a criminal defense attorney and author of “Gideon’s Promise: A Public Defender Movement to Transform Criminal Justice,” where he explores this gap in our public discourse and unveils the burden it places on those who are arrested, often disproportionately affecting people of color. In today’s episode, Jonathan explains how public defenders are overburdened and that trickles down into what plays out in court, which he rightfully reframes as a violation of our constitutional right to access legal representation. 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

Throwback episode! While you enjoy your Memorial Day, we’re bringing you this panel discussion from March 2021. As more people gain access to the coronavirus vaccine, this panel discussion provides insight from leaders of both medicine and faith. Moderated by our own Mark Thompson, the panelists explore how the vaccine works, community fears and hesitations, and what outstanding questions remain.  Panelists: Dr. James K. Hildreth, President of Meharry Medical College; Rev. A. Oveta Fuller, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Michigan Medical School; Dr. Chu Chu Onwauchi-Saunders, Pediatrician and Medical Epidemiologist; Rev. Dr. Gary V. Simpson, Leading Pastor at Concord Baptist Church of Christ 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

Angelo Carusone, President of Media Matters for America, is back to MIP for an update on what the conspiracy factory known as Fox News is up to -- especially since the latest campaign to get companies to divest from the media conglomerate. Also on today’s agenda is CNN finally sending Rick Santorum packing for his inaccurate and racist comments on Native Americans and the history of the United States. Also out of CNN is the revelation that media personality Chris Cuomo had been participating in official planning conversations, complete with PR team, to advise his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, on how to handle the sexual harassment allegations against him. 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

What’s Senator Joe Manchin getting in the way of this week? Markos Moulitsas is back for #ThursdayKos and he gives us the update on Manchin gumming up the works on the filibuster, infrastructure, and more. Mark and Markos also take a look at another senator, admittedly with more fondness, as they discuss Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s moves to hold big corporations accountable. And we also get the latest on the potential doom ahead for Trump and his withering legal team -- who will turn on him next? 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 was announced last week that the Supreme Court would be taking up a case on abortion, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, and major collective concerns were raised. Here to address those is Morgan Hopkins, Director of Political Strategies at All* Above All, an organization dedicated to their 4-part BOLD Action Plan in the continued fight for abortion justice and reproductive healthcare. Morgan shares her concerns on SCOTUS taking the case, but also dives deep into what has been, and will continue to, pop up in the meantime: state-level restrictions on access to reproductive healthcare and abortions. But she remains hopeful, especially as we wait on President Biden’s latest budget, which could include a key abortion-related detail that would be a milestone in reproductive justice. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcirc

We remember George Floyd on the day of his murder and measure the progress made in keeping Black people safe in their communities. 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

Scott Dworkin is the Co-Founder of the Democratic Coalition and Host of podcast “Dworkin Report.” He also founded the Impeachment Task Force, which makes him the perfect person to talk to on the latest Trump news, this time courtesy of New York Attorney General Tish James, who announced her office’s criminal investigation into the Trump Organization last week. Also on the topic of Trump, and the insurrection he helped fuel, Scott tells us why the GOP should have never ousted Liz Cheney because of her position on the events of January 6th, and why he thinks most people are missing a key detail that makes her an incredibly powerful figure. Scott also shares his thoughts on the 2022 midterms, including where he’s feeling optimistic and why he thinks we have no better option than the unfortunate Joe Manchin right now. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Op

Ari Berman is the Voting Rights Reporter for MotherJones, and he received an exclusive scoop via leaked video that shows the leader of a top conservative group bragging about being the architects behind the new voter suppression law in Georgia--and they’re doing the same thing with similar bills across the country (story/video link below). These were the words of Jessica Anderson, the executive director of Heritage Action for America, a sister organization of the Heritage Foundation, in front of a room of donors. Ari explains how the group is funded by dark money, having raised and shelled out at least $130 million dollars with absolutely no trace of where it came from. They also discuss why Ari is pessimistic about the potential for action in the senate to save voting rights and what actions we can take in our communities to protect against voter suppression. Read Ari's reporting on this and more HERE: https://www.motherjones.com/author/ari-berman/ Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany T

Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos and Civiqs, is here for his weekly installment of #ThursdayKos and as usual, there’s a boatload to cover. First up is how North Carolina police are gaslighting us over the video footage of Andrew Brown’s murder. Markos also gives his thoughts on Republicans changing their tune on the insurrection of January 6th for fear of Trump backlash, and can Liz Cheney actually be the person who stops him? They also explore how 2022 is becoming a referendum on Trump, as opposed to the actual president, and how that could help Democrats in the long run. Speaking of 2022, Republicans are noticeably frustrated their attacks on President Biden aren’t driving down his popularity, so they’re setting their sights on attacking The Squad ahead of the midterms in hopes it drums up support for their flailing party. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

We’ve pulled this never-before-aired interview with Nafessa Williams from the vault (recorded in 2020 prior to her filming season 4) to hear from Thunder herself as the incredible series Black Lightning comes to a close next week, and Nafessa finishes her reign as the first Black lesbian superhero. Mark and Nafessa talk about the days before she was a member of the DC universe, when she was pursuing a career as a lawyer and even interned at the District Attorney’s office in Philadelphia. So what, or who, was it that inspired such a drastic, life-altering change? Nafessa reveals that and more 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

John Judis an Editor-at-Large at Talking Points Memo, as well as a journalist and author of his latest book (out now), “The Politics of Our Time: Populism, Nationalism, Socialism.” In today’s episode, he joins Mark to discuss the intersections and differences between the three and which of them he believes have plateaued as a movement (for the time being, anyway). He considers this in the context of the upcoming 2022 midterm elections, which have the potential to put us in another legislative stalemate if Republicans win the House back. 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

President Biden has the highest rating in the history of polling a president's popularity--but you're not seeing that in the media anywhere. Eric Boehlert, Founder of Pressrun,media, is calling the hypocrisy to our attention (especially because of all the in-depth media coverage that Trump supporters got, as some sort of misunderstood majority). He's also curious as to why the press isn't treating the far-right Republicans as a radical entity that is trying to undermine democracy, He's asking the important questions of our biggest media sources 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

Dr. Ayesha Chaudhry was born in Toronto to parents who practiced a puritanical form of Islam, which they believed would shield them from racism. In her latest book, “The Colour of God,” Dr. Chaudhry weaves her life’s experiences into a universal narrative about how we belong in the world and also our families, the meaning of life, what happens after death, and who we are outside of the systems that oppress us. In today’s episode, she talks about her upbringing, her evolving religious beliefs, some significant stories from the book, and why her own unveiling was her least important story to share. Dr. Chaudhry is a Professor of Gender and Islamic Studies at the University of British Columbia. 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