Author Archives: Nate

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About Nate

Nate is a co-host on the “Arsenal For Democracy” show. He was previously the co-founder of an earlier political blog with Bill in 2008.

April 15, 2015 – Arsenal For Democracy 124

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Topics: Lee Kuan Yew’s Singapore and the meaning of democracy; the pros and cons of term limits. People: Bill and Nate. Produced: April 13th, 2015.

Episode 124 (40 min):
AFD 124

Discussion points:

– What does Lee Kuan Yew’s legacy in Singapore tell us about other systems of government?
– Does democracy or enlightened despotism serve the public interest better?
– Can China’s ruling party actually govern well without democracy?
– Term limits on legislators and executives: Positive or negative?

Related Links:

– AFD: The Singapore model probably isn’t widely applicable
– AFD: Abolition of Russian Serfdom vs Abolition of US Slavery
– NCSL: Frequently Asked Questions About Term Limits

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And don’t forget to check out The Digitized Ramblings of an 8-Bit Animal, the video blog of our announcer, Justin.

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April 8, 2015 – Arsenal For Democracy 123

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Topics: Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, Nigeria’s election outcome. People: Bill, Nate, Sasha. Produced: April 6th, 2015.

Episode 123 (42 min):
AFD 123

Discussion points:

– Why is Saudi Arabia leading a massive military intervention in Yemen?
– What is the significance of Nigeria’s peaceful democratic transfer of power between parties?

Related Links:

– Al-Bab: Yemen-Saudi Arabia Relations
– AFD: Nigeria: The call that changed it all

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And don’t forget to check out The Digitized Ramblings of an 8-Bit Animal, the video blog of our announcer, Justin.

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April 1, 2015 – Arsenal For Democracy 122

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Topics: Big Ideas for Reforming American Governance: Does the US have too many elected offices? Should legislators be trustees for or delegates from their voters? People: Bill, Nate, Sasha. Produced: March 30th, 2015.

Note for listeners: We’re testing a half-hour version of the show over the next few weeks. Let us know whether you prefer this format or the longer format.

Episode 122 (28 min):
AFD 121

Discussion points:

– Do we have too many elected offices in the United States? Should most elections occur at the same time (e.g. on the presidential ballot) or be spread out?
– Which offices should be elected and which appointed? When should policies be created by elected officials versus subject experts?
– Are elections too complicated to produce clear mandates for various offices and identify the will of the people on specific issues?
– Is the role of an elected official to be a trustee acting independently in the best interest of the people regardless of their views, or is it to be a delegate with a mandate to fulfill the people’s wishes?

Related Links:

– “Just how many elected officials are there in the United States? The answer is mind-blowing” | Daily Kos
– “Institutions and Representational Roles in American State Legislatures” | State Politics and Policy Quarterly, Vol. 6, No. 2 (Summer 2006)

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And don’t forget to check out The Digitized Ramblings of an 8-Bit Animal, the video blog of our announcer, Justin.

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March 25, 2015 – Arsenal For Democracy 121

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Topics: Who will shape the 2016 presidential election issues most? What are the consequences of the 2015 Israeli elections? People: Bill, Nate, Sasha. Produced: March 23rd, 2015.

Note for listeners: We’re testing a half-hour version of the show over the next few weeks. Let us know whether you prefer this format or the longer format.

Episode 121 (28 min):
AFD 121

Related Links:

– AFD: O’Malley in Iowa echoes Bernie Sanders
– The Globalist: Victor’s Bonus: What Israel Could Learn From Athens

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And don’t forget to check out The Digitized Ramblings of an 8-Bit Animal, the video blog of our announcer, Justin.

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March 18, 2015 – Arsenal For Democracy 120

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Topic: How the Shareholder Revolution is hurting America’s businesses and workers. People: Bill, Nate. Produced: March 16th, 2015.

Discussion Points:

– What happens to companies that borrow money to make shareholder payouts?
– Why aren’t American companies investing in the future as much as they used to?
– Why should American companies tie wages to increases in profits and productivity instead of focusing on dividends and stock buybacks?

Note for listeners: We’re testing a half-hour version of the show over the next few weeks. Let us know whether you prefer this format or the longer format.

Episode 120 (27 min):
AFD 120

Related Links:

– AFD: Corporate borrowing diverted to shareholders, not investment
– The Roosevelt Institute: Blog post on “Disgorge the Cash: The Disconnect Between Corporate Borrowing and Investment”
– The Globalist: U.S. Stock Ownership: Who Owns? Who Benefits?
– The Globalist: Can the United States Close the International Wage Gap?
– The Globalist: Want to Fix Income Inequality? Relink Wages to Productivity

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And don’t forget to check out The Digitized Ramblings of an 8-Bit Animal, the video blog of our announcer, Justin.

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March 11, 2015 – Arsenal For Democracy 119

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Topics: A hypothetical journey through reorganizing America’s representative democracy, from elections to a parliamentary system to unicameralism. People: Bill, Nate. Produced: March 9th, 2015.

Discussion Points:

– Should U.S. state legislatures all have only one chamber?
– What reforms could make State Senates more useful and the US Senate more fair?
– Should the legislative branch hold executive power like in a parliamentary system?
– When do checks and balances just become pointless gridlock?
– Should US states move toward proportional voting elections?

Episode 119 (47 min):
AFD 119

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And don’t forget to check out The Digitized Ramblings of an 8-Bit Animal, the video blog of our announcer, Justin.

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March 4, 2015 – Arsenal For Democracy 118

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Topics: Proposing a Democratic Party agenda for 2016; the conservative reaction to the new AP US History test. People: Bill, Nate, Sasha. Produced: March 2nd, 2015.

Discussion Points:

– What should Democrats run on in 2016? We pitch some themes to mobilize voters who usually stay home.
– Why is there so much conservative controversy over the new AP US History test (or US history in general)?

Episode 118 (41 min)
AFD 118

Related links
Segment 2

– ThinkProgress: Oklahoma Committee Votes Overwhelmingly To Ban Advanced Placement U.S. History
– ThinkProgress: Oklahoma Bill Banning AP US History Would Make Students Study Ten Commandments, 3 Speeches By Reagan
– Education Week: Republican National Committee Condemns New AP History Framework – Curriculum Matters
– The Economist: The president’s patriotism: It’s complicated

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And don’t forget to check out The Digitized Ramblings of an 8-Bit Animal, the video blog of our announcer, Justin.

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