Category Archives: Radio Show

A casual material history of the United States from Bill, Rachel, and guests. Recorded twice weekly in Newton, Massachusetts.

May 13, 2015 – Arsenal For Democracy 127

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Posted by Bill on behalf of the team.

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Topics: Marco Rubio’s close ties to billionaire Norman Braman; UK election results discussion. People: Bill, Nate. Produced: May 11th, 2015.

Discussion Points:

– Has presidential candidate and US Senator Marco Rubio crossed an ethics line with his billionaire patron, Norman Braman?
– What if anything does the 2015 UK election outcome mean for Labour’s future? Should US Democrats take any lessons one way or the other?

Episode 127 (49 min):
AFD 127

Related Links

– Guardian: “2015 UK general election results in full”
– AFD: “Marco Rubio’s Miami Vice”
– NYT: “Billionaire Lifts Marco Rubio, Politically and Personally”

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May 6, 2015 – Arsenal for Democracy 126 Baltimore

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Posted by Bill on behalf of the team.
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ArsenalForDemocracy.com contributors join host Bill to debate the Baltimore riots and whether peaceful protest can even achieve change in America anymore. Panel: Bill, De Ana, Greg, and Nate. Produced: May 3rd, 2015.

Episode 126 (52 min):
AFD 126

Related Links

– “After Baltimore: In defense of riots” by De Ana
– “After Ferguson: In defense of non-peaceful resistance” by Bill
– “Non-violence has cost at least 2.7 million Black US lives” by Bill

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April 29, 2015 – Arsenal For Democracy 125

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Topics: The emerging 2016 Republican presidential field and Hillary Clinton’s new campaign. People: Bill and Nate. Produced: April 27th, 2015.

Episode 125 (37 min):
AFD 125

Discussion points:

– Do any of these Republicans actually have a shot?
– Should Iraq still count against Hillary Clinton? Should she run to be Obama’s third term?

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Break week for the radio show

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We’re off this week due to Patriots’ Day and the Boston Marathon, since we record in Massachusetts, so there’s no new episode of the Arsenal For Democracy radio show today. We should be back next week. As usual, we’ll have plenty of new articles here on the website until then.

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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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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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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