Democracy on the Move

The Human Side of AI

This week we discuss Artificial Intelligence (AI). We'll unravel the differences and similarities between human intelligence and AI, explore misconceptions, fears, and concerns surrounding the technology, and illuminate its true nature as a tool created and controlled by humans. We'll discuss how AI is misunderstood and feared, delve into the misuse of AI by nefarious human actors, and review how this discourse influences legislation and public perception. With references to real-world examples and a candid analysis of perspectives of policymakers like U.S. Senator Josh Hawley, we’ll showcase why education, understanding, and responsible use are key to harnessing AI's full potential. Tune in for an enlightening journey towards a future where AI and humanity work in harmony for our collective benefit.

Meritocracy and Equity

The recent Supreme Court decision that removes race from consideration in Affirmative Action has had a seismic shift in college admissions. The ruling appears to be based on the concept of “Meritocracy,” where students admitted into college are considered on the basis of merit - especially academic achievement. In this podcast, we discuss how the concept of merit is seriously flawed, because it fails to recognize the persistent realities of racial inequality.

Wolf-PAC

Sam Fieldman, the national counsel for Wolf-PAC, joins us to discuss their bold, citizen-driven initiative to enact an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The proposed amendment, intended to loosen the grip of corruption and vested interests in Congress, aims to overhaul our faltering campaign finance system. As Constitutional Amendments hold primacy over both Congress and the Supreme Court, a move of this magnitude could significantly alter landmark decisions such as Citizens United, effectively facilitating their reversal.

Missouri Equity Education Partnership

In this week's episode, we delve into a thought-provoking discussion with three pivotal personalities from the Missouri Equity Education Partnership, or MoEEP. We address the pressing need for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within Missouri's educational system. You may wonder, isn't educational equity a reality already? Our guests paint a contrasting picture. They share how students are alienated due to their minority, LGBTQ status, religious affiliation, and more. The ongoing trend of school privatization, compounded by the rise of government-funded vouchers, seems to be siphoning resources away from public schools, thereby deepening the issue.

Interestingly, DEI, Critical Race Theory (CRT), and anti-trans fears are utilized by lawmakers in Missouri and across the nation to stir up a climate that undermines public schools. With billions of dollars earmarked for education in every state, private education companies are incentivized to fuel this animosity towards public education, with the ultimate goal of boosting their profits.

Join us as we chat with Heather Fleming, MoEEP's founder and director, Amber Benge, the Co-Director, and Ken Susman, the special project team leader. Together, we'll dissect the current state of our public schools and the pivotal role that MoEEP plays in repairing the system. We'll delve into the pressing urgency to prevent a potential collapse of public education that could cause the U.S. to lag increasingly behind on the global stage.

Toasted

Today we talk with our semi-regular guest, Nathan Falcone, about Social Democracy. Well, we start off talking about Social Democracy, but we wander boldly into other topics. We meet in person at a coffee house called “Toasted,” in High Ridge, Missouri. This is also the first recording for Nathan’s new podcast called “Reason Will Prevail.”

Artificial Intelligence

Today we talk with ChatGPT about Artificial Intelligence. Yes, we have a conversation with an AI bot about AI technology. We'll discuss what is meant by AI, how it can help us as individuals, how it threatens us, how it will change society, how our government should regulate AI and what might happen to people that don't keep up with developments in AI. It’s an interesting discussion with a non-human about recommended ways in which humans and AI can coexist, and how we, as individuals, can prepare to live safely and prosper in a world with AI.

The Missouri Rural Crisis Center

Tim Gibbons, the Communications Director for the Missouri Rural Crisis Center (MRCC), drops by to talk about the crisis in our heartland. We discuss the problems with foreign ownership of American farmland, the loss of family farms to corporate interests, the consolidation of hogs and cattle into four major meatpacking companies (two of which are foreign-owned), the labeling of foreign beef as American and the lax approach that our congress has toward antitrust laws. All these factors are driving family farms out of business, depressing rural economies and jeopardizing our natural water supply for future viability of food production. Listen as Tim Gibbons describes what the Missouri Rural Crisis Center is doing about it; not only for Missouri, but for the nation overall.

Crossroads

The forces of White Christian Nationalism have been building since the 1960s, and today we can no longer ignore the threat it presents to our democracy. We are now at a crossroads, where Americans must make a choice; do we get involved and fight for our democracy, or do we sit passively while our freedoms are taken away? In this podcast, we briefly examine how the anti-democratic forces are now turning toward totalitarianism, and what we ordinary Americans can do about it.

Dirt Road Radio

Bernadette Holzer and Chris Burgess join the podcast to talk about Dirt Road Radio (DRR) - a new streaming radio station that seeks to tell a better story about rural life in America. DRR will connect rural communities across the country through music, arts & culture, news & opinion, and good, honest conversation. Why is Dirt Road Radio a necessary part of American life? What does it do? And how can you get involved? We discuss everything - and more - in this episode.

Accelerationism

In this podcast, we explore the accelerationist movement, which seeks to hasten the collapse of the current social, economic, or political order to establish a new world order. Accelerationism can be seen in the writings of Senator Josh Hawley, who has advocated for "immanentizing the Eschaton," or bringing about the end times to create a new order. However, this ideology has dangerous implications and has been likened to terrorism. Despite presenting itself as a religious ambition, accelerationism ultimately boils down to power and control.