Episodes

  • S2 Ep7: End the Tech Overlords' Self-Protection Racket (with Chris Hughes)

    S2 Ep7: End the Tech Overlords' Self-Protection Racket (with Chris Hughes)
    Feb 16 2025
    Since the ‘90s, tech companies have been virtually immune from lawsuits over what’s posted on their platforms, even though their algorithms are amplifying misinformation, hate, and dangerous content that incites violence. Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes tells John that the public would never agree to a blanket liability shield for industries like banking, airlines, food, and pharmaceuticals—and it's high time that Section 230 gets scrapped.

    show notes

    • Follow Chris on Substack
    • Chris's forthcoming book, "Marketcrafters: The 100-Year Struggle to Shape the American Economy"
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    35 mins
  • S2 Ep6: The AI War on Normal People (with Andrew Yang)

    S2 Ep6: The AI War on Normal People (with Andrew Yang)
    Feb 9 2025
    The Founding Fathers were aware that yawning gaps between rich and poor destabilize a society. And with AI driving ever greater income inequality while it eats through American jobs—blue-collar, white-collar, and the kind of work in professional services firms that college grads have trained for— our country’s leaders should be responding to the reality that is already upon us. Andrew Yang has been warning for years about the inevitable impacts of AI on our economy and our democracy, and he joins John to discuss possible solutions, including universal basic income and child tax credits.

    Andrew Yang joins John Avlon.

    show notes
    Andrew's 2018 book, "The War on Normal People"
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    34 mins
  • S2 Ep5: Make Congress Work (with Yuval Levin)

    S2 Ep5: Make Congress Work (with Yuval Levin)
    Feb 2 2025
    In other democracies, when a party wins an election it wins all the power. But American democracy is different, and under the Constitution, members of Congress are supposed to engage in cross-partisan bargaining—yet they’re failing at this very basic job. What we’re left with are spending bills finalized at midnight before a government shutdown, and party line votes that are undone by other party line votes. Yuval Levin joins John to discuss some remedies: expanding the number of House members, re-empowering committees to reduce some of the leadership’s power, and using rank-choice voting to get the kind of candidates who bargain and build coalitions.
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    35 mins
  • S2 Ep4: DOGE Is Doing it Wrong (with Philip K. Howard)

    S2 Ep4: DOGE Is Doing it Wrong (with Philip K. Howard)
    Jan 26 2025
    Elon wants to cut government programs, but that won’t make government more efficient. But changing how the government does things—by streamlining the permitting and purchasing processes, for example—will make government more effective, efficient, and responsive to the public. Plus, instilling fear among federal employees and helping fulfill Trump’s urge to say “you’re fired.”

    show notes
    Philip's group, Common Good
    Philip's books, "Everyday Freedom" and "Try Common Sense"
    Will Marshall's piece arguing for Democrats to have their own kind of DOGE
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    32 mins
  • S2 Ep3: Keeping the Faith in the Fight to Defend Democracy (with Anne Applebaum)

    S2 Ep3: Keeping the Faith in the Fight to Defend Democracy (with Anne Applebaum)
    Jan 19 2025
    As Trump retakes the Oval Office, John speaks with Anne Applebaum about how to stay in the fight of our times. In this horseshoe moment, she says the center-left and center-right have to stick together as Trump makes moves to exercise power without checks and balances. Meanwhile, we need to read and support local and regional journalism to keep the information and debate flowing—and to counter the algorithmic assault on our democracy from platforms pushing content that’s not necessarily true. Plus, expect corruption, but let’s not let them get away with it.

    show notes
    Anne's "Twilight of Democracy" and "Autocracy, Inc."
    Anne's piece on the new Rasputins
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    30 mins
  • S2 Ep2: Avoiding Partisan Gridlock

    S2 Ep2: Avoiding Partisan Gridlock
    Jan 12 2025
    Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi, who represents a Long Island district that Trump also won, argues that the real election mandate was for border security, reducing the cost of living, and turning down the volume on the culture wars—not one-party rule. Suozzi talks with John about where he thinks Dems can work with Republicans and which areas are non-negotiable, including on climate and the environment. Plus, what happened to Trump’s big promises on Ukraine and the hostages, and how some 80s movies help explain the challenges facing the middle class.

    Rep. Tom Suozzi joins John Avlon.

    show notes

    • Suozzi's piece in The NYT

    • Trailer for the movie, "Gung Ho," starring Michael Keaton

    • Trailer for "Wall Street"

    • Trailer for "Pretty Woman," starring the one and only JR
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    39 mins
  • S2 Ep1: A Civics Deficit in the Classroom

    S2 Ep1: A Civics Deficit in the Classroom
    Jan 5 2025
    As schools have continued to emphasize STEM courses and other subjects, civics has largely fallen off the curriculum calendar in most states—and we’re now living in a country roiled by political divisions and fears of violence. Richard Haass joins John to discuss the need for teaching what it means to be an American, the challenges of implementing a national civics curriculum, and how more nonprofit foundations should step up to support a new generation of Schoolhouse Rock-like projects, especially as the 250th anniversary of the U. S. approaches. Amb. Richard Haass joins John Avlon.

    show notes

    • The ambassador's book, "The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens"
    • iCivics, the education group founded by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor
    • The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
    • The National Constitution Center
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    35 mins
  • S1 Ep5: Ancient Lessons for Defeating a Demagogue

    S1 Ep5: Ancient Lessons for Defeating a Demagogue
    Nov 3 2024
    The Founding Fathers studied the fall of the Roman Republic, and tried to create a democracy that could withstand someone like Donald Trump. On a special pre-election show, Daily Stoic’s Ryan Holiday talks with John about how history’s lessons can guide us through this perilous time.
    Ryan Holiday joins John Avlon.

    show notes
    Ryan's website, "Daily Stoic"
    Ryan's coversation with Mike Duncan
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    31 mins