Ian Bassin on Saving Our Democracy

Donald Trump's unprecedented second term is upon us. As we prepare to endure another (at least) 4 years of this, we are joined by Ian Bassin, the co-founder and Executive Director of Protect Democracy. Trump has already promised to undermine democracy in America. How can we fight back? And how can we mount a defense to the coming onslaught? We also discuss where Democrats went wrong trying to counter Trump's message during the election and, more importantly, how to address it moving forward.
Learn more about Protect Democracy at protectdemocra...

[@KathleenMartin-m3k]

They are already scouring the Justice Dept. and asking how our public civil servants voted!! This is so not ok.

[@comtnlady125]

No. It is not okay. I would like to know how we challenge Trump and stop him from ridding our government of the nonpolitical experts that have had their jobs for years (F7 being the plan name). Do we need lawyers to challenge it in court? I would think these civil servants could join together to sue them as a group, hopefully stopping Trump from filling their positions with unqualified sycophants.

[@rd264]

maybe it aint ok but thats how the duo poly does it.

[@dougaloo]

Thank you, Senator Al and Mr. Bassin. I'm working hard to figure out what kind of agency we citizens actually have. Do we have the agency to appeal to our senators, congresspersons, and other political appointees? The justice system? The Supreme Court? How do we exert our agency upon them, if they are ready in Trump's pocket? Failing this legal agency, then what other choice do we have? It seems the only remaining agency is to take to the streets and protest, and hope we don't get shot in our legs, or elsewhere. Not feeling very optimistic about the agency.

[@Couragrous]

We have lost our Democracy and Everyone is more worried about the tik tok ban! It’s very sad 😢 what happened to our country! I don’t know how or if we can get out of this!

[@SpatialDragonfly]

There will be someresistance from within agencies. People just want to do their jobs and quite a few of them will be stubborn about staying… if the lower courts assert the legal protection they will be hard to fire. The queen bee can order a lot of things but if the worker bees ignore her …

[@darrahhopper6437]

We go back to community organizing, not so much to change the nation, but to protect the more marginalized people who are at risk in our own towns. While we write to our congressmen and work to elect better ones, we need to mitigate harm locally.

[@vanessawhitneypro]

Thank You, Al... Appreciate you! I'll keep fighting the Good Fights for Our Democracy & Our Country... Peace & Love to All... Buckle Up!

[@lagordi99]

I´m sorry I can´t finish listening to this, I am getting physically sick, I´m scared and worried about this new term, it is so depressing.

[@operadoc]

I'm scared too

[@brianwallace6566]

the guest brings it all home at the very end with humor and grace. be strong.

[@brendag2891]

Fast forward to the end, where Ian talks about an opening for a new leader

[@CPGurchGurch-ki8xw]

I hear you. 🤬😭

[@Couragrous]

I totally agree with you! I am so angry, upset at the people who put us thru this! It’s going to take a lot to get out of this! Not sure if we can!

[@aurorechabot5318]

Excellent podcast today, but it opens up so many more questions than answers‼️Thanks so much❣️

[@noreenconstantine4612]

Very comforting to hear the possibilities for our future. Often, it doesn't seem like we have any

[@13699111]

Thank you Al Franken .

[@paulamariegourley3606]

Excellent discussion. We do have agency to shape our collective future, and must remember that.

[@operadoc]

Do we really? What if elections become performative like in Russia

[@maryneal428]

How do you manage to pull a rabbit out of your hat, once again, Al? You have the golden touch on getting the BEST guests.

[@zacnewman7140]

I feel like a really important point got glossed over a little bit here, and that's the validity of the argument over how protected Civil Servants are. They absolutely need to be protected from political influence, but the flip side is they also need to be getting results. We could be here all day pointing at places our government fails at every level. Healthcare costs vs outcomes. Military procurement. Road conditions. School shootings. Law enforcement. Public defenders. Elderly care. Mental health care. This list goes on and on and on, so when Trump says "we need to radically change course" that resonates with people. He want to take us in exactly the opposite of the direction _I_ think we should be going, but he wouldn't be a threat if we weren't already going in a bad direction to begin with.

[@susanrobertson984]

As a Canadian I would not want to be American because it seems your govt sees you not as a person but as a profit centre. Who can they sell you to? Health care is good but only if you can afford it. Given your monthly insurance costs would you be better off putting your premiums in your own investments and playing the odds?

[@kscar363]

And that's what is the most frustrating part to me. Republicans use their power in government to block any sort of positive reform on these issues, then turn around and say, "the government doesn't work for you, elect me and I'll fix it!" And enough people continue to fall for it election after election.

[@qwertyuiop1st]

The Democrats need to position themselves as the party of change, with the constant theme that just as individuals have obligations to society, society has obligations to the individual. Society as a constantly squabbling and constantly mutually supportive family.

[@bethmoseley1244]

Feeling so much dread this weekend but this podcast gives me a little hope. Thanks to both of you. Forward. Hopefully.

[@riqpate7122]

Ian nails what got us here: System failure at every level. First step is to stop the propaganda adrenaline pump : Fairness Doctrine for all Media

[@Couragrous]

Totally agree! Going after the propaganda should be the first thing we should do to turn this around!

[@carnivaltym]

"Saving" suggests the subject is still alive, and that's a highly debatable presupposition.

[@beverlymcgrath8441]

Thank you for discussing impoundment which is strong concern of mine as a solid blue state resident. GOP Congress persons have already threatened to not help California unless they change policies in keeping with GOP agenda. Trump may withhold aid as well that is meant for California. So much for states rights....

[@rd264]

both parties are partisan and use loyalties and create a biased system and take bribes from lobbies

[@nonayoung8177]

since california sends money to the south and has for years, maybe they need to stop sending g the money

[@nonayoung8177]

california can stop sending money to southern states

[@annedebthune3084]

Alright this one was a good one for a change! We need some hope this administration is very dystopian

[@enerjohnsavior3227]

Mr. Bassin expresses a key point about what Democrats need to do much more of in order to win elections: articulate and paint vivid, detailed visions for a future that people want, more than trying to scare people about the opposing candidates. Solarpunk?

[@marianslattery3335]

THANK YOU!!!

[@daletyoung2984]

Under trump, please replace the term “political” appointment with “personal” appointment.

[@helenpatterson3858]

My brother was about to lose his house here in Arizona and decided to take a job driving a fuel truck with a private contractor doing a contract in Iraq. He said there were times they were sent out when there was advisory out to not make the run. He felt like a sitting duck.He said it was the greatest relief to him when he was out there, and U.S. forces appeared along the route. I had asked him not to go. His family would rather live in a tent in the desert than lose him for a building. In the end, he lost the house and his family. The IRS nightmare that ensued was tied to Haliburton's insistence on paying him through the Cayman Islands, leaving him worse off than when he left the states. This is in reference to the dangers the combat veteran's who protested at the hearings had endured.

[@conscientioussubjector1360]

Wow….i have k own a lot of guys that did contract firefighting in the AOR and made fantastic money. Not all have been so fortunate apparently

[@CPGurchGurch-ki8xw]

Omg the implications so far reaching... Like Dr Martin Luther King Jr warned, "If it can happen to me, it can happen to you " 😳

[@jameslloyd8213]

Thank you Al Franken. I really needed this today.

[@GeorgeMiler-de7pz]

Returning to the Second Gilded Age is the wrong answer.

[@RonaldPetrin]

We need a cultural shift in America toward more openness of all its citizens, reject the polarization. Dismantling the reasons with facts. Ignorance leads to folly.

[@susanrobertson984]

People are about to be de-ignorancified in spades. It may take a while to sink in.

[@KBtx23]

Great discussion!

[@lynnelson2191]

Thank you

[@operadoc]

What about preserving free and fair elections. If we lose this, does it really matter how unpopular the republican policies are?

[@beverlymcgrath8441]

Al Franken please run for president in 2028!

[@gdotone1]

there is nothing that can be done. listen. nothing.

[@MC-br1gk]

What a lame attitude.

[@gdotone1]

@@MC-br1gk then do something. then show me people listening to you. people made choice, and you see the choice they made. the Supreme Court is corrupt. when there are not honest people in power, do you understand what has to happen to redistribute that power... no, not lame becoming way less idealistic. trump tells Americans America id all matter of bad things in the past. why?

[@MC-br1gk]

@ you should edit this further so I can understand what you are saying.

[@patricklynam7433]

We might not be able to cope with all the changes. New technologies are uncontrollable and dangerous. Artificial Intelligence might soon overwhelm us. We haven't really adjusted to the internet, which is damaging our politics and destroying jobs.. The old technologies were perfectly fine.

[@carlenefessler4984]

Ian Bassin gives a bit of positivity, but it may take years. One thing that is not being considered is climate change. Will we still have a livable planet by the time we hit that positivity?

[@caroletomlinson5480]

Good for you, Al, for having some skepticism. Congressmen and -women seem to have in common a sunny outlook. I have some hope, too, mixed with vigilance.

[@markbono1929]

When I feel at my lowest about our current government, I love to listen to this podcast. Today though as elucidating and on task as your guest was, I feel even more depressed when I hear $40 million is going to Melania Trump for a documentary, not just because Melania has likely done nothing to warrant a documentary but also because I now have to feel bad for a clown who deliberately set out to undercut all of his competition and help to ruin what until the late 70's was a beacon economy. In that vein with the passing of Carter I do not hear anyone talking about another consequence of Reagan's deregulation, the replacement of the large middle class with the now overpopulated millionaire class that creates more economic and political hardship in their pursuit to become the next Bezos/Musk oligarch. Not so unrecognized is the resultant loss of the 70's ethos of yes make money but do not forget your social responsibility which has morphed into the winners and losers meme. Do not hate me when I say that good people such as you and Al Gore should never believe the press and "do the right" thing for their party. No more willful resignations for "character." I was and am your biggest fan. I also love Bernie. Please who else currently in government is someone I can support.

[@davidupdike4127]

This may be hard to take, but America needs to hit rock bottom before there is any chance of improvement. The recent election proved that.

[@jillGlass-z2g]

Very Nice knowledgeable and dare I say hopeful podcast today;)) ya know for a change!

[@craigrussell7542]

Remember... "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate-we can not consecrate-we can not hallow-this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us-that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion-that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain-that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom-and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." -Abraham Lincoln

[@CPGurchGurch-ki8xw]

Re-directing money? North Carolina does it all the time!

[@gaylekowalchuk506]

Inequality is the movement that led to this problem in many countries. The rich need to look at how they can transform the distribution of income to more than just themselves and their corporations.

[@danbuman8422]

Great discussion. Unfortunately, I think Ian is overly optimistic...

[@phil20_20]

Get out the vote 2026! 🇺🇸 They can't force executive privilege if you Impeach them! AOC 2028! You should get her on the show if you haven't already. If you have already, you should get her on the show again! Her generation is what will save the Democratic Party, not a bunch of worn out institutionalists.

[@dougaloo]

Phil, agree in spirit with you. We definitely need to get the old geezers out of play. We definitely need some young bloods to reshape our sick institutions. However, I do not believe it is AOC. Sure, she's dropped her pronouns, but in my opinion she is still too progressive for Middle America, and those voters are the ones who will elect the new leaders. I believe the woke left is one of the major contributing factors to the Dems losing this last election.

[@RonaldPetrin]

Bifurcation of news sources, gotten worst. We ignored the implications, even media turned from discomfort, like the public. This is wrong, media must take the lead onpoint for US “We the People”.! Two separate realities in America each on their own two separate dipolar realities and ecosystems, their own rules. Thus we are divided, we must unite! The alternative is tearing ourselves apart…big money wins.

[@noreenconstantine4612]

We don't want a big upheaval

[@jlvandat69]

Two, very different anticipations for the next 4 years (hopefully the latter results in a truncated term, somehow): First, we know the WH + oligarchs will provide a constant circus with tragic consequences. Second, these many policy mistakes and nefarious activities "may" result in a public and Constitutional backlash significant enough to basically immobilize the administration. This may provide a certain entertainment value, albeit sad.

[@66zebulon]

With due respect to Mr. Bassin, what political peril? What fundamental political price have Republican voters made their politicians pay since 1980? Their political power has done pretty much nothing but grow since then

[@rayzhistorychannel]

Now " Suckerberg " really fits

[@ziziroberts8041]

It's time for every agency for Democracy to gather under one umbrella. So many organizations asking for donations, while money rots away the foundations of freedom. We already are a Banana Republic. Let's fix that.

[@StephenHALL-g8u]

The FACT is that we have lost the fight! Very stupidly we brought a knife to a gun fight! On the other hand , Clinton and Obama bet

[@mojoman2001]

What do winners like Bill Clinton, Obama, and Biden have in common? What do losers like Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris have in common? It should not matter, but it does. Women are 0-2. Democrats need to nominate men.

[@memonk11]

Too late.

[@blogforiowa9843]

This was an excellent podcast even though it didn't really get to the saving democracy part. Basically, the gist of it is that the future is unknowable and it could turn out okay as it has in the past. I guess that is something.

[@c5ster]

I read that Musk DID exactly that and not only here but in the UK and Germany.

[@MarFree-gc7es]

Sorry but I totally disagree with many of your points. How bad will it get? Well, just look at gun control. How many shootings take place at malls, schools, places of worship, etc? Maybe it’ll get bad. Same thing with deportation. American culture has changed. You’ll see they are not emotional! They had kids in cages last time!

[@susanwoosnam1697]

What incentives will be persuasive?

[@sunnyinaz8825]

Come back, we need you in Washington Al Franken

[@gdotone1]

10 to 20 million Walmart customers disappear? The country will feel that.

[@carolynmeinung1286]

Just remember the Walton family and corporation has backed trump.

[@Brent233]

@@carolynmeinung1286Walton family has also backed many Democrats.

[@carolynmeinung1286]

@Brent233 Not like they back trump. They love the Republican way. No raises and minimal pay. I know.

[@curtisblake261]

I call him Potato. Starting tomorrow, Jan 20th 2025, every bit of progress that Potato makes towards his vehement goals, will diminish his ability to make further progress. If only because racking up successes gives you fewer goals to strive for.

[@SpatialDragonfly]

Yam is more fitting

[@curtisblake261]

@@SpatialDragonfly LOL. True. But I was going for Richard Potato, i.e.. Dick Tater.

[@efowlermail]

Boycott the Broligarch.

[@RonaldPetrin]

Everything can change in the blink an eye. Keep the hope and faith, no time to give in. We need to get back up smarter and better…gloves off! No more bringing talking points when they bring the onslaught of lies and political hatred and indignation, moral decay. Where will this get US?

[@njosborne6152]

I am sitting in the middle of Los Angeles Harbor 👉🏽 there are no ships being unloaded 👉🏽 there are few ships in the harbor 👉🏽 there are no real traffic moving 👉🏽 what don’t you understand about the American Empire has been embargoed⁉️

[@NoUploadJustComment]

Gents. Its. Over.

[@MC-br1gk]

Lame ass

[@Couragrous]

We can thank the Maggits for all of this!!

[@riqpate7122]

Institutions remained analog in a streaming world. The Flood has arrived.

[@older_scroller]

All this talk about norms: Normal is, Donny does a bad thing he gets a time out; he gets his toys taken away; he gets told off; he learns that he can’t get away with what he’s done-that’s what normal is.

[@bingoskies8564]

Where are the vision makers?

[@bbirda1287]

I think the youth of today are a little more media savvy than we give them credit for, that comes from a generation of getting rick rolled on every video on the internet. Kinda frustrating when you make any point and they say, "Show me" but also refreshing.

[@NoUploadJustComment]

Yeah, but Gen Z went red this time. They won't save us.

[@JohnWelch-n8m]

Dear FBI 🔎, I have another chemotherapy session at The Ohio State University The James Cancer Hospital this week. The DOJ needs to indict the violent Ohio GOP DA/Sheriff's working undercover at Honda factories in Jim Jordan's district, Lorain and Delaware Counties. Political Mechanics and Punishment Teams with ruffies, rubbing alcohol, poisoned food, laced cigarettes and 4ever farm chemicals put in my windshield car vents. Originally called leukemia, strokes blindness. My monthly SSI Disability check doesn't cover this and monthly eyeball injections. Shame DA Gregory White and DA Dave Yost .

[@darrahhopper6437]

I'm confused, if defending norms was wrong, why did "Make America Great Again" sell?

[@brettwoods8166]

yup yup

[@caljn1]

Listening, it was as though the guest was hedging and rationalizing a bit so as to not offend the incoming King.

[@mgabriel2636]

You are giving power to unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats!

[@jps0117]

Who is "you" in your statement?

[@MC-br1gk]

What are you afraid of?Subject matter experts? You sound like a fearful Christian. Christianity is disgusting.

[@NathanCroucher]

4:36 explains it

[@garybezner6774]

So many commercials,you loose track of the content! So many silly commercials you are reminded of the greed in the system! You just turn it off!

[@mrscott3961]

I don’t think Bassin is being pessimistic enough. Thinking that people who already have ignored or defended the gops and djt’s grift and lawlessness are somehow going to be offended by future lawlessness to provide an “opportunity” that leads to change is way too optimistic, possibly delusional.

[@Lawrence-h9k]

Silent protest...........FLAG STAMP UPSIDE DOWN ON ALL LETTERS

[@gjnelsonandco]

22nd!

[@NancyJanitz]

I have a copy of project 2025!!

[@RonaldPetrin]

The first shot has been fired Schedule F, birthrights…Erdogan playbook…

[@scottholm6626]

Because she would not back their bs

[@susanpetty4115]

Why does this doofus keep asking if it's legitimate to uphold the rigor of screening - "sure for secretaries of state, ambassadors, but do we need rigor for ________?" and has to FABRICATE A BASKETWEAVING POSITION TO ILLUSTRATE HIS FABRICATED POINT?????? If he feels strongly, then name those ACTUAL positions not worthy of committee hearings/background checks. Because MY position is, YES, *EVERY* appointment needs rigorous scrutiny!!!!

[@gerardgallagher1495]

Bezo/Musk/Zuckerberg/AIPAC 😮 United Billionaires it would be nice if it was cake 🎂 were eating but i believe it will be B.S

[@johnellington1932]

Marriage made Great Again. 😂

[@BethPhipps-l2o]

Schedule F for Fyou

[@direwolf6234]

so once again franken bats 1000 .. with another guy from the top 10% of which he is a member .. a graduate of wesleyan & yale law .. so how long did it take him to re-pay his student loans ?? .. oh he didn't have any ?? ... was he born on 3rd base ??

[@zacnewman7140]

You _can_ dislike the messenger and still evaluate the message on it's own merits. Trump is a would-be Fascist dictator using the trapings of populism to seize power for himself, but he's not wrong when he says the system is rigged against you and me and that the US needs a radical change in direction. I can agree we need a new direction while vehemently denying that Trump is the change we need.