Interviews

Be The One’s Cate Mayer on how to get more civic participation on the local level.

September 25, 2022 by egberto

Cate Mayer discusses her organization Be The Ones’ goal of driving more participation in local government elections.

Cate Mayer on local participation in government

Watch Politics Done Right T.V. here.

As CEO & Founder of Friends Vote Together, a grassroots organization dedicated to increasing voter turnout and civic involvement, Mayer relies on the skills and talents she honed in the nonprofit and corporate sectors to look at elections, campaigns, and social causes from a strategic and operational perspective: “Which actions do we take so that campaigns can win? How do we donate to grassroots organizations and campaigns, so our dollars have maximum impact? How can our actions and involvement foster longer-term strategic planning and engagement? And most importantly, how can we effectively communicate to others why all of this is so important in building trust and community alignment?”

Mayer launched Friends Vote Together because she knew there was an opportunity to rally people to become more informed and educated voters and citizens. Increasing voter turnout and helping others understand the impact of becoming more sustainable and long-term activists, and taking action to get out to the vote are my passions — and taking this leap to make those goals happen is my life’s work.

Mayer’s organization, Be The Ones, is promoting VOTE LOCAL DAY on October 8th, 2022. Cate’s group has the following message of encouragement to the voters.

Overwhelmed by the state of our country and feel like most days can’t do anything about it?
You might have heard November elections are quickly approaching, 99% of what’s on the ballot are local & state races, and maybe you‘re thinking your vote doesn’t really matter.
You are not alone.
(we’ve been there too)
Here’s the good news. There are local leaders making real progress on real issues in our communities, and they want to help you feel a little less overwhelmed and a little more prepared to use your power at the polls.
Will you join us on Saturday, October 8th?

Please listen to the entire interview. It is well worth it.

Check out my books on our economic fraud, the necessity to engage the other side, and the creation of a real economy that serves us all. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to help us get to 100,000 subscribers. Help us deliver the progressive message widely by joining our YouTube channel.

SET YOUR REMINDER: Watch/listen/engage in the civil discourse on these and many issues at Politics Done Right daily (3 PM CT/4 PM ET/1 PM PT/2 PM MT). Podcasts (Video — Audio).

Lisa D.T. Rice, an African American, responded to an immigrant who told her to get over it.

September 25, 2022 by egberto

Lisa D.T. Rice, an African American at the Bridge Alliance conference, had a message for an immigrant who needed to learn the real American racial context.

Lisa D.T. Rice has a message for immigrants

Watch Politics Done Right T.V. here.

I met Lisa D.T. Rice at a Bridge Alliance unity conference. She was continuously engaged in substantive dialogue with representatives from various organizations around the country working on community, democracy, voting rights, women’s rights, criminal justice reform, and more.

There was one particular discussion that the entire conference found interesting. An immigrant from India explained how happy he was to be over in the U.S. His parents made it in America, so anyone should, as well as the clear implication. He also implied that African Americans should get over slavery.

Ms. Rice did not take kindly to his statement. She pointed out that his parents’ ability to make it here is a direct result of the work and pain of her ancestors, what they had to go through and still must go through.

I think the young man was a bit insensitive in not understanding Lisa’s attempt to explain the systemic nature of racism that still has its tentacles not only within our social structures but, more importantly, our economic structures.

One has to wonder if the young man forgot the damage that the British Empire did to his country. Did he forget that they were considered less-than? Did he forget the pilfer and its long-lasting effects on most Indians & Pakistanis?

Please listen to the entire interview. It is well worth it.

SET YOUR REMINDER: Watch/listen/engage in the civil discourse on these and many issues at Politics Done Right daily (3 PM CT/4 PM ET/1 PM PT/2 PM MT). Podcasts (Video — Audio).

Marianne Williamson deconstructs America’s current path to fascism.

September 21, 2022 by egberto

Marianne Williamson, author, and a former presidential candidate, did not disappoint as she discussed America’s path to fascism and why.

Marianne Williamson hits the nail on the head.

Watch Politics Done Right T.V. here.

Marianne Williamson visited Politics Done Right to discuss many issues. Specifically, she points out the reality of corporations’ complicity in the decimation of the country. She also invited everyone to a new event she will be a part of to discuss the same.

Ms. Williamson points out that lays down the gauntlet as she fearlessly goes to the core of what ails America. She did not spare the selfish thuggery of corporate America. More importantly, she correctly illustrates the complicity of neoliberals.

Williamson laments her early exit from the 2020 presidential race, where she pointed out that the media and some segments of the left she deemed gullible made her run untenable. She knew the puppeteers would mobilize.

Marianne Williamson will join the Grassroots Emergency Election protection coalition to discuss where America is now and who we need to be in order to reverse course against the fascist right-wing vigilantes. At a time of such an extraordinary threat to our democratic norms, we need to radically rethink where we have been and where we’re going. From psychological perspectives to the history of the New Deal, Williamson scans the landscape for the insights we need right now to avoid a cataclysmic end to democracy.

Date: Sunday, Sept 25,2022
Time: 1:00 PM
Place: 1448 Club View Drive, Westwood, CA 90024
MUST RSVP: ilenepr@sbcglobal.net

Please listen to the entire interview. It is well worth it.

SET YOUR REMINDER: Watch/listen/engage in the civil discourse on these and many issues at Politics Done Right daily (3 PM CT/4 PM ET/1 PM PT/2 PM MT). Podcasts (Video — Audio).

Mustafaa Carroll discusses voting. Invite to Zoom Conference on Christian Nationalism & the vote.

September 18, 2022 by egberto

Mustafaa Carroll is adamant that we must vote. He is a board member of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. He has a program he wants all to attend.

Mustafaa Carroll is on a mission to secure the vote

Watch Politics Done Right T.V. here.

Mustafaa Carroll is a great friend of KPFT 90.1 FM and Politics Done Right. He likely appeared on every show of consequence on the network. He is on several boards and continues his great community work.

Mustafaa urges anyone reading this blog post or listening to the associated YouTube video or podcast to register for a free Zoom panel titled “VOTER SUPPRESSION: Christian Nationalism’s Attempt To Control Votes” here.

Sarah Posner, a national journalist who has been researching and writing about the religious right for more than a decade, and Andrew Seidel, constitutional and civil rights attorney who is now vice president of strategic communications at Americans United, will shed light on Christian nationalism’s involvement in voter suppression efforts in this webinar. The date of the event is September 21st, 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. The event is sponsored by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Houston Chapter.

Please listen to the entire interview. It is well worth it.

SET YOUR REMINDER: Watch/listen/engage in the civil discourse on these and many issues at Politics Done Right daily (3 PM CT/4 PM ET/1 PM PT/2 PM MT). Podcasts (Video — Audio).

Jrmar Jefferson on his bid to take Louie Gohmert’s Texas District in the 2022 midterm.

September 18, 2022 by egberto

Jrmar Jefferson came home to Texas to take Louie Gohmert’s U.S. Congress seat. And he may do it, given his innate abilities.

Jrmar Jefferson is intent on defying the odds

Watch Politics Done Right T.V. here.

Jrmar Jefferson is serious about winning in Texas District 1. He knows that Louie Gohmert had a hold on the district. His intent is to make everyone interested in change and voting their interests. And I think he has the energy, intellect, savvy, and charisma to do it.

Many in his district believe that he can win as well. Why else would the hate attacks bordering on criminality begin against him?

Who is Jrmar Jefferson?

My story begins in Texarkana, Texas, where I was born in Wadley Regional Medical Hospital months after my father, Delma Banks Jr., was wrongfully sentenced to Death for Capital Murder.

Life growing up was hard, moving from place to place, struggle to struggle. Even with receiving government assistance, my mother did her best to hide the poverty and never let us hit rock bottom. As hard as it may have been, I hold on to the beautiful memory of my mother reading to us every night and telling my twin brother and me that we would change the world and make it better for many people one day.

How will he govern?

As Congressman, I will set aside the parties and focus on solutions because, to me, that is important. My goals are to modernize education, housing, and public safety and help bring prosperity to East Texas.

My fundamental values are Conservative, and my social values are Liberal. I believe we should help put food on tables and provide healthcare to those in need. In addition, I promise to vote on laws to regulate the greed and corruption that create our poverty.

Our office will serve in total transparency and cooperation to make the people of this District aware of the votes and decisions that we will make together. In every generation, we must work on behalf of the next generation.

Please listen to the entire interview. It is well worth it.

SET YOUR REMINDER: Watch/listen/engage in the civil discourse on these and many issues at Politics Done Right daily (3 PM CT/4 PM ET/1 PM PT/2 PM MT). Podcasts (Video — Audio).

Kingwood Area Democrats’ September 2022 Candidates Forum

September 18, 2022 by egberto

Kingwood Area Democrats featured several local Democrats running for state and local offices in Texas at their September 2022 Candidates Forum.

KAD September 2022 Candidates Forum

Watch Politics Done Right T.V. here.

The above is the playlist of the entire Kingwood Area Democrats event. Several candidates visited to inform the area about their platform and experience in doing the job. I was pleasantly surprised to see women of all stripes who are running for these positions. It is the time!!

Attending candidates.

Teneshia Hudspeth, Harris County Clerk running for re-election.
Marilyn Burgess, candidate for re-election as Harris County District Clerk
Dr. Carla Wyatt, candidate for Harris County Treasurer.
Cheri Thomas, candidate for Justice, 14th Court of Appeals, Place 2
Misty Bishop, candidate for TX Senate, District 4
Beverly Armstrong, candidate for Judge, 208th District Court

Jaime Rodriguez, a well-known political consultant in DC and locally, moderated the event. The candidates did not disappoint, They exuded competence and an ability to perform the necessary politicking to win. They captivated the audience. You can watch them all in the youtube playlist above or you can listen to the individual podcasts below.

Podcast of the six candidates’ statements and answers.

SET YOUR REMINDER: Watch/listen/engage in the civil discourse on these and many issues at Politics Done Right daily (3 PM CT/4 PM ET/1 PM PT/2 PM MT). Podcasts (Video — Audio).

After 25 years in prison, Troy Williams is on a mission with Restorative Media to decolonize the media.

September 14, 2022 by egberto

Troy Williams served 25 years in prison. He returned to society with a positive message ensuring the media will accurately cover people like him.

Troy Williams with Restorative Media

Watch Politics Done Right T.V. here.

I had a short conversation with Troy Williams and immediately wanted to interview him for the show. Mr. Williams spent 25 years in jail for his participation in a robbery. He is not trying to get a pass in life. In fact, he is doing something positive with his life.

Troy said that its mission is to decolonize media by giving voice to lived experience, promoting fairness and accountability, and advancing intellectual ownership. They recognize that relationships are the greatest assets one has. They offer partnerships and collaborative opportunities where individuals and community-based organizations work together to decolonize media production in all of its phases (pre-production, production, and post-production) by promoting and advancing intellectual and economic ownership. They are driven by their commitment to effect change in our community for the betterment of all of humanity. If you have a story, act, have any production skills, or are willing to learn, connect with them.

Please listen to the entire interview. It is well worth it.

SET YOUR REMINDER: Watch/listen/engage in the civil discourse on these and many issues at Politics Done Right daily (3 PM CT/4 PM ET/1 PM PT/2 PM MT). Podcasts (Video — Audio).

Thom Hartmann discusses the Hidden History of Neoliberalism. And it started before Reagan.

September 11, 2022 by egberto

Thom Hartmann did not disappoint. He told the unfortunate truth about America’s destructive path to neoliberalism and how to get out.

Thom Hartmann on Neoliberalism

Watch Politics Done Right T.V. here.

Thom Hartmann visited us once again to discuss his latest book in his “The Thom Hartmann Hidden History” series. “The Hidden History of Neoliberalism: How Reaganism Gutted America and How to Restore Its Greatness” is likely the most important read in his series, along with his book on our fraudulent healthcare system.

America’s most popular progressive radio host and New York Times bestselling author Thom Hartmann reveals how and why neoliberalism became so prevalent in the United States and why it’s time for us to turn our backs on it.

With four decades of neoliberal rule coming to an end, America is at a crossroads. In this powerful and accessible book, Thom Hartmann demystifies neoliberalism and explains how we can use this pivotal point in time to create a more positive future.

This book traces the history of neoliberalism, a set of capitalistic philosophies favoring free trade, low taxes on the rich, financial austerity, and the deregulation of big business up to the present day. Hartmann explains how neoliberalism was sold as a cure for wars and the Great Depression. He outlines the destructive impact that it has had on America, looking at how it has increased poverty, damaged the middle class, and corrupted our nation’s politics.

America is standing on the edge of a new progressive era. We can continue down the road to a neoliberal oligarchy, as supported by many of the nation’s billionaires and giant corporations. Or we can choose to return to Keynesian economics and Alexander Hamilton’s American Plan by raising taxes on the rich, reversing free trade, and building a society that works for all.

As usual, Hartmann was always on point and showed a command of the material. Before reading the book I placed most of the blame for the execution of neoliberalism on the Ronald Reagan clan. While they knowingly destroyed the economy from a middle-class perspective, the genesis of the policies was decades in the meeting by capitalist economists who believed the economy had too many variables and could not be controlled through the government, which many saw as inherently corrupt. Does that sound familiar>

Thom Hartmann’s new book completely deconstructs their failure. More importantly, he provides solutions.

SET YOUR REMINDER: Watch/listen/engage in the civil discourse on these and many issues at Politics Done Right daily (3 PM CT/4 PM ET/1 PM PT/2 PM MT). Podcasts (Video — Audio).

Molly Cook discusses the need to completely rethink a Houston freeway based on justice & equity.

September 11, 2022 by egberto

A team of Houston activists continues their quest to stop a huge highway construction project that harms communities. Molly Cook, a registered nurse & community activist, details the fight.

Molly Cook is making a difference.

Watch Politics Done Right T.V. here.

Molly Cook walks the walk as she talks the talk. She is not only an activist, but she elected to make a change by getting into elective politics. She ran for Texas State Senate. While she did not win, she showed how substantive she was, working both within and without the system.

Cook has spent years organizing for equitable, sustainable transportation and development throughout Houston and Harris County. She said that we would not see the changes Houston desperately needs until we change who is in power speaking on our behalf. Cook said she is ready to do what it takes to make those changes, and I am not afraid of a fight.

One of her projects right now is to ensure that the major rerouting of Interstate 45 in Houston, Texas, does not infringe unjustly on low-income and POC neighborhoods on businesses. In that light, the team she works with wants all activists ready with the following points.

Remove the I-45 Expansion from the UTP to allow for a new I-45 project based on a true community engagement process. In the meantime, for communities that were harmed by the initial construction of I-45, their concerns should be addressed and mitigated immediately. These reparations should not be held hostage to a plan that will sacrifice more Houstonians to flooding, pollution, and traffic violence.
No more added lanes for cars for any projects through urban centers
Prioritize the safety of all road users and Vision Zero
All projects should prioritize sustainability and aim to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMTs)
All projects should center and aim for race and class equity for all road users
All projects should reduce flooding and prioritize flood mitigation
We want a UTP that increases multi-modal transportation options throughout the state
The TxDOT assessment estimated that adding or fixing all on-system missing and broken sidewalks, ramps, and safe crossings across the state would cost $1.56 billion. We request that you increase the funding for the ADA Transition Plan from the proposed $5 million to $25 million a year in the FY2023 Unified Transportation Program.
As always, requiring the public to travel to Austin in person to participate and give comments is unjust. We demand virtual comment options be made available for Texas Transportation Commission meetings.

Listen to the entire interview. That is how activism is supposed to work.

SET YOUR REMINDER: Watch/listen/engage in the civil discourse on these and many issues at Politics Done Right daily (3 PM CT/4 PM ET/1 PM PT/2 PM MT). Podcasts (Video — Audio).

Chuck Pennacchio discusses OnePayerStates & development of Single Payer (M4A) in states at Netroots.

September 10, 2022 by egberto

Chuck Pennacchio visits with PDR at Netroots Nation 2022 to discuss healthcare reform on a state-by-state basis and his group OnePayerStates.

Chuck Pennacchio on One Payer States.

Watch Politics Done Right T.V. here.

It was a pleasure meeting up with Chuck Pennachio, the Co-founder/President of the One Payer States network and associate professor of history and politics at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. We had a lot to talk about.

Pennacchio explained his organization’s lofty goal. It is already coming to fruition in several states.

“One Payer States is an organization that has been around since 2009,” Pennacchio said, “We formalized our group as a C4 organization, as a political organization four and a half years ago. And we’re geared up to winning Universal Healthcare at the state level. We’d like to get it adopted in one, two, three, or four states, model it as a successful program, and then go national with it similar to the way Canada got to it one province at a time. It started in Saskatchewan. All the other provinces looked at it jealously and said we want to do that too, healthcare for everybody. cheaper and better. It helps the economy, helps people, So it’s really a very powerful movement that we’ve got involved here.”

Pennacchio understands that his success depends on a bottom-up approach. In that light, he said we need a mass movement which is clear he is an instrumental part of with his organization, that gets people involved, informed, and aware. He said in the process one must connect all generations and classes ensuring that justice is an overriding tenet.

SET YOUR REMINDER: Watch/listen/engage in the civil discourse on these and many issues at Politics Done Right daily (3 PM CT/4 PM ET/1 PM PT/2 PM MT). Podcasts (Video — Audio).