Schmolitics

Sophomore Dan Gordon and newbie Chris Roth get a crash course from delegate veteran Carrie Scoville on what to expect, what’s at stake, and how the California Democratic Party Convention effects all Americans. Also, Dan’s convention roommate is back! Hi, mom. And special sage wisdom from progressive sage Dr. Robert M. Nelson. Wanna see exclusive videos and photos and updates from Dan’s experience at the convention? Like Schmolitics on Facebook! -- Links!! California Democratic Party - https://www.cadem.org — Are you looking for a quick and easy way to love and support us at Schmolitics? Do a quick rating/review/subscribe on Apple Podcasts! It's how we know you care. And it really supports us by making us look good, which lets us reach more people. Win. Win. www.schmoliticsshow.com   @schmoliticsshow

Dan Gordon here. Hi! Pat Harris is a proud progressive running for US Senate. He is one of the candidates I'm considering to endorse at this weekend's California Democratic Party State Convention in San Diego. Among a crowded field and with a fraction of Feinstein's big money, how does Harris stay competitive? And, what is his message? Hint: It's something Rep. Keith Ellison and Senator Bernie Sanders talk about. A lot. How's it working for Pat? Plus, we talk criminal justice reform, income inequality, and a converted 1980s school bus that's like the biggest mascot. -- Links!! Pat Harris Website - https://patharrisforsenate.com California Dem. Party Endorsements Page - https://www.cadem.org/vote/endorsements SF Chronicle: Protesters target Sen. Feinstein for not holding town halls - https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Protesters-target-Sen-Feinstein-for-not-holding-10955584.php — Looking for a quick and easy way to love and support us at Schmolitics? Do a quick rating/review/subscribe on Apple Podcas

We take a dive into election security with Ruben Major for California’s Secretary of State. This is how Russian hackers are trying to stop your vote from being counted and how they can use provisional ballots to change an election outcome. Also discussed: the homeless voting, what are California Voting Centers, and what Russian hackers did and plan to do again. — Looking for a quick and easy way to love and support us at Schmolitics? Do a quick rating/review/subscribe on Apple Podcasts! It's how we know you care. And it really supports us by making us look good, which lets us reach more people. That right there is called a win/win. www.schmoliticsshow.com @schmoliticsshow — PEOPLE, PLACES, AND THINGS DISCUSSED: Ruben Major Campaign Website http://www.rubenmajor.com VR Systems https://www.vrsystems.com   SOURCES: Center for American Progress: Election Security in All 50 States https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/democracy/reports/2018/02/12/446336/election-security-50-states   LA Times: ‘It was just chaos'

Guest: Sean McMoriss, Represent San Gabriel Valley Chapter, Represent.Us How do we take our democracy back? The shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, has left at least 17 people dead. Students and adults are among the victims. Congress’ gridlock goes beyond gun control. Other reforms with broad support by American voters don't go anywhere, like big money in politics. And it's because of big money influence on politicians that most Americans have little effect on what their elected officials do, even on crucial issues like gun control. How much influence do Americans have on how their representatives vote in Congress? And how do we unrig this broken system? Links! https://represent.us Represent San Gabriel Valley Closing Song performed for Represent.us by Ed Helms and Jack Black. Looking for a quick and easy way to love and support us at Schmolitics? Do a quick rating/review/subscribe on Apple Podcasts! It's how we know you care. And it really supports us by making us look good

We need Democrats to run for office. But if a Democrat is running in a blue state, does it matter? Sure, all elections matter, but does this one actually matter? Does it?? A Democrat held this seat before. (He resigned suddenly #MeToo.) And so a Democrat is very likely going to win this seat again. PLUS it’s for the California State Assembly (lower house in the state legislature), where Democrats already have a supermajority. This is Blue California!! Why does this election in District 45 matter? Ankur Patel will tell you why. He lives in that district. He’s a progressive. And he’s a candidate for that seat. Ankur Patel has worked for LAUSD school board member Scott Schmerelson. He’s also been an organizer with the  National Union of Healthcare Workers, an activist and Volunteer with Food & Water Watch, and is a new member of the Valley Chapter of the Los Angeles Tenants Union. Today’s talking points: Single-payer healthcare in California, fixing the education system and magnet schools, and fighting for f

Andy Thorburn is a Democrat running for US Congress in Dem's top seat to flip in California. The historically Republican district in Orange County has blue tendencies. Democrats plan to take back the House and this district is crucial. Dan Gordon talks with Andy Thorburn about why he's optimistic, supporting DACA, and fixing our broken healthcare system. Links!!! Andy Thorburn for Congress LATimes: Ed Royce and Dems Future in California's 39th District Support us supporting you. Subscribe/Rate/Review Schmolitics on Apple Podcasts. It'll make you feel all warm and toasty.

Episode 49 Why did this tax reform bill happen? What do lobbyists do? And how does Lawmker.io want to fix the problem? The tax reform bill making its way through the house and senate is filled with policies that benefit the rich — like formalizing the ability to write off personal jet expenses while students may have to pay income tax on their scholarships. A lot of the legislation in it is because of lobbyists. What do lobbyists do, exactly? Lobbyists petition the government on behalf of special interests. They educate elected officials on key issues. And they’re protected by the constitution. That sounds like a good thing. Why are lobbyists so gross and associated with corruption? They have outsized influence. Only the rich can afford them and get true representation. How does it affect you? What can you do about it? Short answer? Check out Lawmaker.io. Shorter answer? Listen. WHAT WE SAY WHEN: Why does this Tax Reform Bill exist? [1:09] What do lobbyists do and why is it legal? [2:40] Squire Patton Boggs

Episode 48 We’re back!!! Where have we been?? Like for real. Where?! We explain. We interview Los Angeles City Councilman for District 4, David E. Ryu, who was elected to his first term in the summer of 2015. The 4th District is at the center of Los Angeles. The unusually shaped district reaches from Koreatown and Mid-Wilshire through Miracle Mile, the Fairfax District, north through much of Hollywood, Los Feliz and Griffith Park, and Silver Lake, and north through the Hollywood Hills, over the Cahuenga Pass into North Hollywood, and Sherman Oaks. What. The scope of Councilmember Ryu's job duties range from the most local like the refilling (and future of) the Silverlake Reservoir, national issues like DACA, and the 2028 Olympics. Ryu is the first Korean-American and only the second Asian-American to serve on the LA City Council. And as of 2017, only Ryu and fellow Councilman José Huizar (District 14) were born outside the US. Councilmember Ryu was born in Seoul, South Korea in 1975 and moved with his family

Interview with The Sierra Club's Evan Gillespie (@ecgill). Evan Gillespie is the Western Deputy Director for Beyond Coal (@BeyondCoal), a Sierra Club campaign that aims to move our economy toward a clean energy future by stopping new coal-fired plants and phasing out existing plants. Evan also runs The Sierra Club's My Generation Campaign (@MyGenerationSC), a campaign focusing on clean air, clean energy, and climate justice. @schmoliticsshow schmoliticsshow.com

What started off as the opportunity to follow a Congressional candidate on the trail turned into something completely different. Over the course of an entire day at multiple locations, we learned more about the "Civil Unrest" than we ever thought we could. With speeches from prominent Korean and African Americans, as well as interviews with elected officials, there was a glimmer of hope that we walked away with. And we want to share it with you. Our hope is to bring this knowledge to those that think of the events as just a punchline and show that though we've come a long way, there is much more work to be done before we all truly get along. Produced by Jesse Alson-Milkman.

Remember the DNC Chair race between Keith Ellison and Tom Perez? It's happening again in California. And Dan gets to vote. Who are the candidates and why does it matter?

Running against The Establishment. Union Endorsements. Special Interests. We talk with Robert Lee Ahn, one of two candidates in the runoff election for US Congress in Los Angeles' district 34. http://ahnforcongress.com

What are town halls? Why do they matter? Schmolitics hits the road and attends town halls hosted by Rep. Pete Aguilar and Senator Dianne Feinstein.

What starts as a quick fun phone call idea between friends ends with someone calling someone a shithead. Dan has second thoughts about his candidate for a US Congressional Special Election. And the Senate's ability to filibuster for SCOTUS nominees is going away. Is this a new low in partisanship? What does this say about where we're headed?

Expectations of fatherhood with Schmolitics contributor Dave Jette @sydiot. And Dan's voting in a special election in his congressional district. Carlos, Dan and Mason give a guide on how to find YOUR candidate in the local and special elections happening across the country in 2017. @schmoliticsshow schmoliticsshow.com

Carlos and Dan call Dan's mom and draw parallels from news reports on Nixon and Watergate (aka Original-Gate) to Trump and Russia, review what Nunes did and did real wrong, Neil Gorsuch's Originalism vs Al Franken's Humanism, and brief look at Trump's Budget Wish List. Hint, it's a lump of coal for pretty much all of us. Plus ResistBot.io and Remembering Carlos' Dad.

Episode Review by Carlos Foglia: "The thing that stands out here is the vocal prowess that Dan Gordon possesses, he really carries the aural aspect of the show. And one could fault Carlos Foglia for failing to keep up with the Tom Brady-esque caliber of Gordon’s vocal Touchdowns, but it’s when you listen to the perfect balance of quips, facts and accessible nuggets reliability that we realize that Carlos is happy being the Belichick to Gordon’s Brady, and that’s a match made heaven. I highly recommend The Schmolitics Podcast." Episode Review by Dan Gordon: "Dan’s excitable tangents, though endearing, are endless and his inability to focus on one topic make him more trusted to tell a short story, like The Diggiest Dog children’s book. This is where Carlos Foglia, a professional storyteller practiced in both narrative and nonfiction, masterfully keeps Gordon in the solar system, effortlessly navigating him like a ship with broken thrusters, back on course. Their combined skills -- Gordon’s bottomless fuel tank

Carlos and Dan cover the five ballot measures for the LA Municipal election on March 7th, 2017. Special Guest Mikey Korich, co-host of One Star Cinema Podcast at onestarcinema.com. LAVote.net for sample ballot and polling place. Ballotpedia.org to start your research. Very Special Thanks: Dick Platkin, Luke Klipp, Ron Mayhew, Jessica Salans, Wayne Williams, Kendall Mayhew, Nate Clark, Ace Katana, Andrew Reich, Grace Yoo, Dan McNamara, Chris D’Alessandro, Brent Gaisford, Jason Islas, and Jane Damien @schmoliticsshow schmoliticsshow.com

Special Guest! Adam Mordecai (@advodude), Editor-At-Large at Upworthy. Episode Topics: -Trump on the Congressional Black Caucus -Mordecai on Trump the Media and the Intelligence Community -George Stephanopoulos and The White House's Stephen Miller -The Lying Press/Lügenpresse -DACA's Uncertain Future -Daniel Ramirez Medina -Trump and Trudeau Talk Science Links to everything mentioned in this episode… Amazon Dash Button Donates to ACLU https://www.good.is/articles/amazon-dash-aclu The Lying Press https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lying_press Get Involved! Volunteer, support, & advocate with these organizations: Safety Pin Box https://www.safetypinbox.com How does it work? A physical “safety pin” box shipped to you with guided ally tasks for the month. Tasks will vary in scope from individual to group assignments, and task categories include data collection, personal development, influencing your networks, and showing radical compassion. CAIR LA http://ca.cair.com CAIR-CA is a chapter of the Council on Ameri

From Schmolitics Live at The Virgil in Los Angeles. January 10, 2017. Alt Right includes Neo-Nazis but it also includes self-radicalized internet users. With an umbrella this big, their beliefs are wide-ranging. They hate social justice, Muslims and Jews, and post modern architecture. Hosts: Carlos Foglia and Dan Gordon. Guests: Heather Anne Campbell, Alex Fernie, and Adam Epstein. @schmoliticsshow schmoliticsshow.com