The PR Machine is Destroying Reality: Amy Westervelt

We discuss why the courts alone can’t protect our democracy, the myth of a “hopelessly divided country,” and the steps everyday people can take to reclaim their power, fight for freedom, and reimagine democracy.Skye’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Vote as early as possible! Get engaged on the local level Skye Perryman is the president and CEO of Democracy Forward. Her new book is Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times: How to Reclaim Our Power, Fight for Freedom, and Reimagine Democracy.Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/Listen to Occupy! An Unfinished Uprising: futurehindsight.com/occupyDiscover new ways to #BetheSpark: futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: x.com/milaatmos Follow Skye on IG: instagram.com/skyeperryman/ Read Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times: www.bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Start your free trial at SHOPIFY.COM/hopefulEarly episodes for Patreon supporters:patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Skye PerrymanExecutive Producer: Zack TravisExecutive Editor: Mila Atmos

We discuss the inner workings of tech fascism, the toxic beliefs of billionaire extremists, and the role of cryptocurrency to facilitate the demise of democracy. As always, the cure will come from collective action.  Gil’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Find people with common interests and work together Meet people face to face and find the doorway to the power of democracy Gil Duran is a journalist and the host of The Nerd Reich podcast. His newsletter, The Nerd Reich covers tech authoritarianism, billionaire extremism, the Network State, and California's meta politics. His new book, The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy is a national bestseller. Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/Listen to Occupy! An Unfinished Uprising: futurehindsight.com/occupyDiscover new ways to #BetheSpark: futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on BlueSky: bsky.app/profile/milaatmos.bsky.social Follow Gil on BlueSky: bsky.app/profile/gilduran.com Read The Nerd Reich: bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Start your free trial at SHOPIFY.COM/hopefulEarly episodes for Patreon supporters:patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Gil DuranExecutive Producer: Zack TravisExecutive Editor: Mila Atmos

This week, we're sharing a really great episode from our friends at Optimist Economy! Nobody has more riding on any changes to Social Security than people under 40. The trust fund is currently projected to run dry in the fourth quarter of 2032, but it could be sooner. Every election, starting in November, selects the lawmakers who will shape the program’s future. Neglecting to fix its finances will mean an automatic 22% cut to everyone's benefit. But for Millennials and Zoomers, what’s at stake isn't your elders’ monthly check — it’s the only life insurance, disability insurance, and old-age poverty insurance guaranteed to follow you through every job you'll ever have.  Chapters:1:21 Announcements — Unbleeped feed, subscribe reminders.2:23 Retcon — Seed OK savings accounts follow-up.4:36 Terms & Conditions — Social insurance vs. private insurance.8:42 Big Pilcrow — Under 40? Time to tune in to the Social Security debate.11:51 Youth Skepticism — Why young people have always doubted Social Security, and how that's politically exploited.16:56 OBBA Impact — How the One Big Beautiful Bill Act cut Social Security's revenue.18:37 Immigration Trends — Deportations and lower immigration also hurt.21:11 Elections Have Begun — Social Security as a live political battleground.22:35 First Beneficiaries — What studies of early recipients tell us.30:36 Otherwise Uninsurable Risks — Death, disability, savings, longevity, inflation.33:17 Paid Family Leave — Could Social Security's model extend to paid leave?34:21 Claim Ownership — Youth should own this program.37:08 Cuts by Geography — Rural states will get hit hardest if cuts come.38:27 Executive Orders — Casting ages, cosmetic disclosure.40:22 Spiritual Sponsors — World Cup, Jeopardy! triumph. Video-curious? Watch the Optimist Economy YouTube channel⁠⁠.  Instagram at ⁠⁠@optimist_economy or TikTok at ⁠⁠@optimist_economy.  Chat with other Optimists on Substack. Got economic questions, concerns, or executive orders? Send them to [email protected]’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/Listen to Occupy! An Unfinished Uprising: futurehindsight.com/occupyDiscover new ways to #BetheSpark: futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: x.com/milaatmos Early episodes for Patreon supporters:patreon.com/futurehindsight 

We discuss the president’s meddling in universal mail in ballots, the stakes of the 2026 election, and election integrity in Nevada.Cisco’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Check your voter registration status VOTE on or before November 3, 2026 Cisco Aguilar serves as Nevada’s Secretary of State as well as the Chair for the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State.Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/Listen to Occupy! An Unfinished Uprising: futurehindsight.com/occupyDiscover new ways to #BetheSpark: futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: x.com/milaatmos Follow Cisco on X: x.com/ciscofornevada Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Start your free trial at SHOPIFY.COM/hopefulEarly episodes for Patreon supporters:patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Cisco AguilarExecutive Producer: Zack TravisExecutive Editor: Mila Atmos

We discuss the transformation of free market capitalism into a techno-winner-take-all system. Reaganomics and advances in technology have supercharged the market power of corporations and created immense private power. Both of these have increased economic inequality, which causes political inequality and threatens democracy.Mordecai’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:   Be supportive of democratic institutions.   Be willing to listen to opposing points of views without interference. Mordecai Kurz is the Joan Kenney Professor of Economics Emeritus at Stanford University and his most recent book is Private Power and Democracy’s Decline: How to Make Capitalism Support Democracy.Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Read Private Power and Democracy's Decline: https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Start your free trial at SHOPIFY.COM/hopefulEarly episodes for Patreon supporters:https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Mordecai KurzExecutive Producer: Zack TravisExecutive Editor: Mila Atmos

We discuss how the interlocking web of public relations, think tanks, and university research funding by private actors and corporations have polluted the information ecosphere. Warping the truth is destroying reality and eroding democracy.  Amy’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Be a trusted source of information and get off social media! Be a missionary for good civic action Amy Westervelt is an award-winning investigative climate journalist and the host of Drilled, a true-crime podcast about climate change. Her new book is Brought to You By: How Corporations Warped the Truth, Conned the Public, and Broke Democracy.Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Follow Amy on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/amywestervelt.bsky.social Read Brought to You By: https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Start your free trial at SHOPIFY.COM/hopefulEarly episodes for Patreon supporters:https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Amy WesterveltExecutive Producer: Zack TravisExecutive Editor: Mila Atmos

We discuss an innovative framework to reclaim our constitutional future from a Supreme Court that has amassed power for itself and undermined how we govern ourselves.  Julie’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Advocate for new institutions Participate in deliberations to write a new bill of rights or even a new constitution Julie Suk is the Leonard F. Manning Professor of Law at Fordham University and the author of The Shadow Court: Rescuing Democracy from the Supreme Court. Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Follow Julie on X: https://x.com/JulieCSuk Read The Shadow Court: https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight Early episodes for Patreon supporters:https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Julie SukExecutive Producer: Zack TravisExecutive Editor: Mila Atmos

We discuss how the SpeechNow v. FEC decision in 2010 created Super PACs and how combating corruption in American politics starts with getting rid of Super PACs. Larry’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Build the muscle of deliberating with each other. Start with the principle that we should not have a political system where people can buy influence and get results with their money. Lawrence Lessig is the Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership at Harvard Law School and the founder of Equal Citizens, an organization whose mission is to fix democracy by establishing truly equal citizenship.  Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Follow Lawrence Lessig on X: https://x.com/lessigSponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Start your free trial at SHOPIFY.COM/hopefulEarly episodes for Patreon supporters:https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Lawrence LessigExecutive Producer: Zack TravisExecutive Editor: Mila Atmos

We discuss the basics of organizing and the fruits of that work. Michael reminds us that “organizers organize organizations.”Michael’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Gather 4-5 friends to talk about what’s happening Share ideas on what you can do to resist  Michael Ansara is a seasoned community organizer and the author of The Hard Work of Hope: A Memoir.Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Follow Michael on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/michaelansara.bsky.social Read The Hard Work of Hope: https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful.Early episodes for Patreon supporters:https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Michael AnsaraExecutive Producer: Zack TravisExecutive Editor: Mila Atmos

Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/Listen to Occupy! An Unfinished Uprising:  https://www.futurehindsight.com/occupyFollow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmosFollow Stephanie on X: https://x.com/stephanie_luce_Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/sparkEarly episodes for Patreon supporters:https://patreon.com/futurehindsightCredits:Host: Mila Atmos Guest: Stephanie LuceExecutive Producer: Zack TravisExecutive Editor: Mila Atmos