How to Make a Dictator: A Conversation with Strongman Expert Ruth Ben-Ghiat

After that insane rally at MSG we know we have to pull out every stop to make sure Donald Trump loses on November 5th. Talk to your friends, talk to your family. Despite the fact the country is drowning in negativity and lies, the truth is, the Democrats are winning. The majority of voters don’t want what MAGA, Trump and the Project 2025 Mandate for Leadership are offering but we have to make sure everyone understands what’s at stake. The country’s future is literally on us now. We need to ask ourselves what we’re doing to save it.   As always, IF YOU FIND WORTH IN WHAT WE DO, please consider SUBSCRIBING to PoliticsGirl Premium. You’ll get this podcast AD FREE, along with a bunch of other PERKS, like the rants directly to your inbox and the knowledge that you’re making this kind of highly researched, factual information possible. If that interests you, please go to https://www.politicsgirl.com/premium and SUBSCRIBE TODAY!! Thank you so much! xoPG Guest social:  Website: https://davidpepper.com/ Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01IJCZT92 Twitter: @DavidPepper Insta: _davidpepper   As always, please RATE and SUBSCRIBE so we can grow the show, open the dialogue, and inspire change moving forward!   All show links here!: https://linktr.ee/politicsgirl   This episode is sponsored by… https://laundrysauce.com/politicsgirl CODE: Politicsgirl https://moshlife.com/politicsgirl https://MUDWTR.com CODE: Politicsgirl https://www.Smalls.com/politicsgirl https://Oneskin.co CODE: Politicsgirl

Donald Trump is nothing if not lucky. Today we’re joined by the authors of the New York Times Bestselling Book Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered his Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success, who took four decades of financial reporting and a century’s worth of research and interviews to paint a picture of a life of the world’s luckiest, but dare I say it, con artist. The question is: Do we want to continue to live in the world Donald Trump has created? Or are we ready to get back to reality?   As always, IF YOU FIND WORTH IN WHAT WE DO, please consider SUBSCRIBING to PoliticsGirl Premium. You’ll get this podcast AD FREE, along with a bunch of other PERKS, like the rants directly to your inbox and the knowledge that you’re making this kind of highly researched, factual information possible. If that interests you, please go to https://www.politicsgirl.com/premium and SUBSCRIBE TODAY!! Thank you so much! xoPG Guest social:   Lucky Loser: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/672076/lucky-loser-by-russ-buettner-and-susanne-craig/   Susanne Craig: https://www.nytimes.com/by/susanne-craig Russ Buettner: https://www.nytimes.com/by/russ-buettner   As always, please RATE and SUBSCRIBE so we can grow the show, open the dialogue, and inspire change moving forward!   All show links here!: https://linktr.ee/politicsgirl   This episode is sponsored by…   https://rocketmoney.com/politicsgirl https://calm.com/politicsgirl https://moshlife.com/politicsgirl

As today’s guest, Timothy Snyder argues, “Freedom is the great American commitment” but we’ve lost sight of what it means. In his new book, ‘On Freedom’, the New York Times best selling author and Yale historian, digs into the concept of freedom, what it is, how it’s been misunderstood, and why upholding it our only chance for survival. “We’ll see how it goes” is not a plan. We have to DO something.   As always, IF YOU FIND WORTH IN WHAT WE DO, please consider SUBSCRIBING to PoliticsGirl Premium. You’ll get this podcast AD FREE, along with a bunch of other PERKS, like the rants directly to your inbox and the knowledge that you’re making this kind of highly researched, factual information possible. If that interests you, please go to https://www.politicsgirl.com/premium and SUBSCRIBE TODAY!! Thank you so much! xoPG Guest social:  https://timothysnyder.org/ On Freedom: https://timothysnyder.org/on-freedom Twitter: @TimothyDSnyder YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmY71FGkk5kMwde_TP3KbnQ                  As always, please RATE and SUBSCRIBE so we can grow the show, open the dialogue, and inspire change moving forward!   All show links here!: https://linktr.ee/politicsgirl   This episode is sponsored by…   https://moshlife.com/politicsgirl https://oneskin.co code: PoliticsGirl https://3DayBlinds.com/POLITICSGIRL https://sundaysfordogs.com/politicsgirl

Leigh guest reads in episode 4: part 2 of a fantastic and informative, limited series "Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal". Be sure to check out all episodes wherever you get your pods! xo- PG ---- This episode tells the fictional story of a middle school that opens its doors to unvaccinated students after a possible second -term President Trump eliminates Federal funding for schools with vaccine mandates. The story follows the school nurse, Stephanie Morris, as she navigates the influx of unvaccinated students and the resulting disease outbreaks that spread rapidly through the school and community. The narrative illustrates the real-world implications of the president's policy, with outbreaks of diseases like measles, whooping cough, and the flu causing hospitalizations and even deaths among vulnerable students and staff. The story highlights the challenges faced by the school nurse in trying to protect the health of all students, including her own daughter who has an autoimmune condition, without the backing of mandatory vaccination policies. Overall, the episode demonstrates how Donald Trump’s promise to defund schools with vaccine mandates could have devastating consequences for children's health and safety. We'd like to thank all the artists who volunteered their time to make this episode: Laurie Burke, Leigh McGowan who read the chapters & Audrey Hakes , Joe Walsh, & others who contributed character voices.   Sound design by Marilys Ernst and Jonathan Moser.  Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal written by Pepper and produced by Pepper, Melissa Jo Peltier and Jay Feldman and is a production of Ovington Avenue Productions and The Bill Press Pod.

Our nation sits at crossroad. We either address our problems within our democracy and rule of law, or fail to address them by abandoning the very things that make us special in pursuit of something new. The 2024 presidential ticket offers us two very different versions of America - what it is and who it’s for - and on November 5th we choose one. Join me and the brilliant author Thom Hartman as we discuss his new book The Hidden History of the American Dream and break down where we are right now. The American Dream might be broken, but we can fix it, and we know it’s possible because we’ve done it before. As always, IF YOU FIND WORTH IN WHAT WE DO, please consider SUBSCRIBING to PoliticsGirl Premium. You’ll get this podcast AD FREE, along with a bunch of other PERKS, like the rants directly to your inbox and the knowledge that you’re making this kind of highly researched, factual information possible. If that interests you, please go to https://www.politicsgirl.com/premium and SUBSCRIBE TODAY!! Thank you so much! xoPG Guest social: https://www.thomhartmann.com/ The Hartmann Report: https://hartmannreport.com/ Twitter: @Thom_Hartmann Amazon books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=thom+hartmann+books&crid=3K4V9MX81WSF0&sprefix=thom+har%2Caps%2C177&ref=nb_sb_ss_pltr-ranker-20mins_1_8 As always, please RATE and SUBSCRIBE so we can grow the show, open the dialogue, and inspire change moving forward!   All show links here!: https://linktr.ee/politicsgirl This episode is sponsored by… https://rocketmoney.com/politicsgirl https://oneskin.co code: PoliticsGirl https://smalls.com/politicsgirl code: PoliticsGirl https://oracle.com/PGP https://mudwtr.com code: PoliticsGirl

Today we’re talking with the CEO of Vet VoiceJanessa Goldbeck about the film War Game a documentary based on a real life wargame set on January 6, 2025 that imagines a nationwide insurrection, in whichmembers of the US military choose to defect in order to support the losing presidential candidate and what the current president and his team, would do. I’m talking about this film because the scenario addressed has a real possibility of playing out after the 2024 election, and the people at the Vet Voice Foundation, including 3 former Generals, and former senior officials from the last five presidential administrations wanted to be sure we were as prepared as possible for what happens if the candidate who loses the election refuses to concede, and if part of our military joins them.   As always, IF YOU FIND WORTH IN WHAT WE DO, please consider SUBSCRIBING to PoliticsGirl Premium. You’ll get this podcast AD FREE, along with a bunch of other PERKS, like the rants directly to your inbox and the knowledge that you’re making this kind of highly researched, factual information possible. If that interests you, please go to https://www.politicsgirl.com/premium and SUBSCRIBE TODAY!! Thank you so much! xoPG Guest social:  https://wargamefilm.com/ https://vvfnd.org/ Twitter:     @WarGameFilm                  @VetVoiceFound   As always, please RATE and SUBSCRIBE so we can grow the show, open the dialogue, and inspire change moving forward!   All show links here!: https://linktr.ee/politicsgirl This episode is sponsored by… https://oneskin.co code: PoliticsGirl https://calm.com/politicsgirl https://3DayBlinds.com/POLITICSGIRL https://dailylook.com code: PoliticsGirl https://rocketmoney.com/politicsgirl

According to the brilliant Marc Elias, founder of Democracy Docket and now senior member of the Harris/Walz legal team, what the Republicans are planning for the 2024 election is not just unprecedented, but outrageous. There is a reason they’re not campaigning or trying to get out the vote. There’s a reason Trump is telling people he “doesn’t need votes”. It’s because their plan isn’t to win the election, it’s to subvert, suppress and refuse to certify the election if they don’t win. According to Elias, Trump’s ultimate goal is to be sworn in, and there is no line he won’t cross to reach that goal. So, what are the Democrats doing to counter these efforts, and are they prepared for the down & dirty fight ahead? As always, IF YOU FIND WORTH IN WHAT WE DO, please consider SUBSCRIBING to PoliticsGirl Premium. You’ll get this podcast AD FREE, along with a bunch of other PERKS, like the rants directly to your inbox and the knowledge that you’re making this kind of highly researched, factual information possible. If that interests you, please go to https://www.politicsgirl.com/premium and SUBSCRIBE TODAY!! Thank you so much! xoPG Guest social: Democracy Docket signup link: https://www.democracydocket.com/pg-subscribe/ https://www.democracydocket.com/ https://www.elias.law/team/marc-elias Twitter: @marceelias @DemocracyDocket As always, please RATE and SUBSCRIBE so we can grow the show, open the dialogue, and inspire change moving forward!   All show links here!: https://linktr.ee/politicsgirl   This episode is sponsored by… Delete Me: TEXT politicsgirl to 64000 https://3DayBlinds.com/POLITICSGIRL https://smalls.com/politicsgirl https://moshlife.com/politicsgirl

My first book ‘A Return to Common Sense: How to Fix America Before We Really Blow’ It drops today, so I’ve invited my friend, and beloved American actor and director, Jason Alexander to join us to guest host the episode. We talk, not only about getting us out of this mess we’re in, but how we can build the nation we tell the world we are. At the end of the day you can’t fix something you don’t understand, and I wrote a book to fix things.   As always, IF YOU FIND WORTH IN WHAT WE DO, please consider SUBSCRIBING to PoliticsGirl Premium. You’ll get this podcast AD FREE, along with a bunch of other PERKS, like the rants directly to your inbox and the knowledge that you’re making this kind of highly researched, factual information possible. If that interests you, please go to https://www.politicsgirl.com/premium and SUBSCRIBE TODAY!! Thank you so much! xoPG Guest social:   Really? No Really? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/really-no-really/id1668887882   https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004517/   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Alexander   Twitter: @IJasonAlexander Insta: jalexander1959   As always, please RATE and SUBSCRIBE so we can grow the show, open the dialogue, and inspire change moving forward!   All show links here!: https://linktr.ee/politicsgirl   This episode is sponsored by…   https://oneskin.co code: politicsgirl https://drinkAG1.com/politicsgirl https://moshlife.com/politicsgirl https://sundaysfordogs.com/politicsgirl https://dailylook.com code: PoliticsGirl

The women of this nation hold the spending AND voting power so why are we so constantly marginalized? Tired of being overlooked, used as pawns, and ready to be taken seriously, we talk to Erin Erenberg, co-founder and CEO of the Chamber of Mothers, about the growing collective movement to advance maternal rights in America. The truth of the matter is: we’re hardly a country that should be forcing women to have babies, since the US is currently experiencing a maternal health crisis and we barely respect the role or what goes into it. It’s well past time our needs are better reflected and responded to by our government. It’s not just what’s best for mothers and their children, but what’s best for society as a whole. As always, IF YOU FIND WORTH IN WHAT WE DO, please consider SUBSCRIBING to PoliticsGirl Premium. You’ll get this podcast AD FREE, along with a bunch of other PERKS, like the rants directly to your inbox and the knowledge that you’re making this kind of highly researched, factual information possible. If that interests you, please go to https://www.politicsgirl.com/premium and SUBSCRIBE TODAY!!  Thank you so much! xoPG Guest social: https://chamberofmothers.com https://www.instagram.com/chamberofmothers/ https://x.com/chamberofmoms https://shop.chamberofmothers.com https://www.instagram.com/totumwomen/ As always, please RATE and SUBSCRIBE so we can grow the show, open the dialogue, and inspire change moving forward!   All show links here!: https://linktr.ee/politicsgirl   This episode is sponsored by… DeleteMe : TEXT PoliticsGirl to 64000 https://nurturelife.com code: PoliticsGirl https://calm.com/politicsgirl https://Oracle.com/PGP

Happy Labor Day!!! Department of Labor’s Acting Secretary Julie Su reminds us that the Biden Administration has been focused on building what they call the “high road to the American dream”. That looking out for the American worker is not just about having enough work, it’s about those workers being paid properly, treated with respect, and at the end of the day, giving our citizens what President Biden calls “a little breathing room” to live our lives. How do we “pursue happiness” without that? On this Labor Day we dig into the Department of Labor and all the programs and agencies ready and willing to help the American people that most of us don’t even know about, and the importance of having a government that not only respects our workers but will fight for them. As always, if you find worth in what we do, please consider SUBSCRIBING to PoliticsGirl Premium. You’ll get this podcast ad free, along with a bunch of other perks, like the rants directly to your inbox and the knowledge that you’re making this kind of highly researched, factual information possible. If that interests you, please go to https://www.politicsgirl.com/premium and subscribe today!! Thank you so much! xoPG Guest social: US Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/ Twitter: @ActSecJulieSu As always, please RATE and SUBSCRIBE so we can grow the show, open the dialogue, and inspire change moving forward!   All show links here!: https://linktr.ee/politicsgirl   This episode is sponsored by… https://oneskin.co Code: politicsgirl https://rocketmoney.com/politicsgirl https://smalls.com/politicsgirl Code: politicsgirl https://moshlife.com/politicsgirl