The New Liberal Podcast's Best Books of 2025, Part 2

ICE is rampaging through Minnesota and violating people's constitutional rights. Will Stancil joins the podcast to talk about ICE's tactics, what activists on the ground in Minneapolis are doing to resist ICE and protect their neighbors, and why, despite everything, he remains hopeful. To get bonus episodes, support us at patreon.com/newliberalpodcast or https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member Got questions? Send us a note at [email protected]. Follow us at: https://twitter.com/CNLiberalism https://cnliberalism.org/   Join a local chapter at https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member/

ICE is rampaging through Minnesota, violating the constitution, and assaulting Americans regularly. Polling shows that the public disapproves - but how should Democrats take advantage of this situation? Matt Yglesias joins the podcast to talk about what's happening - how much should Democrats be talking about ICE, what should they be saying about it, and what should their actual immigration policy be? To get bonus episodes, support us at patreon.com/newliberalpodcast or https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member Got questions? Send us a note at [email protected]. Follow us at: https://twitter.com/CNLiberalism https://cnliberalism.org/   Join a local chapter at https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member/

Over the weekend, the US military captured the president of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro and brought him to the United States to face drug trafficking charges. Francis Fukuyama joins the podcast to talk about the geopolitical context for this mission, what comes next for Venezuela, and what questions you should be asking as the situation develops in Venezuela. To get bonus episodes, support us at patreon.com/newliberalpodcast or https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member Got questions? Send us a note at [email protected]. Follow us at: https://twitter.com/CNLiberalism https://cnliberalism.org/   Join a local chapter at https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member/

It's the annual books episode! Jeremiah breaks down the best books he read in 2025. This year he's covering books about why America can't build things, the attention economy, Russian propaganda, population ethics, colonizing Mars, Chinese authoritarianism, and more! Check out part one from earlier this year on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-liberal-best-136015929 To get bonus episodes, support us at patreon.com/newliberalpodcast or https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member Got questions? Send us a note at [email protected]. Follow us at: https://twitter.com/CNLiberalism https://cnliberalism.org/   Join a local chapter at https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member/

Democrats lost big in 2024. How can they make sure it doesn't happen again in 2026 and 2028? Simon Bazelon is the lead author of the report Deciding To Win about the direction the Democratic Party should take in the next few years. He joins the podcast to discuss why the Democratic Party needs to moderate, how they should build their platforms, and why he thinks objections to his report have been so weak. To get bonus episodes, support us at patreon.com/newliberalpodcast or https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member Got questions? Send us a note at [email protected]. Follow us at: https://twitter.com/CNLiberalism https://cnliberalism.org/   Join a local chapter at https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member/

The Trump administration is touting a new 28-point peace plan for Ukraine. Does it have any chance to end the fighting? Tamar Jacoby joins the podcast to discuss the state of the war in Ukraine, what Russia and Ukraine are really after, and why Ukraine is crucial for worldwide liberalism. To get bonus episodes, support us at patreon.com/newliberalpodcast or https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member Got questions? Send us a note at [email protected]. Follow us at: https://twitter.com/CNLiberalism https://cnliberalism.org/   Join a local chapter at https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member/

The New Orleans public school system was one of the worst school systems in the country - and that was before Hurricane Katrina destroyed the city and most of the schools. So how did New Orleans schools end up succeeding just a few years later? David Osborne joins the podcast to discuss his new documentary 'Turnaround', about how New Orleans reinvented their schools.  More info at turnarounddocumentary.com To get bonus episodes, support us at patreon.com/newliberalpodcast or https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member Got questions? Send us a note at [email protected]. Follow us at: https://twitter.com/CNLiberalism https://cnliberalism.org/   Join a local chapter at https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member/

Today's episode comes from a live event CNL held with Francis Fukuyama during our New Liberal Action Summit in Washington DC. Frank and I discuss whether or not the internet is to blame for the global rise of populism, how worried we should be about right wing control of the media, and what role young liberals have to play in solving these problems. Check out Frank's podcast, Frankly Fukuyama, over at Persuasion - https://www.persuasion.community/s/frankly-fukuyama To get bonus episodes, support us at patreon.com/newliberalpodcast or https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member Got questions? Send us a note at [email protected]. Follow us at: https://twitter.com/CNLiberalism https://cnliberalism.org/   Join a local chapter

New York City is voting on ballot amendments that could unlock more housing - but the city council is opposing them. Alec Schierenbeck is the executive director of the city's Charter Revision Commission, and he joins the podcast to explain how the ballot measures work and what they'll do to unlock more housing. To get bonus episodes, support us at patreon.com/newliberalpodcast or https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member Got questions? Send us a note at [email protected]. Follow us at: https://twitter.com/CNLiberalism https://cnliberalism.org/   Join a local chapter at https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member/

Why is Congress shut down? Congressman Ritchie Torres joins the podcast to talk about Affordable Care Act subsidies, shutdown strategies, how Republicans in Congress have given up power to help Trump create an imperial presidency, and why now is the time for Democrats to fight. To get bonus episodes, support us at patreon.com/newliberalpodcast or https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member Got questions? Send us a note at [email protected]. Follow us at: https://twitter.com/CNLiberalism https://cnliberalism.org/   Join a local chapter at https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member/