Saving Democracy From The Bottom Up
Explicit content warning
02/19/24 • 40 min
What are reverse coattails, and how might they slow climate change, prevent the next pandemic, and keep Nazis off of school boards?
That's today's big question, and my returning guest is Amanda Litman.
Amanda is one of my favorite people. She is the co-founder and co-executive director of Run for Something, which recruits and supports young, diverse progressives running for down-ballot office, state, and local, and all those fun levels.
Since launching in 2017, a thousand years ago, Run for Something has elected more than 1000 leaders across nearly all 50 states, mostly women and people of color.
Politico named Run for Something and Amanda, one of the 50 ideas driving politics in 2018. Bloomberg called her one of the People to Watch in 2019. Fortune named her to their annual 40 under 40 list in 2020. And in 2022, Amanda was one of the Time Next 100, a list of 100 rising stars from around the world.
And look, it's yet another election year in America because it's another year in America, so there is never a better time to invite Amanda back onto the show.
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Have feedback or questions? Tweet us, or send a message to [email protected]
New here? Get started with our fan favorite episodes at podcast.importantnotimportant.com.
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INI Book Club:
- North Woods by Daniel Mason
- Find all of our guest recommendations at the INI Book Club: https://bookshop.org/lists/important-not-important-book-club
Links:
- Run for Office!
- Volunteer for a progressive, young candidate
- Donate to help get progressive, young candidates elected
- Learn more about running for office, support the educational efforts of Run for Something and make a c3 donation at Run For Something Civics
Follow us:
- Subscribe to our newsletter at importantnotimportant.com
- Support our work and become a Member at importantnotimportant.com/upgrade
- Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
- Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett
- Edited by Anthony Luciani
- Produced by Willow Beck
- Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com
Advertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsors
What are reverse coattails, and how might they slow climate change, prevent the next pandemic, and keep Nazis off of school boards?
That's today's big question, and my returning guest is Amanda Litman.
Amanda is one of my favorite people. She is the co-founder and co-executive director of Run for Something, which recruits and supports young, diverse progressives running for down-ballot office, state, and local, and all those fun levels.
Since launching in 2017, a thousand years ago, Run for Something has elected more than 1000 leaders across nearly all 50 states, mostly women and people of color.
Politico named Run for Something and Amanda, one of the 50 ideas driving politics in 2018. Bloomberg called her one of the People to Watch in 2019. Fortune named her to their annual 40 under 40 list in 2020. And in 2022, Amanda was one of the Time Next 100, a list of 100 rising stars from around the world.
And look, it's yet another election year in America because it's another year in America, so there is never a better time to invite Amanda back onto the show.
-----------
Have feedback or questions? Tweet us, or send a message to [email protected]
New here? Get started with our fan favorite episodes at podcast.importantnotimportant.com.
-----------
INI Book Club:
- North Woods by Daniel Mason
- Find all of our guest recommendations at the INI Book Club: https://bookshop.org/lists/important-not-important-book-club
Links:
- Run for Office!
- Volunteer for a progressive, young candidate
- Donate to help get progressive, young candidates elected
- Learn more about running for office, support the educational efforts of Run for Something and make a c3 donation at Run For Something Civics
Follow us:
- Subscribe to our newsletter at importantnotimportant.com
- Support our work and become a Member at importantnotimportant.com/upgrade
- Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
- Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett
- Edited by Anthony Luciani
- Produced by Willow Beck
- Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com
Advertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsors
Previous Episode
Essay: The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round
This week:
How are we supposed to navigate this energy transition, AI, and pandemics, if we cannot agree on the most basic, fundamental shit?
We argue about tradeoffs or gently suggest expanding the scope of our moral concern to include other people’s air, water, food, shelter, and health, instead of simply saying some things — like the lives of children — are simply, emphatically, non-negotiable.
Here's What You Can Do:
- Donate to Tobacco-Free Kids to protect kids from e-cigarettes.
- Volunteer with Everytown to prevent gun violence in schools.
- 🌎️ Get educated about the many co-benefits of electric school buses.
- Be heard about keeping kids healthy by urging your representative to co-sponsor the Universal School Meal Program Act.
- 🌍️ Invest in companies with ESG metrics that align with your morals using fennel.
🌎️ = Global Action Step
Get more:
- Get more news, analysis, and Action Steps at importantnotimportant.com
- Support our work and become a Member at importantnotimportant.com/upgrade
- Got feedback? Email us at [email protected]
- Follow us on Twitter at @importantnotimp
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
- Take a nap you deserve it
Advertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsors
Next Episode
Essay: How to See The Forest
This week:
Are we in the hardest part of the climate transition?
Here's What You Can Do:
- 🌎️ Donate to 350.org, a global movement working towards a fossil fuel-free world.
- Volunteer with your local Mothers Out Front chapter to fight for a world that protects kids.
- Get educated about building a clean energy company using the videos, exercises, and curriculum in Third Derivative’s Startup Resource Database.
- 🌎️ Be heard about climate justice and find an initiative that needs your support or signature in your country using GAIA’s action alert tool.
- Invest in the future by setting up a climate-friendly 401(k) with Sphere.
Get more:
- Get more news, analysis, and Action Steps at importantnotimportant.com
- Support our work and become a Member at importantnotimportant.com/upgrade
- Got feedback? Email us at [email protected]
- Follow us on Twitter at @importantnotimp
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
- Take a nap you deserve it
Advertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsors
The Most Important Question - Saving Democracy From The Bottom Up
Transcript
Quinn: [00:00:00] What are reverse coattails, and how might they slow climate change, prevent the next pandemic, and keep Nazis off of school boards? That's today's big question, and my returning guest is Amanda Litman. Amanda is one of my favorite people. She is the co-founder and co-executive director of Run for Something, which recruits and supports young, diverse progressives running for down-ballot office, state, and local, and all those fun levels. Since launching in 2017, a thousand yea
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