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Master Plan

Master Plan

The Lever

A secret plot. A public theft. A democracy corrupted. Discover the truth on Master Plan, winner of the 2024 Signal Awards for News & Politics and Best Writing. Hosted by David Sirota, former speechwriter for Bernie Sanders and Oscar-nominated co-writer of Don’t Look Up, Master Plan uncovers a deliberate scheme to legalize corruption in the U.S., enabling the wealthy to buy policies that serve them at the public’s expense. How did our democracy become a kleptocracy? The Lever has unearthed never-before-reported documents revealing this 50-year plot as a coordinated effort by wealthy individuals and political ideologues. Across 11 episodes, the series traces this historic thread from the Watergate scandal in the ’70s to the Citizens United decision, current Supreme Court outrages, and the 2024 election. It’s a story of infamous figures like President Richard Nixon, Senator Mitch McConnell, and Fox News founder Roger Ailes—plus operatives and oligarchs you’ve never heard of. www.masterplanpodcast.com
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Top 10 Master Plan Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Master Plan episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Master Plan for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Master Plan episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Master Plan - Decoding Project 2025 (via Lever Time)
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11/07/24 • 17 min

Donald Trump’s campaign promises include mass deportations, targeting journalists, and other extraordinary acts. His blueprint? Project 2025—a 900-page Heritage Foundation policy manifesto aimed at reshaping the federal government, centered on "Schedule F," a directive that would expose federal workers to political influence and grant Trump sweeping control in his second term.

We’re sharing the first half of an episode that dives deep into Project 2025, produced by Arjun Singh for Lever Time. If you followed our Master Plan series, you’ll recognize some familiar organizations and figures—along with new insights.

Listen to the rest of the episode, Project 2025 Is Even More Radical Than You Think (jump to 17:00), or find Lever Time in your podcast app and subscribe.


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Master Plan - The Maverick

The Maverick

Master Plan

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09/24/24 • 57 min

When five U.S. senators get caught pressuring a regulator on behalf of a financial magnate, they become known as the “Keating Five.” The public is predictably outraged. But what no one expects is that one of those senators will learn from his mistakes and become the staunchest campaign finance reformer in decades.

Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, exclusive content, and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com


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Master Plan - Rise of the Machine
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10/01/24 • 53 min

After a series of setbacks in the push to legalize corruption, the master planners know they must take over the U.S. Supreme Court and halt the trend of Republican-appointed justices siding with campaign finance reformers. So in the early 2000s, they deploy their new judicial machine in an epic battle to try to permanently change the courts from the bottom up. This is part one of a two-part story about how the Roberts Court was built.

Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, exclusive content, and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com


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Master Plan - The Other Watergate
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08/27/24 • 42 min

There’s a lost tale behind Watergate: corporate bagmen, suitcases of illegal cash, and Nixon circumventing the very campaign finance rules he’d just signed into law. Amid the blowback, Nixon leaves a ticking time bomb in the heart of Washington.

Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, exclusive content, and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com


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Master Plan - Hell Or High Water
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10/29/24 • 62 min

We all live in the master planners’ world now, immersed in an ocean of corruption. The 2024 Republican presidential campaign is bankrolled by billionaires, while corporate interests’ power was in full display at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. What will it take to reclaim our democracy? Is there any hope of reversing the master plan?


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Master Plan - The Heist

The Heist

Master Plan

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10/22/24 • 62 min

Unleashed by the Citizens United ruling, the master planners launch a three-part heist to crack the vault protecting democracy itself. First, the schemers take out the security cameras monitoring dark money. Then, they disarm the last campaign finance cops on the beat. Finally, they pull off a getaway so prosecutors can’t charge them as they run off with the loot.

Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, exclusive content, and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com


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Master Plan - The Powell Memo

The Powell Memo

Master Plan

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09/03/24 • 51 min

A seemingly moderate corporate lawyer grows alarmed by anti-corruption reformers’ policy wins and writes a manifesto detailing how corporations and oligarchs can dominate American politics. Months later, he’s confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court by senators unaware that his manifesto is going viral among the business elite.

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Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, exclusive content, and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com


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Master Plan - Corporations Are People, My Friend
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09/17/24 • 48 min

You might remember Mitt Romney’s infamous line: “Corporations are people, my friend.” But where did this idea come from? In this episode: how the Ford Administration and the Powell Memo movement turned to the Supreme Court to establish the precedent that legalized corruption: money is speech, and corporations are entitled to First Amendment rights.

Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, score exclusive content, and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com


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Master Plan - The Secret Task Force
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09/10/24 • 46 min

How did corporate executives and politicians turn Lewis Powell’s memo from a blueprint into a master plan — and begin executing it? In this episode, we uncover proof of a secret “Powell Memo Task Force,” as well as clandestine meetings involving America’s most powerful businessmen, a future president, and an ambitious young media consultant. The results would change history.

Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, exclusive content, and support this show. Visit masterplanpodcast.com


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In this special episode from Lever Time, David Sirota reflects on the shocking murder of United Health CEO Brian Thompson and the surge of public anger it unleashed against America’s broken health insurance system.

Tracing decades of broken promises and corporate influence—from the Clinton and Obama administrations to today—this audio essay explores the health care crisis as a symptom of a deeper democracy crisis and asks what it will take for Americans to finally demand change.

Listen to the Lever Time episode Why America Is Mad As Hell About Health Care.


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FAQ

How many episodes does Master Plan have?

Master Plan currently has 17 episodes available.

What topics does Master Plan cover?

The podcast is about News, Supreme Court, History, Podcasts, Politics and Government.

What is the most popular episode on Master Plan?

The episode title 'Decoding Project 2025 (via Lever Time)' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Master Plan?

The average episode length on Master Plan is 41 minutes.

How often are episodes of Master Plan released?

Episodes of Master Plan are typically released every 7 days.

When was the first episode of Master Plan?

The first episode of Master Plan was released on Aug 5, 2024.

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