The X-Ray

Here we go again. Congress is facing a June 1 deadline to avoid a totally preventable “debt ceiling” crisis. If no one flinches in this dangerous game of chicken, the U.S. economy will be dragged into a cataclysm, destroying America’s global reputation and unleashing unfathomable pain for every American family.

An artifact from World War I, the debt ceiling comes back every few years to provide existential drama — the battlefield of partisan politics. It all sounds a bit insane, but it’s only the latest crisis to be spawned by our increasingly dysfunctional political system.

On this week’s episode, Fernando is joined by Washington uber-insider Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, to discuss her mounting fear that a “default is possible” and what we can do about it.

Also, Fernando chats with Nellie Gorbea, former Rhode Island Secretary of State, for the latest installment of the X-Ray Vision interview. In this quirky conversation, Nellie shares her dream superpower, transformative leadership vision, and why Puerto Rican rum is superior to scotch.

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Elections across the country are run by dedicated full-time elected officials and by a huge and diverse group of citizens who serve as poll workers — people who might very well be your neighbors, your teacher, or your child’s baseball coach.

These folks are the backbone of our elections system, and are the reason that the 2020 election went so smoothly and was called the “most secure election in American history” with the highest turnout in over a century. But since Election Day in 2020 — and because of a systematic campaign of disinformation designed to undermine trust in our elections — the people who make our democracy work have been the target of repeated attacks on their character and integrity, and have even been threatened with violence.

In episode 38, Weston chats with current and former election officials about the threats they and other election workers have received since the 2020 election, and the problematic trend of election administration being politicized across the country.

Guests:

• Natalie Adona, Assistant Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters for Nevada County, CA
• Brian Corley, Supervisor of Elections in Pasco County, FL
• Al Schmidt, Former City Commissioner of Philadelphia
• Elise Wirkus, Legislative Director at Issue One

We’re introducing the first episode in a periodic series of conversations between Swamp Stories host Weston Wamp and leaders in the political reform movement. This episode's guest: Nick Penniman, Founder and CEO of Issue One

Conventional wisdom says the candidate who has the most money wins on election night. But that’s not always true, and we’ll talk about how David has beaten Goliath in recent years as candidates turn to small-dollar fundraising, digital-first campaigns, and grassroots armies to beat the system.

One of the biggest challenges COVID-19 poses to our democracy? Holding safe, secure, and fair elections this year. Our democracy is at risk if states don’t adequately prepare for the various threats that this viral outbreak presents to the smooth running of our elections. In this episode, we talk with leading voices at the state and national level about how coronavirus affects voting, the task ahead for states and election administrators, and how our elections can be held safely this year.

Guests:

• Michael Steele, Former Republican National Committee Chair
• Denise Merrill, Connecticut Secretary of the State

Additional Resources:

• Op-ed: “How Congress must aid states to ensure safe and secure elections” (April 2020)
• Washington Post: We need to pay for our democracy (March 2020)
• Issue One applauds downpayment on voting assistance in stimulus bill, calls on Congress to provide more resources in future measures (March 2020)
• Letter from Michael Steele and the U.S. Vote Foundation to the Senate Rules Committee urging funding for state (March 2020)
• Bipartisan Policy Center: The November Presidential Election Needs Emergency Federal Funding (March 2020)
• National Conference of State Legislatures: State Laws Governing Early Voting