Cascade PBS Ideas Festival

Has the Next Civil War Already Started?

In America, Civil War as long been relegated to history books and Ken Burns films. But recently it has become a live topic. Crosscut gathered a panel of political experts and journalists to discuss the deepening tribalism of extreme partisan politics, identifying root causes of our divisions, discussing the platforms that have encouraged this divisiveness, and exploring what can be done to prevent it. Featuring Manhattan Institute fellow Oren Cass, New York Times columnist Thomas Edsall, political science professor Christopher Parker and journalist Tay Wiles. New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie moderated the conversation. This episode was recorded on May 4, 2019 at Seattle University as part of the Crosscut Festival.

Note: This episode contains adult language. To listen to a bleeped version, visit our episode page.

Trump, Mueller and Making Congress Work Again with Jeff Merkley

Jeff Merkley has made a name for himself by challenging President Trump on the courts and immigration, inspiring some chatter that the junior senator from Oregon might run for president. But earlier this year, Merkley joined a rarefied group: Democrats who considered a run for the presidency, but decided against it. Instead, he will be seeking re-election to the Senate where he hopes to thaw the “deep freeze” that he says has rendered the deliberative body largely inert. Merkley, who is among the most progressive members of the Senate and is the only senator to endorse Bernie Sanders in 2016, tells the Washington Post's Philip Rucker how he plans to fix it and what he thinks about the investigation into the president by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. This conversation was recorded on May 4, 2019 at Seattle University as part of the Crosscut Festival.

2020 Presidential Election Predictions and Projections

The 2020 election is almost a year and a half away, but the race is already on. There are two dozen Democrats, and one Republican, lining up to challenge President Donald Trump. And the news cycle is dominated by big questions about who can win, and how. So Crosscut gathered a panel of pundits from the Seattle area to weigh in on the big issues, assess the candidates and speculate on Trump’s chances for a second term. Featuring conservative talk radio host Michael Medved, former chair of the Washington State Republican Party Chris Vance, political scientist Christopher Parker and Sharon Mast, who serves as the secretary of the Western States Caucus of the Democratic National Committee. This conversation was recorded on June 13, 2019 at Fremont Abbey as part of Crosscut's News & Brews series.

Note: This episode contains adult language. To listen to a bleeped version, visit our episode page.

 

The Case for a More Progressive Politics with Pramila Jayapal

She has been in congress for less than 3 years, but Pramila Jayapal is already shifting the conversation in the other Washington. As the co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus at the dawn of newfound Democratic power, the Seattle-area representative has been instrumental in persuading Democratic leadership in the House to more fully embrace its more left-leaning contingent. She has raised the profile of Medicare for All and the Green New Deal while continuing to champion the immigration issues that she first worked on prior to her political career. Crosscut political reporter Melissa Santos asks the U.S. Representative what it means to be a powerful progressive in the Trump era and a woman of color in this new congress. This conversation was recorded on May 4, 2019 at Seattle University as part of the Crosscut Festival.

 

 

Using Fame to Make Social Change with Macklemore and Doug Baldwin Jr.

Some activists need to use loudspeakers, but others are fortunate enough to already have the world’s attention. Colin Kaepernick, for example, showed how a single act — and the commitment to repeat it — can both inspire and agitate on a national scale. But how does one turn fame into societal change? Prominent social justice activist and author DeRay McKesson leads a conversation with hip-hop artist Macklemore and Super Bowl champion Doug Baldwin Jr. about how the two socially active figures choose a cause, make positive change, and keep working through it all. This conversation was recorded on May 4, 2019 at Seattle University as part of the Crosscut Festival.

Note: This episode contains adult language. For a bleeped version, go to our episode page.

Taking on Trump with Christine Todd Whitman

As the head of the Environmental Protection Agency in the early ‘00s, Christine Todd Whitman served at the pleasure of one Republican president. Now the former Republican governor of New Jersey is being very public about her displeasure with another. Following President Trump’s defense of Russian President Vladimir Putin last July, Whitman penned an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times calling the commander-in-chief unfit for the office. She has also been calling on the president and her party to recognize human-caused climate change. Crosscut contributor Enrique Cerna asks what she doesn't like about Trump and whether she is getting through. This conversation was recorded on May 4, 2019 at Seattle University as part of the Crosscut Festival.

 

 

Is Socialism the Future of the Democratic Party?

Socialism may ignite the ire of Republicans and many baby boomers, but it is gaining broad acceptance from millennials as politicians like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Bernie Sanders urge the country to adopt some of its tenets. We bring together socialist Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant, Democratic Socialist upstart Sarah Smith and Washington state Democratic Party Chair Tina Podlodowski to talk about what socialism is, what it isn’t and how it could play into the future of the Democratic party. Atlas Obscura CEO and Slate Political Gabfest co-host David Plotz leads the discussion. This conversation was recorded on May 4, 2019 at Seattle University as part of the Crosscut Festival.