Are our favorite news pundits and podcasters undermining hope or boosting our resolve?
In Dear Pundits, Susan Wagner with the Substack The Grassroots Connector, has a wake-up call for all the hosts, producers, and staff of her favorite political content. She includes (by name) Nicole Wallace, Tim Miller, Jen Rubin, Jon Favreau, Chris Hayes, Katie Phang – and the rest in that category.
Have we fallen into an echo chamber, where the same few guests are repeatedly on? Where the focus is overwhelming and relentless:
"…Democracy is collapsing. Institutions are failing. Our opponents are ruthless".
They rarely "feature grassroots stories or host activists from organizations that are part of the solution."
But there is only one essential goal for 2026 – to win every possible election and loosen the MAGA grip on this country. To do that, to meet this moment, requires all hands on deck. The overwhelming drumbeat of the negative doesn't leave space for us to hope that our small actions can make a difference. It undermines our determination.
Take sports fans. If they don't believe that their team can win, would they show up at stadiums? Would they take the time, make the effort, spend the money?
All of us, you included, need to be informed of concrete actions being taken to save our democracy. Grassroots activists recounting small and large examples of organized resistance across the country are missing from your coverage.
Wagner has a list of some people who ought to be featured on the shows, those whose actions can and do inspire people:
• Susan Bolle and Cecilia Minalga, co-founders of the Bay Area Coalition (responsible to a large extent for the success of Prop 50)
• Jody Kass who created Deceived Nation, a platform for fighting lies in real time (after running the grassroots campaign that got George Santos expelled from Congress)
• Andrea Miller of Center for Common Ground, whose work for voting rights inspires thousands of black and Hispanic volunteers
For a show on voter registration:
• Jason Berlin of FieldTeam 6 who helps volunteers register voters in person, online, and through postcard reminders
• Laura Brill of the Civic Center who helps get high school seniors registered.
For a segment on immigrant rights:
• Monica Sarmiento of Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights, a multi-racial and multi-ethnic coalition of organizations fighting for the immigrant community
For a program on how to reach rural voters and the issues they care abou:
• Lynlee Thorne of the Rural Ground Game or
• Jess Piper from Blue Missouri
On state legislatures:
Melissa Walker from The States Project to speak about the thousands of Giving Circles now financing the candidacy of state legislators throughout the country.
To understand the priorities of Spanish-speaking voters:
• Katharine Pichardo-Erskine from Latino Victory
Want to feature ceative approaches to political commentary? "There are groups out on the street in costume, with clever signs and lyrics. The grassroots movement brings together all ages. Ask a Raging Granny about joy and laughter and love of country."
If you agree and know anyone connected with such shows, Wagner asks for help getting this message to them. I wish I knew someone personally to contact, but I don't.
Who would you add to her list?
I'd add Christopher Armitage, a U.S. Air Force veteran, journalist, and founder of the fast-growing Substack The Existentialist Republic, who advocates for resisting authoritarianism and protecting democracy through localism and community-based action. He is an outspoken proponent of "soft secession" — building parallel local structures and asserting state sovereignty as a response to creeping authoritarianism at the federal level. He is rapidly building a community and they are writing model legislation for state legislatures.
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