Meet Bounty and Soul: Meeting Food Insecurity Through Community Lauren Steiner 2023-12-11 | I interviewed Ali Casparian, founder of Bounty & Soul, an organization based in Black Mountain, NC, which works in community to feed the food insecure. Please watch and share and consider volunteering and/or donating to this worthy organization.
Peoples Assembly Asheville Lauren Steiner 2023-11-15 | I interviewed Elena Everett Everett, Special Projects Coordinator at the Southern Vision Alliance, and Jen Hampton, lead organizer of Asheville Food and Beverage United and the WNC coordinator for Southern Workers Assemblies. We discussed the upcoming People's Assembly in Asheville on November 18 from 1-3 at the YWCA. This is a project of the NC People's Power Coalition, a multi-issue coalition formed to combat the right wing budget and legislation coming out of the GOP controlled North Carolina Legislature. We discussed which organizations are involved, the history of people's assemblies and other experiments in direct democracy, how they are different from workers' assemblies, which themselves are different from unions, and how the process will work to get more people involved in the decisions that affect our lives.
Free Palestine March on Washington Lauren Steiner 2023-11-02 | I talk with Brian Becker, a founder and Executive Director of the ANSWER Coalition, an organization founded three days after 9/11 to prevent the Iraq War, and a founder and central organizer for the Party of Socialism and Liberation, and Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Code Pink: Women for Peace, which also started to prevent the Iraq War. We will discuss the Free Palestine March on Washington coming up on Saturday, November 4 and more.
WNC Peoples Power Day of Outrage Lauren Steiner 2023-07-10 | On July 1, a new intersectional coalition spoke out against the reactionary bills and budget of the GOP dominated NC state legislature. State Senator Julie Mayfield spoke about the threats to voting an elections. Robin Summers from Indivisible spoke about the threat of vouchers to and the failure to fully fund public education. Beth Griffin from the Dogwood Alliance spoke about the cutting of forests to make wood pellets to burn. Rob Thomas from the Racial Justice Coalition spoke about reparations. Rosemary Dodd from DSA spoke about the 12 week abortion ban and the bills targeting the LBGTQ community. Lauren Steiner from the NC Medicare for All Coalition spoke about the privatization of Medicare and Claire Clark from PSL spoke of the threat of fascism. For more information and the endorse the People's Power agenda, go to: ncpeoplespower.org
Why Is Buncombe County DA Prosecuting Journalists Lauren Steiner 2023-05-01 | I interview Matilda Bliss and Veronica Coit, journalists from the Asheville Blade, who were arrested, prosecuted and convicted of trespassing for covering the Asheville Police Department raid of an event where activists were feeding the homeless. They are joined by their attorney, Ben Scales, who ran twice for District Attorney in Buncombe County, and Seth Stern, Director of Advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation, who has written in support of the journalists.
Unionizing Green Sage Restaurant Lauren Steiner 2023-03-06 | I speak with Arianna Lingerfeldt, line cook at Green Sage Restaurant in South Asheville, who is spearheading the fight to unionize the store. The workers allege wage theft, discrimination and toxic work environments and are calling for wage transparency, fair scheduling, access to benefits and a human resources representative and accountant to assist with questions and concerns. I invited owner Randy Talley to appear on the show and explain why he rejected their request to unionize or to provide a written statement. He did not take me up on the offer
NC Utilities Commission Fails on Climate Lauren Steiner 2023-01-23 | I talk with Jim Warren, Executive Director of NC WARN, and Dale Evarts, former director of the Climate and International Group for the US Environmental Protection Agency, about how the NC Utilities Commission first charged Duke Energy with coming up with the plan to meet NC's carbon emission reduction goals, and then accepted their horrible recommendations to rely on years more of dirty carbon emitting plants. We will discuss how this happened and what if anything can be done about it.
The War in Ukraine Lauren Steiner 2023-01-13 | I talk with Medea Benjamin, author and peace activist currently on tour to promote her latest book "War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict." We'll discuss the origin of the war, whether this is truly a proxy war between the US and Russia, and what hope do we have for a peaceful negotiation to end this conflict.
Battle for House Speaker Lauren Steiner 2023-01-10 | Ryan Grim, DC Bureau Chief of The Intercept, joins me to discuss the longest battle for the Speaker of the US House of Representatives in over 100 years. We discuss the members were opposed to Kevin McCarthy and why, what they wanted, what they got, how they accomplished it and what this means for the Speaker position and domestic and foreign policy going forward. We also discuss the assertion by several podcast hosts that the Squad could have gotten progressive concessions had they forced the vote for Speaker two years ago.
Candidates for NC House District 114 Lauren Steiner 2022-10-06 | I talk to Eric Ager, Democrat, and Everett Pittillo, Republican, who are running for the North Carolina State Legislature in House District 114, which includes parts of Asheville, Swannanoah, Black Mountain and Fairview.
Manchin Energy Bill: Do The Pros Outweigh The Cons? Lauren Steiner 2022-08-01 | I talk with Brett Hartl, Government Affairs Director for The Center for Biological Diversity, who wrote a press release entitled "Manchin Poison Pills Buried in Inflation Reduction Act Will Destroy Livable Climate" and Branko Marcetic, staff writer for Jacobin, whose evaluation was entitled "The Biden-Manchin Climate Bill Isn’t Very Good, but It’s All We’ve Got."
Upcoming SCOTUS Threat To Elections Lauren Steiner 2022-08-01 | I discuss the Independent State Legislature Theory with renowned democracy protection expert Lisa Graves. This theory is a reading of the Constitution that would give state legislatures wide authority to gerrymander electoral maps and pass voter suppression laws. It has even been used as political cover to try to overturn elections. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case involving the partisan gerrymandering of electoral maps in North Carolina in its next session. Lisa Graves is the ED and Editor in Chief of True North Research. Prior to creating that organization, she ran the Center for Media and Democracy. She is an attorney who served in the Clinton Justice Department and taught at George Washington Law School. She helped shape the national conversation on Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, which was when she was last on my show. Please set a reminder to watch and share this post.
Asheville: Turn Out To Save The Forests And The Climate Lauren Steiner 2022-07-25 | I interview Will Harlan, a biologist for the Center for Biological Diversity, and the lead coordinator for the I Heart Pisgah Coalition, a coalition of 150 organizations working to stop a horrible logging plan for the Pisgah-Nantahala Forest. We will discuss their next event in Asheville on August 1 at the Forest Service Headquarters in Asheville. We will also discuss the draft carbon plan that the NC Utilities Commission asked Duke Energy to write, also horrible. There will be a rally on July 27 prior to the Utilities Commission public hearing on the plan in Asheville. We will discuss why both these plans are so bad and why it is important to turn out for both rallies and to speak at the carbon plan hearing or at least submit a written comment.
An Evening With Bill McKibben Lauren Steiner 2022-06-29 | On 6/15/22, I had the privilege and pleasure to host a fundraiser where I interviewed the legendary climate activist Bill McKibben about his new book and the new organization he founded. This was a fundraiser for the low income solar program of the Green Built Alliance in Asheville, NC. In this video, you will hear three political songs by our musical guest Zoe and Cloyd, an intro to the Green Built Alliance by ED Sam Ruark and my interview with Bill McKibben. Thanks to Summer Winkler who shot and edited this video. To learn more about and contribute to the low income solar program of the Green Built Alliance, go here: greenbuilt.orgTo find out more about Bill's new organization, Third Act, go here: thirdact.orgTo hear more Zoe and Cloyd, go here: youtube.com/channel/UCTQEgbqDI4jfd9Ro1TIe_AQ
NC Dem Party Trying to Tank Green Party Rival Lauren Steiner 2022-06-28 | After renowned anti-war activist Matthew Hoh qualified to be the Green Party candidate for Senate on the North Carolina ballot with more than enough signatures, the NC Democratic Party began texting and calling the signatories asking if they wanted to withdraw their signature raising the specter of electing a Republican if he remained on the ballot. Tonight I will discuss this anti-democratic move by the Democratic Party with Matthew Hoh. And I have reached out to the NC Democratic Party seeking a representative or a statement.
$5.8 Billion Student Debt Canceled! Lauren Steiner 2022-06-06 | The headline was that Biden canceled $5.8 billion in student debt. But the story is more complicated than that. Joining me to discuss this is Astra Taylor, documentary filmmaker, writer and co-founder of The Debt Collective, a union of debtors for education, health care and housing debt, and Latonya Suggs, a former student at Corinthian College, the for profit college where the debt was just canceled, and Ami Schneider, a former student at the Illinois Institute of Art, a college run by Education Management Corporation, another for profit college. We will hear their stories and talk about how to build a world where "college is publicly funded, healthcare is universal and housing is guaranteed for all."
Unionizing Moog Music Lauren Steiner 2022-06-01 | Tuns out although the famous synthesizer company is 49% worker owned, the average worker making equipment that cost thousands of dollars and handling complicated technical support is not even paid a living wage. Employers are now trying to start a union affiliated with the IBEW. This is their first public rally. Please share to inspire more workers to organize.Follow them at @MoogMusicUnion
Karen Kwak for Glendale City Council Lauren Steiner 2022-06-01 | I interview fellow Bernie Sanders supporter and Wesleyan alumna Karen Kwak, a small business owner and tutor, who is running for City Council in Glendale, CA. Local government seems to be the place where progressives can achieve the most change. Please set a reminder to watch and share this.
Gov. Newsom: Close Diablo Canyon Lauren Steiner 2022-05-24 | In light of a new poll showing strong statewide support for continuing the operation of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in California, scheduled to be shut down in 2025, I speak with long time anti-nuclear activists Linda Seeley from SLO Mothers for Peace and Harvey Wasserman, journalist, author, activist and advocate for renewable energy about why this would be a bad idea and why CA does not need to electricity from this plant.Sign and share this petition to Gavin Newsom. change.org/p/governor-newsom-we-re-done-with-nuclear-energy-in-californiaAlso, here is the petition to save solar in CA that we discussed on the show. savecaliforniasolar.org/sign-petition
Israel PACs Buying US House Seats Lauren Steiner 2022-05-17 | Two PACs and one Super PAC, whose main purpose is to ensure continued massive US support for Israel, have spent millions of dollars in Democratic primaries in safe Democratic districts targeting progressive Democrats, mostly women of color, whom they perceive to be supportive of the Palestinian cause. Tonight I talk with former Ohio State Senator Nina Turner who, before the massive spending in her Cleveland, OH district, was a shoe in to win the Congressional seat vacated by Marcia Fudge. She lost the special election and the primary to Shontel Brown, who was supported by these PACs. I also speak to Alexander Sammon, a writer for The American Prospect, who has been investigating these expenditures and recently wrote an article on how TV stations pulled misleading ads by these PACs targeting Erica Smith running for a Congressional seat in NC 1. Erica is running against anti-choice Don Davis, who is being supported by these PACs. I also speak with Rebecca Cerese, President of the Progressive Democrats of Orange County, NC, who will discuss the massive spending by these PACs for Valerie Foushee who is running against three progressives in NC 4, including Nida Allum, who would be the first Muslim American Congressperson from NC. Allum was leading in the race prior to these last minute expenditures. Rebecca is also a member of the Progressive Caucus of the NC Democratic Party. She will talk about the fate of pro Palestinian resolutions in the party's platform.
Candidates for Asheville School Board Lauren Steiner 2022-05-12 | I interview Pepi Acebo, an Asheville District School parent, and Liza Kelly, a district teacher, who are running for the city of Asheville's first elected school board. Please set a reminder to watch and share.
Starbucks Union Organizing in NC Lauren Steiner 2022-05-11 | I interview Jennifer Hampton, an organizer with Asheville Food and Beverage United, a coalition of restaurant workers, who is helping with the unionization of the first Starbucks in Asheville on Charlotte Street, Madeline Robanna, an AVL Starbucks worker organizer, and Grace Marvell and Olivia Lewis, lead organizers with the Boone, NC Starbucks store, so far the first and only Starbucks store in NC to unionize. The Asheville store vote is Wednesday, May 11.
Candidate for Buncombe County Commission Lauren Steiner 2022-05-09 | I interview Bill Branyon, freelance historian and author, who is challenging incumbent Al Whitesides for Buncombe County Commissioner in District 1 in the Democratic Primary. His main issue is his opposition to the Pratt and Whitney jet engine plant in Asheville.branyonforcommissioner.org
Candidate for Asheville Mayor Lauren Steiner 2022-05-06 | In the next of my series of interviews with local candidates, I interview Kim Roney, current Asheville City Council member running for Mayor.
Public Defender Running For DA Lauren Steiner 2022-04-28 | I interviewed Courtney Booth, a public defender from Asheville, NC who is running for Buncombe County District Attorney. She is one of many public defenders in the US who have run and are running for DA as reformist candidates. We discussed how coming from a place of compassion and understanding will inform her decisions and what an expanded notion of justice looks like. Please share. Early voting starts Thursday.Courtneyforda.com
College Students Organizing Unions Lauren Steiner 2022-04-26 | I interview student workers from three colleges who have organized unions. The movement is spreading. Amelia Carnell, an admissions worker at Kenyon, is part of the Kenyon Student Worker Organizing Committee. Keir Hichens, is a member if the Union of Grinnell Student Dining Workers. And Sam DosSantos, a resident advisor, is part of the Wesleyan Union of Student Employees. Wesleyan is my alma mater, and I am very proud of these students. Please set a reminder to watch and share. If you watch live, you can ask questions in the chat.
Candidate for Asheville City Council Lauren Steiner 2022-04-22 | In one hour, I interview Nina Tovish, writer and artist, running for Asheville City Council. Please watch and share. If you watch live, feel free to post questions in the chat.
Candidate For Asheville City Council Lauren Steiner 2022-04-21 | In the third of my series of interviews with Asheville City Council candidates, I interview Will Hornaday, a graphic designer. Please set a reminder to watch and share this post.
Candidate For Asheville City Council Lauren Steiner 2022-04-19 | I interview Allison Scott, the Director of Impact and Innovation for The Campaign for Southern Equality. She is a progressive who, if elected, would be the first transgender member of the Asheville City Council.
NC Senate 49 Forum Lauren Steiner 2022-04-13 | I interview incumbent Julie Mayfield and her challengers City Council member and realtor Sandra Kilgore and community activist downtown and business owner Taylon Breedon.
Candidate for Asheville City Council Lauren Steiner 2022-04-12 | In the first of a series of interviews with people running for office here in Asheville, I interview Andrew Fletcher, a musician and organizer. I will be asking him live viewer questions as they come in. Please set a reminder to watch and share.
Three CA School Board Candidates Lauren Steiner 2022-04-04 | I interview Mike Hutchinson, Rocio Rivas and Mo Kashmiri, three progressive candidates for school board in CA. They all fight the privatization of public education.
Conversation with a Ukrainian Peace Activist in Kiev Lauren Steiner 2022-03-28 | I interview Yurii Sheliazhenko live from Kiev. Yurii is executive secretary of the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement and a board member of the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection and World Beyond War. He obtained a Master of Mediation and Conflict Management degree in 2021 and a Master of Laws degree in 2016 at KROK University. In addition to his participation in the peace movement, he is a journalist, blogger, human rights defender, and legal scholar, an author of academic publications and a lecturer on legal theory and history.
Get On The Bus, WNC! Lauren Steiner 2022-03-18 | With COVID, the war in Ukraine and rising rent, food and gas prices, it appears that nothing is going well. People living at or below the poverty line never had it easy, and it isn't getting any better. That's why the US, as the richest country in the world, must prioritize helping our neediest citizens over foreign entanglements and bailing out hugely profitable industries. Join me as I speak with Leslie Boyd and Evan Richardson, the co-directors of the Poor People's Campaign in WNC, about their event in Raleigh next week to kick off what is planned to be a huge march on Washington in June and why it is so important that folks get on that bus.
The Russian Invasion Was Not Unprovoked Lauren Steiner 2022-03-15 | I interview Bryce Greene, contributor to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting on the constant characterization in the mainstream corporate media that the Russia invasion of Ukraine was unprovoked. While the invasion was illegal, deplorable and condemnable on every level, one thing it wasn't was unprovoked. We will discuss what led up to this invasion, whether we can discern what is true about the reporting out of Ukraine and whether the US really wants Russia out of Ukraine, because its actions sure don't indicate so.Bryce's article: fair.org/home/calling-russias-attack-unprovoked-lets-us-off-the-hookSome articles I referenced.https://archive.ph/2020.01.15-215918/https://konkret.la/the-new-colonial-counter-revolution/https:.com/2022/03/06/robert-parry-when-us-house-saw-ukraines-neo-nazis/michael-hudson.com/2022/02/america-defeats-germany-for-the-third-time-in-a-century
Organizing With The Southern Workers Assembly Lauren Steiner 2022-02-04 | I interview three members of the Southern Workers Assembly from Charlotte and Raleigh, NC. The Southern Workers Assembly is a network of local unions, worker organizations, and organizing committees, committed to building rank-and-file democratic social movement unionism as a foundation for organizing, uniting and transforming labor power throughout the South.
Stop A War Over Ukraine! Lauren Steiner 2022-02-02 | I talk with Bruce Gagnon, who coordinates the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, about what is really behind the beating of the war drums with Russia over Ukraine, the history of our involvement there, specifically our role in the coup of 2014, why Russia is massing troops in the border, why both parties and the corporate media present only one side of this story, and what we can do to stop a potential war.Bruce's blog: http://space4peace.blogspot.com
Help CAs Medicare For All Bill Now Lauren Steiner 2022-01-15 | Last week, CA's third Medicare for All bill passed the Assembly Health Committee 11-3-1. On Tuesday, it will be heard by the Appropriations Committee, a committee where many bills go to die. This is the second year of this two year bill authored by Assembly member Ash Kalra. This is the last chance. I talk with Michael Lighty, President of Healthy California Now, and Maureen Cruise, Co-director of Health Care for All Los Angeles, two lifelong MFA advocates and activists, about the history of the effort to get single payer health care started in the largest state in the country, why this bill is different, the daunting obstacles the bill faces, what the supporters have planned to get it across the finish line, and how YOU can help get it passed.Here are the members of the Assembly Appropriations Committee who need to be called before Thursday, January 20. apro.assembly.ca.gov/membersstaffAnd call your own state reps in the Assembly and Senate as well. findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov
Should Kelloggs Workers Have Settled? Lauren Steiner 2021-12-29 | I talk with Jarod Facundo, fellow at The American Prospect, who covered the Kellogg's strike, and Harry Gibson, a striking worker, about why the workers went on strike, what the settlement entails, why it wasn't the best deal and why they settled anyway. Please set a reminder to watch and share.
Biden Continues War and Whistleblowers and Journalists Lauren Steiner 2021-12-22 | I interview Kevin Gosztola, Managing Editor of Shadowproof Press, where he writes The Dissenter column about the continuing political persecution of Julian Assange, who the British High Court just ruled will be extradited to the United States to stand trial for espionage. Kevin covered the trial in London and has also interviewed other whistleblowers and journalists being persecuted solely for trying to expose US war crimes. We also talk about how he got into journalism and what first interested him in this subject matter.
Build Back Barely: Progressives Must Vote NO! Lauren Steiner 2021-10-31 | Originally aired 10/27/21. I speak with Keaton Weiss, Faisal Kahn, Rachael Rose Luckey and Joey Oppegaard-Peltier III about how bad the reconciliation bill has gotten and why the only thing to do is vote no. Faisal was reporting from DC, where the Poor People's Campaign did a rally, and Joey was reporting the perspective of those fighting Line 3 in MN and the People vs. Fossil Fuels civil disobedience which happened in DC the previous week.
Fascism and Bigotry in NC Lauren Steiner 2021-10-17 | Brave trans activist Claire Clark of Asheville, NC is one of only a few people in Asheville to actually protest the fascism and bigotry of GOP Congressman Madison Cawthorn (NC11) and GOP Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. Most simply condemn their offensive remarks with stern statements to the press.The day before Cawthorn told a group of "Patriots" that we needed some "healthy civil disobedience," his goons violently removed Claire from a GOP fundraiser where she merely stood up to demand an apology to the LGBTQ community for their slurs against them and to ask for his support of The Equality Act. As a history major who studied fascism and other right wing movements, I am very concerned that Democrats and liberals in NC and in Cawthorn's district underestimate the threat from these men. You can't defeat fascism at the ballot box. Just look to Nazi Germany to see how that worked out.sethabramson.substack.com/p/its-time-to-talk-about-madison-cawthornabc11.com/mark-robinson-lieutenant-governor-filth-lgbtq/11131510
Trans Activist Disrupts Madison Cawthorn Speech Lauren Steiner 2021-10-16 | On October 15, trans activist Claire Clark disrupted a speech that Rep. Madison Cawthorn was giving at a fundraiser for the Buncombe County Republican Party. She was violently hauled out by the police and detained for a short while but not arrested. She spoke about her action to journalist Lauren Steiner
How One Woman Led a Fight to Save Ancient Trees Lauren Steiner 2021-10-05 | In 2018, nurse and business woman Michelle Maricic learned that her county planned to cut down an entire canopy of 100-300 year old trees in an historic landmark area in Florida. See how this inexperienced organizer learned how to take an an entire county government and win.
Will We Get Trump And Fascism in 2024 Lauren Steiner 2021-09-29 | In part two of my interview with Jordan Chariton from Status Coup News, I summarize and discuss notorious neocon Robert Kagan's opinion piece in the Washington Post explaining why he thinks the singular phenomenon of Donald Trump has resulted in our constitutional democracy being fatally threatened and what needs to be done about it.
Will Progressives Hold The Line? Lauren Steiner 2021-09-28 | Thursday Nancy Pelosi will hold a vote on the $550 billion infrastructure bill. Progressives in Congress have promised to tank that bill, a priority of Joe Manchin's, if they do not get a firm commitment on the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill with all the social spending. Jordan Chariton from Status Coup News interviewed Ro Khanna, after he indicated on CNN that he'd be willing to settle for a lower number as long as the basic elements of the plan were included. I discuss that interview with Jordan, what dissatisfied him about Ro's answers and what progressive legislators should be doing to enlist the help of the public in getting the most robust bill passed.
WNC Organizer Chelsea White Challenges Madison Cawthorn Lauren Steiner 2021-09-20 | Chelsea White, Western Regional Organizer and Communications Coordinator for Transform NC, a labor and climate statewide coalition, announced her campaign to challenge Madison Cawthorn (NC-11) at a protest of Cawthorn by the Sunrise Movement Asheville on Sunday, September 19, 2021. Here is her sppech.
Speak Out for Reproductive Freedom Lauren Steiner 2021-09-07 | I organized a rally in Asheville, NC to protest the Supreme Court's decision to let the Texas abortion ban stand. Speakers were me, State Senator Julie Mayfield, State Representative Susan Fisher, Tessa Paul, co-chair of Asheville DSA, Claire Clark trans activist from Party of Socialism and Liberation, Rachel Stein, a greeter ar Planned Parenthood, Leslie Boyd from the Poor People's Campaign, Nicole Farmer, local writer and poet, Stefany Mills, local real estate broker and Callie Warner, activist from Grow Wise Buncombe. The latter three told their personal stories as did I.
Have Real Estate Developers Co-opted Some CA Progressive Dems? Lauren Steiner 2021-09-01 | I speak with two progressives active in the California Democratic Party, housing and homelessness activist Susie Shannon and Ben Hauck, SoCal Vice Chair of the party's Progressive Caucus, about corporate sponsored bills sailing through the legislature and what the caucus is doing to end the influence of big money on the party. We discuss SB 9 and 10, two bills masquerading as the solution to affordable housing that actually have no affordable housing component. Similar bills were stopped in the last two sessions of the legislature. This year they passed, and stopping them depends on Newsom vetoing them, which he seems unlikely to do.
Can CA Dems Stop the Newsom Recall? Lauren Steiner 2021-08-31 | I discuss the current recall election against Governor Gavin Newsom with Ben Hauck, Southern California Vice Chair of the Progressive Caucus of the CA Democratic Party and Susie Shannon, progressive activist, DNC member and the first political director of the Bernie Sanders campaign in 2020. We discuss why the recall is so close, why progressives are not enthusiastic about Newsom, why his leading GOP opponent Larry Elder is so bad, why their Republican recall messaging is failing and what Dems are doing to get people to vote no.
