Category: Democracy Forum

Democracy Forum, with host Ann Luther, featuring topics in Maine’s participatory democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics.

Democracy Forum 8/13/12

Producer/Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters
Studio Engineer: Joel Mann

Issue: Participatory Democracy
Program Topic: Tea Party: What Can We Learn about Civic Engagement

Key Discussion Points:
a) the Tea Party movement, who are its members and what do they believe; and
b) the Tea Party’s impact on elections and governing,
c) what it means for civic participation

Guests:

-Theda Skocpol, Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology at Harvard University, http://www.wjh.harvard.edu/soc/faculty/skocpol
-Amy Fried, Professor of Political Science at the University of Maine, http://umaine.edu/polisci/faculty-and-staff/amy-fried/

Call In Program: No

Democracy Forum 6/18/12

Producer/Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters
Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Participatory Democracy

Program Topic: Wealth and income inequality in the U.S. and why it matters for democracy
Key Discussion Points:
a) What are the trends in wealth and income disparity? Who is affected?
b) What structural or public policy factors are contributing to this trend?
c) What are the consequences for democracy and the general well-being?
d) What can citizens do?

Guests:

A) Professor Susan Feiner, Professor of Economics and Professor of Women and Gender Studies, University of Southern Maine, http://www.usm.maine.edu/eco/susan-feiner.
B) Dr. Richard Freeman, Herbert Ascherman Chair in Economics at Harvard University and director of the National Bureau of Economic Research, http://www.nber.org/~freeman/.

Call In Program: Yes
Political Broadcast: No

Democracy Forum 5/14/12

Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters
Engineer: Joel Mann

(NOTE: Due to technical difficulties, this audio file is 47 mins long, and the recording starts with the show in progress)

Issue: Participatory Democracy

Key Discussion Points:
a) Do corporations have too much power in politics and government? What is the source of their power? Campaign finance? Lobbying? How does corpororate economic power translate into political power?
b) Do you think free enterprise and democracy go together? Do concerns about corporate power translate into concerns about capitalism as an economic system?
c) Discuss your ideas on what is needed for a healthy democracy to work? Has our own system been healthier at other times? What would be the proper role of corporations and very wealthy individuals? What can ordinary citizens do to make things work better?

Guest:
Robert Monks, shareholder activist, author, and corporate governance adviser, http://www.ragm.com/.

Call In Program: Yes

Democracy Forum 4/9/12

Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters
Engineer: Joel Mann

Issue: Participatory Democracy

Program Topic: Is the Two-Party System Working or Broken?
Key Discussion Points:
a) The role of the two-party system in federal elections
b) The effects of partisan politics in the Congress
c) Possible alternatives to the current system
d) What can citizens do?

Guests:

A) Lisa Borders, co-founder of No Labels, www.nolabels.org.
B) Sandy Maisel, Professor of Government at Colby College, http://www.colby.edu/profile/lsmaisel/.

Call In Program: Yes

Democracy Forum 3/12/12

Issue: Participatory Democracy
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters
Engineer: Amy Browne
Broadcast Time: 10-11:00 a.m.

Program Topic: Dysfunction in Congress: What Do We Need to Make It Work

Key Discussion Points:
a) What are the underlying, structural, or procedural problems that keep Congress from governing effectively: e.g., extreme partisanship, endless fundraising, erosion in the “regular order” of business, concentrated corporate and donor influence.
b) What do you think are the three most important things to change: for example, redistricting, campaign finance reform, return to regular order
c) What can citizens do?

Guests by name and affiliation:

A) Maine’s Second District Congressman, the Honorable Mike Michaud, 2nd District Congressman Mike Michaud.
B) Arn Pearson, Vice President of Programs at Common Cause.

Call In Program: Yes

Democracy Forum 2/13/12

Issue: Participatory Democracy
Broadcast Time: 10-11:00 a.m.
Program Topic: Free speech, corporate money, and democracy

Key Discussion Points:
a) The constitutional background of granting personhood to corporations and equating political spending with free speech.
b) The practical outcomes for democracy.
c) What can citizens do?

Guests:
A) Jeff Clements, co-founder of Free Speech for People and author of the book Corporations Are Not People. www.freespeechforpeople.org
B) Sheila Krumholz, Executive Director of the Center for Responsive Politics. www.opensecrets.org

Call In Program: Yes
Political Broadcast: Yes
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters www.lwvme.org
Engineer: Joel Mann

Democracy Forum 1/9/12

Issue: Participatory Democracy
Program Name: Democracy Forum

Broadcast Date: January 9, 2012
Broadcast Time: 10-11:00 a.m.
Program Topic: What do we need to make our democracy work better?

Key Discussion Points:
a) Why do you think Congress has such a low approval rating?
b) What are the systemic impediments that prevent Congress from responding to what members surely know citizens want?
c) Is campaign finance reform part of the solution? What about a constitutional amendment to allow broader reform?
d) Why are there so few moderates in Congress?
e) Some people think the two-party system is part of the problem. They advocate solutions like open primaries or others that favor small parties. What do you think of those suggestions?
f) What about revising the Senate rules to limit use of the filibuster?
g) How do you view the role of the media?
h) What changes would you propose?
i) What can citizens do?

Guests by name and affiliation:
A) Maine Congresswoman Chellie Pingree
B) Dr. Thomas E. Mann, constitutional scholar of the Brookings Institution

Call In Program: Yes
Political Broadcast: Yes
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters
Engineer: Joel Mann