Welcome to Democracy Deciphered, the podcast that untangles the complex threads of today's political landscape. Presented by New America, each episode delivers real-time and historical analysis of the biggest stories shaping our democracy. We dive deep into the systems that govern us—like the electoral college, political parties, and more—breaking them down to reveal how they affect the decisions you care about.
As AI accelerates into the labor market, many Americans are wondering what the future of work will hold, and whether history offers any guidance. In this episode of Democracy Deciphered, host Shannon Lynch is joined by New America’s Amanda Ballantyne to explore how past technological transitions reshaped work, why some communities were left behind, and what it would mean to build a truly worker-centered approach to innovation today.
31 Oct 2025TRANSCRIPT
Dismantling the Department of Education
When President Jimmy Carter created the Department of Education, he saw it as a path toward stronger public schools and greater opportunity. Decades later, the Trump administration’s push to dismantle it raises new questions about the federal role in education. Zahava Stadler (https://www.newamerica.org/our-people/zahava-stadler/) and Jeremy Bauer-Wolf (https://www.newamerica.org/our-people/jeremy-bauer-wolf/) of New America join the show to explore how the agency came to be and what it might mean if it disappears.
30 Sept 2025TRANSCRIPT
Consequences of Government Shutdowns
How did government shutdowns become such a recurring feature of American politics? Why do they happen, and what can history teach us about the latest one? New America's Mark Schmitt (https://www.newamerica.org/our-people/mark-schmitt/) shares his insight.
18 Sept 2025TRANSCRIPT
The Weaponization of Data
Data can expose injustice, but it can also be turned into a tool of control. How do we know when data collection is helpful and when it becomes surveillance? In this episode, Sydney Saubestre (https://www.newamerica.org/our-people/sydney-saubestre/) of New America discusses the risks and benefits of data, lessons from history, and their implications for democracy today.
22 Aug 2025
Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are on the table. To understand what’s at stake, we need to look not just at today’s negotiations but also at the long and tangled history behind these two countries. New America’s Candace Rondeaux (https://www.newamerica.org/our-people/candace-rondeaux/) and Ben Dalton (https://www.newamerica.org/our-people/ben-dalton/) explain how we got here and what it means for the talks unfolding now.
15 Aug 2025TRANSCRIPT
What Are Ballot Initiatives and How Are They Used?
How do ordinary citizens get legislative measures on the ballot? What threats are being made to the process? Maresa Strano (https://www.newamerica.org/our-people/maresa-strano/) of New America and Chris Melody Fields Figueredo (https://ballot.org/staff/chris-melody-fields-figueredo/) from the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center share a breakdown.
Learn more by reading New America's report Expanding Citizen-Led Policymaking in the Twenty-First Century. (https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/reports/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking/)
24 Jul 2025TRANSCRIPT
How Governments Use AI
Where is AI already shaping government decisions, and how might it be used in the future? Lilian Coral (/our-people/lilian-coral/) of New America and Amen Ra Mashariki (https://www.bezosearthfund.org/who-we-are/our-people/amen-ra-mashariki) of the Bezos Earth Fund explore the past, present, and future of how governments use AI.
3 Jul 2025TRANSCRIPT
What Does it Mean to be an American Patriot?
Ted Johnson from New America examines how shared visions of American ideals have shaped and evolved the definition of patriotism in this interview episode.
19 Jun 2025TRANSCRIPT
The History and Media Portrayal of Juneteenth
Maika Moulite interviews Dr. Sandra Jowers-Barber about Juneteenth's origins and media portrayal, exploring how it shapes American understanding of the holiday and its historical significance.
30 May 2025TRANSCRIPT
Higher Ed & the One Big Beautiful Bill
Antoinette Flores, Director at New America, examines the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and its potential to reshape college affordability for Americans in this interview episode.
30 Apr 2025TRANSCRIPT
Tech Governance in Trump's First 100 Days
What actions did the Trump administration take regarding tech policy in its first 100 days? Lilian Coral (New America), Cody Venzke (ACLU), Neil Chilson (Abundance Institute), and Shane Tews (American Enterprise Institute) discuss.
31 Mar 2025TRANSCRIPT
Felony Disenfranchisement
Over 4 million American adults cannot vote due to a felony record. How did these laws come to be? And how do we see their widespread effects on our government? Keri Blakinger and Blair Bowie discuss.
Learn more and get resources from the Campaign Legal Center. (https://campaignlegal.org/restoreyourvote)
7 Mar 2025TRANSCRIPT
Who is Gerry and why does he mander?
Where does gerrymandering come from? How has the Supreme Court ruled on this matter? And what attempts have been made to change the practice of gerrymandering?
One Person, One Vote: A Surprising History of Gerrymandering in America, breaks down the history and future of partisan redistricting.
19 Feb 2025TRANSCRIPT
Left Adrift
Over the past half-century, we've seen a significant re-alignment among working-class voters. How did we get here? And who were the players behind the scenes? Tim Shenk, author of Left Adrift: What Happened to Liberal Politics, joins New America's Mark Schmitt to discuss.
11 Jan 2025TRANSCRIPT
Where Did Political Parties Come From?
In his 1796 farewell address, President George Washington warned his fellow countrymen of the dangers of political parties. Almost 230 years later, the two-party system steers nearly every aspect of our government. How did we get here? New America's Lee Drutman and Stanford's Didi Kuo join us to discuss the history of political parties and where they may be headed in years to come.
6 Dec 2024TRANSCRIPT
2024 Election Takeaways Part 2
New America's Maresa Strano and Mark Schmitt dissect the 2024 election results, unpacking the implications of recent races, Trump's cabinet picks, and money's influence on politics.
22 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT
What's the Deal With the Electoral College?
Alexander Keyssar from Harvard and Oscar Pocasangre from New America dissect the Electoral College system, revealing its history and future implications for US presidential elections.
8 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT
2024 Election Key Takeaways
Welcome to New America's new podcast, Democracy Deciphered. This series will untangle the complex threads of today's political landscape through real-time and historical analysis.
In the immediate aftermath of the 2024 election, New America's Maresa Strano and Mark Schmitt share their insights on the results. Mark is the Director of the Political Reform program and Maresa is the Deputy Director.
Inside a recent episode
Tech and Labor
Published 23 Jan 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] It had tremendous impacts on the way that we work. I think a lot of times we think about that all happening just so quickly, but actually it took a generation really for electrification. It also took significant public policy to make electrification a more democratic technology. There was no incentive really for electric companies to build out that last rural mile. There was no incentive for electric companies to really provide service to low -income people. It took a lot of different actors to democratize it as a general service technology and one that we now rely on without even thinking about it. […]
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