The Unique Dangers Democracy Faces Now

The First Step to Changing Our Democracy

Heather Cox Richardson’s wildly popular Substack newsletter, Letters from an American, achieves what historical studies do at their best: shed light on the politics of the moment by telling stories from the past.

On a new episode of How to Save a Country, Richardson shares some of those stories with hosts Felicia Wong and Michael Tomasky—and explains what’s unique about this moment.

“We actually have people within our government who are working against our democracy, and that is a whole different kettle of fish than we’ve ever had to deal with before,” Richardson says.

“[T]aking back our country into our own hands is the first step to changing our democracy.”

And later: Richardson digs into the difference between freedom from and freedom to, and explains why democracy and capitalism are not interchangeable.

Listen now, and subscribe for new episodes every Thursday.

Targeting Banking Inequities

Earlier this week, the Biden administration announced new plans to increase fairness and competition in banking and various other industries, spotlighting overdraft fees and other unnecessary—often hidden—fees.

As Roosevelt’s Emily DiVito has written, such fees exemplify our unfair banking system, with low-income households three times more likely to have paid an overdraft fee.

To transform the banking experience for families, we need a no-fee, no-minimum public banking option, DiVito argues.

Learn more in “Banking for the People: Lessons from California on the Failures of the Banking Status Quo.”

What We’re Reading and Listening To

Are State Governments Too Powerful? [podcast] – The New Republic’s The Politics of Everything 

The Climate Movement Wanted More than the IRA. Now What? [feat. Roosevelt’s Rhiana Gunn-Wright] – The Atlantic

For More than 20 Guaranteed Income Projects, the Data Is In – Bloomberg CityLab

Teachers, Nurses, and Childcare Workers Have Had Enough – The Atlantic