Extraction Behind the Green Transition—With Thea Riofrancos Extraction Behind the Green Transition—With Thea Riofrancos
Danny and Derek welcome back to the show political scientist Thea Riofrancos to talk about the politics of extraction in the global energy transition.
May 21, 2026 / Podcast / Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison
Prediction Markets Want to Financialize Everything—With Jathan Sadowski Prediction Markets Want to Financialize Everything—With Jathan Sadowski
Polymarket and Kalshi are everywhere. But what are they doing to society?
May 21, 2026 / Podcast / Paris Marx
Winning State Legislatures and Winning Midterm Elections Winning State Legislatures and Winning Midterm Elections
On this episode of Start Making Sense, Daniel Squadron argues that state governments provide the key check on Trump, and John Nichols reviews the political landscape.
May 20, 2026 / Podcast / Jon Wiener
Building Local Power to Win—With Dan Denvir Building Local Power to Win—With Dan Denvir
Aaron and Jonathan talk to Dan Denvir about his local organizing project, Reclaim RI.
May 19, 2026 / Podcast / Matt DaSilva, Aaron Regunberg, and Jonathan Smucker
The UK Government’s AI Obsession Is a Big Risk—With Will Dunn The UK Government’s AI Obsession Is a Big Risk—With Will Dunn
What happens when a government goes all in on AI? It creates some huge vulnerabilities.
May 14, 2026 / Podcast / Paris Marx
Democrats After the Voting Rights Act—Plus, Jewish Anti-Zionism Democrats After the Voting Rights Act—Plus, Jewish Anti-Zionism
On this episode of Start Making Sense, Harold Meyerson argues Democrats remain likely to win the House in November, and Adam Hochschild talks about the Bund in prewar Europe.
May 13, 2026 / Podcast / Jon Wiener
Journalism in the Age of Oligarchy—With David Sirota Journalism in the Age of Oligarchy—With David Sirota
Danny and Derek speak with David Sirota, founder and EIC of The Lever, about journalism, independent media, and the consolidation of presidential power.
May 12, 2026 / Podcast / Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison
Down With the AI Overlords—With Sarah Myers West Down With the AI Overlords—With Sarah Myers West
Tech expert Sarah Myers West discusses how AI is concentrating power among a handful of oligarchs—and how its future could be made more democratic.
May 12, 2026 / Podcast / Jonathan Smucker, Aaron Regunberg, and Matt DaSilva
What Jeffrey Epstein Taught Peter Thiel and Steve Bannon What Jeffrey Epstein Taught Peter Thiel and Steve Bannon
Branko Marcetic on the fake populism of a sordid elite.
Radical Liberalism—With Alex Zakaras Radical Liberalism—With Alex Zakaras
Danny and Derek welcome to the show Alex Zakaras, professor of political science at the University of Vermont, to talk about the history and future of radical liberalism.
May 6, 2026 / Podcast / Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison