On Democracy with FPWellman

The chaos is accelerating under Donald Trump this week. While the protests in LA continue and Trump and his minions aim to use it to intimidate and attack their political opponents, we have RFK Jr. dismantling our vaccine programs in D.C. Fred sits down with two experts in their fields this week named Robert. First, Dr. Robert Pape is Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago specializing in international security affairs and political violence as well as the founder of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats (CPOST).  Dr. Rob Davidson is the Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Health Care, co-host of the Paging America podcast, and an ER physician in West Michigan. Fred and Professor Pape dive deep into the dangerous attacks on liberalism in the United States, the protest movements, and how it will impact our upcoming elections. Meanwhile, Dr. Davidson has been watching RFK Jr.’s attacks on American healthcare and what his moves mean for average citizens. He and Fred discuss this new assault on science, the dangers we face, and how healthcare professionals are carrying on in the face of this insanity. Watch it now and learn more about Stand United against Political Violence at standunited.media and the Committee to Protect Healthcare at committetoprotect.org [http://committetoprotect.org/]   Sponsors: Incogni: Get 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/democracy and use code : DEMOCRACY at checkout!

It’s the anniversary of D-Day and thousands of veterans and supporters are gathering on the National Mall as part of the Unite for Veterans, Unite for America rally. The event was put together by a group of everyday veterans to demand that the government fulfills its promise to veterans and the nation. Fred is one of the organizers and will be speaking on the stage along with the Dropkick Murphys, Senator Tammy Duckworth, former Representatives Connor Lamb and Adam Kinzinger, and many more veterans. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Donald Trump are lying when they say they won’t be damaging veterans healthcare and benefits. They are firing thousands of veterans from their federal jobs and attacking the Constitution. Fred sits down with fellow organizer and Marine Corps veteran Joe Plenzler to discuss the day and what has gone into making it happen. Sponsors: Shopify: Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at: shopify.com/FRED

The deeper we go into the second Trump Administration the blurrier the lines between reality and a MAGA fantasy of our founding documents and their implementation grows. Stephen Miller, especially, has made it clear that he only believes in power and the use of the Executive like a King. Well…we had a whole revolution about that almost 250 years ago. To dive into it, Fred sits down with an expert on the Declaration of Independence and our revolution to connect the insanity of our time with that of the past. Dr. Eli Merritt is a political historian at Vanderbilt University. He is one of the nation’s foremost experts on the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. A frequent public speaker, he lectures widely on these topics and the Constitution as well as on themes of patriotism, civic virtue, leadership, and the intersection of demagogues and democracy. He has written for academic journals and national publications like The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago Tribune. He authors The Story of the American Revolution on Substack. Subscribe at www.elimerritt.substack.com [http://www.elimerritt.substack.com/]. To inquire about interviews and speaking engagements, visit elimerritt.com [http://elimerritt.com/]. Sponsors: Incogni: Get 60% off an annual plan a incogni.com/democracy and use code: DEMOCRACY at checkout! Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/fred and using code: FRED at checkout.

For a decade now the statewide elections in Virginia have served as a key bellwether on the recently elected President. The unique nature of Virginia’s system where a governor can only serve one consecutive term means there is never an incumbent making it essentially a toss up every cycle just one year after the national elections. Four years ago the election of Glenn Youngkin, after over a decade of Democratic dominance of the Commonwealth’s leadership, sent a shockwave around the country and a message to the Biden Administration. This cycle is already shaping up to be that, and more, as former Representative Abigail Spanberger faces current Lt. Governor, and MAGA extremist, Winsome Earle-Sears. From gay marriage to the firing of federal workers Sears shows over and over she is out of the mainstream. Her Democratic opponent is a long time public servant from the CIA to the halls of Congress. Abigail joins Fred to talk about the impact of the Trump Administration and Republican Congress on Virginia, Don’t miss this one! Sponsors: StopBox: Go to ⁠https://stopboxusa.com⁠ and enter code FRED10 for 10% off your entire order and a special Buy One, Get One Free for their StopBox Pro as well.

It’s that time again when the Trump Cabinet of Curiosities and Whackos makes their way to Capitol Hill to justify their budgets, give updates, and answer questions. It’s going exactly as you would expect with an especially stressful and ridiculous performance by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. She was hit by the Democrats on the HLS Committee with a barrage of questions on her many trips cosplaying jobs, ignorance of due process for deportees, and the behavior of ICE agents. She didn’t answer any of them. Fred chats with Representative Seth Magaziner of Rhode Island’s 2nd District who sits on the Homeland Security Committee and is the leader of the effort to ban stock trading by members of Congress as well. He goes into all of those issues and the current Republican tax bill as well on an all new ‘On Democracy with FPWellman.’ Catch this and all of Fred’s shows on the ‘On Democracy’ channel and Substack as well. Sponsors: Incogni: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Get 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/democracy [http://incogni.com/democracy] and use code DEMOCRACY at checkout. Harvest Hosts: For 30% off your order, head to HarvestHosts.com and use code FRED.