Hope v. Grievance

Hope v. Grievance

In this episode, we explore two very different visions for America: one rooted in hope, community, and shared purpose, and another fueled by chaos, division, and blame. The contrast felt especially sharp this week, from the uplifting celebrations in New York and the opening of the Obama Center to the ongoing turmoil and spectacle coming out of Washington. We discuss why hope is more than just a feeling—it’s a leadership strategy. Drawing on George Lakoff’s “nurturing parent” versus “strict father” framework, we examine how leaders shape behavior through the expectations they set and whether people thrive more when they’re trusted and empowered rather than controlled and punished. We also tackle the question of whether Americans are truly as divided as we’re often told. While politicians and media outlets frequently amplify conflict, we argue that most people share many of the same hopes: safe communities, economic opportunity, affordable healthcare, and a better future for their families. Along the way, we talk about comedian Josh Johnson’s [https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=840631432068017&ref=sharing] “button” analogy—the idea that leaders often have the power to improve people’s lives but choose not to use it—and why leaders like Zohran Mamdani have captured attention by focusing so directly on what constituents need and want. Finally, we share practical ways listeners can get involved, from local action opportunities to strategic political engagement, and wrap up with joyful moments that include a family graduation, a comedy show, the Novato Art & Wine Festival, and the near-completion of our long-awaited front porch project. Resources Mentioned * Mamdani’s Speech [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciimC-cE_eI] (edited w/ game video [https://www.instagram.com/reels/DZzzq3fooW0/]) * Mobilize.us [http://mobilize.us] * Oath.vote [https://app.oath.vote/] Brian Derrick [https://substack.com/profile/9213244-brian-derrick] * Five Calls [https://5calls.org/] * Postcards to Voters [http://postcardstovoters.org] * Chop Wood, Carry Water [https://open.substack.com/pub/chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions] * survey.acouplethinks.com [http://survey.acouplethinks.com] * hello@acouplethinks.com Get full access to A Couple Thinks at acouplethinks.substack.com/subscribe [https://acouplethinks.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Reprise: Where It All Began

In this episode from May of 2025, we take a step back from the chaos of current events and trace our personal paths through politics and activism, from childhood memories to adulthood engagement. If you didn’t catch it the first time around and want to get to know a little bit about each of us and how we found our way to our passion for politics and activism, take a listen! We’ll be back next week with a new episode! Get full access to A Couple Thinks at acouplethinks.substack.com/subscribe [https://acouplethinks.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Experience Counts

In this week’s episode, we start by answering “Why does California take so long to count ballots?” It’s a question that comes up after nearly every election, and with several closely watched races still too close to call, we decided to dig into the answer. As it turns out, the delay isn’t a sign of fraud; instead, it’s largely a sign that election officials are doing exactly what we want them to do: verify signatures, review provisional ballots, process mail ballots postmarked by election day, and make sure every legitimate vote is counted accurately. While talking about the candidates still battling for second-place spots in California’s top-two primary system, we found ourselves discussing a much bigger issue: our growing fascination with political outsiders. Why are voters increasingly drawn to candidates with little or no government experience? Is being a “career politician” really a flaw? And what kinds of experience actually prepare someone to govern effectively? We discuss: * Why California’s vote-counting process takes weeks * The difference between speed and accuracy in elections * The rise of outsider candidates on both the left and right * Whether governing should be treated like any other profession * Examples ranging from Graham Platner and Tom Steyer to Arnold Schwarzenegger * The role of charisma, communication, and what the kids call “rizz” * A better question than “Are they an insider or outsider?” Along the way, we compare politicians to surgeons and pilots, revisit California’s governor’s race, and wrestle with the tension between wanting change and wanting competence. As always, we close with ways to get involved, plus some joyful moments—including local pod gatherings, live improv, NPR fandom, and a festival that we hope will have more thematic consistency than a certain cherry festival. 🎧 Give it a listen and let us know what you think: What experiences do you think best prepare someone for elected office? Should we prioritize fresh perspectives, proven experience, or some combination of both? We’d love to hear your thoughts. And if you’d like to share ideas for future episodes, reach out at hello@acouplethinks.com Get full access to A Couple Thinks at acouplethinks.substack.com/subscribe [https://acouplethinks.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Don't take the bait

As the midterm campaigns move into high gear, one thing is already clear: the culture wars are back. This week, we explore why so much political rhetoric focuses on topics designed to provoke outrage, fear, or endless debate—and why that often pulls attention away from the issues that affect people’s daily lives. We discuss recent examples of political figures using culture-war attacks as a distraction, and examine how communicators like Pete Buttigieg, James Talarico, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Zohran Mamdani have found effective ways to redirect those conversations toward affordability, healthcare, housing, and other kitchen-table concerns. The conversation looks at: * Why culture-war topics can be such effective political distractions * The difference between defending a position and reframing the conversation * How Democrats are beginning to develop more effective responses * Lessons from recent campaigns and social media strategies * Why joy, authenticity, and humor may be more powerful than outrage Aaron introduces his “Novel Presidential Virus” theory, comparing the political challenges of the past decade to learning how to respond to a new disease: nobody knew the right treatment at first, but we’re starting to identify what works. As always, the episode closes with practical actions listeners can take, along with a few joyful moments from the week—including front porch progress, family visits, and exciting travel plans for our daughter. If you’ve ever felt exhausted by political distractions and wondered how to keep the focus on the issues that matter most, this episode is for you. 🎧 Listen now and join the conversation. We always love hearing from listeners at hello@acouplethinks.com. Get full access to A Couple Thinks at acouplethinks.substack.com/subscribe [https://acouplethinks.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

How we voted.

This week’s episode is a shorter one for Memorial Day weekend. We start with a reflection on Memorial Day itself — not just the sales and barbecues many of us grew up with, but the original purpose of honoring those who lost their lives in military service, and what it means to think about sacrifice, citizenship, and the state of the country today. From there, we pivot to the topic on many Californian’s minds: next week’s upcoming primary! It’s here, it’s here! And after several weeks (okay, months) of thinking, reading endorsements, comparing candidates, changing our minds, and generally doing what political nerds do… we finally filled in our ballots and will likely have dropped them in the ballot box by the time this airs. In this episode, Lisa walks through the process she used to evaluate candidates, including resources like Blue Voter Guide, local endorsements, newspaper analysis, and some personal decision-making criteria around experience, coalition-building, and electability. We also talk through a handful of races where there wasn’t a clear consensus and explain where we landed and why. This isn’t meant to be the guide. It’s simply an example of one way to approach voting thoughtfully and intentionally. We also talk about: * Why California’s open primary system continues to create strategic dilemmas * Why primaries deserve more attention than they often get * Bringing ballots to drop boxes early (and the oddly satisfying feeling of getting the texts from the county registrar saying they’ve been received and counted) * Postcards, calls, and small ways to stay engaged locally And because no episode is complete without it, we close with Joyful Moments: porch renovation progress, winding down long-running projects, and the strange possibility that we may need to retrain ourselves to walk up newly even stairs. As promised, here are the resources: * Blue Voter Guide [http://bluevoterguide.org/] * Alameda County Dems [https://acdems.org/june-2-2026-primary-endorsements/] * California Dems [https://cadem.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Final-RATIFIED-2026-Primary-Election-Consent-Calendar.pdf] * LA Times Analysis [https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-05-01/2026-california-election-voter-guide-primary] (may be paywalled) * SF Chronicle Endorsements [https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2026/california-primary-sf-election-endorsements/?utm_source=marketing&utm_medium=copy-url-link&utm_campaign=article-share&hash=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2ZjaHJvbmljbGUuY29tL3Byb2plY3RzLzIwMjYvY2FsaWZvcm5pYS1wcmltYXJ5LXNmLWVsZWN0aW9uLWVuZG9yc2VtZW50cy8=&time=MTc3OTcyMzk5NzEyOA==&rid=OTU4NGYwMDYtMGI4NS00OGQ5LTgyNzMtMjkwODk4NmJmYTIx&sharecount=Mg==] (gift link) * Wellstone Endorsements [https://www.wellstoneclub.org/endorsements.html] * Working Families Party [https://workingfamilies.org/candidates/] And our list of California ballot selections: Governor: Xavier Becerra Lt. Governor: Michael Tubbs Secretary of State: Shirley Weber Controller: Malia Cohen Treasurer: Eleni Kounalakis Attorney General: Rob Bonta Insurance Commissioner: Jane Kim State Board of Equalization, 2nd District: Sally Lieber US Representative, 12th Congressional District: Lateefah Simon 14th Assembly District: Buffy Wicks Superior Court Judge Office #13: Michael P. Johnson Superior Court Judge Office #19: Selia Warren State Superintendent of Public Instruction: Nichelle Henderson County Superintendent of Schools: Alysse Castro Alameda County District Attorney: Ursula Jones Dickson Measure A; Peralta Colleges Measure: YES 🎧 Listen wherever you get podcasts, or subscribe at acouplethinks.com to get new episodes and companion posts delivered to your inbox. Questions, ideas, or thoughts? Reach us at hello@acouplethinks.com. Get full access to A Couple Thinks at acouplethinks.substack.com/subscribe [https://acouplethinks.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]