<![CDATA[Burt’s Substack]]>https://burtcohen.substack.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Vx1r!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe9dbab77-533d-4aef-944a-3aef696d79d2_144x144.pngBurt’s Substackhttps://burtcohen.substack.comSubstackWed, 02 Sep 2026 21:47:21 GMT<![CDATA[THE TRUMP ERA AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MORAL COURAGE]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/the-trump-era-and-the-psychology-f2dhttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/the-trump-era-and-the-psychology-f2dMon, 31 Aug 2026 15:30:01 GMTResearchers are beginning to understand why some of us demonstrate what is called “moral courage” and others do not. In fact, most of us actually have a warped sense of our own moral courage. We like to think nothing would get in the way of our morals. But this week’s guest, award winning journalist Alina Tugend has found that, sadly, pretty much everything gets in the way between us and our moral courage. Despite American’s mythic belief in individualism, the fact is we generally go along to get along with the crowd. Especially in these uniquely frightening times of rising violent fascism we can’t be just reactive; there are steps we can take to both avoid violent repercussions and productively act on moral courage.

]]><![CDATA[American Universities Used to be the Envy of the World]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/american-universities-used-to-behttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/american-universities-used-to-beMon, 24 Aug 2026 13:26:42 GMTColleges and universities are now places where elites are cultivated. They are to fit nicely into the oligarchical system. Working class students are saddled with outrageous debt while the morale of underpaid professors is low. In the 20th century, university educated experts were in demand; not so today. And with good reason, according to our guest (in this weeks shorter keepingdemocracyalive), Professor Daniel Bessner. Meanwhile China is known for pumping out top notch engineers. They are investing in their future, the US is not.

]]><![CDATA[FDR Democrat Surging Against Establishment Candidate in NH]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/fdr-democrat-surging-against-establishmenthttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/fdr-democrat-surging-against-establishmentMon, 17 Aug 2026 13:27:48 GMTHer name is Karishma Manzur and, like Abdul El-Sayed, is being hugely outspent by the DNC favored candidate. She and her burgeoning grassroots movement are angry that corporate America manipulates us. Unlike her primary opponent, she does not support ICE, warrantless arrests, or more blind support for Israel. She comes from an immigrant family, her freedom fighter father was assassinated in Bangladesh. And she explains that corporate America is afraid of the surging movement, so they impose labels.

]]><![CDATA[Which Party Do Voters Hate More?]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/which-party-do-voters-hate-morehttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/which-party-do-voters-hate-moreMon, 10 Aug 2026 15:25:51 GMTThe status quo is not getting the job done. People want populism and Trump ain't it. Then again the Democratic establishment isn't it either. The Trumpists want us to hate and fear those on the FDR left. Is it working? On this show The Nation's DC bureau chief Chris Lehman notes that 2024 casual Trump voters are now disenchanted, but that the tech oligarchy remains powerful in both establishment parties. To win, Democrats need to give people something to vote for, not just against. Listen to what he has to say

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]]><![CDATA[Fascism is All-American]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/fascism-is-all-americanhttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/fascism-is-all-americanMon, 03 Aug 2026 14:52:38 GMTThink fascism is a European import? Guess again: Hitler and Mussolini copied American fascism. Before and after the Civil War, some Americans counted while many did not. Like the European models which followed, the South was such a system: Hierarchy of Anglo-Saxon nationalism, not democracy. And if you think the South lost the Civil War, according to our guest historian Joseph Kelly, southern nationalism and racism became more powerful after the war. Oh yes, fealty to the chief and hyper-masculinity are essential to fascism. Sound familiar in 2026? Kelly's revealing new book is The Biggest Lie: The Prehistory of American Fascism. Give a listen if you dare.

]]><![CDATA[Service Animals to Get Their Own Monument ]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/service-animals-to-get-their-ownhttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/service-animals-to-get-their-ownMon, 27 Jul 2026 14:02:33 GMTSome of the bravest, most courageous, and loyal friends aren't even people. They deserve recognition and they're about to get it. Our guest, the founder of the National Service Animals Monument Susan Bahary says in this 250th year anniversary, you can't tell the American story without that of service animals: dogs, horses, carrier pigeons, etc. They heroically save human's lives. There's the story of Sergeant Stubby in WWI and many others. Some dogs guide the blind and some can detect cancer early. Do they not deserve a monument in our nation's capital?

]]><![CDATA[Two Centrist Democrats Sound the Alarm]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/two-centrist-democrats-sound-thehttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/two-centrist-democrats-sound-theMon, 20 Jul 2026 14:37:09 GMTTanks don’t just show up on our streets. A rolling coup is what’s happening, so say Former House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt and former Senator Tim Wirth, who are are not exactly firebrands; they represent the moderate center of the Democratic Party. They’ve written a new memo warning that we are now in the thick of a rolling coup, fascist authoritarianism coming by step by quiet step. Dissent is now called disloyalty, the FBI and DoJ have become a political police force, international law is dismissed as “woke.” Listen to our guest author Sasha Abramsky from his article in The Nation. Forewarned is forearmed.

]]><![CDATA[How The Iran War Made the Very Rich Even Richer]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/how-the-iran-war-made-the-very-richhttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/how-the-iran-war-made-the-very-richMon, 13 Jul 2026 20:55:54 GMTThe oil companies had no less supply and sold the same volume but reaped greater profits. The input price: the cost of refinement of crude oil, remained the same. But the Iran War oil shock did not affect everyone the same. As our guest, economics and antitrust journalist Ben Balint-Kurti, details, it’s hardly just market dynamics at work, it really is simple greed. In the oil crisis of the 70s, President Carter instituted a windfall profits tax. It’s time for that again. if not more measures.

]]><![CDATA[Make Every Voter a Battleground Voter]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/make-every-voter-a-battleground-voterhttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/make-every-voter-a-battleground-voterMon, 06 Jul 2026 13:57:10 GMTFour out of five voters today live in flyover states, their votes don’t really count, they are mere spectators. But it’s no longer a question of if, but when: whoever wins the popular vote will become president. National Popular Vote needs 270 votes from the electoral college and they currently have 222 from 19 states. To make it happen, people just have to contact their state, not federal, legislators, as NPV is initiated at the state level. It’s a myth that in a popular vote NY and CA would overpower the small states. In fact NPV would empower rural voters. Our guest Patrick Rosenstiel actually has a good argument as to why the current electoral college system is a national security threat. Give a listen: https://bit.ly/4y5v3id

]]><![CDATA[PR Professional of the Left: Win by Touching Peoples Morals ]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/pr-professional-of-the-left-win-byhttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/pr-professional-of-the-left-win-byMon, 29 Jun 2026 13:34:00 GMTThe Democratic establishment doesn’t get that people vote their morals. So says our guest David Fenton, successful public relations veteran of fifty years. Civil rights, wars, climate change: he says these are moral issues and people vote with their hearts not just their heads. In the 70s, he stopped the poisoning of apples. Fenton has worked with rock and roll celebrities as well as Nelson Mandela. He praises his professor Abbie Hoffman as a brilliant communicator from whom we can all learn what works.

]]><![CDATA[The Global South's swing to the right is not without costs. ]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/the-global-souths-swing-to-the-righthttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/the-global-souths-swing-to-the-rightMon, 22 Jun 2026 13:37:47 GMTWhat do you know about Bolivia? If you’re like me, you knew about Evo Morales, the first indigenous president, known as the Nelson Mandela of the Andes. Well the former landholding elite is back in power. And the IMF dictated austerity is rendering the majority poorer. Meanwhile protesters are labeled “narcoterrorists,” which our guest Andres Arauz sees as a new wave of social consciousness. It’s a crisis of legitimacy in that important South American nation. The riches offered by Bolivia’s lithium lode are just too tempting for the wealthy elite to share with the people.

]]><![CDATA[The Unfinished Business of 1776: It Goes On. ]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/the-unfinished-business-of-1776-ithttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/the-unfinished-business-of-1776-itMon, 15 Jun 2026 19:26:16 GMTThe Constitution itself is divisive. There wasn't much America's Founders agreed on, but one thing they did agree on was no kings; legislative over any executive power. On this, the 250th birthday of the Declaration of Independence, historian Thomas Richards Jr. points out that back then there was relative economic equality (yes, for white men), and that the founders also agreed that vast inequality threatens democracy. Richards insists that we can both celebrate America and recognize its faults. He argues we shouldn't let this moment just come and go. We need to "rejuvenate the country."Click https://bit.ly/3Qnsg2H to listen.

]]><![CDATA[To Build the Anti-War Movement, We Must Learn from the Past ]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/to-build-the-anti-war-movement-wehttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/to-build-the-anti-war-movement-weMon, 08 Jun 2026 13:51:28 GMTIf you don't think people vote on foreign policy, consider that Kamala Harris lost because of Gaza. And that Obama beat Hillary because of her support for the war in Iraq. On this show, historian Van Gosse describes how effective protests are about challenging orthodoxies. And that anti-imperialism does in fact motivate Americans and people across the planet. Click https://bit.ly/4fyzgEf to listen to this radio show.

]]><![CDATA[Trump Broke the Rules Based Order. Why We Shouldn’t Bring It Back]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/trump-broke-the-rules-based-orderhttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/trump-broke-the-rules-based-orderMon, 01 Jun 2026 14:17:54 GMTWhat is the rules based order anyway? According to our guest, Bob Borosage of the Campaign for America’s Future argues it’s a lie; the truth is it’s about the rule of American capital over productivity, never mind our European allies. In the name of national security, the rules based order dramatically increases insecurity on real issues; like worldwide infrastructure, the climate crisis, housing, jobs, etc. The rules based order has been in place since the end of WWII and now with Trump unilaterally blasting through it with overwhelming, often arbitrary violence, this is an opportunity to restructure and refocus on building real international security.

]]><![CDATA[June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/june-is-alzheimers-and-brain-awarenesshttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/june-is-alzheimers-and-brain-awarenessMon, 25 May 2026 19:54:09 GMTI may have multiple myeloma but I am not multiple myeloma. Same is true for people with Alzheimer’s. On this slightly shortened show our guests are Dr. Anthony Goodman and his wife Meredith who helps him out. Tony is a long time surgeon and professor who was diagnosed with mild Alzheimers. Though he has the disease, Tony, the author of a new book on the topic, is still present. On this show they describe how Alzheimer’s effects people and they also express concerns about the effects of for profit corporations on patient care. They call for treating the whole person and about the need for change at how terribly residents are treated, they need some time off to be human. This show differs from normal left leaning politics. Advisory: it may be hard to understand Tony sometimes.

]]><![CDATA[Nearly Forgotten But Not Gone: Trumps Wall ]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/nearly-forgotten-but-not-gone-trumpshttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/nearly-forgotten-but-not-gone-trumpsMon, 11 May 2026 13:31:15 GMTThe real purpose of Trumps big beautiful wall is to show power. Our guest says its a visceral metaphor for what the MAGAs hate; showing dominance. In his article in The Nation talking about what he calls The Never Ending Nightmare of the Border Wall, William DeBuys calls it a festival of waste:$41 million per mile, 8 thousand dollars a foot. Every law that protects the environment had to be waived to build the now-forgotten wall at the Mexican border. Yes immigration has slowed to a trickle but whats worked best is human patrols and remote detection. DeBuys predicts that more than Trumps plans for a huge arch, the wall will stand as a lasting monument to the Trump era. Click https://bit.ly/49GblyN to listen to the latest keepingdemocracyalive.com

]]><![CDATA[From a Benign Beginning: How the Tech World Turned Evil]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/from-a-benign-beginning-how-the-techhttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/from-a-benign-beginning-how-the-techTue, 05 May 2026 22:05:53 GMTIt started in hippie garages with people like the Whole Earth Catalog’s Stewart Brand: the promise of more freedom for more voices. Today the tech billionaires see democracy as the anti-Christ. Now ask yourself: has Apple computers liberated you? Irresponsible social media has supplanted actual journalism, “spreading the sewage of misinformation” according to today’s guest; the New Republic’s Timothy Noah and we are the worse for it. What’s emerged from a hopeful beginning is now classic monopoly behavior, from being anti-government to being the defacto government. Give a listen if you dare.

]]><![CDATA[Is The Trump Madness Media Dam Starting to Break?]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/is-the-trump-madness-media-dam-startinghttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/is-the-trump-madness-media-dam-startingMon, 27 Apr 2026 13:40:27 GMTThe national media was accused of hiding Biden’s age related slippage, but they’ve been positively sheepish on what the world sees as an autocrat gone mad. Not just Republicans have been made to fear Trump’s power. His decline has thus far not received the attention it deserves. According to Boston Globe columnist Jill Abramson, that may be changing; the press may finally be starting to examine his mental fitness. Click https://bit.ly/4uhMQjz to listen.

]]><![CDATA[Has The US Military Become Obsolete?]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/has-the-us-military-become-obsoletehttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/has-the-us-military-become-obsoleteMon, 20 Apr 2026 22:08:17 GMTOn this show Professor James K. Galbraith argues it has. The role of the military diplomatically is at least in question. Iran has clearly made out best in this temporary truce. No world power is likely to be intimidated by our military superiority, given recent history. Our war in Iran has undermined the confidence of our closest allies. Economist Galbraith argues that the status of the war in Iran presents a direct challenge to the oil/dollar system. And he points out the world in the 21st century is indeed multi-polar, the US is no longer dominating the world and it's time to come to grips with this new reality and go in the direction of cooperation instead.

]]><![CDATA[There's a New Left Rising in Canada]]>https://burtcohen.substack.com/p/theres-a-new-left-rising-in-canadahttps://burtcohen.substack.com/p/theres-a-new-left-rising-in-canadaMon, 13 Apr 2026 15:50:10 GMTThanks in large measure to Donald Trump, there’s space opening up on the left. Far from becoming a 51st state, the Canadian New Democratic Party has chosen a new leader, and support for Avi Lewis is growing fast. If you like the Bernie Sanders wing of the American Democratic Party, you’ll like the NDP. Some may call the NDP “champagne socialists” because Canadians already have universal health care but there are so many other issues, like a green new deal and a non-American, anti-imperialist foreign policy. At least the country to our north is wising up! Listen in to be inspired.

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