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Produced by KSQD 90.7, 89.5 & 897.FM “Be Bold America!” October 2, 2026 at 5:00pm (PT) Christian fixation with political power is the theological emergency of our time. – Dr. Matthew D. Taylor In this interview, Dr. Matthew D. Taylor traces the origins of Christian supremacy. Jesus directed his followers away from the race for power, but somewhere along the way, many Christians turned Jesus into a mascot for imperial domination. Where did it all go wrong? In his book, Defying Tyrants, Dr. Taylor excavates scriptural texts and unpacks the notion of Christian antichrists and quarrels with Christian supremacy. He challenges us to put steel in the spine of Christian resistance to tyrants and reprimands the Christian leaders who bless them. He spotlights a counter tradition of Christians who have lived generous lives of sacrifice and stood up to authoritarian through the centuries. Interview Guest: Matthew D. Taylor, Ph. D., is an award-winning author, public intellectual, and nationally recognized speaker focused on religion, politics, and democracy in the United States. Matthew Taylor holds a PhD in Religious Studies from Georgetown University and an MA from Fuller Theological Seminary. His research and commentary have appeared in outlets including: The New York Times, NPR’s Weekend Edition, On the Media, Rolling Stone, Politico, The Bullwark, Sojourners, and Religion News Service. He currently serves as a Visiting Scholar at Georgetown University’s Center on Faith and Justice and is the creator and host of the award-winning Charismatic Revival Fury podcast series.

Produced by KSQD FM Who Killed the American Dream? “Be Bold America!” Aired September 18, 2026 at 5:00pm (PT) In 1886, a corrupt court reporter inserted a single fraudulent sentence into the official record of a Supreme Court case. The Court never ruled that corporations were “persons” under the 14th amendment, the amendment written in the blood of 600,000 Civil War dead to protect formally enslaved people. But that fabricated headnote, planted by railroad oligarchs and a sympathetic justice, became the legal foundation for more than a century of corporate power over American democracy. Thom Hartmann uncovered this fraud in a dusty Vermont law library and traces its consequences from the Gilded Age through the Reagan Revolution to today. He names the conspirators, reconstructs the crime, and shows how we can undo it. Thom Hartmann also reveals the ongoing cover-up that has made the crime even worse and further harms, democracy, and people everywhere. Interview Guest: Thom Hartmann is a four-time Project censored award winner, a New York Times bestselling author of over 30 books, and America’s number one progressive talk show host, heard on free speech TV and SiriusXM nationwide.

In contrast to current thinking, that treats Trump's authoritarianism as new and singular, what if authoritarianism in the United States has a long history that explains the extent to which authoritarianism has been embraced by large sections of US voters? The Magna Carta, the foundation of our Constitution, really is much more than what we were taught in school. Americans were never taught that the 1215 Magna Carta’s official name was the “ARTICLE OF THE BARONS” written by 25 oligarchs to keep King John in check! Since Donald Trump ascended to the presidency, Americans are increasingly concerned about authoritarianism and creeping fascism. Their fears are justified, but according to eminent sociologist and prolific author, Dr. Charles Derber, America was wired for authoritarianism long before the emergence of Donald Trump. Elites have long wired US institutions to benefit them at the expense of everyone else. Dr. Derber argues that US history is best understood as a series of corporate regimes and for American democracy to flourish we must build new systems wired for constitutional democracy and the common good. Interview Guest: Charles Derber is Professor of Sociology at Boston College and has written 32 books - on politics, democracy, fascism, corporations, capitalism, climate change, war, the culture wars, culture and conversation, and social change. He writes for and has been reviewed in the NY Times, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, Truthout, and other leading media. His books are translated into 14 languages. His most recent books include Wired for Authoritarianism, Dying for Capitalism, Who Owns Democracy, Welcome to the Revolution, Moving Beyond Fear, Sociopathic Society: A People's Sociology of the United States; Capitalism: Should You Buy It?.

Produced by KSQD 90.7, 89.5 & 89.7FM “Be Bold America!” Aired August 21, 2026 at 5:00pm (PT) It’s 2026, just a little over halfway through Donald-the-Deny-o-sour’s second term and the world is seemingly on fire. As if record heat waves, fires, and floods on multiple continents aren’t bad enough … the regular rollbacks the Trump administration is boldly (and not the good kind) making, would be comical were it not so serious! And as if pouring kerosene on the fire isn’t bad enough, Deny-o-sours are gaslighting everyone they can by calling the Solutionaries alarmists and insisting there’s nothing to see nor learn about the climate emergency. If you live in the fact-based world, it is the Deny-o-sours who have created the climate 5-alarm fire on behalf of the mighty fossil fuel barons, by peddling doubt for money. Environmental journalist turned advocate; Betsy Rosenberg, is just not having it. The host and producer of hundreds of interviews with what she calls “Solutionaries”— on all shades of green-- will join cohost Mike Clancy for a dynamic discussion about the attacks on the health of people and planet, as well as democracy and decency. What does it portend for our kids’ future? Can any of the damage to our climate be reversed? Although the news is pretty grim, Betsy’s three decades covering the green beat has not diminished her passion for preserving our precious planet. Find out where she finds hope and why she cannot quit. Interview Guest: Betsy Rosenberg is a broadcast pioneer and an award-winning CBS Radio News journalist and longtime green advocate. She is best known for her pioneering environmental and climate-focused interviews which began in 1997. Over the years Rosenberg has hosted several radio, internet and video programs, including the current CODE GREEN! YouTube series. (Live streams, worldwide, on any electronic device. Visit the ksqd.org website)

Produced by KSQD 90.7 89.5 & 89.7FM Who is the Man Behind the Curtain? It’s Russell Vought! Be Bold America! August 7, 2026 “We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected. … When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work because they are increasingly viewed as the villains.” – Russell Vought, Director, US Office of Management and Budget Public service was viewed as an honorable profession. In 1986, Ronald Reagan uttered words that were designed to divide The People from their Government. Those words were: “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.” Through the decades, these words have been disastrously effective. Now, neighbors and families have been successfully divided and many do see public servants as villains. This will be an important show with a very courageous guest. Two New York Times articles were written about Jenna Norton and her efforts to inform the public and the tragic budget cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Did you know that there is an informal organization called the “Civil Servants Coalition” comprised of federal employees who are on the front lines directly watching the harm being done to your government? Jenna Norton, a federal employee herself, will join “Be Bold America!” in her PERSONAL CAPACITY to explain the most devastating actions the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, is doing to the National Institutes of Health, Science, and other departments throughout the federal government.

Produced by KSQD 90.7, 89.5 & 89.7FM “Be Bold America!” Live Interview Aired Friday, July 3, 2026 at 5:00pm (PT) Times have changed! 45% of today's voters identify as political independents. They are rejecting rigid opinions. Now, there is a non-partisan reform organization who are advancing fair participation for independent-minded voters. The Independent Voter Project (IVP) is focused on three reforms: • Open primaries for every voter! Over 26 million Americans are locked out of primary elections simply because they refuse to join a political party. The independent Voter Project is leading the fight to change that. • Improve better representation with More Choice Voting! When elections offer only two viable choices; voters settle. More Choice Voting advances reforms that expand the field, increase competition, and force candidates to earn broader support. • End Super PACs! 74.9% of Maine voters said yes to capping Super PAC donations at $5000. Now, IVP is defending that law in court – and building the legal framework to take the fight to all 50 states. IVP’s legal work is the engine behind every reform they pursue. They author legislation, build the constitutional framework, and defend it in court. Their track record isn't theoretical – it's precedent. IVP’s litigation record, spans, offense and defense – from federal district courts to the US Supreme Court. Interview Guest: S. Chad Peace is an attorney, media executive, and election reform advocate based in San Diego. He is the founder of IVC Media, a digital strategy and public affairs firm working with corporate, nonprofit, and political clients, and a partner at Peace & Shea LLP, where his legal work focuses on election law and voter participation. Chad has been involved in national and state efforts to expand access for independent voters, including litigation, ballot initiatives, and public education. He is a frequent commentator on election reform and political systems and co-hosts the Independent Voter Podcast. View Chad Peace's interview on ABC News!

Produced by KSQD 89.5, 89.7 & 90.7FM "Be Bold America!" Live Interview Aired / June 19, 2026 The Global Crackdown on Free Expression in Honor of Project Censored's 50th Anniversary In this interview, on the global crackdown of free expression, Dr. Steve Macek from North Central College in Illinois will discuss his work to combat the growing attacks on free speech and academic freedom in the U.S. and around the world. Over the past decade, free speech and academic freedom have faced a synchronized, global decline. This erosion is not limited to traditional autocracies; it has increasingly taken root within established liberal democracies – most notably, right here in the United States. The threats manifest in two primary ways: external political and legal coercion (from governments and lawmakers) and internal culture pressures (leading to self-censorship and polarization). Tune in to “Be Bold America!” on Friday, June 19 at 5:00pm to learn how restrictions on free expression mirrors a country’s broader shift toward authoritarian governance. Interview Guest: Dr. Steve Macek is a professor of communication and chair of the department of communication and media studies at North Central College in Illinois. He teaches courses on the First Amendment, journalism history, media policy, media, criticism, and urban studies. Dr. Macek is the author of Urban Nightmares: The Media, the Right, and the Moral Panic over the City, that is a critical analysis of media discourse about American cities. His ads, commentaries and articles on censorship, academic freedom, media regulation and politics have been published in a wide range of newspapers, magazines, and websites

Produced by KSQD 89.5, 89.7 & 90.7FM "Sexism is something that exists because it has existed, does exist, and therefore feels inevitable that it will exist. Certain treatments of women and girls are rooted in inequity simply because those bodies are female. Sexism over time and across institutions sends repeated messages about who women are and where they belong, and constructs a palatable version of womanhood that is non-threatening." - Allison T. Butler In Allison T. Butler's new book, The Judgement of Gender, Allison examines how women are both centered and silenced, and maligned in popular culture. She explores a generational legacy in which media harms women, and unpacks what it means when women are cast as “problematic.” Allison uses grounded and critical media literacy to look at celebrity stories, and those thrust into the spotlight, with more nuance, including the infamously sensationalized coverage of Britney Spears, Anita Hill, and Monica Lewinsky. Interview Guest: Allison Butler is a Senior Lecturer, Associate Chair, and the Director of the Media Literacy Certificate Program in the Department of Communication at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she teaches courses on critical media literacy and representations of education in the media. Allison serves as the Vice President on the Media Freedom Foundation and co-run Mass Media Literacy, a grassroots organization that builds curriculum and trains teachers in critical media literacy across K-12 schools. She is the author of numerous articles and books on media literacy and is co-author of multiple practical resources for media literacy education. In addition, Allison previous book The Media and Me was the subject of her previous "Be Bold America!" interview on media literacy, visit: The Media and Me: A Guide to Media Literacy.

Produced by KSQD 90.7, 89.5 & 89.7FM "Be Bold America! ~ Aired May 15, 2026 With the 2026 midterm elections looming and democracy on the line, progressive attorney, activist, and author, Gary Lucks, presents in his new book We Are The People fiercely practical, street-level directions for Americans who want to engage beyond posting, protesting, or donating, to actually helping flip the House and Senate this November. Drawing on postmortem data from Activate America, Lucks shows that grassroots volunteers shifted outcomes by 2-4% in battleground districts in 2024 and that Democrats need to flip just three seats in the House and four in the Senate to restore a legislative firewall against the current administration's agenda. Unlike many tomes on the current political situation, We Are the Power tells readers exactly how to close that gap. Gary Lucks, JD, CPEA, is a progressive author, activist, and environmental attorney who has spent four decades at the intersection of law, policy, and sustainability. He is the founder of Progressive Action East Bay and Resistance Action East Bay Indivisible, two of California's most active grassroots political networks. Lucks is also the author of You Are Not Alone: Your Roadmap to Effective Political Action. More at garylucks.com. Top Three Resources Shared in Podcast to Defend Democracy: 1) Hopium Chronicles (sign up for free) 2) Indivisible (look for a chapter near you) 3) Activate America (volunteer)

Produced by KSQD 90.7, 89.5 & 89.7FM The American Dream at its best is an ethical ideal and a moral compass. If respected and sustained, it can guide the United States through Trump 2.0. Anchored in the US Constitution, Saving the American Dream features meditations for dark times. Meditations are intentional acts of focused attention. They seek insight—a clear and deep understanding—about critical issues. What, for example, is most important for the United States today? Are we Americans doing the best we can? How may inquiry about the American Dream advance the reflection and action needed now to support and defend the Constitution of the United States? Saving the American Dream is a journey that goes where such questions lead. Its fundamental premise is that individuals moved to communal action by warned awareness and committed resistance are indispensable to meet challenges that grow by the day. Guidance from reliable American writers—philosophers, historians, novelists, poets, essayists, religious thinkers—maps the way.” Interview Guest:  John Roth, is the Edward J. Sexton professor emeritus of philosophy at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California. Dr. Roth was named the 1988 U. S. National Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Dr. Roth's expertise in Holocaust and genocide studies, as well as in philosophy, ethics, American studies, and religious studies, has been advanced by postdoctoral appointments as a Graves Fellow in the Humanities, a Fulbright Lecturer in American Studies at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, and a Fellow of the National Humanities Institute, Yale University.

Produced by KSQD 90.7, 89.5 & 89.7FM “Be Bold America!” Aired April 17, 2026 at 5:00pm (PT) Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist David Cay Johnston stated in his bestselling book, The Making of Donald Trump, when Donald Trump rode down the Trump Tower lobby escalator live on national television in June 2015 to announce his campaign for president, nearly every journalist treated his candidacy as a vanity project.  Having covered Donald Trump intensely from 1988 through 1995 and following him ever since, David knew his dramatic entry on live national television indicated Donald Trump was serious. He also knew that his presidential run would not be for the benefit of the United States of America, but only for Donald Trump As the Financial Times wrote of Johnston’s book, “[It] gives Trump the thorough scrubbing, he deserves… He makes a compelling case that Trump has the attributes of both “dictator” and “deceiver.”  Interview Guest: David Cay Johnston is one of America’s most award-winning investigative journalists with a long career reporting for the Los Angeles Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the New York Times, where his work was awarded a Pulitzer Prize. Johnston is a journalist and author with a specialty in economics and tax issues. Johnston is the author of several bestselling books and teaches at Syracuse University College of Law. Of local note, David Cay Johnston graduated from Soquel High School and considers Santa Cruz County the best place in the world to live.

Produced by KSQD 90.7, 89.5 & 89.7FM "Why the Climate Fight is Failing. Radical Activism is Needed!" “Be Bold America!” Aired April 3 2026 at 5:00pm (PT) The climate rallying cries to “Save the Planet” no longer work in our hyper-partisan world, nor do images of polar bears on melting glaciers. The problem isn't scientific, fact-based, or even technological.  The problem is political, emotional, and ideological. Hackman provides a path forward for engagement and voter mobilization that combats apathy, dread, and resentment, and builds greater issue identification. Conservation and climate advocacy expert, Will Hackman, in his book Radically Reframing Climate Change: A Guide to Saving Ourselves reframes the climate crisis as a humanity crisis, arguing that we must change how we think and talk about climate change, both in our conversations with non-believers and among those who care.  Assuring humanity's place on a changing planet will require a near universal level of public support we will never reach if we keep making the same mistakes. We know how to do this. But the stakes have never been higher and time is running out.  Interview Guest: Since 2013, Will Hackman has served as a senior strategist in conservation advocacy efforts and has helped to advance public policies related to ocean and land conservation as well as clean energy and the environment. Among his many efforts, Will spent years defending Alaska’s Tongass National Forest from industrial logging—the United States’ largest national forest and one of the world’s largest temperate rainforests.   Hackman also worked with local and indigenous communities across the western United States on conservation of public lands and rivers, helped strengthen fuel-efficiency regulations for cars and trucks, helped pass major bipartisan legislation to combat illegal fishing, and engaged in international marine fisheries conservation efforts around the world.  Will is a contributing author on energy, environmental, and climate change topics for print, podcasts, and online media.  in his 2022 TEDx talk, “The Future of Climate Change is Personal”, Will challenges us to reframe our climate conversations to overcome polarization and partisanship. CoHost: Mike Clancy, is a climate expert who serves on the “Question Review Team” for the Annual Leon Panetta Lecture Series. He is the former Scientific and Technical Director of the Navy's Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center in Monterey, and a recipient of the Navy’s highest civilian award, the Distinguished Civilian Service Award. And, if that wasn’t enough, he played a supporting role in the movie, “A Long Road to Tao”.

Produced by KSQD 90.7, 89.5 & 89.7FM “If a political party does not have its foundation in the determination to advance a cause that is right and that is moral, then it is not a political party; it is merely a conspiracy to seize power.”     – President Dwight D. Eisenhower from a 1956 speech) Defy Like De Niro. From the mean streets to the halls of power, Robert De Niro has always stood up to bullies. His new role? Defying Trump and he’s daring the rest of us to do the same. No. I’m sorry to say we won’t be interviewing Robert De Niro, but we have the next best person, his friend Miles Taylor. Miles Taylor is a former White House official who was Chief of Staff to the Department of Homeland Security in the first Trump administration. You may know him by the pen name “Anonymous.” He created a nationwide controversy when he wanted to assure the American people that there were those inside the administration who were trying to hold on to the democratic guardrails against a lawless president.   When Trump returned in 2024, he claimed Miles’ action treasonous. Miles is fighting back, not just legally, but creating a nationwide organization called Definace.org. This organization has real teeth and is funding 100% of its income to nonprofits fighting against the Trump regime.    Interview Guest: Miles Taylor (security expert): is an American author, commentator, and former government official who served in the administrations of George W. Bush and Donald Trump. In the first Trump administration, he was an appointee in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from 2017 to 2019. He was first recruited into the department by former DHS Secretary and White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly, serving as his senior advisor.   In 2018, Taylor wrote an op-ed in The New York Times under the pen-name "Anonymous" that was titled, "I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration", which drew widespread attention for its criticism of Trump. Several months after quitting the administration, again under the pen name "Anonymous," he published a book in 2019 titled, A Warning. In 2020, he revealed that he was "Anonymous" while campaigning against Trump's reelection. His second book: Blowback: A Warning to Save Democracy from Trump's Revenge and workbook for Blowback by Miles Taylor: a step-by-step guide to Understanding the Struggle for Democracy were published in 2024.

Produced by KSQD 90.7, 89.5 & 89.7FM  “Be Bold America!” Aired March 6, 2026 at 5:00pm (PT) “America presents an egregious paradox – it has both the most expensive healthcare and the shortest life expectancy in the West." - Robert Sapolsky Living in the United States today means surviving in a society where the social fabric has been ravaged.  How healthy you are is dependent on where you live. Americans suffer, more cancers, heart disease, mental illness, and chronic diseases than those who live in other wealthy nations, despite having the most expensive healthcare system in the world.  Why?  This Interview will embark on a journey to unravel the profound impact of public policies on American health from before birth in the book "Born Sick in the USA" by Stephen Bezruchka, PhD. Delve into the intricate web where economic inequality weaves a tapestry of sickness stemming from a highly stressed society. Interview Guest: Stephen Bezruchka, M.D., M.P.H. is Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Health Systems & Population Health and of Global Health at the School of Public Health, University of Washington. At UW he received the 2002 Outstanding Teacher Award, the 2008 Faculty Community Service Award, the 2017 Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award, and the 2018 Communicating Public Health to the Public Award.  Dr. Stephen Bezruchka is a returning guest. His previous interview was on his book, Inequality Kills Us All, and was one of the most listened to "Be Bold America!" podcasts. Dr. Bezruchka serves on the board of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, whose parent organization has shared two Nobel Peace Prizes. There he developed the Economic Inequity Health Task Force. He launched the Population Health Forum in 1998, which presents many of the ideas in this book. His previous books include The Pocket Doctor: A Passport to Healthy Travel; A Guide to Trekking in Nepal, with the 8th edition appearing in 2011; Nepali for Trekkers; and Altitude Illness: Prevention & Treatment. These books have been translated into other languages. (Live streams, worldwide, on any electronic device. Visit the ksqd.org website)

Produced by KSQD 90.7, 89.5 & 89.7FM The Last American President: A Broken Man, A Corrupt Party, and a World on the Brink February 6, 2026 at 5:00pm (PT) Democracy is dying. And we handed the killer the weapon. The countdown has begun. As fascism spreads globally and climate catastrophe accelerates, Thom Hartmann exposes the terrifying endgame: a second Trump presidency that doesn’t just end American democracy – it triggers humanity's extinction. "The Last American President", through meticulous research and unflinching analysis, reveals how political cowardice and corporate greed created the perfect storm, threatening our species survival and our country. Donald Trump didn’t break America – he’s the inevitable product of a system designed to create him. This explosive investigation reveals the chilling truth: from his brutal childhood to Roy Cohen’s mentorship and shamelessness, from a corrupted Republican Party to billionaire puppet masters, Trump was manufactured by the very institutions meant to protect us. This is our final warning. Interview Guest: Thom Hartmann is a progressive national and internationally syndicated talk show host whose shows are available in over a half-billion homes worldwide. He's the New York Times bestselling, 4-times Project Censored Award-winning author of over 24 books, in print in 17 languages, on five continents. Thom Hartmann's daily articles may be found at his Substack page titled: The Hartmann Report. Thom's wife, Louise Hartmann, contributes by writing lyrics for a Daily Song, created in folksong style. Talkers Magazine named Thom Hartmann as the 10th most important talk show host in America in 2019 and has been in the top ten for over a decade and is the #1 most important progressive host, in their “Heavy Hundred” ranking.  The Thom Hartmann Program is heard on KSQD every weekday at 4:00pm.