Claim OwnershipDemocrats Abroad: The Blue Vote Café
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Every American living abroad can vote in the U.S., and can engage politically back home through Democrats Abroad, an official arm of the Democratic Party.
Brought to you by David Schellenberg and Rachel Eugster (co-chairs of the Canada's Capital Region chapter of Democrats Abroad) this podcast is about Americans living outside the U.S.--who we are, what we stand for, how to get engaged back home, and how to make sure your vote is counted, Because when Democrats vote abroad, Democrats at home win.
For more info: democratsabroad.org
To register and request your ballot: votefromabroad.org
Brought to you by David Schellenberg and Rachel Eugster (co-chairs of the Canada's Capital Region chapter of Democrats Abroad) this podcast is about Americans living outside the U.S.--who we are, what we stand for, how to get engaged back home, and how to make sure your vote is counted, Because when Democrats vote abroad, Democrats at home win.
For more info: democratsabroad.org
To register and request your ballot: votefromabroad.org
128 Episodes
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Pulitzer prize--winning biographer and historian T.J. Stiles offers his view of where we are now, as he speaks about the dismantling of institutions, what a post-Trump world might look like, the daunting fiscal challenges ahead, the factors that lead to violence, and on what might happen rather than Civil War. Plus a brief rant against the fool who stepped on the butterfly and sent us into this timeline. Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
The guest in the Café is Benjamin Gorman, publisher at Not a Pipe Publishing, and author of Dear America, a Break-up Letter. Benjamin relates the dramatic story of his family's flight from the U.S. in the wake of Donald Trump's 2024 electoral victory, describes the craziness of some of the hatred directed at him and Not a Pipe, discusses the messaging received by young cis white men, and outlines how fascists exploit anger within the electorate, and why they never make people's lives better.Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
Keith Brannum and Hope Mandel visit the cafe to talk about Democrats Abroad's newest country committee: DA Turkiye, which they lead as chair and vice chair. The two talk about the steps involved in bringing the committee to viability, from the earliest phone calls to existing members, to recognition at Democrats Abroad's most recent annual meeting. They share impressions of Istanbul, their ongoing conversation about contacting existing members vs finding new ones, and how they'll go about getting out the vote among Americans living in Turkiye. The conversation also touches on Turkish pastries, the need for a podcast on Turkish men, and a vision of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney dancing to the Pogues at a summer music festival. Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
David and Rachel are joined by Robert E. Friedman, founder of the international development nonprofit Prosperity Now, who visited three ICE detention centers in Louisiana in August 2025. Bob speaks of the numbers of people in detention, the conditions and deprivations, the absence of due process, and of individuals he was able to speak to. He notes that while videos of arrests are widely available, no one sees what happens after that to the people who are detained. He speaks of a metastasizing system of concentration camps that are operating in our name, and reminds us to review the language of the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
Steward Reynolds (aka Brittlestar) joins Rachel and David again to talk about his blazingly handsome looks, the importance of sweet, glorious, naps, and his new book, Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism (Hachette; illustrated by Pablo Amargo) https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/stewart-reynolds/lessons-from-cats-for-surviving-fascism/9781538778005/ Stewart defends the choice of cats to model a resistance to fascism, Rachel works in a Dr. Ruth reference and a shout-out to the cats of DA Canada, and David is said to be wearing an Eartha Kitt-style cat suit. Reference is also made to Canada Day in Trafalgar Square, and Stewart's podcast, Podcast is Broken, with Lisa B and Steve Boots." Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
Ezra Levin, co-executive director and co-founder of Indivisible and Debbie Weiss, Indivisible's first-ever moderator, join David and Rachel to talk about building the coaltion to say no, and to reassert democratic control of the country. Ezra talks about how Indivisible launched from a Google doc that he and Leah Greenberg co-wrote, and the transformative potential of a nonviolent movement of local communities protesting peacefully and boisterously and demonstrating to each other that we are not alone in fighting authoritarianism. Debbie talks about the Mod Squad, coins the term "weathervaning," and offers practical tips for how everyone and anyone can contribute, and both underline the message that only the people can save democracy. Ezra also reminds us all that gathering in your community to protect each other is the most human thing you can do. Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
Libby Jamison of Military Families for Ethical Leadership joins Rachel and David to talk about the challenges our service members and their families face as they are posted across the U.S. and beyond, and the new isues that have arisen with the current administration. The conversation starts with Manitoba bird life, and ends with a ride on Air Force One, touching along the way on what it means to have a military presence on our streets, on the historic traditions of the East Wing, and on Libby's career of advocating for veterans and military familes and the work she is doing as a member of DA Morocco. Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
RoteRote, aka Hunter C.G., gives a crash course on Louisiana politics, along with a taste of what it's like to be a social media personality covering the far right. He shares his thoughts on why so many disparate rightwing groups are able to work together while the equally broad assembly of leftwing groups is struggling to coordinate, the right's media advantage, how little time we have to address it, and his 50502000 plan that would start doing so. Find his links at https://linktr.ee/roterotemedia .Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
Indivisible Abroad leaders Alyssa Elliott and Louise Parker join David and Rachel to talk about the sudden international emergence of the movement started by Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg. The four explore how this came about, what Americans living abroad can contribute to a movement back home, and the relationships between Indivisible Abroad with the original US-based Indivisible in the States, as well as with Democrats Abroad. To get involved, contact Indivisible Abroad at indivisibleabroad@protonmail.com . Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
Former Canadian Member of Parliament Charlie Angus tells Rachel and David how he got into politics, and how he's working now to bring people together to fight the threats to democracy. Charlie talks about building the Resistance, the response he's getting from people in Canada and around the world, and how vital it is to build connection and community. He also touches on his past and present as a punk rocker, drops the answers to two trivia questions, and gives his recommendation for the best song for a resistance playlist. Charlie's recently released his book Dangerous Memory: Coming of Age in the Decade of Greed (Anansi Press), and with his band is at work on the Grevious Angels' tenth album .Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
Actor Ingrid Garner stops off from touring one of the one-woman shows she has developed from her grandmother's memoir, Eleanor's Story: an American Girl in Hitler's Germany by Eleanor Ramrath Garner, to make a rare in-person visit to the cafe. Having travelled to Ottawa to perform at the Ottawa Fringe Festival, Ingrid tells David and Rachel about what it was like to be away from her LA home during the No Kings/No Tryants rallies of June 14. She also talks about her experiences as an Orange County pollworker, and of course, about her grandmother (now 95). https://www.eleanorsstory.comFind the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
Democrats Abroad members share memories of the late Ken Sherman, a longtime member of Democrats Abroad (Canada), a former International Chair, and a transformational leader. With contributions from Julia Bryan, David Mivasair, Christina Skovsgaard, Denise Roig, Susan Alksnis, Julie Buchanan, Lissette Wright, Steve Nardi, Adrianne George, Marnie Delaney, Art Shankler, Martha McDevitt Pugh, and via email by Ken's son Pascal. You will be sorely missed, Ken. Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
Will Gordh and his mom Adrienne Larkin join Rachel and David to talk about their podcast, Talking Politics with Mom. Adrienne ("Mom") talks about her journey from being a self-described "little right-wing nutjob" to a liberal Democrat, from the quest she set out on to find welfare queens to her recent 180-degree change on the issue of trans atheletes. Will, the director of the YouTube show "Some More News," gives context as the son of someone he'd assumed had traversed a less dramatic political journey, and talks about disinformation, the right-wing media, and the money behind it. Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
Troy Matthews, senior writer at Meidas Touch News, joins David and Rachel in the cafe. After a brief foray into sports and wine, the discussion turns to grassroots progressive media in general, and Meidas Touch in particular, highlighting its success in pulling ahead of Joe Rogan on YouTube. Troy talks about how podcasting these days resembles 1990s radio, and about his primary beats: abortion and economics. Troy also talks about his own podcast, Just Buy Less Coffee, which he co-hosts with Cathy Cannon, and about helping spread the word that even those who decide to live outside the U.S. can still fight and vote from overseas.
Dr. Lauren Tucker of Do What Matters talks about her work in helping to found Indivisible Chicago, and about giving people the tools to (as Michelle Obama says), "do something."She offers the Reenergizing the American Dream (RAD) Act as a policy proposal to address the insecurity the average American feels due to income inequality. The plan addresses five areas that make life unaffordable for the 99%: food, transportation, healthcare, housing, and energy. And she advises us to focus and toughen up in order to claw back our taxes from the billionaires who are living off the people of the United States. Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
Inge Kjemtrup and Julia Bryan join David and Rachel to talk about the work they're doing to offer Democrats Abroad members way to resist. Even small actions add up when DA members around the world team up to take them. By simply making phone calls, reaching out to friends, holding resistance roundtables, posting short videos telling personal stories, following the progress of legislation, making resistance playlists (watch for David's!), Inge and Julia believe we can all have an impact, and that this work is already seeing results. A growing menu of ideas and options is posted at https://www.democratsabroad.org/take_action, and people are encouraged to reach out with new ideas via resistance@democratsabroad.org. And above all, stay positive! You're an influencer, and as a DA member probably more informed than you think. Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
David and Rachel talk to "MJ," a trans woman, about why she began to feel so unsafe in the U.S. that she has exercised her right as a dual citizen to return to Canada. The conversation starts light, with Canadian cocktails and the need for everyone to have an "Emergency David." But MJ does not hold back from sharing personal details about her journey as a trans woman, some of the ways in which it is dangerous to be transgender in the U.S. under the second Trump administration, and how important it is in understanding people who are different from you to just listen, and ask questions. Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
Dr. Arlie Russell Hochschild, sociologist, author, and proferssor emerita at Berkeley, joined David and Rachel to talk about the four moments of the anti-shame ritual, what she learned in talking to people in Louisiana and Kentucky suffering a downward slide of loss and about Democrats Abroad members as bi-cultural ambassadors.She also talks about her books Strangers in their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right and Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right (chosen by Barack Obama as one of his 10 favorite books of 2024). Find the full audio library of Blue Vote Café episodes at http://bluevotecafe.com. Register and request your ballot every year at votefromabroad.org.
One week after Donald Trump's second Inaugration, Jodi Szarko and Linda Weide joined David and Rachel talk about the book club they founded for Democrats Abroad in the lead-up to the 2025 election to study Project 2025.
They share some of their discoveries, their reactions to some of the content, the contradictions they found within the document.
The book club has morphed focus to become generally more anti-authoritarian, studying such things as the Executive Orders coming out of the White House.
Those interested in participating in the reading group, visit https://www.democratsabroad.org/de_events
Jason Sattler (LOLGOP on social media platforms) talks about the phishing attack that is being perptrated on America, about progressivism as the mainstream culture, and about the need to start thinking about and buildng progressive everything.
Jason strongly recommends the two podcasts he's producing: Marcy Wheeler's Ball of Thread and Andrea Pitzer's Next Comes What.
The conversation touches on Franca Rame as the kind of folk hero we should be valorizing, the role of humor as anesthetic or weapon, whether there should be billionaires, and whether he should start a new podcast with David called There's Too Many Podcasts.
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