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America at a Crossroads
America at a Crossroads
Author: Jews United for Democracy and Community Advocates, Inc.
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America at a Crossroads is proud to present an esteemed roster of guests and moderators to discuss the state of American democracy and the very real challenges facing it today. Past guests and moderators have included Congressman Adam Schiff, Congresswoman Karen Bass, House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, Lt. Col. Alex Vindman, Congressman Adam Kinzinger, George F. Will, Patt Morrison, Warren Olney, Madeleine Brand, Bill Kristol, David Axelrod, James Carville, Jonathan Greenblatt, and many more.
229 Episodes
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Why does hunger persist in the wealthiest nation on earth? In this episode of America at a Crossroads, Abby J. Leibman (MAZON) and Bob Greenstein (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities) join veteran journalist Larry Mantle to examine the politics behind poverty, food insecurity, and inequality in America today. This conversation explores the policy choices shaping hunger, the human impact of economic division, and what’s at stake as the nation faces overlapping social and political cri...
How is the Supreme Court really operating today—and what does it mean for American democracy? In this episode of America at a Crossroads, legal scholar Leah Litman, professor of law at the University of Michigan and co-host of Strict Scrutiny, joins journalist Madeleine Brand for a timely conversation about the modern Supreme Court and the forces shaping its decisions. Drawing from her New York Times bestselling book Lawless, Litman argues that the Court is increasingly driven by conservati...
Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul joins leading democracy scholar Larry Diamond for a critical discussion on the intensifying global struggle between authoritarianism and democracy. Drawing on decades of experience in diplomacy, national security, and democracy studies, they examine how autocratic regimes are reshaping the international order—and what democratic societies must do to respond. Michael McFaul served for five years in the Obama administration, first as Special Assi...
What happens when the guardrails of the Constitution start to shake? In this America at a Crossroads program, renowned constitutional scholar Erwin Chemerinsky joins veteran journalist Warren Olney to examine “The Constitution in Crisis: What’s at Stake for American Democracy.” They break down threats to the rule of law, the future of the Supreme Court, voting rights, presidential power, and how ordinary citizens can respond when core democratic norms are under pressure. Erwin Chemerinsky i...
Israel, the U.S., and the wider Middle East are at a critical inflection point. In this special America at a Crossroads program, veteran Middle East analyst Aaron David Miller joins host Madeleine Brand to unpack “Israel Update: Trump’s Plan — Breakthrough or Breakdown.” They’ll explore what the plan actually proposes, how it’s being received in Israel and among Palestinians, and what it means for regional stability and U.S. foreign policy. Aaron David Miller is a senior fellow at the Carneg...
America at a Crossroads presents: “Courts in the Crosshairs: What’s Next for Justice in America” Mark Joseph Stern with Larry Mantle 📅 Wednesday, November 19, 2025 🕔 5:00 PM Pacific / 8:00 PM Eastern For upcoming programs and future replays in your inbox, join the America at a Crossroads list by visiting jewsunitedfordemocracy.org Legal journalist Mark Joseph Stern joins veteran broadcaster Larry Mantle for an in-depth conversation about the mounting pressures on America’s courts and the f...
National security expert Steven A. Cash joins journalist Larry Mantle for a critical conversation about the growing threat of authoritarianism in the United States. Drawing on decades of experience across intelligence, homeland security, diplomacy, and defense, Cash offers a rare insider’s view of how democratic institutions are being tested—and what former national security professionals believe must be done to safeguard them. Steven A. Cash is the Executive Director of The Steady State, an...
Election law expert Rick Hasen joins veteran journalist Larry Mantle for an essential conversation on the future of American democracy as the nation heads toward the 2026 midterm elections. Together, they explore the threats facing voting rights, the integrity of election systems, and how legal and political reforms could determine the strength—or fragility—of democratic institutions in the years ahead. Rick Hasen is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on election law, campaign finance,...
Former U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance joins journalist Patt Morrison for an insightful and timely discussion on the state of the American justice system—its resilience, vulnerabilities, and the tests it continues to face in today’s polarized political climate. Together, they explore the balance between accountability and power, the role of the courts, and what justice means in a democracy under strain. Joyce White Vance served as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama and is a d...
Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Linda Greenhouse, one of the nation’s preeminent voices on the U.S. Supreme Court, joins renowned journalist Patt Morrison for a powerful conversation about the Court’s influence on American democracy. Greenhouse will discuss the evolving role of the judiciary, landmark decisions, political pressures on the Court, and insights from her decades covering its inner workings. Linda Greenhouse reported on the Supreme Court for over 30 years for The New York Times...
An important discussion with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and former Palestinian National Authority Foreign Minister Nasser Al-Kidwa. They will analyze why Oslo failed and discuss what can be done today to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The conversation will be moderated by Professor Kenneth A. Bamberger (UC Berkeley) and Professor Steven E. Zipperstein (UCLA). Organized by the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies and the UC Berkeley Helen Diller Insti...
Can America's Universities Survive the Current Assault? A Conversation with UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk
Mary Ziegler is a Professor of Law at the University of California, Davis School of Law and a leading legal historian specializing the struggle over reproductive health policy in the United States from 1945 to present. A 2023 Guggenheim Fellow, she is recognized as one of the foremost authorities on the history of the U.S. abortion debate. She is the author of seven books on reproductive rights and the law. Her latest work, “Personhood: The New Civil War over Reproduction,” was published in M...
Recorded live on August 27, 2025: Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen joins Warren Olney for War, Peace and the American Future, a wide-ranging conversation on U.S. leadership, global security, and the challenges ahead.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Alexander Vindman joins journalist Madeleine Brand for an America at a Crossroads conversation on U.S. foreign policy, democracy, and global security. Subscribe for more conversations.
Recorded live on August 6, 2025, veteran journalist Jonathan Weisman joins Madeleine Brand for a powerful conversation on rising antisemitism in America, Jewish identity, and the political climate in the age of Trump. Part of the America at a Crossroads series. 🎥 Subscribe for weekly conversations: youtube.com/channel/UCL_7hJyHHmrRruxix3V1mCA 📩 Learn more at: jewsunitedfordemocracy.org/




Can we finally agree that the polling question "right track...wrong track" is useless in these polarized times? I'm a huge Biden fan but I would answer that question "wrong track" because of the huge threats to democracy. And Murphy, please quit saying we have a bad economy. We have record low unemployment, wages outpacing inflation, healthy corporate profits, a rising stock market and distinctly lower inflation than a year ago. Our economy is fine, thank you Joe Biden.