#29: American democracy is in trouble. In this episode, constitutional scholar Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of UC Berkeley School of Law, joins us for a sobering conversation about the structural flaws embedded in the U.S. Constitution—and how they’re driving today’s political polarization to the brink. Chemerinsky’s latest book, No Democracy Lasts Forever, argues that the compromises made more than two centuries ago have created a fragile system ill-equipped to meet the demands of modern governance. From the Electoral College to the Senate’s skewed representation to the lifetime tenure of Supreme Court justices, he lays out why these outdated structures are accelerating a democratic crisis. We explore what reforms could make the system more resilient, the political realities that make change so difficult, and why understanding the Constitution’s design flaws is key to grappling with the turbulence of our time.
On October 8, Full Expression goes deeper. In its third season, Host Dan Imhoff will interview artists, musicians, winemakers, writers, filmmakers and civic leaders on the edge of discovery. Tune in every other Wednesday for new episodes.
Roman Cho is a Los Angeles-based photographer who specializes in portraiture. Born in Korea, Roman immigrated with his family at a young to Richmond, Virginia. He studied percussion at Cal Arts in Southern California and later transitioned to a career in photography. In addition to a career at Apple, he has initiated numerous projects: documenting The Good Food Movement, photographing legendary Americana musicians, and most recently, taking portraits and traveling on a bicycle along the 1700-mile Route of the Parks in Chilean Patagonia. Follow along on Roman's journey through Patagonia and check out some of his stunning photos on his Instagram: @romanchophoto
Jaqueline Baylon is a journalist and filmmaker. As a young child she crossed into Texas across the Rio Grande river, and was deported several times before earning her dual U.S. citizenship at the age of 9. She attended Texas State University, as well as the School of Visual Arts in New York. Jaqueline has worked at the New York Times and other newspapers covering healthcare, criminal justice and immigration. Her documentary film, Until He's Back, explores the fate of a Moroccan man, who attempts to cross the straights of Gibraltar into Spain. It has won numerous awards, and was on the short list for an oscar in the Documentary Short category in 2025.
Heidi Gustafson is an artist and writer, but is perhaps best known as an ochre whisperer. Based in the Pacific Northwest, she curates the Early Futures Ochre Archive, a growing collection of over 600 samples of ochre from around the world. Her debut book, Book of Earth: A Guide to Ochre, Pigment, and Raw Color, explores our ancient relationship with color, creativity, and the land. Heidi is dialed in on the lesser known world of minerals upon which our world revolves. It's a discipline that bridges science, anthropology, spirituality, history, poetry, and captivating photography.
Marina Krut is a Ukrainian born composer, poet and singer who also plays the bandura, a 64-string instrument, weighing 15 pounds. Marina's story is one that everyone needs to hear. These days, the 28-year-old leads a double life. From her temporary home in the west of Ukraine, she travels to the front lines of the war to perform for soldiers. She spends much of her time abroad, performing and relating what she has seen on the front lines. Influenced by traditional Ukrainian music, her bandura playing also incorporates non-traditional sounds, particularly jazz, to accompany her powerful voice.
Matt Goulding is a co-founder of the independent media company, Roads and Kingdoms and the co-author of the New York Times best selling series Eat This, Not That! With Roads and Kingdoms, Matt Goulding has written a number of books that merge food culture, politics and history in engaging, creative formats: Grape Olive Pig (about Spain) Rice Noodle Fish (about Japan) Pasta Pane Vino (about Italy). He currently divides his time between the tapas bars of Barcelona and the barbecue joints of North Carolina. I spoke with Matt Goulding about his journey to becoming a food writer, what makes a great title, and how a tweet from Anthony Bourdain changed his career. You can find out more about Matt Goulding’s work at www.roadsandkingdoms.com.
David Quammen is an American non-fiction writer and the author of 17 books about the history of science, evolutionary biology, zoonotic diseases and the outdoors. His articles have appeared in Outside Magazine, National Geographic, Harper's, Rolling Stone, The New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker, and other periodicals. David Quammen’s highly acclaimed books include Spillover, The Song of the Dodo, The Tangled Tree and his most recent work, Breathless, about the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a conversation about David's lifelong journey into nonfiction writing and extensive field reporting.
Alondra Bentley is a British-born songwriter and illustrator living in Madrid. She was raised in southern Spain, studied fine arts before launching her music career, and has recorded five studio albums (with a new release pending). For over ten years, Alondra has taught children art and music based on the Montessouri methodology which emphasizes the discovery and understanding of our emotions.
Laura Guido-Clark is an interior designer and material and color consultant. She has worked with a wide array of everyday products, from furniture, cars, electronics and chocolate. Her recent work includes an update of the iconic Aeron chair. In 2011 Laura founded Project Color, a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing urban neighborhoods with paint and pattern. In 2017 she founded Love Good Color, a revolutionary color tool that fuses science with the senses.
Alam Khan is a musician, composer and performer. The son of Mary Khan and sarode master, Ali Akhbar Khan, he began studies in Indian classical music at the age of seven. Alam has played alongside India’s tabla masters in venues throughout the world. His other collaborations include the Tedeschi Trucks Band the San Francisco Symphony, Bob Weir and his hip hop project, Grand Tapestry. Alam is a teacher of advanced instrumental instruction at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, California.
Chris Blum is a graphic artist and art director who works in a variety of mediums, from product graphics and advertising to film and video production. He’s also a lifelong producer of art boxes: dimensional collages that combine wordplay and found objects to make a statement about current events and cultural affairs. Chris is an ardent student of pop culture and I collaborated with him for many years when communicating about issues of food and agricultural policyI spoke with Chris Blum about his ability to visualize his creative projects, working with Tom Waits, the art of making a wine label, and his great grandfather’s confectionary
J Henry Fair is a photographer and storyteller who works at the intersection of art, environmental science and the industrial economy. For decades he has been taking what he describes as “ironically beautiful images of terrible things.” His abstract and highly composed aerial photographs capture coal mining, factory farming, clearcut forestry and other activities. His work is featured in a new book, Human Nature: Planet Earth in Our Time published by Chronicle Books.
Jessica Martin is a visual artist who lives, practices and teaches in Healdsburg, California. She works in various mediums, from painting to sculpture and ambitious urban curating. Her pieces often involve extensive research into how the passage of time affects and shapes our memories. She received an M.A. from the California College of the Arts in 2006 and has been working as a professional artist ever since.
Shea Breaux Wells is a vocal artist, performer and songwriter. She was raised in Texas in an artistic household and later found her way to Los Angeles where she explored numerous musical styles, from art rock to jazz and electronic music. Shea is also a world class vocal instructor who teaches people to sing with intention and technique.
Ames Morrison is a , wine maker and partner at Medlock Ames Winery in Sonoma County California. He studied ancient history at Tulane University before serving in the Peace Corps in Guatemala and teaching public high school in New York City. Raised on a farm in Virginia, Ames decided to pursue his love of agriculture. I spoke with Ames about his conservation-based approach to agriculture, the extraordinary challenges of climate change, and the many skills required to make humanity’s most magical elixir.
PC Muñoz is a Northern California poet, percussionist, producer, performer and recording artist. For the past 30 years he has worked in a wide range of musical styles from hip hop and jazz to pop, classical and spoken word. PC has recorded with rock legend Jackson Browne, Berkeley Symphony violinist Matthew Szemela and synthesizer wizard Dr. Fink. His genre bending collaborations with former Knonos Quartet cellist Joan Jeanreneaud earned a Grammy nomination. He currently serves as the first Director of Education and Community Engagement for the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley California.
Ronnie Vannucci, Jr. is a classically trained percussionist and drummer for The Killers. While pursuing a music degree at the University of Las Vegas Nevada in 2002, he joined bandmates Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning and Mark Stoermer. The Killers have recorded six best-selling albums and performed in 50 countries. I spoke with Ronnie about his experience as a wedding photographer, the importance of mastering the art of listening, and the making of the band’s upcoming album, “Pressure Machine.”
Abra Berens is a farm-to-table chef and author of the 2019 cookbook, Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables. She is a chef at Granor Farm in Three Oaks, Michigan and the co-founder of Bare Knuckle farm in Northpoint, Michigan. I spoke with Abra about her writing process, her experience at the Ballymaloe Cooking School in southeast Ireland, the hard work it takes to grow vegetables, the importance of reducing food waste, and why being a professional cook sometimes means being an entertainer.
Tim Weed is an exceptional musician who has mastered numerous stringed instruments — from guitar to 5-string banjo and mandolin. For the past four decades he has been a touring and recording artist. His latest project, Light and Dark, consists of two original compositions for banjo and 82 piece orchestra. It was performed and recorded with the Prague Metropolitan Opera in 2019. I spoke with Tim about his daily approach to music, the importance of understanding and overcoming fear, his lifelong journey to learn various musical styles, and his instinct to just play and surrender to the Muse …