The Purple Principle

“The American people want serious people to solve serious challenges,“ declares former Texas Congressman Will B. Hurd in this season finale on the U.S. House of Representatives. “That’s the lesson we should take away from 2022.”  But he’s quick to add, “I don’t think that lesson is going to be implemented in this new congress.” Hurd then dissects the GOP factionalism at work in the contested house speaker’s election and confirms that most House members are more interested in “messaging bills” than progress on tough, important issues like immigration and climate change.  The Purple Principle covered the U.S. Senate in our previous episode with former centrist Senators Doug Jones and Bob Corker. This episode we turn to the unruly chamber next door in discussion with Will B. Hurd, former CIA officer, three-term Texas Congressman and author of American Reboot.  The Purple Principle is a Fluent Knowledge production; original music by Ryan Adair Rooney. How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Let us know!: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey SHOW NOTES The Purple Principle has been nominated for three Signal Awards, but we need your help. Click here to cast a vote! Our Guest Will Hurd is a former three-term Congressman for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, serving in the U.S. House from 2015 to 2021. A former CIA officer and cybersecurity executive, he’s the author of the recently released book American Reboot: An Idealist’s Guide to Getting Big Things Done. Find him on Twitter @WillHurd More episode resources: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/new-us-house Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney Subscribe to Purple Principle Premium on Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple   Sign up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/purpleprinciple/the-purple-principle-report  Follow us on:   Mastodon: mastodon.social/@purpleprinciple Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Youtube: youtube.com/@thepurpleprinciple TPP website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ

“It appears to me that the fever has broken,” observes Bob Corker, former two-term GOP Senator from Tennessee. ”And there's gonna be a real serious debate on the Republican side of the aisle as to where the party is gonna go in 2024.” Fading GOP loyalty to former President Trump is the elephant in the room as we discuss the 2022 election, successes of the current Congress, and prospects for governance going forward.  “Right now you got a lot of folks feeling their oats over in the House” says Doug Jones, the Democratic winner of an Alabama special election in 2017. “And they have promised a lot of oversight, a lot of investigations… Who the hell knows? On the Senate side, though, it will be steady as she goes.”  Join the conversation with two centrist U.S. Senate alumni--Doug Jones, a storied civil rights litigator, and Bob Corker, who raised alarms during the Trump administration as Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee.  The Purple Principle is a Fluent Knowledge production. Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney.   How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Let us know!: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey SHOW NOTES The Signal Awards has recognized The Purple Principle as a finalist in three award categories, but we need your votes to win. Click here and search "purple principle" to find our nominated episodes and vote! Our Guests  The Hon. Bob Corker is a former Republican Senator from Tennessee, serving for two terms in Congress. A commercial real estate developer, he began his political career as commissioner for the Tennessee Finance and Administration Department before being elected Mayor of Chattanooga in 2001. While a member of the U.S. Senate, Corker served as Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee. You can follow him on Twitter @SenBobCorker The Hon. Doug Jones is a former Democratic Senator from Alabama, serving in Congress for three years after a high-profile special election in 2017. He was the first Democrat to represent Alabama in the U.S. Senate in over two decades. Jones was appointed U.S. Attorney for Alabama’s Northern District in 1997, and is known for his prosecution of two Ku Klux Klan members for their role in the 1963 Birmingham church bombing. You can follow him on Twitter @DougJones More episode resources: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/centrist-senators Subscribe to Purple Principle Premium on Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple   Sign up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/purpleprinciple/the-purple-principle-report Follow us on: Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Mastodon: @purpleprinciple@mastodon.social Our website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ

Happy Thanksgiving from The Purple Principle team! This week we’re revisiting an episode from November 2021.  In the aftermath of another fractious election season, and heading into the holiday season, it feels appropriate to bring psychologist Tania Israel back into the feed. She explains the active listening methods we need to have genuine conversations across the political divide and across the dinner table, when opposing viewpoints are in the house. Are we Americans trapped in our end zones of polarized bubbles ever more motivated to reason away conflicting viewpoints?  Our featured guest, psychologist Tania Israel, thinks not and should know. Dr. Israel has been holding workshops over the past two decades to help participants bridge political and social divisions. In this Purple Principle episode, co-hosts Robert Pease & Jillian Youngblood speak with Tania about these workshops, her flowchart that (almost) solved political polarization, and her book, Beyond Your Bubble: How to Connect Across the Political Divide.  With Dr. Israel’s facilitation, we apply the bubble bursting toolkit to a serious in-house case of affective (aka negative) polarization -- Jillian’s deep dislike of the New England Patriots, especially ex-Patriot and presumptive GOAT (greatest of all time), quarterback Tom Brady, stemming from her identity as a New York Jets Fan.  “I’m so glad you brought up something that’s so central to our democracy,” quips Israel, who gamely plays along as we advance this metaphor down the political football field.   Family gatherings were never friction-free. Then polarization came along. Listen in for helpful advice from an all-star in respectful and compassionate dialogue, just in time for Thanksgiving.  Author and scholar Dr. Tania Israel is the first guest in our three-part Holiday Survival Kit. More here: https://fluentknowledge.com/holiday-kit   SHOW NOTES Our Guests Tania Israel: Website, Twitter, Book, Faculty page.   Additional Resources How to Win a Political Argument | Dr. Tania Israel | TEDxSanLuisObispo Moderates are less likely to post about their political views on social media | Pew Research Bipartisan Public Consensus Offers Direction for US Foreign Policy in Second Bush Term | Dr. Steven Kull The Bias Blind Spot: Perceptions of Bias in Self Versus Others Motivated Skepticism in the Evaluation of Political Beliefs | AJPS Tom Brady suspension case timeline NFL History - Super Bowl Winners | ESPN   Subscribe to Purple Principle Premium w/Apple Podcasts: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple   Sign up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/purpleprinciple/the-purple-principle-report  Follow us on: Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ

The 2022 election will consume us over the coming days, weeks, and months. There will likely be recounts, runoffs and court challenges before a new Congress takes shape.  This Purple Principle episode highlights concerns surrounding this election, with many GOP candidates questioning election integrity, while providing context and perspective from a variety of guests.  For Sarah Longwell of the Republican Accountability Project, the question is whether Democrats nominated “broadly appealing candidates” attractive enough to swing voters.  Dr. Adrienne Jones of Morehouse College finds a silver lining in the Senate race between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and GOP challenger Hershel Walker–the first such contest between two African Americans in Georgia history.  And Dr. Charles Bullock, the respected University of Georgia scholar, proposes recalculation of former President Trump's endorsement “batting average” while suggesting GOP leadership could distance itself from Trump as a result of these losses.  Tune in for important insights on and around the 2022 election. How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Let us know!: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney. SHOW NOTES Our Featured Guests from past episodes: Sarah Longwell - Executive Director, Republican Accountability Project Thomas Edsall - New York Times Columnist Will Hurd - Former CIA Agent and U.S. Congressman for TX-23 Chuck Rocha - Democratic Political Strategist, The Latino Vote co-host Mike Madrid - GOP Political Strategist, The Latino Vote co-host Dan Goodgame - Editor-in-Chief of Texas Monthly Joel Kotkin - Chapman University Professor, Author Deval Patrick - Former Massachusetts Governor Charles Bullock - Chair in Political Science at the University of Georgia Adrienne Jones - Assistant Professor of Political Science at Morehouse College Bill Walker - former Governor of Alaska, 2022 gubernatorial candidate Chris Bail - Director of the Duke University Polarization Lab More episode resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/election-2022 Follow us on: Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Our website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ Sign up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/purpleprinciple/the-purple-principle-report Want more purple content? Subscribe to Purple Principle Premium on Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple

Alaska will soon be the first state in the country to hold a ranked choice voting election for all representatives, state and federal. But can RCV moderate our severely polarized politics? If the August special election and current congressional campaign are any guide, the answer is a hearty, “Maybe.”  That’s according to Matt Buxton, editor of the Alaskan political blog The Midnight Sun and co-host of the Hello Alaska! podcast. TPP Reporter Dylan Nicholls interviewed Buxton just after the special election and again now in the run up to Election Day.  Dylan’s second guest, Doug Goodman, is the founder of Nevadans for Election Reform. Doug’s watching Alaska closely as his state goes to the polls on an election reform measure he originated years ago. Will RCV come to pass in Nevada, as in Alaska? Are we on a path toward more moderate campaigns, at least in our most purple states?  Listen in to find out. How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Let us know!: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey SHOW NOTES Our Guests Matt Buxton is editor of the Alaskan political blog The Midnight Sun and co-host of the politics podcast Hello Alaska! His writing has also been featured on the Anchorage Daily News, and he publishes The Midnight Sun Memo newsletter regularly on Substack. Find him on Twitter @mattbuxton. Doug Goodman is the founder and Executive Director of Nevadans for Election Reform, and has been working to bring Ranked Choice Voting to Nevada for almost a decade. He’s collaborating with the Yes on 3 campaign to build support for Nevada Question 3, which would bring ranked choice to the silver state if adopted.  More episode resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/alaska-nevada Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney Join Purple Principle Premium on Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Sign up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/purpleprinciple/the-purple-principle-report Follow us online! Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast

TPP wraps up its series on Hispanic American Swing Voters with three very different yet highly insightful guests. Northwestern University historian Geraldo Cadava tells us that both parties have spun overly-simplistic narratives of the Hispanic voter – a mythical concept in his view.  Carlos Mencia has always been an iconoclast aiming satire in all directions. He reflects on his immigrant childhood, as one of 18 children, and living with relatives in a rough East L.A. neighborhood. And he expounds his indie-minded philosophy that to be completely conservative or liberal is to ignore the critical importance of change or tradition in American society.  Cristela Alonzo knows a thing or two about that conflict between tradition and change. She grew up in an immigrant Tejano Catholic family just over the U.S. border in an abandoned diner, and became the first Latina to create and star in a network TV comedy, Cristela. The Purple Principle is a Fluent Knowledge production. Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney. How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Please answer our 1-question survey: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey Sign up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/purpleprinciple/the-purple-principle-report SHOW NOTES Our Guests Geraldo Cadava is a historian of the United States and Latin America, and is a Professor of History at Northwestern University. He’s the author of The Hispanic Republican: The Shaping of An American Political Identity, from Nixon to Trump. Find him on Twitter @gerry_cadava. Cristela Alonzo is a comedian, writer, and actress. She was the first Latina to create and star in a network TV comedy, Cristela, and her latest comedy special, Middle Classy, is now streaming on Netflix. Find her on Twitter @cristela9. Carlos Mencia is a comedian, writer, and actor. He hosted The Journey podcast, and his cable show Mind of Mencia ran four seasons on Comedy Central. Find him on Twitter @carlosmencia. More episode resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/hispanic-series Join Us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Sign up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/purpleprinciple/the-purple-principle-report Follow us online! Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Our website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ

How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Click here to answer our one question survey: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey How large a role will Hispanic voters play in 2022 elections? (Hint: It’s big.)  How are the major parties appealing to this diverse voting bloc? (Not so effectively.) Can Latino candidates turn down the heat on our political rhetoric? (No sign of that yet.) In the 2nd episode of our Hispanic American Swing Voters series, these questions frame our discussion with veteran Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha, and Mike Madrid from the anti-Trump GOP side. They’ve teamed up to co-host the insightful podcast, The Latino Vote.  “What's nice about this podcast is we're both at an age where we don't care about the parties anymore,” confesses Madrid. “Donald Trump brought us together to fight a common enemy,” adds Rocha. Despite extreme positioning, the GOP has been picking up Latino candidates and voters. We discuss that trend and look at how these races could put forth less extreme rhetoric – if more Latino campaign experts were involved. Understand the Latinization of our body politic with Chuck Rocha and Mike Madrid of The Latino Vote podcast.   Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney. SHOW NOTES Our Guests Chuck Rocha is a Democratic political strategist and the founder of Solidarity Strategies. He’s the author of Tío Bernie, a memoir of the Sanders 2020 campaign, and co-hosts The Latino Vote podcast. You can find him on Twitter @ChuckRocha. Mike Madrid is a GOP political strategist and co-founder of The Lincoln Project. He currently serves as Principal of the Grassroots Lab, is the Editor and Publisher of California City News, and co-hosts The Latino Vote podcast. You can find him on Twitter @madrid_mike. More resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/hispanic-series Join Us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Follow us online! Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Sign up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/purpleprinciple/the-purple-principle-report

How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Click here for our one question survey: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey Massachusetts has long been a bipartisan enigma at the state level, electing moderate GOP governors for 30 of the past 60 years while seating a Democratic legislature. But the governor’s office is expected to revert to Democrats in 2022 and beyond. In our second MA episode, we discuss this unique history and inflection point with former moderate GOP Lt. Governor, Dr. Kerry Healey. “Massachusetts is a wonderful model...for the advantages of bipartisan government,” says Healey, pointing to the passage of “Romneycare” that became the model for “Obamacare.”  Our second guest, Dr. Alexander Theodoridis of UMass Amherst, feels these traditions of bipartisanship and moderate GOPism are already well under attack. “Things have become nationalized,” says Dr. Theodoridis. “It becomes much more difficult for the average voter to think… Well, you know, I really can't stand these Republicans at the national level. But I'm going to pull the lever for a Republican here in Massachusetts.” Is no state immune to the forces of polarization? Listen in for an in-depth discussion. SHOW NOTES Our Guests Kerry Healey is a former Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts and currently the President of the Center for Advancing the American Dream at the Milken Institute. You can find her on Twitter @KerryMHealey. Alexander Theodoridis is an associate professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and many political science journals. You can find him on Twitter @AGTheodoridis.  More resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/states-ma-part2 Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney Join Us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Follow us online: Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Sign up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/purpleprinciple/the-purple-principle-report

“There are all kinds of ways in which we, as a community, enable the American story,” says Deval Patrick, implying that our success stories overemphasize the individual.   Patrick’s own American story is a remarkable one, starting in a tough South Chicago neighborhood, journeying to a planet called boarding school, then onto Harvard and a distinguished legal career, before two terms as Governor.  He recounts how then Senator Barack Obama was initially quizzical, though supportive, of his long-shot run for office. He also underscores the unusual nature of politics in the Bay State, where there are more unenrolled or independent voters than both parties combined, and a Democratic legislature that may prefer GOP Governors to enhance their own power.  “These are human dynamics,” says Patrick, “not so much partisan dynamics.” But politics in Massachusetts is changing as throughout the nation. Listen in for a clear-eyed, richly-informed discussion with Deval Patrick, 2020 White House aspirant now teaching at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Click here to answer our one question survey: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney. SHOW NOTES Our Guest Deval Patrick: Former two-term Governor of Massachusetts, 2020 Presidential candidate, and Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. Follow him on Twitter @DevalPatrick. More episode resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/states-ma-part1   Join Us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Find us online! Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Our website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ Sign up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/purpleprinciple/the-purple-principle-report

In our continuing state series, TPP visits the state with the highest percentage of non-partisan voters (58%): vast and varied Alaska. On August 16, 2022, for the first time in the US, Alaskans will use the final four voting system, which combines a unified open primary with ranked choice voting in the general election. Our special guests for this episode, each interviewed by TPP Reporter Dylan Nicholls, offer three perspectives on Alaskan political culture, the new election system, and the major candidates. Brendan Jones, an Alaska-based author, describes the strong independent, survivalist streak at work in our nation’s largest state.  Independent Alaska House member Calvin Schrage speaks to the value of political independence as a legislator, noting how it allows him to form policy positions based on their merits.  Liz Ruskin of Alaska Public Media, explains how final four voting was intended to operate and some of the unintended consequences she’s observed so far.  Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Click here to tell us: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey SHOW NOTES Our Guests Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Alaska Public Media. She reports from the U.S. Capitol and from Anchorage. Find her on Twitter @lruskin. Calvin Schrage is an independent Alaska State Senator representing District 25. You can find him on Twitter @CalvinSchrage.  Brendan Jones is an award-winning novelist, essayist, and journalist based in Sitka, Alaska. Find him on Twitter @BrendanIJones.  More episode resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/states-alaska-part1 Join Us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Follow us on social media: Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Sign up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/purpleprinciple/the-purple-principle-report

This week we revisit an episode from 2020, adding some fresh questions and analysis on its lessons in GOP history from a 2022 perspective. Is Donald Trump losing his populist grip on the Republican Party after 6 long years, a failed re-election, a failed campaign to reverse that result, and the January 6 insurrection?  According to recent polls, critical editorials from The New York Post and Wall Street Journal, and an abscess of Trump coverage on Fox News, that may be the case. But does this mean the GOP is turning from populism toward more moderate leadership? That’s a very different question. And our special guest for the repodcast, Dr. Geoffrey Kabaservice (author of Rule and Ruin: The Downfall of Moderation and The Destruction of the Republican Party) suggests that populist momentum in the GOP predated Trump by decades, and could remain dominant for some time.    To look ahead with clarity at the 2022 and 2024 elections, we need to review with accuracy the forces that shape today’s politics. Tune in for a fluently knowledgeable revisit of GOP party dynamics with Dr. Geoffrey Kabaservice.  Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney SHOW NOTES Geoffrey Kabaservice: Columnist, Author of Rule and Ruin: The Downfall of Moderation and the Destruction of the Republican Party, From Eisenhower to the Tea Party, and Vice President of Political Studies for the Niskanen Center. More episode resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/revisiting-gop-party-dynamics Join Us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Follow us online! Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Our website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ Sign up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/purpleprinciple/the-purple-principle-report

On this second episode featuring great American independents, The Purple Principle sits down with Andrew Heaton, political satirist, author, podcast host and small “l” libertarian. “I’m a temperamental moderate who wants to help people,” Heaton confides, “but thinks government is not very effective at it.”  Heaton also describes the origins of his dual career track, working as a Capitol Hill Staffer while performing comedy – in his own words, “necktie man” by day and “degenerate pseudo-drunk” by night. But Heaton has a less degenerate side as well. “We've moved on from thinking people are in error to thinking they're in sin,” bemoans Heaton. “And that is just lamentable for everyone involved, from the politicians all the way down to us and the constituency.” Tune in for a welcome dose of edifying entertainment from Andrew Heaton, a uniquely thoughtful independent voice in these not so United States.  The Purple Principle is Fluent Knowledge production. Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney SHOW NOTES Our Guest Andrew Heaton: Political Satirist, host of The Political Orphanage podcast, and author of Los Angeles is Hideous: Poems About An Ugly City,, Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories, and Laughter is Better Than Communism. Check out his website and follow him on Twitter @MightyHeaton. More episode resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/great-american-independents-part2 Join Us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Find us online! Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Our website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ Sign up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/purpleprinciple/the-purple-principle-report

The Purple Principle celebrates July 4th with its first episode in a miniseries on America’s great independent voices. Amy Chua, known for her bestselling Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, is a Yale law professor and author of Political Tribes. “Every group feels attacked, pitted against other groups not just for jobs and spoils, but for the right to define the nation’s identity. In these conditions, democracy devolves into zero-sum group competition. Pure political tribalism.”  In a conversation with TPP host Rob Pease, Chua talks about the challenges of speaking to a fragmented student body. She also discusses the degradation of our shared national identity as marginalized groups increasingly denigrate traditional American ideals. These and related topics explored on this special July 4th episode. Enjoy the show, and don’t forget to rate & review us at: ratethispodcast.com/purple How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Click here for a 1-question survey: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney. SHOW NOTES Our Guest Amy Chua: John M. Duff Professor of Law at Yale Law School and author of Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, and World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability. Check out her website and follow her on Twitter @amychua.  More episode resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/great-american-independents-part1 Join Us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Find us online! Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Our homepage: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ Sign up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/purpleprinciple/the-purple-principle-report

The Purple Principle completes its three-episode tour of the great state of California with three uniquely positioned viewpoints on the Golden State. First, Leon Panetta, former Cabinet Secretary and nine-term US Congress member, who questions the one party mindset of Democratic governance in Sacramento and the rightward populist tilt of the California GOP.  Our second guest, former State Assembly Minority Leader Kristin Olsen, helped initiate a 2018 effort to reform the Golden State GOP called “New Way California” which ultimately failed to gain traction. And our third guest, political satirist Andrew Heaton, describes the rivalry between largely blue California and largely red Texas, the topic of an earlier seven-part TPP series.   “Don't California my Texas,” observes Heaton, now an Austin resident, “that is a frequent political bumper sticker here, which occasionally you'll see on cars from Florida.”  These and other surprises on this California finale. Tune in and review us on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app. Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney. How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Click here to answer our one question survey: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey SHOW NOTES Our Guests Leon Panetta: Former Secretary of Defense and Director of the CIA for President Obama, White House Chief of Staff for President Clinton, and nine-term Member of Congress. Now the Co-Founder and Chairman of The Panetta Institute for Public Policy, and author of the memoir Worthy Fights. Kristin Olsen: Former Republican Minority Leader of the California State Assembly, Board Member of New Way California, and current Partner at California Strategies. Olsen’s Twitter. Andrew Heaton: Comedian and political satirist, host of The Political Orphanage podcast and author of books like Los Angeles is Hideous: Poems About An Ugly City. Heaton’s website, Twitter.  More episode resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/states-california-part3 Join Us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Find us online! Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Our website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ Sign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/2UfFSja

If California progressives were tortillas, they’d be delicious but expensive and inaccessible; establishment Democratic tortillas would be ubiquitous, if not so tasty; and Republican tortillas would be pretty tasteless…  Is this any way to understand California politics? It is when speaking with LA Times columnist, author and frequent tortilla contest judge, Gustavo Arellano. In discussion with host Rob Pease and guest co-host Barbara Bogaev, Arellano rebuts the idea that California voters sent a clear “tough on crime” message in the 2022 primary. Instead, he points out that crime is nowhere near the levels of the 1990s, but has attracted more media coverage because of its spread to affluent, white majority areas.  Articulate, informed and candid, Arellano relates how he convinced his father, a “macho hillbilly,” to get the COVID vaccine and why his notion of “rancho libertarianism” explains increasing GOP success with California’s Latino voters. Tune in for political analysis, tortilla metaphors, and family dynamics on this Purple Principle episode, the second in our California series. Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney. How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Click here to answer our one question survey: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey SHOW NOTES Our Guest Gustavo Arellano, L.A. Times columnist and host of The Times podcast. Author of books like ¡Ask a Mexican! and Taco USA. Arellano’s columns, newsletter, and Twitter. More episode resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/states-california-part2 Join Us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Find us online! Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Our website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ Sign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/2UfFSja

“I always point out to people that California is still a two-party state,” says Dan Schnur, former independent candidate for Secretary of State. “It just so happens they're both Democratic parties.” So starts a series of TPP episodes on our largest and bluest of states this primary season. Schnur’s outline of factions within Democratic Party are all the more vital, as are the economic insights of Joel Kotkin, the noted author and professor at Chapman University.  “In the past, middle class and working class people trying to improve their lives came to California,” says Kotkin, who feels Texas now offers some of that upward mobility. “I don't think they come anymore for that.” Has the California dream given way to a cost of living nightmare? NPR veteran Barbara Bogaev co-hosts with Rob Pease for an in-depth discussion on the challenges faced by this complex, diverse, nation-sized state, as primary voters head to the polls on June 7th.  Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney. How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Click here to answer our one question survey: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey SHOW NOTES Our Guests Dan Schnur, former GOP strategist and Independent candidate for CA Secretary of State. Professor at UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies, Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Public Policy, and USC’s Annenberg School of Communications. Dan Schnur’s faculty page, Twitter. Joel Kotkin, Presidential Fellow in Urban Futures and Roger Hobbs Professor in Urban Studies at Chapman University. Author of The Coming of Neo-Feudalism: A Warning to the Global Middle Class. Joel Kotkin’s website, Twitter.   More episode resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/states-california-part1 Join Us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Find us online! Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Our website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ Sign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/2UfFSja

How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Click here to answer our one question survey: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey All political roads lead to Georgia these days. The Peach State was so pivotal in the 2020 election of Joe Biden and the 2021 runoff election of two Democratic senators. Georgia’s again on our minds in 2022 as Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger battle primary challenges from the GOP’s “Stop the Steal” wing. TPP is fortunate to have three informed guides for this visit: Dr. Adrienne Jones of Morehouse College speaks to the weakening of the 1965 Voting Rights Act which has allowed for more restrictive voting laws. Ken Lawler, the Chair of Fair Districts GA, details the role of gerrymandering in this purple state, where party control could again hinge on a district or two. And Dr. Charles Bullock (U of Georgia) suggests we calculate former President Trump’s endorsement batting average after the results of these primaries are in.  Tune in for important insights on the great state of Georgia, where the political action was in 2020 and is now again in 2022. Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney SHOW NOTES Our Guests Dr. Adrienne Jones, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Pre-Law Director at Morehouse College. Dr. Jones’ faculty page, Twitter. Ken Lawler, Board Chair of Fair Districts GA. Ken Lawler’s Twitter. Check out Fair District GA’s partnership with the Princeton Gerrymandering Project for their 2021 Georgia Redistricting Report Card. Dr. Charles S. Bullock III, Richard B. Russell Chair in Political Science at the University of Georgia, editor of The New Politics of the Old South. Dr. Bullock’s faculty page. More episode resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/georgia-1  Join Us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Find us online! Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Our website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ Sign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/2UfFSja

How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Click here to answer our one question survey: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey Is a large and growing segment of Hispanic American voters now leaning independent? That’s the operative question in this first episode on Hispanic swing voters, featuring three noted experts: former Florida Congressman Carlos Curbelo, UT San Antonio political scientist Dr. Sharon Navarro, and former four-term San Antonio Mayor and Clinton Cabinet member, Dr. Henry Cisneros. Carlos Curbelo suggests the recent shift of some Latinos to the GOP may be due to discomfort with far left rhetoric. Dr. Sharon Navarro observes many Hispanic voters may be registered to a political party yet remain “persuadable.” Tune in for a better understanding of the less purely partisan viewpoints characterizing Hispanic American swing voters.   Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney SHOW NOTES Our Guests The Hon. Carlos Curbelo: Twitter, Unite America, University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute. Check out Carlos as a regular contributor to Telemundo, NBC News, MSNBC and NBC 6 Dr. Sharon Navarro, Professor of Political Science at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and editor of Latinas in American Politics: Changing and Embracing Political Tradition. Dr. Navarro’s faculty page, Twitter, website Dr. Henry Cisneros, former four-term Mayor of San Antonio, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and former President of Univision. Currently a board member of the Bipartisan Policy Center. Dr. Cisneros on Twitter. More episode resources on our website: https://fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/hispanic-series-1 Join Us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Find us online! Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Our website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ Sign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/2UfFSja

How’d you hear about The Purple Principle? Click here to answer our one question survey: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey Our TPP guest this episode, Mónica Guzmán of Braver Angels, is a fascinating conversationalist who knows how to stop a conversation, particularly among blue-leaning Seattle friends discussing politics. Guzmán merely mentions that her Mexican immigrant parents avidly supported Donald Trump and the room goes silent. We kick off Episode 8 of Season 3, “Like Family, Like Nation,” with Guzmán’s retelling of that conversation stopper also featured in her new book, I Never Thought of It That Way. Part personal memoir, part communication guide, the book is informed by her work at Braver Angels, one of the nation’s most successful facilitators of cross-partisan dialogue.  “The opinion…. is just above the surface,” observes Guzmán. “Underneath is everything that backs it up, all their experiences.” As a result, she cautions that, “you’re not going to change someone’s mind in the course of conversation unless they were already at the cusp of changing it on their own.”  Important points from a uniquely qualified voice. Tune in for an entertaining and informative episode on the challenges and rewards of communication across the great American divides.  Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney SHOW NOTES Our Guests Mónica Guzmán: Director of Digital & Storytelling at Braver Angels, Host of Civic Cocktail, and Author of I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times. Mónica Guzmán’s website, Twitter  Visit our website for a list of additional resources related to today's episode: fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/monica-guzman Join Us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Find us online! Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Our website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ Sign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/2UfFSja

How’d you hear about The Purple Principle?: https://fluentknowledge.com/tpp-survey The Purple Principle brings its seven-part series on politics and identity in the already huge, yet fast-growing Lone Star State to conclusion with a guided tour of key insights from our notable “Texperts” in all six episodes.  Is our nation’s red vs blue infighting eroding what was once a more distinctive, cohesive Texas identity? Jason Whitely, senior news reporter at WFAA Dallas and co-host of the podcast Y’all-itics, feels that is the case. Dan Goodgame, Editor in Chief of Texas Monthly, disagrees. No discussion of Texas identity is complete without consideration of the large Hispanic community. Former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros highlights the appeal of the powerful Texas GOP with regard to young Hispanic business owners. And Dr. Sharon Navarro of UT San Antonio observes that the GOP has created more pathways for Latina candidates in South Texas than the Democratic Party. Our finale concludes with observations from two best-selling and prize-winning authors who happen to be friends and neighbors in Austin. Novelist and historian Stephen Harrigan feels the GOP circulated slogan, “Don’t California My Texas,” is part of a “rear guard action defending the Texas identity.” While New Yorker staff writer Lawrence Wright expects that “California will become more conservative and Texas will become more liberal.” Is Texas the future of America? Tune in to consider that provocative question and the insights of a dozen informed “Texperts” from throughout the nation-sized Lone Star State. Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney SHOW NOTES Our Guests Jason Whitely: Episode 1 of our Texas series, Y’all-itics Jason Wheeler: Episode 1, Y’all-itics Linda Curtis: League of Independent Voters of Texas Dan Goodgame: Episode 2, Texas Monthly James Henson: Episode 3, Texas Politics Project  Paul Oshinski: Episode 3, Threads of Texas Dr. Henry Cisneros: Episode 4, Bipartisan Policy Center Dr. Sharon Navarro: Episode 4, UTSA Lawrence Wright: Episode 5, Website Stephen Harrigan: Episode 5, Website Will Hurd: Episode 6, American Reboot Listen to our full Texas series: http://fluentknowledge.com/texas-series Visit our website for a list of additional resources for today's episode: fluentknowledge.com/shows/the-purple-principle/states-texas-part7 Join us for Premium Content: Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/PurpleApple Patreon: patreon.com/purpleprinciplepodcast Find us online! Twitter: @purpleprincipl Facebook: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Instagram: @thepurpleprinciplepodcast Our website: https://bit.ly/2ZCpFaQ Sign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/2UfFSja