According2Sam Podcast

Socialism is more popular in the United States than it has been in decades, and many of its supporters identify as Democratic Socialists. But what does that actually mean? When you examine the platform and policy proposals of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), it looks like good old-fashioned socialism. These proposals include seizing the means of production, establishing a 32-hour workweek, imposing a federal wealth tax, public ownership of corporations, implementing universal rent control, abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and establishing Medicare for All, among others. Why are socialism and Democratic Socialist organizations gaining momentum in America at this time? How did this movement begin, and what political and economic forces have fueled its growth? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #450. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com

Political commentator and co-host of iHeart’s ‘Native Land’ podcast, Angela Rye recently came under fire for her criticism of former President Barack Obama. Rye and her co-hosts, Andrew Gillum and Bakari Sellers, were reacting to a clip Obama shared from his podcast in which he reflects on whether he did enough—or risked enough—during his presidency. Rye argued that he had not done or risked enough and continues to fall short today. She criticized Obama for focusing more on his presidential library than on protecting access to the ballot box. Her comments drew backlash from Obama supporters, many of whom argued that it was not the right time for such criticism. Why was Angela Rye so critical of Obama, and where did her frustration with the former president stem from? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #449. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com

Ta-Nehisi Coates recently appeared on former President Barack Obama’s podcast, and a promotional clip teasing the episode has been going viral. Coates has long been a critic of Obama’s presidency, and in the clip, he asks Obama how he thinks civil rights activists like James Baldwin would assess him. Obama responds that he remains in an ongoing conversation with these figures, describing them as his ancestors and ghosts who speak to him all the time. He hears their voices asking whether he did enough and whether he risked enough for “this cause, this issue, or these people”. Obama appears vulnerable as he reflects on his regrets, which may explain why this clip was chosen to promote the episode. What is the purpose of this conversation, and why is Obama having it now? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #448. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com

It was announced this week that former President Barack Obama will travel to Michigan in late October to campaign for Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson. Following the announcement, old videos, social media posts, and essays resurfaced in which El-Sayed was highly critical of Obama's presidency. During a guest appearance at the University of Chicago, El-Sayed said that America was no better off after Obama's eight years in office. In an essay published in The 'Huffington Post', he also wrote that the list of Obama's failures went on. Now that El-Sayed is seeking Obama's help to turn out Black voters, how is he backtracking from his past criticisms of Obama's record? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #447. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com

Four days after Nolan Wells’s body was discovered on Horn Island, his mother, Christine Wondsley, was in New York with her lawyer, Ben Crump, attending a meeting of Al Sharpton’s National Action Network. When she addressed the audience from the stage, she said, “Nolan loved everybody. He didn’t care if you were white, black, purple, green, looked like a marshmallow. He just wanted everyone to be at peace with one another.” She went on to explain how much that frightened her and Nolan’s father. They would often have conversations with him not only about understanding “our history as black people,” but also about “how you have to move in certain spaces.” How did Nolan Wells move through his life and navigate those spaces, and, ultimately, would he have been considered a “coon”? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #446. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com