In our first segment we speak with Stanford University Director of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Ken Olivier and Angela Nomellini Professor of International Studies, Michael McFaul. He served for five years in the Obama administration, first as special assistant to the president and senior director for Russian and Eurasian Affairs at the National Security Council at the White House (2009-2012), and then as U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation (2012-2014).

His latest book is AUTOCRATS VS. DEMOCRATS: CHINA, RUSSIA, AMERICA, AND THE NEW GLOBAL DISORDER, published by Harper Collins. His earlier books include Russia’s Unfinished Revolution: Political Change from Gorbachev to Putin and the NYT bestseller, From Cold War to Hot Peace: An American Ambassador in Putin’s Russia.

In our second segment, we speak with Montana’s former Commissioner for Political Practices, Jeff Mangan, about a proposed amendment to the Montana State Constitution, titled The Transparent Election Initiative. It has garnered tremendous interest and excitement nationally, and is being dubbed The Montana Plan. If enacted, it would effectively kill Citizens United in Montana, and would serve as a model for other states. Instead of being cut off at the pass by the Supreme Court’s first amendment ruling that money is free speech, it instead asserts a 10th amendment states’ right to govern and control corporate charters to determine what they can and cannot do.

Articles, etc. that are pertinent to these interviews:

MONEYBOMB: The Montana Plan To Kill Citizens United Tom Moore w/David Sirota https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuZ0cVE-nHM

The Transparent Election Initiative https://transparentelection.org/

AG: Anti-dark-money ballot initiative doesn’t meet legal requirements https://dailymontanan.com/2025/10/30/ag-anti-dark-money-ballot-initiative-doesnt-meet-legal-requirements/

Attorney general rules ‘anti-dark money’ ballot initiative has too many parts https://montanafreepress.org/2025/10/27/montana-ag-rules-anti-dark-money-ballot-initiative-has-too-many-parts/

Satisfaction with democracy below 50% in eight out of nine western countries, poll finds https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/14/state-of-democracy-survey-ipsos-western-countries

The Right’s Secret Plan to Help Billionaires Buy Elections https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/jd-vance-right-plan-billionaires-elections-1235445122/

China’s latest aircraft carrier enters service to extend reach into high seas https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/07/chinas-latest-aircraft-carrier-enters-service-to-extend-reach-into-high-seas

China advises against travel to Japan amid escalating row over PM’s Taiwan comments https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/15/china-advises-against-travel-to-japan-amid-escalating-row-over-pms-taiwan-comments

Hegseth Is Purging Military Leaders With Little Explanation http://5 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/us/politics/hegseth-firing-military-leaders.html

Taiwan vice-president presses case at EU parliament for joint efforts to counter China https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/08/taiwan-vice-president-presses-case-at-eu-parliament-for-joint-efforts-to-counter-china

Trump’s dollar delusion: how trade war risks ending the US’s ‘exorbitant privilege’ https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/nov/09/trump-trade-war-dollar-value

Resilience of Europe’s populist right carries warning for US Democrats https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/10/rightwing-czech-republic-poland-hungary-democrats

Trump says US will boycott G20 summit in South Africa, citing treatment of white farmers https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/07/trump-boycott-g20-south-africa-white-farmers

Reagan-Appointed Federal Judge Rebukes Trump In Damning Resignation Letter https://www.huffpost.com/entry/federal-judge-resigns-letter-trump_n_69121c3ae4b0b840aac12569?origin=home-whats-happening-unit

Brutish, bullying, imperialistic: the Ugly American is back https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/nov/10/donald-trump-ugly-american

Nexperia row shows how China is weaponising EU relationship – and winning https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/nov/11/nexperia-row-china-trade-brussels-beijing-chips

Donald Trump has wielded power as no previous president has, often in open defiance of the law. His actions have raised a chilling question. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/10/31/opinion/trump-autocracy-democracy-report.html

Forget diplomatic niceties: it’s beyond time Europe denounced Trump’s trashing of democracy in the US https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/oct/28/europe-donald-trump-democracy-us

Playing dirty used to be the west’s preserve. Now we’re letting Moscow beat us at our own game https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/nov/04/west-moscow-berlin-airlift-cold-war-civilians

Putin’s repressive machinery turns inward to target pro-war figures https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/06/putin-repressive-machinery-turns-inward-target-pro-war-figures

Trump’s Gilded Ballroom and the Fall of the American Republic https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/trumps-gilded-ballroom-and-the-fall