Terrific show. While I’m sure that modifiers such as, “kind of” and “sort of”, slip in occasionally, modifiers that dilute many other casts, Mason and Zimmer are incisive in their visions and heartfelt. I don’t if they are primarily researchers or teachers at their respective institutions, but if they have classes, sign up.

This is required listening. Clear and to the point, these two professors aren’t partisan but they are pro-democracy. Very informative and it feels like the two complement each other well. I love that it’s not a daily thing. I want to be informed but not immersed in the news at all times to preserve my mental health.

Outstanding show with two complimentary and thoughtful hosts. Every thinking American should make this a regular part of their routine.

We all need to know what’s happening here in DC! Broadcast it wide and loud!

So grateful these professors are doing this show. There aren’t a lot of voices out there who are being honest about what’s going on, but they are, and on top of that they also bring unique knowledge and insights.

I was so thrilled to see that they are back! This is an essential, much needed podcast and required listening for me. I’ve listened to some episodes multiple times, they are so full of insight. I love the combination of political scientist and historian - it’s a broad perspective that is missing from horse race coverage and “both sides” punditry that is most corporate media these days. This has a point of view, it’s not a “view from nowhere” show. Highly recommend to all Americans and anyone concerned about what is happening.

Mason and Zimmer deliver consistently insightful and pointed insights on current events and the political/historical forces driving them. They are pro-democracy without being partisan, and they make their case clearly and succinctly. Can’t recommend them enough to anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the modern US political landscape.

Love this podcast. It’s super informative and the content is content very well presented. I’ve been waiting for months for a new episode and I’m so stoked you guys are back at it.

Lots of podcasts out there delving into how things got so broken/what will break next etc. This is the best one (5-4 a close second). Listen if you want your sanity affirmed in these lunatic times.

More please, thoughtful, refreshingly dispassionate and objective

I love this show!

Since the hosts recorded the “Biden too old” episode more than four months ago, things have dramatically changed — not just the Atlanta debate performance but the fact that in a matter of months Biden HAS declined. (He has been hidden to a degree.) Until then, I have felt the media has ignorantly and disingenuously pushed the too-old narrative — feeding off polls, etc. But all that is not even the point. For better or worse, the ground has shifted — lawmakers, political leaders, big donors, Democrats, etc. are calling on Biden to leave the race. I also firmly believe, at this point, Biden cannot beat Trump. Given the drastic change in circumstances, I hope the hosts take their own advice into account: “Stuff has happened, the context has changed, the environment has changed.” Of course an open convention carries risks. But when you find yourself in a difficult situation — brought on by Biden himself (for picking Harris, i.e., one reason he didn’t back out after one term, etc.) — no course of action will be easy or pain-free.

There are many podcast talking about the state of democracy in the US. Most of them by lawyers who were trained to be very astute within the confines of the framework they operate in and to never question that framework or go beyond it. Many of those are great, but miss the ability to ask some fundamental questions. That’s the gap filled by this podcast, which looks at the situation from the broader perspective of whether the US can fulfill its basic promise of being a country governed for all people and by all people. But I guess nothing I can write will ever be as ringing an endorsement as the 0 star reviews.

Zimmer and guests systematically dismantle the false narratives and propaganda disseminated by the enemies of democracy.

But as with most other mainstream media, these reporters seem not to have true curiosity for what is wrong with BOTH parties. The little laughs and jeers will lose people who you could otherwise attract to be a listener/follower. I’ll continue to get my info from Bari Weiss and other dems who are truth tellers. I am sincere when I say, it’s too bad how many liberals can’t be honest brokers, and acknowledge or telegraph apologies for all they’ve gotten wrong.

If you follow politics and culture for a living like I do, you’d appreciate how this podcast aims to always see current events through an historical lens. With a combined expertise in politics, research, social science, and American history, Lily and Thomas provide fascinating, reasoned explanations and novel observations for all the unfolding, puzzling, predictable and/or maddening political news and trends. When there’s a viral social commentary around gender, culture, religion, or politics that I feel twitchy about, find problematic, and want to fully understand - I come here for another perspective. Their hot takes are sometimes altogether different, always better researched, and much more illuminating as compared to what you’ll get from the usual sources and media outlets. For example: I’ll read Ezra Klein or some other pundit du jour and know that his take is either missing a critical angle or larger point. But then I hear Lily or Thomas say or interview someone who explains what’s really at the heart of the issue and finally I see the bigger idea beyond the headlines. I also come to hear interviews and inevitably find additional folks who also present new thinking and perspectives that I do not find anywhere else. At a time where expanding one’s views and widening perspectives is an endeavor less celebrated and frequently underrated, I come here to find wisdom and seize the opportunity to learn about the larger issues impacting our democracy and society for better or worse.

Thorough, thoughtful, insightful, and enjoyable.

No hot takes, just thorough thoughtful & considered analysis of the state of American democracy.

Smartest voice I have come across in podcasts and twitter posts.

I frequently disagree with some of their lefty opinions but love their insights and thoughtful analysis of the assaults on democracy. They present themselves humbly and leave room for debate across topics but cut through the veiled efforts of the far right to subvert our multipluralistic society. Must listen and SHARE.

They are smart and well-informed, but humble and soft-spoken in a way you rarely find these days in political conversation. A clear-eyed appraisal of growing authoritarianism in the U.S. is exactly what we all need heading towards November 2024. And then calm, focused action to stop it.

I used to be a huge fan of this podcast, and even told one of the hosts how much I enjoyed it when I met them when they came to visit my campus for a talk. But in this last episode on "Biden too old discourse" you've slammed the door in our faces, and proven to be insufficient to this moment after all. And the end--my God--hearing a list of the "accomplishments" of the Biden administration, full of half truth or outright lies (support for abortion rights?) was just too much. It was almost physically painful to listen to how two incredibly smart people were making such a huge and concerted effort to ignore the fact that people's consciences are at stake in 2024. That our basic human sense of moral right and wrong is what is at stake. And trying to pit those who cannot bear to vote for Biden against other marginalized people by saying "can you look your trans friends in the face" is manipulative and gross. It also ignores the fact that most marginalized people are also dissatisfied with Biden and standing against him. You keep saying "but Trump is worse, at least Biden can be influenced." And we have been screaming "Nothing is worse than killing children who look just like our children and telling us we have to support it. And no, Biden cannot be influenced, he has shown that--he is ignoring us. He ignores us on Covid (a word not even mentioned once, here), he ignores us on foreign policy. At least against Trump the enemy isn't gaslighting me, the way you the Biden admin does and the way you two tried to in this last episode. I am not stupid and I am not blind to the menace that is Trump--but for God's sake there are ways to talk a out pragmatism and politics that don't require enthusiastically defending and carrying water for someone willing to sacrifice civilians - his own to Covid and others to US bombs and starvation. I will never listen to this podcast again. Shame on both of you.

This show is great. Everything presented seems to come from a place of knowledge and concern. Hosts are compassionate and well studied. I’d write more, but I’m distracted while writing this review. Hope they keep putting out more and frequent episodes. Great work y’all.

The analysis of "Biden too old" was excellent! That wa well-done thoughtful treatment of a critical topic that in other places is disappointingly reduced to simplistic narratives or lazy conclusions that do not have supporting data. More broadly, this podcast addresses the nuance and reality of what has and is happening in America relative to the goal of a multipluralistic society. I wish that the clear analysis presented here was more common and happening at levels where appropriate action can be taken to advance the cause of justice and freedom for all.

The hosts made a conscious decision to dismiss and deride the tens of thousands of Americans who have grave concerns about Joe Biden as it relates to the bloodshed in Gaza. As they are normally quite balanced and thoughtful, this turn shocked me. Unfollowing.

Abandoned the podcast at episode 33 when the host make an about face to defend the American Empire's continued support of genocide, excuse Biden's inaction on abortion and prove themselves to be useless liberals who will happily lock America into an endless cycle of Fascism vs Genocidal Liberalism that isn't distinct. Given how this started I am profoundly dissapointed.

Love the show. You both offer excellent insights on the state of politics in the US and the threat to democracy. Love the synergy among the co-hosts as well. It’s fantastic to hear smart people put words to the feelings and thoughts that I’m too angry to coherently vocalize myself.

Absolutely superb analyses into The Heritage Foundation

Crucial listening! Excellent job of connecting important political science and historical perspectives on the emergence of far right fascistic elements in the US

Simply excellent and insightful. All episodes I’ve listened to have been informative and detailed, with excellent analysis and commentary. This latest episode on Project 2025 is both enlightening and frightening. Thank you for the time you’ve taken to research and analyze the material, and then construct this episode.

You’ll find few podcasts as informative and interesting as this. I never miss an episode.

I’m listening to your “Project 2025” episode. I’m in the process of reading the 2025 Project. Your analysis is spot on from what I have read so far. I hope you will stress the religious nationalism emphasized in the plan - note Christian and Jewish are the only 2 religions are identified as being the religious beliefs that are recognized! Scary stuff!!!

Please make sure you keep connecting the dots for us. I already see shades of what happened to Gay in other areas. Witness the freakout over Lloyd Austin. I hope you both take the time to appear on other podcasts so that the our collective vision gets better.

Listen to episode 23 for your first one. Learn why polarization is not the problem despite all the pundits saying it is. Zimmer is thoughtful and passionate and presents his point of view clearly but with no overwrought drama. Each episode is enlightening and interesting.

When I was younger, I was attracted to thinkers who used words like “the facts” and “politically neutral.” Today though, I find such claims unbelievable, and as aspirations, silly. If you hear the phrase “participatory, pluralistic, and multi-racial democracy,” and you think, “yes please,” then I believe you will find this project insightful and articulate.

There are academics who research the history democracy in the United States and it’s abundantly clear that the country is backsliding. There are journalists who then read these academic works and share it with the wider world. But unfortunately, journalism in todays world is going through its own upheaval so the work of filtering academic to the public is missed. This podcast skips that middle part and allows the listener to learn about American democracy from the experts, one American and one German, to see where we may go from here. This is way better than that one political science class I took in college and almost makes me want to go to grad school.

Illuminating, subtle, and necessary in a time when democracy is threatened.

Stars and Stripes Forever!

Oh my, just what I needed in these sad, fraught times. You make it so necessary to think about what I think and why I think what I do about what others think. For me that’s the most healthy and helpful way to get through it all.

Punditry simply about democracy is scarce. Either pundits assume we live in a democracy or they are cynically alarmist (where their alarmism has an ulterior motive or they verge on complete despair, which is never helpful). This podcast provides a novel and much-needed focus on where American democracy stands and how we can strengthen it. I would like to see them dive deeper into what “democracy” actually means to them, because I think we often conflate democracy with simple majoritarian democracy; but, that’s more of a wish than a criticism.

I miss Perry but Lily and Thomas continue to do a great job

Very informative I just wish they posted more frequently

Simply superb. Now my favorite political podcast. Lilliana Mason is a political scientist at John Hopkins University; Thomas Zimmer is a visiting historian at Georgetown University. Each combines academic knowledge and rigor with a gift for clarity, and for passion without shoutiness. As the show's description indicates, they discuss the ongoing conflict over how much democracy there's left in America; how much democracy there should be instead; and whom democracy should benefit. (Hint: the answer is everybody. Equally.) You get excellent integration of deeper, more generalized insights with discussions of current news. Highest recommendation.

They get into the depth of an issue and give great analysis.

It is a slay podcast, love listening to it!

These guys bring clarity and thoughtfulness to topics that are cluttered and that deform our typical narrative. Great stuff

A brilliant deep dive into the issues of the day with the historical and political context to make it all begin to make sense.

a brilliant podcast that manages to make accessible the divergent and complex political and cultural issues of the day.

Is This Democracy is a refreshingly frank and insightful take on the state of democracy in the United States. They break down the enormous flaws in the common “balanced” or “centrist” approach to political coverage and present a factual, scholarly, and pro-democracy perspective on the United States. This show is clear, powerful, and desperately needed in our current political climate.

This is the democracy beat. I can’t recommend this enough for anyone who leans left, or anyone “left-curious.”