How to Fix It with John Avlon

Politicians, pundits, and the media spend a lot of time talking about the problems our country faces but not enough time on how to solve them. Each week, John Avlon and his guests hash out sensible and attainable solutions for some of the most vexing issues confronting our democracy—solutions that will likely emerge from the political center.

Episodes

S2 Ep50: Adam Kinzinger: I Hate It, But Newsom is Right About Redistricting

November 16, 2025 • 31 mins

Former congressman and January 6 Committee member Adam Kinzinger joins John Avlon to talk about fixing what’s broken, from using Russia’s own frozen cash to rebuild Ukraine, to confronting Trump-era corruption, to why Democrats have to “fight fire with fire” on redistricting. They also dive into the cost of moral courage, what it means to be a “good Republican” in the MAGA age, and how to break Washington’s pay-to-play cycle.<...

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S2 Ep49: Ken Burns: The Revolutionaries Were Exactly Like Us

November 9, 2025 • 48 mins

Ken Burns joins John Avlon for a conversation that feels like a pep talk America desperately needs. From the messy, human story of the Revolution to the warning signs we’re ignoring today, Burns makes the case that our past isn’t a museum piece, it’s a manual for saving the country.

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S2 Ep48: Patrick Radden Keefe: Trump Broke Journalism’s Laws of Physics | How to Fix It

November 2, 2025 • 44 mins

Investigative journalist Patrick Radden Keefe joins John Avlon to unpack what Northern Ireland’s “Troubles” can teach America about polarization, violence, and the fight for truth. From the lessons of Say Nothing to the perils of propaganda, they trace how societies unravel, and how we can stop it before it’s too late.

Keefe also dives into his craft, fact-checking at The New Yorker, writing like a novelist, and keepi...

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S2 Ep47: The Little State That Could Save Democracy ( with Larry Lessig)

October 26, 2025 • 45 mins

Harvard law professor and democracy reformer Larry Lessig is taking on the big money machine. In Maine, he’s helping defend a ballot initiative that bans super PACs, backed by a stunning 75% of voters. If he wins, this case could crack Citizens United wide open and bring campaign finance reform to the entire country. This might just be the moment to end dark money’s grip on American politics.

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S2 Ep46: How to FIGHT Mob Boss Politics in America (w Sen. Andy Kim)

October 19, 2025 • 33 mins

John Avlon talks with Senator Andy Kim about Trump’s “mob boss” politics, the rise of fear inside the GOP, and Kim’s plan to build an anti-corruption movement that takes on what he calls “the cowards and the crazies.”

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S2 Ep45: “Stop and Frisk” Didn’t Work. This Did.

October 12, 2025 • 43 mins

Does “broken windows” policing actually work? John Avlon and John Miller dig into how a small idea changed New York City — and why it still sparks huge debates today. It’s a lesson in data, strategy, and how crime narratives get twisted for politics.

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S2 Ep44: Are We Really Headed for a Second Civil War?

October 5, 2025 • 41 mins

Are we really close to a second civil war? John Avlon talks with Barbara F. Walter, author of How Civil Wars Start and How to Stop Them, about the dangerous warning signs in America today. From democratic decline to political violence and Trump’s authoritarian playbook. But it’s not just doom: Walter lays out real solutions, from regulating social media algorithms to empowering citizens through peaceful resistance and local re...

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S2 Ep43: Trump’s DOJ Revenge Scheme Could Shatter the Country (w. Elie Honig)

September 28, 2025 • 34 mins

John Avlon sits down with CNN’s Elie Honig to unpack Trump’s escalating war on the rule of law. From the flimsy indictment of James Comey to the replacement of seasoned prosecutors with political lackeys, they trace how Trump is dismantling the Justice Department’s independence. Drawing lessons from Watergate to January 6th, they warn of the dangers ahead, and explore what reforms are needed to rebuild guardrails and protect d...

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S2 Ep42: Goldman Calls Out Trump’s FBI Over Epstein Cover-Up (w/ Rep. Dan Goldman)

September 21, 2025 • 34 mins

Rep. Dan Goldman joins John Avlon to rip into the FBI’s Epstein cover-up, Trump’s attacks on free speech, and the GOP’s cowardice on healthcare and democracy.

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S2 Ep41: Can Libertarians & Centrists Save Democracy?

September 14, 2025 • 48 mins

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, John Avlon and libertarian thinker Nick Gillespie dive into America’s rising tide of political violence, and how reckless rhetoric fuels it. They explore Trump’s authoritarian drift, from tariffs and National Guard deployments to state capitalism that looks more like Xi Jinping than Ronald Reagan. Can new coalitions of centrists and libertarians push back against MAGA’s illiberal tu...

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S2 Ep40: Trump’s Blunders Hand China an Edge (w/ Nicholas Burns)

September 7, 2025 • 36 mins

John Avlon sits down with Ambassador Nicholas Burns, who served as US Ambassador to China from 2021 to 2025. They discuss how Donald Trump’s foreign policy blunders are weakening America and strengthening China. From alienating India with sky-high tariffs, to undermining alliances with Japan and South Korea, to wavering on tech restrictions and Taiwan, Trump’s choices are giving Beijing an edge. They also talk about China’s ma...

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S2 Ep39: Wes Moore: “I Will Bow Down to No One!”

August 31, 2025 • 28 mins

Maryland Governor Wes Moore joins John Avlon to talk about leadership, service, and solutions. From cutting Baltimore’s homicide rate by 40%, to pioneering a statewide service year for young people, to rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge in record time, Moore lays out how states can lead where Washington fails. He also opens up about clashes with Donald Trump, the challenges of navigating federal politics, and what Democra...

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S2 Ep38: Citizens United Almost Broke Democracy. Here’s the Fix.

August 24, 2025 • 41 mins

Jeff Clements joins John Avlon to talk about the For Our Freedom Amendment aims to put power back in the hands of people, not money, by allowing Congress and states to set limits on political spending. History shows that even in America’s most divided times, from the Civil War to the 1960s, bold constitutional amendments have passed, proof that big changes are possible in moments of crisis.

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S2 Ep37: National Service Could Reunite America (w/ Stanley McChrystal)

August 17, 2025 • 40 mins

In this episode of How to Fix It, General Stanley McChrystal joins John Avlon to reflect on the themes of his latest book on character and how personal integrity shapes public leadership. McChrystal argues that character isn’t just about ideals—it’s the product of values and the discipline to live them out. He believes America is suffering a national character erosion, and that rebuilding democratic norms must start from the g...

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S2 Ep36: America’s Losing the AI Race to China (with Matt Pottinger)

August 10, 2025 • 43 mins

John Avlon and long time friend Matt Pottinger reconnect to talk global security, U.S.–China relations, artificial intelligence, and the health of democracy. They reflect on their shared history, Pottinger’s career as a journalist and Marine, and his service in the Trump administration. The discussion explores China’s rising influence, the AI race between nations, how authoritarian regimes exploit democratic weaknesses, and wh...

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S2 Ep35: How to Fight Back Against Gerrymandering (with James Talarico)

August 6, 2025 • 20 mins

John Avlon and Texas state legislator James Talarico focus on solutions for defending democracy against partisan power grabs. Talarico outlines the Texas Democrats’ bold strategy of breaking quorum to block a mid-decade gerrymander, framing it as a model of using every available tool to protect free and fair elections. He stresses that reform must start with banning gerrymandering altogether—whether in red or blue states—to en...

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S2 Ep34: Fight Everywhere or Lose Everything! (w/ David Pepper)

August 3, 2025 • 37 mins

John Avlon talks with David Pepper about how gerrymandering is undermining democracy, Trump’s push for new congressional maps in Texas, and how everyday citizens can fight back by running for local office, registering voters, and holding corrupt officials accountable.

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S2 Ep33: How to Lower Temperatures in Cities for Next to Nothing

July 27, 2025 • 25 mins

John Avlon is joined by Greg Kats where they focus on the growing threat of urban heat waves, and how “smart surfaces” offer an affordable, effective solution. Greg Kats explains that cities are getting hotter due to heat-absorbing infrastructure like dark roofs, asphalt, and concrete. These surfaces trap heat, especially in low-income neighborhoods, leading to higher energy bills, health risks, and even deaths.These fixes don...

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S2 Ep32: How the New GOP Tax Law Screws the Middle Class

July 20, 2025 • 38 mins

John Avlon speaks with NYU law professor and former Obama/Biden advisor David Kamin about the dangers of Trump’s economic agenda and the newly passed Republican tax law. They warn that Trump’s renewed threats to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell could undermine global trust in U.S. financial stability by politicizing the central bank, potentially worsening inflation and damaging markets.
They break down the tax law’s deep unfai...

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S2 Ep31: Rural Hospitals Are the First to Go. You’re Next.

July 15, 2025 • 29 mins

John Avlon and Jonathan Cohn dive into the GOP’s renewed push to slash Medicare, exposing the real-world consequences of proposed $1 trillion cuts. What’s really at stake and why these cuts could be devastating. They unpack how these reductions would impact millions of seniors, unravel the social safety net, and fund tax breaks for the wealthy, all while political leaders try to keep it quiet.

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How to Fix It with John Avlon

Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}S2 Ep50: Adam Kinzinger: I Hate It, But Newsom is Right About Redistricting

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}S2 Ep49: Ken Burns: The Revolutionaries Were Exactly Like Us

S2 Ep48: Patrick Radden Keefe: Trump Broke Journalism’s Laws of Physics | How to Fix It

S2 Ep47: The Little State That Could Save Democracy ( with Larry Lessig)

S2 Ep46: How to FIGHT Mob Boss Politics in America (w Sen. Andy Kim)

S2 Ep45: “Stop and Frisk” Didn’t Work. This Did.

S2 Ep44: Are We Really Headed for a Second Civil War?

S2 Ep43: Trump’s DOJ Revenge Scheme Could Shatter the Country (w. Elie Honig)

S2 Ep42: Goldman Calls Out Trump’s FBI Over Epstein Cover-Up (w/ Rep. Dan Goldman)

S2 Ep41: Can Libertarians & Centrists Save Democracy?

S2 Ep40: Trump’s Blunders Hand China an Edge (w/ Nicholas Burns)

S2 Ep39: Wes Moore: “I Will Bow Down to No One!”

S2 Ep38: Citizens United Almost Broke Democracy. Here’s the Fix.

S2 Ep37: National Service Could Reunite America (w/ Stanley McChrystal)

S2 Ep36: America’s Losing the AI Race to China (with Matt Pottinger)

S2 Ep35: How to Fight Back Against Gerrymandering (with James Talarico)

S2 Ep34: Fight Everywhere or Lose Everything! (w/ David Pepper)

S2 Ep33: How to Lower Temperatures in Cities for Next to Nothing

S2 Ep32: How the New GOP Tax Law Screws the Middle Class

S2 Ep31: Rural Hospitals Are the First to Go. You’re Next.

Popular Podcasts

S2 Ep50: Adam Kinzinger: I Hate It, But Newsom is Right About Redistricting

S2 Ep49: Ken Burns: The Revolutionaries Were Exactly Like Us