Bloc Party
Bloc Party is a show about the fight for the soul of the Democratic Party, featuring progressive champions challenging the status quo from inside the halls of power and the organizers transforming the party’s agenda from the outside.
Episodes
June 29, 2023 • 60 mins
This week we’re talking about the labor movement and the political left. How can they support one another? Is the impending UPS workers strike a redux of their successful win in 1997? What are the political implications of a massive workers strike?
This episode is a companion to our recent Bloc Doc video release, “UPS Strike: Lessons from ‘97”. Our old friend Jeremy Flood comes back to interview Jacobin staff writer Alex Press abou...
This episode is a companion to our recent Bloc Doc video release, “UPS Strike: Lessons from ‘97”. Our old friend Jeremy Flood comes back to interview Jacobin staff writer Alex Press abou...
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June 15, 2023 • 57 mins
In this episode, six JD staffers get in touch with their inner high school debate team identity and battle it out.
Are progressives too online? Should the left run for president in 2024? Is it more impactful to organize around federal or local politics? Do you eat your rice with a fork or a spoon? We’re engaging with the hard hitting topics of today’s discourse.
We promised a lighter, fun episode and here it is!
Do you have a debat...
Are progressives too online? Should the left run for president in 2024? Is it more impactful to organize around federal or local politics? Do you eat your rice with a fork or a spoon? We’re engaging with the hard hitting topics of today’s discourse.
We promised a lighter, fun episode and here it is!
Do you have a debat...
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June 2, 2023 • 73 mins
How does the Israeli government maintain the invisibility of Palestinian dehumanization? For progress to take place, will Israelis have to stand up to their own government, or will that pressure have to come from the outside?
In Part 2 of our series about our staffers’ recent trip to Israel-Palestine, Alex and Amira share with Waleed some of the more personal moments of witnessing occupation from their time spent with the IMEU (Inst...
In Part 2 of our series about our staffers’ recent trip to Israel-Palestine, Alex and Amira share with Waleed some of the more personal moments of witnessing occupation from their time spent with the IMEU (Inst...
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May 18, 2023 • 72 mins
Why do Americans see the Palestinian struggle as “complex?” What does it mean to live under occupation? How does the U.S. “see something, say nothing” policy affect military occupation and continued settlement expansions?
In Part 1 of this two episode series, Amira & Alexandra speak with Diana Buttu about their recent trip to Israel-Palestine with the IMEU. Diana helps contextualize the ongoing protests in Israel, the role the...
In Part 1 of this two episode series, Amira & Alexandra speak with Diana Buttu about their recent trip to Israel-Palestine with the IMEU. Diana helps contextualize the ongoing protests in Israel, the role the...
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How do progressives navigate holding new found power? How much power should be wielded and when? Should we interpret the IRA as a victory or a loss?
Acclaimed documentary director, producer, & cinematographer Rachel Lears (Knock Down the House, 2019) (The Hand that Feeds, 2014) joins Alex on the Bloc this week with some behind the scenes intel on the making of her latest feature documentary, To the End.
To the End captures the e...
Acclaimed documentary director, producer, & cinematographer Rachel Lears (Knock Down the House, 2019) (The Hand that Feeds, 2014) joins Alex on the Bloc this week with some behind the scenes intel on the making of her latest feature documentary, To the End.
To the End captures the e...
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April 20, 2023 • 60 mins
When anti-trans legislation floods state legislation across the country, it affects all of us. To quote Amira, “This will sink your boat too, bitch!”
Journalist Erin Reed joins Becca to break down some of the FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTY TWO (and counting) egregious bills targeting trans people and their families, review this latest tactic in the right’s assault on trans rights and bodily autonomy, and discuss what progressives can and...
Journalist Erin Reed joins Becca to break down some of the FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTY TWO (and counting) egregious bills targeting trans people and their families, review this latest tactic in the right’s assault on trans rights and bodily autonomy, and discuss what progressives can and...
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April 6, 2023 • 71 mins
Can cable TV be useful for progressives? What about broadcast media makes it difficult to communicate as a progressive… or are progressives going about our approach to being on TV the wrong way?
Meet your instructor, Waleed Shahid! In this episode, Waleed walks Becca, Usamah, and Pod Producer Sophie through a media literacy training. You’ll hear from some voices you may recognize from your regular cable TV programming, and then the...
Meet your instructor, Waleed Shahid! In this episode, Waleed walks Becca, Usamah, and Pod Producer Sophie through a media literacy training. You’ll hear from some voices you may recognize from your regular cable TV programming, and then the...
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March 23, 2023 • 66 mins
It’s a double-crossover special with Michael from the illustrious 5-4 Podcast (a very beloved show to those of us here at JD) and Group Chat veteran Eleni Schirmer from the Debt Collective. They join Waleed to review how oral arguments went down in last month’s Supreme Court cases that could make or break Biden’s student loan cancellation initiative.
First, Michael & Waleed chat about how SCOTUS & minority rule keep getting...
First, Michael & Waleed chat about how SCOTUS & minority rule keep getting...
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March 9, 2023 • 49 mins
You’ve heard of the anti-CRT movement… but have you caught wind of ESG, the latest acronym that Republicans have weaponized in their anti-woke crusade? ESG investments have entered the chat in a big way - but it’s not the easiest topic to comprehend. So we brought an expert in to help us break down who the players are, clarify the mess of jargon that’s being tossed around, and why any of this should matter to us on the left.
Journ...
Journ...
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February 23, 2023 • 50 mins
Movement School has acted as one of the core building bloc(k)s for Justice Democrats since day 1…so it’s high time we chatted with Movement School Director Ilona Duverge about its origin story, how she and her team navigate the pressures of the dusty, crusty consultant class, and why providing the tools, networks, tips & tricks for budding multiracial working-class campaign staffers across the country not only helps candidates ...
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February 9, 2023 • 64 mins
New year, new hosts, AND new guests on the Bloc! Amira is joined by our newest host and Gen Z rep from the JD staff, Becca Rose. Becca read too many Bloomberg articles about inflation and has some questions like, “Why do economists think that the pathway to a healthy economy is to lay off millions of working people?” and “Why is Bloomberg telling me the economy is great when we literally can’t afford to eat three meals a day?” and ...
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January 26, 2023 • 62 mins
Welcome back to the Bloc! Your newly minted hosts of Bloc Party, Amira Hassan & Waleed Shahid are ready to rumble for Season 3. We’re bringing on more staff this season from Justice Democrats & Organize for Justice… aka some of the best of the best when it comes to folks fighting for the soul of the Democratic Party.
This week, we’re talking about Kevin, the never-Kevins, the I-guess-it’s-fine-we’ll-take-him-Kevins, and w...
This week, we’re talking about Kevin, the never-Kevins, the I-guess-it’s-fine-we’ll-take-him-Kevins, and w...
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November 17, 2022 • 53 mins
JD Staffers review the triumphs of 2022 midterms in our Bloc Party: Season 2 finale. Justice Democrats Summer Lee & Greg Casar are going to Congress! Summer Lee beat out AIPAC for a second time in her general election, overcoming $10 million in attack ads.
What should we take away from the surprising lack of a red wave? In our last episode our staffers discussed what they thought was driving the electorate to the polls. Did we ge...
What should we take away from the surprising lack of a red wave? In our last episode our staffers discussed what they thought was driving the electorate to the polls. Did we ge...
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October 28, 2022 • 90 mins
What are the 2022 midterms actually about? A referendum on Biden? Whatever pundits say the top issues are? Or is it something else?
In a two part episode, Justice Democrats staffers (ft. a guest from Left Rising) take some bets on the wins/losses the Democratic party is about to experience in November before sitting down to investigate what ads Dems are running and what ads are being run against them. What do the polls/propaganda pi...
In a two part episode, Justice Democrats staffers (ft. a guest from Left Rising) take some bets on the wins/losses the Democratic party is about to experience in November before sitting down to investigate what ads Dems are running and what ads are being run against them. What do the polls/propaganda pi...
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September 29, 2022 • 65 mins
Americans aged 62 and older are the fastest-growing demographic of student borrowers.
In July, Journalist Eleni Schirmer’s New Yorker article “The Aging Student Debtors of America,” featured the story of Betty Anne, a 91 year old woman with $330,000 in student loans – and Justice Democrats’ Lead Video Producer Jeremy Flood’s grandmother.
In this episode, Jeremy and Eleni unpack the impact of Eleni’s reporting and what it’s meant to ...
In July, Journalist Eleni Schirmer’s New Yorker article “The Aging Student Debtors of America,” featured the story of Betty Anne, a 91 year old woman with $330,000 in student loans – and Justice Democrats’ Lead Video Producer Jeremy Flood’s grandmother.
In this episode, Jeremy and Eleni unpack the impact of Eleni’s reporting and what it’s meant to ...
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July 20, 2022 • 59 mins
It’s Sunday June 26th, 2022 – two days after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade – and President Joe Biden knows what he needs to do.
Biden needed to announce his endorsement to Rep. Danny Davis, the 25-year incumbent in Chicago’s bluest Congressional district, IL-07. Two days before polls opened in a primary contest between a quarter-century incumbent and Kina Collins, a grassroots organizer against gun violence in Rep. Davis’...
Biden needed to announce his endorsement to Rep. Danny Davis, the 25-year incumbent in Chicago’s bluest Congressional district, IL-07. Two days before polls opened in a primary contest between a quarter-century incumbent and Kina Collins, a grassroots organizer against gun violence in Rep. Davis’...
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May 31, 2022 • 53 mins
She can relax a little now. The PA-12 results are certified. The victory is locked in.
So current State House Rep. Lee, the expected Congresswoman-elect from Pennsylvania’s 12th district, sat down with Amira Hassan to tell us the WHOLE story.
How did Summer Lee get so deep in the progressive political revolution brewing in Pittsburgh? What does it actually look like to build grassroots power by organizing at the local level, and ele...
So current State House Rep. Lee, the expected Congresswoman-elect from Pennsylvania’s 12th district, sat down with Amira Hassan to tell us the WHOLE story.
How did Summer Lee get so deep in the progressive political revolution brewing in Pittsburgh? What does it actually look like to build grassroots power by organizing at the local level, and ele...
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May 24, 2022 • 23 mins
In the final weeks before Pennsylvania’s May 17th primaries, SuperPACs affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee spent millions of dollars in the 12th district, nearly all on TV ads attacking Summer Lee and boosting corporate lawyer Steve Irwin.
Summer Lee narrowly won. How? And what might other progressive candidates, campaign managers, communications strategists, and organizers learn from the resilience of the S...
Summer Lee narrowly won. How? And what might other progressive candidates, campaign managers, communications strategists, and organizers learn from the resilience of the S...
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May 17, 2022 • 54 mins
Group Chat is back with Guido, Amira, and returning guest Mary Small (National Legislative Director of Indivisible) to process what f*** happened with President Biden’s Build Back Better bill.
When did Build Back Better die? It died when the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan infrastructure package – but wasn’t it doomed before then? Could the negotiations over Biden’s domestic agenda in 2021 have gone any differently? D...
When did Build Back Better die? It died when the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan infrastructure package – but wasn’t it doomed before then? Could the negotiations over Biden’s domestic agenda in 2021 have gone any differently? D...
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March 20, 2022 • 19 mins
A bonus group chat with two seasoned professionals of the political left.
Two operatives who went up against the Cuellar machine in TX-28 share stories from the frontlines and pitch some provocative theories.
In the DMs: Ava Benezra, the organizer who’s been driving the JD campaign machine since before The Plague began. We recorded just after she'd worked her last day as the (former) JD campaigns director.
Alongside Ava, a Bloc Party...
Two operatives who went up against the Cuellar machine in TX-28 share stories from the frontlines and pitch some provocative theories.
In the DMs: Ava Benezra, the organizer who’s been driving the JD campaign machine since before The Plague began. We recorded just after she'd worked her last day as the (former) JD campaigns director.
Alongside Ava, a Bloc Party...
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