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Francis Moore “Frankie” Lappe, the legendary author of Diet for a Small Planet, returns with co-author Adam Eichen to talk about the fight to restore democracy in the United States.Their new book is Daring Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning and Connection for the America We Want, and their collaboration developed during the 10-day Democracy Spring march from Philadelphia to Washington in 2016. They make an interesting duo, with a 49-year age difference, bringing different perspectives to their common mission.
We open with discussion of the anti-democracy networks funded by the Koch brothers and other wealthy people, greasing the way to legislative majorities that represent a minority of voters. As Lappe and Eichen explain, the money unleashed by Citizens United and the gerrymandering enabled by one-party rule of 32 states have delivered control to minorities captive to the wealthy interests.
Eichen explains how his participation in Occupy Wall Street informed and motivated his desire to expand democracy. Lappe details the public funding of campaigns now used in Maine, Eichen promotes ranked-choice voting, and PBC talks about the Green Party coalition that took back Richmond, California from the clutches of Chevron and how California’s independent redistricting commission ended gerrymandering here.
Lappe and Eichen offer some concrete ways that each of us can get involved and expand democracy, and invite you to connect with their Field Guide to Democracy, here, which is being developed now.