Political Dharma

Nov 04 2024 139 ep. 28 mins

Political Dharma Podcast artwork

Alan hosts a regular video/podcast on politics and its historical, ethical, spiritual, and activist aspects. Alan has been a political science professor, a meditation teacher, and a mental health counselor as well as a political activist. For more information go to www.politicaldharma.com. Opening and closing music courtesy of composers Joey Helpish and Patty Rose; check out strpod.com.

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Presidential candidates Jill Stein, Cornel West, & Claudia De la Cruz agree to cooperate

Nov 04 2024 13 mins

Presidential candidate Claudia De la Cruz of the Party of Socialism and Liberation has entered into agreements with both independent candidate Cornel West and Jill Stein of the Green Party to cooperate in helping each other's campaigns. I talk about their agreement and what it may mean for future challenges to the two major parties.

Nov. 2, 2024: RFK, Jill Stein & other candidate updates, plus Trump's "little secret"

Nov 02 2024 35 mins

I give updates on alternative Presidential candidates such as former candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Green Party candidate Jill Stein, and Libertarian Party candidate Chase Oliver, including court cases involving ballot access, RFK's future role in a Trump administration, and polling showing the candidates' likely support among voters. I also reveal what Donald Trump's "little sec

Politics, spirituality, and this election

Oct 29 2024 26 mins

I talk about the fear, anger and confusion surrounding this election season and how I understand it from my own spiritual perspective. My discussion includes counter-acting fear, anger, and division; what spirituality means to me; the background of my own views on spirituality and politics; and how I understand politics and political activism.

Oct. 25, 2024: What to watch for this election--major parties, alternative candidates, voting reform

Oct 25 2024 31 mins

What to watch for in the upcoming election results: how the major party coalitions will be affected; what percent of the vote candidates such as Jill Stein, Chase Oliver and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are able to get; and how voting method reform initiatives do in several states.

Thoughts on which Presidential candidate to vote for

Oct 22 2024 23 mins

To be transparent with viewers about my perspective on the Presidential race, I explain my thoughts on which candidate I will--and won't--be voting for.

Oct. 19, 2024: The Party System Shake-up

Oct 19 2024 34 mins

I examine how group loyalties are shifting between the Democratic, Republican, Green and Libertarian Parties, the dependence of the Libertarian Party on fundraising with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the migration of Libertarians into new Liberal Parties, and what all this means for a potential major realignment of the party ecosystem.

Oct. 12, 2024: Assessing the Presidential candidate coalitions

Oct 12 2024 58 mins

I explain the coalitions that back five Presidential candidates: Democrat Kamala Harris, Republican Donald Trump, Libertarian Chase Oliver, the Green Party's Jill Stein, and former independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.. I also give some historical background on the shifting coalitions of the Democratic and Republican Parties and give my considerations about who to vote for.

Why the U.S. has a two-party system and what can be done about it

Oct 09 2024 23 mins

I discuss the historical origins of the two-party system in the creation of the office of U.S. President, the vote splitting dynamic and its results, and how the party system can be reformed to be more responsive to voters.

Oct. 5, 2024: Minor parties & open primaries

Oct 05 2024 40 mins

I give updates on the RFK-to-Trump voters and the Green Party strategy in New York, and then give an extensive explanation of what open primaries are and how current reform initiatives could impact independent and minor party candidates.

Sept. 29, 2024: Updates on RFK, Jill Stein, etc. plus a discussion of ranked choice voting

Sep 29 2024 35 mins

I give updates on court decisions in ballot access cases involving Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Jill Stein, examine an article purporting to show who RFK supporters intend to vote for, explain ranked choice voting, and show where you can do a mock Presidential vote using different voting methods.