Angst & Daisies

"Cave Operatur," Solidarity Forever!To open the new year Caroline and Steve talk with writer/actor/activist Michael Cavadias, organizer for Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in New York. In the wide ranging discussion the gang talks about the history of socialism in America, the resurgence of organized socialism and the political gains made in the last election by DSA and what they plan for the future.

From the Couch to the Streets; Birth of an Activist the Year in Review...In the year-end podcast, Caroline and Steve review the year and talk about all the people they've met along the way. What they learn is the common trait of all the people they've met; a concern not for themselves but for their community! Happy New Year to all our listeners, and we are so excited to continue the journey and bring you the most inspiring people in the Resistance!

Be Careful When You Tell a Joke You Don't Become the Punchline!When Atlantic County Freeholder John Carman posted a meme demeaning women to his Facebook page on the eve of the Women's March at best he thought he'd give a few of his friends a laugh. The thought that the beginning of the end of his political career started when he hit the "Post" button never entered his mind, but when this week's guest, Ashley Bennett, didn't like the response from her Freeholder she decided to run for his office, the first political campaign she ever attempted... With the help of family and friends and a clear set of issues the concerned her community, she persisted all the way to an electoral victory! Angst & Daisies is so grateful the Freeholder-elect took time out of her schedule to tell us her story, she inspired us, and we hope she will inspire you as well!

Sometimes You Have to Take a Moment to Party Like It's 1999!In the wake of decisive victories for Democrats in New Jersey and Virginia, Caroline and Steve take a moment to enjoy the fruits of the hard work of the Resistance! We recap wins in seats that flipped from Republican to Democrat, as well as gains made by people who identify as Socialists, and cheer for the first transgender woman elected to the Virginia House of Delegates! We end the show with a couple of suggestions about what you can do after the final balloon drops because after this party ends the work continues! We aren't over by a long shot!

Report from the Women's Convention: When in Doubt Kick Him in the Nuts!In this episode Friend of the Cast, Suzi Dietz, reports on what she learned in the recent Women's Convention in Detroit. Caroline and Steve talk to Suzi about the conferences, topics, and strategies she attended at the first Wome's Convention organized by the Women's March. It always seems to come back to the same thing... Think globally, act locally!

Take Back Cheapside!It is our great honor to speak with DeBraun Thomas, one of the founders of the citizen action group Take Back Cheapside of Lexington, KY. After years of activism, dialogue, protest and political lobbying a group of active citizens got the City of Lexington, KY to remove two confederate statutes that stood for 100 years. Their story is an inspiration to every person working to make change in their community; we know they inspire us!

"Preciosa" One month after Hurricane Maria ripped through the island of Puerto Rico Caroline and Steve get an on the ground report about what is really happening! Our friends get a phone report from Sofia Gallisá Muriente, co-director of Beta-Local, an art cooperative based in Old San Juan. Sofia has been actively working both everyday relief as well as coordinating assistance to the many artists who call the island home. Applying the vast experience from her tireless work she did in the Rockaways in New York as part of Occupy Sandy, she gives an insight that is both realistic and optimistic! Finally, she gives us direction on where and how we can help!

Viva Las Vegas; Please Don’t Shoot the DaisiesIn the wake of the massacre of 58 people at a Las Vegas music festival Caroline and Steve spend this episode discussing the the history and current state of gun laws in America. While we always try to keep the cast about what you can do in your community, this episode finds Steve in an out of control rant (or two) about the inability of this nation to face what really needs to be done to ensure we don’t wake up to another instance of mass murder. The episode ends with a plea for help for the people of Puerto Rico who have largely been ignored by the government judged by the response on the ground on the island. We’re getting greater and greater every day!

"Birth of an Activist"Caroline and Steve join Rise and Resist’s demonstration against the racism inherent in the Trump Administration at New York’s Grand Central Station. This is Caroline’s first political demonstration and she is impressed with RaR’s organization and commitment to keeping order as well as one Trump supporter’s tenacity at stalking and attempting (unsuccessfully) to provoke the crowd. Along the way we speak to commuters and reporters and Caroline even gets interviewed for French TV! When it’s all said and done Caroline realizes how empowering and sometimes scary the whole experience was for her!

Political Therapy With Bob DavisonWhen Steve's anger and hostility towards Trump voting Harvey and Irma victims becomes more than Caroline can tolerate our friends head out to get some political therapy with Bob Davison the Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris County. Bob’s a licensed therapist who’s self professed progressive pragmatism ends up being the perfect salve for the psychic wounds our friends are feeling! Breathe everyone!Music in this episode: Matt Duncan - "The Keys" https://mattduncan.bandcamp.com/track/the-keysmilf - "Angst and Daisies" & "Certain People Shouldn't Lie"Stephen Trask and Peter Yanowitz - "Travis Breathe Reprise"

London Calling!Ever wonder what our country looks like from the foreign perspective? Well a good friend of Steve's, Simon From London, comes on the show from via Skype. We talk about how the current President is seen overseas, what the effect of the election has been on British politics, and we even get a little Brexit talk in for good measure!

It's the Return of Dave, The Republican!Marking his command return to the Cast, Dave The Republican comes back to share his views on all things from his vantage point of center right. Has he had enough of the ineptitude, the lies, the Gaslighting from the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? Tune and find out! Here's a hint, Dave's a party guy, and we don't think he thinks the party's over!

If you are not outraged you are not paying attention: In Memoriam Heather Heyer. The day after Charlottesville, Caroline cannot move. And Steve agrees it is a day we all need to sit and grieve. Tune in to Caroline asking Steve’s questions about where we go from here. Like can a President be removed from office for being morally unfit? The answer is yes. You will be surprised to learn many things today as we pick ourselves up to continue our work.

"Sometimes the Couch is a Good Place to Be!"While Caroline really wanted to spend the day at the beach (ha!) Steve need a day of rest after a long two weeks of running around! But it's good time to catch up and see what's going on in the world of American politics. There's talk of just how impeachment might go down (spoiler alert it's still a long way away!), when the Mid-Terms are and what you can do and just what exactly an Emolument is anyway! As always, we encourage you to get out there and get involved!

"Give Peace a Chance"Remember this? There was a time when nuclear weapons was one of our biggest concerns. Today meet Rosemarie Pace who has never stopped caring about our future, a future she works for, so we can live in a world without nuclear arms. Join her and Pax Christi as they memorialize the 72nd anniversary of the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.In all the political chatter coming in over the air waves we rarely hear the word peace. Where are our present day peace activists? Right here on this episode of Angst and Daisies.

"Breaking Up With Bad Habits - A Talk with Dr. Dan Schatz"At the very moment the US Senate voted to move forward with the Republican plan to take healthcare away from tens of millions of citizens we recorded the show in Kalustyan's, a market near Bellevue Hospital, where we met Dr Dan Schatz, an outspoken champion of marginalize people with addiction and substance abuse problems. Our talk ranged from facts about the current opioid epidemic, public policy on mental health and addiction treatment, and, of course, what the repeal of the ACA would mean for the people under Dr Schatz' care (as well as people in general). In the end Caroline asks the most important question: "What can we do?" and Dr. Schatz reaffirms the essential message of most of the guests on the cast....

"Remember That Time Your Congressman Tried to Get You Fired, and Other Stories From the Resistance"In today's episode the Podcast tries something new with a phone-in interview with Saily Avelenda of NJ 11th for Change. Saily updates us on NJ 11th's activities, as well as recounting the time Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen sent a letter to her boss complaining that she was a "Ringleader" of a radical group of concerned citizens expressing their First Amendment rights! Nevertheless, she persisted! While she may not be at her job anymore, it's freed up her time to work for NJ 11th and take a moment to speak with us! #RoleModel

The ABC's of the IDCAs Caroline returns from her family wedding & 4th of July vacation she ace's her "Who Are My Representatives" test! But when she didn't get the IDC extra credit question Steve gets her off the couch to visit his friend Betsy Malcolm a local activist working with Rise and Resist. After explaining some of the CRAZY in's and out's of the IDC and Albany politics, the discussion turns to our current predicament in national politics and how, ironically, an email may bring down the 45th President of the United States! A good time was had by all!

When on Vacation Play the Dave the Republican Show!While Caroline goes on an extended family vacation/wedding Steve mans the Podcast and plays what will be an ongoing series within the show called "Dave the Republican." From time to time our crew will be checking in with Steve's HocusPOTUS Podcast partner, Dave, to see if Donald Trump has "crossed the line" with Republicans who didn't support him in the election, but think the Resistance is ill advised. This episode was about a month old but we wanted to get it out there to establish where the middle of the field Republican mindset was at! Don't worry, next week is an off the couch episode we know you will like!

"You're killing my chance to be the Richard Simmons of politics….."Steve tries to get Caroline off the couch but the news is so fast and furious that Caroline cannot go out and resist until she gets some answers about the state of current affairs. So Steve agrees to catch her up on the events of the past week exacting a promise from her that she will rally for next week. Caroline shows she never saw Schoolhouse Rock so they talk about “how a bill becomes a law,” so “is it normal to lock yourself to in a room and only speak to the other people in that room?” and it goes all over the place from there. In the end all politics is local and Caroline’s promised to learn all her elected representatives by next week when they'll get off the couch and take a look at race in America, well in New Jersey anyway…..