
Stay Informed
There are many excellent news sources covering the state of our democracy and of the world. This is not a complete list, but these are sources that some members of ICO recommend. The list is divided into sections for YouTube/Podcasts, Substacks/Newsletters, Non-Partisan News Aggregators, Readings, and Other Websites.
YouTube/Podcasts:
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (insights into how Congress works behind the scenes)
James Talarico (Texas State Rep who discusses White Christian Nationalism)
Meidas Touch Network (independent pro-democracy news network)
Legal AF (Michael Popok, legal commentary on Meidas Touch Network)
Brian Tyler Cohen (progressive political commentary)
Democracy Watch w/ Marc Elias, top voting rights lawyer and Democracy Docket founder
The Legal Breakdown w/Glenn Kirschner, former federal prosecutor
Justice Matters (Glenn Kirschner, analysis and insight into legal issues of the day)
The Bulwark (Tim Miller, a never-Trump Republican, and others providing political commentary)
The Politics Girl (political commentary and analysis)
Luke Beasley (snide and humorous political commentary)
Tennessee Brando (commentary from a rural POV, part of the Midas Touch Network)
Crooked Media (multiple podcasts and activism opportunities from former Obama staffers)
Mr. Global (oil and gas expert with insight into global affairs)
Substack/Newsletters:
Democracy Docket (Marc Elias, top voting rights lawyer and Democracy Docket founder)
Letters from an American (Heather Cox Richardson, historian)
The Bulwark (pro-democracy posts from Sara Longwell, pollster, and others)
The Contrarian (Jen Rubin & Norm Eisen, journalism in defense of democracy)
Democracy Defender (anonymous federal employee writing about what public servants are doing to save democracy)
Grassroots Connector (reporting on innovative grassroots projects and the latest research on voter contact strategies)
Chop Wood, Carry Water (Jess Craven, with easy, effective political actions to take to stave off despair)
Non-Partisan News Aggregators:
Ground News (shows how different media are reacting to news events and stories)
Straight Arrow News (SAN) (“fact-based reporting and hearing from both sides”)
Readings:
Pranksters vs. Autocrats: Why Dilemma Actions Advance Nonviolent Activism
Other Websites:
Alt National Park Service on BlueSky, Facebook, and Instagram (park service employees discussing environmental issues and protecting public lands)
Center for Constitutional Rights (dedicated to advancing and protecting the rights guaranteed by the Constitution)
Daily Kos (news and commentary devoted to electing more and better Democrats)
The Brennan Center (crafts innovative policies and fights for them in Congress and the courts)
Ohio Capital Journal (local nonprofit news organization)