Episode 1: Democracy

Over the past decade, it has become increasingly clear that democracy is being tested like never before in the post-World War era. For those who viewed the COVID era differently from the mainstream media, that period starkly demonstrated how easily democracy can be subverted, rights stripped away, and censorship entrenched. Meanwhile, from the opposing perspective, the mainstream media has framed Donald Trump’s rise as a return to authoritarianism and a direct threat to democracy.

In this episode, Alistair and Maree look at the events surrounding the inauguration of Donald Trump and the forces behind his whirlwind first two weeks in office that are turning the American democracy upside down. Is what he is doing subverting or saving democracy? And then Alistair interviews Jeffrey Tucker from the Brownstone Institute for the view from the US, and Maree talks with New Zealand's Elizabeth Rata about how the Treaty of Waitangi debate and our education system are affecting our democracy here in New Zealand.