The Common Good Podcast

Now We Start The Push to Political Freedom in November Elections

Now that Trump has failed at celebrating the country, and weakened us at home and across the globe, we turn our sights to the freedom that can come to our country when in November, we vote MAGA Republicans out of power. 
Doug Pagitt and Robb Ryerse talk about it on this week's podcast. 

250 years of Freedom and Freedoms lost Under Trump

Today on the Common Good Podcast, Doug Pagitt and Robb Ryerse lament the Freedoms and Hope of America lost under Trump. 

Including conversation about the current state of American democracy. Following a turbulent week of actions by Donald Trump and recent pivotal rulings from the Supreme Court, Doug and Robb break down the profound impact these events are having on foundational American liberties.

Together, they discuss why a robust, united pro-democracy movement is no longer just an ideal, but an urgent necessity to restore and protect freedom for all Americans. From shifting legal precedents to political rhetoric that challenges democratic norms, this episode examines how citizens can actively engage to safeguard the future of the nation's common good. Tune in for an insightful analysis of this week's biggest headlines and a roadmap for democratic renewal.

Who Are The Women Behind Trump & MAGA? Interview with Katie Gaddini

Doug Pagitt talks with Katie Gaddini about her new book, Esther's Army: The Christian Women Who Power The Christian Right. 

For decades, political pundits on the Left have dismissed conservative Christian women as politically passive or brainwashed—voters simply following the instructions of the men in their lives. 

But that narrative completely misses the reality on the ground. In this episode of The Common Good Podcast, host Doug Pagitt sits down solo with sociologist Dr. Katie Gaddini to discuss her groundbreaking new book, Esther's Army: The Christian Women Who Power the American Right.  

Drawing from nearly a decade of immersion, participant observation, and deep ethnographic interviews, Dr. Gaddini unpacks the massive, highly organized, and heavily female pipeline driving modern American conservatism. 

From the "Mama Bears" taking over local school boards to high-powered White House legal operatives, Gaddini pulls back the curtain on a movement of women who view themselves not as victims of a patriarchal structure, but as holy warriors appointed "for such a time as this." 

Join us for a fascinating, nuanced conversation that moves past political caricatures to explore how these strategic organizers have permanently realigned the landscape of American politics and what we can do in response. 

Toxic Waters, Cult Ties, and Trump’s Brain-Fog War

On this episode of The Common Good, hosts Doug Pagitt and Robb Ryerse dive deep into a news cycle defined by manufactured distractions and hidden influences.

The conversation begins with a sober look at the geopolitical landscape, tracking the continued danger radiating from Iran as regional instability threatens to boil over. Yet, while critical national security concerns demand the country's full attention, Donald Trump remains hyper-focused on an entirely different kind of swamp: the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The hosts unpack the administration's bizarre obsession with the botched "American Flag Blue" renovation—now a peeling, algae-ridden public relations disaster—and the outright lies and wild conspiracy theories being spun to deflect from executive incompetence.

Finally, the discussion turns to the bombshell investigative reports surrounding Tulsi Gabbard following her sudden exit from her senior national security role. Doug and Robb unpack the disturbing evidence detailing her deep, long-standing ties to a secretive religious sect. They examine how the group’s leadership actively worked behind the scenes to dictate her policy positions, raising critical questions about autonomy, judgment, and the quiet forces shaping American political power.

For a deeper look at the breaking investigations into these behind-the-scenes dynamics, you can watch this report on Tulsi Gabbard's ties. This investigative video breaks down the specific internal memos and confidential communications that detail how outside spiritual guidance directly shaped her congressional career and legislative decisions.

Pt 2 Reaching Faith Voters Michigan Rural Summit

Here is part 2 of the training we did for the Michigan Democratic Rural Caucus on Connecting with Faith Voters 

Reaching Faith Voters Pt 1 Michigan Rural Caucus Training

Fascism, Fists, Fights and Failure of a President

Welcome to *The Common Good Podcast*, the show where we actually call a circus a circus.

On today’s special Monday episode, hosts Doug Pagitt and Robb Ryerse wade through the absolute wreckage of another disastrous week for the Trump administration. First up, they take a look at the utter embarrassment over the weekend, where Trump decided the best use of presidential dignity was playing hype-man at a UFC fight—because nothing says "stable leadership" quite like clinging to cage-fighting crowds for validation.

But the nonsense doesn't stop at the arena. Doug and Robb dive into the mounting disaster in the Middle East, breaking down the administration's latest self-inflicted Iran debacle. And finally, the receipts are in: they’ll analyze the brutal new polling numbers showing the MAGA movement in a total freefall as voters finally get tired of the chaos.

It's a packed show, and the gloves are officially off.

 

Boos, Ballots, Bailouts, and Buffoonery: The Desperate Gasp of a Crumbling Ego

Title: Boos, Ballots, Bailouts, and Buffoonery: The Desperate Gasp of a Crumbling Ego
Hosts: Doug Pagitt and Robb Ryerse
Listen Time: 42 minutes of pure, unvarnished reality
Summary:
The wheels aren't just coming off the MAGA wagon—they've bounced down the highway and caused a ten-car pileup. This week, Doug and Robb take a front-row seat to the latest, loudest public meltdown of Donald Trump, and honestly? It's a trainwreck you can't look away from.
First up, the guys dissect the absolute embarrassment of his recent press interview. Watching Trump completely lose his mind under standard, baseline journalistic scrutiny wasn't just bad politics; it was a masterclass in fragile panic. It turns out that when you can't hand-pick the reporters or script the questions, actual accountability is a totally undefeated opponent.
Then, we're heading to Madison Square Garden—because nothing says "man of the people" quite like getting thoroughly booed out of a Knicks game. What happens when a man who survives entirely on heavily curated, ego-stroking rallies steps into a real-world sports arena? A thunderous, highly localized reality check. We unpack that beautiful, unfiltered chorus of boos and why everyday Americans are completely done buying the snake oil.
Finally, Doug and Robb tackle the exhausting, broken-record delusion of "stolen elections." We contrast his desperate, fictional grievances with the very real, unbelievably wasteful legacy of his time in office.
Is the movement facing an irreversible decline, or are we just watching a cornered political grift double down on pure chaos? Join us for a candid, faith-rooted, and delightfully savage conversation about truth, accountability, and actual common sense.
What We're Dragging This Week:
 * The Interview Meltdown: Why a simple Q&A sent the fragile former guy into an absolute tailspin.
 * The Garden Variety Rejection: Breaking down the Knicks game chorus of boos. Spoiler alert: regular people don't do fake.
 * The "Stolen" Delusion: Deconstructing the pathetic rerun of false election claims that absolutely everyone outside of his echo chamber is tired of hearing.
 * The Receipts on Waste: A look at the staggering, self-serving wastefulness of a leader who treated the public trust like a personal piggy bank.
Love the show? Don't keep us a secret. Leave us a scathing review on Apple Podcasts, hit subscribe on Spotify, and talk some actual sense into your timeline using the hashtag #ComingGood. Let's clean up the public square together.

Trump's Quagmire and Quitting - Dems Pick Their Candidates of Hope

Trump's 250 Flop
We are supposed to be ramping up to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, but instead of a unified national moment, the White House has turned it into a partisan vanity project. The result? High-profile organizers, artists, and corporate sponsors are quietly quitting and pulling out of the committee. It’s hard to sell a message of "national pride" when the administration’s actual governance is driving people to actively opt out of the celebration.

Quagmire in Iran
This administration's biggest, heaviest failure: their absolute inability to wrap up, de-escalate, or successfully conclude the military conflict in Iran.
 The Forever War Redux: Despite all the tough-guy rhetoric about "swift victories" and "maximum pressure," the administration has dragged the country into a costly, draining quagmire with no viable exit strategy.
 The Competency Crisis: The sheer hypocrisy of a White House trying to wave the flag for a 250-year milestone while simultaneously sending American resources and lives into an endless, unstable conflict that the public never wanted. It’s a stark, devastating display of strategic incompetence.

The Primary Takeaway: Yesterday’s Voters Send a Message
Turning to yesterday's primary results, that proves the MAGA armour is seriously cracking.
 The Anti-War Backlash: Yesterday's primary numbers show a massive surge in voter turnout, driven by a public that is deeply exhausted by foreign intervention and domestic chaos. Extreme, rubber-stamp candidates backed by the administration took major losses.
 
The Search for Sanity: While the administration is busy fighting an endless war abroad and bleeding staff at home, voters yesterday rallied behind candidates who offered a clear exit ramp—stability, structural accountability, and an absolute refusal to treat global security like a reality TV show.

Iran Deal Makes America More Vulnerable

The "Art of the Deal" or the Art of the Fold? 🤡

Trump's big bold strategy to choke out Iran just hit a brick wall, and his newly announced framework is a masterclass in backing down. Trump talked a massive game about forcing an "unconditional surrender," demanding zero nuclear enrichment, and threatening to blast Iran "back to the Stone Ages." But after a few drone strikes, a naval blockade standoff, and a spiked global gas crisis, he settled for a deal that looks like a copy-paste of the 2015 nuclear pact. 

In this episode, we expose how the administration literally negotiated against its own red lines and ended up caving to Tehran's demands just to stop the bleeding. 

Inside this episode:
🛑 How Trump’s absolute maximalist red lines completely vanished
💰 Why the U.S. is giving up $25B in frozen assets just to stop the fighting
🇨🇳 The hilarious workaround of shipping nuclear stockpiles to China 
🕊️ Why his own party is calling this a "disastrous mistake" and a massive retreat

If you love watching politicians break their own absolute promises and try to spin it as a historic victory, hit that subscribe button. 

Drop your thoughts in the comments: Did Trump just get thoroughly out-negotiated by Iran?

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Trump Has Gone Full Mob Boss

Trump Has Gone Full Mob Boss and  Acts Like a Don

Trump isn’t just bending the rules anymore — he’s desteroying them for his own benefit, and daring anyone to stop him. On this episode of Common Good, Doug Pagitt and Robb Ryerse dig into what happens when the most powerful office in the world gets treated like a family business and a protection racket rolled into one.

We’re talking about a president who has turned the federal budget into a personal slush fund, steered contracts and influence toward his family and allies, and governed with the kind of impunity that used to be reserved for the untouchable. This isn’t politics as usual. This is something different — and it deserves to be named clearly.

From the deals that benefit Trump Tower to the policy moves that pad the pockets of people closest to him, the pattern is impossible to ignore. The mob boss doesn’t need to break the law if he gets to write it. And right now, he’s writing a lot of it.

Doug and Robb don’t pull punches on this one. If you’ve been feeling the weight of what’s happening and wondering whether anyone is willing to say it out loud — this episode is for you. We believe government should serve people, not enrich the powerful. We believe the common good is worth fighting for. And we believe the first step is telling the truth about what we’re actually dealing with.

Listen. Share. And pass it along to someone who needs to hear it.

The Trump Buffoonery Continues to Damage America

From Iran to Voting, to Ballrooms and Cosplay Religious Dedications, to Dismantling Essential American Promises, this administration's cruelty and buffoonery are devastating America at home and around the world. 

We The People, are the response. 

We talk about it all today on the Common Good Podcast. 

Trump is a Broken Man Breaking a Nation

In this episode of The Common Good, host Doug Pagitt and Robb Ryerse dive into a difficult but necessary conversation: the profound internal brokenness of Donald Trump and how that personal fracture is manifesting as a national crisis.
For years, we have analyzed the policies, the tweets, and the political maneuvers. But today, we look deeper. We explore the idea that the chaos we see in our streets, our courtrooms, and our communities is a direct reflection of a leader whose own character is defined by a lack of empathy, a disregard for truth, and an insatiable need for self-preservation.
When a leader is unable to model wholeness, the nation they lead begins to splinter.
Inside the Conversation:
• The Anatomy of Brokenness: Why Donald Trump’s personal character isn't just a "private matter," but a public health hazard for our democracy.
• Mirroring the Chaos: How a presidency built on grievance and division trains a citizenry to treat one another with the same hostility.
• The Moral Reckoning: Why people of faith and conscience must move beyond "lesser of two evils" thinking to demand leaders who are fundamentally whole.
• Pathways to Healing: If the nation is breaking because the leadership is broken, how do we begin the work of repair from the ground up?
The "Common Good" isn't just a political goal; it’s a spiritual and social necessity. Join Doug and Robb as they unpack why America’s recovery depends on moving past the era of the broken man and toward a future of shared integrity.

THE ANSWER IS NOT BALLROOM

Common Good Podcast 

Alex Wagner Podcast talks with Doug Pagitt

Doug Pagitt was a guest on Runaway Nation, hosted by Alex Wagner. 

They talked about Trump and faith voters. 

 

America Turn Against Rump's Corruption

Corruption vs. The Common Good The tide is turning. This week, Doug Pagitt and Robb Ryerse dive into why more Americans are walking away from the Trump administration’s "loyalty over law" culture. It’s not just politics—it’s a moral reckoning. Why the shift? • The "Easter Miracle" Narrative: Calling aggressive military moves "divine acts" is backfiring with voters of faith. • Pay-to-Play Politics: From the DOJ to global trade, the line between public service and personal profit has vanished. • The Resistance Surge: State leaders and former allies are finally saying "enough" to federal overreach. Listen now and join the movement to put the Common Good over corruption.

Trump Called AntiChrist By His Own Followers

So this is how it ends for Trump. 
Robb Ryerse and Doug Pagitt talked about it all. 

Trump's Easter Message Drives Away the Faithful.

On this episode of the Vote Common Good podcast, Doug Pagitt and Robb Ryerse unpack one of the most jarring Easter messages ever delivered by an American president.

 

Instead of a message of peace, Donald Trump used Easter morning to issue a profanity-laced threat against Iran—warning of attacks on power plants and infrastructure and declaring the country would be “living in Hell” if it didn’t comply with U.S. demands. He even ended the message with the phrase “Praise be to Allah,” adding to the confusion and controversy.  

 

Throughout Easter weekend, Trump and members of his administration framed military actions in explicitly religious terms—calling a rescue mission an “Easter miracle” and invoking faith language to justify war.  

 

Doug and Robb ask the deeper questions:

•What happens when religious language is used to justify violence?

•How are people of faith responding—including some of Trump’s own allies?

•And what does this moment reveal about leadership, morality, and the future of the country?

 

This conversation connects Trump’s Easter message to a broader pattern—escalating threats, blurred lines between faith and nationalism, and a presidency increasingly defined by chaos, contradiction, and crisis

Trump's Worst Week - Iran, No Kings, Pastor Wanted Talarico Crucified

Trump's Worst Week - Iran, No Kings, Pastor Wanted Talarico Crucified 

Missiles flying. Markets shaking. Corruption rising - Trump's America

Missiles flying.
Markets shaking.
Corruption rising.
Doug Pagitt and Robb Ryerse connect the dots on Trump’s Iran war, the economy, and the cost of it all.