Norm, Or Fascin'

Norm, Or Fascin'

From Politix by Politix

April 15, 2026 · 41 min

About this episode

Brian discusses political reform and strategies for Democrats with Norm Ornstein while Matt is away.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.politix.fm Matt’s away this week. Or since he’s in London, maybe we should say he’s “on holiday” with a funny accent. In any case, Brian’s piloting solo this week, and since he’s always going on about “fighting,” we wanted to give the concept clearer shape. In this conversation, Brian and the veteran political scholar Norm Ornstein discuss: * When did needed political reform in America stop pertaining to modernization and become a more existential campaign to fascism-proof democracy? * How have Democrats done so far, given that they’re the minority party in both the House and Senate? * What could change between now and the midterms to better discharge their obligations? Then, a look ahead. First: If Democrats win the midterms, what would resistance worthy of the Hungarian opposition look like in practice? What under-utilized tools should Democrats exploit? Where does impeachment fit in all this? Then: If Democrats have a chance to rebuild in 2029, what would it take to convince ourselves and the world that we’re really not going back this time? And—perhaps most important of all—is there any indication that the…

People in this episode

Host: Brian

Guest: Norm Ornstein

Topics covered

  • political reform
  • fascism
  • Democrats
  • midterm elections
  • political strategy
  • American democracy

Keywords

  • political reform
  • fascism
  • Democrats
  • midterms
  • political strategy
  • Norm Ornstein
  • American democracy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Democrats

Books & works: Politix

Places: London

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