Podcast
How to Fix It with John Avlon
Hosted by The Bulwark · EN
Politicians, pundits, and the media spend a lot of time talking about the problems our country faces but not enough time on how to solve them. Each week, John Avlon and his guests hash out sensible and attainable solutions for some of the most vexing issues confronting our democracy—solutions that will likely emerge from the political center.
19episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
S2 Ep78: When He Swore an Oath, It Wasn’t to a Political Party. (w/ Seth Bodnar)
5d ago00:41:28Tap to summarizeJohn Avlon sits down with Seth Bodnar, independent candidate for U.S. Senate from Montana, to talk about why a Green Beret veteran and former university president is betting that the two-party system has finally broken down enough to make a third path viable. They cover the Iran war, the rigged ballot access game, dark money flooding Montana's Democratic primary, China buying American farmland, the healthcare cost crisis, and what one independent senator could actually do with the right leverage in a 50-50 chamber.
Transcribe →S2 Ep77: Will Trumpism Die With Trump? (w/ Margaret Hoover)
2w ago00:50:52Tap to summarizeJohn Avlon welcomes his wife Margaret Hoover—host of Firing Line and great-granddaughter of President Herbert Hoover—to discuss what Paxton’s annihilation of Cornyn reveals about today’s GOP, Trump’s Iran gamble, the case for ranked-choice voting, and what this political era has done to two journalists who started on opposite sides of the aisle.
Transcribe →S2 Ep76: Sen. Andy Kim Exposes Congress’ Dirty Secret
3w ago00:28:21Tap to summarizeSenator Andy Kim joins John Avlon to break down the avalanche of corruption hitting Washington—Trump's 3,600 stock trades in a single quarter, the $1.8 billion DOJ slush fund being funneled to January 6 rioters, and the IRS granting the Trump family permanent immunity from tax investigations. Kim explains why his Restoring Trust in Public Service Act is the fix, and what Democrats are doing right now to build the evidence trail before 2029.
Transcribe →S2 Ep75: From Bunker Hill to Normandy, JD Vance Is Wrong About America (w/ Rep. Auchincloss)
4w ago00:33:09Tap to summarizeCongressman Jake Auchincloss joins John Avlon to lay out a new “patriotic center” for Democrats—from taxing social media companies to fund education, to rebuilding America, fixing housing, confronting China, regulating AI deepfakes, and reclaiming patriotism from Trumpism. They also debate school closures, social media addiction, AI’s impact on democracy, and why Democrats need a more aggressive economic message heading into 2028.
Transcribe →S2 Ep74: Seth Moulton Torches the Democratic Establishment | How to Fix It
May 1000:44:53Tap to summarizeJohn Avlon speaks with Rep. Seth Moulton about his insurgent Senate campaign against incumbent Ed Markey, the Democratic Party’s leadership crisis, and why he believes Democrats need a forward-looking agenda instead of running solely against Trump. Moulton weighs in on the Iran war, Pete Hegseth, China, immigration, affordability, health care, high-speed rail, and why he says Democrats must reclaim credibility on national security and the economy.ON SALE NOW: Bulwark Live is coming to San Diego on May 20 and Los Angeles on May 21. Just announced! We’re adding some chatty friends to the lineups for both shows. Grab your seats now to join Sarah, Tim and Sam for an evening of politics among friends and keep an eye on https://TheBulwark.com/Events for more announcements.
Transcribe →S2 Ep73: Tech Broke Democracy With Social Media. AI Is Next. (w/ Josh Tyrangiel)
May 300:41:11Tap to summarizeJohn Avlon talks with Josh Tyrangiel about what AI actually looks like outside Silicon Valley hype. From Operation Warp Speed to quiet upgrades inside the IRS, they walk through real examples where AI improved government—plus why those wins are so rare, how bureaucracy blocks progress, and what a smarter, more effective approach could look like.Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/eventsPre-order Josh’s book, ‘AI for Good’: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/AI-for-Good/Josh-Tyrangiel/9781668082508
Transcribe →S2 Ep72: AI Is About to Eat Your Job (w/ Alanna McCargo) | How to Fix It
Apr 2600:41:14Tap to summarizeJohn Avlon speaks with Alanna McCargo, Senior Fellow for Inclusive Capitalism at the Clinton Foundation, to explore a surprisingly old idea that could fix a very modern problem: what if workers actually owned a piece of what they build?
Transcribe →S2 Ep71: Europe Is Preparing for Life Without America (w/ Richard Stengel)
Apr 1900:46:34Tap to summarizeJohn Avlon talks with Rick Stengel about the global fallout from Trump’s war with Iran, how it’s damaging America’s reputation, and why allies are starting to move on without us. They discuss the collapse of U.S. soft power, the risks of going it alone, and the stunning election in Hungary that shows how voters can still push back against authoritarianism.I was the US soft power czar. Our reputation may never recover from thishttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/apr/05/american-soft-power-iran-warPodcast - Mandela: The Lost Tapeshttps://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mandela-the-lost-tapes/id1719807119Nelson Mandela Leadership Fellowshiphttps://colinpowellschool.ccny.cuny.edu/fellowships/nelson-mandela-leadership-fellowship/
Transcribe →S2 Ep70: Zoning Laws Are Killing the Middle Class (w/ Mechele Dickerson)
Apr 1200:47:16Tap to summarizeJohn Avlon talks with Mechele Dickerson about how housing rules, college costs, and the modern school system are stacked against working families—and how those same systems could be fixed. From zoning laws that block affordable homes to financial aid that favors wealthy students, they break down what’s actually driving the squeeze—and what it would take to reverse it.Buy Mechele's latest book, 'Middle-Class New Deal: Restoring Upward Mobility and the American Dream': https://www.amazon.com/Middle-Class-New-Deal-Restoring-Mobility/dp/0520423399Get $30 off your first box with Wildgrain at https://Wildgrain.com/FIXIT.
Transcribe →S2 Ep69: Is U.S. Policy Hurting Cubans More Than the Regime? (w/ Juan Gonzalez)
Apr 500:49:51Tap to summarizeTrump’s foreign policy is colliding with reality—from Iran to Venezuela to a collapsing Cuba. John Avlon speaks with with former NSC official Juan Gonzalez to break down the unintended consequences: rising oil prices, shaky regime changes, and a growing risk of chaos just 90 miles from Florida. Is there any real strategy here—or are we making things worse?
Transcribe →