Podcast Summary: No One is Coming to Save Us

Special Episode: Introducing: What's The Plan? with Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin

Date: January 31, 2026
Host: Lemonada Media
Featured Guests: Leah Greenberg, Ezra Levin (Indivisible co-founders), Erica Chenoweth (social movements scholar)
Theme: Navigating America’s democratic crisis through mass grassroots action, focusing on organizing to resist authoritarianism and fostering a roadmap for collective resistance.

Episode Overview

This crossover episode introduces “What's The Plan?” hosted by Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin—the co-founders of Indivisible—with special guest Dr. Erica Chenoweth, a world-leading expert on nonviolent resistance and social movements. The discussion centers on the surge in community organizing and nonviolent opposition in the face of an intensifying authoritarian threat in America, with a special lens on recent historic resistance in Minnesota. The conversation moves from the importance of local organizing, the impact of strategic mass mobilizations, and effective engagement with political representatives, to the cultural and messaging aspects critical to the movement’s success.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power and Structure of Local Organizing

• Indivisible’s Theory of Change (01:49)

  • Ezra emphasizes local groups as the engine of movement power:

    “We organize by local groups, Leah. That's what we do. This is not about you or me or any individual one of us. We have a theory about how political power works. It's that it's organized locally.”

  • Over 2,500 active Indivisible groups nationwide, including recent launches in both traditionally blue and deep red districts, as well as international chapters (Auckland, NZ).
  • Value of organizing everywhere, especially in places previously untouched by such activism.

• Movement Ownership

  • Leaders stress they are facilitators, not the sole direction or face of the movement:

    “We are not the leaders of the Indis movement…[It’s] led and operated by you, the folks who are listening.” (01:20, Leah Greenberg)

2. The Critical State of Play: Political Context and Action Steps

• Current Congressional Battle on DHS/ICE Funding (05:02)

  • Breaking update: Democrats are unified in the Senate against the DHS funding bill in response to intense public pressure after the murder of Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Preddy.
  • Explains the high stakes: Whether Democrats stand firm or cave by extending funding, this is a critical moment requiring continued public pressure, especially contacting senators.
  • Tactics:
    • Call Republican senators to demand they stop supporting the regime’s police force.
    • Thank Democratic senators (except Fetterman—later amended based on voting record).

• Grassroots Driven Change

  • The political climate has shifted due to large, sustained, and visible resistance—showing mass action changes what’s possible even within Congress.

3. Grounding in Social Movements Research (with Dr. Erica Chenoweth)

The Anatomy of Effective Resistance (11:31)

• Mass, Diverse Participation:

  • Success comes when participation crosses social, economic, racial, generational boundaries.
  • Example: Twin Cities’ resistance involved clergy, teachers, small business owners, faith groups, veterans.

• Tactical Multiplicity:

  • Protest is only one tool; successful resistance includes boycotts, mutual aid, alternative institutions, economic campaigns, and neighborhood coordination.

• Backfire and Defection:

  • Acts of repression only shift public sentiment if widely witnessed and seen as disproportionate.
  • Political and economic defections can occur as repression becomes a liability for regime allies.

• Importance of Nonviolent Discipline:

  • Trained, disciplined, nonviolent response strengthens resilience and enables enduring resistance.
  • “That sense of discipline is exactly what has made it possible for the Democrats to refuse to fund ICE.” (15:48)

4. Q&A Highlights: Strategic and Tactical Dilemmas

A. Building a Movement For Something—Not Just Against (21:08)

• Coalition of ‘No’ vs. Coalition of ‘Yes’:
  • Unity is easier in opposing authoritarianism (the ‘No’), harder in articulating universal positive policies (the ‘Yes’).

    “Being against unites; being for divides.” (21:08, Erica Chenoweth)

• Shared values often unite more than detailed policy lists.

B. Scaling Up: From One-Day Protests to Sustained Action (17:30)

• One-day mass protests can move public opinion, sway legislative votes, and boost turnout.
• But they’re insufficient alone; deeper organizing tactics and momentum-building are crucial for real change.

C. Electoral Safeguards—Preparing for Authoritarian Subversion (27:45, 30:30, 33:20)

• What if Trump tries to overturn or cancel the election?
  • Organized people power is the primary “referee”—no external actor will step in to enforce norms.
  • Dual focus needed: win elections by massive margins and prepare for back-up resistance strategies if results are attacked.
• Resource Allocation:
  • “We need 300 points…on elections, grassroots mobilization, and building capacity to address threats.” (33:20, Chenoweth)

D. Messaging, Language, and Narrative Framing (51:32)

• Be explicit and truthful: reject regime euphemisms (e.g., “public safety,” “law enforcement”) and name abuses directly where appropriate.
• Tailor language to audience—emotion often connects before hard labels.

E. The Role of Culture and Art in Resistance (39:41)

• Art, music, and performance have historically galvanized and sustained people's movements.
• Cited:

  “Culture eats strategy for breakfast… sometimes the best way to document what a country is going through is through art.” (41:24, Chenoweth)

F. On Internal Democratic Party Accountability and Primaries (44:25)

• Indivisible’s approach: National endorsements are bottom-up—driven by local group engagement, not solely national leadership.
• Primaries are a critical moment to select fighters, not just fallback candidates.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On organizing power:

  “This is not going to be won by some leader of some institution. It's going to be won by all of us.” (03:30, Ezra Levin)

• Nonviolent discipline shortcut reason for resistance success:

  “The way that we struggle will totally determine the type of country we are on the other side.” (55:28, Erica Chenoweth)

• On elected officials’ responsiveness:

  “If you are not a constituent and you call into them, they're like, I don't care about this...That's how the democracy is set up.” (34:32, Ezra Levin)

• On the necessity of strategic vision:

  “Movements are more than protest. Protest is a tactic. What is needed are strategies to build momentum, build power, and put pressure on institutions…” (18:20, Chenoweth)

Selected Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening & Purpose – 00:12
• Welcoming New Groups / Local Organizing – 01:49
• Congressional State of Play: DHS Funding – 05:02
• Spotlight on Minneapolis/Twin Cities Resistance – 10:35
• Erica Chenoweth on Movement Success Factors – 11:31
• Significance of Large-Scale Protests – 17:30
• Coalition Dynamics: Against vs. For – 21:08
• Protecting Elections/Authoritarian Threats – 27:45
• Culture’s Role in Resistance – 39:41
• Primary Accountability within the Democratic Party – 44:25
• Narrative & Language as a Tool of Resistance – 51:32
• Nonviolent Discipline and Movement Principles – 54:45

Tone and Style

The podcast maintains a frank, urgent, and often irreverent tone, mixing hard data, movement theory, and personal anecdotes with humor. Ezra and Leah interchange expert analysis with practical advice—directly addressing listeners as empowered agents of change. Dr. Chenoweth provides academic rigor and a sense of hope, reiterating both the challenges and real possibilities for effective nonviolent resistance.

Conclusion

This episode serves as both an informative primer and a call to action for listeners—grounding them in the stakes of the current democratic crisis, highlighting the centrality of grassroots organizing, and equipping them with research-backed tools, moral arguments, and strategic thinking necessary for the road ahead. The conversation emphasizes collective power, practical resistance, and the ongoing necessity to shape both political outcomes and the cultural narrative.