What do Americans actually believe about democracy, polarization, and the economy? And what does the data tell us about where the country is headed?

In this episode, Dr. Paul Zeitz sits down with veteran Democratic pollster and strategist Celinda Lake to unpack decades of public opinion research and what it reveals about this political moment and the possibility of a supermajority of the American people agreeing that we need to Fix the System. Celinda shares her journey from growing up in a Republican family in rural Montana to becoming one of the country's leading political pollsters, reflecting on how data—not ideology—shaped her career.

They explore why economic messaging has become central to rebuilding public trust, what voters really think about democracy, the rise of populism across the political spectrum, and why many Americans feel disconnected from both major parties.

They also discuss constitutional transformation, electoral reforms, declining civic trust, the importance of protecting voting rights, and why renewing American democracy and improving economic opportunity must go hand in hand.

Are you ready to join #unifyUSA? Learn more about the transformational movement at https://unify-usa.org/

Get your copy of Hit Refresh on the U.S. Constitution: A Revolutionary Roadmap for Fulfilling the Promise of Democracy here!

Get your copy of Revolutionary Optimism: Seven Steps for Living as a Love-Centered-Activist here.

Revolutionary Optimism is hosted by Dr. Paul Zeitz and produced by Wavestream Media.

Authoritarianism unfolds in stages, it doesn’t happen overnight. In this episode, longtime organizer and Executive Director of the 22nd Century Initiative Scot Nakagawa breaks down how authoritarian movements rise, where the United States is right now, and what it will take to stop consolidation before it’s too late.

Drawing on nearly four decades of experience confronting white nationalism and anti-democratic movements, Scot explains the real strategy behind efforts like Project 2025, the importance of federalism, and why the 2026 election cycle is a critical turning point. He also shares how pro-democracy movements can shift from protest to real power through non-cooperation, labor action, and mass mobilization.

This episode is a roadmap for how to build cross-partisan movements, why “joy is resistance,” and what it means to create a democracy that actually works after authoritarianism is defeated.

Subscribe to Scot’s Substack, The Anti-Authoritarian Playbook: https://antiauthoritarianplaybook.substack.com/

Learn more about the 22nd Century Initiative: https://22ci.org/

Are you ready to join #unifyUSA? Learn more about the transformational movement at https://unify-usa.org/

Get your copy of Hit Refresh on the U.S. Constitution: A Revolutionary Roadmap for Fulfilling the Promise of Democracy here!

Get your copy of Revolutionary Optimism: Seven Steps for Living as a Love-Centered-Activist here.

Revolutionary Optimism is hosted by Dr. Paul Zeitz and produced by Wavestream Media.

The U.S. Constitution is one of the hardest governing documents in the world to change, and that rigidity may be part of the problem.

In this episode, Dr. Paul Zeitz sits down with constitutional law scholar and dean Stefanie Lindquist to break down what’s happening beneath the surface of American democracy. From rising polarization and stalled amendments to the growing influence of money and emerging “polymarkets,” they explore how structural flaws in the system are shaping today’s political reality.

At the center of the conversation is a bold experiment: a National Model Constitutional Convention where students from across the country simulate rewriting the Constitution. It’s a real-world test of what democratic redesign could look like, and as an opportunity for civic education so that the next generation is prepared to fix our democracy.

Learn more about the Model Constitutional Convention: https://law.washu.edu/events/model-constitution-convention/

Connect with Stefanie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanie-lindquist-943a862b1/

Are you ready to join #unifyUSA? Learn more about the transformational movement at https://unify-usa.org/

Get your copy of Hit Refresh on the U.S. Constitution: A Revolutionary Roadmap for Fulfilling the Promise of Democracy here!

Get your copy of Revolutionary Optimism: Seven Steps for Living as a Love-Centered-Activist here.

Revolutionary Optimism is hosted by Dr. Paul Zeitz and produced by Wavestream Media.