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PODCAST

Lever Time

From LeverNews.com — Lever Time is the flagship podcast from the investigative news outlet The Lever. Hosted by the award-winning journalist, Oscar-nominated writer, and Bernie Sanders" 2020 speechwriter David Sirota, Lever Time features exclusive reporting from The Lever’s newsroom, high-profile guest interviews, expert analysis, ideas and opinions from the sharpest minds in media and politics.

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All Episodes

33:50

Tom Steyer Opposed Single-Payer Health Care. Now He’s...

Lever Time ·

2026/04/23

Last week, California Democrats killed CalCare, a proposed single-payer health care bill. Will the state ever achieve its dream of universal health care? Tom Steyer — a gubernatorial candidate who ran ads against single-payer health care in 2020 — says he is now the Golden State’s best bet. He also wants higher taxes for the rich, stronger environmental protections, and the abolition of ICE. The catch? He’s a billionaire running a self-financed campaign. Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits

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47:27

Why Is AI Afraid Of This One Guy? (With Alex Bores)

Lever Time ·

2026/04/09

Right now, Big Tech is mobilizing a network of super PACs with more than $100 million in the bank to influence the 2026 midterm elections. Their number-one target? One of their own: a former Palantir engineer who's running for Congress in New York’s 12th District.On this week's episode of Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with New York Assemblymember Alex Bores to find out exactly what he did to land on the AI industry's most-wanted list. Get ad-free episodes, bonus content and extended

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45:50

Why Congress Won't Stop Hijacking Air Travel

Lever Time ·

2026/04/02

Hours-long TSA lines, air traffic controller shortages, and skyrocketing flight prices. Deadly crashes, failing safety regulations, and international threats. There’s no doubt about it: U.S. air travel has been a hot mess in 2026. How did we hit such turbulence? And how does the current crisis tie into a decades-long master plan to hold airplane safety hostage for political gain?Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Bill McGee, senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American

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52:24

Why Is The FBI Buying Your Location Data? (With Sen....

Lever Time ·

2026/03/26

Earlier this month, FBI Director Kash Patel admitted under oath that the FBI has been buying Americans’ location information from data brokers, sidestepping traditional warrant requirements. Lawmakers like Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) have been on the front lines trying to ban this practice, but that requires reforming FISA Section 702, one of the country’s most powerful — and least understood — surveillance laws. Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Wyden and Sean Vitka, executive

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12:03

How Did The President Gain The Powers Of A King?

Lever Time ·

2026/03/19

This week on Lever Time, we’re sharing an excerpt from our investigative series Master Plan: The Kingmakers. In this new season of our award-winning podcast, David Sirota and our team of journalists expose the decades-long plot to turn the president into a king. Visit MasterPlanPodcast.com to hear the full episode and subscribe to Master Plan: The Kingmakers. Get ad-free episodes, bonus content and extended interviews by becoming a member at levernews.com/join. To leave a tip for The Lever,

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44:09

Did Iran Just Launch A Shadow War On American Soil?...

Lever Time ·

2026/03/12

When American bombs dropped on Iran, a mysterious shortwave radio station began broadcasting a list of numbers in Farsi across the globe. Reminiscent of Cold War spy communications, the broadcast raises serious questions: Where is the broadcast coming from, and who is listening to it? Is Iran sending messages to terrorist sleeper cells in the United States? And how is the Trump administration addressing these concerns, if at all? Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Shane Harris from

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45:40

Who Sold America On The Iran War? (With Hooman Majd &...

Lever Time ·

2026/03/05

On February 28, the United States and Israel began bombing Iran — with no congressional declaration, public debate, or clear endgame. For those who grew up watching the Ayatollah cast as America’s original supervillain on the nightly news, it wasn’t exactly a surprise. Donald Trump pitched the idea 46 years ago. We’ve been expecting this for decades. But why? On today’s episode of Lever Time, Iranian-born journalist Hooman Majd and Drop Site News founder Ryan Grim help us grapple with some big

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55:57

The Court Disarmed Trump’s Tariff Weapon. Who Will Pay?

Lever Time ·

2026/02/26

On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump’s tariffs were illegal, striking a blow to his favorite geopolitical strategy. The decision could make it far harder for any president to wield tariffs as a weapon, but how will the ruling affect your wallet?Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with trade expert Lori Wallach, director of the Rethink Trade program at the American Economic Liberties Project. Lori and David unpack the weaponization of trade policy, the messy

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33:13

He Sent One Email. Then Federal Agents Came To His Door.

Lever Time ·

2026/02/19

In October, a Philadelphia man emailed an attorney for the Department of Homeland Security, criticizing a government policy. Hours later, federal agents and local police were banging on his door to interrogate him without a warrant. It feels like something out of a movie, but it's real. Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with ACLU attorney Steve Loney to ask some big questions: How are federal agencies obtaining your private data without a warrant? How are tech giants like Google enabling

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2:16

A Message From David Sirota About The Lever's Master...

Lever Time ·

2026/02/17

An important message about the future of The Lever's Master Plan podcast, from our host, David Sirota. ⁠Become A Paid Subscriber To The Lever⁠ ⁠Become A Paid Subscriber On Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Make A One-Time Donation⁠ ⁠Order Our Companion Book, Master Plan: The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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38:24

When Disaster, Inc. Comes To Town

Lever Time ·

2026/02/12

In February 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, setting off a chemical disaster. Politicians and lawyers promised justice, and the railroad company swiftly settled for a historic $600 million. Three years later, many victims haven’t seen a dime. Where did all that money go? Today on Lever Time, producer Natalie Bettendorf is joined by Lever reporter Katya Schwenk, who scoured court documents and traveled to East Palestine to uncover the toxic secrets behind

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45:43

What Tech Wants: God In The Machine

Lever Time ·

2026/02/05

While one tech CEO warns that artificial intelligence could “destroy all life on Earth,” other industry giants have declared war on rules that could limit AI’s power. Their battlefield? The 2026 midterm elections.In Part Three of What Tech Wants, Lever Time’s investigation into why Silicon Valley is buying our democracy, producer Ariella Markowitz explores Big Tech’s latest obsession — artificial intelligence — and its crusade against anyone who stands in its way. Click here for a transcript of

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33:03

What Tech Wants: Crypto Reign Of Terror (with Jacob...

Lever Time ·

2026/01/29

In 2024, the cryptocurrency industry spent more than $130 million to influence elections nationwide. Their campaign donations and lobbying efforts turned the tables for their risky boom-and-bust business, which is now poised to overtake our entire financial system.In Part Two of What Tech Wants, Lever Time’s investigation into why Silicon Valley is buying our democracy, producer Ariella Markowitz reveals how crypto companies aligned with President Donald Trump to advance their agenda. Could

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33:51

What Tech Wants: The San Francisco Experiment

Lever Time ·

2026/01/22

In 2022, nonprofit neighborhood groups, backed by Silicon Valley billionaires, helped recall a progressive district attorney in San Francisco. What happened next would change the country. In Part One of What Tech Wants, Lever Time’s investigation into why Silicon Valley is buying our democracy, producer Ariella Markowitz uncovers how a local experiment unlocked a new formula for political power. Get ad-free episodes, bonus content and extended interviews by becoming a member at

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36:25

They Banned Parents From Recording Their Kids' Games....

Lever Time ·

2026/01/16

As private investment companies encroach upon youth sports, how does that hurt the players — and their families? As Lever reporter Luke Goldstein discovered, there’s more at stake than just higher prices. Today on Lever Time, David Sirota tells the story of how a Lever investigation into a shocking claim prompted a national outcry, one that led to a small but mighty victory against Black Bear Sports Group, one of the youth sports kingpins calling the shots. Read Luke Goldstein’s reporting

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68:44

Introducing On NOTUS: Steve Scalise on How to Avoid...

Lever Time ·

2026/01/02

This week we’re sharing a special episode from our friends at On NOTUS, which was recently featured by Semafor and POLITICO as a must-listen podcast.Produced by the nonpartisan newsroom NOTUS and hosted by congressional journalist Reese Gorman, On NOTUS brings on lawmakers from Capitol Hill for truly candid conversations. Each week, they go past the headlines and soundbites to hear what really makes Congressional leaders tick and what brought them to Washington in the first place. You’ll get an

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52:05

Are We Trapped In Meaningless Jobs? (With Rutger...

Lever Time ·

2025/12/18

Are we wasting our talents on meaningless jobs? Should our career choices reflect our morals? Author and historian Rutger Bregman thinks so. He argues that the most talented people in America are stuck in a real-life version of the movie Office Space — and that we should be trying to solve the world’s biggest problems instead. Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Bregman to ask: When did we lose our moral ambition? Are we greedy, cynical, or are we just trying to escape an

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53:26

It’s Not An AI Bubble. It’s A Black Hole.

Lever Time ·

2025/12/11

2025 has been a tremendous year for the artificial intelligence industry. Stock prices for AI companies skyrocketed, soaring beyond expectations and propping up an otherwise stagnant U.S. economy. But everywhere, there’s talk of an AI bubble — one even bigger and more threatening than the 2008 housing bubble or the dot-com bubble of the early 2000s.What makes this bubble so different? When is it likely to pop? And if it does, what does that mean for the rest of us? In this episode of Lever Time,

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29:22

Parenting Advice From The World’s Worst Mom

Lever Time ·

2025/12/04

As parents, we’re told homicidal maniacs, drug peddlers, and creeps are lurking in every shadow, waiting to grab your children. But is that true? Is our obsession with keeping our kids safe doing more harm than good?Today on Lever Time, David Sirota investigates the difference between good parenting and overparenting — and the political history behind our fear that kidnappers are roaming the streets. David enlists the help of author and advocate Lenore Skenazy, a champion for “free-range

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34:21

Enshittification Nation (With Cory Doctorow)

Lever Time ·

2025/11/25

From flying to online shopping to using social media, everything seems to be getting worse. It’s all — pardon our language here — shittier.According to today’s Lever Time guest, that’s no accident. Cory Doctorow is the author of Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It. In this episode, Doctorow explains how enshittification works, how it’s infected our online spaces, and what we can do to stop it. Plus, as an exclusive bonus to our paid subscribers, click

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242 results

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