logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
40m 38s

#384 — Stress Testing Our Democracy

SAM HARRIS
About this episode

Sam Harris speaks with Barton Gellman about election integrity and the safeguarding of American democracy. They discuss the war games he's run to test our response to an authoritarian president, using federal troops against American citizens, the difference between laws and norms, state powers to resist the federal government, voter identification and election integrity, political control over election certifications, the Bush-Gore election, the Electoral Count Reform Act, the prospect of public unrest after the November election, January 6th, George Soros, the "good people on both sides" calumny against Trump, what happens to Trump and Trumpism if Harris wins in November, the presidential debate with Harris, the authoritarian potential of a second Trump term, Project 2025, and other topics.

If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.


Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That's why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life's most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.

Up next
Nov 17
#444 — America's Zombie Democracy
<p>Sam Harris speaks with George Packer about American democracy and authoritarianism. They discuss Packer's article "<a href= "https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/09/america-authoritarian-regime-ai-suicide/684350/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">America's Zombie Democ ... Show More
20m 54s
Nov 10
#443 — What Is Christian Nationalism?
Sam Harris speaks with Douglas Wilson about his book Frequently Shouted Questions about Christian Nationalism. They discuss Wilson's debates with Christopher Hitchens, the landscape of American evangelicalism, young-earth creationism, pre- vs. post-millennialism, the concept of d ... Show More
1h 59m
Nov 3
#442 — More From Sam: Public Speaking, Nuclear War, & Christian Nationalism
In this latest episode of the More From Sam series, Sam and Jaron talk about current events and answer some of the questions you all submitted on Substack. They discuss how Sam overcame his fear of public speaking, the ongoing threat of nuclear war and the new Netflix movie A Hou ... Show More
17m 49s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2024
The Psychology of Last Minute Voters - The hidden mind games controlling the election
Conflicted, Confused, and Ready to Vote - Uncovering the discombobulated thoughts of the great undecided who will sway the election. We dive into the hidden forces in our minds that sway our decisions when we don't know how to decide. From Free Will to Confirmation Bias, Appearan ... Show More
42m 9s
Jun 2024
The Biggest Political Divide Is Not Left vs. Right
<p>The biggest divide in our politics isn’t between Democrats and Republicans, or even left and right. It’s between people who follow politics closely, and those who pay almost no attention to it. If you’re in the former camp — and if you’re reading this, you probably are — the l ... Show More
1h 10m
Feb 2025
"SECRET Republican!" Lindy Li CALLED OUT + Trump War DebateWith Eric Bolling
Piers Morgan brings together YouTube and podcast host of 'Bolling!' Eric Bolling, Democratic Party strategist Julie Roginsky, lawyer, comedian, and journalist Dean Obeidallah and former Democratic campaign advisor Lindy Li for what was originally intended to be a debate on US pol ... Show More
1h 8m
Nov 2024
Trump's Cabinet: Our Thoughts Behind His Picks
Meghan and V Spehar, from Under The Desk News, dive into the emotional and cultural pulse of America’s political landscape. Together, they explore the impact of the election and the enduring complexities of identity politics. Reflecting on themes of resilience and the unpredictab ... Show More
1h 14m
Aug 29
644. Has America Lost Its Appetite for the Common Good?
<p>Patrick Deneen, a political philosopher at Notre Dame, says yes. He was a Democrat for years, and has now come to be seen as an “ideological guru” of the Trump administration. But that only tells half the story ...</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="h ... Show More
1h 16m
Feb 2025
Don’t Be Fooled, ‘Trump Is a Weak President’
ow much is President Trump testing the Constitution? And what are the other branches of government doing about it? This week, David French and Jamelle Bouie join Carlos and Michelle to discuss how the courts and Congress could respond to Trump’s latest actions and whether the Con ... Show More
45m 11s
Jan 2025
Trump's Insurrection: Stop the Steal (Ep 2)
It’s clear that Joe Biden has won the election but Donald Trump will not accept it. First, he brings together a ragtag bunch of lawyers and tries to overturn the results in the courts. He fails. Then he tries to lean on governors and individual states, famously calling Brad Raffe ... Show More
45 m
Sep 30
Inside Heterodox Academy: Jonathan Rauch and Liz Joyner on Reclaiming Truth in a Fractured Democracy
<p>Why defending viewpoint diversity might be the most radical—and necessary—act in higher education today.</p> 🎧 Episode Summary <p>What a treat to welcome two leading voices in the fight for viewpoint diversity and constructive civic dialogue: Jonathan Rauch, senior fellow at ... Show More
1h 23m
Oct 18
Is There a Fair Way to Divide Us? (Update)
<p>Moon Duchin is a math professor at the University of Chicago whose theoretical work has practical applications for voting and democracy. Why is striving for fair elections so difficult?</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://publicpolicy.cornell.e ... Show More
1 h
Feb 2025
The Breaking of the Constitutional Order
<p>There are two pieces to this episode. First, a tour of what Donald Trump has done — and what he has backed down from doing — over the last few days. There’s a lesson there. Perhaps Democrats are starting to learn it.</p><p>Then I wanted to hear the view of Trump’s first weeks ... Show More
1h 19m