Democracy Forum
News & Politics
About
Democracy Forum, with host Ann Luther, featuring topics in Maine's participatory democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics.
Episodes
- Democracy Forum 5/15/26: Pillars of Democracy: Democracy costs money. Who pays?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We’ll talk abo…
- Democracy Forum 4/17/26: Constitutional Crisis: They’re Watching
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: Mass surveilla…
- Democracy Forum 3/20/26: Constitutional Crisis: All Hands on Deck to Protect Our Elections
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: Maine has some…
- Democracy Forum 2/20/26: Constitutional Crisis: What Does Civic Courage Look Like?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We’ll talk abo…
- Democracy Forum 1/16/26: Constitutional Crisis: Can Democracy Survive Billionaire Economics?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We’ll talk abo…
- Democracy Forum 11/21/25: Constitutional Crisis: The Expansion of Presidential Power
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We’ll talk abo…
- Democracy Forum 10/17/25: What’s On Your Ballot?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We’ll talk abo…
- Democracy Forum 9/19/25: Constitutional Crisis: The Penalties for Free Speech
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We’ll talk abo…
- Democracy Forum 7/18/25: Constitutional Crisis: Will We Still Have Free and Fair Elections?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We’ll talk abo…
- Democracy Forum 6/20/25: Constitutional Crisis: Are Civil Liberties a Thing of the Past?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We talk about…
- Democracy Forum 5/16/25: Constitutional Crisis: Is Our Government Making Us Sick?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: The effects of…
- Democracy Forum 4/18/25: Constitutional Crisis? Call it what you will, this is not normal…
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: Many of us are…
- Democracy Forum 3/21/25: Constitutional Crisis: How to Stand Up, Speak Up, Push Back
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: This month we’…
- Democracy Forum 2/21/25: Private Equity and You
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We want to tal…
- Democracy Forum 1/17/25: States’ Rights, Then and Now
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: For much of ou…
- Democracy Forum 11/15/24: Election Reflections: What Just Happened Here?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: This month, as…
- Democracy Forum Special 10/23/24: Voting Rights and the Integrity of Elections in Maine
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Amy Browne Discussion held on Saturday, September 28, at the Moore Center in Ellsworth by the League of Women Voters – Downeast. Audio by Linda Washbu…
- Democracy Forum 10/18/24: Election 2024: What’s on Your Ballot?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We preview the upcoming e…
- Democracy Forum 9/20/24: Propaganda: Is This For Real?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We want to talk about propagan…
- Democracy Forum 6/21/24: Order in the Court: Who’s Your Judge?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Joel Mann The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Ruth Eveland, Michael Fis…
- Democracy Forum 5/17/24: Constitutional Right to Vote: Do we have it, do we need it?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Joel Mann The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Ruth Eveland, Michael Fis…
- Democracy Forum 4/19/24: Clean Elections 24 Years Later (Yes, it’s been that long)
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Joel Mann The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Claire Fox, Ruth Eveland,…
- Democracy Forum 3/15/24: Unions and Democracy Take Two
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Joel Mann The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Ruth Eveland, Michael Fis…
- Democracy Forum 2/16/24: National Popular Vote: What do we need? How can we get it?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Michael Fisher, Claire Fox, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harlin…
- Democracy Forum 1/19/24: Who Gets to Vote in Maine Primaries? Change is coming…
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Michael Fisher, Claire Fox, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harlin…
- Democracy Forum 11/17/23: What Happened on Election Day? – And What Does It Mean?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Michael Fisher, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Ann Luthe…
- Democracy Forum 10/20/23: Yikes – 8 Ballot Questions!
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Michael Fisher, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Lisa Leav…
- Democracy Forum 9/15/23: Book Banning: The Tip of the Iceberg?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Michael Fisher, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Lisa Leav…
- Democracy Forum 8/18/23: Ballot Questions: Whose Initiatives Are They? (REBROADCAST)
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Michael Fisher, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Lisa Leav…
- Democracy Forum 6/16/23: Public Opinion Polling: Is It Good for Democracy
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Michael Fisher, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Lisa Leav…
- Democracy Forum 5/19/23: Young Change Makers: Owning the Future
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Michael Fisher, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Lisa Leav…
- Democracy Forum 4/21/23: Ballot Questions: Whose Initiatives Are They?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Michael Fisher, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Lisa Leav…
- Democracy Forum 3/17/23: If Small States Rule, Why Are They So Angry?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Michael Fisher Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Lisa Leave…
- Democracy Forum 2/17/23: Small-state bias in the federal government: is this democracy?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Lisa Leaverton, Ann Luthe…
- Democracy Forum 1/20/23: Comprehensive Planning: Why Bother?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Lisa Leaverton, Ann Luthe…
- Democracy Forum 11/18/22: Election Reflections: What Just Happened Here?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Lisa Leaverton, Ann Luthe…
- Democracy Forum 10/21/22: What’s At Stake in Moore v. Harper? Gerrymandering and More
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Lisa Leaverton, Ann Luthe…
- Democracy Forum 9/16/22: Checks and Balances: What are They? Are They Working?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Ann Luther, Judith Lyles,…
- Democracy Forum 8/19/22: Libraries: Defenders of Democracy (Originally aired April 15 2022)
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Ann Luther, Judith Lyles,…
- Democracy Forum 7/15/22: Taxation without Representation: Should DC be a State?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics Taxation without Representation: Should DC be a State? What rights of self-d…
- Democracy Forum 6/17/22: The Supreme Court and Democracy
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics Issue: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role…
- Democracy Forum 5/20/22: The Demise of Local News: What Are We Losing?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics Key Discussion Points: Local news and local democracy. What is a “news deser…
- Democracy Forum 4/15/22: Libraries: Defenders of Democracy
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Key Discussion Points: libraries and democracy privacy protection intellectual freedom and censorship informed citizenry, challenges and threats from book bans to funding Guests: Rich Boule…
- Democracy Forum 3/18/22: Communities on Edge: Threats and Intimidation in the Public Sphere
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine We’ll talk about anger and intimidation in the public sphere, especially in local politics. Where is this coming from? What is it that puts schools and elections in the bull’s eye? What mea…
- Democracy Forum 2/18/22: Facebook and Democracy: Can They Live Together?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine -How Facebook has transformed our political life. It’s not just Facebook, is it? -How has it polarized our political identities? -How has it become so central to our community and political…
- Democracy Forum 1/21/22: Educating for Democracy: How’s it Working?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine We’ll talk about the political philosophy and history of public education in America. What is the role of public education in sustaining our fragile republic? How did public education devel…
- Democracy Forum 11/19/21: Freedom of Religion, Freedom from Religion: Politics and Religion in America
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Freedom of Religion, Freedom from Religion: Politics and Religion in America -What is the constitutional foundation of the separation of church and state? -Why is it important? -Is freedom…
- Democracy Forum 10/15/21: In Government We Trust — Or Do We?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine We talk about trust and distrust in government. What is the history of distrust in government in the US? How has it been weaponized in the last half-century? What do we lose when we have a…
- Democracy Forum 9/17/21: The Two-party System and the Future of Our Democracy
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine We’ll talk about the history and the future of the two major parties, How parties change and evolve, how/why they splinter. Are the parties too strong or too weak? Are the two major parties…
- Democracy Forum 6/18/21: Protest: Good Citizenship at Work?
Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Protest: Good Citizenship at Work? We talk about whether protests are a legitimate, if not necessary, form of civic participation. Are protests good citizenship or are they civil disorder?…