The Suburban Women Problem

Since January, Americans have had serious concerns about Elon Musk’s DOGE (the “Department of Government Efficiency”) and the privacy of our personal data. The government used to have careful guardrails in place to protect our information. Only certain people, after careful background checks, were given access. But DOGE was given unprecedented access to all of our data, across departments and agencies. And because Trump fast-tracked DOGE with an executive order, employees didn’t have t...

Transcribed - Published: 16 July 2025

Climate change is a lot of things: big, scary, scientifically-accurate. And as we just saw in Texas, it’s not just a matter of principles or talking points. It’s causing tragedies in our own country and around the globe. In the face of such an overwhelming issue, it can be hard to know what we as individuals can do. Of course we can donate to environmental causes and vote for leaders who prioritize climate policy, but there’s something else that’s as close to home as our own backyard. Gardeni...

Transcribed - Published: 9 July 2025

This week is the 4th of July, which means we’re celebrating American independence. But what exactly is it that we’re celebrating? What’s so special about American democracy, and how does it work? And with everything going on in politics, should we be celebrating at all? In a word: yes. America was founded on the principles of liberty, justice, and freedom from the tyranny of kings. And those ideals are as revolutionary today as they were in 1776. This week’s episode of Okay, But Why takes a s...

Transcribed - Published: 2 July 2025

There’s a lot to be stressed about right now. We’re seeing the dissolution of our democratic norms and ideals before our very eyes. But extremists don’t want us thinking about democracy. They want us thinking about the 5 trans kids who wanted to play soccer this year. Just so far this year, over 900 anti-trans bills are under consideration across the country. The majority apply to kids, particularly in school. Some of the laws are frankly terrifying, like one in Florida that requires genital ...

Transcribed - Published: 25 June 2025

Thanks for listening to the Red Wine & Blue podcast. This week, instead of an episode of Okay But Why, we’re sharing a virtual event we recently held with a former Republican named Courtney. She used to be a Trump voter, but now she leads a TroubleNation group in Pennsylvania. Courtney shared with us what changed her mind and how we can reach other MAGA voters. We always say that it’s never too late for someone to change their mind, and Courtney is proof that it really is possible. ...

Transcribed - Published: 18 June 2025

The federal minimum wage right now is $7.25. For someone working full-time, that translates to $15,060 per year, just $20 over the national poverty line. The US minimum wage has been hotly debated since its beginning, so this week, we’re taking a closer look at its history, exactly who is making it, and dispelling some misinformation. In 2023, almost a million hourly workers in the United States made minimum wage or less. And contrary to popular belief, they’re not all teenagers — many are mo...

Transcribed - Published: 11 June 2025

Kids today have a lot to worry about. Getting through adolescence was hard enough in generations past, but these days, kids have more anxieties than ever. And who can blame them? There were 83 school shootings in 2024 and gun violence is now the number one cause of death for kids. In 2023, 40% of high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and that increases to 53% when you just ask girls. And if you ask LGBTQ kids, that number goes all the way up to 65%. Ev...

Transcribed - Published: 4 June 2025

Few issues polarize this country like abortion. Most Americans believe these intensely personal decisions should be made by families and doctors, not politicians. But even those who call themselves “pro-life” usually believe some exceptions should be made — in the case of rape, when it’s a matter of saving the mother’s life, or when doctors determine the fetus has no chance of survival. But we’ve seen time and time again that “exceptions” don’t work. Right now, in Georgia, a tragedy is playin...

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2025

You may have seen headlines recently about extremists going after no-fault divorce. “Yeah, okay, I’ve seen those stories,” your friends might say, “but… why would they do that?” The answer, of course, is simple: it’s about controlling women. Critics of no-fault divorce, like JD Vance, claim that it’s bad for couples and especially bad for kids. But the data just doesn’t bear that out. The really important thing to know is that no-fault divorce protects women. There was a 15% decrease in femal...

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2025

Donald Trump promised to be “tough” on immigration on the campaign trail, vowing to “launch the largest deportation program of criminals in American history.” “Criminals,” he said. So why is ICE detaining children? And why do half of the adults held in ICE detention facilities have no criminal record? In New York, a mom and her three kids—including a third grader—were arrested by ICE and shipped off to a facility in Texas. In Louisiana, ICE deported a four-year-old with cancer to Honduras, de...

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2025

When James Baldwin went on the Dick Cavett Show in 1969, he was asked a very loaded question: why aren’t Black people more optimistic? Jim Crow laws had been outlawed, Black people were becoming mayors and successful businesspeople… so why was he still talking about race? Obviously racism didn’t “end” with the Civil War, or the Civil Rights Act, or Obama’s election. In fact, Donald Trump has spurred a resurgence — there’s been a nearly 50% increase in white supremacy groups just in the past f...

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2025

Last year, extreme weather cost us hundreds of American lives and hundreds of billions of dollars. So… why is the Trump Administration defunding the Weather Service? The Weather Service is part of NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. We need NOAA to help us predict storms and warn people when they need to evacuate. The data is used by airports to make sure planes can fly safely, by farmers to know when to plant their crops, by fishing companies to know when it’s safe to ...

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2025

Right now, most of us are feeling stress and anxiety. On top of everything else in our lives, the political chaos seems too much to bear. A 2024 survey from the American Psychological Association found that over 70% of adults consider the country’s future a significant source of stress — and even though we’re only four months into 2025, if our group chats are any indication, we’re struggling now more than ever. At the same time, there’s an epidemic of loneliness. Former Surgeon General Vivek...

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2025

This week, Red Wine & Blue held a virtual event with two inspiring women: Heather Cox Richardson and Representative Jasmine Crockett. More than 45,000 people joined us on Zoom and hundreds of thousands watched the livestream! Heather and Jasmine talked about so much — Project 2025, the power of local organizing, and what it’ll take for us to rebuild a healthy United States of America. If you missed the event, you can listen right here! For a transcript of this episode, please email theswp...

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2025

Social security is an American institution. After decades of working hard, we expect to retire with a well-earned safety net to help us with our monthly expenses. Trump and Elon Musk claim that Social Security is rife with corruption and fraud. Musk told podcaster Joe Rogan that it’s “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.” But whenever unbiased, nonpartisan groups study the numbers, they find very little fraud. Instead, they find millions of people who rely on those payments for their ...

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2025

When Trump was running for office last year, he promised to “lower prices on day one.” So… why are eggs still so expensive? And why are other groceries still so expensive too? Sure, bird flu is one factor - but it’s actually having less of an impact than you’ve been told. A lot of other factors are at play too, from tariffs to corporate profits to immigration policies that target our agricultural workers. Just this week, Trump is set to announce a new round of tariffs in what he’s ironically ...

Transcribed - Published: 2 April 2025

With breaking news and shocking headlines still happening on a weekly basis, sometimes it's hard to believe that the current war in Ukraine has been going on for more than three years. You may have heard a neighbor or family member asking… why should the United States be involved at all? With so many problems here at home, why should we care about a war on the other side of the world? Well, there’s two different ways to answer that question: the humanitarian crisis, and our national sec...

Transcribed - Published: 26 March 2025

Public education is a cornerstone of our democracy. But Donald Trump and his new Secretary of Education Linda McMahon haven’t exactly made it a secret that they want to shut down the Department of Education. Phrases like “parental choice” and “school choice” might make this sound good for families, but in reality, it leaves far too many kids behind. Before we had a Department of Ed, students who weren’t white, were disabled, or living in poverty had little access to a good education. Some, li...

Transcribed - Published: 19 March 2025

In this first episode of our limited series "Okay, But Why?", we're taking a deep dive into voting rights. We all want free and fair elections where everyone who’s legally able to vote can make their voice heard. But every time the experts study voter fraud, they find almost zero evidence that undocumented immigrants or anyone else is voting illegally. So then… why are there so many new voting laws out there? Today, we're examining the history of voting rights and taking a closer look at why...

Transcribed - Published: 12 March 2025

We knew it was coming, but it's still hard to believe that this is our last episode of The Suburban Women Problem. We have appreciated this community of listeners so much over the past 4 years, and we're so grateful to Jasmine, Rachel and Amanda for continuing to bring their whole selves to 5 seasons of great conversations. This week, RWB founder Katie Paris sends us off - but she's also here to share a little bit about what's coming next! Red Wine & Blue's work is more important than eve...

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2025

The week after last November's election, we knew there was only one person we wanted to talk to: Connie Schultz. We were still immersed in grief, anger, and even despair following Trump's win - and Connie was dealing with her husband Sherrod Brown losing his re-election to the Senate as well. But we loved her advice.... it's our job to make hope possible, not despair convincing. The election results redefined the political landscape in America and the scope of this podcast. But we will contin...

Transcribed - Published: 28 February 2025

In March of 2023, we were so excited to be joined by bestselling author Angie Thomas. Her books include "The Hate U Give" and "On The Come Up" and unfortunately, they're some of the most frequently banned books in the country. Jasmine and Angie had an amazing conversation about Black Lives Matter, the power of books, Black Girl Magic, and so much more. We hope you enjoy their chat as much as we did! For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected]. You can learn more ab...

Transcribed - Published: 27 February 2025

To celebrate our 50th episode back in May 2022, we invited suburban women superhero Mallory McMorrow to join us. Mallory, a state senator in Michigan, had recently gone viral for a speech where she stood up for marginalized groups as "a white Christian suburban mom." Mallory is a reminder of the good that can come from suburban women using our voices and standing behind our values. Her political career has continued to blossom since she was on the pod and her debut book is coming out in just ...

Transcribed - Published: 26 February 2025

Thanks again for joining us on this look back through 5 seasons of The Suburban Women Problem. Today we're sharing Season 1, Episode 18 - our interview with the late great Cecile Richards. Even at the time, we couldn't believe we were lucky enough to discuss women's rights, reproductive healthcare, and politics with such an inspirational leader as Cecile. But since she passed away last month, we are even more grateful for the opportunity to feature her on the podcast. A lot has changed since ...

Transcribed - Published: 25 February 2025

In case you haven’t heard, The Suburban Women Problem is wrapping up next week to make way for new podcasts out of Red Wine & Blue. As the producer of the podcast, I’m so grateful to Rachel, Jasmine and Amanda for 4 years of great conversations, and to you, our listeners, for joining us on this journey. All endings are sad, but I want to assure everyone that this really isn’t good-bye. We’re developing new podcasts to meet the moment and we can’t wait to share them with you. But for this ...

Transcribed - Published: 24 February 2025

We talk a lot about self-care, but there aren’t enough bubble baths in the world to make us feel better about the news lately. Federal employees are losing their jobs. RFK is against anti-depressants and ADHD medication. Elon Musk is giving press conferences in the Oval Office. Everything feels terrifying, and for good reason. So maybe manicures and bubble baths aren’t the self-care we really need. (Although of course we love both!) Maybe the self-care we need is quieter. More compassionate. ...

Transcribed - Published: 19 February 2025

Before we get into today's episode, we have an important announcement: after 4 years and 200 episodes, we are bringing The Suburban Women Problem to a close and starting something new. If you’ve been a loyal listener of the show, we know that might be hard. It's hard for us too. But this show was created in 2021 and the political world is so different now - we want to meet the moment and create new kinds of content that support meaningful action in this difficult time. We’ve been hearing from...

Transcribed - Published: 12 February 2025

In North Carolina, Republicans are trying to throw out more than 60,000 votes and overturn the 2024 election results of a race for NC Supreme Court. You read that right — 60,000 votes. But Kate Barr (who actually was on the pod back in November) pulled together a powerful protest: reading all 60,000 names aloud at the state Supreme Court to give voice to all of those voters. Red Wine & Blue organizers in North Carolina pitched in, including this week’s guest Torrie Oglesby, by reading nam...

Transcribed - Published: 5 February 2025

Here at Red Wine & Blue, we talk a lot about “troublemakers” and “making good trouble” (inspired in part by the late great John Lewis). Our network TroubleNation is made up of hundreds of local grassroots groups across the country — women like Kristi, a mom and former teacher in California who’s been standing up for the public schools in her area.Troublemakers band together with other badass women in their communities who share their values. They make things better for their kids, friends...

Transcribed - Published: 29 January 2025

On Inauguration Eve, Red Wine & Blue held a live virtual event with our favorite historian, Heather Cox Richardson. Heather helped us put things into perspective and reminded us that small groups of people can change history. Over 22,000 people attended the Zoom call, 24,000 watched it on YouTube, and almost 120,000 streamed it on Heather's Facebook page. This is a moment where we can fall apart or all come together to make change - and it's clear which option this community is choos...

Transcribed - Published: 22 January 2025

Emotions are running high this week. But while things remain disheartening on the national stage, we’re still celebrating wins on the state and local level. In Virginia, for instance, Democrats just won their special elections for the State Assembly. Not only that, but they won by even bigger margins than expected. And in Ohio, Amanda’s husband Casey has been working hard on a law that helps kids access hearing aids. Last week, the bill was finally signed into law.These are the kinds of stori...

Transcribed - Published: 15 January 2025

We're back from our holiday break and things are… weird. Right? It’s weird and scary to be here again, with Trump about to step into the office of President. It’s like some terrible episode of The Twilight Zone.If we’re going to get through the next four years, we need to take care of ourselves, plug into our local communities and above all, find ways to stay resilient. And luckily, this week we’re joined by Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, a suburban mom whose resilience we can ...

Transcribed - Published: 8 January 2025

It’s our last podcast episode of the year, so today we wanted to leave you with a broader view of community and our shared humanity. We talked to Dr. Nichole Argo, a social psychologist and the author of The Belonging Barometer: The State of Belonging in America. She’s also the host of a new podcast called Reimagining Us.But before Rachel’s chat with Dr. Nichole, she and Jasmine did cover some of the more unsettling news of the week - like the threat of RFK Jr. revoking the polio vaccine (rea...

Transcribed - Published: 18 December 2024

There’s no denying that it’s a weird time right now. We’re in the “lame duck session” between an election and the start of a new term. We’re all nervous about the incoming administration, but there isn’t much we can do yet. If you feel like we’re about to head off a cliff but we can’t hit the brakes, you’re not alone.We’ve talked about Trump’s Cabinet picks during the past few episodes, but some of his nominees are so bad that they’re actually getting pushback from Republicans. Matt Gaetz wit...

Transcribed - Published: 11 December 2024

Welcome back from Thanksgiving week! On today’s episode of the podcast, we’re talking about all things education… the good (like our guest Diana Brown, who made history last month as the first Latina educator to win a school board race in her district) and the bad (like Trump selecting former WWE president Linda McMahon as his Secretary of Education.)But first, Amanda, Jasmine and Rachel catch up about their Thanksgivings and the news. We’ve seen the hand-wringing over Biden pardoning his son...

Transcribed - Published: 4 December 2024

Thanksgiving is almost here, and we all know what that means… political debates with your MAGA relatives. If you’re already feeling the pressure, you’re not alone!Last week, Red Wine & Blue held a virtual event with experts like pod favorite Jess McIntosh and therapist Rebecca Freking. They shared practical tips on how to navigate tricky family discussions and keep things civil (or at least manageable). If you missed the event, we’re publishing it on today’s Suburban Women Problem podcast...

Transcribed - Published: 27 November 2024

It’s been two weeks since the election. Two… very long weeks. And if you’re anything like us, you’re still on an emotional rollercoaster, trying to make sense out of what happened.Today on the podcast, our hosts talk about some of the post-election narratives they’ve seen. Did the Democrats go “too woke”? Do women not care about reproductive rights anymore? From where we’re sitting, the answers are “no” and “no.” (Or honestly, “no” and “hell no.”)That’s not to say everything is fine. We’re st...

Transcribed - Published: 20 November 2024

How are you doing? Are you okay? Are you staying connected to the other people in your life who share your values and are feeling the same way that you are right now?On today’s podcast, we're starting the process of picking up the pieces. We're taking care of ourselves, we're finding reasons to stay hopeful, and we are NOT getting trauma bangs!We were so grateful this week to be joined by Connie Schultz. Connie is a writer, journalism professor, and the wife of Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown. The...

Transcribed - Published: 13 November 2024

We're having a hard time today. You probably are too. But we wanted to get together and talk about it, give some reasons for hope, and just be present with each other. We were joined by political strategist Jess McIntosh, one of our favorite guests, to help us put things in perspective... and start figuring out where we go from here.For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected]. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @Th...

Transcribed - Published: 6 November 2024

On Wednesday October 30th, Red Wine & Blue hosted a virtual event where we were joined by Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. She’s not just the highest ranking Indigenous woman to be elected in this country… if Kamala Harris and Tim Walz win, she’ll be the first Indigenous governor ever.Before being elected to statewide office in Minnesota, Lt. Gov. Flanagan was a community organizer who trained thousands of other organizers and candidates, including Governor Tim Walz himself —...

Transcribed - Published: 1 November 2024

The last episode of the podcast before the election is here and we’re feeling a lot of things: excitement, nerves, determination, stress, but most of all… hope.Hope because the Trump/Vance campaign has apparently given up on reaching across the aisle and are doubling down on their unpopular rhetoric. Hope because the Harris/Walz campaign is featuring uplifting speakers like Michelle Obama and Beyoncé. Hope because early voting numbers are breaking records.But more than anything, hope because ...

Transcribed - Published: 30 October 2024

This past Monday, our favorite historian Heather Cox Richardson joined Red Wine & Blue for a virtual event. We were hoping to hear her insight into how this election fits into the broader story of American history, and what we might expect over the next two weeks.But if we’re being honest, what we really wanted was for Heather to tell us that it was all going to be okay.And of course she couldn’t tell us that with certainty. She’s a historian, not a soothsayer. But she did offer some word...

Transcribed - Published: 25 October 2024

This week on the pod, we’re celebrating Michigan!We’re in the final stretch of the election now, which means we’re feeling stressed, excited, exhausted, inspired, nervous, and everything in between. So we thought this is the perfect time to remind ourselves what’s possible when we unite and fight. Because together, we can truly move mountains.Since Michigan Democrats won a trifecta in 2022 (that means the State House, State Senate, and Governorship) they’ve been able to pass so much amazing l...

Transcribed - Published: 23 October 2024

The election is less than three weeks away and early voting is already open in many states. If you’re listening to this podcast, chances are you agree that a Kamala Harris presidency is absolutely crucial. Maybe you’ve put up a yard sign, or talked to some people you know about what’s on the line.But what about the down-ballot races? No matter who wins the presidency, electing Democrats up and down the ballot is just as important. If we get a President Harris, she’ll need a House and Senate t...

Transcribed - Published: 16 October 2024

The election is only 4 weeks away now (!!!!) which means that we have less than 26 days to have some important conversations with the people in our lives. There are so many things to talk about: abortion access, gun violence, voting rights, the economy, immigration… and, as we discuss this week on the pod, the Supreme Court.Since the Dobbs decision overturned Roe vs Wade, the Supreme Court has been on all of our minds. But the truth is, Dobbs is just one of many recent rulings that have chang...

Transcribed - Published: 9 October 2024

We’re back this week with regular episodes and we couldn’t have asked for a better guest than Jessica Valenti. Jessica has a popular newsletter on Substack called “Abortion, Every Day” where she covers the latest news about reproductive rights. She also has a new book that came out this week: Abortion - Our Bodies, Their Lies, and the Truths We Use to Win.Jessica shared her thoughts about America post-Roe, and in turn Rachel shared her own difficult personal story about losing her daughter Sa...

Transcribed - Published: 2 October 2024

So far on our miniseries The American Fabric, we’ve learned more about immigrants and why they come to this country. We’ve busted myths and decried disinformation. And we’ve heard immigrants tell their stories in their own words.Today, on the final episode, we’re talking about why this year’s election is so important. We have the opportunity to choose leaders who understand that immigrants are a cornerstone of this country and want to find humane bipartisan solutions. Leaders who don’t demoni...

Transcribed - Published: 27 September 2024

Extremists have always used disinformation and fear-mongering to further their cause. But their rhetoric about immigration has stooped to new lows in recent months.Some of the lies are so outrageous it might be tempting to laugh. Haitian immigrants, for example, are not eating their neighbors’ pets in Springfield Ohio. And 107% of American jobs have not been taken by “illegal aliens,” as Trump claimed. (107 percent? How would that even work?)But the misinformation is no laughing matter. It’s ...

Transcribed - Published: 26 September 2024

Despite all the extremist disinformation, suburban women aren’t afraid of immigrants. They’re our friends, our neighbors, our spouses. They’re us. Immigration isn’t a story about fear… it’s a story about love.And no one knows this better than our own Suburban Women Problem co-host Rachel Vindman. Her husband Alex came here as a refugee from the Soviet Union when he was only 4 years old. Alex says his immigration story has a lot to do with his patriotism and optimism about The United States. I...

Transcribed - Published: 25 September 2024

It’s been so disheartening to see outlandish and offensive rumors about Haitian immigrants in Springfield Ohio turn into bomb threats, harassment, and arson. But it’s also not surprising. It’s the inevitable consequence of dangerous extremist rhetoric.During last week’s debate, we saw Donald Trump attack immigrants at every turn. And JD Vance just admitted on television that he shared the story about Haitians in Springfield despite knowing it was a lie. “If I have to create stories,” he told ...

Transcribed - Published: 18 September 2024