Big Back Politics Live! | Democracy, Power, and the Damn Truth with Denise Milsap

Alright now alright. Let’s settle in, because this ain’t background noise radio. This is Big Back Politics Live! I’m Denise Milsap, and today we’re doing what this country seems scared as hell to do lately tell the truth, say it out loud, and stand on it.

I don’t whisper about democracy. I don’t mumble about justice. And I damn sure don’t sugarcoat the mess we’re living in. If you’re looking for polite politics, go watch a press conference. If you’re looking for the truth, buckle up.

Because America? America is at a crossroads, and too many folks are pretending they don’t see the damn fork in the road.

Today we’re talking power who has it, who doesn’t, and who’s been lying about it. We’re talking voting, money, media, race, labor, foreign policy, and the everyday working folks who keep getting screwed while billionaires get tax breaks and politicians play musical chairs.

And yes, I’m going to say some words that make delicate ears uncomfortable. Because injustice is loud. Inequality is violent. And silence? Silence is bullshit!

Let’s start with the big lie people keep pushing that American democracy is just naturally falling apart. That it’s old! That it’s tired! That it’s outdated.

No! That’s bullshit!!

Democracy isn’t failing on its own. It’s being kneecapped. Deliberately. Strategically. And with receipts.

Across the country, we’ve seen a coordinated push to restrict voting access. Not because of fraud don’t fall for that bullshit but because when more people vote, certain politicians lose.

Multiple independent studies, bipartisan commissions, and even Republican-led investigations have confirmed that voter fraud in the United States is exceedingly rare. We’re talking microscopic. Yet states continue to pass laws that make it harder to vote shorter early voting periods, fewer drop boxes, stricter ID laws that disproportionately affect the elderly, the poor, students, and communities of color.

That’s not protecting democracy! It’s rigging the rules!!

And let’s be clear this didn’t start yesterday. This is old-school suppression wearing a new suit. Jim Crow is now James Crow Esquire! Same dirty game, different damn decade.

The Supreme Court’s gutting of key provisions of the Voting Rights Act didn’t just open the door it kicked it wide open for states to redraw districts, purge voter rolls, and play games with election administration.

When politicians pick their voters instead of voters picking their politicians, democracy ain’t just limping it’s being mugged in broad daylight.

Now let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Not the donkey. Not the elephant party-wise. I mean the real damn beast money.

The United States has allowed money to become the loudest voice in the political room. And thanks to court decisions that treat corporations like people and money like speech, the wealthiest Americans and special interests have a megaphone while regular folks are yelling from the cheap seats.

A tiny percentage of donors now account for a massive share of campaign funding. That means a handful of rich individuals have more political influence than millions of voters combined.

You wonder why prescription drug prices stay high? Why tax loopholes never close? Why defense contractors keep getting paid while schools beg for supplies?

Follow the damn money.

Politicians say they’re listening to “their constituents,” but somehow their votes always seem to line up with their donors. Funny how that works.

And let me say this clearly both parties have been guilty. Don’t try that partisan selective hearing shit with me. Corporate influence doesn’t wear red or blue. It wears green.

Until we get serious about campaign finance reform, transparency, and real accountability, we’re going to keep calling this a democracy while oligarchs run the damn show.

Here’s a fact nobody in a marble office building wants to admit the American economy runs because working people get up every day and bust their ass.

Teachers. Nurses. Warehouse workers. Truck drivers. Home health aides. Sanitation workers. Retail clerks.

These folks carried this country through pandemics, recessions, and corporate greed. And what did they get in return?

Stagnant wages.

Rising rent.

Healthcare tied to jobs that barely pay enough to survive.

Let’s be real productivity has gone up for decades, but wages haven’t kept pace. That means workers are creating more value and getting a smaller slice of the pie.

That’s not an accident. That’s a choice.

Unions once the backbone of the middle class were weakened through policy, propaganda, and intimidation. And now we’re surprised that inequality is through the roof?

Here’s the truth: when workers have bargaining power, everybody does better. That’s not ideology that’s history.

The weekend. Overtime pay. Workplace safety. All of that came from people organizing, not from corporate generosity.

So when you hear politicians trash unions while cashing checks from corporations, understand what time it is.

Now let’s talk about the conversation folks keep trying to dodge race.

America loves to pretend racism is a ghost of the past. Something solved. Something we don’t need to talk about.

That’s a damn lie.

Racial disparities persist in wealth, healthcare outcomes, education, housing, and the criminal justice system. That’s not opinion that’s data.

Redlining didn’t just disappear it shaped generational wealth gaps that still exist today. Discriminatory policing didn’t magically vanish it evolved.

And every time someone tries to teach the full, honest history of this country, there’s a backlash. Because truth makes people uncomfortable.

But discomfort isn’t oppression.

Talking about race doesn’t divide the country. Ignoring it does.

If we can’t tell the truth about where we’ve been, we sure as hell can’t fix where we’re going.

Let me tell you something about modern media it thrives on chaos.

Outrage gets clicks. Fear gets ratings. Nuance gets buried.

Fact-based reporting is expensive. Screaming talking points is cheap!

So we end up with a public that’s misinformed, overwhelmed, and angry at the wrong damn targets.

Instead of holding power accountable, we’re arguing with each other over culture war nonsense designed to keep us distracted.

While you’re mad at your neighbor, someone’s robbing the bank!

A functioning democracy requires an informed public. That means media literacy, transparency, and the willingness to question what you’re being fed.

If someone’s always telling you who to hate but never explaining who’s getting rich, that should set off alarms. Are yall feeling me? Cause I’m giving you clues without saying names! Hello?

America loves to talk about freedom abroad. But our foreign policy record is complicated as hell.

We support democracy until it gets inconvenient.

We condemn human rights abuses until an ally does it.

U.S. foreign policy has often prioritized strategic and economic interests over stated values. That tension isn’t new, but it matters.

Wars cost money. Diplomacy costs patience. Guess which one gets funded faster?

Endless conflict drains resources that could be used at home for infrastructure, healthcare, education.

If we’re serious about being a moral leader, our actions have to line up with our damn speeches.

WHERE THE HELL DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Now here’s the part where people expect despair. They expect me to say it’s hopeless.

Nah.

The truth is, progress has always come from pressure. From organized people refusing to shut up.

Voting still matters. Organizing still matters. Local elections matter like hell.

School boards. City councils. Prosecutors. Judges.

Democracy isn’t just a presidential election every four years it’s a daily damn responsibility.

And let me say this plainly cynicism is convenient for people in power. Hope backed by action? That scares the hell out of them.So here’s my message to you:

Don’t let anyone tell you your voice doesn’t matter.

Don’t let anyone convince you politics is too complicated for regular folks.

And don’t let anyone gaslight you into accepting injustice as normal.

This country belongs to all of us not just the wealthy, not just the powerful, not just the loud.

I’m Denise Milsap, with Big Back Politics Live! where we bring the facts, bring the fire, and tell the truth even when it pisses people off. 

Because democracy doesn’t defend itself.

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