Show Notes
Welcome back, flies! We hope you had a spook-tacular halloween đ» đ This week we sat down with Mark Green, the former Ambassador to Tanzania.
Greenâs career has been nothing short of extraordinary. Green began his political career as a congressman for Wisconsinâs 8th congressional district, where he served as Assistant Majority Whip. During the second Bush administration, he worked to promote international development as the Ambassador to Tanzania. From 2017 to 2020, he served as the Administrator of USAIDâleading its humanitarian aid efforts.
As a malaria survivor, child of South African immigrants, and former school teacher in Kenya, Green brings a dynamic perspective to the table. TUNE IN to learn about his take on humanitarianism, free enterprise, and the Trump administrationâs dismantlement of USAID.
More from The Fly
In this episode of The Fly, Sarah and Chase bring together Mayor Aftab Pureval of Cincinnati, Mayor Arunan Arulampalam of Hartford, and Mayor Andrew Ginther of Columbus to discuss the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act and the challenges of expanding affordable housing. Mayor Pureval has focused on zoning reform and developer incentives to increase housing supply, while Mayor Arulampalam has pursued streamlined permitting, the redevelopment of vacant lots and downtown buildings, expanded homeownership opportunities, and stronger tenant protections. Mayor Ginther has championed major voter-approved housing investments, zoning reform, and public-private and regional partnerships to expand affordable housing. Together, the mayors discuss housing supply, rising costs, renter protections, and the role of the private sector, exploring what cities can accomplish locally and what more they need from state and federal leaders.
In this episode of The Fly, David and Olivia sit down with Hudson Munoz, executive director of Guns Down America, to discuss how corporate accountability can help address gun violence. He explains the firearms industryâs influence, ways to bridge cultural divides around gun ownership, and why community interventions and safe-storage efforts matterâespecially as firearm suicides rise.
Join Kennedy and Sarah as they sit down with the first GU Politics fellow of the semester: Sabrina Singh! Sabrina walks us through how an internship in Senator Barbara Boxerâs office during the 2009 recession unexpectedly launched a career at the center of American politics and national security. We get into what itâs really like to shape messaging in high-pressure environments, from Democratic campaigns to the BidenâHarris administration, to her time at the Pentagon at the start of the Ukraine war. Sabrina dives into the challenge of countering Russian disinformation in real time, and how misinformation can put U.S. institutions on the defensive and impact everything from battlefield morale to global perceptions of American power. Along the way, Sabrina reflects on lessons learned from crises like Afghanistan, the midterms, and other geopolitical flashpoints, including how to communicate clearly when the stakes couldnât be higher. Tune in!!
In this episode, Chloe and Kennedy interview Alex within the RFK Campus Master Plan public comment period, regarding the stadium construction set to begin in 2027. The economic impact is groundbreaking: 2,000 permanent jobs, 14,000 construction jobs, new affordable housing, restaurants, parks, and public services that will cost the district and Commanders $3.8 billion. Alex talks about all things construction, parking, transportation, the future of the project, comparison to Nationals Park, effect on the district, bringing the Commanders back home, and the logistical side of the planning process.
The Fly sat down with John Leganski, former Deputy Chief of Staff and the youngest floor director in House history. His deep understanding of the policymaking process has launched Leganski's book to the bestseller list. Leganski is also the first Republican aide to serve on the floor team for each House leadership position, including the Majority Whip, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, and Speaker. Tune in to hear Leganski share more of his knowledge on the Speaker Kevin McCarthy vote. He dives into the lead-up to the vote, the 15 rounds of voting, and how its aftermath will have significant implications for today's Congress. Tune in to Spotify to hear more of his predictions for this upcoming November.