The BoricuaBC2 Network

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In this episode of The BoricuaBC2 Show, host Bill Cancel speaks with Varun Nikore, Executive Director of the AAPI Victory Alliance, about the growing political power of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in the United States. Varun shares his journey in organising AAPI communities and discusses the importance of political participation in shaping the future of American democracy. He also highlights the barriers to AAPI civic engagement, including voter suppression, citizenship challenges, and the critical need for stronger representation in both local and national politics.
 
Varun's extensive career includes serving as a senior political strategist, CEO of Tibco Strategies, and Special Assistant at the U.S. Department of Education under President Bill Clinton. His leadership in founding the AAPI Victory Alliance in 2017 aims to amplify the voices of AAPI voters and encourage greater civic involvement within this diverse community.
 
Expect to Learn:
How Varun founded the AAPI Victory Alliance in response to political changes post-2016.
The diversity of the AAPI community and the challenges in organizing such a multifaceted group.
Barriers to AAPI civic engagement, including voter suppression and changing citizenship laws.
The significance of state and local elections in building a foundation for federal victories.
Insights into how to engage younger AAPI voters and communities through targeted media strategies.
Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:
[00:00] - Introduction 
[03:42] - Inspiration behind AAPI Victory Alliance
[05:12] - The diversity of the AAPI community and the challenges of political organizing
[06:33] - Key barriers to voter turnout and political engagement within the AAPI community
[15:54] - Understanding the Disconnect Between State and DC Democrats
[18:52] - Crafting Messaging for Younger AAPI Voters
[23:24] - How to Reach Out to the Puerto Rican and Latin Community
[25:42] - Concerns About Awareness of Social Security in 20s and 30s
[27:13] - Predictions for the political landscape in the next 6-12 months
[28:10] - Closing thoughts on uniting the AAPI community for political success
 
Follow the Guest Varun Nikore
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/varunnikore/ 
Company’s Website: https://aapivictoryalliance.com/ 
 
Follow the Host Bill Cancel
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cancelbill/ 
Website: https://www.theboricuabc2show.com/ 
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boricuabc2.bsky.social
 
Listening Links:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0j6soWAazqs8DJTJJ9FsZr
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-boricuabc2-show/id1802890213
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Boricuabc2

In this thought-provoking episode of The BoricuaBC2 Show, host Bill Cancel speaks with Professor Steven Vogel, a renowned political economist, about the intersection of politics and economics. With an extensive background in political science and the political economy of advanced industrial countries, particularly Japan, Professor Vogel underscores the importance of a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to understanding global issues. This episode covers everything from market governance and regulation to the lessons from the 2008 financial crisis and current economic policy debates.
 
Professor Steven Vogel is a distinguished professor of Political Science and Political Economy at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also the director of the Political Economy Programme and holds a BA from Princeton University and a PhD from UC Berkeley. His research spans comparative political economy, market governance, and the political economy of advanced industrialised countries, with a special focus on Japan. Professor Vogel is the author of Market Craft: How Government Makes Markets Work (Oxford, 2018) and other major works that examine government and industry reforms in capitalist systems.
 
 Expect to Learn:
The key differences between political economy and traditional economics, and why the interdisciplinary approach is essential for solving today’s global problems.
How government intervention and regulation shape markets and why markets cannot function without government rules.
How a piecemeal approach to market regulation contributed to the global financial meltdown and the lessons we can learn from it.
 Pre-distribution, a concept that focuses on addressing inequality before it arises, through public investment and market regulation, rather than relying solely on redistribution after the fact.
A comparison of the economic models of the United States and Japan, focusing on the strengths and weaknesses of each system.
 Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:
[00:00] - Introduction
[02:03] - Political Economy vs Economics
[04:17] - The Importance of Market Craft 
[09:11] - The Concept of Pre-distribution
[11:43] - Comparing the U.S. and Japan's Economic Model
[15:37] - What the US Can Learn from Japan
[16:46] - Deregulation and Its Misunderstandings in the U.S.
[18:20] - Current Economic Concerns in the US
[20:33] - US Economic Policy Reforms
[21:44] - Learn More about Professor Vogel
 
Follow the Guest Steven:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-vogel-47045b6/ 
Website: https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~svogel/ 
Book: Market Craft: How Government Makes Markets Work (Oxford University Press, 2018)
Professor Vogel's Profile at UC Berkeley: https://polisci.berkeley.edu/people/person/steven-vogel 
Upcoming Work: Professor Vogel’s forthcoming paper on Pre-distribution from the Roosevelt Institute (not yet published).
Follow the Host Bill:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cancelbill/ 
Website: https://www.theboricuabc2show.com/ 
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boricuabc2.bsky.social
 
Listening Links:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0j6soWAazqs8DJTJJ9FsZr
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-boricuabc2-show/id1802890213
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Boricuabc2