The Purple Principle Podcast

Series produced by Fluent Knowledge

Caption: The Purple Principle Podcast , Credit: Fluent Knowledge
Image by: Fluent Knowledge 
The Purple Principle Podcast  

The Purple Principle is a non-partisan podcast for independent-minded Americans exploring the perils of partisanship in U.S. politics, society and daily life.

By most measures, the US has over 40 million independent or unaffiliated voters (that’s a large audience!) representing more than a third of the electorate. Yet despite large and growing numbers, independents are often missing from the national conversation.

Independents have no cable channel or national newspaper. You rarely encounter an independent perspective on a major network or opinion page. And there’s a surprising lack of scholarship on them as well. Yet independents loom large come election time precisely because of their large numbers and low predictability.
At the Purple Principle, our audience is those independent-minded and unaffiliated Americans.

These questions lie behind every episode of The Purple Principle: How did these United States get so thoroughly partisan? How do we get less partisan? Can independent-minded Americans help bridge the divide?

Along our podcast journey, we interview experts from many different backgrounds: neuroscientists, comedians, mediators, legislators, musicians, non-partisan groups, political scientists and statisticians.

At the end of each episode, we ask this Exhausted American Majority tired of partisan political battles, to share their own purple tales as mediators between blue and red family members and friends. Hide full description

By most measures, the US has over 40 million independent or unaffiliated voters (that’s a large audience!) representing more than a third of the electorate. Yet despite large and growing numbers, independents are often missing from the national conversation. Independents have no cable channel or national newspaper. You rarely encounter an independent perspective on a major network or opinion page. And there’s a surprising lack of scholarship on them as well. Yet independents loom large come election time precisely because of their large numbers and low predictability. At the Purple Principle, our audience is those independent-minded and unaffiliated Americans. These questions lie behind every episode of The Purple Principle: How did these United States get so thoroughly partisan? How... Show full description


77 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: The Purple Principle Podcast , Credit: Fluent Knowledge
Concerned with the US primary elections? Featured guest Nick Troiano, Executive Director of Unite America provides a refreshing and solution-focuse...

  • Added: Feb 28, 2024
  • Length: 50:46
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On this episode we talk with COO of Veterans for All Voters about the perils of polarization in our politics. We also meet three volunteer veterans...

  • Added: Feb 15, 2024
  • Length: 26:51
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Rep. Will Hurd on the 2022 election results, congressional factions, and how bipartisan legislation gets passed.

Bought by WFHB


  • Added: Dec 19, 2022
  • Length: 27:39
  • Purchases: 1
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Former U.S. Senators Doug Jones and Bob Corker discuss the results of the midterm elections and what lies ahead of a newly divided Congress.

  • Added: Dec 07, 2022
  • Length: 37:42
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Our best guest insights to keep in mind during these polarizing 2022 midterm elections

  • Added: Nov 10, 2022
  • Length: 17:36
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Part of our Season 3 series on state-level polarization and partisanship.

  • Added: Oct 27, 2022
  • Length: 26:09
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Historian Geraldo Cadava and comedians Carlos Mencia and Cristela Alonzo discuss the many different perspectives that shape Latino politics.

  • Added: Oct 12, 2022
  • Length: 30:32

  • Added: Oct 06, 2022
  • Length: 29:16
Caption: Episode Artwork
The first of 3 episodes in a mini-series on Hispanic American Swing Voters. During National Hispanic Heritage Month, and in the lead-up to the 20...

  • Added: Sep 29, 2022
  • Length: 31:21
Caption: End of Bay State Bipartisanship?: These Not So United States (MA Part Two)
Former MA Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey and UMass Amherst Professor Alex Theodoridis discuss how national polarization is affecting Massachusetts politics ...

  • Added: Sep 27, 2022
  • Length: 28:51
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Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick talks about polarization in the U.S. and his improbable American journey.

  • Added: Sep 13, 2022
  • Length: 31:26
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Talking Alaska's elections and polarizing politics, launching on the state's 2022 Primary Day and Special Election Day. Featuring Independent Alask...

  • Added: Aug 16, 2022
  • Length: 29:14

  • Added: Aug 02, 2022
  • Length: 36:31
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Great American Independents (Part Two): Andrew Heaton on Liberty, Justice, & Satire for All
Author, former congressional staffer, and indie-minded political satirist Andrew Heaton joins us for Part 2 of Great American Independents. He tal...

Bought by WRFA-LP


  • Added: Jul 19, 2022
  • Length: 24:54
  • Purchases: 1
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A refreshingly independent voice for this Independence Day episode: Amy Chua talks with host Robert Pease about our zero sum American orthodoxies, ...

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  • Added: Jul 01, 2022
  • Length: 28:38
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Strength in Diversity, Weakness in One Party Rule? These Not So United States (CA Finale), Credit: The Purple Principle
We complete our three-episode tour of the great state of California with three uniquely positioned viewpoints on the Golden State: Leon Panetta, fo...

  • Added: Jun 28, 2022
  • Length: 35:33
Caption: 2022 California Primaries by Faction & Tortilla with Gustavo Arellano: These Not So United States (CA Part 2), Credit: The Purple Principle
If California progressives were a tortilla brand, they’d be delicious but expensive and inaccessible. By contrast, establishment Democratic tortill...

  • Added: Jun 21, 2022
  • Length: 31:46
Caption: One Golden State, Two Democratic Parties: These Not So United States (CA Part 1), Credit: The Purple Principle
Has the California dream given way to a cost of living nightmare? NPR veteran and LA resident Barbara Bogaev co-hosts with Rob Pease for an in-dept...

Bought by KVMR


  • Added: Jun 07, 2022
  • Length: 35:03
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Georgia On All Our Minds: These Not So United States, Credit: The Purple Principle
All political roads lead to Georgia these days. The Peach State was so pivotal in the 2020 election of Joe Biden and the 2021 runoff election of tw...

  • Added: May 24, 2022
  • Length: 32:50
Caption: Politically Persuadable But Focused on Jobs? Hispanic American Swing Voters (Part 1), Credit: The Purple Principle
Is a large and growing segment of Hispanic American voters now leaning independent? That’s the operative question in this first episode on Hispanic...

  • Added: May 10, 2022
  • Length: 30:51