🎧 Common Sense for a Democracy in Crisis
The fight to repair public service, Congress, and democratic accountability
In this episode of The Steady State Sentinel, John Sipher speaks with veteran intelligence and counterterrorism official Russ Travers about the state of American democracy, the national security system, and his forthcoming book, Common Sense Take Two. Travers reflects on his 45-year career across the intelligence community, from warning about systemic intelligence failures before 9/11 to helping build the post-9/11 counterterrorism architecture.
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What intelligence agencies, independent journalism, government accountability, and democratic norms have in common—and why Americans should pay attention.
A top pollster and an award-winning journalist break down who is self‑censoring, why Gen Z sees democracy differently, and whether the U.S. can reverse its authoritarian slide.
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The campaign to tame 60 Minutes and the broader war on independent journalism.
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For immediate release: June 2, 2026


