Emily, John and David discuss the ways that U.S. democracy is in peril, the Democrats‘ strategy woes, and they are joined by author Andrea Elliott to talk about her new book Invisible Child. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Ezra Klein for The New York Times: “David Shor Is Telling Democrats What They Don’t Want to Hear” Jamelle Bouie for The New York Times: “Bill Clinton, Race and the Politics of the 1990s” The Ezra Klein Show. “Transcript: Ezra Klein Interviews Heather McGhee About the Cost of Racism” The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, by Heather McGhee  Simon Bazelon and David Shor for Slow Boring: “A Permanent CTC Expansion With a Sharper Means-Test Would Protect Poor Kids Better and be More Popular” Matt Yglesias for Slow Boring: “If You Want To Talk About Racism, Talk About Racism” Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City, by Andrea Elliott Andrea Elliot for The New York Times Magazine: “When Dasani Left Home” Andrea Elliot for The New York Times: 2013 Invisible Child series Here’s this week’s chatter: David: Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide, by Cecily Wong and Dylan Thuras  John: John’s donation page for the Covenant House Sleep Out; Gurwinder @G_S_Bhogal’s Twitter thread about the 40 powerful concepts for understanding the world.  Emily: Jan Ransom, Jonah E. Bromwich and Rebecca Davis O’Brien for The New York Times: “Inside Rikers: Dysfunction, Lawlessness and Detainees in Control” Listener chatter from Nettie Hendricks: The Fetler Family Band on YouTube For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment John, Emily, and David discuss what they’d do with their days if they didn’t need to work.  Visit www.slate.com/gabfestplus to become a member today! Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices