Episodes
We dedicated the entire show to a discussion on campaign finance reform.  We start the show with and interview with Richard Saffle who is the Legislative Director of Wolf-PAC WV. During our conversation he tells us about Wolf-PAC’s plan to remove the influence money has on our democracy and why it matters to you. Join...
Published 04/30/18
Published 04/30/18
We start the show discussing the WV Supreme Court’s decision to allow for natural gas companies to deduct more post production costs per well than they had previously been allowed to deduct. This impact of this decision will probably be felt state-wide, if not industry-wide. Followed by a discussion on Don Blankenship’s lies. And then...
Published 04/09/18
This week we start the show talking about Sinclair Media and the video that has been making the rounds showing anchors from across the country reading the same script that critics say pushes a pro-trump conspiracy.  We talk about the repeal of the 80 year old regulation that has kept outside forces from taking over...
Published 04/04/18
Oklahoma Democratic Party State Chair, Anna Langthorn, joins us to tell us about her incredible journey from volunteering on campaigns to being the youngest state chair to ever serve the Democratic Party. She tells us why she decided she should run for state chair and she tells us what she is doing to make the...
Published 03/26/18
We start the show talking about WVU President E. Gordon Gee’s expensive charter flights and the scandal surrounding them. We discuss how waste at the top trickles down to the working class, and why we need tuition-free public college. Other topics include: Marijuana reform, enticing people to move to the mountain state, and Mary Ann...
Published 03/19/18
This week on the show we talk about the continued teacher work stoppage in all 55 counties of West Virginia.  Why won’t the WV Senate uphold the deal made between teachers and the Governor and that the WV House passed 98-1?  Whose back do these folks really have?  Because it surely doesn’t look like they...
Published 03/05/18
Take a Stand with Mary Ann is Back!  For our first episode of 2018 we start the show discussing the historic statewide teacher’s work stoppage and the idea of collective bargaining rights for public employees.  We also talk about SB 474, a bill opposed by the WV Press Association, that helps hide where our money is being...
Published 02/27/18
We are excited to welcome Jeanette Rowsey to Take A Stand With Mary Ann. Jeanette is a candidate for the West Virginia House of Delegates in District 17. She plans to go to Charleston to be a strong voice for working families. In addition to discussing Jeanett’s candidacy, we also talked about her exciting book,...
Published 11/20/17
On this episode of Take a Stand with Mary Ann, we are joined by the Executive Director of Activate Virginia, Josh Stanfield. Josh gives us the scoop on how Virginia swept up the ashes of defeat and ignited them to gain victories way beyond expectations during their November 2017 election.  Virginia Democrats managed to flip 16...
Published 11/13/17
Executive Director of the South Central West Virginia Big Brothers Big Sisters comes on to tell us all about the recent controversy and loss of funding stemming from their decision to accept a grant for LGTB training.  West Virginia has the highest percentage of kids and teens who identify as transgender, and LGBT are at higher...
Published 11/06/17
A Country Divided Mary Ann starts the show by telling us a little bit about growing up up the holler in Cabin Creek, WV with a father born in the 1800s and a no-nonsense mother. Then we look at the seemingly false accusations by White House Chief of Staff General John Kelly that Rep. Frederica Wilson,...
Published 10/23/17
We Welcome Diane Magnone to the show! Candidate for WV House District 1, Diane Magnone, joins us to talk about the dangerous influence of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in West Virginia and across the United States. What is ALEC? Who funds it?  Who benefits from it? Is it ethical or legal? We even...
Published 10/16/17
We welcome Benjamin Madley to the show! Happy Indigenous People’s Day AKA Columbus Day. Benjamin Madley joins the show to tell us about his award winning book, American Genocide: The United States and the California Indian Catastrophe, 1846-1873 about the genocide of California’s Indian/Native population.  Madley is associate professor of history, University of California, Los Angeles, where...
Published 10/09/17
Hate Has No Home Here Mary Ann and co-host, Seth Sturm, talk about Mary Ann’s recent trip to Buckhannon, WV for a Hate Has No Home Here rally.  We talk about hate in our society.  We talk racists, drug addicts, hate for low income earners, and even hate for non-STEM degrees.  Hate is a plague...
Published 10/02/17
Mary Ann discusses campaign finance reform with Selina Vickers Selina tells us about a study that shows congress doesn’t care about your opinion unless you’re in the top 10% of earners.  She tells us about how outside interests take advantage of our political system.  And what she would like to see done in West Virginia...
Published 09/25/17
Mike Pushkin talks the Road Bond, education, and more on this episode of Take a Stand with Mary Ann! On this episode of Take a Stand with Mary Ann, Mary Ann is here to discuss the upcoming vote on Jim Justice’s Road Bond. Then, West Virginia House Representative for the 37th District, Mike Pushkin, joins us to...
Published 09/18/17
James Elam talks about the future of West Virginia on this episode of Take a Stand with Mary Ann! On this episode of Take a Stand with Mary Ann, Mary Ann is here to discuss Hurricane Harvey, Jim Justice, and she is joined by James Elam to talk about his ideas for the future of West...
Published 09/04/17
Our listeners weigh in on West Virginia’s most pressing issues on this episode of Take a Stand with Mary Ann! On this episode of Take a Stand with Mary Ann, we are taking listener call-ins to discuss some of our most recent topics on the show and to get a better understanding of some of the...
Published 08/28/17
Belinda Biafore addresses the future of the Democratic party on Take a Stand with Mary Ann! On this episode of Take a Stand with Mary Ann, we are joined by the West Virginia State Democratic Party Chairwoman, Belinda Biafore. Belinda is here to tell us about the process of running for office as a candidate...
Published 08/21/17
West Virginia Senator Richard Ojeda tells us about his run for Congress on Take a Stand with Mary Ann! On this episode of Take a Stand with Mary Ann, we are joined by West Virginia State Senator and candidate for West Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District, Richard Ojeda. Ojeda is here to tell us more about his run for the vacant...
Published 08/14/17
Chris Regan gives us an inside look at the West Virginia Democratic Party on Take a Stand with Mary Ann! On this episode of Take a Stand with Mary Ann, we are joined by the former Vice Chair of the West Virginia Democratic Party, Chris Regan. Chris gives us the inside scoop on the candidacy of Governor...
Published 08/07/17
Paula Swearengin tells us about her run against Senator Joe Manchin on Take a Stand with Mary Ann. On this episode of Take a Stand with Mary Ann, we are joined by Paula Swearengin to discuss her run against West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin in 2018.  Paula and Mary Ann talk about her running a campaign...
Published 07/31/17
Pat McGeehan is here to Take a Stand with Mary Ann!   On this episode of Take a Stand with Mary Ann, we are joined by Republican member of the West Virginia House of Delegates (representing the 1st District) and a former candidate for the United States Senate election in West Virginia, Pat McGeehan. Pat is the...
Published 07/21/17
Johnathan Matthew Smucker is here to discuss building effective political movements on Take a Stand with Mary Ann! On this episode of Take a Stand with Mary Ann, Mary Ann Claytor is joined by the author of Hegemony How-To: A Roadmap for Radicals, Johnathan Matthew Smucker. Johnathan is the director of Beyond the Choir and has worked...
Published 07/03/17