There's the democracy we're told about... then there's
The Other Democracy
A weekly, reform-oriented investigative podcast hosted by Sondra Wilson
What happens when the law itself needs changing? When contacting elected representatives produces little more than form letters? When the institutions responsible for protecting our rights become obstacles to exercising them?
And what happens when the institutions created to serve the public begin operating against the very purposes they were established to fulfill?
The Other Democracy investigates the history, power, and inner workings of the institutions that govern our lives—especially those rarely discussed during election campaigns.
Beginning in Iowa, with subjects relevant across the United States, we'll examine government immunity doctrines, access to justice, election integrity, wealth extraction, institutional accountability, and the experiences of ordinary citizens who encounter these systems firsthand.
Each episode explores how institutions originated, how they operate today, the human consequences of their decisions, and—most importantly—how citizens can organize to reform or replace the rules themselves.
Because sometimes the problem isn't simply who's in office, or how the law is being enforced. It's the rules governing the institutions themselves.
Listen below, explore the investigations, and join the conversation.
Episode One:
Political Chew Toys
How are political wedge issues distracting Iowans from the problems unfolding right under our noses?
In our premiere episode, we examine out-of-state wealth extraction, healthcare executive compensation, the expansion of Flock-style surveillance cameras, political funding, and the government immunity doctrines that can limit accountability when public officials cause harm.
We also begin a two-part investigation into how Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Nicholas Gluba was kept off Iowa's 2026 ballot, featuring excerpts from the actual state objection-panel proceedings.
Special Investigation — Part One of Two: The Real Story Behind How Nicholas Gluba Was Kept Off Iowa's 2026 Gubernatorial Ballot.
Episode Two:
Nicholas Gluba — The Candidate Iowans Never Got to Hear
Coming Monday, October 12, 2026
What happens when a candidate gathers thousands of signatures, only to be excluded from the ballot before voters ever get to decide?
In Part Two of our special investigation, Libertarian gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Nicholas Gluba joins The Other Democracy to share his firsthand account of being kept off Iowa's 2026 gubernatorial ballot.
Gluba discusses why he decided to run for governor, the platform he hoped to bring before Iowa voters, what he wanted to say on the debate stage, and the objection proceedings and court decisions that ended his candidacy.
We also examine his allegations concerning the conduct of state election officials, the fairness of the proceedings, and the legal barriers candidates encounter when challenging government decisions.
Special Investigation — Part Two of Two: The Real Story Behind How Nicholas Gluba Was Kept Off Iowa's 2026 Gubernatorial Ballot.
Interview with Nicholas Gluba — Available October 12