Afleveringen
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Katrina vanden Heuvel is the publisher and editorial director of The Nation, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and an advocate for diplomacy, disarmament, and international cooperation. She returns to Current Affairs to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, the erosion of U.S. diplomacy, and the bipartisan consensus around militarism.
She outlines the details of the Quincy Institute’s U.S. peace plan, explains why diplomacy is often smeared as appeasement, and explores what a negotiated end to the war might actually look like. We also explore whether Trump, despite his transactional and erratic instincts, might paradoxically be the only figure capable of restarting peace talks. Nathan concludes with an analysis of the "security dilemma" and how the logic of militarism is driving a global arms race under the guise of self-defense.
🕊️ Read Katrina in The Nation: https://www.thenation.com/authors/katrina-vanden-heuvel/
🕊️ Subscribe to The Nation: https://subscriptions.thenation.com/TNA/?f=Site01&s=F5X001
🕊️ The Quincy Institute's Peace Plan: https://quincyinst.org/research/a-u-s-peace-plan-for-ukraine/#executive-summary
0:00-5:15 Is Trump Interested In Peace?
5:15-17:05 The U.S. Peace Plan for Ukraine
17:21-26:53 Diplomacy vs. Appeasement
26:53-31:21 How Does The War End?
31:21-38:58 The Security Dilemma
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Even by the standards of right-wing rhetoric, Miller’s public statements are uncommonly shameless. He treats his audience as stupid and gullible.
🦎 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-brainless-propaganda-of-stephen-miller
🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership
🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs
🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Andrew Cuomo is not just unfit for office—he’s dangerous. In this interview, Lindsey Boylan, the first woman to publicly speak out about Cuomo’s abusive behavior, explains how his pattern of harassment, retaliation, and intimidation mirrors the authoritarian tactics of Donald Trump. Boylan describes how Cuomo weaponized state resources, silenced critics, and surrounded himself with enablers, all while cultivating a media image of competence and compassion.
This interview complements a larger piece by Nathan J. Robinson, editor of Current Affairs, on Cuomo’s deadly mishandling of COVID, corruption scandals, abuse of elderly prisoners, and his pro-corporate, pro-Israel, anti-worker agenda. Despite resigning in disgrace, Cuomo is now the frontrunner in the race for New York City mayor. Boylan’s warning is urgent: his abuses will continue unless we stop him now.
🗽 Watch Our Other Video on Cuomo: https://youtu.be/gYg-Ihd74pU
🗽 Read the AG's Investigation of Cuomo: https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2021.08.03_nyag_-_investigative_report.pdf
🗽 Read Nathan's Article on Cuomo: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/andrew-cuomo-is-worse-than-you-even-know
🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership
🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs
🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
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The former governor is a corrupt abuser of power with a pro-corporate agenda and a proven track record of deadly negligence. He will do nothing to improve New Yorkers’ lives. Why on Earth is he a contender for mayor?
Nathan J. Robinson, editor of Current Affairs Magazine, reads his article "Andrew Cuomo Is Worse Than You Even Know"
🗽 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/andrew-cuomo-is-worse-than-you-even-know
0:00–4:37 The Story of Mr. Smalls
4:37–13:23 Abuse of Power & Workplace Misconduct
13:23–21:09 Deadly COVID Mismanagement
21:09–25:18 Corruption & Cover-Ups
25:18–39:35 Cuomo’s Political Record & Ideology
🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership
🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs
🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
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🦩 This episode originally aired on May 30, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs
Professor Richard Wolff is the host of the weekly program Economic Update, co-founder of Democracy at Work, and the author of numerous books including Understanding Marxism, Understanding Socialism, Capitalism Hits the Fan, and The Sickness Is the System.
He joins Current Affairs to explain how economics is deliberately taught in a way that confuses people and obscures the realities of power and exploitation. He dismantles the myth that capitalism delivers prosperity, showing instead how it generates instability, inequality, and crisis. Wolff also offers a sober analysis of America’s imperial decline, critiques Trump’s economic agenda, and exposes the economic lies behind anti-immigrant rhetoric.
📚 Subscribe to Richard's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@democracyatwrk/videos
📚 Buy Richard's Books: https://www.rdwolff.com/books
0:00–11:53 Why Economics Is Designed to Confuse You
11:53–22:26 What Marxism Actually Reveals About Capitalism
22:26–30:55 Capitalism Isn’t What You Think It Is
30:55–36:48 Capitalism’s “Success” Story Is a Lie
36:48–44:35 The End of American Empire
44:35–47:45 Will Trump Cause A Recession?
47:45–57:23 The Economics of Immigration
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This panel was recorded on October 16th, 2024
A special event hosted by Current Affairs Magazine at The New School in New York City to celebrate the release of The Myth of American Idealism, the new book co-authored by Noam Chomsky and Nathan J. Robinson. The panel explores Chomsky’s lifelong critique of U.S. foreign policy—from Vietnam and Iraq to Ukraine and Gaza—and examines why his radical analysis of American power remains essential.
Joining Nathan are leading journalists, scholars, and close collaborators of Chomsky who reflect on his influence, his moral clarity, and the urgent relevance of his work today.
Nathan Robinson - Co-author of The Myth of American Idealism, Editor-in-Chief of Current Affairs Magazine
Amy Goodman - Host of the independent global news program Democracy Now! since 1996, author of six books, winner of the I.F. Stone Medal for Journalistic Independence and the Gandhi Peace Award
Bev Stohl - Ran Prof. Chomsky's office at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for over 20 years and is the author of Chomsky and Me: A Memoir
Greg Grandin - Professor of history at Yale University, author of Kissinger's Shadow, Empire's Workshop, and Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for History and the National Book Award
Victor Pickard - Media studies professor, Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, author of America’s Battle for Media Democracy: The Triumph of Corporate Libertarianism and the Future of Media Reform and Democracy Without Journalism?
📖 The Myth of American Idealism: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
📖 Chomsky and Me: https://orbooks.com/catalog/chomsky-and-me/
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🦩 This episode originally aired on May 20, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs
John Cassidy, staff writer at The New Yorker and author of Capitalism and Its Critics, joins Nathan J. Robinson to explore the history of capitalism. Cassidy examines why capitalism has been criticized from its inception, the diverse range of critiques it has faced, and how these criticisms have evolved over time.
Through profiles of both iconic figures and overlooked thinkers, Cassidy unpacks the multifaceted critiques of capitalism, from its inherent exploitation and inequality to its destructive environmental impact. He also highlights the often-dismissed contributions of female critics and explores right-wing condemnations of capitalism, providing a thorough and nuanced exploration of the ideological battle over capitalism's role in the modern world.
0:00-7:15 Why Criticize Capitalism?
7:15-9:58 The Different Flavors of Capitalism
9:58-12:51 A Narrative-Driven History of Capitalism
12:51-16:44 Profiles of Capitalism's Critics
16:44-21:43 Female Critics of Capitalism
21:43-25:01 Most Ignored Critics of Capitalism
25:01-29:13 Right-Wing Critics of Capitalism
29:13-33:30 The Future of Capitalism
💰 Buy John Cassidy's Book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374601096/capitalismanditscritics/
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The Democratic Party is sclerotic. It’s easy to heap blame on Joe Biden now that he is weak and powerless. But that’s a convenient way of avoiding a major reckoning.
Nathan J. Robinson, editor of Current Affairs, reads his article "The Problem Goes Well Beyond Biden"
🦚 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-problem-goes-well-beyond-biden
🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership
🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs
🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
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🦩 This episode originally aired on May 16, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs
Chas Freeman is one of the most insightful voices in U.S. foreign policy, with a distinguished career as a diplomat and a deep expertise in U.S.-China relations. In this conversation with Nathan J. Robinson, Freeman offers a searing critique of America's current approach to diplomacy, the global balance of power, and its role in key international conflicts.
Freeman challenges the pervasive "China threat" narrative, arguing that the U.S. has misunderstood China's rise and wrongly positioned it as an existential threat. He compares the foreign policy approaches of Presidents Biden and Trump, highlighting the surprising continuities in their handling of China. Freeman also deconstructs the oversimplified and inflammatory discourse surrounding Taiwan, calling for a more nuanced understanding. Shifting to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Freeman explains how U.S. diplomatic failures helped fuel the war and why America’s actions have deepened the crisis. Finally, Freeman offers a sharp critique of U.S. policy towards Israel, urging the U.S. to stop enabling Israel’s expansionist policies and to push for a real peace agreement with the Palestinians.
0:00-6:03 The Decline of American Diplomacy
6:03-15:26: China
15:26-18:30: Biden v. Trump Approach to China
18:30-23:58: Taiwan
23:58-35:07: Russia/Ukraine
35:07-49:09: Israel/Palestine
🤝 Buy Chas Freeman's Books: https://chasfreeman.net/books-and-publications/
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🦩 This episode originally aired on May 14, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs
Ted Rall is one of the most influential political cartoonists on the left today. In his new book “What’s Left: Radical Solutions for Radical Problems," he presents a manifesto for left-wing politics in 2025, blending incisive analysis with his political cartoons.
Rall outlines what it means to be a leftist in an era where the Democratic Party has abandoned progressive ideals. He argues that the left must focus on real, substantive demands — from healthcare and the defense budget to a livable wage, offering both a critique of the past and a vision for what the future could hold if we organize around principles that actually improve people's lives.
0:00-7:04 A Manifesto for the Left
7:04-11:49 Defining Core Leftist Values
11:49-19:20 The Power of Simplifying Complex Ideas
19:20-27:48 Liberals vs. Leftists
27:48-41:17 Key Priorities for the Left
41:17-46:58 The Broad Appeal of Left-Wing Ideas
🎨 Buy Ted's Book: https://rall.com/2025/05/01/book-ted-rall-whats-left
🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership
🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs
🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
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🦩 This episode originally aired on April 18, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs
America is in crisis, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Around the world, other countries have already solved many of the problems we’re told are unsolvable here: from unaffordable healthcare to lack of parental leave, crumbling infrastructure, climate disaster, and more. So why can’t the U.S. do what other nations have already done?
We’re joined by journalist and lecturer Natasha Hakimi Zapata, author of Another World Is Possible: Lessons for America from Around the Globe, a new book that explores how other countries have tackled problems the U.S. treats as unsolvable. From universal healthcare in the U.K. to paid family leave in Norway, public housing in Singapore, and green energy in Uruguay, Zapata shows what’s possible and how it was achieved. She traces the political fights, the movements, and the leadership that made these victories real, offering lessons for Americans ready to demand more. The solutions exist. The question is whether we’re willing to fight for them.
0:00–15:17 The Fight to Create the NHS
15:17–21:44 Parental Leave & Childcare That Actually Works
21:44–27:00 Why These Aren’t “Handouts”
27:00–29:32 How Singapore Made Public Housing Work
29:32–33:52 Estonia’s Model of Digital Democracy
33:52–36:47 Uruguay’s Green Energy Revolution
36:47–45:23 How to Win These Fights in the U.S.
🌎 Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Another-World-Possible-Lessons-America/dp/162097844X
🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership
🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs
🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
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In “On Democracies and Death Cults,” Murray offers a straightforward “good versus evil” account of the Israel-Palestine conflict. He does this by excluding every piece of information that undercuts his thesis and even spreading outright falsehoods.
🦚 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/douglas-murrays-expertise-is-a-sham
🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership
🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs
🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
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🦩 This episode originally aired on May 6, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs
Lorne Michaels might be the most powerful figure in American comedy — and yet, most people barely know who he is. In this episode, New Yorker editor Susan Morrison joins us to discuss her new book Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live, a deeply reported, wildly entertaining biography of the man behind SNL. We explore how Michaels built a cultural institution from scratch, reinvented the variety show format, and launched the careers of generations of comedy legends — all while staying deliberately out of the spotlight. Morrison explains how Michaels has shaped American humor and politics, maintained control over a live show for nearly 50 years, and earned a reputation as one of the most inscrutable and effective bosses in showbiz.
0:00–1:55 Spy Magazine vs. Trump
1:55–14:54 Why Lorne Michaels?
14:54–28:50 Reinventing the Variety Show
28:50–31:28 How SNL Shaped Comedy
31:28–34:21 SNL and Politics
34:21–38:01 Lorne’s Management Style
38:01–43:20 Favorite Sketches
🎭 Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/532520/lorne-by-susan-morrison/
🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership
🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs
🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
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🦩 This episode originally aired on April 29, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!
Liberalism and socialism are often treated as opposites — but what if they’re actually part of the same fight for freedom, equality, and democracy? We’re joined by political theorist Matt McManus, author of The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism, a new book that challenges conventional narratives about liberalism, socialism, and the history of political philosophy.
McManus explains how thinkers from John Stuart Mill to John Rawls argued that true freedom requires not just political rights, but freedom from domination in the workplace and economy. He also addresses the deep confusion around the word "liberal" today — why many leftists recoil at liberalism after decades of association with hollow technocrats like Matt Yglesias — and why the older liberal tradition, rooted in egalitarian principles, is worth retrieving.
0:00–6:45 Why Political Philosophy Matters
6:45–23:34 Recovering the Radical Roots of Liberalism
23:34–27:20 John Rawls Was More Radical Than You Think
27:20–32:30 Can Liberalism Be Saved From Its Hypocrisy?
32:30–38:42 What Separates Liberal Socialists From Other Socialists
38:42–46:06 Why Understanding Liberalism and Socialism Still Matters Today
🌹 The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism: https://www.routledge.com/The-Political-Theory-of-Liberal-Socialism/McManus/p/book/9781032647234
🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership
🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs
🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
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🦩 This episode originally aired on April 22, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs
Most people never think twice about shrimp. But as it turns out, these creatures make up the majority of animals alive on farms at any given time—hundreds of billions every year. And the conditions they endure are often horrifying: overcrowding, eye mutilation, and inhumane slaughter methods are all standard practice. So why don’t we care?
We’re joined by Andrés Jiménez Zorrilla, chairman of the Shrimp Welfare Project. He walks us through the shocking scale of global shrimp farming, the mounting scientific evidence for shrimp sentience, and the practical reforms that can drastically reduce animal suffering.
0:00–5:20 Why We Care About Pandas But Not Shrimp
5:20–10:54 The Most Abused Animals on Earth
10:54–17:18 Can Shrimp Feel Pain?
17:18–22:36 Inside the Brutal World of Shrimp Farming
22:36–31:32 How We Can Make Shrimp Suffer Less
🦐 Yes, Shrimp Matter: https://asteriskmag.com/issues/09/yes-shrimp-matter
🦐 Shrimp Welfare Project: https://www.shrimpwelfareproject.org/
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A bit of a change of pace for the CA podcast today: We're going to be doing SCIENCE instead of politics. We're joined by one of the world's leading popular science writers, physics professor Sean Carroll, whose bestselling books include The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself and Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime. His latest book is The Biggest Ideas in the Universe: Quanta and Fields.
Sean is here today to discuss how our understanding of the world around us has developed over time, how much stranger the world is than our "common sense" perceptions of it would indicate, and how laypeople with no background in the physical sciences can begin to grasp and appreciate the deepest hidden truths about the Universe. Sean is an eloquent spokesperson for the view that a godless universe can still be a poetic and beautiful one, and there may be more connections between the political and the physical than it first appears...
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🦩 This episode originally aired on April 4, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!
Sophia Rosenfeld is a distinguished historian and the author of Common Sense: A Political History. She joins Nathan to discuss how the idea of “common sense” has been used as a political weapon—from Thomas Paine to Donald Trump. Rosenfeld explains how appeals to common sense can both empower ordinary people and shut down dissent, why the term has become central to right-wing populism, and how it helps mask deeply ideological claims as obvious truths. She also reflects on her new book, The Age of Choice, and the hidden politics behind the freedoms we take for granted.
0:00-6:04 How Trump uses "common sense" as a political weapon
6:04-16:15 How "common sense" is used to make radical ideas normalized
16:15-21:03 How "common sense" undermines expertise
21:03-27:57 What are the origins of "common sense?"
27:57-32:33 How "common sense" can be manipulated for good
32:33-39:25 The politics of “choice” and why freedom of choice isn’t always liberating
39:25-44:34 Is “common sense” real, or just a rhetorical tool?
🧠 Common Sense: A Political History https://www.amazon.com/Common-Sense-Political-Sophia-Rosenfeld/dp/0674057813
🧠 The Age of Choice: A History of Freedom in Modern Life https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691164717/the-age-of-choice?srsltid=AfmBOoqca43cL20XoW5ImlNs1_bkxT9eIkiK_I08g7sKYOv9yWo0yvE0
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🦩 This episode originally aired on April 8, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!
Zohran Mamdani represents the 36th District in the New York State Assembly. A member of the Democratic Socialists of America, he is currently running for mayor of New York City, hoping to unseat the controversial Eric Adams, who recently escaped federal corruption charges after signaling a willingness to help the Trump administration crackdown on immigrants. Mamdani is running on a platform of lowering the cost of living for New Yorkers. He joined Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss his city and his campaign.
0:00-6:12 What's the Deal With Eric Adams?
6:12-11:55 The Real Challenges Facing New Yorkers
11:55-14:43 The Rent is Too Damn High
14:43-19:48 How Zohran Plans to Win
19:48-21:59 Confronting Genocide from Local Office
21:59-26:51 Responding to Right-Wing Talking Points
26:51-29:56 Zohran's Vision for New York City
🗽 Zohran Mamdani's Website: https://www.zohranfornyc.com/
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🦩 This episode originally aired on February 21, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!
Joe Biden is gone, but we are now living with the consequences of Biden's presidency, and it's important in this moment to look back over the last four years and try to understand what exactly happened to get us to this point. Was Biden's presidency doomed from the start? Which of the many competing narratives about it is true? Was it an America-wrecking catastrophe, as Trump says, or an underrated golden age, as Biden's defenders would have it?
We are joined for this assessment by the world's leading Bidenologist, Branko Marcetic, who is the author of the 2020 book Yesterday's Man: The Case Against Joe Biden, and has written a two-part assessment of the Biden presidency for Jacobin, Part I being on domestic policy and Part II being on foreign policy. Branko recounts the political history of the last four years, explaining how it all went wrong and we ended up back at another Trump presidency.
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🦩 This episode originally aired on February 26, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!
Sam Seder and Emma Vigeland of The Majority Report have spent years tracking the rise of the far right, the decay of liberal institutions, and the Democratic Party's refusal to meet the moment. They join Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to talk about what Trump and the conservative movement are really planning, why most Democrats still don’t understand the threat, and how the left can actually fight back.
“If you're looking for fraud and waste, everyone knows you start where the most fraud and waste is already on record—and that’s the Defense Department, which has failed seven, maybe eight audits over the past few decades. It has the biggest budget by far. If this were a genuine attempt to root out fraud and waste, you’d start there." —Sam Seder
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