Left Anchor

What's Downballot in 2024? - 330

Less than a week to go before the election, so we've got Daniel Nichanian on from the great publication Bolts. We talk about Trump's Nuremburg Rally in New York and what effects it might have, how the Republican ground game is shaping up, and the most important races for state supreme court, prosecutors, and sheriffs.
Check out the rest of Bolts' excellent 2024 coverage here.

Lake Powell Is Doomed - 329 PREVIEW

The second-largest reservoir in the United States is called Lake Powell on the Colorado River. It has not been filled since 1999, and in 2022 reached a record low of about 23 percent full--nearly the point of "dead pool," where the lake would be below the outlet pipes. The reason is that with climate change and reservoir overcapacity (the largest reservoir of all, Lake Mead, is downstream of Powell), there is too much storage on the river relative to demand for agriculture, cities, and water lost from reservoir evaporation.
What to do? Science writer Zak Podmore examines the question in his book Life After Dead Pool: Lake Powell's Last Days and the Rebirth of the Colorado River, where he argues it's time to drain the lake, save a lot of water, and restore the wondrous beauty of flooded Glen Canyon.
Zak and University of Utah economist Marshall Steinbaum join us to talk about the political economy behind the construction of Glen Canyon Dam, how environmentalists went wrong attacking it with conservative arguments, and how the Colorado can be better managed as a resource for both people and nature. Subscribe now to hear the whole thing!

The 2024 Election Home Stretch - 328

Today we are talking the killing of Yahya Sinwar, Kamala Harris's outreach to Black male voters, and most importantly, Trump's unbelievably crappy line of merch. Enjoy!

A Year of Butchery in Gaza - 327 PREVIEW

Israel's occupation is much worse than South African apartheid. Subscribe here to listen to the whole episode.

The BS Epidemic - 326

Today we are talking about philosopher Harry Frankfurt's famous essay "On Bullshit," and how it applies to Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and J.D. Vance. We also discuss the damage caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, aid links here.
Check out the new book by Ryan Mac and Kate Conger as well. Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter.

American Political Freaks - 325 PREVIEW

This time we are talking Mark Robinson and the Olivia Nuzzi-RFK Jr affair. Subscribe now to hear the whole thing!

The Flailing Trump Campaign - 322 UNLOCKED

Hey folks, Ryan has been sick with Covid, so this week we're unlocking a bonus episode. 
Donald Trump visited Wilkes-Barre, much to Ryan's surprise, but his appearance fell flat. What's going on with his campaign? We discuss that, plus Kamala Harris's policy rollout, and the outbreak of riots in the UK. Enjoy!

The Oligarch Class - 324 PREVIEW

Today economics professor Rob Larson comes on to discuss his new book Mastering the Universe: The Obscene Wealth of the Ruling Class, What They Do with Their Money, and Why You Should Hate Them Even More. Subscribe now to hear the whole thing! 

DNC Recap - 323

We've got historian Harvey Kaye back on to talk about the major DNC speeches and what they reveal about the state of the Democratic Party. Enjoy!

The Flailing Trump Campaign - 322 PREVIEW

Today we're talking Trump, Harris's policy rollout, and UK riots. Subscribe now to hear the whole thing!