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Episode 272 - What’s Going on in Tennessee?

Today we've got Nashville city council member Sean Parker on to talk about Tennessee political drama. Why does the Republican state government hate Nashville so much, how have things changed in recent years, why did Black legislators get expelled from the state House, and is there any hope for change? Listen to find out.

Episode 271 PREVIEW - Authoritarians Having a Bad Time

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Episode 270 - America’s Rotting Civic Infrastructure

Today we're talking again with Pete Davis, author of Dedicated: The Case for Commitment in an Age of Infinite Browsing, about his film Join or Die. It's a documentary about Robert Putnam and the accelerating decay of social institutions like clubs, unions, churches, and so forth. Pete explains why those are so important, and what might be done about it.

Episode 269 PREVIEW - The SVB Collapse

In this preview of our latest bonus episode, Skanda Amarnath, executive director of the Employ America think tank, discusses why the Silicon Valley Bank failed. Subscribe now to hear the whole thing!

Episode 268 - The Education Myth

Today we've got Professor Jon Shelton on to talk about his book The Education Myth: How Human Capital Trumped Social Democracy. We discuss how the justification for public schooling was wildly different in the 19th century, why education doesn't solve poverty, why "human capital" is a nonsense idea, how education reform became a fake substitute for class politics, and more. Enjoy!

Episode 267 PREVIEW - The Trans Panic II

In this excerpt of our latest bonus episode, we discuss the implication of Michael Knowles' eliminationist rhetoric about trans people. Subscribe now to hear the whole thing where we discuss the reaction to our previous episode, Jesse Singal twitter drama, President Biden's undermining of DC home rule, and more.

Episode 266 UNLOCKED - Tales from the Black Power Movement

Today we've got historian Dan Berger to talk about his new book Stayed on Freedom: The Long History of Black Power through One Family’s Journey -- and then we've got the two main characters of the book as well, Zoharah Simmons and Michael Simmons.
Zoharah and Michael have lived astounding lives, and they tell us stories about working with SNCC during the fight against Jim Crow, campaigning for Julian Bond, traveling the world to join the freedom struggle in other nations, and more. Enjoy!

Episode 265 - The Trans Panic

Today we've got Evan Urquhart and Michael Hobbes on to talk about the ongoing frenzy of bigotry directed at trans people, and why centrist and liberal reporters are feeding it.
Evan covers trans issues at Assigned Media, while Michael is a journalist currently working on the Maintenance Phase and If Books Could Kill podcasts.
Also check out Evan's coverage of detransitioners, Tom Scocca's critique of the Times coverage, and this open letter to New York Times management from many of its employees and contributors.

Episode 264 PREVIEW - The Biden Antitrust Agenda

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Episode 263 - What Is Reproductive Justice? with Felicia Kornbluh

Today we've got Felicia Kornbluh, professor of history at the University of Vermont, on to talk about her new book A Woman's Life Is a Human Life: My Mother, Our Neighbor, and the Journey From Reproductive Rights to Reproductive Justice. We discuss the fascinating history of pre-Roe abortion rights activists, the movement against coerced sterilization, what full reproductive justice means, and more. Enjoy!