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In this preview, we review the Democrats' record of accomplishments over the last few weeks. Subscribe now to hear the whole thing ! 

Today we've got Aaron Kleinman , director of research for  The States Project , on to talk about his work helping Democrats fight for control of state legislatures. We discuss how Republicans are plotting to use gerrymandered state legislatures as a springboard to turn America into a right-wing dictatorship, how campaign money stretches much farther in a state race as compared to a national one, c...

Today we've got David Dayen on to discuss just what is in the monster Inflation Reduction Act--the gobs of tax credits, new regulations, tax hikes, and so on. Then we discuss what it reveals about the state of the Democratic coalition and what it might bode for the future. Check out Lee Harris's Prospect articles on the IRA and energy investment , and how corn ethanol producers might benefit ; alo...

This is a sample of Ryan's book where he discusses how the pandemic's economic collapse disproves saving scold ideology.  You can check out the whole thing on Audible , Barnes & Noble , or Audiobooks.com , or you can see a selection of outlets where you can get a print copy here as well. Much obliged for any purchase or review!

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Today we've got Pennsylvania state Senator Nikil Saval on to talk about the remarkable fact that he got a climate and affordable housing bill through a Republican-controlled legislature. What's up with that?? Other stuff mentioned in the episode: our previous episode with Nikil , his writing at n+1 , and a run-down of Pennsylvania Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano .

Today we've got Professor Roberts, author of Marx's Inferno: The Political Theory of Capital , on to discuss his debate with Martin Hägglund regarding Hägglund's book This Life: Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom . We discuss the proper foundation of a socialist movement, the origins of capitalism, what American leftists should be doing in practice, and more. Check out our previous episode on Thi...

In this preview, we discuss why the left should be taking the threat of Trump and the January 6 hearings more seriously. Subscribe now to hear the whole thing!

This time we've got David Duhalde , chair of the Democratic Socialists of America Fund and former DSA staffer, on to talk about his chapter in a new book Power Concedes Nothing: How Grassroots Organizing Wins Elections , which discusses the debate around DSA endorsing Biden and the problems the organization suffered during the 2020 campaign against Trump. We talk about the state of the socialist m...

In this preview, Professor David I. Backer explains how school financing works in this country. Subscribe now to hear the full thing ! 

In this episode from the archives, we've got economist Marshall Steinbaum on to discuss his research on why it's necessary to cancel student debt, how to end segregation in higher education, and why the theory of "human capital" is a bunch of nonsense. Enjoy! 

Today we've got Professor Nomi Claire Lazar on to talk about her fascinating book Out of Joint: Power, Crisis, and the Rhetoric of Time . We discuss revolutionary leaders' habit of changing the calendar when they seize power (think Julius Caesar, the French Revolution, or the Bolshevik Revolution), what happens when someone locks themselves in a cave for weeks with no clocks, what time has to do w...

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  Today we've got Michael Bérubé and Jennifer Ruth on to discuss their book It's not Free Speech: Race, Democracy, and the Future of Academic Freedom . We talk about the key distinctions between free speech and academic freedom, why any defense of free speech on the merits must be rooted in democratic values, and why racist (or similarly bigoted) views have no place in today's universities. Enjoy!...

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In this episode from the archive, we've got Alex Pareene on to discuss the recent controversy and articles about political theoretician David Shor and his "popularist" dogma. Then we move on to talk about subscription media, and the promises and pitfalls thereof for the left. Enjoy! Make sure to subscribe to Alex's newsletter . He's pretty much the best lefty writer in the business.

Today we've got Trevor Strunk, host of the No Cartridge podcast , on to talk about his book Story Mode: Video Games and the Interplay Between Consoles and Culture . We discuss the political subtext of game genres, why Japanese games can be so different from American ones, how multiplayer games can build different kinds of community, and more. Enjoy!

We've got Labor Notes staff writer Luis Feliz Leon on to talk about his coverage of the Amazon Labor Union there and at The American Prospect . We discuss the union's wildly unorthodox tactics, what leadership really means in a left-wing context, and what their prospects are for the future. Enjoy!

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Mary Moriarty is running to be county attorney of Hennepin County , where she was formerly chief public defender. We talk about her history in the area, what's been going in Minneapolis since the George Floyd protests, the general state of criminal justice reform, and more. Enjoy!

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We've got attorney and podcaster Sparky Abraham on to talk about the latest Supreme Court news, why many liberals are foolish to prioritize court cases, and how utterly despotic courts can be at the local level -- it turns out in some county courts, fully half of cases are about small-dollar debt collection. Things mentioned in the episode: our episode with Brian Fallon , the Debt Collective , and...

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Clarence Thomas is apparently in the hospital, so we thought we'd return to our old episode with political scientist Corey Robin. We first talked about how most workers  experience a  severe lack of freedom in the workplace , and then move on to discuss Clarence Thomas's history and peculiar brand of black nationalism. Check out Corey's book: The Enigma of Clarence Thomas.

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