Neon Liberalism

Samantha and guest Allyson Shortle, professor at the University of Oklahoma, talk about the current state and long history of the movement which forms the hard core of Donald Trump's support: Christian Nationalism. Where did this movement begin? How deep are its roots in American myth? What do they believe, and why have they stuck with Trump even as other groups begin to desert him?

"Neoliberalism" has become a epithet applied to almost everything.  And yet it represented a real political movement, one captured governance in America for decades.  Join Samantha Hancox-Li and Nick Hanauer, billionaire entrepreneur, civic activist, and co-author of  Markets Built for Humans , as they discuss the origins of neoliberalism, how it broke apart under its own contradictions, and why e...

The Supreme Court has never occupied a more central place in American governance.  Republican dominance on that court has enabled them to push through much of their agenda without going through Congress: overturning Roe, repealing the Voting Rights Act, and more.  Join Samantha Hancox-Li and Madiba Dennie, Deputy Editor and Senior Contributor at Balls and Strikes, and author of  The Originalism Tr...

Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Rey Fuentes, Director at the Roosevelt Institute, discuss the Democratic "ideas primary." Roosevelt's new "Good Life Agenda," a package of governing tools and policy proposals, aims to get beyond the "submerged state" and return to an ideal of active government delivering for the people. Their talk ranges over industrial policy, taxing the rich, and why mass membership...

Samantha and guest Christopher England, author of Land and Liberty , talk the legacy of Henry George and his most famous proposal: the land value tax. They put George in his historical context, alongside Gilded Age oligarchy and radical political movements from socialism to anarchism. Why did Georgism fade away, why is it experiencing a resurgence now, and what—if anything—would Henry George have...

Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Secretary of Defense Rock talk the state of modern war: the proliferation of drones, the endurance of the human factor, Ukraine's successful strategic bombing campaign vs. Trump's unsuccessful one. What does the democratization of airpower mean for the politics of future wars? Liberal Currents merch store live now! https://liberalcurrentsmerch.printful.me/

Join Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Nicholas Grossman, professor of political science at the University of Illinois, as they discuss the damage Trump is doing to the Pax Americana, the prospects for a "Chinese Century," and why the likeliest future is simply multipolar anarchy. Check out Nick's latest, "Staggering Towards Anarchy," at Liberal Currents: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/staggering-towa...

Join Samantha and Robert Tracinski, currently running for Congress in Virginia's fifth district, as they talk about the danger Donald Trump's corruption and lawlessness poses to the country, the continuing importance of the Constitution, and Robert's road from a member of the Tea Party to a staunch liberal. You can check out Robert's campaign website here: https://www.tracinskiforcongress.com/ *No...

Samantha is joined by Elizabeth Wilkins, president of the Roosevelt Institute, to discuss the economic debate that's roiling the Democratic Party--whether to lean in to Republican slopulism about tax cuts, or to embrace broad social programs funded by a broad tax base. Along the way, they discuss the legacy of Bidenomics, the nuts and bolts of tax policy, the glaring problem of inequality--and...

Measuring the Vibecession (with Matt Darling) Samantha is joined by Matt Darling to discuss the state of the economy. Macroeconomic indicators are good, but the vibes are rancid. People feel like America is not on the right track. The divergence between the vibes and the macro is the vibecession--and it can be measured empirically. But what's causing it? Economic precarity that isn't prope...

Samantha interviews Bethany Andres-Beck, running in the Democratic primary for Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District. They talk about the spiritual crisis in the Democratic Party, the need to fix what's broken in America, and how they intend to fight for working people across a range of issues. "I have no patience for people who dodge responsibility for their power. You have power whether you...

Why did JD Vance personally campaign for the former Hungarian prime minister, Victor Orban? Why did his comprehensive defeat by a former member of his own party, Peter Magyar, garner such attention from the American press? Because, according to Greg Sargent, Orban has for the last sixteen years served as the vanguard of the authoritarian internationale, leading and organizing would-be autocrats ac...

On April 2, 2025, Donald Trump announced "Liberation Day" tariffs which, according to him, would fix the trade deficit and bring American manufacturing roaring back. One year on, Samantha and economic analyst Joey Politano dig in to what actually happened. Manufacturing is down, the deficit is barely changed, fake "deals" have been signed--and, according to Joey, the heads of m...

Last month, Donald Trump started a war—or perhaps a special military operation—with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Join Samantha and military historian Bret Devereaux as they discuss the "uncomfortable frontier arrangement" that previously existed with Iran, why Donald Trump blew it up, and what—maybe—the future holds (spoiler: a mess).

According to all current polling, Graham Platner will be Maine's next senator--despite a Nazi tattoo, a history of "controversial" social media posts, and an almost-total lack of political experience. To try and understand what this tells us about the direction of the Democratic Party, Chance Phillips recently traveled to Maine to speak with Platner's supporters. Chance and Samantha Hancox-Li disc...

Samantha Hancox-Li and guest David Lay Williams, author of The Greatest of All Plagues, discuss the nature of extreme wealth inequality in America and across history, from Plato to Occupy Wall Street. Williams argues that extreme wealth warps the soul, leading to "pleonexia"--a restless desire for more and more that will never be fulfilled. Reducing wealth inequality is therefore not abo...

Samantha and returning guest Jamelle Bouie take a step back and assess the overall arc of the Trump Administration. Bouie argues that Trump's theory of the case when he came into office was fundamentally based on speed: move fast, break things, and present American society with strongman rule as a fait accompli. But instead of producing compliance and popularity, Trump's authoritarian poli...

Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Ryan C. Smith, author and economic historian, discuss the possibility of publicly-owned electric utilities in America. Smith argues that there is a strong case for public power. Electricity distribution is a "natural monopoly," and existing private companies—like Pacific Gas and Electric—are often inefficient and incompetent. Meanwhile, Nebraska and other sta...

Samantha and essayist John Banks discuss what steps Canada is taking to fight back against Trump's aggression. Mark Carney's "variable geometry" Davos speech, the dilemmas facing middle powers, and the future of liberal internationalism are covered. In Banks' view, the Republican Party has adopted the ideology of a continental "civilization-state," and as long as they remain a political force in A...

Samantha and guest Professor Xavier Márquez talk the nature of non-democratic politics, and why the concept of "personalism" is the key to understanding the dynamics and dysfunctions of the second Trump administration. Along the way they discuss the difference between totalitarianism and authoritarianism, the ongoing importance of elections to non-democratic regimes, and how authoritarian regimes...

Samantha interviews Professor Omar Wasow, challenging him to reflect on the first year of the second Trump administration. What forms of resistance have worked? What forms have been less successful? Why is the regime trying to "recreate 2020," and why are they failing? Professor Wasow tells a story about why nonviolence, adaptation, and creativity are essential building blocks for retaking power.

Samantha and guest Will Stancil talk the murder of Renée Good and the Trump administration's larger assault on Minneapolis. Will is on the front lines of monitoring ICE in Minneapolis, working with his neighborhood rapid reaction group, and remains a vital commentator and activist in this disturbing time. Will recounts witnessing ICE abductions, confronting ICE agents, and the personal experience...

Join Samantha and Giselle Donnelly, foreign policy analyst and American Enterprise Institute alumna, as they discuss the recent attack on Venezuela. Does this reflect a considered strategy? Or multiple factions "working towards the sleepy Führer"? Can we make predictions about future American foreign policy, or is it all just chaos?

Take a step back and recall where you were on election night 2024. Recall the way the future looked in January 2025 at Trump's inauguration. In this episode, Samantha and Adam Gurri, editor-in-chief of Liberal Currents, evaluate the long game against Trump—and argue that the Trump revolution is stalling out, even as he flails his way through imperial misadventure in Venezuela. Read Adam's essay We...

As we stand on the brink of a new Cold War, it's time to look back at the first Cold War and try to understand why America won—and, more importantly, why the USSR lost. Samantha and guest Yakov Feygin, author of *Building a Ruin*, talk about the fundamental story of Soviet economic success, stagnation, and ultimate implosion. What does this have to teach us about China today? How can party states...