Unf*cking The Republic

Public education is a universal part of the American experience. Every one of us interacts with our system of education whether directly or through taxation. Since the nation's founding, a commitment to universal education has been a pillar of our society. More recently, however, public education has come under attack from several places. Some of the criticism is fair. But some of the sharpest att...

In this very special Show Notes, Max and 99 are joined in-person by the one and only Manny Faces! They cover some Unf*cker feedback from the last two episodes, reflect on what was covered in 2022, and tease what’s to come in 2023. Listen to The Black & Jewish Divide in America. Listen to Quickie 14: How New York F*cked the Country. Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:07:02 Facebook Shout Outs:...

Welcome to a very special edition of Phone a Friend, where we reach out to experts, authors and intellectuals who know way more shit about certain subjects than I will ever know. Now this one is a real home game and should prove to be both informative and a lot of fun. He is a Mohawk broadcaster hiding out on Seneca territory in Western New York. John Kane has been the face and voice of resistance...

From failing to run opposition research on the most fraudulent candidate ever to colluding with Republicans on key judgeships, the NY Democratic Party is rife with mediocre careerists more interested in the status quo than winning elections. In this Quickie we offer three stories that demonstrate just how incompetent the NY Dems are and how they’re basically responsible for losing control of the H...

Fascism, Nazism and antisemitism are back in the headlines. Conservative media and the New Right are relaxing with popcorn and settling in to watch as tensions between the Black and Jewish communities increase once again. Today’s episode traces the legacy of conflict between Black and Jewish people in the United States from the so-called “Grand Alliance” of the Civil Rights era, the Black Power an...

In today's unusually quick Show Notes, Max and 99 review feedback from the final installment of the Education series and read out some 5 star reviews! Listen to Public Education (Part Three): Criticize, Demonize, Then Privatize. Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:03:06 Facebook Shout Outs: 00:19:39 Reviews: 00:22:56 Outro: 00:23:42 Resources Dan G’s UNFTR Art Unf*cker-Led Facebook Group -- If you...

This is it. The moment about seven of you have been waiting for. The dramatic conclusion to the three part series on public education that no one asked for. Oh, and it’s long. In sparing our beloved Unf*ckers a fourth part, we jammed 50 years of education policy into one hot mess of learning. To quote the estimable Manny Faces, “This iz EP last of smart edumaction.” In Parts One and Two we explore...

In today's Show Notes, Max and 99 review feedback from Education Part Two, talk about some language nuances and 99 is a wee bit cranky. Enjoy, Unf*ckers! Listen to Public Education (Part Two): Expansion, Reconstruction & Desegregation. Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:06:36 Instagram Shout Outs: 00:39:42 Buy Me A Coffee Donations + Memberships: 00:46:03 Outro: 01:02:08 Resources Wolves of G...

Today is the great professor and renowned linguist Noam Chomsky's birthday. December 7th. A day that lives in infamy to this pod, because we love us some Uncle Noam. So in honor of this great public intellectual we wanted to reshare our Chomsky tribute episode. We've got show notes to follow tomorrow and part three of our education series dropping on Saturday, so enjoy this appetizer while we prep...

Today we continue our three-part series by examining three of the four major eras of public education in the United States: Expansion, Reconstruction and Desegregation. This episode looks at the legal and constitutional framework that protects education in all 50 states and some of the fundamental flaws that have contributed to a gross inequity in the system. This sets the stage for the conclusion...

They’re baaaack! In today's Show Notes, Max and 99 review feedback from Public Education Part One and discuss what’s to come throughout education series. Listen to Public Education (Part One): Scaffolding. Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:10:58 Facebook Shout Outs: 01:00:03 Instagram Shout Outs: 01:05:09 Buy Me A Coffee Donations + Memberships: 01:11:07 Outro: 01:16:49 Resources Have You Heard...

Today is the first in a three-part series on public education in the United States. The focus is on compulsory K-12 education. We begin the series by educating ourselves on the business of education and stripping away the hysteria surrounding mask mandates, CRT, school prayer and kitty litter in bathrooms. Along the way we identify key stakeholders, look at outcomes and measurements, offer a prime...

In today’s Show Notes, Max and 99 discuss some midterm updates and work through some T***p 2024 feelings. Plus 99 gets all boomer on some Unf*ckers, lovingly. Listen to BONUS: Midterm Recap. Resources Variety: Candace Cameron Bure Says Great American Family Will Not Feature Gay Couples, Focus on ‘Traditional Marriage’ Instead Unf*cker Facebook Group Jesse Jackson's David and Goliath speech -- If y...

In today's Show Notes, Max and 99 unwind from the Midterms Recap, reflect back on the “Tough on Crime” Republicans episode, and read the smart fuckin' write-ins from the Unf*ckers. Listen to “Tough on Crime” Republicans. Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:00:41 Social: 00:23:16 Buy Me A Coffee Donations + Memberships: 00:28:35 Outro: 00:35:59 Resources Binyamin Appelbaum: The Economists' Hour: Fa...

Max, Manny and 99 slice and dice the midterm election and highlight several key outcomes that portend good things for Progressives. Also, 99 stayed up the latest but it was to watch the Parent Trap. So there's that. -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.co...

The midterms are upon us and the Republicans have pinned their hopes on a tried and true fear tactic: Crime. It’s a winning narrative. Always has been. The data paint another picture entirely, however. While in no way excusing criminal activity or minimizing its impact upon individuals, families and society, we need to have an honest discussion about fear mongering and scapegoating. So let’s take...

In today's Show Notes, Max and 99 catch up on some big news stories of the last few weeks like midterms, Twitter, antisemitism, and Lula. They also read some Unf*cker topic requests and review “PC” insult suggestions. Listen to Strange Bedfellows: Chester A. Arthur and Julia Sand. Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Current Events Roundup: 00:04:13 Emails: 00:59:15 Buy Me A Coffee Donations + Memberships: 01...

The world is more fucked than the United States. And we’re pretty fucked, so that’s saying a lot. Perhaps there’s a way to mitigate this mess by playing upon our worst instincts as a nation and the competitiveness that drives the world. Today we take an alternative view of our response to climate change through the lens of the most dispassionate and powerful observer in the world: The U.S. Militar...

As Max grinds away at a more in-depth Unf*cking, we offer our dear listeners a new palate cleanser. Strange Bedfellows examines fascinating relationships and wonders how these duos might have altered the course of history. Our first installment tells the story of President Chester Arthur and a pen-pal named Julia Sand. Visit the episode's accompanying site page. Chapters Intro: 00:00:31 A Nation A...

In today's Show Notes, Max and 99 discuss some Thiel feedback, review episode suggestions from Unf*ckers, and discuss what’s up next for UNFTR episodes. Tune in! Listen to Episode 77: What’s the deal with Peter Thiel? Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:04:36 Twitter Shout Outs: 00:26:23 Instagram Shout Outs: 00:40:07 Buy Me A Coffee Donations + Memberships: 00:41:14 Outro: 00:45:32 Resources UNFT...

I’m not a doctor. But even I can certainly see that Peter Thiel is a sick, sick person. Bright, awkward and successful, Peter Thiel has risen to prominence in American society on the gamble that he can break it. A product of the Ivy League system who wants to take it down. A gay man who backs candidates that would degrade his civil rights. A hedge fund tech investor who thinks Silicon Valley hasn’...

In today's Show Notes, Max is cranky about the Mets, we close out feedback from the FCC series and happy cry over real-world Unf*cker meet ups. Listen to Episode 76: The FCC (Part Two). On the death of competition. Chapters Intro: 00:00:25 Newbie Unf*cker Introduction: 00:06:12 Emails: 00:07:58 Twitter Shout Outs: 00:35:29 Instagram Shout Outs: 00:45:44 Buy Me A Coffee Donations + Memberships: 00:...

In our first installment of the two-part FCC series we discussed the origins of the Federal Communications Commission, the reason it came into existence and the tension between its charge and the First Amendment. Our story resumes with a nod to the Chicago School, the one-two punch of the Reagan and Clinton administrations to deliver a death blow to media competition in the United States and the r...

In today's Show Notes, Max and 99 share some show scheduling updates, discuss a potential recurring 99 segment and trade New York stories. Plus, they review a few Unf*cker emails regarding supply chain, healthcare and native issues. Listen to Quickie 13: One nation divided? What bipartisanship says about America. Chapters Intro: 00:00:25 Housekeeping: 00:03:40 Emails: 00:07:44 Twitter Shout Outs:...

We’ve all heard of the great divide. The most dysfunctional Congress ever. The end of civility! There’s an impression that nothing passes Congress with bipartisan support anymore. That every piece of legislation has to pass along party lines, setting us up for bloodsport events each and every fucking election cycle. There’s a lot of truth to this. And yet, each year thousands of bills and resoluti...