The U.S. Role in the Rise of Vladimir Putin w/ Greg Palast/The Hidden History of Big Brother w/ Thom Hartmann/Orthodox Christianity, Russkiy Mir, & the Ukraine Crisis w/ George Demacopoulos

On this edition of Parallax Views, investigative journalist Greg Palast returns to the program to detail the deep history of Vladimir Putin's rise to power involving Russian oligarchs, Boris Yeltsin, Bill Clinton, and former United States Secretary of Treasure Larry Summers among others. We also discuss how oil figures into the equation, how the U.S. cutting a deal with Venezuela could help deal a blow to Putin, Putin as the "Russian Pinochet", and U.S. "shock therapy" on Russia after the Cold War.

In the second segment of the show, progressive radio host and New York Times bestselling author Thom Hartmann returns to the program to discuss his latest book The Hidden History of Big Brother. We begin by delving into the "pre-history" of Orwellian surveillance and police state-style tactics used by the powerful in America from the days of slavery in the agrarian South to the reign of J. Edgar Hoover's FBI in the 20th century. From there we pivot to the question of Big Tech in relation to the modern surveillance and also discuss the Patriot Act, Josh Hawley's The Tyranny of Big Tech, Cambridge Analytica, and much, much more!

In the third segment of the show we welcome George Demacopoulos, a Professor of Theology/Fr. John Meyendorff & Patterson Family Chair of Orthodox Christian Studies at Fordham University and the co-director of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center, to tell us about how the Russki Mir (Russian World) teaching that is some powerful members of the Russian Orthodox Church are using to justify Putin's war in Ukraine. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow in particular has been a major embracer of the Russian World teaching. Others, however, including Prof. Demacopoulos, argue this teaching is heretical and have made their feelings on the matter known by signing "A DECLARATION ON THE “RUSSIAN WORLD” (RUSSKII MIR) TEACHING".