Current Affairs

Abby Martin, journalist and documentary filmmaker behind Earth's Greatest Enemy, explores how the U.S. military drives massive pollution and global harm. She discusses lifecycle emissions, naval war games' ocean damage, and how militarism diverts resources from climate solutions. The conversation highlights local resistance, veteran suffering, and the push for mass education and collective organizing.

Daniel Bessner, historian and UW professor who edited Cold War Liberalism, joins to unpack how the Cold War reshaped global power. He questions the “cold” label, spotlights mass violence in the Global South, and debates spheres of influence, nuclear risk, and U.S. strategy toward China and Taiwan. The conversation also traces how liberal elites built the national security state and its lasting ironies.

A look at how progressive warnings—from Gaza to the Iraq War and Biden’s fitness—were ignored until after costly consequences. The episode traces a recurring pattern where progressive analysis on civil rights, foreign policy, and social reforms was vindicated too late. It urges paying attention to these early left critiques on Israel, healthcare, and climate before damage accumulates.

A roundup of fast jets and a surprising air-power story out of Pakistan. A controversial doxxing raises safety and privacy concerns. A daring humanitarian convoy aims to bring aid to Cuba by sea and air. Local budget fights include police hiring cuts and library slashes. A lawmaker targets sea lions amid salmon worries, and a famous arrest makes headlines.

Abigail Thorn, actor, writer, and creator of Philosophy Tube, discusses her play Blink and its take on livestreaming and parasocial intimacy. She explores boundaries and risks of online relationships. She contrasts theatre and YouTube as ways to make philosophy vivid. She reflects on performance, storytelling, and the ethical ambiguity of audience connection.

A sharp unpacking of why many conservatives champion police power while railing against certain government programs. The discussion traces symbols like the Gadsden flag to exclusionary, hierarchy-preserving roots. It examines which state powers conservatives embrace or reject to protect property, race, and gender hierarchies. The conclusion frames their coherence as prioritizing in-group dominance over universal liberty.

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Ro Khanna, U.S. Representative from Silicon Valley and progressive reformer, discusses releasing Epstein files, pushing a billionaire tax, and rebuilding a New Deal-style coalition. He tackles U.S. foreign policy choices, debates over Israel aid and genocide terminology, and strategies to curb elite donor influence in politics.

The podcast dives into how litter transformed from a systemic issue to a personal moral failing after WWII. It highlights the rise of disposable culture, fueled by war production and media celebrating convenience. The narrative reveals the origins of the 'Keep America Beautiful' campaign, which cleverly shifted blame onto individuals. Through iconic PSAs, industries deflected responsibility while wasting skyrocketed. The host challenges listeners to hold producers accountable for the trash crisis, emphasizing that litter is a product of disposability.