The Complexity of Characterization

This week on Politix, Julian Sanchez joins Matt and Brian to discuss:

* Donald Trump’s uncanny ability to evade justice;

* Why a panel of New York appeals court judges let him mostly off the hook by staving off the seizure of his assets in his civil-fraud case;

* What liberals and Democrats can do to make these civil verdicts a greater political liability for him.

Then, paid subscribers get a lengthier debate over the merits of banning TikTok in the U.S. Are the privacy or propaganda concerns articulated by U.S. lawmakers valid? Is it hard-nosed realpolitik to engage in tit-for-tat social-media bans with China, or a naive own goal that will tarnish the example America’s open society sets for the world? Should we just be happy to see any major social media company lose its hold on American users, no matter the method? We hashed all of that out, and if you’d like to hear where we landed, upgrade to paid, and enjoy the whole episode!

Further reading:

* Julian’s forthcoming Substack, Non-Content!

* Matt’s broad case against TikTok.

* Brian on the liberal and right-wing psychologies driving Trump-impunity politics.