Ep. #596: David Mamet, Nancy MacLean, David Leonhardt

Rudyard Kipling's 'Recessional' is a poem written for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. It serves as a cautionary reflection on the fleeting nature of imperial power, urging the British Empire not to forget its spiritual roots amidst its military and political triumphs. The poem is structured like a traditional hymn and includes themes of humility and the impermanence of human achievements.

This book tells the story of how the radical right, spearheaded by Nobel Prize-winning economist James McGill Buchanan, has systematically altered the rules of democratic governance to disempower the majority. MacLean's research, spanning over a decade, reveals how Buchanan's ideas, merged with free market principles and states' rights thinking, have shaped the libertarian movement and influenced the Republican Party. The book exposes the role of corporate donors and right-wing foundations in supporting Buchanan's work and the subsequent impact on American politics, including the privatization of public services, voter suppression, and the erosion of social democracy.