Rev Left Radio [BEST OF 2025] Farce, Finance & Fascism: Margaret Kimberley on Empire in Decay
Jan 6, 2026
Margaret Kimberley, a senior columnist and co-founder of Black Agenda Report, delivers incisive insights on the decline of American empire and late-stage capitalism. She critiques the Democratic Party's neoliberalism, linking it to voter disillusionment. The discussion includes the U.S. involvement in Ukraine and its implications for global power dynamics. Kimberley emphasizes the Palestinian resistance against U.S.-backed actions in Gaza, while offering hope through grassroots movements and the need for alternative political structures.
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Tariffs Are A Regressive Con
- Tariffs and protectionist rhetoric are a con that will tax and hurt working people most while the wealthy profit.
- Reindustrialization without strong unions and massive public investment won't recreate good jobs for workers.
Empire In Decline And Elite Control
- The U.S. is an empire past its peak experiencing late-stage capitalist decline and political backwardness.
- Elites control a duopoly that deliberately keeps people misinformed and denies policies that improve popular living standards.
Democrats' Neoliberal Failures Open Space
- The Democratic Party cultivated neoliberalism and repeatedly fails to deliver reforms, opening space for reactionary alternatives.
- Their donor-driven constraints mean progressive promises become excuses when oligarchs say no.