The Intercept Briefing

Radical Action Under Trump

Nov 15, 2024

Natasha Lennard, a columnist for The Intercept, shares her insights on navigating the political landscape post-Trump's victory. She critiques the Democratic Party for failing the working class, stressing the need for radical action and grassroots empowerment. Lennard highlights the resilience of a diverse, multi-racial working class, especially in care and service sectors. She emphasizes that true change comes from community building and local activism rather than mere electoral politics. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of progressive movements.

25:24

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Episode guests

Natasha Lennard

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Quick takeaways

The podcast critiques the Democratic Party's failure to represent the working class, emphasizing the need for robust grassroots movements instead of corporate alignment.

Resilient grassroots activism, including union efforts and community engagement, is essential for sustaining social justice initiatives and opposing center-right politics.

Deep dives

The Need for Radical Action in Politics

The discussion highlights the necessity for radical action in political movements, particularly in light of disappointing Democratic Party failures. It argues that what should not be considered radical includes advocating for robust unions, welfare programs, and an end to U.S. complicity in oppressive actions abroad. The belief is that the current Democratic Party has strayed from representing the working class while allowing far-right ideologies to proliferate. Continuing to rely solely on electoral politics is seen as insufficient, necessitating grassroots organizing and direct action to achieve meaningful change.

Intro

2min

Beyond Electoral Politics: Organizing for Change

12min

Navigating Election Night: Resignation and Hope in Activism

2min

Sustaining Grassroots Activism Amidst Political Challenges

5min

Sustaining Grassroots Activism

8min

In the wake of President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, Democrats and those on the left are grappling with what comes next.

On The Intercept Briefing podcast this week, columnist Natasha Lennard critiques the Democratic Party. “You can’t be both at once: You can’t be the party of Wall Street, and you can’t be the party of the working class,” Lennard says. By acquiescing to Silicon Valley and Wall Street, the Democrats failed again “to offer a robust politics that serves the working class."

Facing a second Trump term, Lennard says the way forward is a politics of everyday life and radical action that focuses on empowering grassroots movements and labor organizations. “When we look at what people can [do] — involving people at a local level, building community so that it is truly kind of a form of life to be in this politics, rather than just a donation, rather than just a vote, rather than just canvassing even.”

In conversation with Jessica Washington and Jordan Uhl, Lennard emphasizes the importance and resilience of the working class. "Nurses unions, food workers unions. Most of the working class in this country are women. And it is a profoundly multi-racial working class. And we have a working class of care workers. And a service economy. And an increasingly growing care economy," she says. "That needs investing in. That needs support. That needs building."

To hear more about the future of progressive politics, listen to this week's episode of The Intercept Briefing.

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The Intercept Briefing

Radical Action Under Trump

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Need for Radical Action in Politics

Failures of the Democratic Party and the Impact on Grassroots Movements

Sustaining Grassroots Movements Beyond Election Cycles

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts