Read Max Talking Minneapolis, Venezuela, Elon Musk, and speaking 'Trumpanese'
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Jan 15, 2026 Vinson Cunningham, a New Yorker staff writer and podcaster, dives into the intricate layers of politics and culture. He discusses Minneapolis as a pivotal moment during the Trump presidency. The conversation touches on ICE operations and critical incidents like Renee Good's death. They analyze how violent spectacles serve as political messaging tools. Additionally, Vinson and the hosts explore the chaotic influence of Twitter on policymaking within the White House, revealing how social media creates distorted public perceptions.
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Minneapolis As Deliberate Siege
- Minneapolis has become a site where federal immigration actions function as a form of racialized state terror.
- The operation mixes illegal searches and public spectacle to intimidate Somali and Somali American communities.
Dual State And The Need For Administrative Buy-In
- The speakers identify a 'dual state' with a normative legal apparatus and an informal thuggish apparatus.
- Maintaining both is crucial for the administration to convert terror into durable policy gains.
Spectacle As Political Communication
- Spectacular acts of violence serve as communication that binds rogue and administrative actors together.
- These spectacles function like historical lynchings: they signal what is permitted through terror.
