2/21/23: Putin Suspends Nuclear Treaty, EPA Corporate Tests in Ohio, Rich McHugh in Ohio, SCOTUS Big Tech, Project Veritas, MTG National Divorce, Fox News Texts, Trump's Primary Strategy, Government vs New Media, Dave Weigel Interview on GOP Primary
Journalist Rich McHugh reports from East Palestine, Ohio. Topics discussed include Putin suspending nuclear treaty, corporate tests contaminating Ohio's water, SCOTUS case on big tech, Project Veritas without James O'Keefe, Marjorie Taylor Greene's national divorce comments, Fox News hosts' revealing texts, Trump's primary strategy, government vs new media, and an interview on the GOP primary with Dave Weigel.
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Quick takeaways
Marjorie Taylor Greene's call for a national divorce reflects frustration rather than a feasible solution to political disagreements.
Nikki Haley's campaign lacks substance beyond generalities about fixing America's problems with a new generation of leadership.
Efforts such as the Global Disinformation Index, funded by taxpayer money, undermine the free press and silence critics of the government.
Deep dives
Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls for National Divorce
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has called for a national divorce, suggesting the separation of states based on political affiliation and shrinking the federal government. Greene argues for the division due to cultural issues and policies she disagrees with. However, her proposal raises impracticalities and philosophical concerns. It goes against the idea of a democratic nation where elections and competing ideas allow for peaceful change and progress. Moreover, living in a state like Georgia, which has both red and blue voters, highlights the contradiction in Greene's proposition. Overall, her call for a national divorce reflects frustration rather than a feasible solution to political disagreements.
Nikki Haley's Pitch: Conservative policies minus the Trumpy chaos
Nikki Haley has launched her campaign with a focus on conservative policies, aiming to present herself as a more measured and stable alternative to the chaos of the Trump era. She emphasizes her experience as the first non-white female governor of South Carolina and highlights her support for US involvement in the Ukraine war. However, she has yet to provide detailed policy proposals, and her speeches lack substance beyond generalities about fixing America's problems with a new generation of leadership.
The Weaponization of Disinformation Policing: The Case of the Global Disinformation Index
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) recently severed ties with the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), an organization claiming to police disinformation. The GDI received hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer funding and developed a blacklist of conservative news outlets, which was then used by advertisers. This effort, alongside other similar initiatives, undermines the free press and silences critics of the government, using public money to empower journalists who spread misleading information.
Nikki Haley's Stance on Entitlements
Nikki Haley's position on entitlements, specifically Social Security and Medicare, remains vague. While she has expressed support for making politicians over 75 take a mental acuity test and has highlighted the need to end wasteful spending, she has not provided specific details on her plans for entitlement programs. This aligns with the broader field of Republican candidates, many of whom have proposed cuts or changes to these programs in the past.
The Relevance of New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu could play a role in the 2024 Republican primary as a moderate candidate. With his popularity in New Hampshire and an emphasis on competent and efficient government, Sununu may present himself as a viable alternative to the Trump-aligned candidates. While he does not delve into policy specifics, Sununu's appeal lies in his ability to present himself as a unity-focused leader who can appeal to a broader base of voters.
Krystal and Emily discuss Putin suspending nuclear treaty, Norfolk Southern caught trapping residents in no fault contracts, Rich McHugh (@RichMcHugh) joins us from the scene in East Palestine, Ohio, Major SCOTUS argument could upend big tech, James O'Keefe out at Project Veritas, Marjorie Taylor Greene slammed for National Divorce comments, a lawsuit exposes Fox Hosts text messages, McCarthy gives Tucker Carlson secret January 6th footage, Trump reveals his strategy to vanquish rivals on Ukraine and Social Security, the government's plot to crush New Media, we're joined by Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) to discuss the 2024 GOP primary.