Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael

On this gripping edition of Parallax Views, host J.G. Michael speaks with legal scholar Corinna Barrett Lain about her searing new book, Secrets of the Killing State: The Untold Story of Lethal Injection. Far from being a clean or clinical method of execution, Lain exposes lethal injection as the centerpiece of a scandalous history—rife with fake science, unqualified personnel, botched procedures, and layers of state secrecy designed to shield the public from the brutal reality of how America kills in the name of justice. Lain pulls back the curtain on how this supposedly "humane" method evolved not through medical rigor, but through politics, improvisation, and obfuscation. We discuss how states have covered up grotesque failures, how governments have been swindled by shady operators like Harris Pharma, and the staggering cost to U.S. taxpayers. From inept and corrupt executioners gone rogue to a jaw-dropping story involving literal drug smuggling, Lain’s investigation blows the lid off the dark underbelly of America’s execution machinery, exposing a system held together by misinformation, malpractice, and a stunning lack of oversight. This is an essential episode for anyone concerned with state power, the criminal justice system, and what happens when the machinery of death is hidden behind a veil of bureaucracy. Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews

In this provocative and deeply analytical conversation, journalist and author Yasha Levine joins Parallax Views to challenge a dominant narrative on both the left and right: that the Israel Lobby singularly controls U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Drawing from his background covering Cold War geopolitics and U.S. information warfare, Levine argues that this viewpoint dangerously simplifies the role of American imperialism—and obscures how nationalism, including Zionism, has historically been instrumentalized by empire. We explore how the U.S. used nationalist movements as tools of psychological warfare against the Soviet Union, and how that framework led Levine to his critique of the “AIPAC as all-powerful” mindset. He explains why this narrative often becomes a convenient scapegoat that distracts from the structural and strategic interests of American power itself. Levine, a vocal anti-Zionist who has unequivocally described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide, also warns of a future in which the U.S. might decide Israel is no longer geopolitically useful—potentially abandoning it, with consequences for the Jewish diaspora. Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews  

On this edition of Parallax Views, former CDC epidemiologist and physician Dr. Charles LeBaron joins us to discuss his explosive new book Greed to Do Good: The Untold Story of CDC’s Disastrous War on Opioids. Drawing on his rare vantage point as a public health insider (with 28 years' experience at the CDC), clinician, and former pain patient, Dr. LeBaron argues that the CDC’s 2016 opioid guidelines—meant to reduce overdose deaths—actually worsened the crisis. We explore how flawed data, political pressure, and a rigid, arguably even at times psuedo-scientific approach led to a policy that criminalized both doctors and patients, neglected the realities of chronic pain, and contributed to the ongoing epidemic of overdose deaths. Dr. LeBaron explains why the distinction between addiction and use of opioids as a legitimate chronic pain treatment matter, how voluntary guidelines became de facto law, and why Dr. LeBaron still sees value in the CDC as an institution and is not using the book to delegitimize it (ie: critique isn't alway for tearing down, but calling for reform).. This is a powerful and challenging conversation about public health, institutional accountability, and the human cost of well-intentioned but disastrous policy. Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews

On this edition of Parallax Views, comedian and writer Kate Willett joins us to examine the growing influence of Silicon Valley billionaires on the Democratic Party and the controversial politics behind the so-called Abundance Agenda. Framed by figures like Ezra Klein as a bold, future-focused vision of progress, this agenda is increasingly backed by tech elites such as Dustin Moskovitz—co-founder of Facebook—and promoted through a network of well-funded think tanks, including the Niskanen Center, that aim to push the party in a technocratic, pro-market direction. With sharp wit and political insight, Kate unpacks how the Abundance movement—closely aligned with key figures on the Tech Right—represents a slick, astroturfed rebranding of neoliberalism. Beneath its glossy surface lies a coordinated strategy to marginalize progressive and working-class voices while recasting Silicon Valley’s private interests as public goods. We explore how this plays out most visibly in San Francisco, where billionaire-funded groups have successfully reshaped local politics and helped unseat progressive officials. Kate also offers a thoughtful critique of California’s YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) movement. While she is not a NIMBY (Not in My Backyard) advocate either, she raises serious concerns about how YIMBY rhetoric often functions as a Trojan horse for real estate developer- and tech-driven policies that displace working-class communities under the guise of solving the housing crisis. This episode explores the intersection of tech money, urban development, media influence, and intra-party power struggles—and asks the vital question: “Abundance for whom?” Show Notes: "Abundance: Big Tech’s Bid for the Democratic Party by Kate Willet (New International Magazine) Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews  

Katrina vanden Heuvel, editorial director at The Nation and a prominent progressive voice, delves into the political crises facing the U.S. and Europe. She discusses the failures of centrist politics and the rise of far-right movements, highlighting the dangers of austerity measures. The conversation critiques neoliberal policies and argues for a bold progressive vision. Vanden Heuvel also explores the political landscape shaped by figures like Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Nigel Farage, advocating for inclusive family policies and a reimagined capitalism.

On this edition of Parallax Views, you will hear an incredible story that, on its surface, you may mistake as being just about professional wrestling: the life and career of "The Golden Greek" Jim Londos. He was the biggest star of not only pro wrestling in the 1920s and 1930s, but arguably of sports itself. His popularity eclipsed that of the profession itself. He sold out stadiums of tens of thousands. Contrary to popular misconceptions, pro wrestling was not simply the domain of smoky rooms before the era of Hulk Hogan. Jim Londos is proof of that. In fact, it may be fair to say that Jim Londos was Hulk Hogan before Hulk Hogan. And just to drive that point home, one only need look at his match against Kola Kwariani on October 22nd, 1933 in Athens, Greece at the Panathenaic Stadium. The attendance for that event? It's said to be between 65,000 and 100,000. Simply put, Londos was a phenomenon. But, his story is much more than that of a pro wrestler. Londos is the story of an immigrant to the United States overcoming all odds. He is the story of a man who gave hope to the masses in the trying times of The Great Depression. A man who became a symbol of being able to overcome the greatest adversities. He was smaller in stature than many of his wrestling contemporaries. The classic underdog. And the fans loved him for it. He was their hero. He was "The Golden Greek" of professional wrestling. Joining J.G. on this edition of the show is journalist Steven Johnson. Although Johnson has done a lot of journalism related to pro wrestling and its storied history, he's also been a U.S. Senate aide and newspaper editor. Moreover, he has master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. Over more than a decade he worked on a book to finally tell the story of Jim Londos. That book, recently released, is entitled Jim Londos: The Golden Greek of Professional Wrestling. Part of MacFarland's Studies in Strength of Physical Culture series, this book uncovers the life and times of an athletic performer who has been unfairly forgotten due to having wrestled in the pre-television era of the professional wrestling. In this conversation Steven I will discuss how he came around to the story of Jim Londos, the ways in which Londos story differs greatly from the more tragic rise & fall of early television-era wrestling Gorgeous George, the trials and tribulations of Jim Londos as a young immigrant in the United States of America in the early 20th century, the ways in which Londos is comparable to the mythical figure of Jason in the story of Jason and the Argonauts, how the legacy of Londos is carried on today by wrestlers like Bryan Danielson (aka Daniel Bryan), WWE superstar John Bradshaw Layfield's (JBL) foreword to the book, the wrestling double-crosses of the early 20th century that long predated the WWE's infamous "Montreal Screwjob", the colorful wrestling promoters of the Londos era (such as Toots Mondt and the Gold Dust Trio, Jack Pfefer, and Jack Curley), the legendary years long feud between Jim Londos and Ed "The Strangler" Lewis, Londos ability to make a crowd not only "believe" but "care" about his journey as a wrestler, and much, much more.

On this edition of Parallax Views, Orthodox Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro — author of The Empty Wagon: Zionism’s Journey from Identity Crisis to Identity Theft — returns to unpack the theological foundations of Jewish anti-Zionism and non-Zionism. Fresh off his participation in a protest against Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's recent U.S. visit, Rabbi Shapiro explains why he believes Zionism is not only a political nationalist ideology distinct from Judaism, but one that misrepresents the Jewish people on the global stage. We explore the historical opposition of traditional Orthodox communities to Zionist projects, tracing the evolution of Zionism from the Revisionist movement of Ze’ev Jabotinsky to the early Religious Zionism of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, and ultimately to the far-right nationalism of figures like Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. We also distinguish Rabbi Shapiro’s critique from that of Orthodox anti-Zionist groups like Neturei Karta; Rabbi Shapiro's argument is based in the question of Jewish identity rather than anything eschatalogical. Along the way, we discuss Meir Kahane and how his violent ideology culminated in his assassination; Rabbi Shapiro’s personal encounters with Kahanists in 1970s Brooklyn; and his message to left-wing Zionists — namely, his belief that left Zionism inevitably paves the way for the far right. A must-listen for anyone interested in theology, nationalism, and the contested meanings of Jewish identity.

Michael Albertus, a political scientist at the University of Chicago and author of Land Power, discusses how land ownership dictates the power dynamics within societies. He reveals how land control fuels inequality, social exclusion, and environmental destruction, impacting both authoritarian regimes and democracies. Albertus also explores the effects of zoning laws, gentrification, and the fight for indigenous rights, while highlighting the importance of land reform in achieving social justice and combating climate change.

Matt McManus, a political scientist and author, discusses his book on Liberal Socialism, asserting that liberal rights and socialist economics can coexist. He delves into the historical figures like Wollstonecraft and Paine, emphasizing their advocacy for social change. McManus also tackles critiques from various ideologies, exploring the moral implications of inequality and the need for economic democracy. The conversation highlights the potential of liberal socialism to address contemporary political challenges while maintaining a connection to its revolutionary roots.

William Dowell, a veteran journalist with a rich history covering the Vatican and global issues, shares insights on the spiritual legacy of Pope Francis. He highlights Francis's compassion for marginalized communities and contrasts his moral leadership with today's political polarization. The conversation expands to address the rise of authoritarianism in the U.S., pondering the ethical challenges facing journalists and the importance of courage in confronting power. Dowell's reflections encourage deeper thought on conscience, community, and the enduring relevance of core values.