Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. On this edition of Parallax Views, Chris Lehmann, D.C. Bureau Chief at The Nation, joins the program to unpack the unraveling of Trump’s deep‑state narratives — and how it could spark fractures within his own movement. At the heart of our conversation: Trump’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Faced with mounting pressure from the QAnon‑influenced wing of MAGA — who’ve long treated “the Epstein client list” as proof of a hidden global cabal — Trump recently pivoted to claiming the list exists but was fabricated by Obama and the Democrats. Lehmann explains how Trump's moves in relation to Epstein threatens to alienate the very conspiratorial base that, for years, functioned almost like a religious movement around Trump, providing meaning and a sense of cosmic struggle. We explore how this moment reveals deeper tensions: what once unified the MAGA coalition is now splintering into paranoia and internal suspicion — setting the stage for a potential “MAGA civil war.” From there, we dive into Lehmann’s other recent piece on Trump’s omnibus “Big Beautiful Bill,” which quietly funnels billions into ICE and federal law enforcement — constructing the scaffolding of an unprecedented police state, largely unnoticed amid the media circus. Finally, we turn to the Democratic Party’s failures: why their reluctance to engage on issues like immigration and their procedural, visionless opposition have helped clear the path for authoritarian expansion. Together, we trace how conspiracy, disillusionment, and institutional power are converging — and what that might mean for America’s political future. Further reading: Trump’s Deep-State Conspiracy Theories Are Getting Beyond His Control | The Nation Trump’s Big Bill Is Building a Big Police State | The Nation

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. On this edition of Parallax Views, journalist Klaus Marre—senior editor for Politics and director of the Mentor Apprentice Program at WhoWhatWhy—joins the show to explore rising tensions inside the MAGA movement over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and whether it could spark a kind of “MAGA Civil War.” Recently, Donald Trump has publicly dismissed supporters still demanding answers about the Epstein case. Meanwhile, the FBI and DOJ insist there’s nothing more to investigate and no secret “client list.” Some MAGA influencers have rushed to defend Trump or shifted blame to figures like Pam Bondi—but at the grassroots level, frustration and disillusionment with Trump appear to be growing. Klaus breaks down what his reporting reveals about this internal MAGA divide, analyzes how the right‑wing media and propaganda ecosystem shape the narrative, and offers a critical look at how Democrats have mishandled both the Epstein issue and America’s deepening economic inequality. Further reading: Flailing Trump Disavows His Core Supporters Over ‘Epstein Hoax’ - WhoWhatWhy GOP, Fox, MAGA Influencers Comply With Trump’s Directive to Move on From Epstein - WhoWhatWhy A Golden Opportunity for Democrats Arises After Trump Bungles Epstein Response - WhoWhatWhy Trump Tries New Tactic to Distract MAGA Base From Epstein - WhoWhatWhy Epstein Question Rattles Trump - WhoWhatWhy FBI’s ‘Nothing to See Here’ Epstein Memo Will Surely Placate MAGA Faithful - WhoWhatWhy

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. On this edition of Parallax Views, the Center for Economic and Policy Research's Dean Baker, author of the "Beat the Press" blog at the aforementioned CEPR, joins the program to discuss President Donald Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, Zohran Mamdani's Mayoral primary win against Andrew Cuomo, and how the political status quo rigs the market in favor of the rich. A good deal of this conversation is centered on market myths, particularly what Baker sees as the pernicious myth that Republicans hate government and love free markets. On the contrary, Baker argues that Republican love government as long as it benefits monopolistic corporate power. Government, he argues, always shapes the economy and that markets need government to exist regardless of whether you're a conservative, progressive, or centrist on domestic economic issues. We also discuss Trumponomics vs. Bidenomics, Biden's CHIPS and Science Act, Trump's tax cuts for the rich, Ezra Klein and the Abundance Movement, the Biden era NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) and Lina Khan-led FTC (Federal Trade Commission), Donald Trump and faux populism, Baker's defense of Biden's domestic economic policies, Trump's Medicaid and food assistance program cuts, understanding the issue of monopolies through the example of patent and copyright laws, non-competes and monopoly power, Baker's critique of Trump's tariffs policies, addressing Trump's so-called "populist measures in the "Big Beautiful Bill" (no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime, no taxes on Social Security, and the tax deduction for interest on new car loans), inertia and laziness as a major cause of distortion in policy discussions, MAGA's desire to see manufacturing brought back to the United States, whether or not Trump is a continuation or break with the GOP, Trump's push for full employment policies in his first term, the problem with how status quo Democrats are approaching politics today, and much, much more.

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. On this edition of Parallax Views, urban theorist Joel Kotkin, author of The New Class Conflict and The Coming of Neo-Feudalism: A Warning to the Global Middle Class, to discuss his provocative UnHerd article, "Beware the New Eugenics." Together, they explore how today’s tech billionaires and Silicon Valley elites are reviving dangerous eugenic ideas—not through government programs, but through cutting-edge AI, gene editing, cloning, and transhumanist ideology. Kotkin argues that the new eugenics movement and posthuman-focused big tech, driven by figures like Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Sam Altman, and Ray Kurzweil, threatens core humanist values: democracy, family, religion, and human dignity. Rather than enriching culture and community, Big Tech promotes an anti-humanist, dehumanizing vision that sees people as superfluous beings to be optimized or replaced artificial intelligence or machines. Key topics we discuss: Big Tech’s cultural impact in the Bay Area and beyond The bipartisan danger within Silicon Valley (as in: both on the "right" and the "left" worlds of big tech politically) of fetishizing technology over humanity Historical parallels with past ideologies that sought to engineer a “better” human Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, the "Pleasure Principle", and Silicon Valley today Curtis Yarvin, aka Mencius Moldbug, and the techno-oligarchic right-wing in Silicon Valley Silicon Valley's desire to replace workers If you're concerned about the rise of AI, transhumanism, and tech-driven efforts to reshape society, this conversation is essential listening. Additionally, Joel gives his thoughts on the state of media and why he writes for more conservative leaning outlets, his criticisms of Donald Trump and his 2024 op-ed "The Phony Populism of [Kamala] Harris and [Donald] Trump", knowing Trump's unsavory characteristics from being a New Yorker and how Trump ultimately thinks like a rich man, thoughts on Bernie Sanders, and more.

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. In this episode of Parallax Views, former senior CIA analyst and national security expert Paul R. Pillar returns to break down his latest article, “Trump’s use and misuse of Iran intel,” published in Responsible Statecraft. We explore how the Trump administration clashed with U.S. intelligence threat assessments over Iran, the problem with threat exaggeration/threat inflation, and Trump's attempt shape public perception of the Iranian nuclear threat—and how these strategies may backfire on both Trump and the U.S. in the future. Pillar explains that within a single week, President Trump clashed with U.S. intelligence assessments on Iran in two contradictory ways—first by dismissing the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and the intelligence community’s conclusion that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon, and then by rejecting internal Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessments suggesting that U.S. airstrikes had only set back Iran’s nuclear program by a few months. In both cases, Trump disregarded intelligence that didn’t serve his political narrative. Rather than responding to sober analysis, he sought to craft a storyline in which he faced down an imminent threat and eliminated it through decisive military action—regardless of what the intelligence actually showed. And now, Trump is going to be left in a conundrum if the DIA assessments are correct and Iran seeks to build nuclear weapons in the course of his term, especially after having declared that the capabilities had been "totally obliterated" with the strikes on Fordow and other Iranian nuclear sites. Topics discussed include: How intelligence cherry-picking in this case echoes the WMD fiasco in Iraq The need for discourse about Iran's intentions vs. its capabilities Why Trump’s narrative of “obliteration” may put him in a political bind if Iran’s nuclear capability proves resilient The high likelihood that U.S. and Israeli strikes will accelerate Iran’s nuclear pursuits, rather than deter them The crucial distinction between capabilities and intentions in intelligence analysis—and why the latter is so easily politicized The enduring damage of the Right’s “mad mullahs” myth, which portrays Iran as irrational and suicidal, undermining effective policy and accurate assessments How Israel’s selective intelligence leaks are used to pressure U.S. policymakers into military escalation We also examine the fallout for the IAEA’s monitoring capabilities; arch-neocon Robert Kagan's belief that a war with Iran is foolish because 1.) Iran is not a threat to the U.S., and 2.) it could empower authoritarian power grabs in the U.S. domestically by the administration; and more. This is a vital conversation for anyone concerned about U.S. foreign policy, Middle East strategy, national security, and the future of intelligence integrity.

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. On this edition of Parallax Views, we examine how the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)—an Israeli-backed and U.S.-funded aid initiative—is being accused of turning famine relief in Gaza into a real-life Squid Game. The allegation is disturbing: a chilling “Red Light, Green Light Game” scenario wherein starving Palestinian civilians are being forced to approach GHF aid distribution centers for food, only to risk being shot by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) securing the sites. These centers are operated with the help of armed American private military contractors, and as of late May, more than 580 Palestinians have reportedly been killed at or near them. The most shocking detail? The U.S. State Department has contributed $30 million to support this controversial operation. Worth noting is the fact thatthe controversies surrounding the GHF aren't the domain of the so-called "fringe". They've have been covered by mainstream outlets like the Haaretz and the Associated Press. Moreover, humanitarian groups have raised questions about how the GHF operates. Joining us is investigative journalist Stavroula Pabst, whose Responsible Statecraft article reveals that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is not a neutral NGO, but a project conceived by Israeli officials, backed by Israeli tech investors, allegedly tied to Mossad, and implemented with the involvement of U.S. private military firms linked to the CIA. Together, we explore how the scandalous bloodbaths that have occured at or near GHF aid centers, GHF's PR campaign, and the U.S. backing of the operation. This episode dives into what appears to be the dangerous merging of humanitarian aid, military strategy, and public relations, raising urgent questions about war crimes, U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, and the erosion of international humanitarian norms. Stavroula's article: "Is the US now funding the bloodbath at Gaza aid centers? | Responsible Statecraft" NOTE: Views of guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect all the views of J.G. Michael or the Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael program

🎙️ 4TH OF JULY SPECIAL 👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. On this edition of Parallax Views, acclaimed author and Pulitzer Prize–winner Viet Thanh Nguyen, author fo the hit novel The Sympathizer, joins us to discuss his powerful new essay in The Nation, “Greater America Has Been Exporting Disunion for Decades.” We explore how U.S. foreign policy—past and present—continues to shape not only global politics but domestic disunion. Nguyen draws on his recent trip to El Salvador to examine the enduring legacies of U.S.-backed wars, the violence of counterinsurgency, and how authoritarian leaders like Nayib Bukele are now being embraced by American officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Donald Trump himself. We unpack the idea of “Greater America” as a project of imperial ambition, mass incarceration, and historical amnesia—from the El Mozote massacre to the Phoenix Program, COINTELPRO, and modern immigration policy. Nguyen also reflects on what it means to be a refugee in a country responsible for your displacement, and why genuine patriotism requires memory, grief, and dissent, not myth or denial. This wide-ranging conversation delves into empire, memory, war crimes, refugee identity, authoritarianism, and the feedback loop between U.S. intervention abroad and repression at home. NOTE: Views of guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect all the views of J.G. Michael or the Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael program

🎙️ MEGA-DROP FOR MEDIA THAT MATTERS Four episodes. One day. Zero corporate backing. This is independent media at work — and we need your help to keep it going. 👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. On this episode of Parallax Views, Jeet Heer, National Affairs correspondent for The Nation, joins us to unpack the political shockwaves of Zohran Mamdani’s insurgent victory in the NYC Democratic Party Mayoral primaries and explore how Peter Thiel’s techno-utopianism reveals the billionaire class’s growing estrangement from humanity. We dig into the political earthquake that is Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral primary win—not just as an electoral upset, but as a harbinger of deeper cracks in the Democratic Party establishment. Jeet Heer argues that Mamdani’s triumph over Andrew Cuomo wasn’t just a personal victory; it exposed the weakness, exhaustion, and disconnect of a party elite clinging to outdated strategies and fading legitimacy. We talk about what this means for the future of progressive politics and how Mamdani’s insurgency could signal a turning point for the Democratic Party. Specifically, we look at Mamdani's class-first focus in his campaign, the failure of Cuomo's campaign to conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism, the billionaire class's opposition to Mamdani, the failings of Establishment Democrats and their 90s-style Clinton centrism, and much, much more. In the second half of the conversation, we turn to Jeet Heer’s piercing critique of Peter Thiel and the billionaire class’s growing detachment from humanity. Drawing on Thiel’s recent interview with Ross Douthat, Heer explores how figures like Thiel have come to see themselves as post-human visionaries—disillusioned with democracy, disdainful of the masses, and obsessed with transcendence through AI and technology. We examine Thiel’s cultural diagnosis of Western “stagnation,” his bizarre fixation on the 1960s counterculture (hippies and Charles Manson!) and Greta Thunberg as "The Antichrist", and how his worldview reflects a deeper malaise among the ultra-wealthy. We also delve into why Douthat and other religiously minded or Christian folks, conservative or otherwise, are wary of Thiel and the techno-libertarian vision that some are calling techno-feudalism. We'll also touch upon the desire of tech billionaires to seemingly be "Kings" that rule over the masses with an Orwellian surveillance state apparatus and how this actually betrays the libertarian notions they claim to support. And yes, we briefly mention Curtis Yarvin (aka Mencius Moldbug) and Palantir among other matters. For Heer, the danger isn’t just Thiel’s eccentric futurism—it’s that this nihilistic techno-libertarianism is shaping real political and economic power. NOTE: Views of guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect all the views of J.G. Michael or the Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael program Support independent media and critical journalism by donating to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews

🎙️ MEGA-DROP FOR MEDIA THAT MATTERS Four episodes. One day. Zero corporate backing. This is independent media at work — and we need your help to keep it going. 👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. On this edition of Parallax Views, libertarian author and critic James Bovard joins J.G. Michael to unpack Donald Trump’s recent bombing of Iran through the lens of “presidential absolutism.” Bovard argues that what appears to be unprecedented aggression is actually the culmination of decades-long erosion of constitutional checks—originating with Bush’s post‑9/11 AUMF and expansive signing statements, continuing through Obama’s targeted drone strikes on U.S. citizens like Anwar al‑Awlaki, and through congressional acquiescence to war powers abuses. Some have called this the trend of the "Imperial Presidency". Themes explored: From AUMF to Imperial Office – How the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force became a blank check for successive presidents, and the failure of Congress to pushback. Bush’s Legal Legacy – The “unitary executive theory,” sanctioning torture memos and sweeping interpretations of presidential privilege that laid groundwork for future overreach. The Obama Continuation of Executive Overreach – Drone killings and mass surveillance helped normalize executive power grabbing. Trump’s Presidential Absolutism – What the bombing of Iran illustrates about the Trump administration and Presidential power in 2025. We also discuss how  Domestic Spillover and the Crushing of Dissent on Foreign Policy Issues – The chilling effect on dissent, illuminated by the arrest of Turkish grad student Rümeysa Öztürk, showcases how war fever and narratives about foreign enemies, especially since the Global War on Terror, lead to the curtailing of freedoms at home. This episode is a deep and timely discussion on how America’s constitutional safeguards were weakened by successive administrations, culminating in the boldest assertions of presidential power yet—making Trump’s actions appear in some ways more like continuation than rupture. NOTE: Views of guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect all the views of J.G. Michael or the Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael program Support independent media and critical journalism by donating to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews

Note: There's a little bit of crackle in the audio in this episode. Attempts were made to remove crackle as much as possible, but it remains at some point. Hopefully it does not pose too much of a problem for listening. 🎙️ MEGA-DROP FOR MEDIA THAT MATTERS Four episodes. One day. Zero corporate backing. This is independent media at work — and we need your help to keep it going. 👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. On this edition of Parallax Views, James M. Dorsey of the Turbulent World Substack blog returns to reflect of the "ceasefire" between Israel and Iran. Dorsey argues this is not so much a ceasefire as a fragile halt of hostilities for the time being, or a pause. Dorsey notes that it's unclear how much of Iran's nuclear program has been damaged or salvaged by the Islamic Republic in light of the strikes. That, he says, is a big question right now. We then discuss Trump's relationship with the Gulf States and his evangelical Christian Zionist base. That poses an issue for Trump, Dorsey argues. $3.6 trillion are on the table from the Gulf States (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, etc.) and they want the situation with Israel, Gaza, and Iran solved according to Dorsey. The tumult and fragility of the Middle East has become something of a headache for both the U.S. and the Gulf States. Dorsey argues the current talk of a Gaza ceasefire is a "Fata Morgana", or a mirage, an illusion. We delve into the different interests at work when it comes to the Gulf States and Israel, and how the relationship between Israel and certain Gulf States have changed from 2015 to now. He argues that the Gulf States' perceptions of Israel have changed. For one thing, the Saudi Arabia-Iran rapprochement means that the situation of Israel's unofficial alliance with the Saudis against Iran has changed. Moreover, Dorsey says that the defense doctrine of Israel has gone from deterrence to emasculation of perceived enemies and states within the region. This changes the dynamic between Israel and the Gulf States, at least in how the Gulf States perceive Israel. Which is to say that Gulf States are now perceiving Israel as aggressive leading to the question of, "Could we be next?" We then begin delving into some "odds and ends" in the conversation including: - Israel, Palestine, and the issue of the 1967 borders - The history of the U.S.-Iran relations and why they have been so tense - Pushing back on the "mad mullahs" narrative about the Islamic Republic of Iran - Trump's walking away from the JCPOA (the Iran nuclear deal) - Is Iran more likely to go nuclear after the latest strikes? - Biggest risk in the Middle East?: not tackling root problems; Israel's belief that it has the right to strikes whenever and wherever it wants against a perceived threat means a "law of the jungle" system in the Middle East and could become adopted by other states - Potential deal between Israel and Syria - The Abu Shabab clan in Gaza - Netanyahu's rejection of any Palestinian national aspirations and what informs it - And more! NOTE: Views of guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect all the views of J.G. Michael or the Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael program Support independent media and critical journalism by donating to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews