Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael

On this edition of Parallax Views, Geoffrey Aronson, a noted analyst Middle East affairs and formerly the director of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, returns to discuss his latest Responsible Statecraft piece entitled "Israel's plan for Gaza is clear: 'Conquest, expulsion, settlement'". One of the key aspects of Geoffrey's analysis in said article is that Israel is currently pursuing a policy of "politicide", or, as he puts it, "destroying for all time any Palestinian hope for sovereignty west of the Jordan River." We'll be delving into elements of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that long predate the events of October 7th and what has transpired since. For example, Geoffrey will takes us back to 2005 when then Israeli Prime Minister evacuated Israeli settlers from Gaza. We'll also discuss the resurgent right-wing in Israel and its aims in Gaza, how the so-called "Day After" in Gaza is today, a brief excursion into what is happening in Syria and the weakness of Arab states (and what that means), and much, much more.

In this episode of Parallax Views, returning guest and veteran JFK assassination researcher Jim DiEugenio joins us to unpack the recent developments in the long-running battle over JFK assassination records. We dive into the legacy of President Trump’s January 2025 executive order concerning the JFK files and discuss the implications of the recent congressional hearing led by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna — to which Jim himself testified! Jim, who was in attendance at the Luna hearing, shares his firsthand impressions of the proceedings and what they may signal for the future of the JFK Records Act. But this conversation goes beyond the question of conspiracy: we explore the broader stakes of transparency, institutional trust, and the historical significance of declassified documents — including revelations like Operation Northwoods, which had nothing to do with the assassination itself but emerged from the Assassination Records Review Board process and reshaped how we understand Cold War covert operations. Whether or not you believe there was a conspiracy to kill JFK, the questions raised by these files and the government’s resistance to disclosure remain urgent. Tune in for a timely conversation on truth, secrecy, and why history still matters — no matter how long ago it happened. And yes, we'll address conservative pundit Ben Shapiro's angry dismissal of anyone interested in the assassination because it happened "a long time ago". Additional topics covered include: - Oliver Stone, the attacks on his movie JFK months before the film was even released, and the role of the Vietnam war in shaping Oliver Stone as a filmmaker and a human being. - CIA spymaster James Jesus Angleton's chilling quote about the CIA: “If you were in a room with them, you were in a room full of people that you had to believe would deservedly end up in hell. I guess I will see them there soon.” - The release of the unredacted Schlesinger Memo and what it tells us about covert operation during the Cold War. Learn what it is and how it enhances our understanding of a moment in history and politics. - The surprise appearance of John Davisson, a senior counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington, who raised privacy concerns related to information in the recently released documents. - Jim's thoughts on Democrats' lack of interest in the hearing and why he thinks Democrats are passing up a big opportunity with it - And much more!

On this edition of Parallax Views, the Left Business Observer's Doug Henwood, host of the influential radio program Behind the News, returns to the program to discuss Trump's tariffs, Bidenomics vs. Trumponomics, the legacy of the anti-WTO/anti-globalization protests of the late 1990s, and much more! Literally a half hour before Doug and I began recording Trump announced a 90-day pause on some of his tariffs. We'll be discussing what Doug sees as Trump's nostalgia about a romanticized 1950s America and how he believes that is driving Trump's policies in many ways. Doug talks about what he sees as the nonsensical nature of Trump's tariffs and how stocks shot up immediately after Trump announced the 90-day pause. Although sometimes there's more noise than signal when looking at the stock market, in this case the response of the stock market over the past week has reflected very real economic anxieties. He also notes that the bond market has been reacting strangely in the past week in a way that is worrying. Doug notes that we'll likely see prices increase in May and June and discusses the effect these tariffs will have on those at the bottom of the income distribution. All of this will factor into Doug's analysis of why he thinks Trump has announced a 90-day pause on some tariffs. We'll also discuss in-depth the pros and cons of Bidenomics and then look at that in comparison to Trumponomics. We'll discuss industrial policy, ways of bringing back manufacturing to the U.S. in a productive rather than destructive manner, and we'll look at the effect of tariffs on poorer countries like Vietnam or Cambodia. We'll also discuss how there's been a wide backlash against Trump's tariffs from across the political spectrum including libertarians like Thomas Sowell, CNBC's Jim Cramer, and even some protectionists. Doug Henwood sums up the backlash as being driven ultimately by the crudeness of the tariff policy. The conversation will also delve into Trump's romanticism about the 19th century U.S. economy, the legacy of the anti-WTO/anti-globalization protests of the late 90s, the potential of a pro-trade internationalism that isn't neoliberal and is informed by socialist or left-wing concerns, the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, the Biden team's failure to tout the positive aspects of Bidenomics, Trump's anti-libertarian streak, DOGE, the misanthropy of the Silicon Valley right-wing, comparing and contrasting the Ralph Nader and Donald Trump views on foreign trade, and much, much more!

On this edition of Parallax Views, the Quincy Institute's Karthik Sankaran—writer, analyst, and longtime observer of global macroeconomic trends—joins the program to unpack the Trump administration’s sweeping new tariff policy. Billed as a "reciprocal tariff" strategy, the move abandons long-held trade norms like Most Favored Nation (MFN) status in favor of a confrontational approach that targets countries based on bilateral trade deficits with the U.S. We'll end begin by discussing the logic and methodology that Karthik believes are driving the Trump tariff policies. We'll also delve into why the tariffs have been criticized across the board by neoliberals (of which Karthik describes himself as), right-wing libertarians like Thomas Sowell, and even progressively minded protectionists. The conversation will also delve into an area of particular interest to Karthik: how this will effect the Global South. We'll also delve into what the tariffs mean for U.S. foreign policy and international relations, why Brazil may come out of this better than other countries, what the tariffs mean for Europe and the EU, nearshoring vs. off-shoring and how nearshoring could be beneficial to Mexico, the U.S. move towards economic protectionism even under Biden, and what the tariffs mean for China. Also, Karthik will address listeners that disagree with his neoliberal worldview. Karthik describes himself as a "Neoliberal Peacenik". Whether or not you agree with his overview worldview, hopefully you'll find it interesting and informative.

On this edition of Parallax Views, legal scholar and Boston University Law professor Jonathan Feingold joins us to discuss a growing crisis in higher education: the escalating assault on academic freedom. At the center of this episode is the recent dismissal of Dr. Cemal Kafadar and Dr. Rosie Bsheer—faculty leaders of Harvard's Center for Middle Eastern Studies—following politically charged accusations related to programming on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Feingold, a member of Concerned Jewish Faculty & Staff-Boston Area, breaks down why these dismissals are not just isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of repression targeting scholars and students advocating for Palestinian human rights. We dig into the weaponization of antisemitism discourse, the chilling effect on scholarship, and how elite institutions like Harvard are capitulating to pressure from right-wing forces and donor lobbies—including those aligned with Trump’s authoritarian cultural agenda. This story isn’t just about Israel-Palestine. Even for those uninterested in debates over Israel-Palestine, the implications of this case are far-reaching. It raises urgent questions about academic freedom, free speech, and free inquiry in American universities. What happens when controversial topics become grounds for dismissal? How do elite institutions navigate the tension between political pressure and intellectual autonomy? And what does this say about the health of democratic discourse in higher education? This episode is not just about one controversy at Harvard—it’s about the future of the university itself.

Recorded: 4-7-2025 On this edition of Parallax Views, journalist James M. Dorsey of the Turbulent World w/ James M. Dorsey Substack returns for another Middle East update. In this conversation we go over the visit Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is making to Washington D.C. to meet U.S. President Donald Trump. The visit will reportedly entail discussion focused on Israeli hostages in Gaza as well as U.S. tariffs. This comes on the heels of Netanyahu facing re-emerging politically turmoil domestically Israel. Netanyahu is complaining more and more of a "leftist deep state" in Israel and the U.S (see also: this report from The Times of Israel). Additionally, hundreds of thousands are fleeing the southern Gazan city of Rafah due to airstrikes and a deadly assault on medics in Gaza. Israel has had to walk back its account of how the assault on those medics happened as video of it has emerged. We'll be discussing all of this on the show as well as the relationship between Trump and the Gulf States, specifically Saudi Arabia and the UAE. What does this mean for Israel (and the Palestinians)? We'll discuss what leverage the Saudis may have in regard to what happens next in Gaza. We'll also discuss Turkey-Israel relations and Syria. And, of course, Iran will play into the discussion. And we'll delve into the rise of civilization-states, the difference between nation-states vs. civilizational states, and the battle of narratives between Israelis and Palestinians. All that and much more on this edition of Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael!

Recorded 4/7/2025 On this edition of Parallax Views, Israeli commentator Ori Goldberg returns to the show to discuss the latest development in Gaza and Israel. This conversation came about due to the horrific stories coming of the southern Gaza city Rafah and touches upon that as well as the political turmoil currently bubbling to a fever pitch in Israel. J.G. specifically reached out to interview Ori in the hopes of trying to make sense of what is happening on the ground. Abstractions are often attendant to discussions of Israel/Palestine, but the human cost cannot be forgotten. That is what led to this discussion, and it proved difficult on some level due to the intense nature of the horrors we've seen in the past year and a half whether it be the events of October 7th or the scenes coming out of Rafah. Ori's approach is highly reflective in nature and as such has a certain unique quality. Whether you agree or disagree with Ori's thinking, this is hopefully going to be a powerful discussion.

On this edition of Parallax Views, host J.G. Michael engages renowned Israeli pollster Dahlia Scheindlin in a revealing discussion on the evolution of Israeli civil society and its dynamic relationship with both Palestinian civil society and internal societal shifts within Israel. Drawing from her insightful essay, “The Rise, Weakening, and Resurgence of Civil Society in Israel,” Dahlia navigates the complex interplay of historical, political, and social forces that have shaped civic life in the region. - Internal Transformation: Explore how the transition to the Likud government in the 1970s led to the weakening of Israel's welfare state, creating a vacuum that civil society eagerly filled with new social and political initiatives. - Historical Perspectives: Trace the development of Israeli civil society from its Zionist origins through the transformative eras of the Oslo Accords and beyond, while examining how these shifts have paralleled, intersected, and at times clashed with Palestinian civic movements. - Interplay of Resistance and Repression: Learn how grassroots resistance against occupation as well as anti-democratic movements in Israel has fueled a dynamic interplay between Israeli and Palestinian civil societies, fostering both collaboration and contention in the quest for justice and democratic reform. - Legislative and Social Backlash: Understand the impact of autocratic policies and legislative attacks under Netanyahu’s government, which not only suppressed dissent but also galvanized a renewed civic activism among diverse groups. - Turning Points and Future Prospects: Delve into the dramatic civic mobilization following the events of October 7, 2023, and explore what this resurgence means for the future of democratic engagement and cross-community solidarity in a divided society. This episode offers a compelling narrative that weaves together historical context, political resistance, and the powerful role of civic action in shaping both Israeli and Palestinian futures. We will also discuss Dahlia's recent trip to the United States, where she is currently on a speaking tour. Additionally, Dahlia and will discuss into the gap between the perspectives of diaspora populations vs. those living in Israel/Palestine. You can currently obtain an ebook download of Suppressing Dissent, which features Dahlia's essay, for FREE at the Carnegie Endowment website. Contributors include such previous Parallax Views guests as Nathan J. Brown, Dana El Kurd, and Dahlia Scheindlin as well as Lara Friedman, Marwa Fatafta, Yael Berda, Jessica Buxbaum, and many others.

On this edition of Parallax Views, Andrew Day—senior editor at The American Conservative and contributing fellow at Defense Priorities—joins the show to unpack his provocative article, “Mahmoud Khalil, Viewed From the Right.” In our conversation, Andrew explains why he believes MAGA conservatives must oppose the arrest and potential deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and green card holder whose First Amendment rights are at stake. Andrew details how the Trump administration’s use of a 1952 immigration statute to target Khalil’s protest activities not only oversteps constitutional protections but also sets a dangerous precedent for conservatives. He argues that even those who challenge Khalil’s views must uphold free speech and that Khalil's detainment has less to do with being a threat to "U.S. foreign policy" than the fact he was protesting Israel. We will also discuss billionaire Trump back Miriam Adelson and pro-Israel affinity group advocacy in the U.S., disagreements that exist in the American conservative movement over the U.S. strikes against the Houthis in Yemen and concerns about the renewed potential for a conflict with Iran,

In this compelling discussion, Alex Gendler, author of "The New Superfluous Men," and Ryan Zickgraf, author of "Working-Class Men Are Not Okay," dissect the crisis facing America's working-class men. They delve into the incel phenomenon and alienation from traditional masculinity. Economic shifts and rising loneliness among men lead to devastating mental health impacts. The conversation highlights the urgency of redefining masculinity, fostering community, and confronting the social and economic forces shaping their identities.