

Unf*cking The Republic
UNFTR Media
Unf*cking The Republic® (UNFTR) is dedicated to progressive politics, leftist economic theories, and social justice in the United States. Join us for deep dives into socialism, labor rights, climate justice, and the fight against inequality. Whether you're curious about Marxist ideas, modern social movements, or progressive policies, UNFTR delivers thoroughly sourced critiques, analyses, and interviews with the historical context mainstream media won't provide. Subscribe for informative and unabashedly progressive coverage of the leftist political and economic landscape.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 18, 2025 • 41min
Trump is Looting the Treasury: Time Is Running Out To Prevent Trump From Becoming the World’s Shadow Central Bank.
Donald Trump has laid the groundwork to become one of the wealthiest people on the planet by personally making money from every dollar printed in the United States. And the worse the economy gets, the more money he stands to make. The House has already passed three crypto bills that would make this potential a reality by allowing the Trump family to control the global stablecoin market. Now it’s up to the Senate. It’s a wild story that the media won’t report on because they don’t get it. But some very powerful people have figured it out and now the race is on to stop Trump from becoming the shadow central banker to the world. Chapters Intro: 00:00:35 Chapter One: Bitcoin and Burgers. 00:01:17 Chapter Two: The Stablecoin Genius. 00:07:15 Chapter Three: FIAT. 00:12:40 Chapter Four: Crypto Fasist. 00:17:34 Chapter Five: Looting the Treasury. 00:28:53 Chapter Six: 00:38:59 Resources Sign the Petition To Stop the Senate From Passing These Bills Stablecoin Resources The Coin Republic: Tether Leads Crypto Revenue Chart With $87M Weekly Fees Corporate Finance Institute: Tether Cointelegraph: Tether made $5.2B in 2024: Here’s how stablecoins make money Onchain: How Businesses Generate Revenue With Stablecoins Webisoft: How Do Stablecoins Make Money? [The Crypto Finance] Binance: How Do Stable Coin Issuers Make Money? Gemini: What Is USDC? How Does It Work? White Paper: SoK: Stablecoin Designs, Risks, and the Stablecoin LEGO White Paper: Stablecoins: Fundamentals, Emerging Issues, and Open Challenges White Paper: Hybrid Monetary Ecosystems: Integrating Stablecoins and Fiat in the Future of Currency Systems Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City: Stablecoins Could Increase Treasury Demand, but Only by Reducing Demand for Other Assets Bitbo: Stablecoin Issuers Now Hold $182B in US Treasuries Bitstamp: What is Circle? Regulation and Legislation Resources Federal Reserve: Federal Reserve Board announces the withdrawal of guidance for banks related to their crypto-asset and dollar token activities and related changes to its expectations for these activities Yahoo Finance: Trump signs stablecoin bill into law, capping string of ‘Crypto Week’ victories Associated Press: Senate passes crypto regulations, sends to House without addressing Trump’s investments Congress: S.394 - GENIUS Act of 2025 Congress: H.R.3633 - Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 Congress: H.R.1919 - Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act Politico: Crypto industry amasses colossal war chest for elections Public Citizen: Big Crypto, Big Spending: Crypto Corporations Spend an Unprecedented $119 Million Influencing Elections AInvest: Senator Gillibrand’s $217,000 Crypto Donations Fuel GENIUS Act Debate ETF Trends: Corporate Crypto Adoption Trends Remain Encouraging Trump & Crypto Resources Bloomberg: Binance Aided Trump Crypto Firm Before Founder CZ Sought Pardon Binance Academy: What Is World Liberty Financial USD (USD1)? American Bazaar: World Liberty Financial, tied to Trump, grows ETH holdings to $275 million BingX: What Is USD1 Stablecoin Launched by the World Liberty Financial (WLFI)? MEXC: What is USD1? Complete Guide to World Liberty Financial’s Revolutionary Stablecoin Common Dreams: How GOP’s Crypto Bills Would Benefit Trump and His Family New York Times: What to Know About the Three Crypto Regulation Bills in Congress NPR: A ‘Crypto Week’ win: Congress passes 1st major crypto legislation in the U.S. TOKEN2049: A Fireside Chat with Eric Trump and World Liberty Financial Wall Street Journal: The Recipe Behind the Trump Family’s Crypto Riches: PancakeSwap BusinessWire: ALT5 Sigma Corporation Announces $1.5 Billion Registered Direct Offering and Concurrent Private Placement to Initiate World Liberty Financial $WLFI Treasury Strategy Reuters: Trump's stablecoin chosen for $2 billion Abu Dhabi investment in Binance, co-founder says Definitional Resources Brookings: What are stablecoins, and how are they regulated? The Block: What are the advantages and disadvantages of stablecoins? Binance: Stablecoins vs. Fiat Money: Why are they a good option? Polkadot: CBDCs vs. Stablecoin: Competing visions for digital currency Fireblocks: State of Stablecoins 2025 International Resources Atlantic Council: Central bank digital currencies versus stablecoins: Divergent EU and US perspectives Reuters: Crypto firm Tether and its founders finalizing move to El Salvador BIS: The next-generation monetary and financial system UNFTR Resources The Global Order of Money. Video: Trump's Crypto Scheme MUST Be Stopped -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 11, 2025 • 18min
Trump and the Fed: Why Trump is Determined to Fire Jerome Powell.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently took himself out of the running to take over as Chair of the Federal Reserve at the end of Jerome Powell’s term. (Or when Trump fires him illegally.) Perhaps it has something to do with his serious flub recently when he said the quiet part out loud about privatizing Social Security. Either way, Trump is on a mission to cut the Federal Funds rate to as low as one percent. In today’s episode, we game it out to explain what would happen if rates suddenly dropped so low in this economic environment. (Spoiler: It would be catastrophic for the average American.) Then we reveal what Trump’s actual motives might be for doing so. Chapters Intro: 00:00:40 Post Show Musings: 00:14:59 Resources The New York Times: Trump says Treasury’s Bessent rules out replacing Powell as the Fed chair. MSNBC: Bessent walks back suggestion that Trump accounts are 'backdoor' to privatize Social Security UNFTR Resources Trump Accounts. Stablecoin and the Stable Genius: Donald Trump’s Plan to be the Central Banker to the World Video: Trump’s SHADOW CRYPTO Network is WORSE Than You Think Project 2025. -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 4, 2025 • 25min
Trump vs. Lula: Trump’s Arrogance Toward Brazil and the LAC Is a Threat to Us All.
Donald Trump recently announced a new round of tariffs including outrageous ones on Brazil that bring the effective tariff rate to 50%. Forget that we have a surplus with Brazil or that they’re one of the biggest economies in Latin America, one of our closest allies historically and the biggest democracy in South America. Trump’s upset that the Lula administration is targeting his friend Jair Bolsonaro, dubbed the “Trump of the Tropics.” Or so he claims. There’s a lot more to this ridiculous and misguided trade war than hurt feelings and bad economics. It’s about Brazil’s leadership of the BRICS+ alliance that threatens to undermine Trump’s plan to personally become the central banker to the world. Resources Jeffrey Group: Brasil June 6th, 2025 IMF: IMF Staff Completes 2025 Article IV Visit to Brazil OECD: OECD Economic Outlook, Volume 2025 Issue 1 Deloitte: Brazil economic outlook, March 2025 Al Jazeera: Trump’s hefty tariff on Brazil expected to push the country towards China The Guardian - President Lula hits back as Trump tariffs threaten US-Brazil trade showdown VoxDev: Understanding Brazil’s falling income inequality PBS: Argentina secures IMF loan and ends most capital controls in key milestones for President Milei MeidasTouch: Trump’s PANICKED MOVE delivers DEATHBLOW Atlantic Council: The stablecoin race -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 24, 2025 • 22min
Income Inequality in the U.S.: Why You’re Struggling.
Income inequality in the U.S. is deeply misunderstood, with many struggling while the wealthiest thrive. The podcast discusses troubling signs of a recession, warning of a disconnect between stock market performance and the struggles of everyday workers. Real wage stagnation and rising unemployment claims reveal that economic recovery is uneven. Listeners learn about the flawed wealth distribution and monetary policies that favor the elite, raising concerns about a looming crisis for the average citizen.

Jul 21, 2025 • 1h 42min
Show Notes.
Max and 99 are back together to cover emails, comments and headlines! Tune in and enjoy. Chapters Intro: 00:00:19 Headlines: 00:23:46 Emails: 1:07:20 Memberships: 1:34:20 Reviews: 1:34:55 Outro: 1:35:07 Headlines CNN: Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans advance nomination of former Trump lawyer Emil Bove as Democrats walk out The Hill: Favorable views of Democratic Party lowest in decades: Polling CBS News: 20 states sue DHS, FEMA for cuts to disaster mitigation program Resources Max’s Meidas Touch Contributor Playlist Steven Semler: Polygraph UNFTR Resources Progressive Spotlights We Watched Tucker So You Don’t Have To. Is It Time To Worry? -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 18, 2025 • 24min
Our Eroding Empire: Max Unfiltered. It’s Now or Never.
Donald Trump is implementing the Project 2025 playbook faster than anyone anticipated, and old guard Democrats have no idea how to combat him. But there’s another endgame coming into focus that will shock even astute political observers. This “Max Unfiltered” episode plants the seeds for upcoming episodes that examine how Trump and his allies are planning to loot the Treasury and control the world’s money supply. It turns out they aren’t just intent on destroying the system to remain in power—they’re setting themselves up to BE the power. Full disclosure: it’s a bit of a rant, but it’s the foundation for more to come. Resources Civiqs: Donald Trump: Job Approval, Second Term The Untouchables: The Chicago Way UNFTR Resources Mamdani’s Mayoral Bid Exposes the Real Threat to NYC Video: The Case AGAINST Buttigieg in 2028 The Prosperity Doctrine. F*ck Milton Friedman. Libertarians Are Exhausting: But They Might Be On To Something(s). Manufacturing Dissent. “Project 2025.” Video: Yanis Varoufakis on Technofeudalism and the End of Capitalism 5 Non-Negotiables Video: Old Democrats Must Go or Trump NEVER Will -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

6 snips
Jul 14, 2025 • 22min
Immigration Smokescreen: Masking Trump’s War on the Poor.
The discussion highlights how the Trump administration uses immigration rhetoric as a distraction from Medicaid cuts in a controversial bill. It reveals the strategies of figures like Stephen Miller, aimed at instilling fear and chaos to push harmful policies. The podcast critiques the narrative of fraud associated with immigrants, emphasizing the real impact of policy changes on vulnerable families. Additionally, it uncovers how work requirements and bureaucratic barriers threaten healthcare access for millions, all while tax cuts for the wealthy take precedence.

Jul 10, 2025 • 16min
The SALT Deduction: How “Tax Relief for Homeowners” Became Another Giveaway to the Rich.
Today we’re diving into one of the most contentious tax battles happening in Washington right now—the State and Local Tax deduction (SALT). Now, if you’ve been hearing politicians talk about “tax relief for hard-working homeowners” or “supporting middle-class families,” you might think this sounds pretty good, right? But here’s the thing— like so many tax policies that sound great on the surface, the SALT deduction is actually one of the most regressive tax breaks in our entire system. We’re talking about a policy that overwhelmingly benefits wealthy households while doing absolutely nothing for the majority of Americans. And right now, Congress is debating whether to make this tax break even more generous. Resources Brookings: The SALT tax deduction is a handout to the rich. It should be eliminated not expanded CNBC: Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ passes SALT deduction limit of $40,000. Here’s who benefits Forvis Mazars: Be Wary of Pre-Emptive Tax Planning on Itemized Deductions & SALT TIME: A Wonky Tax Break for the Well-Off Is a Bigger Problem for Democrats Than You'd Think Gottheimer: RELEASE: SALT Caucus Co-Chairs, Members Meet & Discuss Fight to Restore State and Local Tax Deduction Tax Foundation: A More Generous SALT Deduction Cap in the Big, Beautiful Bill Would Cost Revenue and Primarily Benefit High Earners RSM US: Bill limits SALT deductions for some financial and professional services firms -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 26, 2025 • 1h 18min
BONUS: 2025 Manny + 99 Takeover.
Manny and 99 jumped into the studio to have some fun and connect while Max was away. They covered headlines, some music recommendations and general UNFTR business. Enjoy! Access episode resources. Chapters Intro: 00:00:00 Housekeeping: 00:02:13 Headlines: 00:09:01 Recommendations: 00:46:00 Memberships: 01:00:26 Outro: 01:00:50 Outro pt. 2: 01:16:26 Resources FMF Day sale through June 30 UNFTR’s 5NN POLITICO: MAGA right attacks Zohran Mamdani’s religion following his win News Beat Podcast Free The Press Substack Hip Hop Can Save America! Substack Rolling Stone: People Are Discovering NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s Rap Past UNFTR Discord AP News: Fed’s Powell repeats warning about tariffs as some GOP senators accuse him of bias Contraband Camp: How the Growth of AI is Endangering the Health of Black People Manny Faces Book HHCSA Discord Silent Knight SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) Tunde Adebimpe: Thee Black Boltz Goose: Everything Must Go Matt Berninger: Get Sunk Max for MTN Buy UNFTR Coffee NPR: Chew On This: Is It Chomping Or Champing? UNFTR Resources Zohran Mamdani Has Already Won. Video: Zohran Mamdani Already Won: Leading the Race & the Way Max for MTN: Why Zohran Won the NYC Primary Mamdani’s Mayoral Bid Exposes the Real Threat to NYC The Economics of Racism. Video: The Economics of Racism. -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

15 snips
Jun 23, 2025 • 52min
Zohran Mamdani Has Already Won: Leading the Race and Leading the Way.
The discussion highlights Zohran Mamdani's captivating rise in national media attention leading up to the NYC mayoral primary. His campaign is viewed as a significant victory, regardless of the election outcome. Memorable debate moments and Mamdani's grassroots organizing underscore his appeal. The impact of Eric Adams' independent run on the political landscape is examined, while critiques and policy clarifications showcase Mamdani's stances. There's a focus on how his progressive vision could reshape debates and energize the Democratic base.