Unf*cking The Republic

A fierce breakdown of how current fiscal and monetary moves are weakening the U.S. dollar and trembling global markets. Sharp attention on a treasury official’s surprising behavior and its political consequences. Charts and data on consumer confidence, construction, bond markets, gold, and Japan’s role highlight widening risks to America’s economic standing.

Max and 99 are back this week to debut an experimental new format for the podcast—that is yet to be named—which mixes Show Notes vibes with a little more structure. The two dive into a mix of on-topic and off-topic headlines before heading into listener feedback and emails. They wrap up the episode with their Top 5 lists focused on formative protest songs, and of course some member shout outs. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:00:34 Headlines: 00:13:35 Emails: 00:42:47 "Carve Outs": 01:16:31 Top 5: 01:24:32 Memberships: 01:44:15 Outro: 01:46:00 Resources The Verge: Discord says ‘vast majority’ of users won’t see its new age verification setup BIG by Matt Stoller: The Beginning of the End for Big Corporate Medicine Politico: MAHA and Mike Tyson want you to ‘eat real food’ during the Super Bowl Super Bowl Ad: Processed Food Kills, Eat Real Food The Ringer: How Hannibal Lecter Made His Film Debut in ‘Manhunter’ Yahoo News: JD Vance says U.S. Olympic athletes are 'not there to pop off about politics.' Here's what they've said. Democratic Socialists of America Working Families Party Top 5s (And Beyond) Nina Simone: Mississippi Goddam John Lennon: Working Class Hero Sting: Russians XTC: Dear God Simple Minds: Belfast Child Green Day: American Idiot Joni Mitchell: Big Yellow Taxi Marvin Gaye: What's Going On Sly & The Family Stone: Everyday People Childish Gambino: This Is America Creedence Clearwater Revival: Fortunate Son Johnny Paycheck: Take This Job And Shove It Buffalo Springfield: For What It's Worth 4 Non Blondes: What's Up Brandi Carlile: The Joke The Chicks: Travelin' Soldier The Chicks: Not Ready To Make Nice Bob Dylan: Masters of War T-Pain: War Pigs Gil Scott-Heron: Revolution Will Not Be Televised Kendrick Lamar: Alright NWA: Fuck Tha Police Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five: The Message Public Enemy: Fight The Power Sam Cooke: A Change Is Gonna Come UNFTR Resources Pharmacy Benefit Managers: The American Drug Cartel. UNFTR Resources Page -- 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, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. 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). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does the stock market keep going up when the economy feels so bad? It’s the question we probably get the most and, quite frankly, it’s not a bad one. The primary reason equities seem invincible is because of the dramatic increase in the money supply over the past four decades. That explains the supply side of the equation at least. But a lot had to happen behind the scenes to allow for the money supply to be absorbed into the financial system and ultimately benefit a fraction of the population. Resources MacroMicro: US - M1 & M2 Money Supply Wikipedia: Buffett indicator CFI: Shiller P/E Civiqs: Donald Trump: Job Approval, Second Term Wall Street Journal: More Americans Than Ever Own Stocks Brookings: Rising inequality: A major issue of our time The Review of Economic Studies: Stock Market Participation, Inequality, and Monetary Policy Roosevelt Institute: Our New Report: Defining Financialization Levy Economics Institute: Have We Been Here Before? Phases of Financialization within the 20th Century in the United States The Fed: 3. Leverage in the Financial Sector UNFTR Resources Stock Buybacks Surge: Another Red Flag for the U.S. Economy. Video: Why is the stock market so good when the economy is so bad? -- 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, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. 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 Hold Fast (holdfastband.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.

Is Donald Trump unstoppable? He has defied laws and norms, thumbed his nose at Congress and foreign allies alike. He has displayed open hostility toward immigrants and American citizens, threatened extreme force against protestors, recently going so far as to mention the Insurrection Act. His ICE thugs roam the streets and are committing atrocities with impunity. We kidnapped the leader of a sovereign nation and are positioning troops for a potential invasion of an allied nation and NATO member. Donald Trump has been one step ahead of the law at every turn and with the courts and Congress in his pocket, many are beginning to wonder if he truly intends to suspend upcoming elections and destroy our democracy once and for all. So let’s talk about it. UNFTR Resources Little Marco’s Coup D’Etat: Kidnapping Maduro. “Project 2025.” Republicans With Time. The BRICS Unit: The Beginning of the End for Dollar Dominance? Video: This is What a Trump Dictatorship Looks Like Book Love James Rickards: Currency Wars: The Making of the Next Global Crisis -- 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, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. 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.

The United States carried out a special-operations strike in Caracas, Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores who are reportedly being taken to Manhattan to face criminal charges for drug trafficking. In this video, Max breaks down what’s really behind this stunning intervention, perhaps the most brazen and illegal action undertaken by the U.S. since Kissinger’s secret bombing of Cambodia. He talks about all the angles portrayed in the media from narcoterrorism to oil, reveals what’s more likely behind our actions and how Marco Rubio is intimately involved. UNFTR Resources Video: BRICS Takes Over: India’s Plan to Dethrone the Dollar. Video: The Truth Behind Maduro’s Capture | It’s Not What They're Telling You. -- 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, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. 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.

In December of 2025, Brazil passed the BRICS leadership torch to India, which wasted no time revealing its priorities for the economic alliance—to build an international payment system that rivals the SWIFT system and chip away at U.S. economy hegemony by attacking the exorbitant privilege of the U.S. Dollar. Defending the dollar should be the easiest policy ever. Instead the Trump administration has accelerated the world’s collective desire to put the U.S. in its place and end our reign of economic despotism. -- 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. 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.

Max and 99 are back for another round of Show Notes. They tackle the good, the bad and the ugly of the news. Thanks for tuning in! Chapters Intro: 00:06:13 Emails: 01:16:39 Memberships: 01:32:02 Reviews: 01:35:28 Outro: 01:36:04 Resources Mother Jones: RFK Jr. Just Flipped the Food Pyramid to Create a Funnel of Performative Masculinity UNFTR Resources Video: The Truth Behind Maduro's Capture | It's Not What They're Telling You Video: BRICS Takes Over: India's Plan to Dethrone the Dollar -- 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.

Donald Trump stole the headlines once again by speaking ill of Rob Reiner after the tragic death of Reiner and his wife Michele. It was yet another vulgar display of Trump’s unbridled narcissism that takes away from the legitimate conversation we should be having about Reiner’s legacy, what his films meant to a generation that came of age before 9/11. In many ways, Reiner became the avatar of white establishment liberalism, reflecting an America that never really existed. Throughout his remarkable career he was firmly planted on the right side of history but his art had a way of papering over the brutal reality of the American system. In other ways, he represented the best of us and he left us some of the greatest pop culture moments that endure the test of time. This is the discussion I think he deserved. Resources Current Affairs: How Liberals Fell In Love With The West Wing Politico: Words must match deeds -- 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.

Max and 99 are back for another round of Show Notes! They talk Mets news (RIP), The Fed, healthcare, and get to some Unf*cker feedback. Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Headlines: 00:13:54 Email: 00:55:43 Memberships: 01:47:13 Outro: 01:50:41 Resources Yahoo Finance: Live coverage: Federal Reserve cuts interest rates by 0.25% Lava Song NPR: Head Start centers told to avoid 'disability,' 'women' and more in funding requests UNFTR Resources Video: On The Record (12/8/25) Video: Trump Official Gaslights on Labor Data -- 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.

Donald Trump is tearing the nation apart. To place his revenge-filled presidency in historical context we have to reach deep into the annals of history and revisit the tenure of famed Roman Emperor Commodus who historians perceive as the beginning of the end of the Roman Empire. With this second term Trump has entered rarified air that few U.S. presidents have breathed. He has fundamentally altered the culture, the country and its people. Moving past this moment will be our greatest challenge. -- 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.