Grifty

GENERAL ELECTION–STATE OF PLAY   States where abortion is on the ballot in the 2024 election “Voters in about a dozen states could decide the fate of abortion rights in November with constitutional amendments on the ballot in a pivotal election year — including in several battleground states that will be key to deciding the presidential race and which party controls Congress.” (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/abortion-ballot-measures/ ) RFK Jr. rules out Libertarian presidential run “Independent presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Saturday ruled out running as a Libertarian.” (https://apple.news/AOtthZk48RtOWffIxyUgfLg ) THE RFK JR. STRATEGY CLICKS INTO FOCUS As the race between Trump and Biden gets uglier, Kennedy is focusing on ballot access. (https://apple.news/A0Fa-JwuMSnKaKTtMZ8_qPA )   SCOTUS   The Supreme Court effectively abolishes the right to mass protest in three US states “It is no longer safe to organize a protest in Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas.” (https://apple.news/AgbB_Hz0_SZSvZeRPJdMzOw ) Supreme Court Takes Up Jan. 6 Case That Could Affect Hundreds of Prosecutions “Justices to decide whether Enron-era obstruction law applies to rioters’ disruption of Congress” (https://apple.news/APSrlh_7GSJ-Z5fQigCaUXQ ) CONGRESS   'I am not resigning': Johnson at risk as he forges ahead on Ukraine, Israel aid Another GOP lawmaker said Tuesday they'd join a motion to remove Johnson. (https://apple.news/A_qwNqRUCQcS5BWEL_vyXTw ) House Republicans Ridiculed into Dropping “Appliance Week” “Republican representatives hastily scrapped plans for bills opposing regulations on household appliances.” (https://newrepublic.com/post/180697/republicans-woke-appliances-israel-iran )   POTUS CANDIDATE: BIDEN       POTUS CANDIDATE: TRUMP    TRUMP’S PRESIDENTIAL-IMMUNITY THEORY IS A THREAT TO THE CHAIN OF COMMAND “Subordinates need to know that the commander in chief is bound by the same laws as everyone else.” (https://apple.news/AT8wtGOezQySmUvJqdCe3fA ) Trump Media shares tank after company reveals plan to sell more stock “Shares of Truth Social parent company have fallen 60% since March market debut as ex-president under financial pressure.” (https://apple.news/A450bN4_3QHOAgrxmAWZtuw )   TRUMP’S TRIALS   Defendant is not above the law": N.Y. prosecutors urge judge to hold Trump in contempt “Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed a motion Tuesday seeking to hold former President Trump in contempt for alleged violations of his partial gag order in the New York criminal case” (https://apple.news/A6i4MtqOJQB2v8BBw5QCCVg ) cvfd   MISCELLANEOUS What Liberals Get Wrong About ‘White Rural Rage’ — Almost Everything “The ‘White Rural Rage’ narrative gets the research wrong. I know, because some of it is mine.” https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/04/05/white-rural-rage-myth-00150395 ) An Honest Assessment of Rural White Resentment Is Long Overdue  “We say very clearly that rural America is hurting. But we refuse to justify attitudes that some scholars try to underplay.” (https://newrepublic.com/article/180570/trump-rural-white-resentment-honest-assessment )

She’s just a girl, a girl in the world. Join Azi as she has a fun two part chat with Caroline Calloway about everything and nothing. Tune in for the second part of this interview next week.  Find us on all social media platforms @griftypod or visit www.grifty.org for more 

KING CAUCUS - On this episode of the Grifty Tribune, Azi, Sari and Taryn discuss the outcome of the Iowa Caucus where Trump won (with a lower turnout than previous years), reviewed the tick tock of Trump’s busy 2024 trial schedule, and discussed how they’d characterize the 2024 electorate.and what exactly will motivate them to vote and save our democracy from the man who wants to be King. History behind Caucus System  History Behind the Iowa Caucus The Caucus System in the U.S. Presidential Nominating Process Trump's big Iowa win included some signs of trouble with moderates, younger voters Polling of Republicans at Iowa Caucus Trump also continued his pattern of racist dog whistles against Nikki Haley (who is slightly gaining on him in the polls), referring to her by her first name, Nimarata, in a Truth Social post.  A judge in Maine decided to hold off on ruling on the case of Trump’s ballot eligibility until the Supreme Court issues a decision on the Colorado case.  DeSantis’s super PAC, Never Back Down, began laying off staff and it looks like he's going to drop out.  TRUMP LEGAL ISSUES Rundown: The Trump legal cases to watch in 2024 Trump's lawyer argues that a president can order SEAL Team Six to assassinate his political rival if Congress is cool with it:  https://www.threads.net/@esqueer_/post/C17WNW0uSoc/    

Episode 1 of Season 2 features Taylor Lorenz discussing influencers and  Taylor Lorenz is a prominent journalist who has made a name for herself covering topics related to technology, internet culture, and social media. She has worked for major publications such as The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Her work covers the intersection of technology and society. Lorenz is known for her in-depth reporting on issues such as online harassment, influencer culture, and the impact of social media on various aspects of society, including politics, mental health, and interpersonal relationships. Her work often delves into the ways in which technology shapes contemporary life and the challenges and opportunities that come with it.    Amanda, Sari Beth & Kea sat down with Taylor Lorenz author of Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet to discuss the grifty origin story of the World Wide Web and discussed how it forever shapes our daily lives today.   Follow us on all social media platforms @griftypod and visit us at www.grifty.org

Episode 9 Grifty Tribune: The Grifty Old Party On this episode of Grifty,  we are kicking off our new ongoing series- The Grifty Tribune. In ancient Rome, the Tribune was a person who upheld or defended the rights of the people. And we plan to do the same with this ongoing series.  In this edition of the Grifty Tribune, Azi and Sari break down the latest in American politics with a focus on how the GOP got so darn grifty - from Sarah Palins’s $150,000 wardrobe back in 2008 to the Obama Birther Conspiracy to the Trump Mug Shot of 2023. Azi and Sari even go back to the Roman Empire - yes, the Roman Empire - and try to figure out how we got to this place in America, once founded on lofty principles of republican virtue, to one where Trump is able to galvanize and grift off of an anti-intellectual, conspiracy theory obsessed,  and bigoted voting bloc.   IN THIS EPISODE Bidens impressive record $150,000 Wardrobe for Palin May Alter Tailor-Made Image Who the hell is Orly Taitz The Mug Shot Is a Warning How Conspiracy Theorists Have Tapped Into Race and Racism to Further Their Message That didn’t stop the smear from gaining traction, in an effort fueled by people including hard-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones of InfoWars — and by future president Donald Trump himself, who fanned the “birther” flames in 2011 as he advanced in the political arena. According to Trump’s longtime associate Roger Stone, it was an effective strategy: “Trump understands among Republicans there’s a very substantial majority who have questions about Obama’s origins and how he just pops up out of nowhere to become a national figure and whether he was, in fact, eligible to serve as president,” Stone told FRONTLINE in 2016. The Genesis of the Birther Rumor: Partisanship, Racial Attitudes, and Political Knowledge  There’s actually only one conspiracy theory: Democrats are evil  How the Republican Party came to embrace conspiracy theories and denialism Tucker Carlson, who is scrounging for attention in an increasingly fractured and competitive right-wing media ecosystem while seeking funders for his new media venture The Weaponization of Loneliness: To defend America against those who would exploit our social disconnection, we need to rebuild our communities By Hillary Rodham Clinton The History of Antisemitic Conspiracy Theories, from the Rothschilds to George Soros  

This episode of Grifty explores the manosphere, an online echo chamber promoting toxic masculinity, misogyny, and homophobia. It discusses the evolution of the men's rights movement, the influence of digital capitalism and echo chambers, and explores manosphere vocabulary and shocking misogynistic terms. The hosts also discuss the perception of emotions, engage in a vocabulary quiz, and speculate on infidelity.

Explore the world of life coaching and its intersection with new age spirituality and the wellness industry. Learn about the experiences with grifters and the hypocrisy in the church and coaching industry. Examine the lack of regulation and a governing body in the life coaching industry, leading to exploitation and false promises. Dive into the dynamics of confidence and competence and the importance of media literacy. Critique the effectiveness and ethics of life coaching while exploring healing trauma and self-love for a utopian society. Delve into social responsibility and collective liberation for a more equitable future.

Indictment Day: Part Deux Donald John Trump has been indicted and arraigned for a second time in three months, with at least two possible ones to come. (Insert clip of Kimberly Guilfoyle bellowing out “The Best is Yet To Come!”). Although Trump invited all of his fans to the Miami Federal Courthouse on his Arraignment Day aka Flag Day aka his 77th Birthday, there was reportedly more press than MAGAs in attendance. Where’s the QAnon Shaman when you need him? Oh, right, freshly out of prison. Azi and Sari speak with a very special guest, Little Miss Marxist to discuss Indictment Day Part Deux as well as the current state of the GOP. Only time will tell who will be the Republican candidate up against incumbent Joe Biden, but we know that every Trump indictment - and arraignment - is the gift that keeps giving for the Grand Old Party. Don't forget to follow @Littlemissmarxist, @saribethrose, @the.wellness.therapist, and @griftypod on all social media platforms. 

Do you believe in magic? On this episode of Grifty, friends of the pod explore America’s mass shooting problem thru the lens of the magical thinking that fuels both gun and wellness cultures, as well as discuss the latest news about GOP grifters Donald Trump and George Santos. The market for Toxic forms of wellness exists because people are feeling disempowered with their health and lack trust in the medical community in the same way that the consumer market for military-grade weapons exists because people are feeling disempowered with their safety and lack trust in the government. Gun and wellness cultures center YOU in the discussion, as both the main contributor and detractor of your safety and well-being.  It’s giving main character energy in the worst way possible. These dogmatic views and binary solutions towards self-sufficiency and empowerment have led to extremism not just by predatory grifters but also by other well-meaning but misinformed individuals, especially in this chronically online era where anyone can become a platform for spreading false information as they can work the algorithm.   FRIENDS ON THIS EPISODE Azadeh “Azi” Ghafari, Sari Beth Rosenberg, Dr. Thomas Oden MD, Baktaash "BT" Sorkhabi  IN THIS EPISODE On Trump’s Sexual Assault Case Politico – A stunning Result in Trump’s Sexual Assault Trial PBS - Breaking down the verdict as jury finds Trump liable for sexual assault and defamation   On George Santos’ Fraud charges United States Department of Justice: Congressman George Santos Charged with Fraud, Money Laundering, Theft of Public Funds, and False Statements Fortune - Serial liar George Santos’ lesser-known fraud may have been collecting $24,000 in COVID unemployment benefits while working a $120,000 job   On America’s mass shooting problem Huff Post - Texas Mall Shooting Victims Include Young Child And His Parents Huff Post - The Texas Shooter Reportedly Wore A Patch Popular With Far-Right Groups Daily Beast - Why Young Men of Color Are Joining White-Supremacist Groups Harvard School of Public Health - Do guns make us safer? Science suggests no Harvard School of Public Health – Scientists Agree: Guns don’t make society safer Newsweek – Republicans are blaming Mental Health School Shootings After Refusing to Fund It Washington Post – Why Haven’t GOP Politicians Matched  Funding to their Rhetoric? Pew Research Center – What the Data says about gun deaths in the U.S.   On The Wellness to Alt Right Pipeline Huff Post - Gun Culture And Wellness Culture Come From the Same Place Conspirtuality – Guns, Germs, & Fears PBS - Disinformation abounds in the wellness community. How one anti-vax influencer broke free McGill Office for Science and Society – Granola and Guns: The Rise of Conspirtuality Mother Jones - Wellness Influencers Are Spreading QAnon Conspiracies About the Coronavirus Food Psych – Rethinking Wellness: The Problems with “Natural” Wellness with Alan Levinovitz  

The 2024 Presidential election is officially underway. Joe Biden Part 2 is in full effect. Dude is old, get over it. Ron DeSantis went and got himself sued by Disney and is running 30 points behind Trump. Tucker Carlson got himself fired from Fox News and now has to report from his basement bunker. RFK Jr. and Marianne Williamson bringing old-school wellness grifts back into politics. Azi and Sari share their own conspiracy theories about the REAL reason why RFK Jr. is running, and Larry David is to blame.