Neon Liberalism

Are Trump's tariffs a personal madness, or a response to deeper dysfunctions in the world trade system? Yes. Join Samantha and guest Steven Randy Waldman as we talk about why global trade has become so imbalanced, what kinds of dysfunctions that creates, and why a tax on the flow of capital rather than goods is a policy to work towards. The takeaway: it's still John Maynard Keynes' world, we're just living in it. As promised, the book whose name Samantha blanked on in the episode: Robert Allen's *Global Economic History* https://www.amazon.com/Global-Economic-History-Short-Introduction/dp/0199596654

Amidst escalating ICE raids, lawless deportations, and the horror of CECOT, immigration has moved to the center of American politics. Join Samantha and guest Adam Gurri, editor-in-chief of Liberal Currents, as we talk about the ground truth: policing immigrants requires restricting the freedoms of citizens. Authoritarianism for the out-group inevitably trends towards authoritarianism for the in-group. Chandran Kukathas was right all along.Read Adam's essay on the subject here: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/the-totalitarian-logic-of-immigration-controls/

Join Samantha and guest Talia Bhatt as they discuss the state of feminism under Trump II, the enduring relevance of radical feminist ideas, and the uses and abuses of intersectionality in contemporary leftist thought.

Join Samantha and guest Kevin J. Elliott as we talk about the history of democracy as a form of government, why it has no longer has any competitors, and how the structure of our democracy has nevertheless become a site of political contestation. Elliott also swings for the fences and offers some deep reforms we need to restore fairness and competition to our system—a fascinating conversation!

Join Samantha and guest Ned Resnikoff as they discuss why Americans are so cynical about politics—and how a movement that began with the goal of returning control to the people has spiraled into the opposite outcome. Along the way they talk Robert Moses, "citizen voice" politics, how free markets and functional governments support each other—and why we have neither of them in America today.

Join Samantha and guest Will Stancil as they talk the vexed question of whether politics is driven by merely material conditions, ask why tyrants are obsessed with their own popularity, and assess why the Democratic budget standoff fizzled while Chris Van Hollen's trip to El Salvador broke through—and shifted public opinion on Trump's immigration policies.Link to Stancil's essay, referenced in the podcast: https://www.offmessage.net/p/kilmar-abrego-garcia-public-opinion

Join Samantha and guest Professor Anna Law as they talk about the exploding constitutional crisis over Donald Trump's deportation program, exemplified by the removal of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Along the way they address the importance of due process, the Fugitive Slave Crisis and the origins of birthright citizenship, and the meaning of American citizenship in the twenty-first century.References:"The Present Crisis and the End of the Long '90s": https://www.liberalcurrents.com/the-present-crisis-and-the-end-of-the-long-90s/Professor Law's website: https://www.annaolaw.com/Corrigendum: Professor Law adds, "I made a factual error. The 100 mile zone is only along the nation’s land borders not the airports. BUT, as this CNN article states, 'Two-thirds of the US lives inside this so-called 100-mile border zone, which includes several entire states, including Florida, Michigan, Maine and Hawaii, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.'" https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/23/us/border-zone-immigration-checks/index.html

Content warning: rape, pedophilia, and historical atrocities. Join Samantha and guest Alan Elrod as they talk about the role of rape in conservative ideology, biopolitics as the Rosetta Stone of authoritarian reaction, and the pornographic fantasies that pervade the new right. Alan is the president and CEO of the Pulaski Institution, as well as a contributing editor at Liberal Currents.Links to essays on the subject from Alan and Samantha:https://www.liberalcurrents.com/guys-win-andrew-tate-rape-politics-and-the-authoritarian-right/https://www.liberalcurrents.com/the-new-gender-synthesis/

David Vatz, founder of Pro-Housing Pittsburgh, discusses the pressing housing crisis and its impact on younger generations. He uncovers the historical roots of zoning laws that fueled segregation and housing scarcity. Vatz emphasizes the need for liberal-driven reforms to promote more abundant and affordable housing. He also shares insights on grassroots activism, illustrating how community engagement can drive meaningful policy changes. With a hopeful outlook, he encourages listeners to join the local movement for housing improvement.

Samantha and guest Jamelle Bouie talk the present crisis, the many ages of the American Constitution, and how we might set about rebuilding what MAGA is breaking.