Citations Needed

Tarek Kenney-Shawa, a U.S. policy fellow at Al-Shabaka and producer at AJ+, delves into the shifting dynamics of U.S. political responses to Israel and Gaza. He explores how some Democrats craft superficial criticisms to maintain pro-Palestine appearances without real policy change. Tarek highlights rising public sympathy for Palestinians and the potential for long-lasting shifts in attitudes. The conversation critiques the 'one bad man' narrative, revealing it as a distraction from systemic issues tied to U.S. support for Israel.

Laura Albast, a Palestinian journalist and media analyst, joins to discuss the troubling attempts by former Biden officials to absolve themselves of accountability for Gaza's atrocities. They explore how mainstream media recasts these figures as remorseful, while glossing over their past complicity. Albast emphasizes the importance of holding these officials accountable through protests and public pressure, and critiques the public apathy that enables such narratives. The conversation highlights the struggle over memory and accountability in the face of power.

Justin Feldman, a social epidemiologist focused on health and inequality, dives into the alarming rise of health freedom movements. He discusses the 'Granola-to-Fascist' pipeline linking wellness culture with anti-vaccine sentiments. The conversation highlights the historical roots of reactionary health politics and how modern influencers perpetuate these ideologies. Feldman emphasizes the fragility of public health gains and advocates for viewing health as a collective right, urging robust public health messaging to counter the growing grift economy.

In a revealing discussion, the hosts dissect the U.S. military actions against Venezuela, highlighting how media outlets accept Trump's drug war narrative. They challenge the lack of evidence for Maduro’s gang control and critique the simplistic framing of narco-terrorism. The conversation also unpacks Trump’s motivations linked to oil and regime change, drawing parallels with domestic political tactics. Furthermore, they explore the hypocrisy behind the drug war claim, promising to monitor the evolving situation.

Matthew Cunningham-Cook, an investigative journalist covering DHS and ICE, joins to delve into how media normalizes brutal immigration crackdowns. He reveals the unsettling dynamics of ride-along reporting that prioritize access over accountability. The conversation explores how ICE's narrative misrepresents their targets, emphasizing their impact on vulnerable communities. Cunningham-Cook sheds light on the normalization of ICE within bipartisan politics and how anti-immigrant rhetoric distracts from larger economic issues, making for a compelling discussion on journalism and ethics.

This discussion dives into the influence of billionaire-backed groups on the Democratic Party's trajectory. It highlights new centrist initiatives attempting to reshape political narratives and downplay economic populism. The hosts explore the Abundance Movement's effects on labor and environmental regulations. They reveal how 'anti-woke' rhetoric conceals neoliberal goals and examine donor interests versus actual voter sentiment. Ultimately, they argue that these efforts aim to preserve elite control over party dynamics while stifling more progressive policies.

Join a lively discussion about the rise of the Make America Healthy Again movement. The conversation dives into how corporate-written food policies and the profit-driven medical system foster hucksterism. The hosts highlight the intriguing link between wellness trends and radical politics, drawing connections to conspiratorial movements like QAnon and 5G theories. Plus, there's a call for listener support to fuel their unique, thought-provoking content.

Jack Mirkinson, a senior editor at The Nation and co-founder of Discourse Blog, tackles the trend of political punditry reducing serious issues to a game-like analysis. They explore how praising tactical skills, like those of Robert E. Lee, sanitizes harmful legacies while framing politicians like Ron DeSantis as visionaries despite their controversial actions. The conversation dives into the moral consequences of treating politics as sport, emphasizing the privilege that allows pundits to ignore real-world impacts, and critiques the euphemisms that sterilize violence in media.

Rob Larson, an economics professor and commentator on wealth and big tech, joins the conversation. They explore how media elevates billionaires to expert status across diverse topics, often sidelining genuine experts. Larson critiques the intertwining of wealth with moral authority, pointing out how philanthropy influences public policy and media narratives. The discussion addresses the fallacies of treating economic power as expertise, the hypocrisy in billionaire philanthropy, and the implications for democracy as oligarchs shape public discourse.

Beatrice Adler-Bolton, co-host of the Death Panel podcast and co-author of Health Communism, provides insightful commentary on the portrayal of Gaza's humanitarian crisis in Western media. The discussion reveals how narratives manipulate perceptions of suffering, particularly regarding children with preexisting conditions. It critiques recent media corrections that downplay the urgency of starvation as a humanitarian issue. Adler-Bolton emphasizes the ethical implications of framing these narratives and the chilling effect on critical discourse surrounding human rights.