American Prestige

E. Tammy Kim, a contributing writer at The New Yorker specializing in Korean politics and gender dynamics, dives into the transformative shifts in South Korea's political landscape. She discusses the power transition from President Yoon to Lee Jae-myung and its implications, including the impact of U.S. xenophobia on Korean relations. The conversation also includes the challenges faced by the American federal workforce and the need for bold actions to spur structural change and address Medicaid and Medicare issues. A thought-provoking blend of international dynamics and domestic politics!

Tensions escalate as Houthi fighters target commercial vessels in the Red Sea, raising international concerns. In Israel-Palestine dynamics, Netanyahu rejects a Palestinian state during a White House visit, complicating ceasefire talks. Meanwhile, Kenya faces deadly protests amid rising political unrest. As Trump engages with foreign leaders, new tariff threats loom over BRICS nations. The U.S. navigates controversial migration policies, transferring migrants to South Sudan, sparking significant legal and safety debates.

Mark Weisbrot, an economist and co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, dives deep into the harsh reality of economic sanctions. He reveals their devastating impact on civilian populations, labeling them as unethical and akin to war crimes. The discussion covers how sanctions contribute to migration crises and critiques U.S. policies that fail to benefit ordinary Americans. Weisbrot also explores the role of the U.S. dollar in facilitating these sanctions and questions whether tariffs could be seen as another form of economic punishment.

Derek speaks with Sina Azodi, an expert in Middle East politics and nuclear programs from GWU, about the aftermath of the Iran-Israel conflict. They delve into Iran's evolving military strategies and improved tactics against Israel, alongside the fallout from sanctions and IAEA actions. The conversation highlights Iran's isolation and nuclear ambitions, probing the implications for international negotiations and regional relations. Azodi also discusses the broader geopolitical shifts and the lasting impact on alliances in the Middle East.

Subscribe now for the full episode. Get your limited edition "Robo Washington" poster now. Subscribers get a 50% discount! Danny and Derek speak with writer and director Daniel Waters about the films Demolition Man and Batman Returns, both screenplays of his. They discuss the state of screenwriting now vs. when Daniel first arrived in Hollywood, the two films’ criticism of the security state, Demolition Man’s commentary on the stultifying effect of “political correctness” of that era, the duality of Stallone and Snipes’ characters, the challenge for a writer centering an institution they’re critical of, the horror of a utopia, the film’s ambivalence toward violence, Batman Returns coming at the beginning of IP-driven Hollywood, Max Schrek as Mitt Romney, and the reassessment of Daniel’s work in the last couple of decades.

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get more content. Order our limited edition ⁠"Robo Washington Crossing the Delaware" ⁠poster now. Paid subscribers get a 50% discount! Our news roundups are sometimes big, but never beautiful. This week: the PKK to begin its disarmament in Turkey (1:17); Iran suspends its cooperation with the IAEA (4:30), but remains open to negotiations with the US (6:53); the debate continues on how far the war set back Iran’s nuclear program (9:18); in Gaza, a new ceasefire push (12:24) while journalists investigate the massacres at “humanitarian aid” sites (16:15); Russia recognizes the Talbian-led government in Afghanistan (20:20); the Constitutional Court of Thailand suspends PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra (21:57); Malaysia bans US plastic waste (23:55); Trump ramps up US airstrikes in Somalia (26:07); the DRC and Rwanda sign a peace deal (28:48); Russia makes advances in Ukraine (33:31) plus the US freezes military aid (35:46); the UN says the security situation in Haiti is worsening (37:51); and the US and China make another trade deal (39:29).