Coup, Covid, Congress
Added 2021-09-25 19:37:20 +0000 UTCIn this subscribers-only episode, Matt and Sam discuss the latest revelations about the Trumpist plot to steal the presidency, the madness of anti-vaxx derangement syndrome among conservatives, and the fate of Biden's Build Back Better agenda.
Sources:
DOCUMENT: John Eastman's six-point plan to steal the election (PDF)
John Eastman, "Some Questions for Kamala Harris about Eligibility," Newsweek, August 21, 2020
Philip Bump, "By Memo or by Mob, Trump and His Team Positioned the Country for Chaos," Washington Post, September 21, 2021
Matt Gertz, "Trump Lawyer John Eastman Touted His Plan to Overturn the 2020 Election in Interviews with Right-Wing Media," Media Matters, September 21, 2021
Barton Gellman, "What if Trump Refuses to Concede?" Atlantic, November 2021
Adrian Vermeule, "Biden's Vaccine Mandate Serves the Common Good," Common Sense, September 22, 2021
Jason Blakely, "Not Catholic Enough: The Integralism of Adrian Vermeule," Commonweal, October 5, 2020
John Nolte, "Howard Stern Proves Democrats Want Unvaccinated Trump Voters Dead," Breitbart, September 10, 2021
Eric Levitz, "Three Key Divides in the Democrats' Civil War Over the Biden Agenda," New York Magazine, September 14, 2021
David Dayen, "Kathleen Rice’s Questionable Rationale for Voting Down Drug Pricing Reform," American Prospect, September 20, 2021
Comments
you guys never, ever need to apologize for episodes like these. the delightful matt and sam ending just the cherry on the top
Jack Wolfe
2021-10-12 11:17:48 +0000 UTCGreat show…the one piece I never hear enough about the vaccines is that transmission itself hurts us even if it doesn’t mean a serious case. All transmission of the virus gives it an opportunity to mutate. The more mutation the more chance that a vaccine resistant variant will emerge. Right? Just sayin’
Anne Hoffmann
2021-10-03 00:33:24 +0000 UTCi always love the show but i find i’m really drawn to the more personal episodes. i feel like the listener gets closer to what makes us all love you so much. i’ve listened to the depression episode 2 or 3 times because there are so many poignant, heartfelt and wise moments that i can’t take it all in the first time. all that to say i would love to hear matt share a bit on how both his spiritual journey and being gay are intertwined with his political journey. i can’t think of anyone to better meditate on the conflicts and contradictions that our society wrongfully places on those things. i realize these are deeply personal things and matt may have zero interest in sharing. many thanks and much love for the show.
Michael Piazza
2021-09-27 20:55:02 +0000 UTCI don't think politicians are fundamentally motivated by "what's popular" in our system. When it comes to foreign policy and economic issues, it is a question of who got you into power, who will maintain you in power, and who will take care of you when you are out of power. e.g. it's not just a question of some rogue House members on the right-wing of the party that is sinking good policy. The rot is at the top of the party. A guy like Jim Clyburn is 3rd in leadership and the top recipient of Pharma money in Congress over the past decade. He and his people intervened in two special elections this past year in safe Dem seats, to keep out more progressive candidates in Lousiana 2nd district and Ohio's 11th (joining with GOP donors and reaching out to GOP voters in these districts), and winning. It's the same story, as far as I'm concerned with the framing of the coverage in some media outlets about who is to blame for potentially tanking Biden's agenda. e.g. large media companies rely on the same donor interest, air commentary from "political consultants" who are effectively lobbyists for the same industry groups, and have "news people" who are effectively nothing more than public relations officers for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The CEO's of these business enterprises themselves do not want to see tax provisions in the "care infrastructure" bill being implemented. It really is deja vu in some ways with respect to 2008-2010, at least on the policy front. Nothing has really changed. I don't take it as a given that the Dems lose one or both houses in 2022, but getting the policy right on things like voting rights and doing popular stuff in the economic realm would clearly be ways to either improve the odds of retaining control or at minimum limiting the potential damage in the next mid-term cycle. Ultimately, however, losing isn't the worst thing for a lot of these politicians. Some will get to cash-in in a couple years after they resign or lose their seats -- especially if they play ball with industry groups now. And for too many party consultants, losing elections and fear of the GOP, are clearly a winning business model. If politicians were losing primaries and general elections for selling out their constituents, and if business interests were paying a price for backing losers, that would probably alter the political calculus. But that hasn't been the case in recent years. There have been some real gains for progressives at the federal level, but the balance of power is still predominantly with politicians who serve the interests of the wealthy.
J P 3
2021-09-27 06:15:47 +0000 UTCHappy birthday Matt! Thanks for the bonus episode!
History Chick
2021-09-26 20:55:16 +0000 UTCHappy Birthday Matt!
Lou Guberti Ng
2021-09-26 20:49:19 +0000 UTCLove the punditry. If there were more content like this where you guys rant for hours and hours, you'd get no complaints from me.
sko buffs
2021-09-26 20:40:19 +0000 UTCIf only all punditry was so smart…..thank you.
Dawn Woods
2021-09-26 12:47:24 +0000 UTCI agree that discussing the vaccine mandate on philosophical terms is 'bullshit,' but I'm gonna do it anyway. For the 'post-liberal' pundits, the difficulty is -- what if the common good is merely common? The majority wanted the vaccine. The majority has taken the vaccine. Does that have any effect on the thinking of the anti-vaxxers? Do they consider the motivations of their vaccinated neighbors? According to the post-liberals, no. What's relevant is whether the 'right' public figures are endorsing the vaccine. And even if they are, that can be negated by the 'wrong' public figures. (I should point out that Matt Taibbi has made this argument as well.) They measure the common good as not an expression of will, but as deference to the right wise men. As to their response to Covd as a whole, I'm reminded of something Michael Berube said about conservatives substituting the ideal of a common space with the ideal of a common culture. Pornography, abortion, the 1619 Project -- these things are threats to the common culture desired by the right. A virus attacks the spaces open to everybody. Again, the post-liberals are not that invested in the things that are merely common. Anyway, happy birthday Matt. I guess this long rambling post is my idea of a gift.
David B Hearne
2021-09-26 11:35:39 +0000 UTCAlways love to hear smart commentary from you guys. I wonder if you have an opinion on what reason 45 could have for running in 2024? He obviously is enjoying where he is now and does not care for the job of president, and if not indicted by 2023 or so he will not need the presidency to protect him. Happy 40th Matt!
Mark K
2021-09-26 01:07:08 +0000 UTCHappy Birthday, Matt! I turned 40 a couple weeks ago, and I know the sentiment.
mysticwerebadger
2021-09-25 22:40:25 +0000 UTCThey should have never split the bill. By splitting it the Republicans get to have some credit for passing part of the agenda. If it were one bill all together Republicans wouldn't vote for it and thus Democrats could claim credit for all the benefit.
Nicholas Donofrio
2021-09-25 21:48:42 +0000 UTC
