Podcasts about authoritarian

The First Amendment gives you an absolute right to believe whatever you want. It has never given you the right to act on those beliefs in ways that harm others. That distinction, simple as it sounds, is the one that the religious right has spent decades trying to erase, and it is the distinction that Professor Marci A. Hamilton has spent her entire career defending. Marci is a Professor of Practice in Political Science and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow in the Program for Research on Religion at the University of Pennsylvania, where she specializes in constitutional law. Marci is an intellectual leader against extreme religious liberty. She is the founder of CHILD USA, a nonprofit academic think tank dedicated to protecting children from abuse and neglect, and a leading national expert on clergy sex abuse and child sex abuse statutes of limitation, which she ran for a decade. The core argument of God vs. the Gavel is one that sounds obvious until you see how hard it is to actually enforce: religious organizations, like every other institution, must obey the law. No mandatory exemption. No special carve-out because a leader claims divine authority. Marci put it plainly: the very first free exercise case in United States history established that belief is absolute, but conduct is not. Conduct can harm others, and a functioning democracy does not allow anyone to use religion as a shield against accountability for harm. The cases that matter, she told me, are always about harm. Psychological harm is real. You only need to sit with a child sex abuse survivor once to understand that. This is a most important conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump manufactures election panic to justify ICE and military power, while Stu Stevens exposes the Republican Party as a fraudulent facade that never believed its own rhetoric. Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://politicsdoneright.com/newsletterPurchase our Books: As I See It: https://amzn.to/3XpvW5o How To Make AmericaUtopia: https://amzn.to/3VKVFnG It's Worth It: https://amzn.to/3VFByXP Lose Weight And BeFit Now: https://amzn.to/3xiQK3K Tribulations of anAfro-Latino Caribbean man: https://amzn.to/4c09rbE

Send us Fan MailIntro:Welcome to Rational Black Thought, the podcast where we examine politics, religion, culture, and power without superstition, without respectability politics, and without pretending that polite lies become truth because they are repeated on television.I am your host, Michael, your Neo Griot, and this is Episode 291 of Rational Black Thought the Podcast, where we examine politics, religion and culture from a Black, progressive, secular and unapologetically rational perspective.This week's episode is titled "Let Go My Hand," taken from the J. Cole song of the same name.There is a line in that song where Cole says, “Today my son said, "Dad, let go my hand"Reminded me one day he's gonna be his own man.”  And that line has stayed with me because it captures something deeper than growing up. It captures the moment when a person realizes that dependence—whether on God, on institutions, on political leaders, or on tradition—has become a barrier to development.Children need someone to hold their hands. That is not a moral failing; it is a biological necessity. We need parents and teachers and guardians to keep us from walking into traffic, from touching hot stoves, from making decisions we do not yet have the experience to understand. But childhood is supposed to end.At some point, you have to learn to walk without somebody else deciding where your feet go.That is true physically, and it is also true intellectually, politically, and spiritually. Human beings are uncomfortable with uncertainty. We want somebody to tell us what is true, what is right, what the future holds, and what we are supposed to do with our lives. Religion gives that authority to God. Authoritarian politics gives it to a strongman. Political parties give it to institutions. Tradition gives it to the dead. And sometimes we just give it to whoever seems confident enough to pretend they have all the answers.The problem is not that we accept help. Nobody becomes fully human alone. We depend on families, teachers, scientists, doctors, neighbors, institutions, and generations of accumulated knowledge. The problem begins when assistance becomes submission. When leadership becomes obedience. When trust becomes faith. When community becomes conformity. When you stop asking whether something is true and start asking whether the person saying it has enough authority to command your belief.Intellectual adulthood requires a different relationship with authority. I can respect expertise without worshipping the expert. I can belong to a community without surrendering my conscience. I can learn from tradition without becoming trapped by it. And I can admit that I do not know something without feeling the need to fill the empty space with God.The title of this episode is not an argument for radical individualism. It is an argument for responsibility. It is an argument that human beings must stop outsourcing our thinking, our morality, and our political agency to invisible gods and visible strongmen. Because at some point, you have to decide whether you are prepared to walk on your own principles—and, more importantly, whether you can keep walking when those principles come with a cost.Let us get into it.Quote of the Week: Frederick Douglass Unmasking the News: Democracy Watch:  Lindsey Graham, or How a Man Surrenders His PrinciplesTrump's Iran War, or the Difference Between Unpredictability and Strategy The Christian Persecution Narrative, or When Privilege Puts on a Victim's Costume Good News:  Black Boys Building the Future, One Layer at a Time Bible Study with an Atheist: Let Go My Hand: What the Bible Says About Human Autonomy Reflections and Call to Action:Closing/Outro: Power Concedes Nothing without a Demand...

Thank you Jason Gael, Elwyn Hudson, Cheryl Elkins

Judy Dempsey highlights increasing threats against European politicians, particularly in Germany from the far-right AfD. Despite the current prominence of "strong men," she maintains that authoritarian systems are unsustainable because the human spirit fundamentally requires freedom, which dictatorships cannot provide or permit in the long term. (16)19051

Political Scientists Christopher Federico, Stanley Feldman, and Christopher Weber have an important and fascinating new book from Oxford University Press focusing on understanding authoritarianism, especially in the American context. As experts in political psychology, the authors are keen to consider authoritarianism as a psychological concept, which is more about submitting to authority, as a kind of conformity, and less about a particular political regime structure. The Authoritarian Divide: Partisan Identity, Voting, and the Transformation of the American Electorate (Oxford UP, 2026) is about trying to understand voters and how some of them are attracted to this idea or concept, and how this attraction then works itself out within the electorate and within our contemporary political moment. In order to understand this theory of psychological authoritarianism, the authors trace the idea from origins in critical theory and pre-World War I European thinkers (Freud, Benjamin, etc.) who were examining the concepts of conformity vs. autonomy, and how these ideas functioned in political life. The authors also examined differing approaches to child-rearing, since this also reflects these same concepts of conformity and autonomy, but in how they are put into practice in bringing up children, either with more freedom or in a more rules bound approach. In using these measures, Federico, Feldman, and Weber also pulled together data from election surveys starting in the 1990s and moving forward that include questions that get at some of the same ideas. The authors also used experiments to test individual inclinations towards autonomy or uniformity. The thrust of voter's choices was not about economics or specific public policy in these analyses, but around social issue differentiation and social context. The research for The Authoritarian Divide is complex and brings together a variety of different methodological approaches in order to examine this political divide, and to tease out the impact of psychological authoritarianism in American politics. The Authoritarian Divide: Partisan Identity, Voting, and the Transformation of the American Electorate reveals that this inclination towards psychological authoritarianism is much more prevalent among white conservative voters than among other voting blocs in the United States. This has also led voters to sort themselves within the two parties accordingly, with far more of those who are inclined towards psychological authoritarianism moving into the Republican Party, and fewer moving into the Democratic Party. The result of this sorting has contributed to the rise in polarization within American politics over the past thirty years. The Authoritarian Divide explains a lot about voter thinking and approaches to American politics over the past three decades. It helps to decipher the entrenched polarization because the examination is not about policy distinctions or issues, it is about how individual voters think and why they are inclined to think in particular ways about politics. The authors clearly assess the distinctions within the voting populace of the United States, and, in so doing, unpack different approaches to voting and vote choices in different sectors of the electorate. The Authoritarian Divide really helps us to understand our current political climate and to see how the rise of Donald Trump fits into a temporally longer era of American politics, partisan politics, racial politics, and the tensions between democracy and authoritarianism. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. She is co-host of the New Books in Political Science channel at the New Books Network. She is co-editor of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume I: The Infinity Saga (University Press of Kansas, 2022), and of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume II: Into the Multiverse (University Press of Kansas, 2025) as well as co-editor of the award winning book, Women and the White House: Gender, Popular Culture, and Presidential Politics (University Press of Kentucky, 2012). She can be reached @gorenlj.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Political Scientists Christopher Federico, Stanley Feldman, and Christopher Weber have an important and fascinating new book from Oxford University Press focusing on understanding authoritarianism, especially in the American context. As experts in political psychology, the authors are keen to consider authoritarianism as a psychological concept, which is more about submitting to authority, as a kind of conformity, and less about a particular political regime structure. The Authoritarian Divide: Partisan Identity, Voting, and the Transformation of the American Electorate (Oxford UP, 2026) is about trying to understand voters and how some of them are attracted to this idea or concept, and how this attraction then works itself out within the electorate and within our contemporary political moment. In order to understand this theory of psychological authoritarianism, the authors trace the idea from origins in critical theory and pre-World War I European thinkers (Freud, Benjamin, etc.) who were examining the concepts of conformity vs. autonomy, and how these ideas functioned in political life. The authors also examined differing approaches to child-rearing, since this also reflects these same concepts of conformity and autonomy, but in how they are put into practice in bringing up children, either with more freedom or in a more rules bound approach. In using these measures, Federico, Feldman, and Weber also pulled together data from election surveys starting in the 1990s and moving forward that include questions that get at some of the same ideas. The authors also used experiments to test individual inclinations towards autonomy or uniformity. The thrust of voter's choices was not about economics or specific public policy in these analyses, but around social issue differentiation and social context. The research for The Authoritarian Divide is complex and brings together a variety of different methodological approaches in order to examine this political divide, and to tease out the impact of psychological authoritarianism in American politics. The Authoritarian Divide: Partisan Identity, Voting, and the Transformation of the American Electorate reveals that this inclination towards psychological authoritarianism is much more prevalent among white conservative voters than among other voting blocs in the United States. This has also led voters to sort themselves within the two parties accordingly, with far more of those who are inclined towards psychological authoritarianism moving into the Republican Party, and fewer moving into the Democratic Party. The result of this sorting has contributed to the rise in polarization within American politics over the past thirty years. The Authoritarian Divide explains a lot about voter thinking and approaches to American politics over the past three decades. It helps to decipher the entrenched polarization because the examination is not about policy distinctions or issues, it is about how individual voters think and why they are inclined to think in particular ways about politics. The authors clearly assess the distinctions within the voting populace of the United States, and, in so doing, unpack different approaches to voting and vote choices in different sectors of the electorate. The Authoritarian Divide really helps us to understand our current political climate and to see how the rise of Donald Trump fits into a temporally longer era of American politics, partisan politics, racial politics, and the tensions between democracy and authoritarianism. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. She is co-host of the New Books in Political Science channel at the New Books Network. She is co-editor of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume I: The Infinity Saga (University Press of Kansas, 2022), and of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume II: Into the Multiverse (University Press of Kansas, 2025) as well as co-editor of the award winning book, Women and the White House: Gender, Popular Culture, and Presidential Politics (University Press of Kentucky, 2012). She can be reached @gorenlj.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Political Scientists Christopher Federico, Stanley Feldman, and Christopher Weber have an important and fascinating new book from Oxford University Press focusing on understanding authoritarianism, especially in the American context. As experts in political psychology, the authors are keen to consider authoritarianism as a psychological concept, which is more about submitting to authority, as a kind of conformity, and less about a particular political regime structure. The Authoritarian Divide: Partisan Identity, Voting, and the Transformation of the American Electorate (Oxford UP, 2026) is about trying to understand voters and how some of them are attracted to this idea or concept, and how this attraction then works itself out within the electorate and within our contemporary political moment. In order to understand this theory of psychological authoritarianism, the authors trace the idea from origins in critical theory and pre-World War I European thinkers (Freud, Benjamin, etc.) who were examining the concepts of conformity vs. autonomy, and how these ideas functioned in political life. The authors also examined differing approaches to child-rearing, since this also reflects these same concepts of conformity and autonomy, but in how they are put into practice in bringing up children, either with more freedom or in a more rules bound approach. In using these measures, Federico, Feldman, and Weber also pulled together data from election surveys starting in the 1990s and moving forward that include questions that get at some of the same ideas. The authors also used experiments to test individual inclinations towards autonomy or uniformity. The thrust of voter's choices was not about economics or specific public policy in these analyses, but around social issue differentiation and social context. The research for The Authoritarian Divide is complex and brings together a variety of different methodological approaches in order to examine this political divide, and to tease out the impact of psychological authoritarianism in American politics. The Authoritarian Divide: Partisan Identity, Voting, and the Transformation of the American Electorate reveals that this inclination towards psychological authoritarianism is much more prevalent among white conservative voters than among other voting blocs in the United States. This has also led voters to sort themselves within the two parties accordingly, with far more of those who are inclined towards psychological authoritarianism moving into the Republican Party, and fewer moving into the Democratic Party. The result of this sorting has contributed to the rise in polarization within American politics over the past thirty years. The Authoritarian Divide explains a lot about voter thinking and approaches to American politics over the past three decades. It helps to decipher the entrenched polarization because the examination is not about policy distinctions or issues, it is about how individual voters think and why they are inclined to think in particular ways about politics. The authors clearly assess the distinctions within the voting populace of the United States, and, in so doing, unpack different approaches to voting and vote choices in different sectors of the electorate. The Authoritarian Divide really helps us to understand our current political climate and to see how the rise of Donald Trump fits into a temporally longer era of American politics, partisan politics, racial politics, and the tensions between democracy and authoritarianism. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. She is co-host of the New Books in Political Science channel at the New Books Network. She is co-editor of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume I: The Infinity Saga (University Press of Kansas, 2022), and of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume II: Into the Multiverse (University Press of Kansas, 2025) as well as co-editor of the award winning book, Women and the White House: Gender, Popular Culture, and Presidential Politics (University Press of Kentucky, 2012). She can be reached @gorenlj.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics

Political Scientists Christopher Federico, Stanley Feldman, and Christopher Weber have an important and fascinating new book from Oxford University Press focusing on understanding authoritarianism, especially in the American context. As experts in political psychology, the authors are keen to consider authoritarianism as a psychological concept, which is more about submitting to authority, as a kind of conformity, and less about a particular political regime structure. The Authoritarian Divide: Partisan Identity, Voting, and the Transformation of the American Electorate (Oxford UP, 2026) is about trying to understand voters and how some of them are attracted to this idea or concept, and how this attraction then works itself out within the electorate and within our contemporary political moment. In order to understand this theory of psychological authoritarianism, the authors trace the idea from origins in critical theory and pre-World War I European thinkers (Freud, Benjamin, etc.) who were examining the concepts of conformity vs. autonomy, and how these ideas functioned in political life. The authors also examined differing approaches to child-rearing, since this also reflects these same concepts of conformity and autonomy, but in how they are put into practice in bringing up children, either with more freedom or in a more rules bound approach. In using these measures, Federico, Feldman, and Weber also pulled together data from election surveys starting in the 1990s and moving forward that include questions that get at some of the same ideas. The authors also used experiments to test individual inclinations towards autonomy or uniformity. The thrust of voter's choices was not about economics or specific public policy in these analyses, but around social issue differentiation and social context. The research for The Authoritarian Divide is complex and brings together a variety of different methodological approaches in order to examine this political divide, and to tease out the impact of psychological authoritarianism in American politics. The Authoritarian Divide: Partisan Identity, Voting, and the Transformation of the American Electorate reveals that this inclination towards psychological authoritarianism is much more prevalent among white conservative voters than among other voting blocs in the United States. This has also led voters to sort themselves within the two parties accordingly, with far more of those who are inclined towards psychological authoritarianism moving into the Republican Party, and fewer moving into the Democratic Party. The result of this sorting has contributed to the rise in polarization within American politics over the past thirty years. The Authoritarian Divide explains a lot about voter thinking and approaches to American politics over the past three decades. It helps to decipher the entrenched polarization because the examination is not about policy distinctions or issues, it is about how individual voters think and why they are inclined to think in particular ways about politics. The authors clearly assess the distinctions within the voting populace of the United States, and, in so doing, unpack different approaches to voting and vote choices in different sectors of the electorate. The Authoritarian Divide really helps us to understand our current political climate and to see how the rise of Donald Trump fits into a temporally longer era of American politics, partisan politics, racial politics, and the tensions between democracy and authoritarianism. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. She is co-host of the New Books in Political Science channel at the New Books Network. She is co-editor of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume I: The Infinity Saga (University Press of Kansas, 2022), and of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume II: Into the Multiverse (University Press of Kansas, 2025) as well as co-editor of the award winning book, Women and the White House: Gender, Popular Culture, and Presidential Politics (University Press of Kentucky, 2012). She can be reached @gorenlj.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Political Scientists Christopher Federico, Stanley Feldman, and Christopher Weber have an important and fascinating new book from Oxford University Press focusing on understanding authoritarianism, especially in the American context. As experts in political psychology, the authors are keen to consider authoritarianism as a psychological concept, which is more about submitting to authority, as a kind of conformity, and less about a particular political regime structure. The Authoritarian Divide: Partisan Identity, Voting, and the Transformation of the American Electorate (Oxford UP, 2026) is about trying to understand voters and how some of them are attracted to this idea or concept, and how this attraction then works itself out within the electorate and within our contemporary political moment. In order to understand this theory of psychological authoritarianism, the authors trace the idea from origins in critical theory and pre-World War I European thinkers (Freud, Benjamin, etc.) who were examining the concepts of conformity vs. autonomy, and how these ideas functioned in political life. The authors also examined differing approaches to child-rearing, since this also reflects these same concepts of conformity and autonomy, but in how they are put into practice in bringing up children, either with more freedom or in a more rules bound approach. In using these measures, Federico, Feldman, and Weber also pulled together data from election surveys starting in the 1990s and moving forward that include questions that get at some of the same ideas. The authors also used experiments to test individual inclinations towards autonomy or uniformity. The thrust of voter's choices was not about economics or specific public policy in these analyses, but around social issue differentiation and social context. The research for The Authoritarian Divide is complex and brings together a variety of different methodological approaches in order to examine this political divide, and to tease out the impact of psychological authoritarianism in American politics. The Authoritarian Divide: Partisan Identity, Voting, and the Transformation of the American Electorate reveals that this inclination towards psychological authoritarianism is much more prevalent among white conservative voters than among other voting blocs in the United States. This has also led voters to sort themselves within the two parties accordingly, with far more of those who are inclined towards psychological authoritarianism moving into the Republican Party, and fewer moving into the Democratic Party. The result of this sorting has contributed to the rise in polarization within American politics over the past thirty years. The Authoritarian Divide explains a lot about voter thinking and approaches to American politics over the past three decades. It helps to decipher the entrenched polarization because the examination is not about policy distinctions or issues, it is about how individual voters think and why they are inclined to think in particular ways about politics. The authors clearly assess the distinctions within the voting populace of the United States, and, in so doing, unpack different approaches to voting and vote choices in different sectors of the electorate. The Authoritarian Divide really helps us to understand our current political climate and to see how the rise of Donald Trump fits into a temporally longer era of American politics, partisan politics, racial politics, and the tensions between democracy and authoritarianism. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. She is co-host of the New Books in Political Science channel at the New Books Network. She is co-editor of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume I: The Infinity Saga (University Press of Kansas, 2022), and of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume II: Into the Multiverse (University Press of Kansas, 2025) as well as co-editor of the award winning book, Women and the White House: Gender, Popular Culture, and Presidential Politics (University Press of Kentucky, 2012). She can be reached @gorenlj.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/book-of-the-day

Political Scientists Christopher Federico, Stanley Feldman, and Christopher Weber have an important and fascinating new book from Oxford University Press focusing on understanding authoritarianism, especially in the American context. As experts in political psychology, the authors are keen to consider authoritarianism as a psychological concept, which is more about submitting to authority, as a kind of conformity, and less about a particular political regime structure. The Authoritarian Divide: Partisan Identity, Voting, and the Transformation of the American Electorate (Oxford UP, 2026) is about trying to understand voters and how some of them are attracted to this idea or concept, and how this attraction then works itself out within the electorate and within our contemporary political moment. In order to understand this theory of psychological authoritarianism, the authors trace the idea from origins in critical theory and pre-World War I European thinkers (Freud, Benjamin, etc.) who were examining the concepts of conformity vs. autonomy, and how these ideas functioned in political life. The authors also examined differing approaches to child-rearing, since this also reflects these same concepts of conformity and autonomy, but in how they are put into practice in bringing up children, either with more freedom or in a more rules bound approach. In using these measures, Federico, Feldman, and Weber also pulled together data from election surveys starting in the 1990s and moving forward that include questions that get at some of the same ideas. The authors also used experiments to test individual inclinations towards autonomy or uniformity. The thrust of voter's choices was not about economics or specific public policy in these analyses, but around social issue differentiation and social context. The research for The Authoritarian Divide is complex and brings together a variety of different methodological approaches in order to examine this political divide, and to tease out the impact of psychological authoritarianism in American politics. The Authoritarian Divide: Partisan Identity, Voting, and the Transformation of the American Electorate reveals that this inclination towards psychological authoritarianism is much more prevalent among white conservative voters than among other voting blocs in the United States. This has also led voters to sort themselves within the two parties accordingly, with far more of those who are inclined towards psychological authoritarianism moving into the Republican Party, and fewer moving into the Democratic Party. The result of this sorting has contributed to the rise in polarization within American politics over the past thirty years. The Authoritarian Divide explains a lot about voter thinking and approaches to American politics over the past three decades. It helps to decipher the entrenched polarization because the examination is not about policy distinctions or issues, it is about how individual voters think and why they are inclined to think in particular ways about politics. The authors clearly assess the distinctions within the voting populace of the United States, and, in so doing, unpack different approaches to voting and vote choices in different sectors of the electorate. The Authoritarian Divide really helps us to understand our current political climate and to see how the rise of Donald Trump fits into a temporally longer era of American politics, partisan politics, racial politics, and the tensions between democracy and authoritarianism. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. She is co-host of the New Books in Political Science channel at the New Books Network. She is co-editor of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume I: The Infinity Saga (University Press of Kansas, 2022), and of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume II: Into the Multiverse (University Press of Kansas, 2025) as well as co-editor of the award winning book, Women and the White House: Gender, Popular Culture, and Presidential Politics (University Press of Kentucky, 2012). She can be reached @gorenlj.bsky.social

HOUR 3 (07/15) – Andy and Shannon recap the day's biggest stories in #WhatsHappening, including the latest on the deadly San Francisco Bay boat accident, the nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak, a House vote to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, World Cup excitement, and the Florida license plate that's gone viral. They also tackle #SwampWatch before welcoming comedian and parenting expert Justin Worsham to discuss authoritarian parenting, why "because I said so" may not be the best approach, and the growing concept of "Elephant Parenting" as they wrap up the show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As millions in the US experience record heat waves, the Trump administration is accelerating climate change by gutting clean energy projects and boosting fossil fuels.

The conversation explores one central question: What should ordinary people do when a government begins crossing moral lines? Matt Robison sits down with Gal Beckerman of The Atlantic to discuss his powerful new book How to Be a Dissident—drawing lessons from Václav Havel, Alexei Navalny, Hannah Arendt, Nelson Mandela, the Civil Rights Movement, Soviet dissidents, and more.This isn't a conversation about performative outrage or easy answers. It's about the difficult moral choices every democracy eventually asks of its citizens:• When should you resist?• What kinds of resistance actually matter?• Is protest enough?• Does political satire accomplish anything?• How do ordinary people find the courage to stand up to power?Whether you agree or disagree with every conclusion, this discussion explores one of the defining questions of our time.Subscribe for more conversations about democracy, politics, elections, and the future of America.Substack:https://worthknowing.substack.comYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@WorthKnowingwithMattRobisonChapters00:00 Introduction: When Government Turns Evil04:05 Why Gal Beckerman wrote How to Be a Dissident05:20 Do Americans need dissidents today?08:15 The nightmare that inspired the book10:00 When do you decide to resist?12:00 Hannah Arendt and moral courage15:00 Milgram, Stanford Prison & conformity18:00 Why dissent begins with standing alone20:20 The surprising traits real dissidents share22:00 Why being loud isn't enough24:00 Do protests actually accomplish anything?26:00 Political humor vs. authoritarianism29:00 Truth, lies, and fact-checking dictators35:00 Havel vs. Kundera: What really changes history?37:00 The power of bearing witness40:00 MLK, LBJ, and why successful movements need both insiders and outsiders42:00 The Children's Crusade and strategic moral risk46:00 Israel, Gaza, and personal moral responsibility47:45 The hardest question: "What are you prepared to do?"50:00 Living a meaningful life through moral choices52:00 Closing thoughtsKeywordsauthoritarianism, democracy, resisting authoritarianism, Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, How to Be a Dissident, Donald Trump, democracy in America, political resistance, authoritarian government, civil rights movement, Václav Havel, Alexei Navalny, Hannah Arendt, Nelson Mandela, Soviet dissidents, political courage, moral courage, democratic backsliding, constitutional democracy, political philosophy, American politics, Matt Robison, Worth KnowingHashtags#Politics #Democracy #Authoritarianism #Trump #GalBeckerman #TheAtlantic #WorthKnowing #Resistance #DemocracyMatters #PoliticalDiscussion #CurrentEvents #MattRobison

He changes the environment so completely that the original attack almost becomes irrelevant.And that's why his opponents always look like they're one move behind.They're not one move behind.They're reading yesterday's notes.Trump never had a playbook.He's writing the next page while they're still highlighting the last one.The Soviet Union wasn't defeated because Americans invaded Moscow.East Germany didn't collapse because somebody delivered a really angry tweet.Authoritarian systems eventually begin eating themselves. They become so obsessed with controlling everyone else that they forget to maintain themselves.It's political auto-cannibalism.I've never seen political opponents spend so much money marketing somebody else's brand.It's like Coca-Cola buying Pepsi commercials.Thank you for your contribution.Foreign adversaries make another interesting mistake.They assume America is divided enough that we won't defend ourselves.History suggests otherwise.Americans argue constantly.We debate taxes.We debate spending.We debate who ruined Thanksgiving.But when somebody outside decides America should lose?That conversation changes.Very quickly.The people betting against America usually discover they've mistaken cable television for national character.Those are not the same thing.Here's the larger lesson.Strength isn't about wanting conflict.Strength is convincing the other guy that conflict would be the dumbest decision he'll make all year.That's deterrence.It's cheaper than war.It's faster than war.And it usually prevents war.As for the Democratic Party, they're facing a different problem.They're discovering that the American people have become much harder to frighten.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mother Jones reports that conservative billionaires have funneled $1.3 billion to dark money groups to help influence key Supreme Court decisions since 2022.

7/7/26, Co-Host Amilcar Shabazz Sen Paul Mark, Commission Chair of America 250 in Mass, on how and why we are celebrating the Declaration of Independence; also, freeing children from social media exploiters. Amilcar Shabazz on freedom in our history, celebrating Juneteenth, & “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Tom Weiner on “In Defiance: 20 Abolitionists You Were Never Taught in School.” Monica Cage, owner of Crown by Cage & Sec of Black Business Assoc of Amherst Area on Black entrepreneurship in western Mass, community support & the road ahead. Noah Bullock, Ex Dir, Cristosal, the Central American human rts org, on human rts abuses & the death of the rule of law in El Salvador & the tight friendship between Pres Trump &, El Salvador's authoritarian right-wing President, Nayib Bukele.

We're at a massive cosmic nexus point, and the energetics of July 2026 are so significant—with 40% of the year’s challenges hitting this month—that we felt this deep dive was essential for your journey right now. In this episode, master astrologer Steve Judd and Sabrina Lynn explore the “biggest upgrade in human history,” the shifting balance of masculine and feminine energies, and how to navigate the intense pressure of the current global transformation. This is about moving from being a victim of fate to a master of destiny. Support your path through the July 2026 shift with THE MAGICIANS bundle (3 archetypes for the price of 2!) Details here INSIDE THE 2026 SHIFT – The “Sledgehammer” lineup: Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, and Jupiter – The purging and cleansing power of Pluto in July – The shift into Masculine signs and the rise of the Feminine – The end of “Dinosaur Culture” and evolving leadership – AI as a tool: Why it can’t reproduce human passion ⟡ CONNECT WITH STEVE JUDD Explore Steve's deep astrological insights, offerings and book a reading: ⟡ Website  ⟡ YouTube  ___ REWILDING SUPPORTS FOR THE 2026 SHIFT: Are you ready to embody the archetypes of transformation? During July, we are offering The Magicians bundle—featuring the energies of Uranus, Merlin & Jupiter—get 3 for the price of two! (25:54) – How these archetypes support the 2026 alignments. (40:02) – Special offer details: Three archetypes for the price of two. Get the bundle here  Listen to “I’ve Waited 40 Years For This Moment | Steve Judd“ podcast here… Topics Explored in “I’ve Waited 40 Years For This Moment | Steve Judd” podcast: (Times based off audio version) EPISODE BREAKDOWN: (00:00) – Intro: The “Biggest Upgrade in Human History” (01:35) – Steve Judd's 40-year perspective on the 2026 configurations (03:20) – The “Sledgehammer” lineup: Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, and Jupiter (03:55) – Deep Dive: The Jupiter-Pluto opposition and underworld energy (06:50) – Why Steve trusts certain leaders (and the “Dinosaur Culture”) (08:40) – The purging and cleansing power of Pluto in July (11:30) – Self-accountability vs. Authoritarian control (13:50) – The breakthrough: Expanding technology, consciousness, and spirituality (18:10) – Neptune in Aries and Uranus in Gemini: Breaking old identities (21:10) – The shift into Masculine signs and the rise of the Feminine (24:30) – The end of the “Dinosaur Culture” and evolving leadership (26:00) – How these archetypes support the 2026 alignments. (29:15) – Destiny vs. Fate: Why we “volunteered” to be here (33:30) – The 100-year cycle: Neptune sextile Pluto ending in 2028 (36:00) – AI as a tool: Why it can’t reproduce human passion or enchantment (39:11) – Special offer details: Three archetypes for the price of two. (41:00) – Final thoughts: Core wounding and the future of human evolution You can leave a comment or question for Sabrina on the YouTube version of this episode. Listen to after “I’ve Waited 40 Years For This Moment | Steve Judd”: Rick Levine: Why July 2026 Feels Different Than Anything Before The Solstice Just Rewired Your Reality The Exhaustion Ends Here… A New Chapter Begins STAY CONNECTED ReWilding Weekly (free, embodied astrology)  IG  Website  Disclaimer: Educational/spiritual perspectives; not medical/mental-health advice. #2025Shift #NewHuman #SpiritualAwakening Welcome to ReWilding with Sabrina Lynn & ReWilding for Women! A gifted facilitator of revolutionary inner work and the world's leading archetypal embodiment expert, Sabrina Lynn is the creator of the groundbreaking ReWilding Way and founder of ReWilding For Women. Sabrina has led more than 100,000 people through programs based on the ReWilding Way, a modality of healing and awakening that strips away the false, the deep wounds from early life, and the fears that hold people back, to reveal their true and unique soul light and help them build their innate capacity to shine it in the world. Her work includes in-person retreats and events, the monthly ReWilding Membership, Living Close to the Bone, Priest/ess Trainings, Mystery Schools, the ReWilding with the Archetypes, and the wildly popular 6 Faces of the Feminine workshop series. Welcome to ReWilding! The post 388 – I’ve Waited 40 Years For This Moment | Steve Judd appeared first on Rewilding for Women.

There is a time and place to use the authoritarian leadership style. When it is used as the default leadership style, however, it can cause problems in the workplace. Today we discuss the necessity, navigation, benefits, and drawbacks of authoritarian leadership. www.patreon.com/aquatizoo l.semple@magicalvacationplanner.com www.magicalvacationplanner.com/staff/lori-semple

Texas Democrat Maddie Croll calls out weaponized civility, border-wall politics, and religious hypocrisy while urging progressives to organize with courage.Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://politicsdoneright.com/newsletterPurchase our Books: As I See It: https://amzn.to/3XpvW5o How To Make AmericaUtopia: https://amzn.to/3VKVFnG It's Worth It: https://amzn.to/3VFByXP Lose Weight And BeFit Now: https://amzn.to/3xiQK3K Tribulations of anAfro-Latino Caribbean man: https://amzn.to/4c09rbE

The Trump administration's budget and program cuts are affecting the lives of Native people across the country. With more cuts to come, how are tribes responding?

────────────────────────────────────────[00:02:10]Brazil Jailed Parents for Excluding Gender Content From Homeschool CurriculumKnight: the same Marxist march-through-institutions tactic now targets American parents who refuse to affirm their kids' gender confusion.────────────────────────────────────────[00:03:10]Supreme Court Hands Trump Firing Power Over Bureaucrats But Blocks Him From Firing Fed's Lisa CookCourt ruled the Federal Reserve isn't a government institution and is shielded from removal, even as it expanded Trump's authority elsewhere.────────────────────────────────────────[00:06:34]Supreme Court Rejects Appeals From Trump and Alan Dershowitz in Same RulingTrump's $5M Carroll judgment stands; Dershowitz loses his $300M CNN defamation suit; Knight: Dershowitz once argued government could forcibly inject citizens.────────────────────────────────────────[00:14:00]Unjected Dating App for the Unvaccinated Was Removed From Apple After Google Pressure, Then ReinstatedFounder developed Gardasil injury symptoms before launching the platform; users say standard dating apps explicitly exclude "anti-vaxxers" from matching.────────────────────────────────────────[00:23:09]Doctor's Ivermectin-Bifidobacteria Hypothesis Was the Most-Read COVID Paper, Then Retracted After 8 MonthsDr. Zaccaria found Ivermectin and vitamin C both raise bifidobacteria within 24 hours; you're not allowed a hypothesis that threatens the pharmaceutical business model.────────────────────────────────────────[00:40:05]Chinese-Made Solar Inverters Contain Undeclared Components With Suspected Kill-Switch FunctionKnight: this is projection — the US government already runs the surveillance it accuses China of planning, more dangerous coming from your own government.────────────────────────────────────────[00:52:20]Israeli Ex-General Surging in Polls by Promising Even More Disproportionate Force Than NetanyahuGadi Eisenkot openly calls his doctrine "disproportionate"; this is the opposite of just war theory, which only permits defensive force against combatants.────────────────────────────────────────[01:12:13]UN Commission: 5,031 Gaza Children Under Five Killed, Many Shot Twice — Body, Then HeadKnight: pro-life Christians who cheer this are not pro-life, they're pro-abortion with an age cutoff; all murder is abortion of a life already born.────────────────────────────────────────[01:52:38]UK Quasi-Police Threaten Street Preacher on Camera, Caught Only Because Recorder Used Smart GlassesOfficers ordered each other's body cameras off before threatening violence and loss of livelihood; this is what enforced multiculturalism looks like in practice.────────────────────────────────────────[01:55:28]DC Settles for $50,000 After Police Detained Man for Playing Imperial March Near National GuardACLU footage shows him handcuffed on a sidewalk for 40 minutes for peaceful protest; Knight: contrast this with January 6th sentences for similar conduct. ──────────────────────────────────────── Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silver For 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code “KNIGHT” For high quality made in America products go to HomeSteadProducts.shop and use promo code “Knight” for 10% off your purchases Find out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-show Or you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-david-knight-show--2653468/support.

────────────────────────────────────────[00:02:10]Brazil Jailed Parents for Excluding Gender Content From Homeschool CurriculumKnight: the same Marxist march-through-institutions tactic now targets American parents who refuse to affirm their kids' gender confusion.────────────────────────────────────────[00:03:10]Supreme Court Hands Trump Firing Power Over Bureaucrats But Blocks Him From Firing Fed's Lisa CookCourt ruled the Federal Reserve isn't a government institution and is shielded from removal, even as it expanded Trump's authority elsewhere.────────────────────────────────────────[00:06:34]Supreme Court Rejects Appeals From Trump and Alan Dershowitz in Same RulingTrump's $5M Carroll judgment stands; Dershowitz loses his $300M CNN defamation suit; Knight: Dershowitz once argued government could forcibly inject citizens.────────────────────────────────────────[00:14:00]Unjected Dating App for the Unvaccinated Was Removed From Apple After Google Pressure, Then ReinstatedFounder developed Gardasil injury symptoms before launching the platform; users say standard dating apps explicitly exclude "anti-vaxxers" from matching.────────────────────────────────────────[00:23:09]Doctor's Ivermectin-Bifidobacteria Hypothesis Was the Most-Read COVID Paper, Then Retracted After 8 MonthsDr. Zaccaria found Ivermectin and vitamin C both raise bifidobacteria within 24 hours; you're not allowed a hypothesis that threatens the pharmaceutical business model.────────────────────────────────────────[00:40:05]Chinese-Made Solar Inverters Contain Undeclared Components With Suspected Kill-Switch FunctionKnight: this is projection — the US government already runs the surveillance it accuses China of planning, more dangerous coming from your own government.────────────────────────────────────────[00:52:20]Israeli Ex-General Surging in Polls by Promising Even More Disproportionate Force Than NetanyahuGadi Eisenkot openly calls his doctrine "disproportionate"; this is the opposite of just war theory, which only permits defensive force against combatants.────────────────────────────────────────[01:12:13]UN Commission: 5,031 Gaza Children Under Five Killed, Many Shot Twice — Body, Then HeadKnight: pro-life Christians who cheer this are not pro-life, they're pro-abortion with an age cutoff; all murder is abortion of a life already born.────────────────────────────────────────[01:52:38]UK Quasi-Police Threaten Street Preacher on Camera, Caught Only Because Recorder Used Smart GlassesOfficers ordered each other's body cameras off before threatening violence and loss of livelihood; this is what enforced multiculturalism looks like in practice.────────────────────────────────────────[01:55:28]DC Settles for $50,000 After Police Detained Man for Playing Imperial March Near National GuardACLU footage shows him handcuffed on a sidewalk for 40 minutes for peaceful protest; Knight: contrast this with January 6th sentences for similar conduct. ──────────────────────────────────────── Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silver For 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code “KNIGHT” For high quality made in America products go to HomeSteadProducts.shop and use promo code “Knight” for 10% off your purchases Find out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-show Or you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-david-knight-show--5282736/support.

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE:I want to share a special invitation with you. You may have heard that I will be releasing my first book with IVP on July 28, 2026. It's a big deal and I am so overwhelmed with God' goodness in allowing me to share such an essential message about delighting in Him as the true essential foundation for all our spiritual growth and maturing. Truly, when we delight in the Lord, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts – namely, more of Himself!So, here's the invitation. If you feel this message is indeed important, and you know people – including yourself perhaps – who need to be encouraged to awaken and cultivate their delight in God, would you consider joining my book launch team? It's a great and super easy way to share the good news of God's love for us in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.**If you're interested, please go to gospelspice.com/awakendelight and find the section about joining the launch team, or email me at contact@gospelspice.com **Together, let's encourage everyone we know with the wonderful news that, in Christ, God delights in us and invites us to delight in Him!Stephanie welcomes Os Guinness again to explore what has made America unique in its freedom and what threatens that legacy today. They examine foundational principles, historical roots, the virtues necessary for sustaining freedom, and the challenges now facing the American experiment.America's greatness rests not only on its achievements but on its founding principles. Os Guinness stresses that neither contemporary political movements nor leaders have answered the vital question: What made America great in the first place?To steward freedom, each generation must understand, embody, and transmit the foundational ideas and virtues that made the American experiment possible. The Republic's survival—and America's blessing to the world—hangs on recovering this covenant vision.The American republic was never intended to be a pure democracy; the framers deliberately moved away from direct rule by majority, fearing the dangers of unchecked popular power. Its distinctive structure draws from ancient Hebrew ideas, especially the Exodus and Deuteronomy, rooting political liberty in biblical covenant rather than secular philosophy.Os Guinness highlights that America is “…a nation by intention and by ideas.” It means at least that:Societies must begin by shaping principles before policies; neglecting foundational ideas leads to losing the core of freedom.The American Revolution's most-cited book was Deuteronomy, not Locke or Montesquieu—emphasizing spiritual over philosophical freedom.Modern political discourse overwhelmingly focuses on policies rather than underlying principles, missing the root causes of freedom's decline.The sustainability of freedom relies on what Os Guinness calls the "Golden Triangle":Freedom requires virtueVirtue requires faithFaith requires freedomAbandoning any side of this triangle causes freedom to wither. In recent times, American society has widely dismissed the importance of virtue, attacked faith, and misunderstands freedom's true foundation. Authoritarian societies depend on fear. Free societies depend on trust, built on shared morals and character.Several virtues are essential for sustaining freedom, including:Freedom: Modeled on God's own restraint, granting humanity genuine free will.Reciprocity: Mutual responsibility and equality; its neglect enabled the tragedy of slavery.Civility: Respectful public discourse grounded in truth—now degraded in contemporary society.Morality: Freedom is a "moral accomplishment." Public life requires both the rule of law and private character; otherwise, legal structures become weapons for power rather than justice.Fidelity: The conscious passing of identity and purpose to the next generation. Education and storytelling sustain freedom.Guinness cautions that America's crisis is not only external (the "wolves at the door") but internal—moral decay ("the termites in the floor") is often the greater danger.Failure to transmit and sustain these virtues can render America's freedom a "byword" rather than a "city on a hill". As the nation nears its 250th anniversary, the Republic is at a tipping point.However, Os Guinness grounds hope in the power and truth of the biblical heritage that birthed American freedom. For example,Reform and recovery are possible if Americans reembrace the core virtues and principles from Scripture.Christians, in particular, have a calling to model and advocate for these truths, showing society the way back to lasting freedom.The lesson for Christian and freedom-loving citizens is clear: freedom is not inevitable or self-perpetuating. It requires gratitude for its biblical roots, courage to exemplify truth, virtue, and responsibility, and commitment to pass these on. As Os Guinness says, our hope lies not in political maneuvering but in recovering the profound, transformative truths of the Bible as the wellspring of true liberty.MORE ABOUT OS' LATEST BOOK, "A FREEDOM LIKE NO OTHER"To renew America, we must remember what made it great in the first place.Across the ages, republics have been lost not only to enemies without, but to corrosion within. Free societies are rare. Lasting free societies are rarer still. So, what are the prospects for the American republic at the 250th anniversary of the revolution? Many citizens long to “make America great again,” but far fewer ask the deeper question: What made America great in the first place—and what kind of freedom can last? What does it mean that half a century of cultural conflict, ideological polarization, and unprincipled power has left Americans fractured, disillusioned, and tempted by extremes of chaos on one side and control on the other? And what happens when the older menace of tyranny is joined by the newer challenge of artificial intelligence—magnifying the forces that weaken truth, character, and self-government?In A Freedom Like No Other, Os Guinness offers not another round of outrage from left or right, but a constructive path forward—twelve foundational principles for restoring the Republic and renewing ordered liberty. The third in a quartet of studies on the crisis of America and the West (following Our Civilizational Moment and America Agonistes), this book is a foreign admirer's call for America's semiquincentennial to be more than celebration: a time of honest self-examination, needed correction, and national rededication. Drawing on America's Jewish and Christian roots and the covenantal vision of freedom and responsibility that shaped the Republic at its best, Guinness sets out the moral and civic architecture a free people must recover if they are to remain fit to be free.This is a book for every American who believes freedom is worth the cost, and for anyone around the world who knows the alternatives and longs for a human-friendly future.Purchase today here: https://a.co/d/06XUZLbK DISCOVER THE BOOK BEHIND THE PODCAST | "Awaken Delight" by Stephanie Rousselle"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4 isn't a poetic suggestion — it's a promise. But many believers quietly assume it doesn't really work, or it's not really possible here on earth.In Awaken Delight, Stephanie Rousselle invites you to rediscover what Scripture actually means by delight — not emotional hype, not religious performance, but a steady satisfaction rooted in who God is.Delight in God isn't a mood to manufacture; it's a relationship to receive.Through biblical theology and practical rhythms, you'll learn how communion with God reshapes suffering, quiets restless striving, and anchors your identity in something unshakable.Delighting in God isn't sentimental optimism. It's deeply rooted in Christ, Jesus.It's the quiet revolution that reshapes how we endure pain, love others, and understand our own heart.Awaken Delight is a theologically grounded spiritual formation book for thoughtful believers who feel spiritually fatigued and are ready to embrace the reality of Psalm 37:4.More at https://www.gospelspice.com/awakendelight Purchase the book, "Awaken Delight" by Stephanie Rousselle: https://a.co/d/0bqhUb5JKind words from Jennifer Rothschild, Bible teacher, Author, Speaker, Podcast Host, Founder, Fresh Grounded Faith: “Stephanie helps us awaken to and experience true delight. It is a rich mix of God's delight in you and your delight in him. This is the life you were made for, the life your soul deeply longs for. So, the table is set. Pull up a chair and let your heart sit alongside Stephanie. As your delight in God wakes up and becomes fully realized, you'll find a satisfaction in Christ that makes you want more and more.”Kind words from Amanda Jenkins, Lead creator of THE CHOSEN's literary content: "I have yet to meet another person quite as eager to intimately know Jesus as Stephanie is. Her enthusiasm for the beauty found inside a thriving relationship with her Savior is downright contagious. Indeed, Stephanie's joy and faith and commitment to growth—along with her love for really good food!—will implant themselves in the hearts of readers. Lucky readers."Kind words from Os Guinness, Theologian, Social critic, Author, The Call:  "Stephanie addresses one of the greatest needs of Christians today. Knowing God is not knowing about God, but knowing Him genuinely and with desire and delight. She does so practically and helpfully, and in a style that sparkles with a verve and joy that is distinctively French."Kind words from Pippa Gumbel, Pioneer, The Alpha Course; Author, The Bible in one year with husband Nicky: "Stephanie's love of God is inspiring and infectious. Her book is an invitation to share in that delight and to come to know God in new and wonderful ways."More at https://www.gospelspice.com/awakendelight Purchase the book, "Awaken Delight" by Stephanie Rousselle: https://a.co/d/0bqhUb5JSupport us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Ksenia Iliuk is the co-founder and COO of LetsData, an AI-powered narrative-intelligence and influence-operation detection platform that tracks coordinated information threats across 50+ countries. She has over a decade of experience countering digital threats and has worked with European governments, NATO and EU-linked bodies on resilience against information warfare. She co-founded Lets Data in 2022, during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, drawing on Ukraine's direct experience of wartime information warfare.----------LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksenia-iliuk/https://letsdata.net/https://datainnovation.org/2025/10/5-qs-with-ksenia-iluik-co-founder-of-letsdata/----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-trucks-2026-malcolm-nancehttps://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-trucks-2026-silicon-curtain----------We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

Tonight, on this penetrating, investigative episode of Light ‘Em Up…With the 250th birthday of the United States rapidly approaching — we take a critical and intensive look at the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and at its foundation and the importance of a free press in a democracy.The most basic liberties guaranteed to Americans — embodied in the 45 words of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution — assure Americans a government that is responsible to its citizens and responsive to their wishes. These 45 words are as alive and important today as they were more than 249 years ago.These liberties are neither liberal nor conservative, Democratic nor Republican — they are the basis for our representative democratic form of government.45 words that grant us the inalienable right that:Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.Thomas Jefferson in 1787 famously articulated that a “well-informed public holds ultimate power; without truth and oversight, even the best-intentioned government can devolve into tyranny”.Jefferson's preference for “newspapers without government” over “government without newspapers” was essential to the fledgling U.S. democracy and, as the truly wise man that he was, these maxims hold true to this day as the press is being tested like it never has been before.President Trump had his most recent “meltdown” in an on-air interview with NBC's Kristen Welker. The world bore witness to “Exhibit A” … of Donald Trump's face becoming as red as a beet … as he shouted at and insulted another female, minority reporter — this time it was Kristen Welker, an NBC journalist who is biracial.Welker's mother is black and her father is white.It is crystal clear Trump is triggered by reporters that aren't ass-smooching sycophants as the members of his entire presidential cabinet are.Intelligent women in general and minority women especially trigger Trump the most.We'll shine the antiseptic light of the truth on the importance of having an independent free press and how it has proven to be an essential ingredient in the making of and maintaining a democracy.Also, we'll investigate the damage the free press has suffered at the hands of Donald Trump and his constantly dishonest style of “scorched-earth politics” — where he rails against all media, unless of course, it's his coveted Fox News.And we've researched and plan to share with you if there are any fair and accurate comparisons to Mussolini's Fascist Italy and Hitler's Nazi Germany and their treatment of the press in the lead-up to their power-grabs as they sought to change the balance of power for the free world.Every time Donald Trump attacks a reporter — the free press dies a little bit each time.The second Trump administration's core campaign pledge to protect open discourse has sharply clashed with its executive actions, resulting in a systemic contraction of First Amendment protections.Critics and civil liberties watchdogs argue that while the administration aggressively targets what it deems "left-wing bias" and "federal collusion" with tech platforms, it simultaneously deploys state infrastructure to:—     penalize critical media,—     restrict assembly,and …—     mandate strict government-approved speech orthodoxy.The fact of the matter is:Donald Trump rails against EVERYONE who doesn't blow smoke up his ass — as a lot of people do.He's always done this. He will continue to do so.  He's a thin-skinned, weak-charactered, congenital narcissist — THIS is what they do.   They can't take any criticism … a narcissist to this degree can't even entertain anything that isn't praise.We'll examine all this … pero mucho más aquí y solamente aquí — on this edition of Light ‘Em Up!The search for the truth and justice begins RIGHT HERE … and RIGHT NOW!Tune in for all the explosive details and our sponsors Newsly & Feedspot!Support the show!We want to hear from you!We want to hear from you!Support the show

Authoritarian

Why does Donald Trump continue to inspire such fierce loyalty among millions of Americans? In this special episode of the Gay Therapy LA Podcast, Ken Howard, LCSW, CST, steps outside his usual focus on gay men's mental health to examine a broader psychological question: what emotional needs does authoritarian communication fulfill? Drawing on more than three decades as a psychotherapist, Ken explores why certainty can feel more persuasive than complexity during periods of rapid social change, economic anxiety, and cultural uncertainty. He discusses how fear seeks emotional containment, why simple narratives can outperform nuanced explanations, and why people often respond to emotional regulation as much as they do to policy. Rather than debating politics, this episode examines the psychology that makes authoritarian messaging so compelling—and why understanding these emotional dynamics may be one of the best protections against manipulation. If you've ever wondered why facts alone often fail to change minds, or why confident leaders can inspire devotion despite contradictions, this episode offers a psychological framework for understanding one of the defining political phenomena of our time.

On The Nation's Fighting Fascism podcast, Aaron Regunberg and Matt DaSilva explore the movements that have defeated authoritarianism to find lessons for fighting Trump.

Reflecting on the year 1860, Germanicus characterizes the American Civil War as an authoritarian suppression of the South by rigid abolitionists who sought to replace southern institutions with a utopian vision. He draws a direct parallel between those nineteenth-century radicals and modern "woke progressives," claiming both share an authoritarian mindset that views their opponents as "evil" rather than merely disagreeable. Germanicus warns that this drive to "transform" the nation through force and the refusal to seek true reconciliation mirrors the unresolved tensions of the Spanish Civil War. He concludes that by using the past to ensure control of the future rather than learning its lessons, the nation risks entering a cycle of "endless strife" and permanent internal conflict. (3)2808 BOSTON

Are you raising an entitled child, or are deeper emotional wounds being triggered beneath the surface? In this episode, Lavinia and Andrew explore how childhood trauma shapes parenting and why many of our strongest reactions to our children's behavior have less to do with them and more to do with our own unresolved experiences.If you've ever felt triggered by your child's behavior, struggled with emotional regulation as a parent, or wondered how to break unhealthy family patterns, this conversation offers a compassionate and practical perspective on raising emotionally healthy children while healing yourself in the process.01:15 – Authoritarian vs Permissive Parenting02:10 – What Emotional Safety Really Means for Children03:30 – Why Parents Struggle to Accept Certain Behaviors08:20 – Childhood Trauma, Emotional Baggage & Parenting20:00 – Why Criticism Damages Self-Worth22:00 – Authentic Behavior vs "Bad" Behavior26:00 – Attuned Leadership: A New Parenting Model

In this hard-hitting segment, the host sounds the alarm on what they describe as a totalitarian shift sweeping through Western nations like Australia and the UK. Pointing directly to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's latest device-level online safety proposals, the host breaks down how "saving the children" is being used as a deceptive Trojan horse to force data-tracking digital IDs onto everyday adults. The host aggressively calls out mainstream media outlets like Fox News for glossing over the real-world impact of these policies, which mirror authoritarian Chinese tracking systems. They also issue a major warning to American voters, detailing how similar legislation is gaining bipartisan traction in the U.S. Senate—and how local grassroots pushback is the only line of defense left to protect basic internet privacy! Digital ID, Internet privacy, Keir Starmer, Fox News, Online tracking, Free speech, Bipartisan overreach, Authoritarian policy, Political commentary

Today, Les, John, and Andy take stock of a North Korea that has used Western distraction to significantly expand its strategic position. Pyongyang reportedly plans to exponentially increase its' nuclear enrichment capacity with the construction of the new Yongbyon nuclear facility and is undertaking a housing construction boom that allegedly rivals major American cities. Meanwhile, Xi Jinping's recent visit to Pyongyang, which focused heavily on trade rather than denuclearization, signals that Beijing has effectively taken pressure off Kim Jong Un to roll back his weapons program.Is the economic development inside North Korea real, and what does it mean for Kim's grip on power? With China sidelining denuclearization and ignoring UN sanctions, how does the U.S. compete against a four-power bloc of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea? Do Moscow and Beijing's deepening friendships with North Korea create friction over who calls the shots in Pyongyang? And with North Korea's missile capabilities increasingly capable of reaching American soil, is now the right moment for Washington to engage, or will U.S. regional partnerships be enough to hold the line?Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.@lestermunson@johnclipsey@andykeiserLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. And don't forget to follow @faultlines_pod and @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube; watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/jVLazDheT9A Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In April 2026, the world was shocked by when Péter Magyar handily defeated long-time Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán. In this episode, LCHP Assistant Director Rose Campbell speaks with legal scholar Kim Lane Scheppele about this unexpected upset after sixteen years of Orbán's autocratic regime, and what it reveals about the rise and fall of modern authoritarian regimes. Drawing on decades of research in Hungary and Eastern Europe, Scheppele explains how leaders such as Orbán, Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump, among others, have used legal and constitutional mechanisms to consolidate power, weaken democratic institutions, and entrench their rule while maintaining a façade of legality. Orbán's tactics have been widely used by aspiring autocrats around the world, and his defeat throws the political future of these regimes into uncertainty.The conversation explores how corruption, economic stagnation, independent media, and grassroots organizing ultimately contributed to Orbán's downfall and the rise of Péter Magyar, whose campaign successfully united opposition forces and mobilized voters across Hungary. While not a progressive himself, Magyar's policies nevertheless are more centrist than Orbán's more hardline right-wing policies. Winning the election, however, is just the beginning. As Scheppele argues, elections can remove autocrats from office seemingly against all odds, but rebuilding democratic institutions can be a years-long challenge.  Kim Lane Scheppele is the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Sociology and International Affairs in the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University. She is also a faculty fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She studies the sociology of law and specializes in ethnographic and archival research on courts and public institutions. She has published over thirty articles (find them here) and her book, Legal Secrets, won Special Recognition in the Distinguished Scholarly Publication competition of the American Sociological Association as well as the Corwin Prize of the American Political Science Association. 

Send us Fan MailA regime can use ballots, slogans, and revolutionary language and still build a cage. We dig into why the Islamic Republic of Iran stands out as a totalitarian theocracy that fuses modern surveillance and bureaucracy with claims of divine rule, turning dissent into “blasphemy” and private life into a policing project. If you want to understand the morality police, censorship, persecution of minorities, and the legal machinery that makes the supreme leader untouchable, we connect the dots in plain terms.We also revisit the 1979 Islamic Revolution with clear eyes: overthrowing the Shah did not guarantee freedom, and the coalition that sought self-determination was systematically betrayed as Khomeini's clerical faction consolidated power. From there, we test the regime's favorite talking point, “anti-imperialism,” against what it actually exports: proxy power. We walk through how Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iran-backed militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen reflect a repeatable model that undermines sovereignty and deepens humanitarian crises, even when packaged as “resistance.”Then we tackle the hardest questions: the Iran nuclear program, the West's temptation to treat an ideological theocracy like a normal negotiating partner, and why nuclear weapons capability could raise the odds of regional proliferation and reckless proxy escalation. We also address the regime's antisemitism and fixation on Israel as ideology rather than mere policy, and we end where the stakes are most human: the Iranian people. From the Green Movement to Women Life Freedom after Mahsa Amini, we highlight the courage of protest and the brutality of repression, and we ask what real solidarity should look like. If this conversation sharpens how you see Iran, subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review. What's the most dangerous myth you still hear about the Iranian regime? Support the show

**Special note to our listeners** Love the show? Help us keep the conversation going! Become a paid subscriber through our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Your contributions help us continue to make content on issues related to the Asian-American, immigrant, modern parent experience. THANK YOU to our super awesome listeners who have already signed up! --------------------------------------Are you a mommy dictator, loosey goose or leader? Are we over-doing the "gentle parenting" and we will end up with teenagers who want awards for just wiping their own butts? Or are we really engaging in age-appropriate expectations that will result in secure, happy, and of course, successful adult children who will want to hang out with us when we're old? Timeouts for your kid. Timeout for mommy. Timers. Countdowns. Tagging in/out with your partner. Authoritarian, Authoritative, Permissive. We talk about all the things related to discipline, trying to get the desired behavior from your child, how hard to push them and what else we're trying to balance at the same time.

Anthony Robinson explains Netroots Nation's power strategy as CBS faces turmoil over Bari Weiss and Colombia confronts a rising right-wing authoritarian threat.Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://politicsdoneright.com/newsletterPurchase our Books: As I See It: https://amzn.to/3XpvW5o How To Make AmericaUtopia: https://amzn.to/3VKVFnG It's Worth It: https://amzn.to/3VFByXP Lose Weight And BeFit Now: https://amzn.to/3xiQK3K Tribulations of anAfro-Latino Caribbean man: https://amzn.to/4c09rbE

Thank you Cheryl Elkins

Ian Wilks was a high-ranking leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is a former bishop, a former branch president, and a member of the stake presidency in British Columbia, with responsibility for shepherding twelve congregations and thousands of members. Then-apostle Dallin H. Oaks, now the 18th president and living prophet of the LDS Church, personally recruited him, interviewed him, called him, set him apart, and trained him into that role.¹ For 37 years, Ian devoted his entire life to his church. He paid tithing on his gross income. He sealed his marriage in the London Temple. He conducted hundreds of worthiness interviews. He trained bishops. He stood at pulpits and at altars. He made sacred covenants in the temple to give all he had, including his own life if required, for the building up of the kingdom on earth. In a snowstorm, the cost of those 37 years lands all at once. The thing he wanted most to be true, he learned was untrue. I spoke with Ian on my podcast Cults, Culture & Coercion and in a recent livestream. He is the co-host of the Inside Out podcast with Jim Bennett, son of the late US Senator Bob Bennett. What he told me confirms what former members of the LDS Church have been describing to me since my first book was published in 1988. The Mormon Church meets every criterion of an authoritarian cult under my BITE Model of Authoritarian Control™ and sits on the destructive end of my Influence Continuum©. Ian himself took the BITE Model self-test based on his decades of experience and scored the church at roughly 85 to 90 percent across the four dimensions of behavior, information, thought, and emotion. This group is one of the wealthiest, most influential groups in politics and its believers are over represented (compared to all other faith groups) in our FBI, CIA, Homeland security and faithful people will follow the direction of the Prophet over the Constitution (even though they swear an oath to uphold the Constitution) which should make all Americans worry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

***First Segment***Commanders OTA's are only a week away... so Logan and Grant dive into the latest mailbag and take your questions on varying coaching styles, Treylon Burks, Luke McCaffrey, and more!

This month on Laura Flanders and Friends, we're revisiting conversations around work, workers, and the Labor Movement on the Move.  This week we explore how workers and their allies are confronting authoritarianism—and building power from the ground up. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate DESCRIPTION [Original Release Date July 9, 2025]:  The United States is moving towards authoritarianism, but there is still a window of opportunity to reverse course. What could improve the chances of re-balancing power in the nation, and advancing towards that multiracial democracy that many still dream of? The answer is worker organizing, say Alex Han and Tarso Luís Ramos. "When we look at the history of U-turns from democratic backsliding to democratic revival, the success rate is about 50 percent," says Ramos. "Where there's active, vibrant union participation, the odds go up to about 80 percent." So what's holding Labor back? In early May of 2025, Laura sat down with Ramos and Han at a conference on “Labor in the Age of Authoritarian Politics”, held at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies (SLU) in New York. Ramos is a leading expert on the U.S. Right Wing and former Executive Director of Political Research Associates. He now serves as Senior Advisor to Future Currents, a strategic planning group of social and economic justice leaders. Han has spent most of his adult life in the labor movement, as an organizer and elected president of a large Chicago local. In 2023, he became Executive Director of In These Times, the long-running Chicago-based progressive magazine. In the wake of mass layoffs and the abduction of Kilmar Abrego García, a union member wrongly exported to El Salvador and now held in Tennessee, can enough workers and their allies band together to make a difference? “I think of all of these times where I've shown up at a protest and I know every single person there. When that happens, I know we're not winning today.” - Alex Han “I think the coup that we did not prepare for was the force accelerator that most people experience as DOGE. It's the Musk and Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen set of actors . . . They're interested in ringing the profits out of the public sector, and they're interested in accelerating the demise of civilian governance altogether.” - Tarso Luís Ramos Guests: Alex  Han: Executive Director, In These Times Tarso Luís Ramos: Senior Adviser, Political Research Associates; Senior Fellow, Future Currents   RESOURCES: - Watch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel Sundays 11:30am ET, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode) and airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast. Full Episode Notes are located HERE.    Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: •. Labor Movement v. Fascism: Worker Organizers & Labor Educators Are Under Attack [Special Report]  Watch  / Listen:  Episode • Masha Gessen and Jason Stanley:  Is It Doomsday for U.S. Democracy? - Watch / LISTEN: episode &/or full conversation •  Naomi Klein & Astra Taylor:  Are Ee Entering "End Times Fascism?"  - Watch / LISTEN:  episode &/or full conversation • Bernie Sanders & AOC:  "Fighting Oligarchy" with People Power [Special Report] - Watch / LISTEN: episode • Bernie Sanders "Fighting Oligarchy" LISTEN:  Full Uncut Conversation • 'God & Country': Rob Reiner & Dan Partland on the Rise of Christian Nationalism in U.S. Politics - Watch / LISTEN:  episode &/or full conversation   Related Articles and Resources: In These Times magazine Political Research Associates Future Currents Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O'Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Following the Supreme Court's decision to keep mifepristone available, advocates warn that conservatives are waiting to decimate abortion rights until after the midterms.

What explains the rise of religious populism in contemporary Turkish politics and society? How does industrialization help to explain change and continuity in social and religious life in Muslim majority countries? In his new book Industrial Islamism: How Authoritarian Movements Mobilize Workers (University of California Press, 2025), Utku Balaban examines Turkey's rapid post-Cold War industrialization and argues that the answers to these questions lie in a class analysis centered on the relationships between employers and employees situated within larger contexts of globalization and historical Islamization. Political and religious transformations occurring in the 1980s and 1990s are not the result of a cultural backlash to or rejection of “Westernization,” or a nostalgia for an idealistic past. Rather, Balaban argues they are related to the rise of a socio-economic-political class he calls the “faubourgeosie” that strategically employ Islamic populism as a method of protecting their interests against other primary class actors. These changes are internal to the mechanics and logics of capitalism as shifts in the traditional relations of production produced new alliances and networks based on small-scale capital accumulation. Balaban's Turkish case study can be applied to other Muslim-majority countries in which small-scale industrialists similarly dealt with economic anxiety and aspirations through recourse to popular Islamist rhetoric not as a specifically moral strategy, but as a political one. Industrial Islamism recently received the best new book in the category of international political economy from the International Studies Association. Dr. Utku Balaban is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Xavier University. He is the author of A Conveyor Belt of Flesh: Urban Space and the Proliferation of Industrial Labor Practices in Istanbul's Garment Industry (2011) and Social Inclusion Practices in Turkey (2015). Dr. Jaclyn Michael is an Associate Professor of Religion at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (USA). She is the author of several articles on Muslim cultural representation, performance, and religious belonging in India and in the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Ruth Ben Ghiat reminds us that unless we want America to become a white, christian ethno-state, we need to be engaging now. Now is the best time as the administration sets everything on fire and people start to feel the pain. According to Ruth, we're actually ahead of the curve in terms of resistance, so we need ramp it up, if anything overcompensate with positive action. Autocrats want us to feel helpless and hopeless, but we're not. Getting out of this mess is going to be an uphill battle, but it's not a lost cause. In fact, if we play our cards right, we might even be able to build something way better than we had before. As always, if you find worth in what we do, please consider SUBSCRIBING to PoliticsGirl Premium. You'll get this podcast ad free, along with a bunch of other perks, like the rants directly to your inbox and the knowledge that you're making this kind of highly researched, factual information possible. If that interests you, please go to https://www.politicsgirl.com/premium and subscribe today!! Thank you so much! xoPG Guest social: Website: https://ruthbenghiat.com As always, please RATE and SUBSCRIBE so we can grow the show, open the dialogue, and inspire change moving forward! All show links here!: https://linktr.ee/politicsgirl This episode is sponsored by… iQBar: TEXT PG to 64000 https://Quince.com/politicsgirl https://SundaysForDogs.com/PoliticsGirl50 code: politicsgirl50 https://laundrysauce.com code: politicsgirl20

This month on Laura Flanders and Friends, we're revisiting conversations around work, workers, and the Labor Movement on the Move.  This week we explore how workers and their allies are confronting authoritarianism—and building power from the ground up. Full Conversation Release: While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. DESCRIPTION [Original Release Date July 9, 2025]:  The United States is moving towards authoritarianism, but there is still a window of opportunity to reverse course. What could improve the chances of re-balancing power in the nation, and advancing towards that multiracial democracy that many still dream of? The answer is worker organizing, say Alex Han and Tarso Luís Ramos. "When we look at the history of U-turns from democratic backsliding to democratic revival, the success rate is about 50 percent," says Ramos. "Where there's active, vibrant union participation, the odds go up to about 80 percent." So what's holding Labor back? In early May of 2025, Laura sat down with Ramos and Han at a conference on “Labor in the Age of Authoritarian Politics”, held at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies (SLU) in New York. Ramos is a leading expert on the U.S. Right Wing and former Executive Director of Political Research Associates. He now serves as Senior Advisor to Future Currents, a strategic planning group of social and economic justice leaders. Han has spent most of his adult life in the labor movement, as an organizer and elected president of a large Chicago local. In 2023, he became Executive Director of In These Times, the long-running Chicago-based progressive magazine. In the wake of mass layoffs and the abduction of Kilmar Abrego García, a union member wrongly exported to El Salvador and now held in Tennessee, can enough workers and their allies band together to make a difference? “I think of all of these times where I've shown up at a protest and I know every single person there. When that happens, I know we're not winning today.” - Alex Han “I think the coup that we did not prepare for was the force accelerator that most people experience as DOGE. It's the Musk and Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen set of actors . . . They're interested in ringing the profits out of the public sector, and they're interested in accelerating the demise of civilian governance altogether.” - Tarso Luís Ramos Guests: Alex  Han: Executive Director, In These Times Tarso Luís Ramos: Senior Adviser, Political Research Associates; Senior Fellow, Future Currents   RESOURCES: - Watch the episode released on YouTube.; PBS World Channel Sundays 11:30am ET, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode) and airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast. Full Episode Notes are located HERE.    Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: •. Labor Movement v. Fascism: Worker Organizers & Labor Educators Are Under Attack [Special Report]  Watch  / Listen:  Episode • Masha Gessen and Jason Stanley:  Is It Doomsday for U.S. Democracy? - Watch / LISTEN: episode &/or full conversation •  Naomi Klein & Astra Taylor:  Are Ee Entering "End Times Fascism?"  - Watch / LISTEN:  episode &/or full conversation • Bernie Sanders & AOC:  "Fighting Oligarchy" with People Power [Special Report] - Watch / LISTEN: episode • Bernie Sanders "Fighting Oligarchy" LISTEN:  Full Uncut Conversation • 'God & Country': Rob Reiner & Dan Partland on the Rise of Christian Nationalism in U.S. Politics - Watch / LISTEN:  episode &/or full conversation   Related Articles and Resources: In These Times magazine Political Research Associates Future Currents Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O'Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Trump's opposition to climate policies have increased long-term energy, food, and housing costs by expanding fossil fuel dependence, complicated by his war in Iran. His abusive rhetoric towards immigrants and minorities creates a national anxiety, incompatible with the values of humanity. Then there's the criminalization of protest, free speech and opposition to his nationalist regime - all contributing to the pressure cooker like environment of Trump's America. Independent media has never been more important. Please support this channel by subscribing here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkbwLFZhawBqK2b9gW08z3g?sub_confirmation=1 Join this channel with a membership for exclusive early access and bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkbwLFZhawBqK2b9gW08z3g/join Five Minute News is an Evergreen Podcast, covering politics, inequality, health and climate - delivering independent, unbiased and essential news for the US and across the world. Visit us online at http://www.fiveminute.news Follow us on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/fiveminutenews.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram http://instagram.com/fiveminnews Support us on Patreon http://www.patreon.com/fiveminutenews You can subscribe to Five Minute News with your preferred podcast app, ask your smart speaker, or enable Five Minute News as your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing skill. CONTENT DISCLAIMER The views and opinions expressed on this channel are those of the guests and authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Anthony Davis or Five Minute News LLC. Any content provided by our hosts, guests or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything, in line with the First Amendment right to free and protected speech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1. AOC Misunderstanding or misrepresenting American history Promoting socialist/communist ideology Opposing wealth creation and free-market capitalism 2. The American Revolution AOC’s claim: The Revolution was against wealth concentration and powerful elites Counterargument in the text: The Revolution was about freedom from government power (King George), not wealth inequality Wealthy individuals (e.g., Robert Morris, George Washington) actually funded the Revolution 3. Wealth and Billionaires AOC’s position (as described): Billion-dollar wealth is “unearned” Counterargument: Wealth can be earned through innovation and value creation Examples used: John D. Rockefeller (oil industry) Henry Ford (assembly line, middle class growth) Elon Musk (technology, space, EVs) 4. Critique of Socialism/Communism Communism historically leads to: Economic failure Human rights abuses Authoritarian control Examples cited: Soviet Union, China, Cuba, North Korea Key idea: Centralized government power = loss of freedom and prosperity 5. Race, Democracy, and U.S. History AOC’s statements: Black Americans “created democracy” Counterargument: U.S. democracy originated from: Declaration of Independence Constitution The U.S. has improved over time (e.g., civil rights movement) Slavery is described as a “moral wrong” 6. Immigration and Government Power AOC warns: Immigration enforcement systems could expand and threaten broader populations Counterargument: Immigration enforcement is framed as law and order The concern about government abuse is dismissed as fearmongering Argument reversal: Leftist governments historically used detention systems more aggressively 7. Use of Historical Comparisons Historical examples to support arguments Comparisons to: Nazi Germany Soviet gulags Japanese internment camps (under FDR) To argue that authoritarianism is tied to left-wing systems Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson and The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verdictwithtedcruz X: https://x.com/tedcruz X: https://x.com/benfergusonshowYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air Date: 4/24/2026 Today we explore how Viktor Orban spent 16 years transforming Hungary into a blueprint for 21st-century autocracy, how that blueprint traveled directly to the United States and what Hungary's stunning defeat of Orban can teach Americans about fighting back against authoritarianism. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: If Hungary Can Do It Part 1 - Radio Atlantic - Air Date 4-16-26 KP 2: What Orban's Loss Means for Anti-Fascists; Iran's Endgame with Jason Stanley, Mohammad Ali Shabani Part 1 - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-14-26 KP 3: Viktor Orbán Part 1 - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 3-30-26 KP 4: How Do Peter Magyar's Politics Differ From Orban's Right-wing Populism Part 1 - DW News - Air Date 4-13-26 KP 5: On Tyranny, Orbán, and Trump (with Timothy Snyder) Part 1 - Stay Tuned with Preet - Air Date 4-16-26 KP 6: They Actually Voted Him Out Part 1 - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 4-16-26 KP 7: Viktor Orban's Loss in Hungary Gives Us the Roadmap to Destroy MAGA! - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 4-12-26 (00:48:33) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Trumpism Won't End With Trump, Here's What Comes Next DEEPER DIVES (00:56:57) SECTION A: ORIGINS (01:37:50) SECTION B: TACTICS (02:03:08) SECTION C: INTERNATIONAL SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo of Hungary's out-going president Victor Orban standing with Trump in the White House while both display a thumbs-up. A "REJECTED" stamp is on Orban and a voting checkbox with an "X" in it is above him. A voting checkbox with a question mark in it is over Trump. Credit: Internal design. Component images: Pixabay Photo Credit: "President Victor Orban and President Trump", White House Instagram, Nov. 7, 2025 | Public Domain   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X

Nicolle Wallace on Donald Trump's standoff with Pope Leo over whether the president's already-deeply unpopular war of choice in Iran is justified. For more, follow us on Instagram @deadlinewh For more from Nicolle, follow and download her podcast, “The Best People with Nicolle Wallace,” wherever you get your podcasts.To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rachel Maddow highlights some striking parallels between Donald Trump and the authoritarian regime his administration is modeled on, Victor Orbán in Hungary. Maddow notes that the basis for an authoritarian's power is the sense that their continued rule is inevitable, so seeing Orbán tossed from power so handily by the voters of Hungary sends a clear and upsetting message to Trump, and an encouraging message to Trump's opponents. David Pressman, former U.S. ambassador to Hungary, joins to discuss how Hungary will "unwind" the legacy of corruption and authoritarianism left behind by Victor Orbán and restore democracy. Rachel Maddow tells the story of an ICE prison in Mesa, Arizona that would move immigrants out of the facility ahead of congressional oversight visits to conceal overcrowded conditions ...until members of Congress dropped in unannounced. Rep. Analita Grijalva talks about what she saw on a surprise inspection of the facility. Want more of Rachel? Check out the "Rachel Maddow Presents" feed to listen to all of her chart-topping original podcasts.To listen to all of your favorite MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.