Podcasts about Kshama Sawant

Ralph speaks to Baroness Beeban Kidron, a member of the UK House of Lords and a leading voice on children's rights in the digital environment, whose book is “Users: How Big Tech Took Control and How to Fight Back.” Then we welcome back whistleblower Becky McClain a biotech scientist injured in an unsafe lab and author of “Exposed: A Pfizer Scientist Battles Corruption, Lies, and Betrayal, and Becomes a Biohazard Whistleblower.”Baroness Beeban Kidron is a member of the UK's House of Lords and a former film director. She is a leading voice on children's rights in the digital environment and a global authority on digital regulation. She has played a central role in establishing standards for online safety and privacy across the world. She is the author of Users: How Big Tech Took Control and How to Fight Back.The things that children experience online are deliberately designed to distract them. Now, they are there to distract them because those companies want the attention so they can advertise. They want their data so that they can perfect their commercial terms,their product. And they even want their attention to compete against the other people who are competing for their attention. So here we have an absolute arms race for a child's attention.Baroness Beeban KidronI do want to say very clearly to anyone listening: This is a battle you shouldn't be fighting on your own. And there is a responsibility for politicians—for both local politicians and federal politicians (national in our case, here in the UK) —to actually put these companies under the same sort of strictures that all other corporate companies do… One of the things I'm looking at is whether we can recategorize apps as products. And then they'll have all the product liability, the product safety, consumer rights—all the things that we expect of everything else in our life from our food to our cars to our toys. That they would actually have to think before they roll them out: Are they safe? And when they've proven unsafe, we would have a very clear set of legal approaches to address that.Baroness Beeban KidronBecky McClain is a retired biotech worker and research scientist. She is known as the first successful biotech whistleblower who spoke and reported on biolab safety issues of public concern. On April 1, 2010, Ms. McClain won a federal court whistleblower trial against Pfizer, Inc., which centered on free speech rights concerning biosafety and public health. She is the author of Exposed: A Pfizer Scientist Battles Corruption, Lies, and Betrayal, and Becomes a Biohazard Whistleblower.The public wants transparency to ensure that biolabs are run ethically, safely, responsibly, and with accountability. Transparency into these matters builds public trust with science and with government. But without free-speech protections for scientists and also medical physicians, transparency fails, accountability is dismissed, and the public trust hits rock bottom.Becky McClainNews 8/14/26* This week, a new round of primaries was held in the upper midwest and New England. The biggest shock of the night was the defeat of Francesca Hong in the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary. Hong, a Wisconsin State Assemblywoman and member of Madison DSA, went into election night leading in the polls and while she won an astonishing 311,000 votes, her opponent – Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, with the endorsement of sitting Democratic Governor Tony Evers – maintained a lead of approximately one-half of one percentage point throughout the night. As the final margin will be under 1 percent, Hong is entitled to request a recount, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, but WKOW reports she has conceded the race. Hong was seen as the best chance for the insurgent, DSA-aligned left to capture a gubernatorial nomination this cycle, particularly in a crucial swing state, but her campaign was dogged by electability concerns and unpopular past statements made by the candidate. Crowley will face Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany, who cruised to an easy victory in the GOP gubernatorial primary, in November.* The Minnesota primaries delivered more encouraging results for the left. In the high-profile Senate primary to replace retiring Senator Tina Smith, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan emerged victorious over her opponent, Congresswoman Angie Craig. Flanagan was backed by a broad, progressive coalition – including Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, and outgoing Senator Tina Smith herself – while Craig was backed by more centrist Democrats like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and ultrazionist Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer. If elected, Flanagan, a citizen of the White Earth Nation, would be the first Native American woman to serve in the U.S. Senate, per the Minnesota Reformer. Flanagan has also gone on record saying that Chuck Schumer, who would be poised to lead the Senate Democrats as Majority Leader if the party retakes that chamber, needs to be replaced with a “progressive champion” though she has not gone as far as Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan who explicitly called for Schumer to be replaced by Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, as reported by Semafor.* In more Minnesota news, Congresswoman Craig's decision to vacate her old seat in the state's second congressional district “created a crowded primary for her seat,” according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. On Tuesday, progressive candidate Matt Little triumphed. Little is a strong proponent of Medicare for All and does not blanch at describing Israel's campaign in Gaza as a genocide. Little overwhelmingly won the endorsement of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and of congressional progressives like Reps. Pramila Jayapal and Greg Casar, as well as the Progressive Caucus PAC. If Little wins in what the Star Tribune describes as a swing district historically, it will send a strong signal that progressives can win even in tough districts.* In New England, the results tell a somewhat different story. Specifically, in Connecticut's first congressional district, 14-term incumbent Congressman John Larson lost his primary to former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, over 30 years Larson's junior, by over 20 points. However, Bronin is far from a progressive challenger. Whereas Larson enjoyed the backing of the Working Families Party and Congressman Jamie Raskin – though he also had the backing of AIPAC – Bronin's only major national endorsement was from former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. In short, this would best be described as a non-ideological, but rather age-based primary challenge. This will surely set off major alarm bells for another aged incumbent in New England facing a much younger primary challenger: Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts. Additionally, as Ryan Grim notes, “John Larson was/is the champion of the bill to expand Social Security, which was up to…200+ cosponsors but [former Speaker Nancy] Pelosi would never allow it to get to the floor. There's now an extremely popular bill that could actually pass that needs a lead sponsor.”* Another recent primary loss is worth examining: that of Kshama Sawant in Seattle. Sawant, a former Seattle City Councilmember aligned with the Trotskyist Socialist Alternative party, resigned her council seat and sought to unseat her local Democratic Congressman Adam Smith, running as an independent in Washington's ninth congressional district. The state of Washington has a top two primary system, so Sawant would have only had to get the second most votes to secure a head-to-head matchup against Smith in November. Yet, instead Sawant finished a distant third behind Smith and the Republican candidate Doug Basler. Perhaps that doesn't seem surprising – independent and third party candidates are often outspent by huge margins. Yet, the facts belie that explanation. In fact, a new piece on the Joe Wrote substack finds that “Sawant's campaign wasn't the rag-tag, bootstrapped operation that we typically see from insurgent socialists. Sawant reported $607,493 in campaign spending, meaning she outspent Republican Doug Basler by over six-to-one and still lost to him.” Wrote goes on to state that “The Sawant campaign spent $25.33 per vote, the highest for any candidate in the race…The only registered PAC that spent on the race was Sawant's Revolutionary Change PAC, which raised $5,600 through ActBlue and spent it on billboards.” If nothing else, this test case demonstrates that money is not enough for the left to break through the two-party duopoly. A candidate also needs institutional, organizational support – like that of DSA – and, perhaps most importantly, broadbase solidarity with the other component parts of the movement. Going it alone simply will not get the job done.* In more independent and third party news, we have an update to a previous story about the race for Congress in Pennsylvania's seventh congressional district. Last week, we discussed Andrew Tupone, a candidate running in this race on the Green Party ballot line, despite the GP of Pennsylvania distancing themselves from him – and spokesman Chris Robinson even calling him a “a nice Republican.” According to Lehigh Valley Public Media, the Green Party is now going a step further, formally requesting the Pennsylvania courts “either kick Tupone off the ballot or require him to identify himself as a member of another party.” In their petition to the court, the Green Party argues that “Candidate Tupone and his agents or affiliates who circulated his nomination papers misled voters into signing the nomination papers on the mistaken belief that they were helping to place a candidate supported by the Green Party onto the ballot.” This piece also notes that three Lehigh Valley residents are challenging the petitions Tupone presented to get on the ballot, arguing that technical errors would disqualify thousands of these signatures. For his part, Tupone “has denied having any ulterior motive to enter the race or accepting financial assistance from any outside groups.”* At the same time, in Nebraska, it seems there are two, dueling faux third parties seeking to siphon off votes from the other side. The Nebraska Examiner reports that both the “Nebraska Democratic Party and the national Working Families Party have sued Nebraska's Working People Party to block it from the fall ballot.” The Democrats and WFP are seeking to block Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen from officially recognizing the party, and to “declare that the party's name is breaking state law because it is meant to confuse voters.” Apparently, Nebraska election law includes a provision allowing the secretary of state to “reject a candidate's filing if…that someone is not a ‘good-faith candidate' or is trying to cause confusion for voters,” and that “objections to party names can be considered.” The kicker is that last week, the Nebraska Republican Party filed a lawsuit alleging that the “America First Party” is a similarly bad-faith attempt to confuse and deceive voters and thereby undercut the fortunes of Nebraska Republicans. A Nebraska judge has issued an emergency injunction stopping certification of both the Nebraska Working People Party and America First Party through August 20th.* Turning to local news, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass appears to be moving against Councilmember Nithya Raman, her Democratic rival for the mayoralty in the general election. LAist reports that while Raman has chaired the Council's powerful Housing and Homeless Committee since 2023, Bass' close ally, Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson is “planning to announce…that the city will split the committee into two parts — one on housing, the other on homelessness — neither of which will be led by Raman.” In a campaign video, Raman alleged that the move constituted political retaliation, saying “I called for an audit of our homelessness programs…and now I've been removed…I might be getting punished for running against Mayor Bass, but Angelenos are the ones paying the price for these political games.” Mayor Bass and Councilmember Raman finished first and second respectively in the June primary, meaning they will face off in November with no Republican on the ballot.* In New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced this week that he will throw his weight behind a new bill in the city council seeking to curb Amazon's practice of utilizing subcontractors instead of directly employing delivery workers. The Wall Street Journal explains that although these subcontractors “aren't direct employees of…Amazon [or other companies], they often wear branded uniforms or vests and drive corporate-branded vans or trucks,” but are not entitled to the same workplace protections and are excluded from collective bargaining. In a statement, Mamdani highlighted how “Corporations like Amazon build billion-dollar business models by insulating themselves from accountability through a system of exploitative subcontracting.” The Journal reports the bill would also “require warehouse operators to obtain licenses from the city,” and in order to get a license, ”operators would have to adhere to new safety, training and employment requirements, including hiring thousands of the city's contract couriers.” In response, Amazon is, as usual, threatening to move its business out of the city, but also deploying its secret, New York-specific weapon: their chief lobbyist, Jessica Schumer, daughter of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, according to the American Prospect. This sets up a major clash between an array of titanic forces in New York politics and whether or not Mayor Mamdani emerges triumphant will be a huge test of his political clout.* Finally, AP reports the parliament of Lebanon voted this week to abolish the death penalty, making it the first nation in the Arab world to do so. This piece notes that the country has maintained an unofficial moratorium on capital punishment for over 20 years; while death sentences have been issued since then, they have all been suspended or commuted. The official sentence of capital punishment will be replaced with “life imprisonment with aggravated hard labor,” a somewhat vague legal concept that will have to be defined and refined as time goes on. AP adds that this vote comes amidst the Lebanese parliamentary debate over a proposed general amnesty law, that could “reduce sentences or even release convicted militants,” from the country's various civil wars, as well as others convicted of drug-related crimes. The parliamentary bloc of Hezbollah voted against the law. Lebanon banning capital punishment stands in stark contrast to the Israeli Knesset, which voted in May to adopt a new death penalty statute described by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as perpetuating “racial discrimination against Palestinians” and amounting to “a grave erosion of human rights.”This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

The coldest open. Congrats to Senate hopeful [DOLLAR]y [DOLLAR]ens. New electoralist strategy: Vote for the Let's Devour The Host Party in '26! And tell Hasan Parkour et al to stop doing Kshama Sawant erasure. Download the new Trump Insider Trading app for a cool 100k/month. Lindsey Graham and Laura Loomer went to Ukraine, only one has returned. Interceptors, Interrupted. Donald "Jonathan Candy" Trump is secretly writing the great dissertation on the metaphysical structure and ontological status of Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche's Eternal Recurrance — not all the bad stuff people are saying. Out of the fire and into the other fire: RFKJr's corpse puppeteer team goes on strike, leaving the man looking almost as if totally incapable of sane lines of thinking. Remember: there are good reasons to hate Doc Fauci and they're from the left. Pentagon's plum outta ideas. It's (probably no longer) Miller Time! One reptilian facet of Itamar Ben-Gvir's agenda of pure evil has ever so slightly been mildly hampered by the Israeli House of Genocidaires.Recorded on Saturday, August 8th, 2569 B.E. around 11.00AM Korea Standard Time. Commiserate on Discord: discord.gg/aDf4Yv9PrYNever Forget: standwithdanielhale.orgGenral RecommendationsJosh's Recommendations: 1) Genre of Earnest Reaction Videos to New-to-Thee Music, e.g. Lost in Vegas, The Charismatic Voice, Key of Geebz, and the hundreds of others that sometimes help break open the cold deadened state of the heart 2) the new Spiderman movie was good despite being Flock propaganda.Tim's Recommendations: 1) House of the Dragon 2) Tim guesting on ThROH The Years (Episode 165 - Chaos at the Cow Palace)Further Reading, Viewing, ListeningShow notes + Full list of links, sources, etcEternal thanks to Rm Brown ("King of the Soundboard")More From Timothy Robert BuechnerPodcast: Q&T ARE / violentpeople.co Tweets: @ROHDUTCHLocationless Locationsheatdeathpod.comEvery show-related link is corralled and available here.Twitter: @heatdeathpodPlease send all Letters of Derision, Indifference, Inquiry, Mild Elation, et cetera to: heatdeathoftheuniversepodcast@gmail.comSend us Fan MailSupport the showSupport: patreon / buzzsprout

We talk about the primary results of Cori Bush, Abdul El-Sayed, Kshama Sawant and more with friend of the show Brad Ross, who let Anders use his apartment because Wi-Fi is out in Ridgewood. Also some testing of Brad's wealth of soundtrack composer knowledge. For the full episode and more subscribe to our bonus feed: patreon.com/poddamnamerica

In this episode, we break down the major geopolitical stories dominating headlines this week:

What’s Trending: We are learning more about the man suspected of starting the biggest of the Spokane fires, he has allegedly confessed to starting the fire. This is not the first time he has been suspected of setting a fire. // GUEST: Kevin Downey Jr., stand-up comedian and PJ Media colleague on his piece: Covid-19: ‘Fauci’s Holocaust’ // Kshama Sawant is back in the news after she was not voted into the top two candidates in her legislative district.

Mayor Wilson's endorsements whiff // Kshama Sawant's swan song // 21 year suffers brain bleed after parking spot confrontation // Celebrities, privacy and the importance of appearance // SCENARIOS!

Former Seattle City Councilmember and independent socialist candidate for Washington's 9th Congressional District Kshama Sawant explains why Democratic Socialists of America-backed Democrats need to be more confrontational if they want to win.

Follow Glenn Greenwald's writing and other journalism at Substack, where you can become a member: https://greenwald.substack.com/   Follow Glenn: Twitter: https://twitter.com/ggreenwald Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glenn.11.greenwald/   Follow System Update:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/SystemUpdate_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/systemupdate__/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@systemupdate__ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/systemupdate.tv/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/systemupdate/  

Ryan and Krystal interview Kshama Sawant who is running for WA-9 Congress seat against Dem incumbent Adam Smith. Sawant argues that both major parties serve billionaires and war interests, and she calls for a new working-class party. Kshama Sawant: https://www.kshamasawant.org/​See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest host Garland Nixon and Americans' Comedian Kurt Metzger discuss Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir's video showcasing an execution chamber for Palestinians, highlighting Israel's legalized death penalty applied only to non-Jews alongside its system of administrative detention. They mock the hypocrisy of Israeli officials who dismiss international law and promote Jewish supremacy, while also criticizing American Christian Zionists who blindly support Israel despite its documented atrocities.  The hosts also analyze a Haaretz article where an Israeli soldier admits feeling like a Nazi in Gaza, and note the irony that unlike Nazis, Israeli forces flaunt their crimes openly on social media. The segment concludes by observing the growing cultural shift where support for Israel is becoming increasingly difficult to reconcile with its genocidal actions and overtly supremacist rhetoric. Plus segments on Breaking Points' snub of socialist congressional candidate Kshama Sawant, the latest privacy-invading innovation from Flock cameras, and Iranian professor Seyed Muhammad Marandi's explanation of how Trump and Netanyahu played each other Also featuring Russell Dobular and Steve Poikonen!

Former socialist Seattle city council woman Kshama Sawant returns to Bad Faith podcast to break down the fall out from the latest Graham Platner scandal and how the establishment-left media that made him is responding. Should they have supported him in the first place given his unrepentant enthusiasm for war? Did left media figures abandon their responsibility to vet his anti-imperial bonafides? If they had, could they have avoided the embarrassment of defending a man who once said he'd rape a home intruder to demonstrate dominance? Subscribe to Bad Faith on YouTube for video of this episode. Find Bad Faith on Twitter (@badfaithpod) and Instagram (@badfaithpod).

Subscribe to Bad Faith on Patreon to instantly unlock our full premium episode library: http://patreon.com/badfaithpodcast Washington Congressional candidate & former Socialist Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant returns to Bad Faith to give her no-holds-barred assessment of left elected officials as they navigate the Democratic Establishment, to weigh in on the Epstein files -- including Chomsky's involvement --, and to provide a clear blueprint for how the left should resist. She also weighs in on the limits of labor given business unionism capture and strategies to overcome it, while updating us on the progress of her Congressional campaign against Zionist corporatist Adam Smith. Subscribe to Bad Faith on YouTube for video of this episode. Find Bad Faith on Twitter (@badfaithpod) and Instagram (@badfaithpod). Produced by Armand Aviram. Theme by Nick Thorburn (@nickfromislands).

Learn about the latest in local public affairs in about the time it takes for a coffee break! Brian Callanan of Seattle Channel and David Kroman of the Seattle Times discuss questions surrounding the possibility of ICE agents coming to Seattle, concerns over recently-released bodycam footage of an SPD officer at a recent protest, an upheaval for voter-approved social housing, a controversial change in leadership for Seattle City Light, and a major funding challenge for rebuilding Seattle Center. If you like this podcast, please support it on Patreon!

Kshama Sawant makes a return // Varsity theater growing // How to be a good Seahawks fan // SCENARIOS!

What’s Trending: Providence nurses are striking to 'help community', Rantz thinks Kshama Sawant is behind SPS students demanding mental health funds and a potential solution to credit card skimming. // Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Arizona) on Israel, the stop-gap funding, and more! // Rantz rips into Harvard staff who don't want to 'combat antisemitism'.

What’s Trending: It's Election Day! There are a high number of eligible voters who have not cast their ballot yet, these voting results will dictate how your city and county operate. A Puyallup pastor at Motion Church is under fire for allegedly violating the Johnson Amendment, Lacey PD is looking to ID a carjacking suspect through just a blurry photo // Kshama Sawant is calling for an end to the violence and US military support to Israel, she believes the Israelis are an occupation force and have done land grabs of Palestinian territory , 69-year old Paul Kessler died as a result of an altercation at a rally between Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestine. // Guest: Sen. John Braun (R-Centralia) on efforts to improve (and establish) Holocaust education in Washington state.

Welcome to another Class Unity event. We are joined today by Kshama Sawant. Kshama is a socialist politician and economist who served on the Seattle City Council from 2014 to 2024. She is now running as an independent for the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington's 9th congressional district in the 2026 election. She was […]

Jonathan Rosenblum is the author of a new book about Kshama Sawant's leadership in Seattle, called We're Coming for You and Your Rotten System: How Socialists Beat Amazon and Upended Big-City Politics.

On this week's Labor Radio Podcast Weekly: This week on Work Stoppage, Italy's unions show how it's done, with port blockades and a nationwide transit shutdown in solidarity with Palestine. Over on WorkWeek, a Wells Fargo banker in Wyoming tells how workers organized with CWA—and what happened when the company fired him for it. From the Labor Notes Podcast, beauty-salon workers at Sugared + Bronzed unionize amid safety concerns and punishing metrics—and win momentum shop by shop. In the latest Reinventing Solidarity, NEA president Becky Pringle argues public education is where democracy takes root—and why that scares authoritarians. Meanwhile, on Words & Work, Jonathan Rosenblum revisits Kshama Sawant's wins—from $15 to taxing Amazon—and how an elected office became an organizing center. And on the Powerline Podcast, JNCTN's crew breaks down an app built to tighten safety, compliance, and efficiency across the building trades. Help us build sonic solidarity by clicking on the share button below. Highlights from labor radio and podcast shows around the country, part of the national Labor Radio Podcast Network of shows focusing on working people's issues and concerns. @WorkStoppagePod @labormedianow @LaborNotes @CunySLU #LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO Edited by Captain Swing, produced by Chris Garlock; social media guru Mr. Harold Phillips.

Subscribe to Bad Faith on Patreon to instantly unlock this episode and our entire premium episode library: http://patreon.com/badfaithpodcast Former Al Jazeera journalist Sana Saeed joins Bad Faith to discuss comedian Adam Friedland's viral interview with Zionist Representative Ritchie Torres and the internet's harsh reaction to Sana and other critics who questioned whether the enthusiastic reaction to this particular interview is reflective of the disproportionate value the West places on the feelings of Jewish people versus the Arab victims of Israel's genocide. Also, Sana digs into Taylor Lorenz' viral story exposing a number of liberal content creators as paid mouthpieces for the DNC and ends with Kshama Sawant's takedown of Rep. Adam Smith's rhetorical shift "left" on Palestine. Subscribe to Bad Faith on YouTube for video of this episode. Find Bad Faith on Twitter (@badfaithpod) and Instagram (@badfaithpod). Produced by Armand Aviram. Theme by Nick Thorburn (@nickfromislands).

Updates on non-major party candidates who could make an impact in 2026: independent Dan Osborn for U.S. Senate in Nebraska, Green Party candidate Butch Ware for governor in California, and independent candidate Kshama Sawant for U.S. Congress from Washington state. Also, an update on the court case challenging California's top-two electoral system.

Newspaper goes after Brandi for exposing the “Paco” story as a scam. It's Primary Election Day! Kshama Sawant supporters arrested for disrupting congressman's townhall. Poll about boys in girls' sports angers … who, exactly? The gerrymandering hypocrisy.

Like, share, and subscribe! youtube.com/@jabarivocm… Out Now YouTube & Meta! We've got a special episode of Unsavory Politik-sending off my cohost Alex Suarez the right way! This is his last show as a co-host as he heads off to pursue his educational career. We'll be joined by friends of the show & comrades-Chris, Richard, and Dusty James! Don't miss it! #UnsavoryPolitik #FarewellAlex #LiveShow #PoliticalTalk #YouTubeLive #MetaLivePlease visit to support the campaign!!! youtube.com/redirect?am… END THE GENOCIDE IN GAZA NO MILITARY AID, NO OCCUPATION! STOP THE DEPORTATIONS ICE OUT! SHUT DOWN THE DETENTION CENTERS! FREE HEALTHCARE FOR ALL TAX THE RICH! WE NEED RENT CONTROL MAKE CORPORATE LANDLORDS PAY!

Ep 345 of RevolutionZ begins with a brief apology for an error last episode. some self-reflection about RevolutionZ's duration of 345 consecutive episodes, some moving guest comments on Gaza plus my own comments on emerging Trumpian fascism. It then again addresses the question do activists need fresh conceptual frameworks that transcend traditional Marxism?The episode revisits the critique of the Marxist tradition's adequacy for contemporary struggles/ We again and perhaps more succinctly and also aggressively argue that Marxism's core concepts systematically diminish attention to gender, race, and power relations while distorting economic understanding by defining classes solely through property relations.The episode describes how these limitations have manifested in real-world movements to lead not to classlessness but to "coordinator class rule," dictatorships, and persistent though sometimes somewhat altered racism and sexism. The episode rejects Marxism's labor theory of value, denies the practical utility of dialectics, and considers why the tradition seems particularly vulnerable to sectarianism.After then sharing a couple of personal anecdotes, the episode extends invitations to prominent Marxist intellectuals—from Kali Akuno, Tariq Ali, Ben Burgis, Vivek Chibber and Angela Davis, to Terry Eagleton, Max Elbaum, Bill Flether, Nancy Fraser and John Bellamy Foster, to David Harvey, Doug Henwood and Boris Kagarlitsky, to Robin Kelly, Vijay Prashad, Kshama Sawant and Rick Wolff—to address these concerns in the spirit of constructive dialogue. Hopefully one or more will respond. After all, why not?This episode isn't bent on dismissing Marxism's contributions much less any Marxist activists, but on asking essential questions to propel a needed conversation: Does this intellectual tradition, as practiced by real-world actors who have been bent by existing oppressive structures, provide the comprehensive understanding needed for today's multi-faceted struggles? When should we enrich existing frameworks, and when must we entirely transcend them? Do you  want to be called Marxist? If so, why? What conceptual tools will best serve our efforts to create a world beyond capitalism, sexism, racism, authoritarianism, and ecological collapse? Marxism's conceptual tools, or what?Whether you're deeply versed in Marxist theory or approaching these matters for the first time, this episode urges that we together critically examine the intellectual foundations of our activism. What frameworks best position us to understand—and change—our rapidly transforming world?Support the show

00:38: Commentary on National Guard in L.A.;03:23: Republican organization opposing MAGA;05:53: New DNC chair complains of internal problem;09:05: Green Party's Butch Ware campaigns for CA governor;13:34: Kshama Sawant runs for Congress;16:24: Elon Musk calls for new centrist party;17:52: Andrew Yang calls for Musk to join Forward Party;19:09: Libertarian Angela McArdle to head Mises Caucus;21:54: No Labels party online "conversation."

Host Bill Radke discusses the week’s news political analyst and contributing columnist Joni Balter, former Urbanist Executive Director and current board member Rian Watt, and KUOW politics reporter and co-host of the Sound Politics podcast Scott GreenstoneSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Erica Barnett discuss:

Learn about the latest in local public affairs in about the time it takes for a coffee break! Brian Callanan of Seattle Channel and David Kroman of the Seattle Times discuss the surprising resignation of Seattle City Councilmember Cathy Moore, the ethics code bill she pulled just before her resignation, the campaign of former Councilmember Kshama Sawant for U.S. Congress, a twist in the effort to speed up Sound Transit light rail permitting, and a change to the Council's budget process this fall. If you like this podcast, please support it on Patreon!

URSULA'S TOP STORIES: Latest on Wenatchee case // KC Council defers motion of no confidence on the Assessor // Kshama Sawant is making a run for Congress // WE NEED TO TALK. . . Don’t be THAT hiker on WA State trails this year

A Seattle City Council committee advanced legislation last week that will eliminate a requirement that council members abstain from voting on legislation that presents a financial conflict of interest. Under the new, lower standard, the council will merely have to disclose any financial conflicts before voting—allowing council members, for the first time since the 1980s, to vote in their own financial interest.Sandeep thinks disclosing a conflict of interest before voting should be enough; Erica's with the haters who want more constraints on the council's ability to vote in their own self-interest.The legislation is moving forward quickly and will probably take effect just before the council votes on the elimination of several anti-eviction laws passed by the previous council, which might not pass if everyone on the council who's a landlord has to refrain from voting to repeal these laws. In related news, Kshama Sawant and her group Workers Strike Back are showing up to disrupt council meetings, antagonizing the council over the upcoming vote on the anti-eviction laws. David and Sandeep are fascinated by internal squabbling among Seattle's local socialists, while Erica argues that Sawant's latest "movement" is mostly bluster—and reminds everyone that Sawant worked tirelessly on Jill Stein's "Defeat Harris" campaign last year. Also this week: Tent City 4 gets a temporary reprieve after a last-minute effort to keep the self-managed encampment from moving to the former Lake City Community Center. And we discuss Dan Strauss' effort to require all clubs and other "loud music venues" to sell earplugs. David calls it a "modest public health campaign" but Sandeep says it's a nanny state intrusion into our god-given right to destroy our hearing.Our editor is Quinn Waller. Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails realseattlenice@gmail.comHEARTH Protection: Do not let fear make your world smaller. Thanks to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at realseattlenice@gmail.comSupport the showYour support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.

On Strike provides news & analysis from a working-class perspective, putting forward a strategy to take on the billionaires and their political servants, and win.We don't run any ads and we don't take corporate money. We rely on support from working people like you, so SUBSCRIBE NOW to On Strike and BECOME A MEMBER of Workers Strike Back: www.workersstrikeback.org/joinOn Strike is a production of Workers Strike Back, which was launched by Kshama Sawant and other working people in 2023 to spread the lessons of her decade as a socialist City Councilmember in Seattle, where she led movements to win historic victories like the first major $15 minimum wage, the Amazon Tax for affordable housing, and landmark renters' rights like the first-in-the-nation ban on winter evictions. Workers Strike Back is building a movement across the country to fight for things like a $25/hour minimum wage, free healthcare and quality affordable housing for all, an end U.S. military aid to the Israeli war machine, and an end the genocide and occupation in Gaza. We're organizing to begin laying the foundation for a new party for working people.Start a monthly donation and support On Strike by becoming a member of Workers Strike Back today!www.workersstrikeback.org/join

On Strike provides news & analysis from a working-class perspective, putting forward a strategy to take on the billionaires and their political servants, and win.We don't run any ads and we don't take corporate money. We rely on support from working people like you, so SUBSCRIBE NOW to On Strike and BECOME A MEMBER of Workers Strike Back: www.workersstrikeback.org/joinOn Strike is a production of Workers Strike Back, which was launched by Kshama Sawant and other working people in 2023 to spread the lessons of her decade as a socialist City Councilmember in Seattle, where she led movements to win historic victories like the first major $15 minimum wage, the Amazon Tax for affordable housing, and landmark renters' rights like the first-in-the-nation ban on winter evictions. Workers Strike Back is building a movement across the country to fight for things like a $25/hour minimum wage, free healthcare and quality affordable housing for all, an end U.S. military aid to the Israeli war machine, and an end the genocide and occupation in Gaza. We're organizing to begin laying the foundation for a new party for working people.Start a monthly donation and support On Strike by becoming a member of Workers Strike Back today!www.workersstrikeback.org/join

On Strike provides news & analysis from a working-class perspective, putting forward a strategy to take on the billionaires and their political servants, and win.We don't run any ads and we don't take corporate money. We rely on support from working people like you, so SUBSCRIBE NOW to On Strike and BECOME A MEMBER of Workers Strike Back: www.workersstrikeback.org/joinOn Strike is a production of Workers Strike Back, which was launched by Kshama Sawant and other working people in 2023 to spread the lessons of her decade as a socialist City Councilmember in Seattle, where she led movements to win historic victories like the first major $15 minimum wage, the Amazon Tax for affordable housing, and landmark renters' rights like the first-in-the-nation ban on winter evictions. Workers Strike Back is building a movement across the country to fight for things like a $25/hour minimum wage, free healthcare and quality affordable housing for all, an end U.S. military aid to the Israeli war machine, and an end the genocide and occupation in Gaza. We're organizing to begin laying the foundation for a new party for working people.Start a monthly donation and support On Strike by becoming a member of Workers Strike Back today!www.workersstrikeback.org/join

The so-called Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, is led by Elon Musk, the richest man in the world. It operates in virtual secrecy. Its slash and burn tactics have resulted in thousands of government workers losing their jobs, sometimes with little or no notice. Budgets are being hollowed out to pay for massive tax breaks for the oligarchs. Activist, organizer, politician Kshama Sawant warns, “We cannot understate the damage being done by Trump, Musk and company. It is austerity on steroids, deregulation on steroids, imperialism on steroids” and along with that she says it's “the most dramatic concentration of executive power” in memory. There's only one thing that will stop the Trump-Musk juggernaut. Collective citizen action. Workers! Fight Back! Recorded at the Langston Hughes Center for the Performing Arts.

On Strike provides news & analysis from a working-class perspective, putting forward a strategy to take on the billionaires and their political servants, and win.We don't run any ads and we don't take corporate money. We rely on support from working people like you, so SUBSCRIBE NOW to On Strike and BECOME A MEMBER of Workers Strike Back: www.workersstrikeback.org/joinOn Strike is a production of Workers Strike Back, which was launched by Kshama Sawant and other working people in 2023 to spread the lessons of her decade as a socialist City Councilmember in Seattle, where she led movements to win historic victories like the first major $15 minimum wage, the Amazon Tax for affordable housing, and landmark renters' rights like the first-in-the-nation ban on winter evictions. Workers Strike Back is building a movement across the country to fight for things like a $25/hour minimum wage, free healthcare and quality affordable housing for all, an end U.S. military aid to the Israeli war machine, and an end the genocide and occupation in Gaza. We're organizing to begin laying the foundation for a new party for working people.Start a monthly donation and support On Strike by becoming a member of Workers Strike Back today!www.workersstrikeback.org/join

On Strike provides news & analysis from a working-class perspective, putting forward a strategy to take on the billionaires and their political servants, and win.We don't run any ads and we don't take corporate money. We rely on support from working people like you, so SUBSCRIBE NOW to On Strike and BECOME A MEMBER of Workers Strike Back: ⁠www.workersstrikeback.org/join⁠On Strike is a production of Workers Strike Back, which was launched by Kshama Sawant and other working people in 2023 to spread the lessons of her decade as a socialist City Councilmember in Seattle, where she led movements to win historic victories like the first major $15 minimum wage, the Amazon Tax for affordable housing, and landmark renters' rights like the first-in-the-nation ban on winter evictions. Workers Strike Back is building a movement across the country to fight for things like a $25/hour minimum wage, free healthcare and quality affordable housing for all, an end U.S. military aid to the Israeli war machine, and an end the genocide and occupation in Gaza. We're organizing to begin laying the foundation for a new party for working people.Start a monthly donation and support On Strike by becoming a member of Workers Strike Back today!⁠www.workersstrikeback.org/join⁠

On Strike provides news & analysis from a working-class perspective, putting forward a strategy to take on the billionaires and their political servants, and win.We don't run any ads and we don't take corporate money. We rely on support from working people like you, so SUBSCRIBE NOW to On Strike and BECOME A MEMBER of Workers Strike Back: www.workersstrikeback.org/joinOn Strike is a production of Workers Strike Back, which was launched by Kshama Sawant and other working people in 2023 to spread the lessons of her decade as a socialist City Councilmember in Seattle, where she led movements to win historic victories like the first major $15 minimum wage, the Amazon Tax for affordable housing, and landmark renters' rights like the first-in-the-nation ban on winter evictions. Workers Strike Back is building a movement across the country to fight for things like a $25/hour minimum wage, free healthcare and quality affordable housing for all, an end U.S. military aid to the Israeli war machine, and an end the genocide and occupation in Gaza. We're organizing to begin laying the foundation for a new party for working people.Start a monthly donation and support On Strike by becoming a member of Workers Strike Back today!www.workersstrikeback.org/join

What’s Trending: Jussie Smollett indicted on 16 felony charges, Elizabeth Warren wants to break up Amazon, Google and Facebook, Jason reviews, ‘Captain Marvel’ and Washington’s Privacy Act passes overwhelmingly in the state Senate. Logan Bowers drops by to talk about his ethics complaint against Kshama Sawant. Jason asks for your help in defeating a horrible homeless encampment bill. 

Steve Bannon pleaded guilty on Tuesday to defrauding donors to a private effort to build a wall on the U.S. southern border, ending a case the conservative strategist decried as a "political persecution." Bannon, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty in state court in Manhattan to one count of scheme to defraud, a low-level felony. Spared from jail as part of a plea deal, he left court saying he "felt like a million bucks." In this conversation with Jimmy, Bannon insists the prosecution was politically motivated and his relatively light sentence proves how weak the case against him was. Plus segments on Donald Trump initiating negotiations to end the Ukraine War and an interview with former Seattle City Council member and Workers Strike Back founder Kshama Sawant. Also featuring Kurt Metzger and Stef Zamorano!

What’s Trending: Howard Schultz slams Elizabeth Warren for fake campaign promises and moving toward Socialism, Eastern Washington residents are dying before Western Washington residents, workers accuse Instacart of stealing money from them, former Rep. Dave Sawyer fined for ethics violation and Washington is ending emissions tests. State Rep. Mike Steele (R-Chelan) talks about the bill he’s co-sponsoring regulating Amazon Scout. Mayor Durkan and Kshama Sawant are fighting over who will lead the fake charge on homelessness. 

Committed socialist politician and activist Kshama Sawant and Abandon Harris co-founder Hassan Abdel Salam joined The Jimmy Dore Show guest hosts Russell Dobular and Keaton Weiss to discuss their opposition to the Biden administration's support for Israel's genocide in Gaza and beyond, breaking the duopoly's control of our politics, and their endorsement of Jill Stein even if votes for the Green Party will potentially lead to Kamala Harris's loss in Michigan and elsewhere.   Democrats, predictably enough, are lashing out at potential third party voters, lodging wild accusations of foreign influence and calling Jill Stein a grifter — all in a desperate effort to distract from the very real shortcomings of the Harris/Walz ticket and Democrats as a whole.   Plus a segment on the CIA touting a new recruit representing the agency's “woke” turn into a more diverse global terrorist organization.   Also featuring Christian Parenti and Mike MacRae. And a phone call from Joe Biden!

This week…  An old frenemy of Seattle politics popped up on the national scene… Hello, Kshama Sawant. It's endorsement season, and we have two experts from both sides of the process to talk about it. And if you thought YOU were seeing a lot of political ads, try asking your dog what they've seen lately. Stranger News Editor Rich Smith and political strategist Sandeep Kaushik are here to break down the week. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. You have the power! Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow And we want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jill Stein rallies with Kshama Sawant in Seattle, search continues for pilots in Navy plane crash, and Reichert faces a tough path in the open race for Governor. It's our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Patricia Murphy. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. You have the power! Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW. We want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s Trending: Kshama Sawant may actually save this country. Boeing has withdrawn its offer to the striking machinists, saying that the union has asked for too much. The Lake Stevens police department is sharing what they’ve learned from child sex offenders in order to raise awareness and inform the community. // Kamala Harris went on Stephen Colbert last night and it was incredibly cringeworthy. // Why is Kamala Harris suddenly doing all of these interviews? The answer is internal polling.

What’s Trending: Dave Reichert and Bob Ferguson are squaring off in the second Gubernatorial debate in Spokane tonight. Bob Ferguson can’t stop lying about Dave Reichert. Cherry Street Coffee is closing its Capitol Hill location after the owner’s spat with Kshama Sawant over the minimum wage tip credit system. // The Federal Reserve announced an interest rate cut today, which could signal some ominous signs for the economy. The Teamsters union announced that they will not be endorsing either Trump or Harris. // Portland is getting a WNBA expansion team. Scientists have a new theory on the cause of Alzheimer’s.

Subscribe to Bad Faith on Patreon to instantly unlock this episode and our entire premium episode library: http://patreon.com/badfaithpodcast Former Socialist Seattle City Councilmember and founder of Workers Strike Back Kshama Sawant joins Bad Faith to download about the Harris/Trump debate and to provide a "fact check" on the Gaza misinformation included therein. Kshama also discusses the killing of American demonstrator Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, whom Kshama knew personally from her engagement in left politics in Seattle. Subscribe to Bad Faith on YouTube for video of this episode. Find Bad Faith on Twitter (@badfaithpod) and Instagram (@badfaithpod). Produced by Armand Aviram. Theme by Nick Thorburn (@nickfromislands).

What’s Trending: A driver that was in a high-speed chase with police ended up killing a grandmother in Olympia. Activist baristas at a Seattle coffee shop are now getting help from former councilmember Kshama Sawant in their strike. A spokesperson for the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office admitted on secret camera that the case against Trump is bogus. // Big Local: Highline Public Schools are closed today and tomorrow due to a cyberattack. A popular Spokane chef is closing one of his restaurants due to crime and homelessness. // A passenger on a flight went viral on TikTok after the two men sitting next to her were guilty of “manspreading.”

What’s Trending: Cory Booker is a lying liar who lies // Jason Reviews ‘Peppermint’ // GUEST: Simon Owen on Starbucks opening in Italy. // Kshama Sawant tweeted that Patriots Prayer will be here this Saturday, and they won’t be // another record jobs report // Fishermen are concerned about the salmon boycott

On today's program Ralph welcomes Kshama Sawant—teacher, activist, organizer, socialist, and former Seattle City Council Member— to talk about the labor movement, her organization Workers Strike Back, and how she achieved so many victories for Seattle's working people. Then, Ralph welcomes the Washington Post's Marc Fisher to discuss his reporting on the "return to office" issue. Kshama Sawant is a teacher, activist, organizer, and socialist. Ms. Sawant helped organize demonstrations for marriage equality, participated in the movement to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and was a visible presence in the Occupy Movement. She served in Seattle's City Council from 2014 to 2023— defeating a 16-year incumbent Democrat to become the first socialist elected in a major US city in decades. She has taught at Seattle Central Community College, Seattle University, and the University of Washington Tacoma—and she has been an activist in her union, the American Federation of Teachers Local 1789, fighting against budget cuts and tuition hikes. She is co-founder of Workers Strike Back and the host of their news and analysis broadcast On Strike.It should be extremely energizing for anybody on the Left who wants to aim to provide leadership that we actually have a historic shift going on in American working-class consciousness, where there is a willingness to fight back— a real hunger for strategy. I would say that what's overwhelmingly clear to me as somebody who's been a socialist, a Marxist, and an activist for well over a decade, is that what working people are parched for is real leadership that can actually garner the kind of victories that ordinary people are looking for.Kshama SawantBusiness unionism is this idea that the role of the labor leader is to negotiate—to make peace between the bosses and the workers. It's completely wrong. It's exactly the opposite. The role of labor leadership is to organize a fight by mobilizing rank-and-file members against the bosses, with the understanding that the interests of the bosses—the greed of the bosses—is diametrically opposed to the needs of workers. Kshama SawantIf we as working people want to win Medicare for all, we will need mass action— organized independent of the Democrats and Republicans. Kshama SawantMarc Fisher is an associate editor of the Washington Post, where he writes a column on Washington— the city, its suburbs, and the people— and issues of big-city America. For 37 years, Mr. Fisher worked as a reporter and editor across various news sections at the Post, most recently focusing on Donald Trump and major breaking-news events. He previously created and led the Metro staff's enterprise reporting group, spent a decade as local columnist and blogger, served as the paper's special reports editor, wrote about politics and culture for the Style section, worked as Central Europe bureau chief on the Post's Foreign staff, and covered D.C. schools and D.C. politics for the Metro section.Most people who work with their hands are carrying on as they always did. But since COVID, we've seen that offices have emptied out in downtowns across the country. And Washington is particularly hard hit because 15-20% of the workers work for the federal or city governments. So there's been this emptying… out of downtown Washington, which has had an enormous impact on the economy. So this is a multi-level issue and problem. And yet for many— if not most—workers, they don't see it as a problem. They see it as a benefit. Marc FisherIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantisNews 8/14/241. A shocking report from the Libertarian magazine Reason exposes “Operation Rolling Thunder,” an annual “five-day law enforcement blitz,” in which 11 different agencies – ranging from local police departments to the federal Department of Homeland Security – collude to confiscate as much cash as possible on a “20-mile stretch of freeway between Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia.” This piece details how officers will fabricate flimsy reasons for pulling drivers over, including “Lighting a cigarette…smelling like cologne, avoiding eye contact, being ‘preoccupied looking for the [car] rental agreement,' and having a cluttered vehicle that appeared to be ‘lived in.'” In 2022, these agencies seized “$194,000 per day or more than $8,000 per hour,” through civil asset forfeiture during this operation. Many of these drivers are never charged with so much as a traffic citation, yet are unable to recover any of their property stolen by the cops.2. Last week, Representative Cori Bush was ousted by an AIPAC-backed primary challenger. An article in Slate details how AIPAC rallied to push the Congresswoman, and fellow Black Lives Matter activist Rep. Jamaal Bowman, out of Congress – outspending both by a margin of 4-1. This piece paints their losses as the death knell of the “George Floyd Era…in Congress,” noting also that no major reforms were passed “Despite broad popular support for legislation to curtail police violence…[and] Democrats…controlling both the House and Senate in 2021 and 2022.” In her concession speech, the Hill reports Bush vowed in no uncertain terms, “AIPAC, I'm coming to tear your kingdom down!” As for Bowman, rumors are now circulating that he will challenge Rep. Ritchie Torres – the “top recipient of AIPAC cash,” according to Track AIPAC – next cycle. Asked about this idea by journalist Ryan Grim, Minnesota Attorney General and former Congressman Keith Ellison said “That'd be a very good thing…I"ll put it like this, none of us own these seats.”3. In related news, a new report in the Intercept exposes the “… ‘Zionists for Don Samuels' WhatsApp Group Raising Big Money to Oust Ilhan Omar.” As this report notes this group contained at least one campaign staffer, Alex Minn – whom the campaign has since severed ties with – and major outside donors despite “Campaign finance laws prohibit[ing] coordination between candidates' campaigns and outside spending groups like super PACs.” One major donor in this group, wealthy entrepreneur Michael Sinensky, wrote “The bottom line is…we need to be supportive…of the alt right Christian Neo Nazis at the moment (like Ukraine) to fight off the socialist, Marxist, anarchists who are supporting radical Islam… Nazis are better than Islamic terrorists.”4. Last week, the Mayor of Nagasaki, Japan held a memorial for those killed in the atomic bombing of that city – and opted not to invite the Israeli ambassador “to avoid possible protests over Israel's war on Gaza,” per Al Jazeera. In response, US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel announced he would skip the event because this decision had “politicized” the event. The British ambassador to Japan also announced that she would boycott this event due to Israel's exclusion. According to the BBC, “In June, [Nagasaki Mayor Shiro] Suzuki said Nagasaki had sent a letter to the Israeli embassy calling for an ‘immediate ceasefire' in Gaza.”5. Journalist Jessica Burbank reports Palestinian American Actress Sarah Alami has called on SAG-AFTRA to “break their silence on [the] genocide in Gaza.” In a statement, Alami writes “Our union president has helped raise 60 million dollars to fund Israel's army,” and decries that many actors have “been put on Black lists in Hollywood for speaking out against a foreign government.” Alami also linked to SAG-AFTRA Members for Ceasefire, a group agitating for the Guild to take a principled stand against the genocide.6. On Monday, the leaders of France, Germany, and the U.K. issued a joint statement “calling for the immediate resumption of [ceasefire] negotiations,” stressing that “there can be no further delay…the fighting must end now...the people of Gaza need urgent and unfettered delivery and distribution of aid.” In this statement, President Macron, Chancellor Sholz, and Prime Minister Starmer also expressed that they are “deeply concerned by the heightened tensions in the region” and are “united in [their] commitment to de-escalation and regional stability,” ending this statement by writing “No country or nation stands to gain from a further escalation in the Middle East.7. Yet despite such strong words from our European allies, the Biden administration has instead taken measures sure to escalate tensions in the region. On August 9th, Zeteo reported that “The State Department…formally notified Congress of a direct sale of 6,500 joint direct action munitions (JDAM) to Israel.” This shipment, valued at $262 million, was “reportedly delayed in May, as it was…under review…[while the] U.S. sought to prevent Israeli forces from pursuing a major ground invasion in Rafah.” Sarah Leah Whitson, the executive director of Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), said “It is hard to comprehend how the Biden administration can justify rewarding Israel with new weapons, despite Israel's persistent defiance of every single plea the Biden administration has made urging a modicum of restraint, and despite the very apparent fact that such sales violate black letter U.S. laws prohibiting weapons to gross abusers like Israel.” The very same day, Reuters reported that “The Biden administration…decided to lift a ban on U.S. sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia… reversing a three-year-old policy to pressure the kingdom to wind down the Yemen war.” This move is an unsubtle green-light for the Saudis to recommence their war on the Yemeni Houthis, who have had more success than anticipated in their naval campaign of blockading Israeli ports and attacking American naval vessels in the Red Sea.8. Much like the presidency of Lyndon Johnson, the Biden administration continues to pursue noble goals at home even while participating in human rights atrocities abroad. On Monday, More Perfect Union reported that “Banks, credit card companies, and more will be required to let customers talk to a human by pressing a single button under a new Biden administration proposed rule.” The pro-labor outlet goes on to say that this rule, coming from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau “is part of a campaign to crack down on customer service ‘doom loops,'” and simultaneously “[the Federal Trade Commission] is…considering similar requirements for phone, broadband, and cable companies,” while “[The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Labor] are calling on health plan providers to make it easier to talk to a customer service agent.” Consumer advocates like Ralph Nader have long railed against the increasing difficulty of talking to real person when one calls corporate customer service lines.9. In more positive news, the UAW reports it has “filed federal labor charges against disgraced billionaires Donald Trump and Elon Musk for their illegal attempts to threaten and intimidate workers who stand up for themselves by engaging in protected concerted activity, such as strikes.” This attempt to threaten and intimidate workers came during a conversation between Trump and Musk on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday. Trump is quoted saying “I mean, I look at what you do…You walk in, you say, You want to quit? They go on strike, I won't mention the name of the company, but they go on strike and you say, That's OK, you're all gone. You're all gone. So, every one of you is gone.” UAW President Shawn Fain commented “When we say Donald Trump is a scab, this is what we mean. When we say Trump stands against everything our union stands for, this is what we mean…Donald Trump will always side against workers standing up for themselves, and he will always side with billionaires like Elon Musk, who is contributing $45 million a month to a Super PAC to get him elected. Both Trump and Musk want working class people to sit down and shut up, and they laugh about it openly. It's disgusting, illegal, and totally predictable from these two clowns.”10. Finally, in an almost unbelievable story from the Miami Herald, “[Former President Donald] Trump flew to campaign events on Jeffrey Epstein's plane last weekend.” Apparently, this plane is now owned by a private plane chartering service, Threshold Aviation Group, and the Trump campaign “confirmed that a decal with the words ‘Trump 2024' was placed on Epstein's old plane for the trip.” As the Herald points out “Trump was in the same social circles as Epstein,” and records show he “flew on Epstein's planes six times from 1993 to 1997.”This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Bad Faith on Patreon to instantly unlock this episode and our entire premium episode library: http://patreon.com/badfaithpodcast Former Seattle City Council member, socialist, & co-founder of Workers Strike Back Kshama Sawant returns to Bad Faith for an important conversation about where the left's focus should be during what is shaping up to be one of the most tumultuous electoral seasons in American history. AOC, Bernie, and almost all progressive electeds threw their support behind Biden even as the general public overwhelmingly lost confidence in him -- and for what? Kshama breaks down AOC's late night IG monologue justifying support for Biden, reviews the evidence for why the Squad's "insider" strategy has proven ineffective, and offers a clear vision for how the left can advance our goals in this unique moment. Subscribe to Bad Faith on YouTube to access our full video library. Find Bad Faith on Twitter (@badfaithpod) and Instagram (@badfaithpod).   Produced by Armand Aviram.   Theme by Nick Thorburn (@nickfromislands)