Podcasts about Democracy

Democracy Now! Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Steve Hayes invites Megan McArdle, Mike Warren, and Jonah Goldberg to review the biggest stories of the year, people we don't want to hear from in 2026, and the best writing not from The Dispatch. The Agenda:—Most important news story—Most undercovered story—Who is the most exposed?—Best piece of non-Dispatch journalism—Best good news of the year Show Notes:—Is the AfD Too Extreme for Democracy?—The Anti-Social Century—The Sierra Club Embraced Social Justice. Then It Tore Itself Apart—Donald Trump's Tariff Dealmaker-in-Chief—Revolutionary gene therapy brings hope of leukaemia cure Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democracy Now! Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Author Laurence Rees dives deep with Thom on a topic urgent for our times. Like Thom, Rees has studied the rise of Hitler carefully- and found that fascism always starts by conspiracies, fear, and the necessary creation of a dangerous enemy out of "those people"...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Deregulation Was Never About “Freedom”—It Was About Permission to PoisonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From detaining student protesters to threatening to deport rival politicians, President Trump has weaponized the immigration system to suppress dissent. Professor Alina Das and advocate Ramya Krishnan join Taonga Leslie to discuss how these attacks chill speech across the board, examine the unique challenges of defending free speech in the immigration context, and describe how lawyers can resist efforts to silence non-citizens and citizens alike.Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today: ACSLaw.orgHost: Taonga Leslie, Director of Policy and Program for Racial JusticeGuest: Alina Das, James Weldon Johnson Professor & Co-Director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic, NYU LawGuest: Ramya Krishnan, Senior Staff Attorney, Knight First Amendment Institute; Lecturer in Law, Columbia Law SchoolLink:  Opinion, AAUP v. Rubio (Judge Young)Link: The First Amendment in Flux, ACS Program GuideLink: Rights Under Attack: DHS Violence Against Journalists, Observers, and ProtestorsVisit the Podcast Website: Broken Law Podcast Email the Show: Podcast@ACSLaw.org Follow ACS on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Bluesky | LinkedIn | YouTube -----------------Broken Law: About the law, who it serves, and who it doesn't.----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of American Constitution Society 2025.

On today's show: Headlines CBS Censorship: Bari Weiss Pulls “60 Minutes” Exposé on Torture of Migrants U.S. Sent to El Salvador “Out for Blood”: Writer Jasper Nathaniel on Surviving Israeli Settler Attack on W. Bank Olive Farmers Democracy Now! is a daily independent award-winning news program hosted by journalists Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. The post Democracy Now! – December 23, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

Democracy in the UK is under strain. Many voters feel deeply alienated from politics, believing that those elected to represent them often pursue narrow or personal interests rather than the public good. Political polarisation, intensified by changes in the media landscape, is undermining constructive debate. And for many citizens, it can feel as though money (rather than votes) is what really speaks loudest in politics.Against this backdrop, there is growing interest in how democratic systems might be reformed to function better and become more resilient. A wide range of proposals has emerged, tackling different aspects of democratic decline. While we can't cover them all in a single episode, today's discussion focuses on two specific reform ideas explored in recent articles published in the journal The Political Quarterly.The first examines the role of donations to political parties, asking how political finance shapes power, influence, and public trust in the democratic system. The second looks at the position of smaller parties in the House of Commons, exploring how parliamentary procedures affect their ability to contribute meaningfully to debate and scrutiny.To discuss these ideas, we're joined by the authors of both pieces:Iain McMenamin, Professor of Comparative Politics at Dublin City University, is an expert on political finance and co-author of the article on party donations.Louise Thompson, Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Manchester, is a leading scholar of parliamentary politics and the author of the study on the role of small parties in the Commons.Together, we explore whether reforming party funding and giving smaller parties a stronger voice in Parliament could help rebuild trust, improve representation, and strengthen UK democracy.Mentioned in this episode:‘Unbroken, but Dangerous: The UK's Political Finance Regime and the Rationale for Reform', by Logan De la Torre, Kevin Fahey, and Iain McMenamin 'Modernising the House: Why the 2024 Parliament Highlights the Need to Formalise Party-Group Rights in the House of Commons', by Louise Thompson.  UCL's Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics, including international relations, political theory, human rights, public policy-making and administration. The Department is recognised for its world-class research and policy impact, ranking among the top departments in the UK on both the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and the latest Guardian rankings.

Send us a textNorskprøven B2: 15 Advanced Words about Democracy and Media

John B. King Jr., who served in President Barack Obama's cabinet as the tenth U.S. Secretary of Education, discusses how important it is for every student to have at least one caring adult in every school building, how we can shift mindsets so that educators believe every student can learn, and what the value is of higher education. Secretary King's new book is Teacher By Teacher: The People Who Change Our Lives.

Headlines for December 22, 2025; “Who Are They Protecting?”: Rep. Ro Khanna Urges Contempt Charges over AG Bondi’s Epstein Redactions; Rep. Ro Khanna on Venezuela Strikes, Zohran Mamdani, Trump-Kennedy Center & More; Israel Approves 19 New West Bank Settlements as State-Sponsored Violence Escalates; “Destroying Knowledge”: Michael Mann on Trump’s Dismantling of Key Climate Center in Colorado

Democracy Now! Monday, December 22, 2025

The progressive Congressman reads the Washington DC tea leaves as he takes callers from across the nation. Plus- Thom reads from "Kickback: Exposing the Global Corporate Bribery Network" by David Montero.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The commons, unions, and a livable wage built the first mass middle class. Now younger voters want to reboot that machine at full throttle…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Democracy Now! titulares en español de 22 de diciembre de 2025

On today's show: “Who Are They Protecting?”: Rep. Ro Khanna Urges Contempt Charges over AG Bondi's Epstein Redactions Rep. Ro Khanna on Venezuela Strikes, Zohran Mamdani, Trump-Kennedy Center & More Israel Approves 19 New West Bank Settlements as State-Sponsored Violence Escalates “Destroying Knowledge”: Michael Mann on Trump's Dismantling of Key Climate Center in Colorado Democracy Now! is a daily independent award-winning news program hosted by journalists Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. The post Democracy Now! – December 22, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

How Much Profit Is Your Life & Health Worth to Them? House speaker Mike Johnson, says affordable health care ‘just was not to be' while a house Republican torches his own party's healthcare bill as "milquetoast garbage."See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Americans face an affordability crisis, paying more for housing, healthcare, and childcare than ever before; former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper discusses his new bid for the U.S. Senate; President Trump intensifies his misogynistic insults of female journalists 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.

President Trump's administration selectively decides how to apply the rule of law; why America's affordability crisis isn't a ‘hoax;' former Washington Gov. Jay Inslee warns of consequences from Trump's disinformation on climate change 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.

The dumbest people in politics are always going on about how we need more "debate" between various factions. But Stanford political scientist James Fishkin has a much more sophisticated argument that actual deliberation--not cable news morons shouting at each other--has a vital role to play in democratic functioning, and has actually carried out several experiments to that effect. He joins us to talk about his book Can Deliberation Cure the Ills of Democracy?

Lunch & Learn with American Federation for Teachers President Randi Weingarten and Rabbi Sharon Brous to discuss Weingarten's new book, Why Fascists Fear Teachers: Public Education and the Future of Democracy, which exposes the long-planned strategy to undermine education—and lifts up the powerful role educators play in protecting truth and democracy. We apologize for technical difficulties that occured during the livestream which caused compromised the quality of the first 20 minutes of audio.

STARMER'S BANANA REPUBLIC | HE MUST BE DEPOSED  #Starmer #BananaRepublic #UKPolitics #BBCBias #JonGaunt #JonGauntTV #Live #FreeSpeech #HateCrimeLaws #BBCBias  Today's live show lays out the case that under Keir Starmer, Britain is being reshaped away from constitutional democracy and toward something far more dangerous — a system where power flows downward from the state, not upward from the people.  This is not about personality. It's about how Starmer governs, what he tolerates, and what his system incentivises . We examine how Starmer's leadership is marked by: • Elections treated as an inconvenience rather than a mandate • Governing while sidelining or ignoring the House of Commons • Abandoning manifesto commitments once power is secured • Criminalising "offensive" political speech • Expanding police powers through vague and subjective hate crime laws • Undermining trial by jury in favour of administrative efficiency • Handing Ofcom sweeping control over online speech • Regulating dissent via unelected bodies instead of Parliament We also address selective enforcement and cultural engineering: • Ideological "re-education" of boys on misogyny • While ignoring or downplaying Pakistani grooming gangs • FGM, forced marriage, sectarian coercion, and parallel legal cultures • Equality before the law replaced by political fear and silence And the wider system surrounding Starmer: • Media narrative control and framing, especially the role of the BBC • Loyal but incompetent appointments beneath the leadership • Weakening of the family and replacement with the state • Denial and rewriting of British history as shame • Expansion of welfare dependency to create political compliance • Use of foreign war — Ukraine / Russia — as moral cover and domestic distraction This is not left vs right. It's Keir Starmer vs democratic consent. What does "deposed" mean? It means politically removed — through Parliament, party mechanisms, elections, and sustained lawful public pressure. Not violence. Not chaos. Democracy correcting itself before it's too late.  If you think this case is wrong, challenge it. If you think it's exaggerated, defend the record. But don't pretend this is normal.

Well its been a truly awful year for America and Democracy. Donny Littlehands and his crew of low IQ weasels, grifters and con artists are ending the year the way they started...making us pray for relief. For the last time in 2025 we run down the political news and stories. Pull up a chair and watch us drink...heavily. Happy Holidays. 

Will the supreme egoist be snared by his thirst for vainglory? Could the board of the Pulitzer Prize take Trump down? After deranged Donald picked a fight with the board, the Pulitzer lawyers demanded info that he would prefer to keep hidden. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

President Trump gives himself a grade a “A+++++” on the economy, but the reality for most Americans is very different; Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi discusses the DOJ's release of some of the Jeffrey Epstein files; a detailed breakdown of what MRNA vaccines are, how they work, and why they are so important 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.

How some major corporations are driving up prices for the American people; what is and what isn't inside the DOJ's release of some of the Jeffrey Epstein files; inside Canada's aggressive play to lure highly skilled H-1B visa holders from America 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.

President Trump gives himself high marks on the economy, but the reality for most Americans is far different; Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi breaks down the DOJ's release of some of the Jeffrey Epstein files; E. Lockhart's “We Were Liars” trilogy is the subject of this week's meeting of the Velshi Banned Book Club 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.

Headlines for December 19, 2025; Doctors in Jail? Hospitals Stripped of Fed Funding? The Criminalization of Trans Youth Healthcare; Kilmar Ábrego García Reunites with Family, But Trump Admin Threatens to Jail & Deport Him Again; “Terror & Fear”: Trump Moves to Denaturalize Citizens, End Birthright Citizenship, Halt Visa Lottery

Democracy Now! Friday, December 19, 2025

Attorney and radio host Dean Obeidallah reports that what we have seen from today's GOP is that it will not moderate. Instead, it will move further and further to the right. The young Republicans at Saturday's event simply confirm that very reality. And they warn us of what we must be prepared to defeat. Epstein reveal fizzles. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A palace rising on public ground while the affordability crisis tightens its grip isn't just bad optics, it's a betrayal of the idea of America…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

0:30 - Brown/MIT: They got their guy 31:57 - Immigration angle 56:48 - Retired FBI supervisory special agent James Gagliano faults Brown University’s lack of functioning cameras for delaying the shooter investigation and the death of an MIT professor days later. 01:14:57 - Writer and photographer Chris Arnade, currently walking around the world, asks why Americans are unhappy — even in the most successful country in human history. Chris is also the author of Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America and his substack Chris Arnade Walks the World 01:32:42 - Senior fellow at the Discovery Institute’s Center on Human Exceptionalism, Wesley J Smith: Illinois Swallows the Hemlock of Assisted Suicide. Follow Wesley on X @theWesleyJSmith 01:47:29 - Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy and co-founder of the Muslim Reform Movement, on why strong vetting is essential to protecting American values from radical Islamism. Dr Jasser is running for congress in Arizona’s 4th district - z4az.com 02:07:34 - 2025’s Final Open Mic Friday!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synopsis:  Fifty years ago, factory floor workers at Lucas Aerospace challenged their company's focus on war machines with an innovative plan for socially useful production - and it could be just as relevant today.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 2025]:  Military budgets are skyrocketing across the globe, while funding for social needs—housing, healthcare, education—is being slashed. Politicians often justify this skewed spending by claiming it creates jobs. But what if the people doing those jobs had a say in how public money was used?Fifty years ago, workers at Lucas Aerospace, a U.K. military contractor, designed a visionary proposal known as the Lucas Plan: a worker-led alternative focused on socially useful production rather than weapons of war.In our special report, The Lucas Plan at 50: A Radical Investment in Society, Not the War Machine, Laura spoke with Brian Salisbury, a former Lucas Aerospace shop steward and one of the voices behind that groundbreaking effort. He comes from a proud family of Lucas workers: his father worked there for over 40 years. He himself worked for the company for 22 years at the Birmingham plant. At 90 years old today He says: “At a time when there's a lack of a political alternative narrative to neoliberalism the opportunity to put forward a response from the “bottom up” is essential given the direction of travel by those in power on either side of the Atlantic.”What follows is the full, uncut conversation with Brian—rich with lessons for today's movements for climate justice, peace, and economic democracy.Guest:  Brian Salisbury: Former Lucas Aerospace Shop Steward SPECIAL THANKS: Karen Bell, Joe Guinan, Steve Schofield ADDITIONAL CREW: Stanley Arlidge - Episode Producer, Clementine Malpas, Tiger Nest Films Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  Recommended book:• “The Lucas Plan: A New Trade Unionism in the Making?” by Hilary Wainwright and Dave Elliott, Learn More Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:Democracy & Capitalism: A Failed Experiment?:  Watch / Listen:  Uncut Conversation - EpisodeCommunity Wealth Building: An Economic Reset:  Watch / Listen:  Uncut Conversation - EpisodeDollars and Democracy: Participatory Budgeting:  Watch / Listen:  Episode•  From Cleveland, OH to Preston, UK.  Community Wealth Building, Watch / Listen: Episode Related Articles and Resources:• A Lucas Plan For the Twenty First Century From Asset Manager Arsenal to Green Industrial Strategy, by Khern Rogsly, October 2024 - Common Welath•  The Lucas Plan the Way to an Alternative Security Strategy, by Khem Royally, December 11, 2024, Rethinking Security• UK to cut green levies on businesses in bid to reduce energy costs and boost manufacturing, by Jessica Elgot and Rob Davies, June 22, 2025, The Guardian•. Decarbonising and diversifying defense in the US and the UK:  A workers' enquiry for a Just Transition, Decarbonising-Defence.co.uk•  Wortley Hall, the Worker's Stately home, a member of the co-operative union•. US Defense Secretary Called Europe ‘Pathetic.”  Two BU Experts on Whether the Alliance Is Damaged, by Rich Barlow, March 27, 2025, Boston University Today•  ‘I will not protect you':  Trump Threatens to Abandon Nato Allies, Kaitlan Collins, October 11, 2024, CNN 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

On this Salcedo Storm Podcast:Dr. Zuhdi Jasser is the Founder and President of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy. He a practicing physician who is running for congress in Arizona's Fourth Congressional District.

Democracy Now! titulares en español de 19 de diciembre de 2025

Democracy Now! Thursday, December 18, 2025

Democracy Now! Thursday, December 18, 2025

FCC scrubs "independent agency" language from their website as they decide they're with the dictator. Phil Ittner - Ukraine Update - reality bites...Russia. Trump Turns the White House Into a Petty Propaganda Museum.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A stark look at the speech that blurred the line between leadership and losing control on the world stage…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Description:  Originally released in 2024, this episode is re-released in 2025 to honor the lives and legacy of Rob Reiner and Michelle Reiner, whose sudden deaths are deeply felt. We share this conversation again to uplift the vital work they brought into the world.How does a religion rooted in love and peace become a force that fuels political violence, as seen on January 6, 2021? In the documentary God & Country, producer Rob Reiner and director Dan Partland, examine the rise of Christian Nationalism — a dangerous fusion of patriarchal White Nationalism and messianic faith. Based on Katherine Stewart's The Power Worshippers, the film reveals how this movement threatens both secular democracy and Christianity itself.Rob Reiner — Emmy-winning actor, acclaimed director, and lifelong defender of democratic values — devoted his later years to confronting authoritarianism. Michelle Reiner, also a producer on God & Country, was a vital creative and moral force behind the film and this episode. Their work, and their warning, remain urgent in 2025 as the consequences of the 2024 election continue to unfold.The episode closes with Laura Flanders on why civic engagement matters now more than ever.Guests:•  Dan Partland: Director, God & Country•  Rob Reiner: Producer, God & Country• Full Conversation-  LISTENMake a tax deductible YEAR END DONATION and become a member, go to LauraFlanders.org/donate. This show is made possible thanks to you!  *Recommended book:“The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism” by Katherine Stewart,  Get the Book(*Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. The LF Show is an affiliate of bookshop.org and will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.)Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  Lisa Graves: The Extremist Revolution & Democracy Hanging by a Thread, Watch  /  Listen-Download Podcast•  Congressman Jamie Raskin On January 6th: After a Failed Coup, a Successful One?, Watch / Listen-Download Podcast•  How Radical Self Love Can Heal the World, Watch  /  Listen-Download PodcastRelated Articles and Resources:•  ‘God & Country,' the Movie, List of Theater by zipcode  Information Here•  Stop the Coup 2025 - Stop Project 2025 - Get Involved / Learn More Here• All of Us, Organizing to Counter White Christian Nationalism and Build a Pro-Democracy Society, by Organizing All of Us, PDF Download•  Why a Group of Christians Is Fighting the Growing Threat of Christian Nationalism, by Vera Bergengruen, January 6, 2021, TIME Magazine, Read Here•  White Christian Nationalism:  Attacking our Democracy, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Learn More Here•  BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, Learn More Here Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends 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

This week, Scott down with his Lawfare colleagues Alan Rozenshtein and Ari Tabatabai to talk through a few of the week's big national security news stories, including:“Once You Pop, You Can't Stop.” The Trump administration has given a green light to Nvidia to export its powerful H200 chips to China, opening a potentially significant new market while jumpstarting China's strategically significant AI industry—or, perhaps, making it reliant on U.S. technology. What explains this decision? And how does it align with the Trump administration's broader reframing of strategic competition with China as a primarily economic problem, as reflected in its recent National Security Strategy?“Lavatories of Democracy.” Late last week, President Trump signed an executive order setting up a number of mechanisms intended to assert federal preemption over and otherwise deter state efforts to regulate the development and use of AI—an executive branch-only effort that followed a failed push to insert a related legislative provision into year-end omnibus legislation. How effective is this measure likely to be? And how wise is it to try and bar the states from regulating AI development and use in the first place?“Some Things You Can't Make Light Of.” Over the weekend, a pair of gunmen inspired by the Islamic State executed a brutal massacre at a Hanukkah event on Australia's Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and injuring 40. The violence has shocked Australia, a country with strict gun control laws where incidents of anti-semitism have been on the rise, as in much of the world. What is there to learn from the attack and its aftermath? And what could its ramifications be, both in Australia and further abroad?In object lessons, Alan tells us what the buzz is—seeing Jesus Christ Superstar live. Scott, heavy with Christmas spirit, shares his grandmother's recipe for sour cream coffee cake (remember, during the holidays, dense=delicious). And Ari keeps us grounded with a recommendation of “Don't Let's Go To the Dogs Tonight,” a South African film about a White Zimbabwean family following the Rhodesian Bush War.Rational Security will be having its traditional end-of-year episode later this month, which will focus on listener-submitted topics and object lessons! If you have topics you want us to discuss and object lessons you want to share—whether serious or frivolous—be sure to send them to rationalsecurity@lawfaremedia.org by Dec. 21!To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Headlines for December 17, 2025; A Path to WWIII? Greg Grandin on Venezuela, Trump’s “Madman Doctrine” & More; Chile’s Trump? Ariel Dorfman on the Election of Pinochet Admirer José Antonio Kast; How Did Epstein Get Rich? The New York Times Investigates His “Scams, Schemes, Ruthless Cons”

This week, Scott down with his Lawfare colleagues Alan Rozenshtein and Ari Tabatabai to talk through a few of the week's big national security news stories, including:“Once You Pop, You Can't Stop.” The Trump administration has given a green light to Nvidia to export its powerful H200 chips to China, opening a potentially significant new market while jumpstarting China's strategically significant AI industry—or, perhaps, making it reliant on U.S. technology. What explains this decision? And how does it align with the Trump administration's broader reframing of strategic competition with China as a primarily economic problem, as reflected in its recent National Security Strategy?“Lavatories of Democracy.” Late last week, President Trump signed an executive order setting up a number of mechanisms intended to assert federal preemption over and otherwise deter state efforts to regulate the development and use of AI—an executive branch-only effort that followed a failed push to insert a related legislative provision into year-end omnibus legislation. How effective is this measure likely to be? And how wise is it to try and bar the states from regulating AI development and use in the first place?“Some Things You Can't Make Light Of.” Over the weekend, a pair of gunmen inspired by the Islamic State executed a brutal massacre at a Hanukkah event on Australia's Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and injuring 40. The violence has shocked Australia, a country with strict gun control laws where incidents of anti-semitism have been on the rise, as in much of the world. What is there to learn from the attack and its aftermath? And what could its ramifications be, both in Australia and further abroad?In object lessons, Alan tells us what the buzz is—seeing Jesus Christ Superstar live. Scott, heavy with Christmas spirit, shares his grandmother's recipe for sour cream coffee cake (remember, during the holidays, dense=delicious). And Ari keeps us grounded with a recommendation of “Don't Let's Go To the Dogs Tonight,” a South African film about a White Zimbabwean family following the Rhodesian Bush War.Rational Security will be having its traditional end-of-year episode later this month, which will focus on listener-submitted topics and object lessons! If you have topics you want us to discuss and object lessons you want to share—whether serious or frivolous—be sure to send them to rationalsecurity@lawfaremedia.org by Dec. 21!To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Terry Mattingly of Rational Sheep Rational Sheep Pop Goes Religion: Faith in Popular Culture GetReligion.orgThe post Media Coverage of a Pro-Democracy Activist Imprisoned in Hong Kong – Terry Mattingly, 12/17/25 (3511) first appeared on Issues, Etc..

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Headlines for December 17, 2025; A Path to WWIII? Greg Grandin on Venezuela, Trump’s “Madman Doctrine” & More; Chile’s Trump? Ariel Dorfman on the Election of Pinochet Admirer José Antonio Kast; How Did Epstein Get Rich? The New York Times Investigates His “Scams, Schemes, Ruthless Cons”

When politicians hand the gun industry a liability shield, they're not “protecting freedom,” they're protecting a business model built on body counts…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles may have accidentally revealed Trump's failing mental health in an interview she has since called a 'hit piece' Donald Trump is furious. After the brutal murder of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Trump responded not with empathy, not with basic human decency, but with venom.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Democracy Now! Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Constitutional attorney Andrew Seidel joins the show to talk about the state of the States as we tumble toward 2026.The Die Hard Christmas Movie VideoVideo of this conversationBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.