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We're a couple days removed from yet another on campus shooting. Sasha, Cari, and I ask what the hell is wrong with America and how did we get here.About our guests: Sasha Abramsky is The Nation's Western correspondent. He is the author of several books, including The American Way of Poverty, The House of Twenty Thousand Books, Little Wonder: The Fabulous Story of Lottie Dod, the World's First Female Sports Superstar, and most recently Chaos Comes Calling: The Battle Against the Far-Right Takeover of Small-Town America. Follow him on Bluesky at @sashaabramsky.bsky.social. Dr. Cari Babitzke is a historian focusing on gun politics in the latter half of the 20th century.
Today Sasha Abramsky joins in for the first time to talk about why small towns are so susceptible to far right rhetoric and if there is hope for the future.About our guest:Sasha Abramsky is The Nation's Western correspondent. He is the author of several books, including The American Way of Poverty, The House of Twenty Thousand Books, Little Wonder: The Fabulous Story of Lottie Dod, the World's First Female Sports Superstar, and most recently Chaos Comes Calling: The Battle Against the Far-Right Takeover of Small-Town America. Follow him on Bluesky at @sashaabramsky.bsky.social.
Part 1:We talk with Justin Elliott who writes for ProPublica.He describes the results of an investigation he did, with colleagues, to find out the details of a boarding house in Washington D.C. being used by Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican Members as a residence. The house is owned by wealthy Republican supporter Lee Beeman, and is occupied/run by Rev. Berger as a home for white christian nationalists. It is not clear how much rent is being paid, and not clear how much unregistered lobbying is happening. Former Congressman Ogles, among others, is also resident.Part 2:We talk with Sasha Abramsky, who writes for The Nation.We discuss the various boasts and threats by Trump, who has expressed his desire to take over Canada, Greenland, and possibly other countries. This kind of action is compared to the Anschluss (annexations) by Hitler in the 1930s. While Americans almost laugh at these proposed actions, the Danes and Canadians are not laughing. We discuss what US residents/voters must do to prevent total disaster during Trump and Musk's "smash and grab" campaign. Music: From David Rovics, “The Richest Man in the World Says So”, 2025
From a Mad English King 249 Years Later to a Mad American King | The Wannabe Mob Boss Trump's Early Years With Made Men His Father Dealt With | Trump's Mafia-Style Foreign Policy as the Mob Boss Putin Meets With The Wannabe Mob Boss in Saudi Arabia backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social facebook.com/ianmastersmedia
Sam shares an excerpt from Refuse Fascism's Virtual Forum "Only The People Can Defeat Fascism" featuring commentary from Paul Street and Sunsara Taylor. You can view the entire forum here. She then interviews Sasha Abramsky, author of Chaos Comes Calling and Western Correspondent for The Nation. In this conversation, Sasha discusses the rapid ascent of fascism, emphasizing the dehumanization of vulnerable populations, the role of propaganda, and the transformation of government under the Trump Regime. He highlights the immediate consequences of slashing social programs, the global implications of U.S. policies, and the impact of paramilitary forces on the rule of law. Follow Sasha on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sashaabramsky.bsky.social.Then Sam interviews historian Thomas Zimmer, co-host of the "Is this Democracy" podcast, to discuss the qualitative transformation of the US government over the course of the last month, through constitutional crisis to the brink of categorically ending constitutional order. The conversation examines the deadly synergy between varied factions and key figures within the fascist movement, highlighting Russel Vought and Elon Musk. Read more from him by subscribing to his substack: http://thomaszimmer.substack.com/. Follow Thomas on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thomaszimmer.bsky.social.Monday, FEBRUARY 17 “Presidents Day…” Take To the Streets (click to find locations)Volunteer for Refuse Fascism >Resources: The Dehumanization Is the Point by Sasha Abramsky Trump's January 6 Pardons Were a Green Light to Far Right Paramilitaries by Sasha Abramsky Meet the Ideologue of the “Post-Constitutional” Right by Thomas Zimmer MAGA Feeding Frenzy Has Caused a Constitutional Crisis by Thomas ZimmerMerch:Sticker packsBeaniesPinsSend your comments to samanthagoldman@refusefascism.org or @SamBGoldman and find her on TikTok:@samgoldmanrf. Record a voice message for the show here. Connect with the movement at RefuseFascism.org and support:·patreon.com/refusefascism·paypal.me/refusefascism·donate.refusefascism.orgMusic for this episode: Penny the Snitch by Ikebe Shakedown
In this WhoWhatWhy podcast, veteran journalist Sasha Abramsky reveals a striking paradox: Progressives, long suspicious of states' rights — once a reactionary battle cry against civil rights and federal reforms — are now embracing state power as their best defense against growing authoritarianism. As the federal government tilts rightward, blue states are forming unprecedented coalitions to preserve democratic values and progressive policies. But could these defensive measures actually accelerate America's political fracturing?
On a recent California Sun podcast I spoke with Sasha Abramsky, author of the new book “Chaos Comes Calling.” Abramsky talks to me about how America's deep polarization has cascaded from national politics down to local levels of governance. Abramsky reveals that even in small rural communities, once-mundane local issues like library policies, road repairs, and child care have become ideological battlegrounds. Abramsky illuminates how the pandemic, social media echo chambers, and talk radio amplified partisan voices, transforming school boards and city councils into microcosms of the broader red-blue divide.
Sasha Abramsky writes about how polarization threatened to break apart two American communities and how one found a way back while the other splintered.
Sasha Abramsky, author of the new book "Chaos Comes Calling," talks about how America's deep polarization has cascaded from national politics down to local levels of governance. Abramsky reveals that even in small rural communities, once-mundane local issues like library policies, road repairs, and child care have become ideological battlegrounds. A quintessential example of this phenomenon is Shasta County, California, where far-right politicians won control of government. Abramsky illuminates how the pandemic, social media echo chambers, and talk radio amplified partisan voices, transforming school boards and city councils into microcosms of the broader red-blue divide.
Broadcast Live Every Tuesday at 6pm pacific on KCNRSpotify - Apple Podcasts - RSSAll other podcast appsFacebook - Instagram - TikTok Join The Shasta Unmasked DiscordPodcast Hosting provided by Echoplex MediaHosts: Ashley WintersGuest:Sasha AbramskyWe have a conversation with Sasha Abramsky, the author of the book “Chaos Comes Calling”, which highlights extremism movements in Shasta County and other small, rural counties in the Olympic Northwest.
The polls right now show Kamala would win the electoral college if the election were held today--Harold Meyerson comments. Also: Trump Media stock - it's sinking fast.Plus: Trump has canceled his plan to visit Springfield, Ohio, but his lie about Haitian immigrants there eating cats and dogs continues to ricochet around the American political world. Amy Wilentz comments.Also: The presidential election is the main political battle in America today, but Trump's followers have also been fighting for years to take over towns across the country. Sasha Abramsky reports on two exemplary battles. His new book is Chaos Comes Calling.
Trump has cancelled his plans to visit Springfield, Ohio, but his lie about Haitian immigrants there eating cats and dogs continues to riccochet around the American political world. Amy Wilentz comments.Plus: The presidential election is the main political battle in America today, but Trump's followers have also been fighting, for years, to take over towns across the country. Sasha Abramsky reports on two exemplary battles. His new book is ‘Chaos Comes Calling.'Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Trump has cancelled his plans to visit Springfield, Ohio, but his lie about Haitian immigrants there eating cats and dogs continues to riccochet around the American political world. Amy Wilentz comments.Plus: The presidential election is the main political battle in America today, but Trump's followers have also been fighting, for years, to take over towns across the country. Sasha Abramsky reports on two exemplary battles. His new book is ‘Chaos Comes Calling.'
With six weeks to go before the election, Jonathan Freedland speaks to the author Sasha Abramsky about the prospect of a second January 6 attack should the former president refuse to accept the outcome of the vote You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport
With six weeks to go before the election, Jonathan Freedland speaks to the author Sasha Abramsky about the prospect of a second January 6 attack should the former president refuse to accept the election outcome
Sequim––a quiet, coastal community just a couple hours away from Seattle––may seem like an unlikely microcosm for the rise of far-right politics. And yet, political journalist Sasha Abramsky has closely followed small-town communities, including Sequim, and argues that places like these have directly influenced current national politics. How could small-town USA be so instrumental in today's political climate, including Donald Trump's 2024 Republican presidential nomination? Abramsky argues that the far-right have worked to take control, using suspicion, conspiracy, and bigotry, and forming alliances of QAnoners, anti-vaxxers, Christian nationalists, and militia supporters within small towns across the country. Stemming from his latest book, Chaos Comes Calling, he investigates the rise of the far-right, telling the parallel stories of recent years in two communities: Shasta County, California and Sequim, Washington. The ultimate fates of these two towns were different though. Abramsky shows how Sequim has returned to less extreme political views, while Shasta County has descended further into intolerance and divisiveness. He highlights the differences between the communities, including the efforts to organize against the far-right movement. Places like Sequim may be small, but they may have huge ramifications in the national political scene. Abramsky believes there's a path forward from polarization that threatens to break apart communities, and towns as close as Sequim can show us how. Sasha Abramsky is a long-time political journalist and book author who has spent the last thirty years exploring the American political and social justice landscape. He has written extensively on poverty, criminal justice, immigration, and the rise of hard-right and alt-right political movements. Buy the Book Chaos Comes Calling: The Battle Against the Far-Right Takeover of Small-Town America The Elliott Bay Book Company
Sam recaps recent events including the lynch mob atmosphere being whipped up against immigrants in general and Black Haitian immigrants in particular after white supremacists in Ohio started vicious lies against Haitians. These lies have been further amplified by J.D. Vance and Donald Trump including from the national debate stage with Kamala Harris this past week. Unfortunately these recent events couldn't be more timely alongside this week's discussion with Sasha Abramsky, author of the new book Chaos Comes Calling: The Battle Against the Far-Right Takeover of Small-Town America. From Eric Klinenberg :“In this chilling report from the American West, Abramsky shows how the extreme right has mobilized to upend local democratic institutions and warns of a fascist threat that's alarmingly close and widespread. A disturbing, necessary book.” Order the book here now. Follow Sasha on X-Twitter at @abramskysasha and learn more about his work at sashaabramsky.com and thenation.com Related episodes: The Freedom to Dominate with Jefferson Cowie “White Rural Rage” with Tom Schaller The White Power Movement in 2024 By popular demand! Get your Refuse Fascism T-Shirt here: bonfire.com/refuse-fascism-pod-shirt Find out more about Refuse Fascism and get involved at RefuseFascism.org. Find us on all the socials: @RefuseFascism. Plus, Sam is on TikTok, check out @samgoldmanrf. Support the show at patreon.com/RefuseFascism Music for this episode: Penny the Snitch by Ikebe Shakedown
Trump is Hanging Out With Laura Loomer Who Republicans Are Blaming For His Disastrous Debate | Erdogan Inflames Tensions With the US and Israel While Secretly Profiting From Oil and Arms Sales to Israel | What America Would Be Like After a MAGA Takeover Based on the MAGA Takeover of Two Counties in Washington and Northern California
John delivers a eulogy for iconic actor James Earl Jones who passed away at the age of 93. After that, he plays clips of Donald Trump's insane ramblings at his rally in Wisconsin. Then, he interviews political journalist Sasha Abramsky and they discuss his new book "Chaos Comes Calling: The Battle Against the Far-Right Takeover of Small-Town America". Next, John welcomes back comedy writer Rob Kutner to joke about comedy and promote his new show "Let It Out!" which is a "Standup Comedy Show For Neurodivergent Adults and Friends". And finally, he is joined by Rhonda Hansome and they talk with listeners about the economy, gun control, and the big Trump/ Harris debate.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On this episode of See How They Run, DD Guttenplan is joined by Sasha Abramsky and Amy Littlefield to discuss the chaotic, complicated, high-drama prize of the Southwest.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
00:08 Sasha Abramsky, Western Correspondent for The Nation, just out with Chaos Comes Calling: the battle against the far-right takeover of small-town America EVENT: Sasha Abramsky will be doing a book event at the Book Passage in Corte Madera tomorrow (Saturday, 9/7/24) at 1:PM The post Sasha Abramsky on Chaos Comes Calling appeared first on KPFA.
America ready to elect a Black woman president? Harold Meyerson examines the opportunities facing Kamala Harris, and the obstacles to be overcome.Also: Democrats in Arizona are engaged in massive organizing to win an abortion rights referendum, elect a senator, and flip a House seat. And they are facing an Arizona Republican Party that is pretty crazy, to say the least. The Nation‘s Sasha Abramsky has our report.Plus: from the archives: Barbara Ehrenreich on the wellness industry, starting with those pink ribbons. Her book is "Bright-Sided." (originally broadcast November 2009)
John Nichols examines the tasks facing Kamala Harris – the opportunities, and the obstacles to be overcome. Also: Democrats in Arizona are engaged in massive organizing to win an abortion rights referendum, elect a senator and flip a House Seat--and they are facing an Arizona Republican party that is pretty crazy. Sasha Abramsky has our report.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
John Nichols examines the tasks facing Kamala Harris – the opportunities, and the obstacles to be overcome. Also: Democrats in Arizona are engaged in massive organizing to win an abortion rights referendum, elect a senator and flip a House Seat--and they are facing an Arizona Republican party that is pretty crazy. Sasha Abramsky has our report.
A Unanimous Supreme Court Ruling to Keep Trump on the Ballot Ignores the Constitution | Haiti's Descent Into Anarchy as Gangs Attack Police and Free 3,700 Prisoners | The Cynical Political Strategy of Choosing the Opponent You Want to Run Against backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia
Trump's legal and financial crises are deepening, and Nikki Haley isn't quitting - his mental deterioration is becoming more evident, and she is making it a campaign issue. Harold Meyerson comments.Also: California moved one step closer to universal healthcare on January 1, when it expanded coverage to all low-income residents, regardless of immigration status. Sasha Abramsky will report.Plus: Adam Shatz will talk about Franz Fanon, whose books Wretched of the Earth and Black Skin, White Masks made him a huge figure on the left, not just in the '60s when they were published, but in the era of Black Lives Matter when “his shadow looms larger than ever.” Now he's the subject of Adam's new book, The Rebel's Clinic: The Revolutionary Lives of Frantz Fanon. Adam is the US editor of the London Review of Books.
The Nation's annual Progressive Honor Roll features movement leaders who provide hope for 2024. John Nichols tells their stories.Also: California moved one step closer to universal healthcare on January 1, when it expanded coverage to all low-income residents, regardless of immigration status. Sasha Abramsky reports.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
The Nation's annual Progressive Honor Roll features movement leaders who provide hope for 2024. John Nichols tells their stories.Also: California moved one step closer to universal healthcare on January 1, when it expanded coverage to all low-income residents, regardless of immigration status. Sasha Abramsky reports.
Air Date 10/13/2023 Understanding the historical context of the civil war within the GOP as they have just fought their way out of being able to govern at all with an empty Speakership in the house that is grinding congress to a halt. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Shutshow - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-2-23 The US government is open for business at the cost of Ukraine aid. Semafor's Jordan Weissmann explains how we got here. And White House communications director Ben LaBolt explains how the Biden administration is justifying the compromise. Ch. 2: Far-Right Republicans Look to Oust Speaker McCarthy After He Averts Government Shutdown - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-2-23 “It's a crisis entirely of Kevin McCarthy's own making,” says our guest Sasha Abramsky, the West Coast correspondent for The Nation. Ch. 3: AOC Explains Why Democrats Voted To Remove Kevin McCarthy From Speaker Position - Forbes Breaking News - Air Date 10-6-23 At a virtual town hall, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) spoke about the ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from the Speaker role, which every Democratic lawmaker in the House voted for. Ch. 4: The House that Newt Built: The Rise of Matt Gaetz Part 1 - UNFTR - Air Date 10-7-23 Max struggles to understand exactly what Matt Gaetz is after, but has his suspicions. Regardless of the right-wing endgame, this week's fiasco was made possible by Newt Gingrich in the 1990s. Ch. 5: Through the Gaetz of Hell - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 10-6-23 Brad begins with an analytical discussion of political nihilism in order to provide a window into the chaos in Congress created by the ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Ch. 6: The House that Newt Built: The Rise of Matt Gaetz Part 2 - UNFTR - Air Date 10-7-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Why Our Politics Are Stuck In 2016 - FiveThirtyEight Politics - Air Date 9-25-23 In this installment of the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast, Galen Druke speaks with American politics professor Lynn Vavreck to help make sense of how we got here. Ch. 8: Who Will Replace Kevin McCarthy - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 10-6-23 Since a faction of far-right Republicans ousted Kevin McCarthy as speaker, Luke Broadwater, congressional reporter for The New York Times, talks about the candidates vying to replace him. Ch. 9: It's Now Or Never For The GOP Candidates - FiveThirtyEight Politics - Air Date 9-28-23 The crew reacts to the second Republican presidential primary debate in this late-night podcast. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on what divides the parties from each other and from within MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A caricature of former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy standing in front of the seal of the U.S. House of Representatives. Credit: “Kevin McCarthy - Caricature” by DonkeyHotey, Flickr | License: CC By 2.0 DEED | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Apart From Helping Putin, Why is Cutting Aid to Ukraine the Top Priority of Trump and a Handful of Republicans in Congress? | The Urgency to Replace Senator Feinstein as Governor Newsom Backtracks | Astra Taylor on Her New Book The Age of Insecurity: Coming Together as Things Fall Apart backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia
Public Libraries are often wonderful places, but they have become targets of right-wing attack in the culture war. Sasha Abramsky reports on the battle in one small town in Eastern Washington state. Also: Cornel West should not run as a 3rd party candidate, but in the Democratic Primaries--that's what D.D. Guttenplan says – he's editor of The Nation.Plus: A comic novel about Ethel and Julius Rosenberg? Who'd have thought that was possible? Francine Prose has written one: it's called “The Vixen,” and it's terrific. (recorded in July, 2021)
Public Libraries are often wonderful places, but they have become targets of right-wing attack in the culture war. On this episode of the Start Making Sense podcast, Sasha Abramsky talks about his reporting on the battle in one small town in Washington state. Also on this episode: Peter Mattheson's exploration of suffering, impermanence, and beauty in his book “The Snow Leopard,” an account of his trek in the Himalayas. Pico Iyer, who wrote the introduction to the Penguin Classics paperback edition, is on the show to talk about the book. The conversation with Iyer was recorded in 2008.
Public Libraries are often wonderful places, but they have become targets of right-wing attack in the culture war. On this episode of the Start Making Sense podcast, Sasha Abramsky talks about his reporting on the battle in one small town in Washington state. Also on this episode: Peter Matthiessen's exploration of suffering, impermanence, and beauty in his book “The Snow Leopard,” an account of his trek in the Himalayas. Pico Iyer, who wrote the introduction to the Penguin Classics paperback edition, is on the show to talk about the book. The conversation with Iyer was recorded in 2008.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
* US Democracy Hangs in the Balance as Trump Faces 2020 Election Subversion Federal Indictment; Sasha Abramsky, Nation Magazine contributor; Producer: Scott Harris. * Pen America & Penguin-Random House Sue a Florida County School District Over Book Bans; Nadine Farid Johnson, managing director of PEN America Washington and Free Expression Programs; Producer: Scott Harris. * Affordable Housing Crisis in the Adirondacks, Echo of a Pervasive Trend Across the U.S.; Tim Rowland, a freelance reporter based in New York State; Producer: Melinda Tuhus.
Shasta County, California has become a laboratory for far-right activists in search of power. The county has long been a Republican outpost in a blue state, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, local politics have taken a hard right turn. A recall election in 2022 swept a moderate Republican majority from the County Board of Supervisors in favor of a new class of extremists. Buoyed by popular discontent with mask mandates and school closures, Shasta's newly elected rulers have turned their sights on eliminating voting machines, purging "Critical Race Theory" and LGBTQ-friendly content from schools, and trying to force all local officials to take an oath on the Second Amendment. Those who stand in their way, like former County Public Health Officer Karen Ramstrom, or local journalist Doni Chamberlain, have found themselves the targets of political retaliation and even public death threats. The Marc Steiner Show digs into the disturbing developments in Shasta County and what they might presage for the country's future, turning to journalists Sasha Abramsky and Doni Chamberlain for their expertise.Sasha Abramsky is a regular contributor to The Nation and the author of several books. He recently wrote an article for The Nation on the far-right takeover in Shasta.Doni Chamberlain is an award-winning independent journalist and co-founder of A News Cafe. She lives in Redding, California.Click here to read the episode transcript: https://therealnews.com/shasta-county-board-of-supervisors-far-right-takeoverStudio / Post-Production: David HebdenHelp us continue producing The Marc Steiner Show by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer:Donate: https://therealnews.com/donate-pod-mssSign up for our newsletter: https://therealnews.com/nl-pod-stLike us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/therealnewsFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealnews
Shasta County, California has become a laboratory for far-right activists in search of power. The county has long been a Republican outpost in a blue state, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, local politics have taken a hard right turn. A recall election in 2022 swept a moderate Republican majority from the County Board of Supervisors in favor of a new class of extremists. Buoyed by popular discontent with mask mandates and school closures, Shasta's newly elected rulers have turned their sights on eliminating voting machines, purging "Critical Race Theory" and LGBTQ-friendly content from schools, and trying to force all local officials to take an oath on the Second Amendment. Those who stand in their way, like former County Public Health Officer Karen Ramstrom, or local journalist Doni Chamberlain, have found themselves the targets of political retaliation and even public death threats. The Marc Steiner Show digs into the disturbing developments in Shasta County and what they might presage for the country's future, turning to journalists Sasha Abramsky and Doni Chamberlain for their expertise.Sasha Abramsky is a regular contributor to The Nation and the author of several books. He recently wrote an article for The Nation on the far-right takeover in Shasta.Doni Chamberlain is an award-winning independent journalist and co-founder of A News Cafe. She lives in Redding, California.Click here to read the episode transcript: https://therealnews.com/shasta-county-board-of-supervisors-far-right-takeoverStudio / Post-Production: David HebdenHelp us continue producing The Marc Steiner Show by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer:Donate: https://therealnews.com/donate-pod-mssSign up for our newsletter: https://therealnews.com/nl-pod-stLike us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/therealnewsFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealnews
On Strike: An Actors strike looms as the Writers in LA and New York enter the sixth week of their strike. Meanwhile, 12,000 dock workers walked off the job in Southern California after contract talks deteriorated in recent days; they also shutdown operations in Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma.Also, Biden's achievements include infrastructure, economic recovery from the pandemic, investment in high-tech, investment in climate. . . how come other people, even the Democrats, have trouble remembering that? Harold Meyerson comments.Next: Shasta County, California, north of San Francisco, is a pretty place, but right wing extremists have taken over the Board of Supervisors there. They've driven out public health workers and pushed to make the county what they call a “Second Amendment sanctuary.” They're dubbing it a blueprint for the rest of the nation. The Nation's Sasha Abramsky reports.Plus: From the archives: Isabel Wilkerson on her unforgettable book about the Great Migration, "The Warmth of Other Suns” – recorded in 2010.
Shasta County, California, north of San Francisco, is a pretty place, but right wing extremists have taken over the Board of Supervisors there. They've driven out public health workers and pushed to make the county what they call a “Second Amendment sanctuary.” They're dubbing it a blueprint for the rest of the nation. The Nation's Sasha Abramsky reports.Also on this episode of Start Making Sense, historian Brenda Stevenson dissects the Black family both under slavery and after. Stevenson is the author of a new book on the history of the enslaved black family, titled “What Sorrows Labour in My Parent's Breast.”Subscribe to The Nation to support all of our podcasts: thenation.com/podcastsubscribe.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Every Republican voted against the clean energy tax credits that made up the bulk of the Inflation Reduction Act. Yet, the clean energy projects, for solar, wind and battery technology – are going to Republican states. Why? Harold Meyerson comments. Plus: Kyrsten Sinema, the Arizona senator who quit the Democratic Party in December, is up for reelection next year, and will be challenged by progressive Democrat Ruben Gallego. Steve Phillips points to evidence that her chances of reelection are poor. His new book, “How We Win the Civil War,” has a chapter on Arizona politics.Also: What if government provided a basic income to all residents? Something like $1000 a month? How much could that change inequality and poverty? Sasha Abramsky reports on the experiment in Los Angeles with Universal Basic Income.
Kyrsten Sinema, the Arizona senator who quit the Democratic Party in December, is up for reelection next year, and will be challenged by progressive Democrat Ruben Gallego. Steve Phillips points to evidence that her chances of reelection are poor. His new book, “How We Win the Civil War,” has a chapter on Arizona politics.Also: What if government provided a basic income to all residents? Something like $1000 a month? How much could that change inequality and poverty? Sasha Abramsky reports on the experiment in Los Angeles with Universal Basic Income.Subscribe to The Nation to support all of our podcasts: thenation.com/podcastsubscribe. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
How Europe is Adapting to a Cutoff of Russian Energy and Moving Towards a Green Energy Future | Cliffhanger Races in Arizona and Nevada and California Congressional Races Will Determine Who Controls the Senate and House | Apart From the Absence of the "Red Wave", the Other Big Election Story is Court-Sanctioned GOP Gerrymandering backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia
Anti-Semitism From Trump and Kanye West is Feeding the Dual Loyalty Trope | Alarm That the Latest Weapons to Saudi Arabia Now Allied With Putin Could End up in the Wrong Hands | Could Democrats Lose in the Blue States of the West? backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia
The paralysis of politics in Congress leads us to turn away from Washington and look at the states: What can the Democrats do when they control a state government? Like California? Democrats there are proposing dramatic changes in health care, expanding coverage to everyone below the federal poverty line–regardless of immigration status. Sasha Abramsky reports on that—and on the more radical proposal, also before the California legislature, to create a single-payer health-care system for all residents of California.Also: American universities in the '60s: Was that a golden age destroyed by student radicals who were protesting the war in Vietnam and racism in America? For some answers we turn to historian Ellen Schrecker—her new book is The Lost Promise: American Universities in the 1960s.Subscribe to The Nation to support all of our podcasts: thenation.com/podcastsubscribe.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
It's been a long five days since we last got together on Christmas Eve Eve, but that's expected at the end of a year that's felt like a decade! Rather than recount it all here, I'll update everyone at the top of the show. But the bottom line is that Trump finally signed the COVID relief and omnibus funding bill combination, but not until he exerted maximum pain on the American people. The House is voting today on raising the dollar amount of checks going out to the American people and overturning Trump's veto of the NDAA. And I'm joined by journalist/author/The Nation contributor Sasha Abramsky who's been covering Trump since he announced his candidacy. His latest for The Nation is "Trump Is Guilty of Sedition and Must Be Brought to Justice"!
Jeff welcomes guest Sasha Abramsky, author of the book Little Wonder: The Fabulous Story of Lottie Dod, the World's First Female Sports Superstar. Our wide-ranging conversation covers many aspects of the life and times of this 19th century superstar, from her global legions of fans, to her "Battle of the Sexes"-style challenges 80 years before King-Rings, to her unprecedented and varied string of sporting successes. We also touch on the relative dearth of tennis historiography, the chronological gap between Dod and the next generation of female athletic superstars, and whether there is a natural intersection between progressive politics and the compelling stories of tennis history.
Today we bring you a quick episode breaking down the possibility of a coup in next week's election. Journalist Sasha Abramasky from The Nation joins the show to break down his September cover story, "Is Trump Planning a Coup d'État?" ----- LINKS Choose Democracy Count On Us Sunrise LA Podcast Instagram ----- Interview By Jeremy Steinberger Produced and Edited by Jeremy Steinberger
oday marks the 19th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks on our country. It may be unpopular to say it out loud, but Osama bin Laden won. He got exactly what he wanted -- to destroy the American way of life. And that destruction will be complete if Donald Trump is able to rule for a second term. There's widespread belief that the Trump cabal is already engaged in a coup, and fears abound that they'll take it to a democracy-crushing conclusion around the upcoming election. Author and journalist Sasha Abramsky wrote the Sept 7 cover story for The Nation magazine, "Is Trump Planning a Coup d'Etat?"; he joins us today to discuss the frightening possibilities and what we can do to head it off.
Today we are joined by Sasha Abramsky, author of Little Wonder: The Fabulous Story of Lottie Dod, the World's First Female Sports Superstar (Akashic Books, 2020). Lottie Dod is not a familiar name among casual sports fans but should be. She won the first of her five Wimbledon titles when she was 15 and dominated tennis before walking away. Sticking to one game, she believed, was “appalling.” Dod then took up golf, winning a major women's golf title. She also won a silver medal in archery at the 1908 Olympics. Dod also dabbled in skating, endurance bicycling, mountain climbing and even toboggan racing. Unlike Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Dod, however, was born before the golden age of sports, so few people have seen photographs or videos from her prime. Garbo-esque in later life, Dod kept to herself after her sports career. But her achievements sprang from the belief that there were no obstacles in her path. Abramsky, a freelance journalist who specializes in politics, is also an obsessive tennis fan. He stumbled upon Dod while visiting Wimbledon's museum and was enchanted by her ability and career. Abramsky combines descriptive writing with research that pulls back the curtain to reveal an athlete whose feats remain stunning 60 years after her death and more than a century after her glory days. Bob D'Angelo earned his master's degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D'Angelo's Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The journalist and professor discusses his latest book about how fear has contributed to demagoguery.