Podcast appearances and mentions of sparky abraham

Kaitlin shares her recent experience of a fast and deep dive into community activism to protect her children's public elementary school, Sutro Elementary, from potential closure. Only weeks ago, Sutro was among 13 schools in the San Francisco Unified School District identified for possible closure due to budget constraints. Kaitlin helped lead a community-wide campaign to keep Sutro open, which culminated in a 600-person protest, a town hall with the district superintendent, and ultimately, a halt to the closure process.This experience led Kaitlin to reflect on the essential role of Public schools as community pillars that provide stability and belonging, especially for low-income, immigrant populations like the students and families at Sutro Elementary—and broader, nationwide implications of school closures. A few Resources Mentioned:Wanting What's Best by Sarah Jaffe: A book exploring public vs. private education in the United StatesThe Problem of Private Schools Current Affairs article by Sparky Abraham (2020): What We Lose When a Neighborhood School Goes Away (WGBH News, 2015): Discusses the impact of school closures and cites work by sociologist Eve Ewing on school closures in Chicago.We invite you to share your own experiences with local activism and to consider how public education affects their communities. Connect with us on Instagram @postpartumproductionpodcast, and visit our Website and Substack, linked below. Visit our website: postpartumproduction.com Subscribe to our podcast newsletter on Substack: https://postpartumproduction.substack.com

Subscribe to Bad Faith on Patreon to instantly unlock our full premium episode library: http://patreon.com/badfaithpodcast Two of the best student debt experts around join Briahna to break down last Friday's SCOTUS judgment, evaluate how serious Biden is about his "plan B," and discuss next steps for the movement. Persis Yu is Deputy Executive Director and Managing Counsel at the Student Borrower Protection Center, and Sparky Abraham is a strategist with the Debt Collective and founder of Jubilee Legal. Check out these resources for next steps: https://debtcollective.org/forms/scotus-lawsuit-survey https://debtcollective.org/forms/student-debt-strike 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).

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Sparky Abraham. Sparky Abraham has been helping people with debt problems for nearly a decade. This means he has frequent money conversations, sometimes in unconventional situations. For example, Sparky helps host debtors' assemblies, where strangers come together in relatively small groups because they have something in common that they usually haven't talked about with anyone else - being in debt. He believes the debtor assembly structure allows the participants to build solidarity, share their experiences, and learn ways of addressing their debt. Sparky is the founder of Jubilee Legal, a consumer and debtors rights legal practice based in Oxnard, California. He is also the Legal Strategist for the Debt Collective, the nation's first union of debtors. Sparky has written on topics ranging from wires to watersheds, but mostly he writes about student debt.

Chevruta is a new column named for the traditional method of Jewish study, in which a pair of students analyzes a religious text together. In each installment, Jewish Currents will match leftist thinkers and organizers with a rabbi or Torah scholar. The activists will bring an urgent question that arises in their own work; the Torah scholar will lead them in exploring their question through Jewish text. By routing contemporary political questions through traditional religious sources, we aim to address the most urgent ethical and spiritual problems confronting the left. Each column will be accompanied by a podcast and a study guide (linked below).In our debut Chevruta podcast, rabbinical student Allen Lipson explores debt's moral implications with Sparky Abraham and Eleni Schirmer—organizers from the Debt Collective, the nation's first debtors' union. Lipson chose a rabbinic responsum from 14th-century Spain by Rabbi Isaac bar Sheshet Perfet, generally known as the Rivash, on the question of whether a debtor can be seized and imprisoned according to Torah law. By tracing the Rivash's ambivalence about debt enforcement, Lipson, Abraham, and Schirmer consider questions about state force and economic consent raised by the text that still resonate today.You can find the column based on this conversation and a study guide here. The full Hebrew text of the letter and Lipson's translation are available here.Thanks to Jesse Brenneman for producing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).”

What's happening with Biden's Student Debt Cancellation Plan? Shanna Bennett and Talia Molé check in with Sparky Abraham, Legal Strategist for the Debt Collective to find out what's holding up relief and how we can support each other in the continued push for full cancellation.  References Debt Collective Twitter Sparky Abraham Twitter Debt Collective  All the Legal Threats to Student Loan Debt Relief: Could They Stop Biden's Plan?

Subscribe to Bad Faith on Patreon to instantly unlock our full premium episode library: http://patreon.com/badfaithpodcast It's spooky season, but millions of Americans who have been haunted by student debt for years will be able to shake that scary specter this month now that the student debt cancellation application is live. Briahna speaks to The Debt Collective's Astra Taylor and Sparky Abraham about the status of ongoing lawsuits intended to thwart debt relief, the open application process, and a debt strike for all of those who don't qualify, and who will still have thousands of dollars of debt even after Biden's plan comes into effect. This is one you're going to want to share widely: Comrades don't let comrades leave money on the table. 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).

Join the Rabbithole crew as they sharpen their #2 pencils, open their three-ring binders, and begin a new deep dive into the topic of education! In this series, hosts Oren Nimni, Sparky Abraham, Vanessa A. Bee, and Pete Davis will discuss the ups and downs of formal education and its alternatives. Is public education good despite it so often being frustrating and unfulfilling to students? *Should* a good education system be occasionally frustrating? What civic value is there to having a shared educational experience? Why are the most 'prestigious' academic institutions often the least strict? Is freedom from compulsory education an anarchist dream or a libertarian nightmare? In this introductory episode, our intrepid hosts start planning how to answer these and other deep questions about the uses and misuses of education.This episode was edited by Dan Thorn (@danieljtvthorn) of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA, and it features theme music by Danny Bradley. If you liked the podcast, please consider supporting our investigations on our Patreon.

We've got attorney and podcaster Sparky Abraham on to talk about the latest Supreme Court news, why many liberals are foolish to prioritize court cases, and how utterly despotic courts can be at the local level -- it turns out in some county courts, fully half of cases are about small-dollar debt collection. Things mentioned in the episode: our episode with Brian Fallon, the Debt Collective, and "Do Courts Matter" by Stephen Carter.

Sparky Abraham and Pete Davis are back with further interviews in the “Is MMT Real?” discussion series! In this episode, Pete and Sparky talk with Solidarity Hall founder Elias Crim (@CrimElias) about his “lost years” as a financial journalist in Chicago, where he witnessed the rise of supply-side economics. We examine the founding myths and pop-cultural resonance of supply-side economics, and consider whether MMT is poised for a similar moment in the mainstream soon. 
Elias Crim's writing can be found at https://solidarityhall.org/contributor/crim-elias/ Listen to Elias and Pete's podcast, Dorothy's Place, at https://solidarityhall.org/podcast/ This episode was edited by Dan Thorn (@danieljtvthorn) of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA, and it features theme music by Danny Bradley. If you liked the podcast, please consider supporting our investigations on our Patreon. Find Pete on Twitter at @PeteDDavis and Sparky at @sparkyabraham

Welcome, dear listeners, down the Rabbithole: a new podcast where our intrepid hosts Sparky Abraham (@sparkyabraham), Vanessa A. Bee (@Vanessa_ABee), Pete Davis (@PeteDDavis), and Oren Nimni (@orennimni) plumb the depths of often-obscure debates that divide people along unexpected political lines, questioning fundamental assumptions about things like money, school, consent, and courts.  Your non-expert hosts will interview a series of actual experts to learn what is up for debate, and to try to come to some conclusions for ourselves. Follow us down these rabbit holes. It won't be graceful, but you might enjoy the trip.On this podcast, you'll hear Pete and Sparky continue, and conclude, their celebrated and controversial "Is MMT Real?" series which began on the Current Affairs podcast feed. Soon more duos of hosts will enter down the Rabbithole to discuss new topics.We are launching the podcast with all of the previously recorded "Is MMT Real?" episodes which were previously shared on Current Affairs magazine's Patreon feed. New episodes will be shared biweekly at first and will be made available to all free of charge.We plan to release all episodes for free, but if you like the podcast, we hope you will support us at patreon.com/rabbitholepodcast and help us keep episodes accessible to all listeners.This episode, like future episodes, was produced by Dan Thorn (@danieljtvthorn), and it features theme music by the inimitable Danny Bradley.

Modern Monetary Theory—three simple words that are tearing apart the left. Pete Davis and Sparky Abraham have spent the last few years feeling curious and confused about this highly contentious theory, which posits that the U.S. government can deficit spend much more than it currently believes it can. (Or maybe it doesn't posit that. We're not sure.) Together, they've decided to launch a new series, in which they will interview people across the spectrum of left economics, ask questions, admit what they don't know, and try and muddle through one of the most complex questions in the world of policy: is MMT real? In this episode, Sparky and Nathan J. Robinson (@NathanJRobinson) of Current Affairs magazine interview Stephanie Kelton (@StephanieKelton), professor at Stony Brook University, author of the book "The Deficit Myth," and advisor to Bernie Sanders' 2016 Presidential Campaign. One of the preeminent theorists of Modern Monetary Theory, Professor Kelton explains a basic overview of the theory and what it offers policymakers at the federal level. This episode was originally published on December 1, 2020 on the Current Affairs podcast feed, and is being republished now as the Rabbithole podcast picks up the question of "is MMT real?" Please excuse any outdated references, and stay tuned as we continue our investigations down the rabbithole. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn (@danieljtvthorn) of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA, and it features theme music by Danny Bradley (https://dannybradleymusic.com/). If you like the podcast, please consider supporting our investigations by becoming a patron. Find Pete on Twitter at @PeteDDavis and Sparky at @sparkyabraham

January 24, 2022. Steve, Jace, and Ben are joined by Sparky Abraham, an actual good human lawyer despite his having attended the second most evil institution of "learning" in the hemisphere. He asks a few outside baseball questions and we try to give inside baseball answers. Oh, lots of talk about the "self-harm" of masturbation.https://twitter.com/sparkyabrahamhttps://twitter.com/jacehirschihttps://twitter.com/steventhebold Get bonus content on PatreonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/dez-nuts. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe to Bad Faith on Patreon to instantly unlock our full premium episode library: http://patreon.com/badfaithpodcast This week, Brie tackles her favorite subject, student debt, with two of the foremost authorities on the subject: Astra Taylor, co-founder of the Debt Collective, & Sparky Abraham, a consumer debt attorney who makes some of the best legal and moral arguments against student debt. After running through the right's (and Larry Summers') best bad faith arguments against student debt cancellation, Brie grills Astra on next steps. Now that the student moratorium has been extended until May 1st, what action should the left take? Is the Debt Collective planning a debt strike? If not, why not? How can we best exploit the energy around May 1st? And is it time to ask student debtors to make debt relief a condition of voting for Democrats in the midterms? Subscribe to Bad Faith on YouTube for video of this episode. Find Bad Faith on Twitter (@badfaithpod) and Instagram (@badfaithpod). Produced by Ben Dalton (@wbend). Theme by Nick Thorburn (@nickfromislands).

As always, we'll take questions about the latest Bad Faith episode on the Mississippi abortion case before the Supreme Court. But also, I'll be joined by student debt aficionado and debt lawyer Sparky Abraham— a Bad Faith and Current Affairs Alum. He'll be breaking down his viral Twitter thread about why student debt cancellation is good— not an “elite” bail out as it was described by recent Bad Faith guest Batya Ungar-Sargon. This should be fun. Download the Callin app for iOS and Android to listen to this podcast live, call in, and more! Also available at callin.com

Facebook had a very bad week last week. First, Frances Haugen, a former product manager at Facebook assigned to the Civic Integrity group, blew the whistle on her past employer, leaking a cache of internal company documents and testifying in front of Congress that the social media giant is knowingly and repeatedly “paying for its profits with our safety.” Then things got significantly worse when Facebook basically disappeared from the internet for 6 hours on Monday, Oct. 4. This was the biggest outage Facebook had experienced since a 2019 crash that took the site offline for over 24 hours. Facebook has said that last week's outage was unrelated to news about the leaks and that it was the result of a routine software update gone horribly wrong. The outage, however, affected billions of people who depend on the suite of applications and services owned by Facebook that went offline, including Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram.While Facebook is back online and the news cycle has largely moved on, it's important to take a step back and examine what these outages tell us about the precariously assembled infrastructure of our digital world, our global dependence on that infrastructure, and the implications of having that infrastructure controlled by private, incredibly powerful, and voraciously profit-seeking entities like Facebook. In this interview for The Real News podcast, TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez speaks with writer, commentator, and legal services attorney Sparky Abraham, who wrote a 2020 article for Current Affairs titled “A Series of Tubes: Reclaiming the Physical Internet.”

The Current Affairs flock investigate how the right created a moral panic around "critical race theory", dare to make all tax records public, and dream of utopia. The flock this week is made up of senior editor Brianna Rennix, finance editor Sparky Abraham, editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your host is Lyta Gold. "How a Conservative Activist Invented the Conflict over Critical Race Theory": https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-inquiry/how-a-conservative-activist-invented-the-conflict-over-critical-race-theory/amp "Solidarity Never" by Current Affairs lyrebird Danny Bradley. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The panel give their NFT takes, propose a universal database of all human knowledge, and share some hard-earned life lessons. The nest this week was inhabited by finance editor Sparky Abraham, poet-at-large Cate Root, editor-in-chief Nathan Robinson, and amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold. "The Truth Is Paywalled But The Lies Are Free": https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/08/the-truth-is-paywalled-but-the-lies-are-free/ "As Google Fights Fake News, Voices on the Margins Raise Alarm": https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/26/technology/google-search-bias-claims.html This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

Once again, we dig into your voicemails. (We hear you, and we see you.) Topics include personality tests, cryptids, political arguments with relatives, and rebooting the left after the pandemic. The bird's nest this week was made up of five eggs: amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold, finance editor Sparky Abraham, senior editor Brianna Rennix, editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson, and business manager Allegra Silcox. "An Oral History of Cryptid Currency": https://www.currentaffairs.org/2019/08/an-oral-history-of-cryptid-currency This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The Current Affairs flock discuss the right to live wherever you want, the dubious value of patriotism, and the things we love to do even though we're terrible at them. (Please note this episode was recorded before the recent escalation of violence against Palestinians, hence why it doesn't come up despite being relevant to some parts of this episode.) The flock this week are senior editor Brianna Rennix, editor-in-chief Nathan Robinson, finance editor Sparky Abraham, and baby bird Charlie Abraham. Today's head bird in charge is Allegra Silcox. "Libertarian Lullaby", like pretty much all our original music, is by Danny Bradley and available here: https://dannybradleymusic.com/songsforcurrentaffairs/libertarianlullaby This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The team talk through the question of "vaccine passports", reimagine taxes, and judge whether it is obligatory to stay informed. For the vaccine passport discussion, they are joined by Magnus Jamieson, who has previously guested on the podcast to talk about risk and resilience, and who has been following the COVID situation closely in his capacity as a stats geek (not, he would like us to stress, as an epidemiologist). In some brief patches, Magnus's audio features interference due to extraterrestrial whales careening through the universe, for which we can only apologize. "Is MMT Real?" is an ongoing in-depth series that follows Sparky and Pete as they interview a series of economists and try to puzzle out the truth of MMT. You can listen to it now (along with all our other bonus episodes) for just $5 a month at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs. The panel this week was associate editor Vanessa A. Bee, finance editor Sparky Abraham, poet-at-large Cate Root, contributing editor Eli Massey, editor-in-chief Nathan Robinson, guest science guy Magnus Jamieson, and host Aisling McCrea. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The Current Affairs panel welcomes a guest - Ryan Kekeris (@punished_ryan), director of communications of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. In this episode, Ryan explains the ins and outs of the PRO Act, Sparky gives us a potted history of trade routes, and the team explore what it means to turn powerlessness into power. The panel this week was Ryan Kekeris, finance editor Sparky Abraham, senior editor Brianna Rennix, and host Nick Slater. Sign up for PRO Act phonebanking: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/proactphonebank William F. Buckley/Ronald Reagan Canal Debate: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1978/01/24/the-canal-debate/43b772f5-beab-48ba-bb43-25aa5782302a/ Otters helping each other over a wall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXRsjYIuP6Y This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

Once again we peruse, examine and eat your voicemails. Subjects include office animals, accusations of "childishness", the nature of the self and imaginary metros. The panel this week was made up of senior editor Brianna Rennix, administrative Zoomer Kate Gauthreaux, amusements & managing editor Lyta Gold, editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson, and host Sparky Abraham. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The team discuss going to Mars, the reopening of schools and go in-depth on qualified immunity. Next episode, we'll be listening to your voicemails! If you have a question, please leave a voicemail at (504) 867-8851 and it might get played and answered on the show. The panel this week was made up of associate editor Vanessa A. Bee, contributing editor Eli Massey, finance editor Sparky Abraham, editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson and host Oren Nimni. Whitey on the Moon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goh2x_G0ct4 This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

This episode was originally put on our Patreon feed back in November, but in light of the recent energy crisis in Texas, we've decided to unlock it for everyone. If you like this episode, please consider subscribing to our feed at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs! Infrastructure enthusiast Sparky Abraham is joined by Dr. Magnus Jamieson, an expert in electrical power systems, to discuss the fire which destroyed the town of Paradise, California in November 2018—the most destructive wildfire in California's history, caused by a single faulty electrical line and a whole bunch of systemic problems. Warning: this episode contains a lot of nerding out about transmission towers. The fire report: https://www.buttecounty.net/Portals/30/CFReport/PGE-THE-CAMP-FIRE-PUBLIC-REPORT.pdf?ver=2020-06-15-190515-977 This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The team uses the viral video of Handforth Parish Council as a jumping-off point to discuss the thorny concept of "community"; Sparky makes renting illegal; everyone explains something that makes them believe in the beauty of the universe. The panel this week was made up of finance editor Sparky Abraham, contributing editor Aisling McCrea, editor-in-chief Nathan Robinson, and host Nick Slater. Handforth Parish Council: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgGmYeAm0jk Windowswap: https://www.window-swap.com/ This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

This episode was originally released only to our Patreon subscribers, but we're making it free for everyone today! In this episode, infrastructure enthusiast Sparky Abraham speaks to Megan Milliken Biven about abandoned oil wells. "The Wreckage of the Last Energy Epoch": https://www.currentaffairs.org/2021/01/the-wreckage-of-the-last-energy-epoch-abandoned-wells-and-workers https://www.truetransition.org/ This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The panel debates whether art has been over-moralized, argues the benefits of short-selling, and airs their petty grievances. At one point, someone triggers the Dialectics Calypso. The panel this week consisted of amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold, finance editor Sparky Abraham, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your temporary host is Aisling McCrea. "Beyond the Guilt Tax": https://thepointmag.com/criticism/beyond-the-guilt-tax/ This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA. Music by Danny Bradley.

Finance editor Sparky Abraham is joined by contributing editor Eli Massey, activist and filmmaker Astra Taylor, and journalist Elizabeth Bruenig to discuss the American medical debt crisis—who's behind it, what's being done about it, and potential paths to eradicating it. "Churches Step In Where Politicians Will Not": https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/27/opinion/covid-medical-debt-church-charity.html "A Saint's Sins": https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/16/opinion/junipero-serra-catholic-saint.html https://debtcollective.org/ This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The panel dissects Obama's new memoir and what it says about his legacy, investigate the concept of 'cabals', and share their favorite competitive reality shows. The panel this week was made up of newsletter editor Nick Slater, lieutenant editor Brianna Rennix, poet-at-large Cate Root, and editor-in-chief Nathan Robinson. Your temporary host is Sparky Abraham. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

Modern Monetary Theory—three simple words that are tearing apart the left. Pete Davis and Sparky Abraham have spent the last few years feeling curious and confused about this highly contentious theory, which posits that the U.S. government can deficit spend much more than it currently believes it can. (Or maybe it doesn't posit that. We're not sure.) Together, they've decided to launch a new series, in which they will interview people across the spectrum of left economics, ask questions, admit what they don't know, and try and muddle through one of the most complex questions in the world of policy: is MMT real? Episode #1 in this special series is available here for free, and episodes two through six will be released to our Patreon subscribers throughout the week. In the near future, the series will be published on a separate feed, where it will be made available to all in full. But if you want to hear the series as soon as possible, you can do so by subscribing to our $5 tier at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs! This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

Did you know we can build wind turbines that don't stand on the ground? That, in fact, we can catapult wind turbines into high altitude and collect energy from them as they fly? Current Affairs resident infrastructure enthusiast Sparky Abraham and business manager Allegra Silcox speak to Christof Beaupoil about his passion for the strange new world of flying wind turbines, and his vision for the future of renewable energy. This is a preview of an episode available in full to our $5 Patreon subscribers. To listen to the whole episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus episodes, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

The team responds and reflects to the Biden win, ruminate on conservative octogenarians, and look forward to a vaccinated future. The panel this week is made up of associate editor Vanessa A. Bee, finance editor Sparky Abraham, managing editor Lyta Gold, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your host is newsletter editor Nick Slater. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA. Music by Danny Bradley

Welp, free college and student debt cancellation are back in the news and, as expected, the takes are terrible. So, for the next 48 hours, we're putting our bonus episode with writer and Finance Editor for Current Affairs, Sparky Abraham, on the public feed! We talk with Sparky about free college, trade schools, and the necessity of public goods. (To listen to more great bonus episodes like this one, subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorkingPeople)   Additional links/info below... Sparky's Twitter page  Sparky Abraham, Current Affairs, "The Case for Free College" Sparky Abraham, Current Affairs, "Why 'Free Stuff' Is Good" Sparky Abraham, Current Affairs, "Water Is for Fighting" University of Phoenix "We Can Do It" Commercial   Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org) Lobo Loco, "Malte Junior - Hall" Coolzey, “Terrorist”  Small Tall Order, "My Fault"

Infrastructure enthusiast Sparky Abraham is joined by Dr. Magnus Jamieson, an expert in electrical power systems, to discuss the fire which destroyed the town of Paradise, California in November 2018—the most destructive wildfire in California's history, caused by a single faulty electrical line and a whole bunch of systemic problems. This is a preview of an episode available in full to our $5 Patreon subscribers. To listen to the whole episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus episodes, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

It's a Supreme Court special, and also a dudes special—for the first time in CA history, we accidentally ended up with a panel that's 100% men. Talk about cars, muscles and David Foster Wallace emphatically does not ensue. Instead, the team talks about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, abolishing the court, and what makes a 'good' Supreme Court Justice. This was recorded before Trump got Covid, which is obvious because we aren't constantly talking about it. Trotsky is Lyta's cat, seen here hard at his legal work: https://twitter.com/lyta_gold/status/1311830326939922432?s=20 The panel this week was legal editor Oren Nimni, finance editor Sparky Abraham, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your temporary host is Nick Slater. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The team shares their thoughts on "the college experience", the recent failed NBA strike, and how we feel about Covid six months in. The panel this week was associate editor Vanessa A. Bee, finance editor Sparky Abraham, lieutenant editor Brianna Rennix, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your host this week was Nick Slater. Nick's article on the UCSC strike: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/02/why-should-you-care-about-the-ucsc-strike Current Affairs Patreon: www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The panel ponder the demise of anti-consumerist politics, debate a future with no cars, and reveal their weirdest hobby-horses. The panel this week was associate editor Vanessa A. Bee, legal editor Oren Nimni, finance editor Sparky Abraham, and podmaster-general Aisling McCrea. Your host is Pete Davis. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA. Music for 'Find the Cat' by Bensound.

Nathan speaks to finance editor and infrastructure evangelist Sparky Abraham about the physical infrastructure behind the internet, and the complex relationship of owners and renters who control it. This episode is available in full to our subscribers on Patreon. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus content, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

The panel discusses gender, "yikes" moments, and redemption. The panel this week was lieutenant editor Brianna Rennix, finance editor Sparky Abraham, amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold, business manager Allegra Silcox, and administrative maven Cate Root. Your host is Pete Davis. Rennix's gender article is here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/06/the-peculiarity-of-gender "Where in the World is Peter Daniel Davis?" jingle is by semi-official Current Affairs musician Danny Bradley. Music for LegumeAnon by Alexander Blu. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The panel answers your questions on democracy in education, progressive prosecutors, protest votes, righteous jobs and monuments. (This episode was recorded before the recent spate of statue topplings.) Danny Bradley:  https://dannybradleymusic.com/We Might Not Die (Maybe):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAF-YUc2_WIWhat Is Education For? by Sparky Abraham and Nathan J. Robinson:  https://www.currentaffairs.org/2018/08/what-is-education-forBetter Call Saul inflatable tube man:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzs3nDCLJaISabastian 2020:  https://twitter.com/SignsFun/status/1272456435369160704Platformism:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platformism This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The panel discusses the protests, alternatives to policing, and political art. (If you want to know further thoughts on Dave Eggers' "The Captain and The Glory", don't worry—Current Affairs will reveal all soon.) The panel this week was editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson, associate editor Vanessa A. Bee, finance editor Sparky Abraham and host Lyta Gold. Transform Harm: https://transformharm.org/abolition/ Criticism of 8 Can't Wait: https://www.8toabolition.com/ Resource Guide: Prisons, Policing and Punishment: https://medium.com/@micahherskind/resource-guide-prisons-policing-and-punishment-effb5e0f6620 Nathan's article about Christopher Dorner: https://newpol.org/last-american-idealist/ This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The panel discusses the viability of forming a breakaway third party, things that are secretly political, and our society's contempt for the elderly. **NEXT WEEK, WE ARE RECORDING A VOICEMAILBAG EPISODE! If you have any questions for the team, or suggestions for topics, please leave us a voicemail at 504-867-8851 and your voicemail may be played on the show! ** The panel this week consisted of a group of sentient jellies imitating the shapes of amusements & managing editor Lyta Gold, newsletter editor Nick Slater, finance editor Sparky Abraham, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your temporary host is Aisling McCrea (who was just out of hospital at time of recording, and struggling a little to form sentences). This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

Sparky Abraham speaks to Eric Levitz, writer for New York Magazine's Intelligencer, about the life and times of Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, from his youth as a student living in a former luxury hotel to his part in the 2008 financial crisis. This is a preview of an episode available in full to our Patreon subscribers. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus content, please consider becoming one of our supporters at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

The panel discusses the prospect of an alliance between the left and the 'populist right', exposes their complicated relationships with Twitter, and recommends their favorite books for introducing friends to the left. The panel this week was made up of a series of holograms cleverly designed to imitate administrative maven Cate Root, finance editor Sparky Abraham, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your host is Lyta Gold. Book recommendations Raising Expectations (And Raising Hell): My Decade Fighting for the Labor Movement by Jane McAlevey: www.versobooks.com/books/1648-raising-expectations-and-raising-hell Anarchy: A Graphic Guide by Clifford Harper: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/667752.Anarchy Infrastructure: A Guide to the Industrial Landscape by Brian Hayes (2014 ed.): http://industrial-landscape.com/#/home The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13651.The_Dispossessed The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17728.The_House_of_Mirth Current Affairs book collection: https://www.currentaffairs.org/store Danny Bradley: www.dannybradleymusic.com/store This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.Music: Alexander Blu 

The panel snaps on the gloves and attempts a Bernie campaign postmortem, considers voting for "the lesser of two evils", and shares what they've been cooking in quarantine (after they've taken off the postmortem gloves). Musical interludes were written and performed by the fantastic Danny Bradley—if you've found his music as lethally infectious as we have, please note you can purchase "We Might Not Die (Maybe)" from his website, and help out an artist who's had to cancel all his gigs: https://dannybradleymusic.com/store/wemightnotdiemaybe The panel this week was associate editor Vanessa A. Bee, senior editor Brianna Rennix, newsletter editor Nick Slater, finance editor Sparky Abraham, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your temporary host is Oren Nimni. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA. Chomsky Drop music: Astro - Alphanerd

The team tackle the coronacrisis—how we got here, what comes after, and how to cope in the interim. The panel this week was finance editor Sparky Abraham, newsletter editor Nick Slater, amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your host is Pete Davis. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA. Music: Alexander Blu

Once again, we're answering your voicemails! If you want to send us a voicemail, call us anytime on 504-867-8851. Topics include both the expected and the unexpected. The panel this week was legal editor Oren Nimni, finance editor Sparky Abraham, senior editor Brianna Rennix, amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your host is Pete Davis. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios.

In this new series, Current Affairs interviewer-in-chief Eli Massey turns his razor-sharp interrogation methods on...his coworkers. First up: Sparky Abraham, Current Affairs' finance editor, who writes excellent explainers on debt and education, has strong opinions on the physical world, and grew up in a barn that was also a mosque. Also, tune in to find out why he's called Sparky. This is a preview of an episode available in full exclusively to our Patreon subscribers. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus content, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

The panel debates debate, pours their heart out about the Heartland, and gives each other teeny tiny spiels on teeny tiny policies. The panel debates debate, pours their heart out about the Heartland, and gives each other teeny tiny spiels on teeny tiny policies. Plus, tune in to hear about the hot new show claiming to be the number one musical in Iowa... The panel this week was contributing editor Eli Massey, finance editor Sparky Abraham, amusements editor Lyta Gold, legal editor Oren Nimni, podmaster-general Aisling McCrea, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your host is Pete Davis. Music by Danny Bradley: https://dannybradleymusic.com/ This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

Unlocked from our Patreon feed, here's a little bonus for you all! Current Affairs finance editor Sparky Abraham sits down with Vice writer Allie Conti, economics professor Marshall Steinbaum and People's Policy Project founder Matt Bruenig to discuss the question of cancelling student debt, in light of Bernie Sanders' and Elizabeth Warren's recent plans for college debt forgiveness. This episode was originally made available for Patreon subscribers in July 2019. To gain full access to more episodes like this, please consider becoming one of our supporters at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs! Allie on student debt forgiveness: https://www.vice.com/amp/en_us/article/qv75kd/people-trapped-by-student-debt-need-money-not-a-long-policy-argument Matt's writing on the issue: https://www.peoplespolicyproject.org/2019/06/24/the-student-debt-forgiveness-muddle-continues/ https://www.jacobinmag.com/2018/11/student-debt-forgiveness-free-college Marshall on whether it's regressive: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2019/06/is-student-debt-cancellation-regressive-no Sparky on free college: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2019/04/the-case-for-free-college This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The twenty-tens are over, if you're not one of those pedants who insists the twenties don't start 'til 2021. This week, our panel waves goodbye to the last decade, and looks back on the new trends it brought us in tech, comedy, journalism, and popes. On location data: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/12/10/business/location-data-privacy-apps.html Nathan's free book: https://images.currentaffairs.org/2019/12/myaffairs-manuscript-free.pdf Your panel this week was finance editor Sparky Abraham, amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold, senior editor Brianna Rennix, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your host is Pete Davis. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

Precious listeners of Current Affairs, we hear you loud and clear! This week, the panel answers your queries on everything from literature, to dreams, to questionable environmentalist projects. The panel this week was associate editor Vanessa A. Bee, legal editor Oren Nimni, finance editor Sparky Abraham, contributing editor Eli Massey, amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your host this week was Aisling McCrea. 'Crepuscule with Nellie' - Thelonious Monk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvXOcLi47TY This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

In this very special episode, amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold and finance editor Sparky Abraham speak to Mike Duncan, beloved history podcaster and bestselling author. Together, they discuss the importance of popular history, guillotine memes, surprise revolutions, the end of history, and surviving crises. This is a preview of an episode available in full to our Patreon subscribers. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus content, please consider becoming one of our supporters at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

"You have a grandfather clock, you bastard!" In this jam-packed episode, the panel investigates The Atlantic's hatred of democracy, shares their most recent revelations, and Aisling invites the team to participate in Ritual Shaming. In a corny postscript, everyone shares a thing that they are thankful for. The panel this week was senior editor Brianna Rennix, editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson, contributing editor Eli Massey, finance editor Sparky Abraham, podmaster-general Aisling McCrea, and your host is Pete Davis. 'Too Much Democracy Is Bad For Democracy': https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/12/too-much-democracy-is-bad-for-democracy/600766/ Desert Oracle: https://www.desertoracle.com/ Frogge: https://incubator.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wp/enm/Frogge This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA. Music: 'The Show Must Be Go' - Kevin MacLeod

A lot of people are completely sick and tired of the world's twenty-year-long obsession with Harry Potter. "Shut up about Harry Potter! Read another book!" they cry. To which we respond: no. This week, Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson, senior editor Brianna Rennix, amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold, legal editor Oren Nimni, finance editor Sparky Abraham, and Current Affairs Podcast host Pete Davis have a long, extremely animated discussion about the Wizard Children And Their Politics. You can read more about the time-travelling Ron Weasley theory here: https://the-toast.net/2014/01/02/let-the-man-speak/

Pete Davis, host of the Current Affairs podcast, is many things. Even we at the Current Affairs headquarters only know, at best, maybe 10% of the things that he is. For over a year now, Pete has remained shrouded in mystery, hosting the show without dominating the conversation, allowing the rest of the team to speak their minds, and referring only occasionally to his own thoughts. Well, here and now, for the first time ever, editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson and finance editor Sparky Abraham are ready to quiz Pete on his many thoughts, theories and stray ideas about the world. What is the difference between a prophet, a mystic and a sage? What unites borders and the concept of aether? Is tackiness a dilution of immorality? Are Donald Trump and Nathan J. Robinson using the same strategy for success? Is alchemy a secret form of self-help? Pete has some theories. This is a preview of an episode available in full to our supporters on Patreon. To gain full access to this episode, please consider becoming one of our supporters at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Today is apparently 'International Boss Day', so instead of celebrating labor exploitation, we've decided to unlock this Patreon-exclusive episode. Current Affairs editors Oren Nimni and Sparky Abraham discuss the legendary, heartbreaking, much-misunderstood music of Bruce Springsteen. It's okay if you cry. You can read the George Will review mentioned here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1984/09/13/bruce-springsteens-usa/f6502baa-a8eb-48ad-ba85-7fa848d8833e/ The two albums discussed are 'Nebraska' and 'Born in the USA'. You can find them on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/album/6yskFQZNlLYhkchAxELHi6 https://open.spotify.com/album/0PMasrHdpaoIRuHuhHp72O

In this episode, finance editor Sparky Abraham and podmaster-general Aisling McCrea sit down with Julian Brave NoiseCat, writer and Director of Green New Deal Strategy at Data For Progress. Together, they discuss the ins and outs of the Green New Deal, the relationship between climate change and justice, ecofascism, and why Indigenous activists should be at the forefront of climate change activism. This is a preview of an episode available in full exclusively to our Patreon subscribers. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other wonderful bonus content, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Current Affairs editors Oren Nimni and Sparky Abraham discuss the legendary, heartbreaking, much-misunderstood music of Bruce Springsteen. This is a preview of an episode available in full to our Patreon subscribers. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other delicious bonus content, please consider supporting us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Please note: this episode does contain spiders. You may wish to skip 28.00-29.23 if you do not enjoy spiders. This week, the all-powerful, some-knowing Current Affairs panel discusses self-help culture, productivity, and their most hated left-wing words and phrases. The panel this week is Podmaster Aisling McCrea, senior editor Brianna Rennix, finance editor Sparky Abraham, jack-of-all-trades Eli Massey, and your host is Pete Davis. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA. The music in the amusement is "Orbit" by Josh Woodward.

Current Affairs finance editor Sparky Abraham and associate editor Vanessa A. Bee sit down with Varsha Venkat to discuss the politics of water —more specifically, dams. Find out how the simple act of altering the flow of water has radical effects on everything from energy policy to health to war. It is taking all my energy right now not to just put as many 'dam' puns in here as possible. This is a preview of an episode available in full to our Patreon subscribers. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other exciting bonus content, please consider supporting us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Sparky & Oren from Current Affairs' editorial team came through to talk about fighting ICE in court, consumer finance law as wealth redistribution, and how leftists should approach jury duty

The Current Affairs panel sits down to discuss AOC's first year in office, proposes an innovative new way of dividing up the United States, and shares the transcendental experiences they've had with animals. The panel this week is finance editor Sparky Abraham, legal editor Oren Nimni, associate editor Vanessa A. Bee, editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson, and your host is Pete Davis. Many thanks to our newsletter editor, Nick Slater, for getting us exclusive access to the secret Beto O'Rourke tapes. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson, financial editor Sparky Abraham and contributing editor Aisling McCrea sit down with philosophy professor Ben Burgis to discuss his new book Give Them An Argument: Logic for the Left. Give Them An Argument: Logic for the Left is published by Zero Books. You can support and enjoy Ben Burgis' work by becoming a patron at https://www.patreon.com/benburgis, where he publishes short essays and videos, or catch him on The Michael Brooks Show on his regular segment, The Debunk. This is a bonus episode that was released early for Patreon subscribers. To gain early access to episodes like these, as well as lots of delicious exclusive content, consider becoming one of our patrons at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs! This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The Current Affairs team has stuck their hands into the mailbag once again, and pulled out a handful of your voicemails. Topics range from the likelihood of getting mangoes under socialism, to the frailty of velvet trousers. The panel this time is: amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold, business manager Eli Massey, contributing editor and podcastrix Aisling McCrea, senior editor Brianna Rennix, finance editor Sparky Abraham, and your host is editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. The case we discuss towards the end of this episode is Adoptive Couple v Baby Girl, 570 U.S. 637 (2013). For more detailed analysis of the case, and other material relating to Indian law, consider reading Turtle Talk at https://turtletalk.blog/. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

Current Affairs finance editor Sparky Abraham sits down with Vice writer Allie Conti, economics professor Marshall Steinbaum and People's Policy Project founder Matt Bruenig to discuss the question of cancelling student debt, in light of Bernie Sanders' and Elizabeth Warren's recent plans for college debt forgiveness. This episode will be unlocked in full soon, but is available now in full for Patreon subscribers. To receive early access to episodes like this, as well as exclusive bonus content, consider becoming one of our patrons at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs.

Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson, financial editor Sparky Abraham and contributing editor Aisling McCrea sit down with philosophy professor Ben Burgis to discuss his new book Give Them An Argument: Logic for the Left. This episode will be unlocked in ten days. To get early access to this episode, as well as other exclusive bonus content, consider becoming one of our patrons at Patreon.com/CurrentAffairs.

The Current Affairs panel discusses animal rights, the question of whether to treat internet platforms as private or public spaces, and what they would like to see added to the school history curriculum. The panel this week is newsletter editor Nick Slater, amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold, senior editor Brianna Rennix, finance editor Sparky Abraham, editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson, and host Pete Davis. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA. Many thanks to Golden Tony for assistance with the bits. Credit goes to Livio Amato for the piano music in the bit.

Today on the show we have Sparky Abraham from Current Affairs to talk about his latest article “The Case For Free College”. How has the market distorted the purpose of education? Is college the best way to improve the economy? Should that even matter? At the top of the show talking about the Uber/Lyft Strike […]

The Current Affairs panel discusses how they are approaching the 2020 Presidential campaign, we decide whether money is speech, and we all share what we think is the most important lesson that the left can learn from the right. Tickets for the live show on January 26th at the Rock & Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C. are HERE. The Panel Lyta Gold, amusements editor Oren Nimni, legal editor Sparky Abraham, finance editor Nathan J. Robinson, editor in chief Pete Davis, host Tickets for the live show on January 26th at the Rock & Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C. are HERE. Miscellany Nicholas Carnes' White Collar Government book is here. Nathan's Jacobin article on money and speech is here. Corey Robin's facebook post on money and speech is here. Information on the Seattle Democracy Voucher program is here. Tickets for the live show on January 26th at the Rock & Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C. are HERE. Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron on our Patreon page. For the written form of Current Affairs — and to subscribe to the beautiful print magazine — visit: CurrentAffairs.org. To join the conversation, leave us a voicemail at 504-867-8851. Did we mention that tickets for the live show on January 26th at the Rock & Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C. are HERE.

A Current Affairs megapanel opens up the Current Affairs voicemailbag again to answer listener questions on topics ranging from separation of powers to policy prioritization to workplace democracy to the lack of a recent Chomsky drop...and more. The Panel: Briahna Joy Gray, contributing editor Oren Nimni, legal editor Lyta Gold, amusements editor Sparky Abraham, finance editor Brianna Rennix, finance editor Nathan J. Robinson, editor-in-chief Pete Davis, host Miscellany: Nathan's prison abolition article is here. Brianna's open borders essay is here. Brie's race reductionism essay is here. Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron on our Patreon page. For the written form of Current Affairs — and to subscribe to the beautiful print magazine — visit: Current Affairs.org. To join the conversation, leave us a voicemail at 504-867-8851.

An excerpt from today's bonus episode, available in full to our Patreon patrons, in which Current Affairs finance editor Sparky Abraham and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson discuss John Carreyrou's recent book about the Theranos scandal, Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup. Discussed: why you should be skeptical of prestige (and allegedly liberal lawyers); the importance of good investigative journalism; Silicon Valley boosterism; the cult of Steve Jobs; and more. To listen to this episode — and gain access to our patrons' "Bird Feed" — consider becoming a monthly patron at our Patreon page. Call into Current Affairs anytime at (504) 867-8851. Thanks to Anna Lathrop (design work on Instagram @annaaybaci) for editing support.

The Current Affairs panel discuss whether demanding that opponents be fired is good strategy, hear a dispatch from Nathan about the Abdul for Governor campaign, and each share their most conservative opinions. The Panel: Briahna Joy Gray, contributing editor Oren Nimni, legal editor Lyta Gold, amusements editor Sparky Abraham, finance editor Nathan J. Robinson, editor-in-chief Pete Davis, host Read Nathan's original essay on Abdul here and his essay on Abdul's single payer plan here. Learn more about Shri Thanedar's insincere campaign here. Human Scale by Kirkpatrick Sale is available here and you can learn more about lefty architect Christopher Alexander here. Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron on our Patreon page. For the written form of Current Affairs — and to subscribe to the beautiful print magazine — visit: Current Affairs.org. To join the conversation, leave us a voicemail at 504-867-8851.

The Current Affairs panel discusses the latest flare-ups in the left-liberal divide (civility, Ocasio-Cortez, and more), hears Pete's Lefty Shark Tank pitch for a universal government login, and share their favorite silver bullets for solving many problems in one fell swoop. The Panel: Briahna Joy Gray, contributing editor Vanessa A. Bee, social media editor Sparky Abraham, finance editor Nathan J. Robinson, editor-in-chief Pete Davis, host Further reading on the left-liberal divide Both Nathan and Pete have pieces on the left-liberal divide here and here. You can read Nathan's post-Ocasio take here and Brie's recent take on identity politics and the Democrats here. Further reading on a universal government login Read about Estonia's online voting here and the U.K.'s verification system here. To join up with tech-minded lefties, check out the Progressive Coders Network. Further reading on our silver bullets For one of the heroes of the caring economy, check out National Domestic Workers Alliance director Ai-Jen Poo. The Bruenigs have also written widely on pro-family economic policies. Democracy Journal had a roundup on national service in 2014. The People's Policy Project put out a recent report on incarcerated voter enfranchisement. Miscellany Here's some more information on what it means to be bi-dialectical.** Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron on our Patreon page. For the written form of Current Affairs — and to subscribe to the beautiful print magazine — visit: Current Affairs.org. To join the conversation, leave us a voicemail at 504-867-8851.

An excerpt from today's bonus episode, available in full to our Patreon patrons, in which Current Affairs finance editor Sparky Abraham and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson discuss all things education: student loans, free college, and the lefty case for education (in response to libertarian Bryan Caplan's recent book, The Case Against Education). To listen to this episode — and gain access to our patrons' "Bird Feed" — consider becoming a monthly patron at our Patreon page. Call into Current Affairs anytime at (504) 867-8851.