Podcast appearances and mentions of Rashida Tlaib

Ralph speaks with Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff for Colin Powell, about the fall of the American Empire and self-proclaimed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. Then we welcome the CEO and co-founder of the Canadian-based organization Corporate Knights, Toby Heap, to break down Trump's unprecedented trade war with our closest ally. Plus, Ralph has some choice words for Hakeem Jeffries and his meeting with Jared Kushner and for Hillary Clinton and her take on the war with Iran.Lawrence Wilkerson is a retired U.S. Army colonel. Over his 31 years of service, Colonel Wilkerson served as Secretary of State Colin Powell's Chief of Staff from 2002 to 2005, and Special Assistant to General Powell when he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1993. Colonel Wilkerson also served as Deputy Director and Director of the U.S. Marine Corps War College at Quantico, Virginia, and for fifteen years he was the Distinguished Visiting Professor of Government and Public Policy at the College of William and Mary. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Eisenhower Media Network, senior advisor to the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, and co-founder of the All-Volunteer Force Forum.Two-thirds of the world now thinks that we are an enemy of their state. Two-thirds of the world. And it happens to be the two-third that has the greatest amount of the GDP in the world.Colonel Lawrence WilkersonI've lived for 81 years, almost 82, and I've watched my country go to hell right in front of my face… And the billionaires who want all of this to happen, they do not want a democracy. A democracy is fallible. A democracy can't beat China. A democracy can't beat Russia. A democracy can't even beat Iran. They want a technocracy that is run by them, armed by them, technical revolution by them. They want all of this, and oh by the way they want to live to 150 while they're doing it too.Colonel Lawrence WilkersonEvery freaking hour they create a series of war crimes in Iran. Every freaking hour they perpetrate war crimes in the Persian Gulf. Every freaking hour they perpetrate war crimes in Lebanon with Israel. “What's new?,” I want to say. We are a criminal state. There is no other way to describe it. We are a criminal state. We pay no attention whatsoever to domestic or international law. Only when it benefits the person who is doing the deed do we pay any attention at all.Colonel Lawrence WilkersonToby Heaps is the CEO and co-founder of Corporate Knights, and Editor-in-Chief of Corporate Knights magazine. He spearheaded the first global ranking of the world's 100 most sustainable corporations in 2005, and in 2007 coined the term “clean capitalism.”What we're seeing is a sort of political physics—for every action is an equal and opposite reaction. Canada has in many ways benefited and rallied around our nationhood. We're often not the most boisterous or loudest type of folks. But this continued disrespect for our statehood and the continued attacks and the unreasonableness and the unfair play, our prime minister said something to the effect of: when the United States signs something, it's in pencil. It's really denigrating the United States' reputation globally and in Canadians' minds.Toby HeapsNews 8/28/26* This week, the left-wing insurgency in the Democratic Party scored several new victories. First, NBC reports that in Oklahoma, N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Markwayne Mullin, who Trump selected to lead the Department of Homeland Security following the resignation of Secretary Kristi Noem. Thomas will go up against Republican Congressman Kevin Hern in November. Unfortunately, Thomas stands little chance of winning the state, which has not elected a Democratic Senator since 1990. Thomas is a member of the Chickasaw Nation and identifies as a Democratic Socialist, but is “not yet” a member of DSA.* Next, in California, Democracy Now! reports progressive state lawmaker Aisha Wahab has prevailed in the special election to fill the seat vacated by disgraced former Congressman Eric Swalwell. This piece notes that Wahab “overcame a flood of attack ads from pro-Israel groups,” which sought to bolster her Democratic primary rival, Melissa Hernandez. In an interview, Wahab said that she “appreciates” voters in her district for “seeing through” the “lies that were spread by AIPAC.” Wahab will make history as the first Afghan American in Congress and has called for the United States to engage with the Taliban government and attempt to “[steer] them in the right direction” on human rights.* In Georgia, the Hill reports another progressive – Everton Blair – won the special election to fill the seat of Congressman David Scott, who passed away in April during his 12th term in the seat. Blair, the former chair of the Gwinnett County School Board, defeated Scott's daughter Marcye Scott. However, Blair will only represent this seat until the end of the year. Beginning in January, State Rep. Jasmine Clark, who won the May primary, will fill the seat for the 120th Congress.* Meanwhile, in the Cornhusker State, the Nebraska Examiner reports that the “Legal Marijuana NOW U.S. Senate candidate Mike Marvin announced he can't put more ‘energy' into the Senate race because of health issues and endorsed nonpartisan U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn.” Marvin will remain on the ballot, but is “urging all who supported [him] to now support…Osborn.” This piece notes that this announcement comes on heels of reporting by Flatwater Free Press showing that two staffers from Osborn's 2024 independent Senate campaign joined the Legal Marijuana NOW executive board and sought to dissolve the party from the inside. This, combined with the fact that former Democratic Senate nominee Cindy Burbank paid Mike Marvin's $1,740 candidate filing fee and dropped out of the race one day after the secretary of state verified Osborn's signatures to be on the fall ballot has fueled speculation that these were coordinated efforts to clear the field for Osborn. Marvin for his part disputes this and says he never planned to leave the race. Osborn is quoted saying “We hope to earn the support of the LMN voters and hope that we can represent their concerns well in the US Senate.”* In more third party news, Trump has launched new broadsides against the emerging ex-MAGA clique – consisting of Tucker Carlson, Congressman Thomas Massie, and former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. According to the Hill, Trump attacked the group, said to be exploring the possibility of founding a new right-wing party, calling Carlson “a loser,” Greene “a highly neurotic woman” and Massie a “real JERK” on Truth Social. The president added, “What a team this would be, THREE LOSERS, and a pocketful of change!...The only chance they have is to join the Radical Left Dumocrats, and try breaking into the Primary System. To all of them I say, PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!” The proximate cause of this latest flare-up between the camps is Trump's decision to allow in 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to be imported in the next 90 days, a move Massie called “worse than socialism.” Greene, who has been perhaps the most vocal defector from the MAGA camp, said “He attacks us with such vitriol because we actually are everything he claimed to be…he has proven as President that he is nothing more than a neocon puppet for Israel, corporations, big donors with special interests, and his dear friends in the Epstein class…We never changed, Trump did.”* Another story from this side of the aisle comes to us from NOTUS, which reports that an “unknown actor” has stolen over $16,000 from the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). This incident, alternatively characterized as a “theft” from a “foreign country” or simply a “fraud,” occurred in early July, when the NRCC “attempted to pay a bill from Ranger Wi-Fi Consulting, a Texas-based firm that specializes in helping clients ‘optimize their wireless networks while ensuring healthy security measures are in place.'” Seeking to assuage the fears of donors, NRCC spokesman Will Kiley told the press that “Protecting donor funds is a top priority for the NRCC,” and vowed that the committee is “working to recover the funds, and…taken steps to ensure it can't happen again.” Listeners might remember that in July, the DNC admitted that they had fallen prey to a scammer, losing almost $30,000 in the process. It would seem that these committees do not have functional safeguards against such schemes.* Our final stories this week all deal with the Middle East. First up, Axios reports that while AIPAC was gearing up for a major ad blitz in Michigan against Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed and on behalf of Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers, those plans have apparently been iced at the behest of the Rogers campaign. According to this story, Rogers believes that AIPAC spending in the Democratic primary – over $30 million on behalf of El-Syed's rival Haley Stevens – actually helped boost El-Sayed's candidacy, making his opposition to AIPAC a “centerpiece of his…campaign, using the group's spending against him to portray Democratic opponent Haley Stevens as beholden to the pro-Israel lobby.” Rogers fears the same fate, so he has sought to keep his distance from AIPAC while his allies are urging AIPAC to “get involved without putting the group's name front and center.” However, Rogers' attempts to put some daylight between his campaign and AIPAC has resulted in the latter turning cold towards the Republican candidate. Republicans now worry that AIPAC will “sit out the general election entirely.” As for the perception of AIPAC in Michigan, a recent poll found that “55% of Michigan voters oppose continued U.S. aid to Israel.”* On the other end of the Michigan political spectrum, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding that he “ensure the immediateand permanent release of U.S. citizen Sama Safi, a 20-year-old university student with a severe complex chronic health condition, who the Israeli military has arbitrarily and wrongfully detained since June 2nd.” This letter goes on to describe how “armed Israeli soldiers raided her family's home in the occupied West Bank in the middle of the night and tore her from her family,” and that since then, she has “suffered under appalling conditions in Israeli military detention including “frequent physical assault, shackling, and the throwing of gas and stun grenades into already overcrowded and poorly ventilated cells,” among other horrors. 40 more members of Congress signed this letter, including six senators, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey and Chris Van Hollen among them. 85 civic groups also signed onto this demand, ranging from faith-based groups to human rights organizations and beyond.* In the region itself, a broad coalition of Muslim states – including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and, perhaps most notably, the United Arab Emirates – have issued a categorical condemnation of Israel's new “E1” settlement plan. This plan relates to new settlement activities east of occupied East Jerusalem and the signatories decry the plan as constituting “a dangerous escalation that further advances settlement expansion and annexation and undermines the geographical contiguity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory…thereby threatening the viability and realization of an independent, contiguous Palestinian State based on the 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital.” The UAE was the most significant state in the region to sign onto the Trump-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020, which sought to normalize relations between Israel and its neighbors at the expense of the Palestinians. Saudi Arabia was said to be on the verge of signing the accords prior to October 7th and Israel's subsequent genocidal military campaign in Gaza. The UAE taking a new stand against Israel on behalf of the Palestinian cause is widely seen as the final death knell of the Abraham Accords and the beginning of a new era of relations in the Middle East.* Finally, the Economist reports that a group of seven top officials within the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is consolidating power in Iran. The man rumored to be leading this junta is Mohsen Rezaei, the new national-security adviser, former presidential candidate and the longest-serving chief of the IRGC, having led the corps though the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. Others include the head of the navy, currently overseeing Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the IRGC's commander-in-chief and founder of the Quds Force. Notably absent from this group is Mojtaba Khamenei, the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. This piece judiciously avoids making any definite predictions about whether this new clique will rule as hardliners or pragmatists, but emphasizes that the late Ali Khamenei expertly “balanced the competing interests of his realm” while these military men favor action.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Thom Tillis just wrote a whole book about standing up to Trump, but voted yes on every single Trump cabinet pick including Todd Blanche. Andy Ogles said Muslims don't belong in American society — but it still wasn't enough to save his seat. Max Miller is down fourteen points in Ohio, hasn't dropped out, and Republicans have until Monday to even try replacing him on the ballot. Six Democratic incumbents got primaried out this year — Problem solvers have a problem Key figures covered: Thom Tillis, Andy Ogles, Max Miller, David Axelrod, James Carville, Mark Penn, Josh Gottheimer, Bernie Sanders, AOC, Rashida Tlaib

Ralph welcomes Robert Reich (professor of Public Policy and former Secretary of Labor) to discuss his "Pledge to Make America Affordable Again." Then, Ralph speaks to Derek Shearer (former economic policy adviser and US Ambassador to Finland) about his recent work, "A Bold Economic Program for America."Robert Reich is Emeritus Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. He has served in three national administrations, including as secretary of labor under President Bill Clinton. Mr Reich has written eighteen books, including The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It, The Common Good, Supercapitalism, and Coming up Short: A Memoir of My America. He is co-founder of Inequality Media, co-founder of the Economic Policy Institute, and co-founding editor of The American Prospect.Democrats have an opportunity now to talk to the working class about—and not just the working class, the middle class too—about prices, about affordability in ways that are terribly important and meaningful and that really could get prices down or at least stop the onslaught of inflation. And also that are very, very consistent with what we believe as Democrats, as progressives, as people who want to see the nation move back toward its pursuit of social justice.Robert ReichYou can bet that the right, the apologists for wealth in this country are going to say, “Oh, no, no, no, don't do that because wealthy people will leave the country!” I mean, what they always do reflexively is say, “If you do that, we'll leave.” And I say in California the same thing I would say about a national wealth tax—if they want to leave, let them leave. But they're not going to leave because there are so many advantages to staying in California in terms of: this is where a lot of the high tech talent actually is. This is where the infrastructure for high tech is already. The climate, as I talk to you, I'm looking at a beautiful day out here. You know, who wants to leave California? And if you are a billionaire, and you are just so intent on leaving California because of this one very, very minor tax, then frankly, goodbye.Robert ReichI am a believer, though, in the common sense of the American people. Now, if that makes me naive, if that makes me gullible, so be it. But I think at the end of the line, the bottom line here is that the American people will make a decision starting with the midterm elections coming up in just 96 days (something like that). And those elections are going to be critical in terms of trying to constrain Trump and the people, the sycophants and lapdogs behind him and Hegseth and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and all these people who are ripping the social contract to shreds. And I think that the one way that (this brings us back to my pledge, my affordability pledge for Democrats), I think one way the Democrats can be sure to get the House back and maybe even possibly the Senate in 96, 97 days, is to pledge to make America affordable again. And using these 10 particular steps that are widely, widely supported.Robert ReichDerek Shearer served as the US Ambassador to Finland from 1994 to 1997. Previously, he worked in government at the national, state, and local levels, including the founding board of directors of the National Consumer Cooperative Bank in 1978 and Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs in 1993. He is emeritus Chevalier Professor of Diplomacy and World Affairs at Occidental College and Diplomat in Residence at Occidental for 2025-26. During the 1992 presidential campaign, Ambassador Shearer was a senior policy adviser to Bill Clinton and helped to write the campaign's economic program, Putting People First. He has continued this policy work by co-authoring the comprehensive proposal A Bold Economic Program for America and exploring its political path forward in his recent article, Planning for the Day After Trump.The point of our program is not that it should be endorsed in its entirety. It's almost meant to be a discussion document to show what is possible—that this can be done. It doesn't require some dramatic change in the way the government operates. It just demands a change in priorities and some new lawsDerek ShearerYou can't get to those issues until you are actually in the government. And if we don't win back the House and at least have a shot at winning back the Senate, talking about these issues while Trump and the MAGA Republican Party controls the government (and might continue to control it), makes us feel good, but it doesn't change anything. What I've learned about the so-called leaders of the party is you don't really expect them to lead. They will follow when they see where the voters are going. And they'll also follow when they see if there is a Presidential candidate who takes off on these kinds of issues…I don't expect the leadership to lead on these issues. So I don't rail against them. Because what I'm doing (and I'm doing it with a lot of different people out there, including a lot of young people) is trying to find good candidates, provide them with economic ideas to run on, and then hope that we win back the House and that these kinds of then-elected officials who share our viewpoint become the Democratic Party. I mean, that's how you do these things. If we don't win these elections, then we're just kind of crying in the wilderness.Derek ShearerLet's Start the RevolutionTools for Displacing the Corporate State and Building a Country that Works for the PeopleIn his latest eye-opening exploration, political maverick Ralph Nader dissects the astonishing twists and turns of the 2020 presidential election, a race that left the nation on the edge of its seat. Although Joe Biden clinched victory with a substantial popular vote lead, Nader unveils the precarious nature of the outcome, where a mere 100,000 votes in key swing states could have catapulted Donald Trump back to the presidency. Get your copy here.News 8/7/26* This week, a new wave of Democratic primaries were held, most notably in the state of Michigan. In the closely watched Senate primary, which came down to a two-way race, Bernie Sanders-backed progressive Dr. Abdul El-Sayed emerged triumphant. Some have played up the fact that his opponent, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, overperformed relative to her polling in an attempt to downplay the significance of El-Sayed's victory. Yet, this narrative ignores the fact that Stevens enjoyed the backing of the Democratic Establishment and AIPAC, which gave her an 12-to-1 spending advantage according to Axios, and that she ran misleading ads that made it seem as though former President Barack Obama had endorsed her campaign. Viewed in this light, it is clear just how impressive El-Sayed's victory – statewide, in a must-win swing state for Democrats – is. El-Sayed will now face off against former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers in the general election.* In Detroit, the left scored another major win with the victory of Donavan McKinney. McKinney, a DSA member and Michigan state representative, won his primary race against incumbent Congressman Shri Thanedar in Michigan's 13th congressional district, the Detroit Free Press reports. Thanedar, a millionaire businessman, was a DSA member but left over disagreements over Israel. Thanedar fought hard to keep this seat, which he won in 2022, and was supported by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries despite many members of the Congressional Black Caucus supporting McKinney. Given that this is a heavily Democratic district, McKinney is essentially guaranteed a seat in the next Congress, bringing the number of DSA-backed House Members to an unprecedented high of seven. Moreover, between McKinney and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, the city of Detroit will now enjoy all DSA representation in Congress.* In Michigan's seventh congressional district, progressive climate activist and co-founder of the Sunrise Movement William Lawrence pulled out a win in his primary as well. NBC notes that Lawrence defeated his two more moderate opponents, retired Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam and former Ambassador to Slovakia Bridget Brink, in part by aggressively criticizing the construction of new AI data centers. Some have alleged that Lawrence received support from Republicans using dark money to boost his campaign because they believe him to be an easier candidate to defeat in the general election. However, the Hillary Clinton campaign's “pied piper” strategy to boost Donald Trump in 2016 proves that this is ever a risky strategy. Michigan's seventh district is seen as a critical battleground seat. Donald Trump won the district by just one single percentage point in 2024.* In more data center news from the Midwest, Hell Gate reports former New York City Mayor Eric Adams was in “Wisconsin Rapids—population 18,654—trying to convince residents that they should allow a real estate developer to build a data center in the heart of their town.” In a video of his pitch, the townspeople can be seen heckling, booing and shouting down the former Mayor, with attendees saying “You belong in prison!” and “You're here to steal our water!” Community activist Kaitlyn Federwitz is quoted in this piece saying “Our whole town does not want him here at all,” adding “We want our resources to be properly safeguarded, our farmers to be protected, our waterways protected.” The Wisconsin Rapids economy had been largely dependent on a local mill, which closed its doors in 2020; Federwitz spoke to this, arguing that “When the mill closed, we lost 900 jobs. We're aware we need jobs and industry in our city.” However, she added that the people of Wisconsin Rapids are “not willing to accept that a data center is the answer to that problem.”* In more news from the midwest, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain has published a new op-ed in Newsweek contending that “Democrats Must Pick a Side: Billionaires or Working-Class.” Fain cited numerous examples of Democrats in powers betraying their working class supporters, from NAFTA to modern governors like Abigail Spanberger of Virginia vetoing collective bargaining rights for public-sector workers. He criticized Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in particular for vetoing “nine bills restoring pensions, lowering health care costs, and restoring bargaining rights for public-sector workers,” after “Michigan Democrats fought an 18-month legal battle to force the bills to the governor's desk.” He claims that “When the courts finally ordered [the bills] delivered, Whitmer vetoed all nine the same day—without so much as a phone call to legislative leaders or the unions that helped elect her.” He ends this piece with a call for “every elected official and candidate to…[reject] corporate PAC money,” and “adopt a platform that addresses the needs of working-class people.” This clear-eyed, laser focus on the working class is what has put Fain into conversation for a 2028 presidential run by some on the populist left, particularly if Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ultimately declines to run. A recent article in POLITICO quotes Bhaskar Sunkara, the 2020 Sanders surrogate and former vice chair of the Democratic Socialists of America, saying “If he's willing to run, [Fain] might be the best candidate for the left…Since he's progressive but very much says his egalitarian value system comes from his Christianity, [he] can speak in a moral language that can reach more independents than other candidates, and I think it would set a good precedent for labor.”* For the DSA left, all eyes now turn to Wisconsin, where Francesca Hong's campaign for the gubernatorial nomination continues to pick up steam. Just this week, per Wis Politics, Hong picked up the endorsement of the SEIU Wisconsin Healthcare and Service Workers. In their endorsement statement, SEIU Wisconsin called Hong “a longtime advocate and fighter for the working class,” who is “committed to building back strong labor protections by overturning Act 10 and so-called ‘Right-to-Work' laws, expanding Badgercare, and abolishing poverty wages in Wisconsin.” The union added that Hong's “support for a $20 minimum wage, adopting family-centered policies such as paid family leave and affordable child care, and enacting much-needed regulations on corporate monopolies make her the clear choice for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy.” Hong currently leads in the polls, despite the sitting Democratic Governor's attempts to boost her primary rival, David Crowley. Both Hong and Crowley have racked up labor support, though Crowley decidedly leads among the building trades and firefighter unions.* In St. Louis, the left experienced its biggest setback this cycle, with former Congresswoman Cori Bush losing her comeback bid against Congressman Wesley Bell by a large margin. Bush was ousted in 2024 as part of “a broader strategy by AIPAC to unseat Israel's sharpest critics in Congress, including the ‘Squad,' which Bush was a part of,” per the Missouri Independent. This piece notes that AIPAC spent over $8 million to oust Bush in that cycle and outside groups spent $7.2 million on Bell's behalf this year. Bell's official campaign outspent Bush's by a margin well over 10 to 1. Bush is the first candidate backed by National DSA to lose their race in 2026, which, while disappointing in this case, is a stunning testament to the track record of the group.* In a totally different part of the country, this week Julian Beaudion, the Democratic nominee for Senate in South Dakota, dropped out of the race. Beaudion cited personal hardships for himself and his family in his statement of withdrawal citing a recent house fire. However, many see this as an acknowledgement that the independent candidate in this race, veteran and former park ranger Brian Bengs, has a better chance of defeating incumbent Republican Senator Mike Rounds in a head-to-head matchup. This dynamic has been playing out in other states; Democratic Senate candidates have dropped out to clear the way for independents in Nebraska and Idaho already and there is immense pressure on the Democratic nominee in Montana to do the same. For his part, Beaudion will not endorse either candidate in South Dakota, according to KELOLAND News, but South Dakota Searchlight reports the South Dakota Democratic Party will not replace Beaudion on the ballot, giving the greenlight for Democrats to coalesce around Bengs in the general election.* In another primary election story, Lehigh Valley Public Media is out with a story on the strange dynamic emerging in Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district. According to this story, this race – between incumbent Republican Ryan Mackenzie and his Democratic challenger Bob Brooks, who seems to have done the impossible by getting Bernie Sanders and Josh Shapiro on the same side in a primary – has been upended by the entry of one Andrew Tupone. Mr. Tupone, a former Republican candidate, is running on the Green Party ballot line and claims to have “joined the Green Party this spring, drawn by its environmental policies on water conservancy and opposition to data centers, after growing disillusioned with both major parties.” Yet, apparently, “Green Party leaders warned in a statement this month that a wave of candidates may be posing as party members across the state.” Chris Robinson, a Green party spokesman, claims that “The party hasn't endorsed any congressional candidates in Pennsylvania and has never heard from Tupone.” Robinson adds that he “looked at [Tupone's] Facebook page, and he seems like he's a nice Republican.” According to LVPM, “a third-party candidate wouldn't need to move the needle much,” to influence the outcome of the election, noting that the current Congressman defeated the Democratic incumbent, Rep. Susan Wild by just 1 percentage point, in 2024, while “Tim Silfies, the last third-party congressional candidate to appear on a Lehigh Valley ballot, earned 8,011 votes, or 3 percent of the vote, in 2018.”* Finally, in more third party news, POLITICO reports several leading figures on the anti-MAGA right – including Congressman Thomas Massie, former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, and commentator Tucker Carlson – convened last weekend to “[sow] the seeds for a future third-party political organization…aimed at undercutting the Republican establishment.” This gang of three, joined by former Trump national security official Joe Kent, are particularly incensed by the president's intervention in Iran, with Greene writing “We said no more foreign wars and we meant it and supported Donald Trump because he made that promise. But he's betrayed us all.” This group is reportedly mulling a right-wing, third-party presidential campaign in 2028. While Carlson has declined to launch a presidential bid in the past, despite urging from within his circle, a sprawling new “10-point vision for America” he debuted during a recent stream implies that he is increasingly interested in articulating an alternative vision of right-wing politics from those espoused by Trump. This manifesto, as reported by Axios, includes everything from declassifying records on the JFK assasination and 9/11 to enforcing universal sobriety to “halting immigration until the effects of AI become clearer.” We will be watching closely to see if this effort moves forward or peters out as has been the pattern with other recent third party attempts.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Stephen Parr and Louis R. Avallone. This is the full show for August 5, 2026. Democratic Socialists of America candidates had a big night in Tuesday's primaries — especially in Michigan, where Abdul El-Sayed narrowly won the Democrat Senate nomination over Haley Stevens, and "Squad" member Rashida Tlaib fended off a primary challenge. We break down what these wins actually mean, why El-Sayed's margin was so much tighter than the polling predicted, and why we think a Medicare-for-All, defund-Israel platform is a movement wish list, not a governing blueprint. In our Top 3 Things You Need to Know, we cover El-Sayed's win and what it means for Michigan's Senate race in November, the Senate's confirmation of Dr. Erica Schwartz to lead the CDC, and an 11th Circuit ruling upholding Florida's law banning children from sexually explicit drag shows. Where in the world is Mitch McConnell? We dig into the seven-week silence, the two still photos, and the questions nobody in D.C. seems to want to answer. Our American Mamas, Teri Netterville and Kimberly Burleson, tackle a listener question on why high achievers draw so much hate — with stories ranging from slashed tires to Elon Musk's "world's first former trillionaire" moment. We're Digging Deep this week on two fronts: a House Select Committee report warning that Chinese state-linked telecom companies still have equipment and data access inside U.S. networks, and a pair of California stories — a former far-left homeless shelter worker's public break with the movement, and San Francisco's slow climb back from the brink compared to Los Angeles' continued decline. Plus, President Trump's "don't make me pull this car over" approach to Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, and Senator John Fetterman's warning to his own party about the rising influence of socialists and communists in Democratic politics. Our Bright Spot: a federal judge blocks New York's law banning ICE agents from wearing face masks, ruling the state can't dictate how federal agents do their jobs. Plus, we close with the story of a contractor who lost his tools in a lightning strike — and the nine-year-old son who tried to make it right. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a fascinating conversation, Max Rymer, a member of the Minnesota State Legislature, joins the show to discuss the recent election results in Michigan and the implications for the Democratic Party. With the DSA (Democratic Socialists of America) making significant gains in the state, Rymer shares his insights on the potential consequences for the party and the country. The conversation delves into the rise of DSA candidates, including Abdul al-Sayed and Rashida Tlaib, who won their respective primaries in Michigan. Rymer notes that the DSA's success is not just limited to Michigan, but is also a trend that's emerging in other states, including Minnesota and Wisconsin. He attributes this shift to the party's failure to connect with working-class voters and its inability to provide a clear alternative to the DSA's radical policies. Rymer also discusses the potential impact of the DSA's rise on the Democratic Party's ability to win elections in swing states. He notes that the party's reliance on ideologically extreme candidates may ultimately lead to their downfall, citing the example of Michigan, where a moderate candidate may have a better chance of winning. The conversation also touches on the role of social media and the influence of affluent, educated voters who are driving the DSA's success. Tune in to this episode to hear Max Rymer's expert analysis on the future of the Democratic Party and the implications of the DSA's rise. Don't miss this insightful conversation, which premieres at 3 pm on the Accountability Podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a fascinating conversation, Max Rymer, a member of the Minnesota State Legislature, joins the show to discuss the recent election results in Michigan and the implications for the Democratic Party. With the DSA (Democratic Socialists of America) making significant gains in the state, Rymer shares his insights on the potential consequences for the party and the country. The conversation delves into the rise of DSA candidates, including Abdul al-Sayed and Rashida Tlaib, who won their respective primaries in Michigan. Rymer notes that the DSA's success is not just limited to Michigan, but is also a trend that's emerging in other states, including Minnesota and Wisconsin. He attributes this shift to the party's failure to connect with working-class voters and its inability to provide a clear alternative to the DSA's radical policies. Rymer also discusses the potential impact of the DSA's rise on the Democratic Party's ability to win elections in swing states. He notes that the party's reliance on ideologically extreme candidates may ultimately lead to their downfall, citing the example of Michigan, where a moderate candidate may have a better chance of winning. The conversation also touches on the role of social media and the influence of affluent, educated voters who are driving the DSA's success. Tune in to this episode to hear Max Rymer's expert analysis on the future of the Democratic Party and the implications of the DSA's rise. Don't miss this insightful conversation, which premieres at 3 pm on the Accountability Podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, Ralph, along with our constitutional law expert, Bruce Fein, organized another symposium in Washington DC on impeaching Donald Trump. On today's program, we play you highlights from that symposium with eight of the participants, each of whom are going to give listeners their perspective on why Donald Trump should be impeached even before the midterm elections.The rhetoric from many Democratic leaders has not kept up with the horror and the urgency of what [Donald Trump] is inflicting on America and the American people. He has moved very, very quickly to develop a fascist dictatorship embodying a kleptocratic corporate state that is marked by non-regulation, tax cuts for the wealthy, and tax escapes for the wealthy and major corporations, as well as expanded corporate welfare in the midst of personal and institutional two-way bribery and extortion. It's very important to punctuate the seriousness of what he's already done.Ralph NaderCelinda Lake is a political strategist and president of Lake Research Partners.What I love about polling is: conventional wisdom is wrong about 90% of the time, plus or minus 5%. Beltway conventional wisdom is wrong about 100% of the time, plus or minus 5%. So, “Everybody knows impeachment is unpopular.” No, it's not. It's very popular. A majority of people support it. “Everyone knows that it'll energize the other side.” No. The other side, to the extent they're going to be energized, they're already energized. We need to energize our side. We need to get our people out to vote… “Everyone knows it's very volatile.” No, it's not. Attitudes about impeachment track with job performance… And finally, “Everybody knows that nobody understands impeachment.” Well, frankly, voters understand it better than a lot of elected officials.Celinda LakeSuparna Reddy is the Senior Counsel for Free Speech For People.Let us be clear: Congress should impeach and remove Trump for each and every one of these hundreds of offenses. And we have a duty to record his every abuse of power. But in the process, we should not miss the forest for the trees— Trump is intentionally and systematically dismantling our democratic institutions to consolidate his own power and line his own pockets.Suparna ReddyRichard Painter is the S. Walter Richey professor of corporate law at the University of Minnesota Law School and was the chief White House ethics lawyer from 2005 to 2007.We have seen serious, indeed, tragic financial conflicts of interest in the executive branch never before seen in the history of our country—unless we look at our very early Presidents who held vast plantations with slave labor, a clear economic conflict of interest with their official duties. A conflict of interest shared by many Senators and Representatives and Justices of the Supreme Court, and indeed a tragic conflict of interest for the first eighty years of our history that ended only with a bloody civil war. But since then, we have not had at least a President who is embroiled in financial conflicts of interest with his official duties.Richard PainterDoug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, specializing in foreign policy and civil liberties.We need to make a persuasive argument for people, whether they like Donald Trump or not, to understand the Constitution transcends this President. The Constitution transcends future Presidents and future crises. We need to convince Americans across the political spectrum to stand with the rule of law, to stand with accountable government, to stand with an accountable executive, responsible legislatures. History tells us that one person making these decisions is not good. Plenty of authoritarians in the past have made these decisions and brought their countries to disaster.Douglas BandowErwin Chemerinsky is the Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.We're now at a moment when the federal government is a threat to our rights. The actions of the Trump administration are unprecedented in the violations of the Constitution. And so I think it's crucial that state and local governments step in so as to protect rights. It's interesting that through American history, Federalism has always been equated, states' rights have always been equated with regressive policies… But now it's time for progressives to use states' rights and look for the opportunities for states to safeguard our constitutionErwin ChemerinskyKeira Havens is a United States Air Force veteran, a former scientist, and a longtime political activist. She is the executive director of Citizens' Impeachment.Everybody has agency. Everybody has a role that they can play. Everybody can take action. As a private citizen, I can say, “Man, there are a lot of things wrong with what's happening.” In fact, I wrote several articles of impeachment: tyranny, treason, obstruction of justice, and of course, corruption, right? Members of Congress have more power than that. They need to do more than say things. They have to take action. Courage is an action. It's what you do after you say the words that really matters. And every single member of Congress is able to take action. They are able to introduce articles of impeachment, and they are refusing.Keira HavensJessica Denson is a former Trump staffer and founder of the Removal Coalition.The American people (and particularly Democratic primary voters) are looking for fighters. For God's sake, what could you do better than to exert the power that you have—this one privilege in the House, Rule 9, that gives any member of the Congress, including the minority, the ability to force a vote any time. Why would you sit on that? Why would you wait? Instead, in my activism, I've had to resort to relying on literally one Congressman. This is so pathetic. He is a dear friend, and I am so grateful for him. But to this day, I think it is pathetic that I have to rely on one Congressman to bring forth articles of impeachment and force votes, and that's Representative Green.Jessica DensonNews 7/31/26* Our top stories this week have to do with the Democratic National Committee. Several stories have recently come out about DNC Chair Ken Martin, ranging from interpersonal issues to his utter failure to raise money for the Democratic Party. The most stunning example of this comes from NOTUS, which reports that Martin “put [the DNC's] physical headquarters up for collateral last year in order to obtain a $15 million line of credit to help invest in off-year elections.” While the party has used this mechanism before, it underlines the gaping disparity between the DNC, which is currently over $2 million in debt compared to the Republican National Committee (RNC), which can boast $128.5 million cash on-hand.* Compounding the issues of the already cash-strapped DNC, the New Republic reports the Democratic National Committee was scammed out of nearly $29,000 by an email from someone pretending to be Chair Ken Martin last year. DNC spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg is quoted saying “The DNC takes seriously our duty to protect the funds provided to us by millions of patriotic Americans chipping in to fund our mission…this was a one-off mistake that was promptly caught and addressed, and no similar issues have occurred since.” That said, only $7,000 worth of this money has been recovered. As TNR puts it, “This has all been very embarrassing. Martin can't raise money, can't keep money, and can't unite the base under the big tent' he likes to talk about.” Martin may also be facing an outright rebellion led by party insiders.* One surprising proposal to this effect is coming from a very unlikely source. The Hill reports veteran Democratic strategist James Carville, while tearing into Martin, opened the door to former DNC Vice-Chair David Hogg taking the reins. Carville said the DNC appears “dysfunctional” and that the committee needs to “figure out a way maybe they could be somewhat relevant,” adding that “If David Hogg wants to take it over, I ain't stopping you…Go ahead, man, I don't really care.” This is a stark turnabout from Carville's position on Hogg when the latter was in DNC leadership; back then, Carville dismissed him as “a contemptible little twerp.” In an interview, Hogg highlighted this exact reversal, while simultaneously saying that he did not want to lead the crumbling Democratic Party organization. Ben Wikler, the former Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair who challenged Ken Martin in 2025 has also resisted calls to take over the DNC, with rumors circulating that he is gearing up to run for Senate in the Badger State next cycle. While pressure continues to mount on Martin, alternative leadership remains elusive.* Speaking of lackluster leadership, Sources Say News reports Capitol CNCT has launched The Scoop which they describe as “a confidential rating system that lets current and former Hill staffers weigh in on the members and offices they have worked for.” As one might imagine, some reviews are extremely scathing. This piece cites one that reads, “Leadership is abusive. Lies about promotions and bonuses…This place will leach at your mental health like a vampire…Beware.” Sources Say highlights the fact that “Unlike most workplaces, Congress has no HR department, which means bad behavior by members and senior staff can go unreported and unchecked for years.” The new site verifies that the posters are or were real employees of these offices, but keeps their names anonymous to protect them from retaliation.* In more news from Congress, POLITICO reports Maryland Representative and House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin is launching a new investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, this time focusing on whether the deceased sex offender and financier acted as an unregistered foreign agent. In a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, Raskin writes that “Jeffrey Epstein never registered as a foreign agent…Yet numerous recently released documents now show he acted aggressively on behalf of multiple foreign governments, including several with interests adverse to the United States, in order to influence policies of the first Trump Administration.” The declassified files reveal that Epstein “offered to serve as a conduit between Saudi Arabia and members of the Trump administration, consulted with Russian officials on engaging with the president and advised former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.” This inquiry is likely to raise fresh questions about not only Epstein's role working on behalf of foreign governments, but his possible connections with intelligence and espionage organizations including the CIA and Mossad.* Other progressive members of Congress, led by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, have issued a formal response to a new Trump administration report on Cuba. These members interpret this report – which claims that the tiny Caribbean nation of 10 million people has “waged a sustained campaign” to “conquer” the United States and is backing “left-wing terrorism on American soil” – is in fact an instrument the administration plans to use to persecute “Trump's perceived political enemies.” Omar, joined by Representatives Jim McGovern, Delia Ramirez, Rashida Tlaib, AOC and more, contend that Trump is “hell-bent on taking America back 70 years to the height of Cold War McCarthyism, when hawkish foreign policy was paired with unsubstantiated accusations of communist subversion and political repression against dissidents at home.” The administration report singled out several organizations and activists, including the National Lawyers Guild, Hasan Piker, and campus activist Isra Hirsi, daughter of Congresswoman Omar. This from Common Dreams.* In more news from the left, POLITICO reports Donavan McKinney – who is challenging incumbent Congressman Shri Thanedar in Detroit – picked up a major batch of endorsements this week from members of the Congressional Black Caucus. These new endorsers include Representatives Steven Horsford, the former chair of the CBC, along with Lateefah Simon and Ayanna Pressley. These endorsements, particularly that of Congressman Horsford, are notable because Thanedar retains the support of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his deputies, Representatives Pete Aguilar and Katherine Clark. McKinney said he was “honored” by these endorsements, adding that he “[looks] forward to working alongside these incredible leaders to pass critical legislation to protect voting rights, get big money out of our politics, and ensure all families have access to the resources they need to not just survive, but to truly thrive.” McKinney's primary will be held on August 4th, along with the more closely watched Senate primary between progressive Abdul El-Sayed and his moderate, establishment-backed opponent Haley Stevens.* Meanwhile, in New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani continues to fulfill campaign promises at an astonishing rate. First, Forbes reports that Mamdani has officially introduced a $124.7 billion city budget which includes funding for five city-run grocery stores which will sell staple foods at a 30% discount compared to private grocery stores. These staples are set to include produce, dairy, bread, select meat and seafood, and approximately 20 other products. Being city-owned, these stores will not have to pay rent or property taxes, ensuring they can operate more cheaply than their competitors in the private sector. This piece notes that similar experiments in smaller cities like Baldwin, Florida, and Erie, Kansas proved unsustainable financially, while proposals in Chicago and Kansas City struggled to get off the ground. There is reason to believe New York will prove a different matter entirely, but that remains to be seen. At the same time, Jacobin reports Mamdani is launching a new initiative called “Talk to Tenants,” which will “send volunteers door-to-door in buildings with chronic housing code violations, connecting renters with organizing resources, neighborhood organizations, and training on tenants' rights and how to build tenant associations.” This effort will be led by the Office of Mass Engagement in partnership with the Office to Protect Tenants. It is extremely encouraging to see Mamdani utilizing a varied array of tools at his disposal – including both direct action by the city as on grocery stores or using city resources to promote the formation of non-governmental organizing efforts – in order to achieve his vision of a just and affordable American metropolis.* In more troubling, if not surprising, news, the Wall Street Journal is out with a new report finding that the Department of Justice is giving a green light to corporate criminals. The Journal cites examples ranging from Alibaba to Boeing and EagleBank to Abbott Laboratories where the Trump DOJ “declined to charge companies even when prosecutors thought executives or managers were involved in the wrongdoing.” This follows from directives given by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who has “said prosecutors shouldn't view prosecuting companies as their goal and should instead focus on holding individual wrongdoers accountable.” This piece cites a December speech by Blanche in which he stated that “Companies don't go to jail, people do.” Yet, it seems that under the Trump Justice Department, neither do.* Finally, in more corporate news, the antitrust lawsuit filed by over a dozen state attorneys general has at least temporarily succeeded in halting the mega-merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and the Ellisons' media conglomerate, Paramount Skydance. After the lawsuit was filed, a federal judge in Oakland ordered a pause on the deal, and since then, the Ellisons themselves have agreed to put the merger “on ice” pending the outcome of the trial, Variety reports. This piece also highlights the private sentiments of anonymous Warner Bros. executives who apparently hope that the deal hits a “legal landmine” and is ultimately “nixed.” However, in an internal memo, David Ellison maintained that “the facts and the law are on our side, and a full hearing will demonstrate why the plaintiffs' arguments should not prevail.”This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) checks in from the campaign trail in Michigan to discuss her re-election campaign and why she will continue to speak out on the issues if given another term.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Congress just put the Smithsonian director on the hot seat over some of the most ridiculous taxpayer-funded exhibits you'll ever see. Regular Americans take their families to the National Museum of American History expecting the story of our country. Instead, they're finding overtly sexual transgender displays, including content involving kids, and a staff toolkit that flat-out labels politeness and objectivity as white supremacy. House Republicans laid out the photos, the diary entries, and the MASS Action materials in black and white. Nearly a billion dollars a year in public money is flowing into this. The director's answers were pure deflection. This isn't preserving history. It's rewriting it to fit an ideology most parents never signed up for. Pat also covered: Trump's Georgia rally just turned up the heat for John Thune Mamdani still ranks international law over the Constitution The Puka Nacua bite photo is now public Darline Graham Nordone takes Lindsey's seat — is she the real deal? Iranian sends a blunt message to Americans Does it make you angry that this is happening with your tax dollars? Have you taken your kids to a Smithsonian museum and walked out thinking, “This isn't the America I grew up with”? If you want unfiltered truth and commonsense analysis that cuts through the noise, hit subscribe and turn on notifications. 00:00 Pat Gray UNLEASHED! 00:38 Iranian's Message for America 07:00 Trump Attends Dignified Transfer Ceremony 08:13 Trump at Atlanta, Georgia Rally 09:37 Trump Does the 'Tomahawk Chop' 10:19 People Mocking Trump Behind his Back 12:56 Trump on Communism 14:02 Scott Bessent on Socialism & Zohran Mamdani 16:28 Trump on the SAVE America Act 20:54 Zohran Mamdani Still Wants to Arrest Netanyahu 23:38 Rashida Tlaib on Mamdani & Netanyahu 25:01 Jim Jordan VS. Michelle Behnke 27:46 Brandon Gill VS. Michelle Behnke 30:17 It's Gonna Be a HOT Football Season! 35:34 Fat Five 48:13 A Nuclear Deal with Saudi Arabia?! 54:13 Tim Burchett on the Smithsonian Museum 1:01:14 Peggy Flanagan Speaking the Ojibwe Language 1:06:38 Pat Gray BINGO! Winner 1:07:26 Puka Nacua Bite Marks 1:12:16 Ted Lieu Shouts at UN Ambassador 1:16:39 40 Days since Mitch McConnell was Last Seen Alive 1:19:46 Harry Enten on Trump's Endorsement of Darline Graham 1:21:37 What do We Know about Darline Graham? 1:23:27 How Much Money is the Republican Party Raising? 1:26:18 Darline Graham's Policies 1:30:44 Joe Biden Fails to Block Recordings Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pags reacts to comments from Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin about the SAVE Act, arguing that requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration is designed to prevent illegal voting, and questions why some Democrats oppose the measure. The SAVE Act would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections and has become a major point of partisan debate. Pags also revisits campaign promises from Rep. Rashida Tlaib, weighs in on comedian Bill Maher's recent criticisms of the Democratic Party, and reflects on Maher's memorable conversation with Charlie Kirk. He then discusses Michigan gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed's proposals to raise taxes and expand government programs. Finally, Kay Hill joins the program to examine the growing political divisions in America, the role of media narratives and cultural battles in fueling polarization, and what she believes is driving the country's increasingly fractured political climate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he dives into today's top stories shaping America and the world. In this Daily Brief of The Wright Report, Bryan breaks the news that the US is officially back at war with Iran, with President Trump notifying Congress under the War Powers framework as strikes continue across the region. Bryan covers the reinstated naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, the new 20 percent transit fee the US will charge shipping companies, and Iran's retaliatory strikes against Kurdish militia bases in Iraq. He also reports on a first ever US Navy sea drone strike on an Iranian naval facility, rising tension between Saudi Arabia and Houthi rebels in Yemen, and mounting fuel shortages in Europe tied to the widening conflict. Bryan closes with his analysis on why bombing alone will not resolve the standoff with Tehran and what he hopes to hear in President Trump's upcoming address to the nation. Plus, Bryan runs through a series of domestic stories he sees as connected: political rhetoric out of Michigan, an arrest tied to international money laundering and terror financing charges, a church fire in Pittsburgh, controversy over a Minnesota pardon, and a casting debate surrounding a major Hollywood adaptation of The Odyssey. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32   Keywords: Wright Report, Bryan Dean Wright, Iran war, Trump, Strait of Hormuz, naval blockade, Iran strikes, IRGC, Kurds, Houthis, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Europe fuel shortage, War Powers, Congress, Michigan politics, Rashida Tlaib, Abdul El-Sayed, Tim Walz, pardon controversy, Pittsburgh church fire, Hollywood casting, The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan, CIA analysis, national security, foreign policy

# ☕ Scott Adams School## Monday, July 13, 2026Welcome back! It's Monday, and the Home Team is back together to kick off a brand-new week.Today's conversation is expected to include:* Remembering Senator Lindsey Graham and looking back at highlights from his long political career.* Islam and the cultural and political conversations surrounding it.* Flock cameras, privacy, surveillance, and what's really happening.* Rashida Tlaib's remarks at the People's Conference for Palestine.* New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani reportedly seeking a meeting with Iran while tensions remain high. Nothing weird about that...* News, current events, and wherever the conversation takes us.### ❓Question of the Day**Is it too late to get Islam out of our country, or can America still fight that battle and win?**We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Keep it thoughtful, respectful, and constructive.---### A Few Housekeeping Notes

Erick discusses the appointment of Darlene Graham-Norden (Lindsey Graham's sister) to the U.S. Senate and reflects on Graham's legacy. He dives deep into the growing radical left influence in the Democratic Party, from Rashida Tlaib and Ro Khanna to the funding of militant groups by figures like Fergie Chambers and Neville Roy Singham. Erick explores […]

Gavin Newsom says he's fine with the Democratic Socialists of America "taking over" his party — and it's on tape. This video breaks down Newsom comparing DSA to the Green Party he beat in San Francisco, his dodge on whether Israel is an "apartheid state," and his attacks on Netanyahu over the two-state solution. Then it exposes DSA's actual playbook: using the Democratic Party as a host (the "cuckoo" strategy) to win low-turnout primaries, take over city halls, and push socialism from the inside — in the words of DSA organizers and NYC's Zoran Mamdani. Closes with Rashida Tlaib's "seize the power" speech and why Schumer, Jeffries, and Newsom keep welcoming the far left instead of confronting it.Become a Townhall VIP member with promo code "LARRY": https://townhall.com/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ralph speaks to historian Omer Bartov about his new book “Israel: What Went Wrong?” with special guest, international law expert Bruce FeinBruce Fein is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on international law. Mr. Fein was Associate Deputy Attorney General under Ronald Reagan and he is the author of Constitutional Peril: The Life and Death Struggle for Our Constitution and Democracy, and American Empire: Before the Fall.Many of the things that you describe in Israel apply in spades in the United States. We also have an administration that says we're being invaded militarily by Venezuela gangs, so we have to go kidnap their president and annex Venezuela. We've stated that Iran is an existential threat to the United States because at some future time, it's conceivable they may get one nuclear weapon. We have 5,000, Israel probably has 300 or 400. Or make the argument that we are being invaded by defenseless immigrants across the southern border. And it does seem to me that all countries—I don't think it's unique anyway to the United States or Israel, but it's generally true those in power are there to manufacture fear, to inflate fleas into elephants and say “My gosh, tomorrow the sky is falling down. We need to have national emergencies, rule by decree.” Everything is “an imminent danger”, the Communist domino theory. It's a very challenging issue. I say what you've described in Israel is not unique to Israel. We confront it every day right in the United States. And it works.Bruce FeinOmer Bartov is the Dean's Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University. A historian, Professor Bartov was born on a kibbutz, grew up in Tel Aviv, and served in the Israel Defense Forces during the Yom Kippur War. He went on to become a leading scholar of the German army and the Holocaust, before turning his attention to his native country. His early research concerned the Nazi indoctrination of the Wehrmacht and the crimes it committed in World War II. He then turned to the links between total war and genocide and interethnic relations in the borderlands of Eastern Europe. His current interest is reflected in his recent books, Genocide, the Holocaust and Israel-Palestine: First-Person History in Times of Crisis, Israel: What Went Wrong?, and the forthcoming The Broken Promise: A Personal Political History of Israel and Palestine. The whole idea of creating a Jewish state (and it says so in the Proclamation of the State from May 1948) is that it would be a state for Jews—that it would be both Jewish and democratic. And that has proven to be not possible. A Jewish state can be both Jewish and democratic only if the overwhelming majority (if not all) of its citizens are Jews.Omer Bartov[Zionist zealots] believe that history is on their side—so in that sense, they are similar to Communists they're similar to Fascists they're similar to Nazis in that they believe that they can see the way forward, they know the logic of history, and the logic of history as they see it is on their side.Omer BartovIn Israel, since the 1980s (really since after the War of 1973, with the rise of the right wing in Israel in particular) the Holocaust has come to serve a particular purpose. Instead of being commemorated as an event that happened in the past that we should remember and commemorate and research, it's become a kind of image of an imminent danger to Israel. And the farther Israel has moved from the actual event of the Holocaust, and the more the Israeli army has become the military hegemon in its region, the more this alleged threat of an “Auschwitz around the corner” has been used by Israeli governments. Why has it been used? Because Israel actually needs to explain to itself and to its citizens: Why is it bossing it over millions of Palestinians? Half of the population under Israeli control are Palestinians. Two million are citizens, but they don't have equal rights, and the others have no rights at all (they're simply under arbitrary military rule). So how do you explain that? You explain that by telling your population and the rest of the world that those Palestinians—who have no power, who can never pose a threat to you—are an existential threat. And in Israel, that has worked quite well.Omer BartovBecause of the focus on Hebrew—to create Hebrew as a mother tongue for children whose mothers didn't speak Hebrew—because of that, there was a great antagonism towards speaking any other language. And the notion of having bilingual schools (that is, of having schools in Palestine where people would learn both Hebrew and Arabic, the language of the place) is not entertained by the vast majority of educators. Now, if you think about what would have been the result of having bilingual schools already in the 1920s and 30s, that children could speak each other's language and recognize each other's culture—that could have had a huge effect on how Zionism developed and how the state would have developed. But in today's Israel, the only bilingual population are the Palestinians. Palestinian citizens of Israel speak Arabic and Hebrew. Most Israelis don't speak Arabic. And most Israelis who trace themselves (quite large numbers) not to Europe, but to North Africa and the Middle East, where their parents and grandparents spoke Arabic (this was their language) have forgotten that language and were ashamed of their parents speaking it because it associated them with the Arabs. So the loss in this kind of creation of a nation around one language was the ability to imagine yourself as sharing the space with another group.Omer Bartov * Our top story concerns a progressive insurgent running in a must-win Senate race – and not the one you're thinking of. Late last week, Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed won the endorsement of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The New York Times notes that this is AOC's first Senate endorsement of this cycle, coming just about a month ahead of the August 4th Michigan primary. El-Sayed is quoted saying that he is “honored for what her support says about what this campaign is building and what we're fighting for,” adding that he thinks that “too many establishment Democrats are…afraid that I will win.” He pointedly attacked Senator Chuck Schumer, charging that the Minority Leader “doesn't want to see me on the inside of the U.S. Senate,” because El-Sayed would “call out the kind of politics where we take money from corporations and AIPAC to run milquetoast campaigns and don't say anything about the problems that everyday people are facing.” El-Sayed has announced that he will campaign with AOC and Senator Bernie Sanders in Detroit, Lansing and Grand Rapids on July 18th and 19th, per MLive.* Another earthquake occurred in the Michigan Senate race on July 5th, when State Senator Mallory McMorrow announced that she would be withdrawing from the race – turning what was a competitive three-way race into a head-to-head between El-Sayed and the Democratic establishment pick, Congresswoman Haley Stevens. The Detroit Free Press notes that this announcement “comes after absentee ballots have already been mailed out to some voters and too late to remove her name from the primary ballot,” though voters are able to rescind their absentee votes and submit new ones up through Friday, July 24th. In a video statement, McMorrow maintained that “People are crying out for change and we need to listen.” McMorrow once led her opponents in this race but saw her support collapse and was trailing in a distant third place in recent polls. Rumor also had it that outgoing Senator Gary Peters was privately calling for her to exit the race so centrists could consolidate around Stevens. While many of her supporters are expected to go to Stevens, El-Sayed is energetically courting McMorrow's voters as well. The Detroit News reports McMorrow herself has announced that she will remain neutral in the remaining days of the primary, leaving her voters to vote their own consciences.* In more Michigan news, DSA-backed congressional candidate Donavan McKinney is running strong in his primary campaign against incumbent Congressman Shri Thanedar, whom McKinney has labeled “​​Detroit's own Elon Musk,” according to the New York Post. If McKinney pulls it off, he will join the growing group of DSA members in the House, along with Claire Valdez, Darializa Avila Chevalier and AOC from New York, Chris Rabb and Melat Kiros from Pennsylvania and Colorado respectively, and Rashida Tlaib from Michigan. Another candidate endorsed by his local DSA chapter, Kyle Blomquist, is running for Congress in Michigan but even if he wins his primary he is not expected to flip the deep red 1st congressional district.* In Missouri, Cori Bush has also won the support of DSA for her comeback congressional run against Wesley Bell, who defeated her in the 2024 primary, Andrew Solender reports. Bush had already won the support of her local DSA chapter, along with many other progressive organizations, and has been endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, and former Congressman Jamaal Bowman. This week though, she won the support of the national DSA. In a statement, Bush wrote “I am honored to be once again endorsed by the Democratic [Socialists] of America as I campaign to return to Congress and keep building our movement to fight for economic justice, Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, and a world where everyday people have a real voice in our workplace's neighborhoods and society.” Bush also praised DSA for its “decades of organizing…[mobilizing] thousands of people across the country to demand an economy that works for all of us…[and] take on war profiteers, the for-profit healthcare industry, and the billionaire funded lobbies that subvert our democracy.” There has been little polling of this race, but what there has been appears to show the race in a statistical dead heat. One sign that Bush is being taken seriously is the new $865,000 ad buy taken out by the United Democracy Project, an AIPAC cutout.* Ironically, it would seem that American Jews have a more favorable view of the progressive left than Israel. According to the Forward, a new AP poll found that “44% of American Jews hold a favorable opinion of Zohran Mamdani, compared with 39% who view him unfavorably.” This is in contrast to the 32% of respondents who said they have a favorable opinion of Netanyahu and 59% who said they have a negative view of the Israeli PM. Perhaps more surprisingly, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a “staunch supporter of Israel,” garnered only a 41% favorability rating, though far more respondents said they don't know enough about him to have an opinion than said they have a negative view.* Turning back to the Senate, the other major story this week of course is the fall of Graham Platner. Accusations of sexual assault, detailed in a POLITICO article, resulted in a deluge of opprobrium that cascaded upwards culminating in Platner's earliest and highest profile supporter, Senator Bernie Sanders, calling on him to drop out of the Senate race in Maine. In a video message released Wednesday, Platner stated that he would be suspending his campaign effective immediately, later telling staff that he plans to wait until Monday, the final possible day, to formally withdraw from the race, Axios reports. In the same video, Platner categorically denied the accusations calling them “all false,” and maintaining that the “things that have been claimed did not happen.” He implied that the scandal was orchestrated by “those in power“ who would “rather see Susan Collins win than have me be the next Senator from Maine.”* Platner's impending, late-stage withdrawal from the race has set off a chaotic blitz primary to replace him as the Democratic nominee. Numerous candidates have announced they are running including former Maine Senate president Troy Jackson, former Director of Maine's Center for Disease, Control and Prevention Nirav Shah, co-founder of Maine beer company Dan Kleban, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and state lawmaker Valli Geiger, along with Jordan Wood and Paige Loud, both of whom ran in the Maine second congressional district Democratic primary. The actual process for selecting a nominee has been the subject of debate – with many progressives arguing for caucuses – but POLITICO reports that by July 27th, “600 delegates must be selected,” including 500 from the state's 16 county parties, and these delegates will decide on a candidate to replace Platner via “an unprecedented nominating convention,” wherein all delegates come in unpledged to any candidate setting the stage for “what could be a raucous and unpredictable free-for-all.” It remains to be seen how this will all shake out, but it is notable that almost all of these candidates poll very strongly against Senator Susan Collins, with many polling higher than Platner ever did, while the Democratic Party's handpicked primary candidate, sitting Governor Janet Mills, still polls lower than Platner even since the scandal broke.* For our final Senate story, we turn to the senior Senator from Kentucky, Mitch McConnell. McConnell was recently found unconscious in his Washington, DC home and has been hospitalized since, and while Republican Senators and media figures like Scott Jennings claim to have spoken with him directly, his being sequestered away from the public has fueled rampant speculation about the severity of his condition and why it is being kept so secretive. Forbes reports that some figures on the right, including Steve Bannon, are “suggesting the Republican establishment is shielding the state of McConnell's health from the public to allow him to remain in office long enough to avoid [Kentucky Congressman Thomas] Massie running for his seat.” Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene told TMZ, “Thomas Massie would make a great senator.” The Hill reports that Andy Beshear, the Democratic Governor of Kentucky, sent a letter to McConnell's Senate office strongly requesting an update on the Senator's health, noting that “Over the last several weeks, Kentuckians have grown increasingly concerned about the health and well-being of Sen. McConnell,” and that “Allowing speculation to continue in the media is not fair to the Senator or to Kentuckians, and my hope is that this provides him the opportunity to share the information in a transparent manner, direct from the source.”* In more positive news, AP reports former Wisconsin judge Hannah Dugan, who helped an immigrant escape ICE by ushering him through her jury room door was spared prison time in her sentencing this week. After the incident in her court room, Dugan was convicted of felony obstruction in what was widely seen as a political trial designed to exact retribution on behalf of the Trump administration. Dugan resigned her circuit judgeship under this assault; in her resignation letter, she warned that this prosecution threatened “the independence of our judiciary.” Dugan was fined $5,000.* Finally, in spiritual news, a story in the National Catholic Reporter recounts how Pope Leo XIV excommunicated thousands of clergy and followers of the far right, schismatic group, the Society of St. Pius X. While bishops and priests are judged prima facie schismatic for their consecration in the Society, lay followers of the sect will be judged schismatic if they consciously choose “adherence to the society over obedience to the pope,” and “exclusive participation in Lefebvrian ‘ecclesial' acts, without taking part in the acts of the Catholic Church,” a reference to the group's founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. The proximate cause of this excommunication was the Society creating four new bishops in open defiance of Pope Leo, essentially daring the Church to act. This piece notes that the Society “has long been a thorn in the side of Rome,” and notes that the new papal decree rolls back privileges granted to the sect under Pope Francis, including administering the sacrament of penance and solemnizing marriages.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

An antifa leader who spearheaded an attack on an ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas, was just sentenced to 100 years. The Sekulow team discusses the far Left's radical response to Benjamin Song's sentencing (e.g., "Squad" member Rep. Rashida Tlaib), the Trump Administration's actions to bolster national security and decrease illegal immigration, the ACLJ's legal work – and much more.

The justice system is under absolute siege!

An antifa leader who was convicted of leading a group to attack an ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas, was just sentenced to 100 years. The Sekulow team discusses Benjamin Song's sentencing, Rep. Rashida Tlaib's radical response, the Trump Administration's efforts to strengthen national security and curb illegal immigration, the ACLJ's legal work – and much more.

Rashida Tlaib is mad at the outcome of the trial of the ANTIFA members in Texas and a customer thinks she got herpes from an Arby's meal? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quick recapKoop and Russ conducted their podcast "Two Grumpy Bastards" with a round-robin format of video clips and commentary, discussing political figures, current events, and social issues. They reviewed clips featuring Republican politicians like Max Miller and Brandon Gill confronting Democratic colleagues in Congress, criticized Democratic candidates including Graham Plattner's controversial nomination in Maine, discussed the Carmelo Anthony murder trial verdict, examined community demonstrations in Seattle regarding public safety, and addressed European political tensions including an attempted beheading in Ireland. The conversation covered topics ranging from congressional hearings and political morality to criminal justice, immigration issues, and educational displays in schools, with both hosts expressing frustration with what they perceive as declining standards in public discourse and political representation.SummaryVideo Format Discussion PlanningKoop and Russ discussed doing a round robin of videos instead of deep diving into one or two topics as they normally do. They briefly talked about an upcoming hockey game between teams tied at 2-2. The conversation ended with Koop mentioning technical difficulties with screen sharing and testing audio quality.Podcast Format and Video PlanningKoop and Russ discussed their podcast format and planned to do a round robin of videos with quick discussions after each one. They began with a video featuring Republican representative Max Miller responding to Rashida Tlaib's comments about US involvement in Lebanon, where Miller argued against a resolution criticizing American foreign policy and instead focused on the threat posed by Hezbollah. The conversation included some casual discussion about sports teams before transitioning to their planned video content format.Political Congress Exchanges DiscussionKoop and Russ discussed various political exchanges and moments from Congress, focusing on specific lawmakers and their controversial statements or actions. They highlighted exchanges involving Max Miller, Rashida Tlaib, and Jack Smith, as well as discussing the conduct of other members like Brandon Gill and Wayne Mullen. The conversation included analysis of specific incidents, such as subpoenas of Kevin McCarthy and concerns about social media posts by DHS, with both participants sharing their opinions on the political implications and the effectiveness of certain lawmakers.Political Discussion and Candidate CritiqueKoop and Russ discussed several political topics, including Marco Rubio's potential as a presidential candidate and his performance in a congressional hearing where he was interrupted by another representative. They criticized Democratic politicians, particularly Graham Plattner, Maine's Democratic Senate nominee, whom they described as an inappropriate candidate due to past accusations. The conversation also touched on Seattle's homeless policies and the residents' response to them, as well as the Democratic Party's nomination of Plattner despite his controversial background.Carmelo Anthony Murder Case DiscussionRuss and Koop discussed the case of Carmelo Anthony, who was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison. Russ emphasized that the case should not be viewed through a racial lens, stating that it was about individual responsibility and the violent actions of Anthony. They discussed the jury composition, with Russ clarifying that it was not entirely white, and addressed misconceptions about Anthony's legal representation. Russ expressed that the sentence was too lenient and advocated for harsher punishment, while both agreed that the quick jury deliberation indicated a clear verdict.Anthony Case and Public SafetyKoop and Russ discussed the Anthony case, agreeing that the defendant should have pleaded out rather than going to trial, and they debated the appropriate treatment of teenagers as adults for serious crimes. They watched a video of a community march in Seattle protesting crime and lack of enforcement, noting the peaceful nature of the demonstration compared to typical leftist protests. The discussion concluded with criticism of Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson for not attending the march and her perceived lack of priorities regarding public safety.European Tensions and Security ConcernsKoop and Russ discussed the escalating situation in Europe, particularly in Ireland, where tensions are rising due to an attempted beheading incident. They noted that the Irish public, including the left, is becoming increasingly concerned about the situation and the government's inability to protect citizens. Russ suggested that vigilantism might become more prevalent if governments continue to fail in their duties, and both agreed that cultural and immigration issues are contributing to the unrest. They also discussed the potential for further violence, especially if different communities in Northern Ireland unite against common threats.Pride Month Display ControversyKoop and Russ discussed a Pride Month display at Graham-Kapowsin High School that included vials of testosterone, which Koop criticized as inappropriate given the controlled substance status of testosterone. They noted that while woke initiatives have become more muted recently, they remain active and require continued vigilance. The conversation concluded with Koop sharing humorous clips, including a joke about British colonies and a reference to French warfare tactics.Thank you for listening and subscribing and liking the hell out of us!Politics. Culture. Society. Science. Comedy (both intentional and unintentional). General ranting from two self-righteous and overly-educated ex-Army guys. You could call them relics. You could call them #wokeless. You could call them agitators. But be careful, they may call you an ambulance. And..... one of them is an actual bastardPodcasts are edited for YouTube, you can find the entire Two Grumpy Bastards Podcast on all podcast outlets.  Please rate us! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfHvtEMQD7iIsFA9S2sEq7gYou can support the Two Grumpy Bastards at:Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/twogrumpybastardsMerchandise:  http://www.twogrumpybastardsmerchandise.comEtsy: (Yes, Etsy) https://www.etsy.com/shop/TwoGrumpyBastardsPodYou can also find us on Instagram and Twitter (2GrumpyBastards) and come join us on Facebook at the Two Grumpy Bastards Podcast Facebook GroupTo contact us message us on Social Media, or email twogrumpybastards@gmail.com

Click here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinHere's Episode #182 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast!00:00-16:10: The Establishment MachineLeft of Lansing's Pat Johnston cites another insightful article by Danielle Moody & Jared Yates Sexton from The DAM Digest (we mistakenly gave credit to Sexton's "Dispatches From A Collapsing State," but please visit there, too!), on how the political establishment wants to keep the working class trapped in a cycle of comfort. While The Epstein Class keeps gaining more power and more wealth as it's never being held accountable for its crime and corruption, political and corporate media elites join forces to blunt a progressive-populist movement. But as we're seeing across the nation, and in Michigan, the working class is beginning to rise-up by backing progressive-populist campaigns. 16:11-32:00: Establishment Machine Part 2Pat continues explaining the ways the elite corporate and political establishment machine keeps enriching their power and wealth while telling the working class there's not much they can do. Whether it's the Trump Regime's & Israel's War on Iran, or high inflation, or government working with data centers, or how Michigan political elites created cushy government pensions while working on decimating working class programs, The Establishment believes the working class will just accept the system as is. And it did for a long time, but not anymore.33:00-42:31: Why Pat Waves Stars & StripesIn the "Last Call," Pat explains why he proudly waves the American Flag, especially while living in these authoritarian times. 42:32-44:26: EndingPlease, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!leftoflansing@gmail.comLeft of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopardClick here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinNOTES:"The Comfort of the Cage: Why America Chooses Complicity Over Accountability." By Danielle Moody & Jared Yates Sexton of The DAM Digest"41 former Michigan lawmakers collecting six-figure 'Cadillac' pensions." By Beth LeBlanc of The Detroit News "UAW Endorses Secretary Jocelyn Benson and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in Critical Michigan Races for Governor and U.S. Senate." By The United Auto Workers "Michigan Civil War Gov. Austin Blair is only person honored with statue at Capitol." By Alyssa Burr of MLive.com "Trump has a new, surprising take on the higher cost of living: ‘I love the inflation.'" By Josh Boak of The AP "House votes down Tlaib measure to withdraw U.S. troops from Lebanon." By Melissa Nann Burke of The Detroit News #podcast #politics #Progressives #Democrats #Michigan #Trump #Republicans #MAGA #workingclass #Establishment #Populism #Economy #Inflation #Jobs #IranWar #Israel #AIPAC #IranWar #Lebanon #War #DefenseSpending #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #DataCenters #BigTech #EpsteinClass #AbdulElSayed #HaleyStevens Donors #RashidaTlaib #GovernmentCorruption #GrahamPlatner #Election #Authoritarianism #Fascism #WhiteChristianNationalism #Democracy #LeftofLansing

H1-S2 full 00:07 somebody needs to write a book and I'm pretty sure they're going to be doing it on the metamorphosis of the folks on the left. 00:19 If you just went back, let's say 25 years, that's really all it would take. And you look at those Democrats from 25, maybe 30 years ago, you could sit, you know, you could talk with those people. You could sit down, you might not agree with them. You could sit down and have a chat with them. 00:41 The folks on the left have gone so far left. It's unbelievable. Used to be, if you had the word communist or socialist anywhere in your biography, in your bio, that was an automatic done. No, no office, no nothing, go live your life, do whatever you're gonna do, but you're not gonna hold public office. 01:09 But then we get somebody like Bernie Sanders in there. And people are like, well, it's just crazy old Bernie. Yeah, we know he's a socialist. Yeah, we'll overlook that. But then we get AOC. 01:21 Well, she's harmed and this is really how people think, oh, she's harmless. Then we get Ayanna Pressley and Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. We get the squad in there. And people are like, yeah, but that's a... And then 25 years after 9-11, in New York City, they elect Zoran Mondani, a radical Islamist. uh 01:51 that sink in for just a second. 01:55 And then maybe you were thinking, well, that's probably as bad as the left is going to get. They can't go any more left than that. And then what did they do? They actually elect as their senatorial candidate from Maine, a man who for decades walked around with a totem cough tattoo on his chest. 02:19 A man who says he is a socialist, a man who praised, I mean, I'm just, the list goes on and on and on. Absolutely on and on and on. This is a guy who criticized heroic American soldiers. This is a guy who criticized the American sniper. This is a guy that said, know what, Hezbollah, you know, they got good tactics. 02:44 The transition of the left to the radical left has been unbelievable. It really has. now with, okay, so here's a guy, because remember the left was all about me too, hashtag me too, or as some people say, pound me too. They're all about that with Harvey Weinstein and everybody, ooh, me too, me too, me too. 03:13 They were all about believe the women, believe the women. have, oh, you have to div. They didn't believe Tara Reid when she accused Joe Biden of sexual assault. They believe none of Bill Clinton's accusers. None of them. But now you've got Graham Plattner. Listen to this. This is a woman named Jody Cantor. She's over on CNN. Listen to what she says. Well, let's talk about what they may or may not be willing to overlook. 03:42 The accusations against Graham Plattner are not classic me-too accusations. They're not about a boss and a young female employee being subjected to sexual advances. uh They were mostly made in the context of consensual relationships. There are these very sensational texts about sex. There are allegations from former girlfriends that are not, the way my colleagues reported them, were not classic. 04:12 abuse allegations. They were mostly like being his boyfriend gave me a view into him and I did not like what I saw. His character was scary. had this Nazi tattoo, etc. There was one allegation of crossing a line physically. But I think that means that these are pretty different accusations than say the that President Trump faced. And of course in the Access Hollywood tape, 04:40 President Trump. shut up. Talking about Billy Bush weekend. See, the hypocrisy of the people on the left knows no depth. They are willing to go to protect their own. They're willing to overlook all of that. I mean, all of it. All of it. They tried to say that Pete Hegseth was a womanizing drunk. Tried to say that Casper Tell was a drunkard. 05:10 We've got video of Graham Plattner in big stages of intoxication, dancing around half naked at a party. Now, nothing to see here. No, no, that's okay. ... 511 Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:33:00 +0000 3U7wmylDUEcKGxqMNocdlsY3kpGiLWzP news The Charlie James Show Podcast news H1-S2 The Charlie James Show originates from News/Talk 989 WORD, The Upstate's #1 Talk Station, weekdays 3-7pm. Charlie tackles the topics that matter to the Carolina's. He interviews the movers and shakers while letting listeners sound off on the news of the day. 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News https://player.amperwavepodcasting.com?feed-link=https%3A%2F%2Frss.amperwave.net%2Fv2%2Fe

In a program devoted to the topic of AI, Ralph welcomes first, Tyson Slocum, director of the energy group at Public Citizen, who tells us about the local backlash against the construction of data centers. Then New York Times climate writer, David Wallace-Wells, explains how the Big Tech CEOs did not count on human beings possibly rising up against them and their machines.Tyson Slocum is director of Public Citizen's Energy Program, covering the regulation of petroleum, natural gas and power markets. He serves on the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's “Energy & Environmental Markets Advisory Committee,” and frequently intervenes before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) representing the interests of household consumers.The basic question is they (Big Tech companies) are developing essentially governmental powers— governmental powers— not market powers or corporate powers. They've reached a level now where they are our government, the corporate government. And we have to escalate our urgencies to that level. It's more than just the hour is late. The hour is over. So we have to go back and respond with a completely unprecedented level of public interest, standards, etc., including whether this technology (AI) should be allowed at all.Ralph NaderI definitely see that we are in a speculative bubble. That bubble will burst. And folks within the AI industry, like Sam Altman, have been very clear where they have publicly said, when the bubble breaks, we expect to get a financial bailout because our AI applications are so important to the national interest.Tyson SlocumAnd the backlash to data centers isn't just about, oh, I'm concerned about my power rates going up or I'm concerned about the noise or the water usage. It's also a civil rights and human rights issue where people are saying, I don't like this vision that Big Tech is laying out for us that is going to be produced in this building down the street from our community.Tyson SlocumDavid Wallace-Wells is a columnist and staff writer at the New York Times, where he writes a weekly newsletter on climate change, technology, and the future of the planet. He is the author of the book, The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming. His recent feature in the New York Times Magazine is “AI Populism is Here. And No One is Ready.”Just over the last six months, there's been a huge surge in anti-AI and in particular anti-data center organizing and activism in the U.S. And you can see that on the ground where you see huge crowds coming to town halls to protest new data centers that are being proposed. You see some towns that have approved those data centers literally having their entire city council voted out of office as a result. And you see it in these surveys where within the span of just a few months. Huge sentiment flips among the American public from being basically agnostic about AI with some misgivings and some optimism to pretty striking majority opposition to the technology and the infrastructure build out that it requires.David Wallace-WellsThis (AI) is a technological revolution that has been designed and is being built by an extremely small number of people with very particular idiosyncratic, in certain ways, I think, somewhat sociopathic worldviews.David Wallace-WellsNews 6/5/26* Our top story this week comes from Congress, where the House has, at long last, successfully pushed through a War Powers Resolution on Iran. As NPR notes “The resolution had originally been set for a vote two weeks ago, but Republican leaders sent House members home early for a May recess when it appeared the largely Democratic-backed measure had enough Republican votes for passage.” However, this did not substantially erode Republican support and the resolution passed by a margin of 215 to 208, with four Republicans, led by Thomas Massie, voting for a cessation of hostilities. The measure now heads to the Senate, where Democrats have been pressing the matter as well but face an uphill battle, and even if it passes through the upper chamber, President Trump is likely to veto the measure if it arrives on his desk. Moreover, House progressives are now pushing a new War Powers Resolution, this one focusing on Lebanon. POLITICO reports Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib forced a vote this Thursday on a resolution calling for the removal of U.S. troops from Lebanon in seven days, despite opposition from the leadership of her own party. The resolution failed by a wide margin, but still garnered a respectable 92 votes, including support from Congressman Massie. Symbolic though they may be, these votes show a growing backlash to Trump's military adventurism abroad, particularly in the Middle East. With oil prices continuing to rise, this discontent shows no sign of abating.* The main news this week however were the primaires. Tuesday saw a wave of major Democratic primaries across the country. Faiz Shakir, longtime advisor to Bernie Sanders and Executive Director of More Perfect Union, reports that election night was a “clean sweep for Bernie's endorsements” with five out of five of these candidates set to win the Democratic nomination in their respective races. One race Shakir highlighted was Sam Forstag's bid for Congress in Montana's 1st congressional district. Forstag, a firefighter – technically a “smokejumper,” who parachutes into remote areas to extinguish wildfires – earned the endorsements of AOC, Jamie Raskin, Pramila Jayapal and others, as well as many unions, in addition to that of Senator Sanders. Meanwhile in the Montana Senate race, Alani Bankhead has triumphed in the Democratic primary. According to Semafor, “Republicans suspect Bankhead will essentially cede the race to [independent candidate Seth] Bodnar (despite her denials), which would make the general election more competitive.” Bodnar is the former president of the University of Montana and his campaign is backed by former Democratic Senator Jon Tester. One recent poll of a head-to-head match up of Bodnar against Republican nominee Kurt Alme shows the candidates in a dead heat.* In New Jersey, two more Sanders-endorsed candidates have emerged victorious: Analilia Mejia and Dr. Adam Hamawy. Mejia won the special election to replace now-Governor Mikie Sherill in April, beating out former Congressman Tom Malinowksi, the heavy favorite in that race. Mejia is very likely to win this seat again in November, as she already defeated the Republican nominee, Joe Hathaway, in the special election. This from MorristownGreen. Perhaps more surprisingly is the victory of Dr. Adam Hamawy. Now a plastic surgeon, he has distinguished himself for his heroism: saving the life of now-Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth when her Blackhawk helicopter was shot down in Iraq, serving as a first responder to the 9/11 attacks, and most recently, for his work in Gaza. As the Intercept puts it, “In 2024, [Hamawy]...went to Gaza to provide medical aid to Palestinians wounded by Israeli forces and was temporarily trapped there after Israel closed the Rafah border crossing. When the crossing was reopened, Hamawy was among a small group who refused to leave on demands that more medical workers be let in.” Hamawy's progressive policy platform includes support for Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, and opposing military aid to Israel. He is almost guaranteed to win this D+13 seat, succeeding Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman.* The candidates Bernie endorsed in California also prevailed, with Randy Villegas poised to win his primary in the state's 22nd congressional district and Jane Kim winning her race for California Insurance Commissioner, but the results from the state overall are more mixed. As of now, Republican Gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton leads in the count, with centrist Democrat and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra in a close second and progressive billionaire Tom Steyer in third. However, as the count continues, Steyer's margin continues to improve while Hilton's ebbs away – meaning the runoff could end up being Becerra vs. Steyer, though it is still too early to say. A similar dynamic is unfolding in Los Angeles, where incumbent Mayor Karen Bass is ensured a slot in the general election while her opponents – Councilwoman Nithya Raman to her left and former reality TV star Spencer Pratt to her right – continue to duke it out for the second slot. With California's notoriously glacial counting pace and the LA Times reporting that millions of ballots remain to be counted, all we can do is watch and wait.* However, up in Minnesota, another Bernie-backed candidate is on the road to victory. On Tuesday, Peggy Flanagan, the Lieutenant Governor seeking the Senate seat being vacated by Amy Klobuchar, overwhelmingly won the endorsement of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Her closest rival, Congresswoman Angie Craig, did not even bother to attend the party convention. While Craig decried the supposed anti-democratic nature of a party convention endorsement, Flanagan posted a video telling Craig “If you can't show up and face your own party, then you're not ready to face Republicans,” per the Nation. Flanagan can boast the endorsement of many high-profile progressives in addition to Sanders, such as Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, and Minnesota's own Tina Smith, among many others. If elected, she would be the first ever Native American woman to serve as Governor of an American state.* More much-publicized endorsements came this week from AOC and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who both endorsed DSA-aligned legislative candidates, but as City and State NY notes, not the same ones. Mamdani gave his blessing to Darializa Avila Chevalier, a DSA-backed candidate running to unseat powerful Rep. Adriano Espaillat who is seeking his sixth term in Congress. Polling shows Avila Chevalier runs ahead of Espaillat when voters learn about her platform, but lags behind due to low name recognition – something the Zohran endorsement is sure to help remedy. Meanwhile AOC issued her endorsement of four DSA candidates for the state legislature. This all suggests that the two titans of the New York City Democratic Socialist movement are coordinating – with Zohran seeking to boost DSA's prospects without alienating the New York state establishment and vice versa for AOC – but that is nothing more than a hunch.* Looking southward, lame duck Republican Senator John Cornyn this week posted an article on his official Twitter page titled “Libertarian Ted Brown courts disaffected conservative voters in Texas' U.S. Senate race,” from Houston Public Media. Senator Cornyn's comment – “Ruh roh” – set off a firestorm of speculation that this was a subtle endorsement of the Libertarian's campaign and intended to undermine the campaign of his erstwhile opponent and victor of the Republican Senate primary, Ken Paxton. While Cornyn has furiously denied that this is in any way an endorsement of Brown, calling even the “characterization” that he is “promoting” this candidate “fake news,” there is little doubt that posting about Brown from his official account constitutes a promotion of the campaign, albeit not an endorsement. It will be interesting to see whether Cornyn takes other subtle, or not so subtle, digs at Paxton over the course of the campaign, given that he seems to hold a substantial degree of antipathy towards the Texas Attorney General.* Our next two stories come to us from Florida. First, in Florida's 24th congressional district, the National Journal reports longtime Congresswoman Frederica Wilson will not seek reelection. We recently discussed Congresswoman Wilson on this segment when it was revealed that she had been MIA from the House for weeks following an undisclosed eye surgery. Wilson is 82 years old. The National Journal couches this story in the context of aged members of Congress accepting, or more often refusing, to pass the torch. In its gerontocracy tracker, it highlights members like Doris Matsui, John Garamendi, Jim Clyburn and Maxine Waters, all of whom are 80 years old or older, who are actively seeking reelection this cycle.* Meanwhile, in Florida's 20th district, the Sunshine State's redistricting initiative has put the historically Black district in jeopardy. Under the newly drawn lines, the frontrunner in this seat is Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and though she claims the Congressional Black Caucus and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told her that “they know I know our community” the CBC has not endorsed her and Rep. Yvette Clarke, the CBC's chairwoman, said the caucus did not encourage Wasserman Schultz to run in the district. However, there are currently four Black candidates vying for the seat previously held by Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, including Cherfilus-McCormick herself as well as progressive challenger Elijah Manley, former Mayor of Broward County Dale Holness and Luther Campbell the former rapper more famously known as Uncle Luke. Now, according to the Miami Herald, all four of these candidates are meeting to “discuss coalescing behind one candidate.” Manley is quoted in this piece saying that while they have not reached an agreement, they “did agree that we needed to consolidate,” and he said the “conversations are going on. They have been very constructive and fruitful.” It is encouraging that in the wake of Callais decision we are beginning to see a more strategic approach to Black political representation, which has been too long monopolized by powerful longtime incumbents intent on nothing so much as preserving their own fiefdoms.* Finally, in a story shocking to exactly no one, Axios is out with a new report showing that the National Guard occupation of Washington D.C. has done little to reduce crime in the District. Per a new study by the centrist Niskansen Center, while the security theater of the deployment seems to have deterred “opportunistic” property crime, violent crime remained on the same downward trajectory it had been on since before the deployment. Moreover, the promised co-benefit – that the presence of the Guard would free up the Metropolitan Police Department to focus on high-crime areas – did not materialize at all. Despite these lackluster results, President Trump plans to double the National Guard presence in Washington – which already costs $1.5 million a day – ahead of the 250th anniversary events this summer. This is an outrageous waste of taxpayer money especially now that we know for sure how little impact this hostile occupation is actually having on driving down violent crime.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Dave Rubin of "The Rubin Report" gives a first look to the stories you need to know to start your day including chaos erupting on the House floor after Congressman Max Miller accused Rashida Tlaib of having ties to Hezbollah during a heated debate over her resolution demanding President Trump withdraw U.S. forces from Lebanon; House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast escalating the fight by attempting to enter documents into the congressional record concerning Tlaib's alleged associations with extremist groups; and SpaceX preparing for what could become the largest IPO in history, potentially valuing Elon Musk's company at $1.75 trillion and making Musk the world's first trillionaire as Starlink emerges as the company's biggest source of revenue, and much more.

It's Casual Friday on The Majority Report On today's program: Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) speaks out against section 224 of the NDAA for 2027 which was suggested by Benjamin Netanyahu and aims to further integrate U.S. and Israeli militaries. Unfortunately, the section was passed and now Thomass Massie (R-KY) and Khanna will aim to strip the language out of the final NDAA. A screwworm infection has been detected in cattle in south Texas. Elon Musk and DOGE stripped out screwworm monitoring programs in 2025. That can't be good. Jeet Heer, national affairs correspondent at The Nation and host of The Time of Monsters podcast, joins the program to recap the week's news. Topics include the New York Times hit piece on Maine senate candidate Graham Platner, the War Powers resolution, and more. In the Fun Half: Rep. Rashida Tlaib spars with Zionist Rep. Brian Mast over Israel's ongoing Gaza-style destruction of Southern Lebanon. Mast demanding that Tlaib "prove" that the 11 children killed by Israel earlier this week weren't terrorists. Mehdi Hasan humiliates Patrick Bet-David on his own podcast. Hasan corners David over the reality that if David were to attempt to immigrate the U.S. from Iran today. Mark Cuban is hurt that the Democrats aren't begging him for advice on AI and such. To close out the week we savor one last Dave Rubin clip from his massive flop on Jubilee's Surrounded. All that and more. To connect and organize with your local ICE rapid response team visit ICERRT.com The Congress switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. You can use this number to connect with either the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives. Follow us on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the AM Quickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! https://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: https://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 10% off your purchase Check out today's sponsors: RITUAL: Get 25% off during your first month. Visit ritual.com/MAJORITY. FAST GROWING TREES: Get 20% off your first purchase.  FastGrowingTrees.com/majority SUNSET LAKE CBD: Use coupon code "Left Is Best" (all one word) for 20% off of your entire order at SunsetLakeCBD.com Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech On Instagram: @MrBryanVokey Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on YouTube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.

"Jack Riccardi talks about timid Republicans failing the Rashida Tlaib test, dems dragged down by Platner, CA ballots, Spurs and spanking your kid is coming back."

The Republican-controlled Florida House of Representatives designated February as Muslim American Heritage Month. Its adoption is credited to the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim Brotherhood front designated last year by Governor Ron DeSantis as a terrorist organization.  The resolution even extolled the public service of three Democratic sharia-supremacists: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Representatives Ilan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. While there are Muslims who have contributed laudably to our country, these three aren't among them. A BanSharia.com webinar today will examine a particularly odious Muslim “contribution” to America's heritage: Sharia's brutal repression of women. From dressing them in bags to mutilating their genitals to marrying them off as pre-pubescent girls to allowing their husbands to beat them, Muslim misogyny has brought here the worst of Mohammed's behavior.  It must be prohibited, not extolled. BanSharia.com   This is Frank Gaffney.

Send us Fan MailThe AI data-center boom is no longer a simple left-right issue.In Pennsylvania, Republican lawmakers are pushing an 18-month pause so local communities can update their rules before massive data-center projects get locked in. A Democratic state senator is pushing an even longer moratorium. Governor Josh Shapiro still wants Pennsylvania in the data-center race, but with guardrails.In Michigan, Governor Gretchen Whitmer is backing big AI data-center investment, while Rashida Tlaib is warning that residents may be steamrolled by fast-tracked projects, higher utility costs, water demands, and pollution concerns.So what is this really about?Speed versus consent.Corporate power wants to move fast. Communities need time. And Congress has Article I power to slow the machine down, hold hearings, demand disclosure, and make every member choose.Build the future — but build it in public.Full show on Rumble, Twitch, and Substack.The Coffman Chronicle: https://www.thecoffmanchronicle.com/ Pocket Constitution: https://thecoffmanchronicle.kit.com/pocket-constitutionRumble: https://rumble.com/v7aq8gy-ai-data-centers-are-coming-who-pays-the-bill-tmp-1062.htmlYou're listening to today's Opening Argument from The Tony Michaels Podcast. The full show is free on Rumble, with clips, receipts, and the full breakdown. For the ad-free version and deeper breakdowns, subscribe to The Coffman Chronicle at TheCoffmanChronicle.com. Support the show

This week on the Mark Levin Show, the media is truly stupid in its reporting on the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which portrayed PM Benjamin Netanyahu as the unprovoked aggressor hammering Lebanon with no context whatsoever. In reality, while Iran negotiates with the United States, its proxy Hezbollah has launched more missiles and drones at northern Israel than ever before, killing people, and forcing evacuations as part of a deliberate plan to drive Israelis out of the north and then the center, concentrating the population in a tiny area. The entire ruling class—including Democrats, some Republicans, and the media—is pathetically weak and stupid, while many podcasters gain attention simply by being as obnoxious, vile, and poisonous as possible. Also, congratulations to the terror lobby of Arabs and Islamists for successfully electing candidates to Congress exclusively within the Democrat Party, which is flooded with Marxists and Islamists. One such candidate is Adam Hamawy who traveled with the Blind Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman as translator and witness on his behalf, plus his work in Bosnia with an Al Qaeda front group. Despite these ties, Hamawy has endorsements from Bernie Sanders, Ro Khanna, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rashida Tlaib. The Democrat Party supports Nazis, Marxists, and Islamists for office. The Iran deal reportedly offers immediate release of billions in frozen funds, discussions on sanctions relief, and humanitarian aid in exchange for Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz and forswearing nuclear weapons development for 60 days. This agreement provides a massive financial infusion to the regime—funding the IRGC and police state—without addressing ballistic missiles or the regime's brutality against its people. Why is economic and military pressure being lifted before securing firm concessions Enforcement will be impossible given the regime's terrorist history, especially after the Trump presidency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Wednesday's Mark Levin Show, congratulations to the terror lobby of Arabs and Islamists for successfully electing candidates to Congress exclusively within the Democrat Party, which is flooded with Marxists and Islamists. One such candidate is Adam Hamawy who traveled with the Blind Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman as translator and witness on his behalf, plus his work in Bosnia with an Al Qaeda front group. Despite these ties, Hamawy has endorsements from Bernie Sanders, Ro Khanna, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rashida Tlaib. The Democrat Party supports Nazis, Marxists, and Islamists for office. Meanwhile, Sen Democrat Chris Van Hollen is the Islamists' greatest friend in Congress for constantly attacking Israel, praising CAIR, defending Iran and Qatar, and authoring a New York Times op-ed calling to break with and defund Israel. Also, Mayor Zohran Mamdani's housing plan is a Marxist scheme to steal private property. His plan will crush private landlords through low rents, high taxes, and regulations designed to force foreclosures so the city can seize properties, which is legalized theft consistent with socialist and Marxist principles. Later, Sean Hannity calls in to announce that Mark Levin will be his guest on his video podcast - Hang Out with Sean Hannity and a trip down memory lane. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the Mark Levin Show, Rep, Thomas Massie must be defeated in Tuesday's election. Massie is backed by Nick Fuentes, Tucker Carlson Marjorie Taylor Greene, Rashida Tlaib, and the ACLU. Massie is a reliable Democrat vote and Trump needs Republicans who will help him get his major agenda/bills passed. Meanwhile, Zohran Mamdani keeps pushing his government-run grocery stores, but New Yorkers would starve without private grocers and would need to travel to other states for food. Then, when we suddenly hit the brakes and called off the planned military operation against the Iranian regime, it was clear that something was going on. We gave the regime 2-3 days to come to some arrangement that presumably includes no nukes. What does no nukes mean? The regime is a borderless religious extremist cult that has repeatedly cheated on agreements and seeks conquest, not coexistence. The core concern is the lack of credible nuclear enforcement because the regime will violate any deal and that future U.S. leaders may lack the political will to respond. Later, Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner is a profoundly disturbed individual whom Democrats refuse to disavow because they prioritize power above all else. Platner, who's a self-described Communist, trashes American troops and police and he must be stopped from reaching the Senate. The Iranian regime has no intention of honoring any deal. They view negotiations merely as opportunities to delay while pursuing their goal of conquering and converting others through violence, as they believe Allah commands. The regime exists not to govern but to expand its influence worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ralph welcomes back union organizer, Chris Townsend, to discuss the reasons why the AFL-CIO shrinks from effectively fighting for its members and expanding the power of workers. Then, political scientist Lee Drutman lays out a system of proportional representation that would take away the incentive to gerrymander congressional districts. Plus, Ralph gives some quick takes on Thomas Massie's primary loss, fish hopped up on cocaine, and the situations in Lebanon and Ukraine.Chris Townsend has been a union member and labor leader for more than 45 years. He was most recently the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) International Union Organizing Director. Previously, he was an International Representative and Political Action Director for the United Electrical Workers Union (UE), and he has held local positions in both the SEIU and UFCW.[The upcoming AFL-CIO] convention is deliberately kept secret. It's what I describe as sort of a hideout strategy. It enables the leadership to not have to discuss or take positions that for them are difficult, such as: What is the labor movement going to do to confront the rampant lawlessness and criminality of the Trump regime? What is the labor movement going to do to address the rampaging inflation that is eating up living standards? There's no wage policy. There's no bargaining policy of the Federation. What are they going to do to address the ongoing national health care crisis and disaster?... And what are they doing about the crisis of the unorganized?Chris TownsendThe labor movement finds itself (I would submit) with the leadership disinterested in going out and organizing the unorganized. But even for those who do (and there are some), the laws—Taft-Hartley primary among them—provide such a minefield that we have to run through, that our ability to organize on any scale for decades has been stopped. And therefore, we are condemned to a perpetual shrinking size, resources, and whatnot. [And what] might help for folks to figure out how or why this is happening is that the labor movement is systematically being converted from trade union fighting organizations, membership-driven fighting organizations, to harmless not-for-profit organizations. And this is today's administrative layer of trade union leaders that don't see anything wrong with that. But that doesn't help anyone in the shop, in the office, in the workplace. And it doesn't help anyone looking to the labor movement for something better—better treatment, better wages, better benefits, better conditions, better health and safety in the workplace.Chris TownsendLee Drutman is a senior fellow in the Political Reform program at New America, where he focuses on electoral reform, Congress, and democratic health. He writes the newsletter Undercurrent Events and co-hosts the podcast Politics in Question. And he is the author of The Business of America is Lobbying and Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America.The whole issue of gerrymandering is really just an outgrowth of this way that we use single-winner districts with winner-take-all votes. It's also what entrenches the two-party system in the US, which limits the choice of voters. So there's this one weird voting mechanism that we have that most countries have gotten rid of, that is an antiquated voting system, that preserves the two-party system and makes gerrymandering just inevitable—and that's the use of single-member districts. Now, in a proportional system, you take away the districts, and you do this statewide, you can carve up larger states into a few multi-member districts. And then seats get allocated proportionally by party share. That takes away the entire incentive of gerrymandering, it gives voters everywhere meaningful choices, meaningful votes, and it is just a superior system of representing the pluralism and diversity of our pluralistic and diverse society.Lee DrutmanPeople like the idea of proportional representation as basic fairness—that people think that parties should get seats in proportion to the share of votes they get. I did some polling on it a few years ago, and I'm hoping to do a little bit more… But I think that one of the challenges is people don't entirely understand how it works. And so it's a challenge to poll people on a concept that they don't know about. But I think more and more people understand it. And from the polling I've seen, at a principles-based level, people get the idea that proportionality is a form of fairness, and people like fairness.Lee DrutmanKaty O'Donnell is the editorial director at Haymarket Books, a radical, independent, nonprofit book publisher based in Chicago.News 5/22/26* Our first story this week has to do with what appears to be the impending downfall of ultrazionist media personality, Bari Weiss. Weiss, who resigned from the New York Times to found the Free Press and then sold that venture to become “Editor-in-Chief” for CBS News under the Ellison regime, is reportedly facing down the barrel of her role being scaled back substantially. Puck reports “As Paramount closes in on its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery…members of the senior leadership team have had informal discussions about changing Bari's mandate at CBS News—and, eventually, CNN—in ways that would give her less control over the linear product.” This piece cites her missteps stewarding CBS News, including her inability to improve the ratings for Evening News, even failing to secure new anchor Tony Dokoupil a travel visa to China in time for President Trump's recent visit to the People's Republic. While a total dismissal of Weiss seems unlikely in the near future, such a dramatic reduction in her clout would constitute a tremendous, humbling blow.* Moving to state-level news, last week, Colorado Democratic Governor Jared Polis announced he would be commuting the sentence of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, who was sentenced to nine years in prison for tampering with voting systems to overturn Joe Biden's victory in the Centennial State. Peters will now be eligible for parole June 1st. This move has been widely condemned, most notably by the Colorado Democratic Party which voted by a margin of over 90% to officially censure Polis. In a statement, the CDP wrote, “Reducing [Peters'] sentence now, under pressure from Donald Trump, is not justice…It sends a message to future bad actors that election tampering has consequences, unless you're friends with the president.” According to NBC, the CDP also banned Polis from being able to “participate as an honored guest, speaker or officially recognized representative of the Colorado Democratic Party at party-sponsored functions.”* In more positive state-level news, NPR reports Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has signed a bill banning prediction market sites like Polymarket and Kalshi – which allow consumers to “place…wager[s] on…future outcome[s], like sports, elections, live entertainment” – from operating in the North Star State. This makes Minnesota the first state in the nation to ban the prediction betting platforms. As this story notes, the Trump administration is pursuing legal action on behalf of the platforms, ensuring a legal battle over whether states can act to protect their own consumers from these predatory betting services. Minnesota Rep. Emma Greenman, who introduced the measure, is quoted as saying, “We as a state should decide how best and what regulations we think should attach to gambling, to protect public safety, to protect our kids.” The administration, meanwhile, specifically the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is arguing in court that prediction market industry regulation should be the sole preserve of the federal government.* Looking toward Congress, this week saw a number of high-profile primaries, including in the state of Pennsylvania. Leading up to that primary, the Pennsylvania machine went all out against the congressional campaign of State Representative Chris Rabb. Rabb, who had won the endorsements of everyone from AOC and Rashida Tlaib to Jamie Raskin and Philly DSA to the Philadelphia Inquirer, was targeted by a barrage of anonymous text messages to Philadelphia voters accusing him of “spreading conspiracy theories and holding extremist views,” per the Inquirer. What is remarkable about this smear campaign, however, is that it was organized by Philadelphia's Democratic City Committee and that it violated federal election law by failing to disclose that fact. In another troubling portend of things to come, one of the texts featured an “AI-generated image of Rabb acknowledging his supposed lack of legislative accomplishments in Harrisburg.” Rumors have long circulated that Governor Josh Shapiro wanted Rabb to lose, and worked the backrooms to this end while avoiding public statements.* Yet, despite all of that, Rabb prevailed – winning over his two establishment-backed opponents with around 45% of the vote compared to his opponents, who each won approximately 30% and 24% respectively. The Pennsylvania primaries turned out to be a good night for progressives more generally, with Bob Brooks – a firefighter's union chief and former state rep. who successfully united the Democratic Party behind him, winning the endorsements of both Governor Josh Shapiro and Senator Bernie Sanders. Brooks will face off against freshman Republican Congressman Ryan Mackenzie in November in the R+1 seventh district of Pennsylvania, while Rabb's general election campaign is seen as little more than a formality in the D+40 PA-03.* Yet, if it was a good streak for Democratic progressives, it was a very bad one for Trump critics within the GOP. This week, Thomas Massie lost his primary in Kentucky's fourth congressional district, buckling under the war chest deployed against him in what amounted to the most expensive House primary on record. Massie joked that “My vote was never for sale, so they bought a congressional seat. They found out what it cost.” Massie, perhaps Trump's most formidable intra-party opponent in the House during his second term, worked with Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna on bills ranging from the Epstein Files Transparency Act to War Powers Resolutions related to the administration's actions in Venezuela and Iran. In retaliation, Trump made it clear that he would go to any lengths to ensure Massie would not be reelected. That said, Massie will remain in the House until January and has indicated that he will make that time as painful for Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson as he possibly can. Moreover, during his concession speech, Massie's supporters chanted for him to run for president in 2028, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. Whether he is even entertaining that thought is unclear, but if he did run as a right-wing independent candidate, one could easily imagine him capturing a large enough share of the vote to deny certain states to the Republican nominee. Meanwhile, his ally across the aisle, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, said in a statement that Massie “lost because he had the guts to stand up to the Epstein class and against the war…He won voters under 45 by 30 points…Tonight, I say to [his] voters who feel rejected by Trump. We welcome you. Join our coalition to take on a rotten system and stand for the working class over the Epstein class.”* Massie isn't the only Republican targeted in the latest round of Trump purges. Downballot, Trump loyalists have ousted the Indiana Republicans who resisted Trump's pressure to implement mid-decade redistricting, but the real scalps he is claiming are in the Senate. Last weekend, Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana lost his primary runoff. Fox reports this makes Cassidy the “first elected Republican senator to lose renomination since Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana in 2012.” Trump wasted no time in dancing on Cassidy's political grave, writing on Truth Social, “His disloyalty to the man who got him elected is now a part of a legend, and it's nice to see that his political career is OVER!” His supposed disloyalty, of course, refers to Cassidy's vote to convict Trump in the Senate trial for his second impeachment following January 6th. Former Senator Mitt Romney, who also voted to convict, is quoted in this article saying that Cassidy is a “person of character,” and that his “departure is a loss for the country.” Cassidy, however, is likely soon to be joined by longtime Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn. Cornyn is currently making his last stand against scandal-ridden Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in that runoff election. Trump has long prevaricated regarding whether and whom he would endorse in this race, at times leaning towards either candidate but remaining neutral up until this week, when he formally gave the nod to Paxton, per the Texas Tribune. This move has caused great consternation amongst Senate Republicans and cautious optimism among Democrats, who see Paxton as the weaker opponent to go up against Democratic nominee James Talarico in November – giving Democrats their best chance in years to flip a Senate seat in Texas.* What Cornyn's next move will be is a mystery, especially as he has not yet officially lost the Texas primary. Cassidy, however, appears to have chosen the Massie route of going down fighting. This week, Cassidy flipped his position to become the deciding vote in favor of the Senate War Powers Resolution on Iran – successfully pushing it through along with support from fellow Republican Senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Rand Paul, despite disloyal opposition from Democratic Senator John Fetterman. The measure was then sent back to the House, but fearful it might actually pass – Democratic holdout Jared Golden had vowed to vote yes, and war-weary House Republicans Thomas Massie, Warren Davidson, Brian Fitzpatrick and Tom Barrett were all signaling their support – leadership abruptly canceled the vote, per MSN.* One factor cited in the Republicans' calculus around this latest War Powers push was the absences of Members of Congress. In their view, the absences would have given Democrats the votes they needed to win. Two of these absences have garnered substantial attention in the media: those of Republican Congressman Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey and Democratic Congresswoman Frederica Wilson of Florida. The 83-year-old Wilson, who was missing for a month with little public acknowledgment or explanation, has finally resurfaced, saying that she was undergoing a major eye surgery but still plans to seek reelection. In a remarkably tone-deaf comment, a source close to the Congresswoman was quoted in Axios saying “missing votes is not a sign she's sick or retiring…She shows up when she wants to.” Still, at least her absence has been explained and she has now returned to her duties in the House. Congressman Kean's disappearance is more mysterious. As of May 21st, Kean has not “been seen in Washington for more than 75 days,” NOTUS reports. When his absence first began to gain media traction, his Chief of Staff added fuel to the fire with the cryptic remark “there are no cameras where Tom is.” Now it is being reported that his neighbors back in New Jersey haven't seen hide nor hair either. There has been some indication that Kean is dealing with a personal or medical issue, but Speaker Mike Johnson claims to have no knowledge of the particulars. It is not controversial to say that being an American Member of Congress is too important to simply be AWOL for long periods of time, especially without deigning to explain why to one's constituents. Something must be done.* Finally, we turn to Latin America, where former president Evo Morales has leveled claims that the government of his native Bolivia, in coordination with the DEA and the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) is plotting to “detain or kill” him, TeleSUR reports. According to this report, “Morales detailed specific military units allegedly involved, including the Army's Ninth Division in the tropical region under Colonel Franz Andrade Loza, whom he said the government promised to promote to general and appoint as armed forces commander ‘if he finishes off Evo.'” Morales also “cited an F-10 unit under Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Giménez Ortuño,” a former aide to the defense minister in the government of the unelected U.S.-backed regime of Jeanine Áñez. These allegations sound somewhat outlandish, but in a moment when the U.S. has recently kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, worked to undermine the governments of Mexico and Colombia via the Hondurasgate scheme, and just recently moved to indict 94 year old Raúl Castro for his role in an incident three decades ago when the Cuban government downed a civilian aircraft that entered their sovereign airspace, it does not seem so far fetched.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

On Monday's Mark Levin Show,  President Trump decided to postpone a planned military attack on Iran at the urging of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE – so much for the Woke Reich's talk of Israel controlling the President. Iran's regime must be removed for lasting peace. Also, Rep Thomas Massie must be defeated in Tuesday's election. Massie is backed by Nick Fuentes, Tucker Carlson Marjorie Taylor Greene, Rashida Tlaib, and the ACLU.  Massie is a reliable Democrat vote and Trump needs Republicans who will help him get his major agenda/bills passed. Meanwhile, Zohran Mamdani keeps pushing his government-run grocery stores, but New Yorkers would starve without private grocers and would need to travel to other states for food. The government produces, harvests, packages, and transports nothing, and any price cuts would simply move money from one pocket to another without creating value. Afterward, Sen Dave McCormick calls in and explains that Democratic criticism of the Iran war is hypocritical, noting that Democrats had long opposed Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon yet now attack the effort to stop it. He also breaks down his Unlock American Energy and Jobs Act. Finally, a history lesson on the electoral college. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Click here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinHere's Episode #178 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast!00:00-14:59: Iran War, Ballrooms, and Gas PricesPat Johnston opens this week's show highlighting how Dear Leader Trump's price tag for his precious White House ballroom has doubled, and taxpayers will fund it! Meanwhile, thanks to The Trump Regime's and Israel's illegal Iran War, gas prices keep hovering around $5, and fertilizer costs are decimating Michigan farmers. Working class Michiganders continue to suffer thanks to a this war as inflation is outdoing any wage gains, but Dear Leader Trump says he doesn't really think about the financial situations of the working class. 15:00-37:25: MI Senate Race Polls/AIPAC & StevensNew polling shows progressive Dr. Abdul El-Sayed leading by NINE-POINTS over Democratic establishment choice (and Ms. AIPAC) Congresswoman Haley Stevens, and a 10-Point lead over State Senator Mallory McMorrow in the Democratic Primary for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat. And with poll numbers showing progressive William Lawrence going toe-to-toe with Democratic establishment candidates in the state's 7th Congressional District, it's leading some observers to conclude the electoral energy right now is with Michigan progressives. 37:26-45:00: Last Call...Data Center RejectionA new Gallup Poll reveals 7 of 10 Americans are against Artificial Intelligence Data Centers, and Pat explains why this is the case. 44:01-48:42: EndingPlease, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!leftoflansing@gmail.comLeft of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopardClick here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/15494297/joinClick Here to Vote on the Weekly "LOL" Poll on The Supreme CourtNotes: "Polling shows it. Progressive energy is real." By Kyle Melinn of The City Pulse "New poll shows surging El-Sayed leading Senate nomination race." By Todd Spangler of The Detroit Free Press "Lawrence gets thumbs up from Tlaib in race for Michigan's 7th Congressional District." By Kyle Davidson of Michigan Advance "Democratic U.S. Senate candidates escalate attacks as Michigan primary intensifies." By Ben Solis of Michigan Advance (via Michigan Public Radio)"Mysterious pro-Israel-linked group spends $5.3M to boost Haley Stevens." By Steve Neavling of Detroit Metro Times "Michigan farms ‘losing money on every acre' as war spikes costs." By Rob French of Bridge Michigan "AIPAC-backed Stevens ousts Levin in race seen as bellwether on US-Israel politics." By Andrew Lapin of Times of Israel "Not in my backyard: Most Americans oppose AI data centers, Gallup finds." By Chris Williams of FOX 2 TV in Detroit "Trump calls MS NOW reporter ‘dumb' for pointing out ballooning ballroom cost." By Julianne McShane of MS Now #podcast #politics #progressives #Democrats #Senate #Michigan #Election2026 #Election #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #DataCenters #BigTech #Greed #DemocraticSocialism #Trump #MAGA #Republicans #AbdulElSayed #HaleyStevens #MalloryMcMorrow #LisaMcClain #IranWar #Israel #AIPAC #Ballrooms #Inflation #WorkingClass #Unions #Farmers #WilliamLawrence #Congress #MikeJohnson #CorporateWelfare #Authoritarianism #Fascism #Democracy #Leftof Lansing

What happens when government programs are treated like startup pitches… except nobody's allowed to say no?Tonight on Wacky Wednesday, Chad Law turns Washington, California, and Portland into one giant episode of Reverse Shark Tank — where failed ideas somehow get more funding, worse outcomes get rebranded as “progress,” and nobody is ever held accountable for the results.From California's Fast Food Council……to the Inflation Reduction Act's “long-term vibes” economics……to Portland's billion-dollar homelessness disaster…This episode asks one simple question:What would happen if politicians had to pitch these programs to real investors instead of taxpayers?And maybe more importantly:What happens when failure itself becomes the business model?00:00 – Welcome + Why Government Never Says No04:48 – Tlaib's $168 Billion “Homeless Bill of Rights”07:12 – Reverse Shark Tank Explained11:50 – California's Fast Food Council Disaster28:28 – The Inflation Reduction Act “Eventually” Plan40:20 – Inflation, IRS Expansion & Grocery Store Reality42:47 – Portland's Billion-Dollar Homelessness Failure56:22 – The Real Problem: Incentives Without Accountability01:01:13 – Reagan Reminder01:15:25 – Final Thoughts + Close#Politics #GovernmentWaste #CommonSense #WackyWednesday #ChadLaw #Conservative #Taxpayer #Inflation #Portland #California #GovernmentSpending #PoliticalComedy #Rumble #Culture #Economy

Glenn Wiggle and Mike Sperrazza run a rapid-fire session covering the looming statute of limitations on potential charges against Dr. Anthony Fauci over the Wuhan lab funding and COVID origins, and the lingering damage from six-foot distancing rules and ventilator protocols that were obvious failures in real time. They break down a viral clip of Philadelphia high schoolers unable to define words like "accommodate" or "silhouette," and the school's response of threatening the student who exposed it with expulsion rather than fixing the curriculum. From there they take on Randy Weingarten and the teachers union pushing pay and benefits while graduation rates collapse, May Day protests pulling grade schoolers into the streets, and the indoctrination problem with universal daycare proposals. Other targets include Eric Swalwell naming Jamie Raskin, Hakeem Jeffries, and Adam Schiff as fellow bad actors, Rashida Tlaib's call for Supreme Court term limits without touching Congress, a Washington Post contributor's list of rights supposedly lost in four years, EPA confirmation of cloud seeding and atmospheric spraying programs, and Albany's incoming mayor blaming a financial mess on the prior administration she served as chief auditor. They close on Elizabeth Warren and the Biden administration's blocked JetBlue-Spirit merger, arguing government intervention, not the free market, caused the layoffs and stranded routes now being absorbed anyway.00:00 Intro and rapid-fire setup 00:36 Wuhan lab funding and the Fauci statute of limitations 07:11 COVID lockdowns, ventilators, and speaking up against the crowd 12:05 May Day protests, Randy Weingarten, and the teachers unions 18:00Philadelphia students can't read and the failing school system 27:00 Universal basic income, EBT abuse, and bureaucracy bloat 32:16 MAKA shirts, Fetterman threats, and "be kind" hypocrisy 34:31 Tlaib on term limits and Swalwell names names 36:39 Washington Post contributor's list of rights "lost in four years" 42:21 Chemtrails confirmed and EPA disclosures 51:57 Albany's new mayor blames the administration she audited 54:00 Spirit Killer Warren and the blocked JetBlue-Spirit merger 1:01:06 Keith Ellison, $38 trillion in debt, and Cinco de Mayo wrap-up

Weirdos at the perv park in Seattle got a small legal victory. Seattle Public Schools’ cell phone ban is now in effect. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger continues to show that her campaign as a moderate was a lie. // LongForm: GUEST: Jesse Proudman owns several startups in Seattle but says he's leaving the city due to the high cost of doing business. // Quick Hit: A bombshell Washington Free Beacon reporting finds race-based housing schemes in Multnomah County. Far-left Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib wants to protect the “right” to public camping.

What happens when government starts redefining what a “right” actually is? Today, Todd dives into the push behind the so-called “Unhoused Bill of Rights” and explains why this framing—while rooted in compassion—can fundamentally reshape how we understand freedom in America. Todd unpacks the difference between natural rights and government-created entitlements, shares personal experiences working with the homeless, and explains why good intentions don't always lead to good policy. This episode explores constitutional principles, the role of government, and how emotional appeals can be used to expand power in ways that impact everyone.

Rudy Giuliani health update..."Three Things You Need to Know"...Rashida Tlaib "homeless bill of rights"...robot passenger on plane causes troubleSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when government starts redefining what a “right” actually is? Today, Todd dives into the push behind the so-called “Unhoused Bill of Rights” and explains why this framing—while rooted in compassion—can fundamentally reshape how we understand freedom in America. Todd unpacks the difference between natural rights and government-created entitlements, shares personal experiences working with the homeless, and explains why good intentions don't always lead to good policy. This episode explores constitutional principles, the role of government, and how emotional appeals can be used to expand power in ways that impact everyone.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ralph welcomes Haley Hinkle, policy counsel at Fairplay to tell us about how a New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million for harming children's mental health and safety, violating state law. Then when present highlights from last week's symposium on impeachment, featuring Dennis Kucinich, CIA whistleblower, Jeffrey Sterling, Public Citizen co-president, Rob Weissman, GW law dean Alan Morrison and many more.Haley Hinkle is policy counsel at Fairplay, where she advocates for laws and regulations that protect children and teens' autonomy and safety online. Ms. Hinkle has also worked on issues at the intersection of government surveillance technology and civil liberties.We saw a lot of that in the discovery for these cases and other lawsuits that are currently being brought against the companies—that they have a lot of internal research where they're very specific with their features. And also their safety features. They test them to make sure safety features aren't too effective. They don't reduce too much screen time. And this is completely overwhelming for young brains. And it's completely overwhelming for families that are trying to make the choice between protecting their children and isolating them from the virtual spaces where all of their friends and classmates are gathering. And so it's not straightforward. And in many cases, the parental controls or settings that may give a family some semblance of control are not usually very effective.Haley HinkleI think if juries continue to make such resounding decisions on behalf of families, that's maybe going to motivate these companies to try to find ways to avoid further jury trials and to settle. But all of this raises the fact that as these processes continue (and they're so important), we can't wait for lawmakers to do their part to also step in and act and try to get some strong rules of the road in place to fill the void that has created this situation.Haley HinkleWe're in a moment right now where we have to decide who we are as a people—not who the President is. We already have an estimation of that. The question is who we are. Because, with few exceptions, almost each and every statement the President has made in the last month has been an impeachable offense. He is a walking, talking impeachment machine.Dennis KucinichLet me remind everybody watching this and this panel that this entire Congress is complicit in every crime of this administration for letting Donald Trump pass that threshold into his illegal presidency by not upholding Section 3 of the 14th Amendment on January 6, 2025. I am preaching to the choir if I tell this audience that we have passed so many thresholds when accountability should have happened, when somebody's foot should have been put down, and this should have stopped. This obscene, lawless war launched by a draft dodging pedophile domestic terrorist in concert with an international war criminal…Generations are going to be looking back to this moment to see what those people, those men and women (Democrats and Republicans in that body, but at the end of the day, human beings with moral compasses somewhere deep within themselves) were doing when American democracy was being burned to the ground.Jessica Denson, founder of the Removal CoalitionNews 4/10/26* This week, many felt that the U.S. came as close to a nuclear conflagration as it has since the Cuban Missile Crisis, as President Trump whipsawed between vowing that Iran's “'whole civilization will die” and striking peace deals with the Islamic Republic. Ultimately, the U.S., Iran and Israel all signed a two-week cease-fire agreement, mediated by Pakistan, including a provision that Iran will “allow oil, gas and other vessels to proceed unmolested” through the Strait of Hormuz, per the New York Times. However, this is just a cease-fire – not a peace treaty – and is being immediately pushed to the brink as Israel continues their ongoing, devastating assault on Lebanon. The Guardian reports that both Iran and Pakistan view Lebanon as included within the deal, while Israel maintains that it is a separate matter. In retaliation, Iran is now demanding tolls as high as $2 million per ship to pass through the Strait. With Israel showing little interest in acceding to a ceasefire in Lebanon, it seems unlikely this crisis will be resolved swiftly.* In the lead up to Trump's address Tuesday night, a large number of Democrats came out publicly in favor of Trump's removal via the 25th amendment, or failing that, a new congressional impeachment effort. According to Axios, this group includes both progressives like AOC, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, as well as more moderate members, including even Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. Some Democratic Senators, including Senators Ed Markey and Ron Wyden also signaled their support. Perhaps most strikingly, former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene called for Trump to be removed through an invocation of the 25th amendment, though she stopped short of calling for impeachment. This all coincided with Congressman John Larson introducing a new set of 13 articles of impeachment – that he may soon force a vote on under House Rule IX – and the legal symposium on impeachment organized by our own Ralph Nader and friend of the show Bruce Fein, available on C-SPAN.* Leading the moral opposition to the Iran war meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV – the first American Pope – has come out in opposition, telling journalists that “all people of goodwill” should “always search for peace and not violence… [and] reject war,” emphasizing that many have called this war “unjust” and that it is ”continuing to escalate and…not resolving anything.” Pope Leo stressed that “the innocent: children, the elderly, the sick…will become victims of this continued warfare.” The pontiff even went so far as to conclude with a call for political action, urging the people of the world “to contact the authorities—political leaders, congressmen—to ask them, to tell them, to work for peace and to reject war and violence.” This from Vatican News.* However, this is just the latest flashpoint between Pope Leo and the Trump administration. Administration officials were already irate with the Vatican earlier this week, following Pope Leo's statements on Easter Sunday, when he called for world leaders to give up their “desire to dominate others” and “the imperialist occupation of the world.” In response, Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby – grandson of former CIA Director William Colby – reportedly told Vatican officials that “America has the military power to do whatever it wants in the world,””and “The Catholic Church had better take its side.” They also reportedly invoked the Avignon Papacy, implying that the United States could sponsor an heretical anti-pope as an alternative for rightwing Catholics. This exchange was apparently so shocking that Vatican officials canceled a planned American visit by the first American Pope. This from Newsweek.* Another deeply immoral story comes to us from Michigan, where the Detroit News reports Danhao Wang – a Chinese electrical and computer engineering research assistant at the University of Michigan – has died after falling from an upper level of the George G. Brown Building. According to this report, the university's police department is investigating this incident as a “possible act of self harm,” but Chinese authorities are demanding an investigation into his death, noting that it came on the heels of Wang enduring “hostile questioning” by federal law enforcement. This tragedy has occurred within the context of a Trump administration-led “crackdown” on foreign influence at U.S. universities. The Chinese Consulate in Chicago meanwhile put out a public statement decrying that “For some time now, the U.S. has overstretched the concept of national security for political manipulation and groundlessly interrogated and harassed Chinese students and scholars,” like Wang, implying some role in his death, while simultaneously “infring[ing] on Chinese citizens' legitimate and lawful rights and interests, poison[ing] the atmosphere of people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and the U.S., and creat[ing] a serious chilling effect.” The Consulate is also demanding that law enforcement “carry out a full investigation, give the family of the victim and the Chinese side a responsible explanation, stop any discriminatory law enforcement targeting Chinese students and scholars in the U.S., and stop imposing wrongful convictions.”* Elsewhere in the midwest, Republican lawmakers in Ohio are taking first steps to do something about the out of control sports gambling epidemic. These legislators have introduced two bills, one designed to ban in-game gambling, parlay and prop bets and wagers on all college athletics and a second bill which would prohibit the “use of credit cards to make bets…[limit] bets to $100 and only [allow] up to eight wagers per 24 hour [period].” It would also ban ads during events broadcast live. However, the number one biggest rule these laws would impose would be banning online sports gambling period. Republican State Rep. Gary Click is quoted saying “[We're] going to put some common sense consumer protections in place to protect Ohio citizens.” Yet, this report also notes a huge loophole in these bills: they would not apply to prediction markets like Polymarket or Kalshi, just pure sportsbooks. This from ABC News 5 Cleveland.* Turning back to foreign affairs, French authorities have arrested Rima Hassan, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and Jean-luc Mélenchon left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party. The charge? According to Al Jazeera, suspicion of “apology for terrorism” for a post that referenced Kozo Okamoto, a participant in the deadly attack at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport in 1972. However, Hassan's allies in the LFI see this as a thinly veiled attempt to silence pro-Palestine voices. Sophia Chikirou, an LFI MP said “The French police and justice system are being used to intimidate those who support the Palestinian people,” while Mélenchon himself wrote “So there is no longer parliamentary immunity in France. Intolerable.” Mathilde Panot, an MP and head of the LFI delegation in the National Assembly, said “the criminalisation of political opponents has reached a new level,” under President Emmanuel Macron and demanded that “This relentless attack, trampling on the most fundamental rights, must end immediately.”* Our final stories this week cover Latin America. First, a delegation of American members of Congress, including Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Congressman Jonathan Jackson, visited Cuba in an attempt to see “firsthand the devastation and suffering caused by the U.S. blockade of fuel,” according to Jayapal. In their joint statement, Jayapal and Jackson wrote that they met with “families, religious leaders, entrepreneurs, civil society organizations, the Cuban government, Latin American and African ambassadors, humanitarian aid organizations, and Cubans across the political spectrum, including dissidents,” all of whom demanded an end to the blockade. Further, they wrote that they witnessed “premature babies in incubators, weighing just two pounds, who are at tremendous risk because their ventilators and incubators cannot function without electricity. Children cannot attend school because there is no fuel for them or their teachers to travel. Cancer patients cannot receive lifesaving treatments because of lack of medications. There is a water shortage because there is little electricity to pump water. Businesses have closed. Families cannot keep food refrigerated, and food production on the island has dropped to just 10 percent of the people's needs.” They concluded by calling for “real negotiations” between both countries. Sadly, it is unlikely that those will come after such a long, acrimonious relationship since the 1959 revolution.* Next, in Venezuela, NPR reports that the Office of Foreign Assets Control – a division of the Treasury Department – has lifted sanctions on acting President Delcy Rodríguez. NPR notes that this sanctions relief “allows Rodríguez to more freely work with U.S. companies and investors.” In a statement on the platform Telegram, Rodríguez wrote “We value President Donald Trump's decision as a step toward normalizing and strengthening relations between our countries...We trust that this progress will allow for the lifting of current sanctions against our country, enabling us to build and guarantee an effective bilateral cooperation agenda for the benefit of our people.” Yet, her presidency rests on shaky legal grounds. While the Trump administration recognizes her as the “sole Head of State” the Venezuelan political system still recognizes Nicolás Maduro as the rightful president and Rodríguez as acting president for just 90 days – a window that is ending as we record this segment – though the National Assembly, presided over by her brother, can extend her acting term by six months. After that point however, the future of Venezuela looks far murkier, particularly if Maduro remains in U.S. custody.* Finally, in Mexico, President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced that her government will consolidate the various branches of the Mexican public health apparatus – including the Mexican Social Security Institute, the Social Security Institute and Social Services of Workers of the State, and the IMSS Bienestar program – into a single Universal Health Service. According to TeleSUR English, President Sheinbaum stated that the “objective is that any citizen can attend any health institution and be guaranteed full and free coverage throughout the national system.” President Sheinbaum emphasized that “universal breast cancer care will also be incorporated, including mammograms, biopsies, and treatments at the nearest facility, expanding preventive and therapeutic coverage for women nationwide,” and that the plan would “ensure continuity of complex treatments for conditions such as cancer, HIV, kidney disease, and hemophilia, even if the patient loses or changes their health insurance coverage, preventing interruptions in critical therapies.” She hopes to have this system in place by next year. While Mexico has a much more robust public health infrastructure than the U.S. to begin with, it is remarkable how, with the right combination of administrative competence, popular government and political will, Sheinbaum is poised to achieve yet another social safety net expansion considered a complete political impossibility in this country in such a short window of time. Never let yourself be beaten down. A better world is possible.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

1. Michigan Political Commentary & Dearborn Focus A Michigan Senate candidate avoided discussing the killing of an Iranian Ayatollah due to concern that voters in Dearborn were “sad” about it. This is evidence of Democrats allegedly pandering to Islamist-sympathetic voters rather than condemning terrorism. Dearborn is characterized as politically influential and ideologically radical in this framing. “America-hating Islamists” are gaining influence within Democratic politics. Prominent progressive Democrats (e.g., Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, AOC) are examples of this alleged trend. Support for or sympathy toward Iran, Hezbollah, or anti-Israel positions is portrayed as electorally strategic rather than principled. 3. Michigan Synagogue Attack Narrative A March synagogue attack in West Bloomfield, Michigan, which the FBI labeled Hezbollah-inspired terrorism. Details emphasized: Targeting of children inside a Jewish temple/school The attacker’s alleged ties to Hezbollah propaganda Failures in immigration vetting and firearm sales checks The incident is a sign of systemic risks posed by insufficient counterterrorism enforcement. Strong criticism is directed at U.S. agencies for allowing a naturalized citizen with alleged terrorist connections to enter and remain in the country. These failures are do to broader Democratic positions on borders, DHS funding, and national security. Vetting lapses are deliberate policy choices rather than administrative failures. 5. Energy Policy and National Security Argument Using a Washington Post editorial as validation, the text criticizes green energy policies in: Germany Taiwan California The central claim: anti-nuclear and fossil fuel policies weaken national resilience during geopolitical crises. Energy independence is presented as a core national security issue, not just an environmental one. 6. ActBlue and Foreign Donor Allegations The New York Times is reporting that ActBlue may have misled Congress about vetting foreign donations. Key claims include: Potential acceptance of illegal foreign contributions Legal warnings from ActBlue’s own law firm Risk of criminal investigation or shutdown This is evidence of foreign interference benefiting Democrats electorally. Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson and The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verdictwithtedcruz X: https://x.com/tedcruz X: https://x.com/benfergusonshowYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Savage calls for the deportation of Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. He urges authorities to pursue denaturalization, focusing on claims of fraud and alleged misrepresentations tied to naturalization. He references a Department of Justice memo outlining cases for denaturalization. Savage condemns Omar's conduct during a presidential speech and her left-wing ties driving social unrest. Then, he explains how "boomer" rhetoric portrays older people as exploiters and echoes "kulak" scapegoating in Soviet Russia. Savage declares a patriotic warning that the U.S. is being overtaken by Islamists, communists, and anarchists   Right now, Mizzen & Main is offering our listeners 20% off your first purchase at mizzenandmain.com, promo code SAVAGE20. Get Your Free Gold & Silver Info Guide at https://reports.goldencrestmetals.com/savagegold

Trump goes on another racist tirade this time against Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. MAGA is not happy with one person Trump had at his State of the Union. Republicans are lying their way into another war. Kash Patel fired FBI agents who were investigating Trump. John Cornyn goes scorched earth against Ken Paxton. The DHS is apparently threatening kids with tasers. Host: John Iadarola (@johniadarola) Co-Host: Jackson White ***** SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE TIKTOK  ☞        https://www.tiktok.com/@thedamagereport INSTAGRAM  ☞   https://www.instagram.com/thedamagereport TWITTER  ☞         https://twitter.com/TheDamageReport FACEBOOK  ☞     https://www.facebook.com/TheDamageReportTYT

In this episode, I expose an FBI spying plot not people have heard of yet, another stunning electoral poll after Trump's State of the Union, a message to the haters and a special visit by Sen. Mike Lee. Here's Why Trump Is Calling for “Mentally Deranged” Ilhan Omar & Rashida Tlaib to “Be Institutionalized" https://nypost.com/2026/02/25/us-news/mentally-deranged-ilhan-omar-rashida-tlaib-should-be-institutionalized-for-sotu-antics-trump/ Trump's Historic SOTU: 8 Important Takeaways You Need to Know https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/8-takeaways-from-trumps-state-of-the-union-address-5990383?src_src=partner&src_cmp=BonginoReport Hegseth Appeals Judge's Decision Blocking Accountability for Sen. Mark Kelly's “Seditious” Acts https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hegseth-appeals-ruling-blocking-punishment-dem-senator-over-illegal-orders-video Sponsors: All Family Pharmacy - https://allfamilypharmacy.com/bongino code: Bongino10 American Financing - Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/Bongino -  NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 888-994-7660 for details about credit costs and terms.  Helix Sleep - https://helixsleep.com/dan Birch Gold - Text Dan to 989898 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

-- On the Show -- Americans relocate abroad in record numbers as foreign residency data, citizenship renunciations, and student enrollment trends show growing dissatisfaction with life in the United States -- Casey Means struggles to defend past financial conflicts, evasive public health answers, and refusal to clearly endorse measles vaccination during a contentious Surgeon General confirmation hearing -- A Reuters Ipsos poll finds that a majority of Americans believe Donald Trump has become more erratic with age as economic dissatisfaction fuels concerns -- Republican Congressman Glenn Grothman claims missing Epstein-related files reflect liberal elite sexual behavior, ignoring allegations against members of his own party -- CNN analyst Harry Enten highlights new data suggesting Texas may be trending politically competitive as voter shifts challenge longstanding Republican dominance -- JD Vance deflects unfavorable Fox News polling showing Donald Trump deeply underwater on the economy by blaming Joe Biden rather than presenting evidence of current improvement -- JD Vance and Mehmet Oz announce a temporary halt of congressionally approved Medicaid funding to Minnesota raising constitutional questions about executive authority -- Donald Trump calls for Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Robert De Niro to be sent back from the United States after public criticism of him -- On the Bonus Show: How Democrats countered Trump's State of the Union address, trans drivers in Kansas must surrender their drivers licenses, a MrBeast editor gets implicated in a Kalshi insider trading scheme, and much more...

President Trump draws a stark contrast with the Democrats at the State of the Union; Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib are the new faces of the Democratic Party, and that's an awful thing for the Democrats; and the media meltdown over Trump's big night. Ep. 2375 - - - Click here to join the member-exclusive portion of my show: https://dwplus.watch/BenShapiroMemberExclusive - - - Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings - - - Today's Sponsor: ZipRecruiter - Try ZipRecruiter FOR FREE: https://ZipRecruiter.com/DAILYWIRE - - - DailyWire+: Become a Daily Wire Member and watch all of our content ad-free: https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe

Join us as we break down the most explosive SOTU yet! From Trump shining a light on the USA men's hockey team to Democrats' shocking reactions, this episode covers all the drama you missed.Highlights include:- DailyWire exposes hilarious SOTU reactions- Al Green ejected after protesting- Dems freak out when Trump calls them out for not standing- Ilhan Omar becomes an instant meme- Trump highlights key policies: SAVE Act, Big Beautiful Bill, and more- Erika Kirk & Charlie recognized at the SOTU (chants included!)- Joy Reid's shocking takes on Christianity and MAGA trolls- Candace Owens attacked Erika Kirk, and Dan Bongino calls her out- USA men's hockey national anthem and White House video coverageWe also cover viral social commentary, memorable quotes, and the most unbelievable SOTU reactions from politicians and media personalities. If you want all the highlights, controversy, and entertainment from this year's SOTU in one place, this episode is for you!SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS TO SUPPORT OUR SHOW!Fast Growing Trees: Listeners get 20% off better plants and better growing at https://FastGrowingTrees.com/Chicks with code CHICKSElevate your laundry with incredible scent from Laundry Sauce. Get 20% off your entire order at https://LaundrySauce.com/Chicks20 with code CHICKS20Stop guessing about your health this year with Superpower—get the full membership for just $199, plus an extra $20 off with code CHICKS at https://Superpower.comSubscribe and stay tuned for new episodes every weekday!Follow us here for more daily clips, updates, and commentary:YoutubeFacebookInstagramTikTokXLocalsMore InfoWebsite

On Monday's Mark Levin Show, the Woke Reich isolationists in the Trump administration who are leaking confidential if not classified discussions with the President respecting options against Iran are committing crimes. They must be found and prosecuted. DOJ should ask the FBI to launch an investigation into the sources of these leaks. Also, any nuclear or broader deal with Iran would be utterly unrealistic and worthless. Iran will never abandon its nuclear program, ballistic missiles, terrorism, and Islamist ideology to become peaceful. Negotiations are futile because the core problem is the regime itself, not the terms of a deal. Iran plays a long game, may temporarily comply under pressure (as North Korea did), but will resume its nuclear ambitions once a stronger leader like Trump is gone. Later, there's a coalition of enemies within including Islamists, Marxists, and woke figures, who hate America, support regimes that kill American soldiers, and seek to impose Sharia law and segregated communities while rejecting the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. These forces—along with figures like AOC, Bernie Sanders, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib—are the enemy within, giving aid and comfort to America's adversaries, mirroring problems in Europe. Afterward, ID is required and accepted in nearly every aspect of daily life, yet Democrats oppose it specifically for voting. This opposition exists because Democrats want to enable cheating through illegal voting by non-citizens, dead people, and multiple voting, which is easier in Democrat-controlled one-party cities – this is one of the biggest scams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices