Current Affairs

Nathan and Eli speak to former city health director, epidemiologist, public health doctor and commentator Abdul El-Sayed (@AbdulElSayed) about 2020's rudest uninvited guest. You can preorder Abdul's book here: https://abdulelsayed.com/healingpolitics We've made this episode public, given the importance of the subject. This episode was recorded on March 20. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

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

This week, the panel discusses the concept of 'cool' and whether it belongs in politics, debate the pitfalls of homeschooling, and shares their favorite quotes on what it means to be a socialist. This episode was recorded a few weeks back and then delayed by the events of Super Tuesday, hence why there are no references to The Ongoing Unpleasant Situation. The panel this week was associate editor Vanessa A. Bee, newsletter editor Nick Slater, administrative maven Cate Root and legal editor Oren Nimni. Your supply host is Aisling McCrea. Music by the fantastic Danny Bradley: https://dannybradleymusic.com/ Wallace Shawn's essay: http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175350/tomgram:_wallace_shawn,_are_you_smarter_than_thomas_jefferson/%3E This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

Nathan and Aisling are joined by Luke Savage and Will Sloan of the political movie podcast Michael and Us. Together, they ruminate on the three-part documentary series The Most Hated Family in America, which followed the extremist Westboro Baptist Church from 2007 to 2019, and which unwittingly created a time capsule that offers a strange insight into the liberal viewpoint on religion and dogma in the 2000s. (Content warning: we briefly quote some of the homophobic slurs used by the WBC.) Follow Michael and Us at @MichaelandUs on Twitter, listen at https://soundcloud.com/michael-and-us , and please consider subscribing to their Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus. Folks, it's good. Luke has also written for us here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/author/luke-savage

In the immediate aftermath of this weeks' primaries, Nathan, Oren, Lyta and new Current Affairs team member Allegra gather round to express their feelings and concerns going forward. This is an excerpt from an episode available in full exclusively to our Patreon subscribers. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other delicious bonus content, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Cairo correspondent Eli Massey speaks to Nomiki Konst, Bernie surrogate, commentator and host of The Nomiki Show. Together, they delve into the inner workings of the Democratic party, delegates and superdelegates, discuss possible strategies for progressives going forward, and express some of their political anxieties after Super Tuesday. Eli is broadcasting from Egypt, so apologies for the sound quality being a little less crisp than usual. Our usual fortnightly panel episode will be up in a few days - we're just putting this out today while it's still timely! The Nomiki Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma5Tg9oBINo Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thenomikishow Twitter: @NomikiKonst In These Times on superdelegates: https://inthesetimes.com/features/superdelegates_bernie_sanders_hillary_clinton.html

We've made a little audiobook adaptation of Nathan's recent takedown of Joe Biden. Please share with any and all voters you may know! Article version: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/03/democrats-you-really-do-not-want-to-nominate-joe-biden Youtube version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSu3khaJunE

This episode was originally available exclusively to our Patreon subscribers. We're releasing it to everyone - we hope you enjoy it, and if you'd like to hear more episodes like this, please consider subscribing to our Patreon feed at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs! Pete Davis talks to Josh Davis of the newly-founded Institute for Christian Socialism. Together, they talk about the intertwined history of left movements and Christianity. The Institute for Christian Socialism: https://christiansocialism.com/ Twitter: @smashmammon The Enchantments of Mammon by Eugene McCarraher: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674984615 This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

Nathan speaks to Heidi Sloan, a former teacher, a farmer, and now a left candidate running in Texas' 25th congressional district. (This episode would usually be available only to our premium subscribers, but we're making it public to try and get out the word before the primary on March 3rd!) Transcript: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/02/interview-heidi-sloan-on-running-a-left-campaign-in-texas Heidi for Congress: https://heidisloan.com/ This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

This week, the panel tackles yet another round of vital questions. Should we be nice or nasty on the internet? Should children be given the vote? Was it immoral to go to the moon? The panel this week was amusements editor Lyta Gold, senior editor Brianna Rennix, newsletter editor Nick Slater, and—making her podcast debut—administrative maven Cate Root. Your host is Oren Nimni. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA. Download Bloomvuu. Please. We want to go home.

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

Pete Davis speaks to Alex Morse, who has been mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts since the age of 22, and is currently running in Massachusetts' 1st district primary against veteran Democrat Richard Neal. Alex Morse for Congress: https://alexmorseforcongress.com/ This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

Pete Davis talks to Josh Davis of the newly-founded Institute for Christian Socialism. Together, they talk about the intertwined history of left movements and Christianity. This is a preview of an episode available in full exclusively to our Patreon subscribers. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus content, please subscribe to our Patreon feed at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

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

We had to convene suddenly and put this out fast, using the Current Affairs Emergency Broadcast System located in Basement Sector 11. The Corn Gods have been angered. Tweet: https://twitter.com/ambientGillian/status/1170390242517487616?s=20

Nathan and Lyta look back on the year 2019's best (and worst) con-artists, bullshitters and story-spinners. This is an excerpt from a full one-hour episode available on our bonus feed. If you enjoyed this excerpt, please consider subscribing to our bonus feed at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Originally posted on the Patreon feed, we've made this episode available to everyone just in time for Iowa... As we gear up for the first round of primaries, Eli and Nathan start calling in the shock troops. This week, Jacobin staff writer Branko Marcetic joins us to discuss the former favorite to win the Democrat nomination: Joe Biden. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to our bonus feed at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs! Yesterday's Man: The Case Against Joe Biden is available here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/652731/yesterdays-man-by-branko-marcetic/ Read Branko's work here: https://www.jacobinmag.com/author/branko-marcetic This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

The panel shares their thoughts on antiwar movements, indulges in movie chat, and attempts to provoke the audience with scandalous opinions. Topics include Louisa May Alcott, bats dressed in human clothes, parades, concrete, folk music, and butter vats. The panel this week was associate editor Vanessa A. Bee, senior editor Brianna Rennix, and legal editor Oren Nimni. Your host is Aisling McCrea. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA. Music: 'Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye' - The Irish Rovers National Tweet: 'Ham'

In this magnificently long episode, Nathan speaks to his friend Paul Waters-Smith, labor organizer and Current Affairs contributor. Together, they discuss their high school years, how they became politically aware, Paul's time unionizing the workers in Pomona College dining hall, and how to build power. This is a preview of an episode available in full exclusively to our Patreon subscribers. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus content, please consider becoming one of our supporters at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Nathan, Brianna, Lyta and Sparky come together to discuss the possibility of life on other planets, mysterious inventions, alien sex and other general oddities. This is a preview of an episode available in full to our Patreon subscribers. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other excellent bonus content, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Exit Nathan J. Robinson, editor-in-chief. Enter Nathan J. Robinson, author of the brand-new book, Why You Should Be A Socialist. Why You Should Be A Socialist: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250200877 This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

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

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

Nathan Robinson and Aisling McCrea speak to a very special guest: urban planning and infrastructure guru Justin Roczniak, who makes Youtube videos on planning, politics, transport and much more under the handle 'donoteat'. Together, they discuss city design, the human cost of architecture, trams, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, yakuza construction schemes, the psychology of driving, and trains. We love trains. Also, he informs us that all your furniture is made of stuff that catches fire really easily.

Today Nathan talks to RJ Eskow, host of The Zero Hour podcast and YouTube show, and former lead writer for the 2016 Bernie Sanders campaign. Together, they discuss dirty secrets RJ learned during his time in the insurance industry, why critiques of single-payer healthcare fail, what separates millennials and baby boomers, why RJ didn't go to Woodstock, and what it was like to sit on the stage with Jimi Hendrix as a teenager. The Zero Hour is on Patreon at http://patreon.com/thezerohour. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

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

In this episode, contributing editor Eli Massey speaks to Cenk Uygur, creator and host of The Young Turks, who is running as a Democrat in the 2020 primary for California's 25th congressional district. Cenk explains why he's running, his positions on everything from the Green New Deal to immigration to free speech, as well as giving his response to some criticisms of his past actions. You can read more about Cenk's campaign at cenk2020.com.

In this episode, contributing editor Eli Massey speaks to Cenk Uygur, creator and host of The Young Turks, who is running as a Democrat in the 2020 primary for California's 25th congressional district. Cenk explains why he's running, his positions on everything from the Green New Deal to immigration to free speech, as well as giving his response to some criticisms of his past actions. You can read more about Cenk's campaign at cenk2020.com.

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

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

A smaller episode, to refresh our patrons after the big, bloaty extravaganza that was our Harry Potter episode. The dessert after the turkey, if you will (in other words, smaller but more important). In this episode, amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold sits down with Jamaal Bowman, the founding principal of one of New York City's most successful public middle schools, and who is now running for Congress in New York's 16th district. You can find out more about the campaign here: https://www.bowmanforcongress.com/

Read more about Kendri's firm here. Read Indian Country Today on Thanksgiving here. Read Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz on the whitewashing of America's founding myths (including Thanksgiving) here. Read about the projects of the Indian Law Resource Center here.

Unlocked, for your listening pleasure. Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson, senior editor Brianna Rennix and newsletter editor Nick Slater sit down with Jacobin staff writer Meagan Day to discuss her article 'One Year Off, Every Seven Years'. Meagan's article can be found here: https://www.jacobinmag.com/2019/05/workers-sabbatical-demand-leisure This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA. Please send in your sabbatical ideas to 504-867-8851. You can also send us voicemails about anything else you fancy. (This is the last thing Nathan said at the end of this episode, before his voice was swallowed up by the jazz music. Our apologies - we tried to pull him out of the jaws of the jazz monster, to no avail.)

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

To celebrate the release of the new Mister Rogers biopic, 'A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood', we're reposting this cosy little episode!This week, unlocked from the patreon bird feed, to the main feed: Current Affairs podcast host Pete Davis and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson discuss the visionary auteur, child development crusader, and moral voice Mister Rogers.For Pete's favorite book on the case that Mr. Rogers is a left-wing icon, see *Peaceful Neighbor: Discovering the Countercultural Mister Rogers* by Michael Long. For a delightful book of Mister Rogers aphorisms, see *The World According to Mister Rogers. The latest hit documentary on Rogers is [Won't You Be My Neighbor*]4.For more on Eleanor Duckworth and "the having of wonderful ideas," see her wonderful book *The Having of Wonderful Ideas*. For more on how narcissism is actually based in a lack of self-esteem, see here. And here's Nathan's piece on teaching climate change.Have a response to this episode? Call into Current Affairs anytime at (504) 867-8851.To listen to interviews when they first come out — and gain access to our patrons' "Bird Feed" — consider becoming a monthly patron at our Patreon page. Call into Current Affairs anytime at (504) 867-8851.

Aisling McCrea and Lyta Gold are joined by Homeric scholar Dan Walden, in an episode that settles the question, once and for all, of whether Ancient Greece and Rome were GOOD...or BAD. This is an excerpt from an episode available exclusively to our supporters on Patreon. To get full access to this episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus content, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Nathan J. Robinson sits down with journalist Maureen Tkacik to discuss the recent Boeing 737 Max disasters, and the toxic management structures behind them. There's also some gossip about sharing a college dorm with Donald Trump, Jr. Maureen's article is here: https://newrepublic.com/article/154944/boeing-737-max-investigation-indonesia-lion-air-ethiopian-airlines-managerial-revolution This is an excerpt from an episode available exclusively to our Patreon supporters. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus content, please consider becoming one of our supporters at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

We've unlocked a bonus episode from the Patreon feed! In this episode, Current Affairs host Pete Davis sits down with Ryan Grim, author and DC bureau chief for The Intercept. Ryan shares his experiences as one of the few progressive reporters in Capitol Hill in the 2000s, and gives the inside scoop on Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Nancy Pelosi, among others. Ryan's book We’ve Got People: From Jesse Jackson to AOC, the End of Big Money and the Rise of a Movement is available here: https://strongarmpress.com/catalog/weve-got-people/ This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

In this episode, Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson speaks to philosophy professor Elizabeth Anderson about workplaces as dictatorships, expanding democracy, and what feminism can bring to science. This is a preview of an episode available in full to our Patreon supporters. To gain full access to this episode, please consider becoming one of our subscribers - for just a few dollars a month, you can help support our work AND gain access to lots of brilliant bonus content. Go to www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs to find out more!

This week, we're unlocking a very special Patreon-exclusive episode for all our listeners! Legal editor Oren Nimni and associate editor Vanessa A. Bee speak to political science professor Corey Robin about his new book, The Enigma of Clarence Thomas. Together, they explore the life and ideology of the Supreme Court's quietest, most mysterious judge, whose perspective on race, power and justice defies simplistic conceptions of left and right. The Enigma of Clarence Thomas is available now: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781627793834 This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

This week, Current Affairs' resident immigration lawyers, Oren Nimni and Brianna Rennix, roll up their sleeves and delve into all the details of Bernie Sanders' plan for immigration policy, which was released November 7th. A few immigration terms that may be useful to know while listening to this episode: metering - limiting the number of people per day who can request asylum at points of entry, resulting in long waitlists and large numbers of people trapped in dangerous border cities. TPS - temporary protected status. This status allows people present in the U.S. who cannot safely return home due to a natural disaster, armed conflict, or other emergency to receive permission to live and work in the United States. Although the window of time to receive TPS is narrow (for example, if there’s a devastating earthquake in your country in 2010, the window to apply for TPS might close in 2011), once people have TPS, they can apply to continue renewing that status for as long as the government continues to extend it. (This means that TPS holders from some countries, like El Salvador or Honduras, have been legally living in the U.S. for decades.) 'safe third country' principle – a vague term for an agreement between two or more countries that purports to state that all the countries in the agreement are “safe” for asylum-seekers, and therefore that asylum-seekers should seek protection in whatever country they arrive in first. For example, the U.S. has had a safe third country agreement with Canada since 2004. The U.S. is now allegedly attempting to broker safe third country agreements with countries like Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, even though refugees are fleeing these countries in large numbers. Matter of A-B - an asylum case decided by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions in June 2018, which overturned a favorable precedent that had allowed many domestic violence survivors to qualify for asylum, and stated that “generally, claims by aliens pertaining to domestic violence or gang violence perpetrated by non-governmental actors will not qualify for asylum." IIRIRA - The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, which greatly expanded the scope of detention, punishment and deportation for undocumented immigrants. You can read Bernie's plan here: https://berniesanders.com/en/issues/welcoming-and-safe-america-all/ You can find our previous episodes on immigration here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/30632925 https://www.patreon.com/posts/24173901 Brianna Rennix writes regularly on immigration here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/author/brianna-rennix And is interviewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5GCjTqhOqI

Legal editor Oren Nimni and associate editor Vanessa A. Bee speak to political science professor Corey Robin about his new book, The Enigma of Clarence Thomas. Together, they explore the life and ideology of the Supreme Court's quietest, most mysterious judge, whose perspective on race, power and justice defies simplistic conceptions of left and right.

In this episode, Current Affairs host Pete Davis speaks with Elias Crim, founder of the blog and online discussion group Solidarity Hall. Together, they discuss the eclectic blend of influences that have inspired their unique outlooks on politics: from Pope Francis, to Polish unions, to housewives who protest ill-considered expressways. Pete also describes the Current Affairs team as "a ragtag set of characters", which we have chosen to take as a compliment. This is a preview of an episode available in full to our Patreon subscribers. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other delicious bonus content, please consider becoming one of our supporters at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson sits down with legendary sociologist and writer Arlie Hochschild. Together, they discuss her book Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right, based on her experiences in the Tea Party stronghold of Lake Charles, Louisiana. This episode is a preview of an episode available in full to our Patreon subscribers. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other exclusive bonus content, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/Current Affairs!

Take an hour off from being scared by climate change - be scared by our spooky Halloween podcast instead! This week, the panel discusses their deepest fears, the annual panic around poisoned candy, and their favorite Halloween movies. "You wake up, and you're in a cube. And there are doors, that are squares in the cube. And they go through the door, but then there's ANOTHER cube. And then they meet other people, and they're like "You're in the cube too?" and then they're like, "Yes."" The panel this week was editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson, newsletter editor Nick Slater, amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold, senior editor Brianna Rennix. Your host is Pete Davis. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA. Music by Alexander Blu.

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

In this episode, Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson and amusements editor Lyta Gold sit down with Osita Nwanevu, staff writer at The New Republic, to discuss his recent article 'The "Cancel Culture" Con'. This episode is a preview of an episode available in full to our Patreon subscribers. To gain full access to this episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus content, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

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

This week, the team is very sleepy, podcasting late into the evening in their matching Current Affairs pajamas. Together, they tackle the question of impeachment, excoriate those who get too much credit, and take a few bites of humble pie. The panel this week is: podmaster-general Aisling McCrea, amusements and managing editor Lyta Gold, associate editor Vanessa A. Bee, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your host is legal editor Oren Nimni. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA. Sound used in this episode: 'Meditative Ambience' - Alexander Blu 'AstroLanguage' - jobromedia 'Heroic Drums' - Alexander

This would usually be a Patreon-only episode, but given how vital this topic is, we've decided to unlock it. Current Affairs contributing editor Eli Massey interviews senior editor Brianna Rennix, an immigration lawyer working with asylum seekers at the U.S. southern border. Brianna does updates on immigration law at the Current Affairs website: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2019/09/this-week-in-terrible-immigration-news-4 Here's a flowchart we created to give a little insight into asylum law back in 2017 (may be slightly outdated, but helpful for getting a picture of what asylum seekers are up against!) This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.