Krystal Kyle & Friends

News of Clarence Thomas’s expensive gifts from a billionaire GOP donor has sharpened our sense that the rich and and powerful play by different rules — and benefit accordingly. Other Supreme Court justices are benefiting, too. Reporting out of Business Insider just today shows that Jane Roberts, wife of Chief Justice John Roberts, took in $10.3 million over the course of eight years for connecting top lawyers with firms and corporations. (And, as TNR reports, Congress has known about it for months — but we’re just finding out about it now.) Then there’s a story from earlier this week in Politico about the chief executive of a top law firm buying property co-owned by Neil Gorsuch nine days after Gorsuch’s confirmation to the Supreme Court. Politico also reports that since the purchase, the law firm, Greenberg Taurig, has interacted with Supreme Court cases twenty-two times.It’s a bleak picture of the state of our judicial system, bought and paid for with corporate and billionaire dollars. What do we do with that picture, and how does it come together? How can we change it? We’re digging into these questions with insightful political scientist and writer Corey Robin, and we hope you enjoy the episode — it’s available on Spotify, Substack, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

With this week’s guest, Daniel Nichanian, we dive into the recent trend of GOP “culture warriors” failing to make successful bids for school board seats in recent Midwestern elections. Krystal points out that given the relatively large pool of resources these candidates often have to draw upon for smaller local elections, many expected the far-right strategy to win these elections through virulent anti-trans and anti-CRT platforms to be more successful. But in fact, these candidates have fallen short, and Daniel’s analysis reveals that while right-wing candidates are still using anti-LGBT messaging to win elections elsewhere in the country, progressive candidates’ focus on issues immediate to the improvement of learning conditions may well be helping them pull ahead. Learn more and join us for the full episode above.You can listen to this conversation on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

We've got a wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation with author and political commentator Norman Finkelstein, covering everything from the 2020 Sanders campaign's strategy and messaging, the current state of American politics, political appeals to the working class, and more. Norm joins us to talk about "hyper-wokeness," both its manifestations in the 2020 presidential election and beyond. How do identity politics and class struggle interact, and how did we see that on debate stages and campaign trains? What role should identity politics play in political discourse at large? Norm has plenty of thoughts to share on these topics and we hope you'll join us for the debate.This episode is available as a podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

In Episode 119 of KK&F, we’re joined by lawyer and journalist Bradley Moss to learn the ins and outs of Trump’s developing criminal case. Now, as Trump actually heads to court, we’ll see how his base mobilizes around their perception of the former president as wrongfully accused or persecuted, and how Trump himself continues to refute the charges he’s facing. The case will, we expect, be a major point of focus as we head into a new season of presidential campaigning, and we’ll continue to talk about how mainstream media will respond to case developments, as well as how the Republican Party will be forced to respond. You can listen to this episode as a podcast when it’s released tomorrow on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

What is Steven Donziger up against? In our extensive conversation with him this week, we ask him to walk us through the charges he faced as a result of targeting from Chevron, how he appealed those charges, and why it’s significant that this appeal won’t be considered by the Supreme Court. Steven explains that he was charged with contempt of court and sentenced to 6 months in jail back in 2021 for refusing to hand over personal electronic devices to Chevron for their perusal. A district attorney had refused to prosecute him, but when a federal district court judge appointed a friend of his (who worked for a Chevron firm, it bears noting) to go after Steven, private corporate prosecution led to Steven’s sentencing.As Steven, himself an attorney, points out, this degree of unapologetic, outright corporate power being wielded for private prosecution is truly unprecedented. We hope you, like us, will appreciate hearing from Steven on this crucial case, reflecting on how corporate power and lack of accountability goes all the way up the American judicial system. Remember that you can listen to this episode through Spotify, Substack, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to KK&F, where the great Matthew Zeitlin gives us a primer on the conditions that led to the March 10 fall of SVB (Silicon Valley Bank), which had been involved with nearly half of tech companies backed by venture capital. He also helps us understand the significance (and the truth) behind Biden’s claim that what the Fed did for SVB following its failure was not a bailout. How should we assess the admin’s decision to guarantee uninsured deposits — is Biden right that because taxpayer dollars aren’t going into the bank to revive it, we can’t call this a bailout? Or is this a useful framework to think about the government’s decision to take unusual action to shore up a floundering financial institution?Thanks for tuning in. You can listen to this episode as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

April 11 marks the four-year anniversary of Julian Assange’s incarceration in a maximum-security prison. Back in October, he appealed the decision to extradite him to the US, where he faces life in prison; his health is suffering as he waits to hear the decision on the appeal. Since the beginning of his incarceration, Gabriel and John Shipton, Julian’s brother and father, have worked tirelessly to share the urgent story of the repression he’s faced for drawing attention to American war crimes. Now, their documentary, Ithaka — evoking both an “international odyssey” and an eventual homecoming — tells that story more powerfully than ever, and they’re doing a tour across the country to accompany the film’s release.This episode is available on Substack, Spotify, Pandora, and everywhere else you get your podcasts! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

This week, we’re welcoming Marshall Kosloff to Episode 115 of KK&F. Marshall’s pod The Realignment, co-hosted with Saagar Enjeti, covers issues of the country’s political shift relating to mainstream media, national security, economic policy, and much more. We’re thrilled to have Marshall on Krystal Kyle & Friends this week to discuss the latest stories that have interested him and Saagar on The Realignment, what forms of realignment are manifesting in the United States’s political, economic, and social terrain, and why this shift is taking place — as well as our usual coverage of the latest in this week’s news. Thanks for joining us for another week of KK&F — we’re so glad to have you.You can listen to this episode as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

This week it’s our pleasure to bring you an exclusive conversation with 2024 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson. Like you, we’re interested in hearing about Marianne’s plans to address class warfare and social injustice in the United States, how her political journey led her to become an advocate for key progressive policies and against rampant economic inequality, and how she plans to take on both Biden and Trump this election — and win. Through her time as an author and a figure on the national political stage, Marianne has gained insight into the intense disparity between the most advantaged and the least advantaged Americans, revealing the difficulty of survival for those who are “locked out of the club” and the way that our system is rigged for those with the keys to the castle of elite privilege. As she tells it, she plans to shine the light on the inherent problems with this system — but also to transform it for the improvement of working-class life in America. This is what she views as the role of the politician, and in this wide-ranging interview, you’ll hear how she envisions herself stepping into that role as the nation’s next president.We hope you enjoy this special episode of Krystal Kyle & Friends. You can listen to this episode as a podcast on Pandora, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Why would the FBI pay a “violent felon” — who actually managed to fly under the radar because his appearance as a potential fed was so strikingly obvious — to work secretly and internally against racial justice organizers in Denver? With Trevor Aaronson of the Alphabet Boys podcast joining us to lay out the details of this harrowing story, we learn how and why Mickey Windecker got onto the FBI payroll to provide information to the Feds about anti-racist protesting and organizing work in Denver over the summer of 2020.What emerges is the story of a man who strove to stoke violence and discord through deeply disturbing means — encouraging the destruction of neighborhoods, bringing weapons to organizing spaces, putting activists in peril. We’ll talk about why the FBI’s agenda here is so significant, and what lessons the left can take away from this governmental attack on crucial grassroots activism.Thanks for tuning in to Krystal Kyle & Friends. You can listen to this episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

David Sirota joins us on the show this week to discuss what has become a horrific environmental disaster for East Palestine, Ohio, where residents have reported serious health issues and animals dying from the pollution. Add to that the struggle that those affected by the toxic chemical release will face as they grapple with the United States’ punishingly cost-prohibitive healthcare system for the care that they need. In so many ways, what happened in East Palestine speaks to the government’s profound failure to protect Americans both in the workplace (as in the case of overworked rail workers with no sick leave) and at home. It also shows that the cause of organized labor is capable of confronting and organizing around that failure, and that if the Democratic Party had lived up to its promises to fully stand with labor in December, thousands of people’s lives would be very different right now.Thanks for joining us for this essential conversation. You can listen to this episode as a podcast when it’s released tomorrow on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

We know we can’t flip a switch and institute socialism. But how long that process will take and what its end result will be is a debate that often polarizes the American left. Matt Bruenig and others have spoken and written in favor of adopting something like the Nordic model, which centers on a strong welfare state. He also sees value in the example of Alaska’s social wealth fund and in worker co-ops, supporting ownership of your own workplace. This is to say that in Matt’s view, we can find elements of the socialist society we want to build in the world as it exists today. It’s “nothing crazy” — these policies and programs have huge support and remain important institutions for the public good in the communities where they have been established.Thanks for subscribing to KK&F! You can listen to this episode in podcast form on Spotify, Substack, Pandora, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

This week on KK&F, Corin joins Kyle for a “politics and chill” session on gun policy, the Austin food scene, and DeSantis’s politics of conservative outrage. What we note about DeSantis’ militarization of conservatives around this issue is his ability to plug into the “outrage of the day” — harnessing the energy of right-wing opposition to Biden’s perceived attack on their way of life. Kyle makes the case that this is a major point of differentiation between Trump and DeSantis that could make all the difference when it comes to the future leader of the far right. Trump is (believe it or not) “less online,” losing traction as he revisits older issues like the 2020 presidential election. In a match-up between the two, would DeSantis emerge stronger, better able to speak to the topics that get his base whipped up into a frenzy? We break things down in this week’s conversation.Thanks for tuning in. You can listen to this conversation as a podcast on Spotify, Substack, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Ken Roth is joining the show this week to discuss how he lost a fellowship at Harvard Kennedy School for reporting on human rights abuses. What Ken, the “godfather of human rights,” experienced when the Kennedy School found out about his criticism of Israel is a powerful lesson in the repression of dissent at elite institutions.Larry Summers, Alan Dershowitz, Steven Pinker: Harvard refuses to remove these people from its payroll regardless of their extremely public links to Jeffrey Epstein, allegations of sexual abuse, the list goes on and on. Students recently walked out of a Harvard classroom to protest the school’s continued employment of John Comaroff, who has been accused of sexual misconduct (accusations that Harvard then failed to do anything about, and is now facing a lawsuit for this mishandling). When it comes to employing people who may put students in danger instead of teaching them, the university doesn’t back down. But when it comes to reporting on human rights abuses, when that reporting challenges the status quo, the school — like so many other powerful organizations — isn’t above blacklisting.We’re grateful to Ken for coming on the show, talking to us about his story, and helping us understand how those who speak out about human rights abuses in Israel are regularly silenced. Thanks for tuning in for this important conversation. You can listen to this episode as a podcast on Pandora, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Right-wing radicalization, especially on social media, is a huge focus on the podcast this week. We’re joined by YouTuber Lonerbox as he takes us through the history of right-wing censorship and the arguments for and against free speech, Trump’s engagement with and mobilization of a far-right fringe via social media, and much more. When should the left call for censorship? When do hateful words become life-threatening actions? These are the questions we’re grappling with, and they’re urgent ones for the left to address.You can listen to this episode on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. Thanks for tuning in! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

This week’s guest, YouTuber Philion, traces the roots of today’s online misogyny to the pick-up artists of the 2000s and beyond, looking at how alpha male culture has made its way into almost every corner of the internet, from finance to fitness. Movements like #MeToo have changed public discourse so that today’s equivalents of the pick-up artist can’t get away with expressing themselves the way they might have done twenty years ago. But even without descending to the manosphere’s hidden, rotten core, it is (as any woman online knows) sadly too easy to see that that it’s alive, well, and a massive influence on modern culture. The internet has become a place where men of all ages can become radicalized around a hatred and distrust of women, and a dangerous, unfulfilling idea of masculinity. How will it be possible for the left to confront this? And what, exactly, are we up against?We dive into these questions and more with Philion, this week’s guest, and we’re grateful to you for joining us. Remember that you can listen to this episode as a podcast on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

We talk to Will Menaker of Chapo Trap House about what’s at stake here for the “ultra-MAGA contingent” posing a roadblock to McCarthy’s confirmation. We’ve got a number of different theories which might actually combine to explain the standoff: McCarthy just doesn’t have the confidence of his colleagues; people like Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert see him as a sellout and would prefer an even further-right Speaker; some the holdouts have made conflict their brand, and negotiating isn’t the point; others are committed to an older Tea Party-style agenda about low debt ceilings and balanced budgets. How will the contest for the speakership set the tone for the proceedings of this Congress?We’re glad to have Will with us to unpack the insanity unfolding in D.C.’s halls of power, and we think you’ll appreciate his insight. Remember that you can listen to this episode as a podcast on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

This week, we’re joined by the TV host and author Touré to discuss his book The Ivy League Counterfeiter, a gripping and thought-provoking story about elite crime and punishment. Specifically, what kind of elite crime merits punishment? In Touré’s book we found an incredible opportunity to think about the legalized forms of financial corruption and predation that take place every day in ivory-tower enclaves. Cliff, the Ivy League Counterfeiter, simply moves from the “officially sanctioned” public theft that Ivy League students perpetuate on Wall Street to another form of scamming that has instead been criminalized. While the scams of big banks, stock exchanges, and consulting firms go unpunished (if anything, they’re incentivized), informal, unsanctioned versions of these scams — like counterfeiting — land you in big trouble. Our conversation with Touré about his incredible book reveals the true criminal behavior of our most “official” and “professional” financial institutions, and calls into question why they, too, haven’t been met with prosecution — yet.We hope you enjoy this episode of KK&F. You can listen to this conversation through Pandora, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

It seems like every few days a new free-speech scandal, UI nightmare, or flame war goes down with Musk at the reins of Twitter. (Maybe you like knowing how many views your Tweets are getting, but it feels like the latest unwanted design nightmare under the leadership of the guy who proposed single-lane car tunnels under Los Angeles.) Matt, along with other journalists from outlets like CNN and the New York Times, found his Twitter account shut down over commentary on the site’s new policy surrounding the sharing of people’s real-time location info.Why did Musk focus on banning the promotion of other, “competitive” social media platforms like Mastodon on his site, a policy so inflammatory that it’s since been rolled back? And why were some social media platforms the focus of his ban, while others, like TikTok, remained untouched? Our purpose in the conversation with Matt is to get a sense of the political and economic agenda behind these decisions — it may not be as easily spelled out as “free speech” for all.Thanks for tuning into Krystal Kyle & Friends and merry Christmas! You can listen to this episode as a podcast on Spotify, Substack, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Want to get rich quick? In a country with massive wealth disparity and intense precarity caused by expensive housing, healthcare, and education, scams and schemes profiting off of everyday people are literally all around us. This week’s guest Coffeezilla has made it his focus to analyze modern-day scams, to understand how their messaging plays into social and financial concerns and gets the buy-in of people who might otherwise be skeptical. He makes the excellent point that today’s hucksters are able to “sell the dream tailored to the specific person,” understanding what kinds of struggles and goals different people have — and convincing them that you have the product to make their problems go away.How does this fit into the current fiasco in the crypto world, the fall of FTX? Coffeezilla leads us through the charges against SBF, the government’s response to violation of campaign finance laws, and where this story could go from here. Thanks for joining us, and remember that you can listen to this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Pandora. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

“Real OG” radio host Thom Hartmann joins us for an interview that’s been a long time in the making; Thom is a major influence for Kyle, someone whose coverage of leftist issues inspired him to work in left independent media. He joins us to talk about money in politics, the legal precedent for the treatment of corporations as people (bet you didn’t know that this precedent goes all the way back to 1886), and much more. In our discussion, Thom describes how the constitutional amendments so central to American liberty (freedom of speech, equal protection under the law) became the target of nineteenth-century railroad corporations seeking human rights for their capitalist enterprises.We connect this history to our present moment to understand how corporations have been building power through appeals to constitutional rights for more than a century — and how we can fight back. Thanks for joining us for this important conversation. You can also listen to this episode through Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

One common theme in our conversations at KK&F — which has been around just a few weeks longer than the Biden presidency, letting us follow and comment on Biden’s methods of governance from the very beginning — has been the way that this White House denies its access to certain forms of presidential power when it could benefit working people most. We’ve compared Democrats’ and Republicans’ willingness to avail themselves of measures and roles like executive orders, parliamentarians, and so on in order to get things done. Well, it’s arguably a pretty powerful move on the government’s behalf to shut down a potential strike on behalf of capital, knowing that the workers involved are being denied paid sick leave. Where, from the party that claims it represents the interests of labor, is the opposite, equally powerful move to get the votes, push through a different plan, seek out other options like nationalizing rail corporations? What can we expect from the remaining period of Biden’s leadership? We’re asking the big questions with our return guest, labor reporter Jonah Furman, on the latest episode of KK&F. As always, we’re grateful to you for joining us and tuning in. Remember that you can listen to this episode as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to our hundredth episode with commentator Farron Cousins, our guide to Florida politics and how it’s shaping the nation. The big question is whether the rise of DeSantis means the collapse of Trump. We discuss how the two major right-wing figures are pitted against one another for future presidential campaigns. Perhaps the greatest plus for Trump would be the major three-ring circus in the mainstream media if he were to announce his candidacy: what we learned from 2016 is that outlets like CNN, despite their professed opposition to Trump’s politics, were willing to give him billions of dollars’ worth of free media by covering his every move during the presidential campaign season. The idea that liberal media might do more for Trump than anyone else by feeding into his plays for national attention isn’t even galling anymore — we’ve seen this before.From smaller questions (will Trump return to Twitter?) to other speculations for the 2024 presidential elections (and who will lead the Warmongers’ Caucus), we’ve got a packed show for you tonight, and we hope you enjoy. Remember that you can listen to this episode as a podcast when it’s released tomorrow on Spotify, Substack, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

This week’s episode with writer Matt Stoller takes us to that million-dollar question (probably more than a million-dollar question, actually): Is crypto just a scam? After all, can’t we apply all of the negatives of crypto to fiat currency? Isn’t it all made-up on some level? Matt argues that the governmental institutions that support fiat currency, as well as its societal usage, draw an important distinction between, say, the dollar and the bitcoin. He also responds to the contention that crypto’s strengths lie in its decentralization and frictionless transfer by making the case for a stronger U.S. banking system in general. There’s nothing necessary or unavoidable about the woes of our financial system, which he traces to corruption. Crypto, he contends, is really at core just a “shitty spreadsheet” with fake money that allows for money laundering and results in massive crashes and upheavals, like what we saw this week with FTX’s downfall (discussed at length in this week’s episode). So the problem then becomes: What do we do about the corruption in our financial system? And what will come from our taking it on?We hope you enjoy this latest episode of KK&F. Remember that you can listen to it as a podcast now on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Marianne Williamson joins us to share her own analysis of the big midterm elections earlier this week, saying we have new proof that the Democratic Party shouldn’t be afraid to put its foot on the accelerator and go for the bold legislation and robust social programs that Americans clearly have an appetite for. Instead of sizing up Tuesday’s electoral offerings as the very limit of what voters will break for — assuming that this is as far left as they will go — she argues, “Think what will happen if we go all the way in the direction of progressive policies that we know American people will support.”Look at the field: people had plenty of opportunities to get behind watered-down, moderate versions of the progressive candidates and policies they cast their votes for. Instead, they validated the idea that the options American voters have in this country aren’t left enough. Maybe we can’t say exactly how far people are willing to go. But we know for sure that what’s on the table right now isn’t enough. In this episode, we talk about what the midterms mean for Democrats’ future as a party, and just why a progressive future is the only way forward.You can listen to this episode as a podcast on Spotify, Substack, Pandora, and more. Thanks for tuning in. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

According to this week’s guest, economic analyst Rana Foroohar, the Democratic Party is facing an existential crisis. Those who were active in government during the start of neoliberal policymaking — and who perhaps even worked to implement it — are in the same party as new legislators who have seen the catastrophic effects of those policies on the working-class people they represent. Understanding the Democrats’ political conundrum means understanding the history of neoliberalism in American politics, focusing on the Thatcher-Reagan era and its hard swing toward globalization, deregulation, and outright attacks on organized labor. Rana’s assessment of where we’re at now is that it’s a pendulum swing in the opposite direction of the Reagan-Thatcher period. The Democrats, especially with Biden in office, have what Rana sees as an opportunity to lead us out of that moment and to escape the harm done by decades of neoliberal policy. Whether or not they’re up to that task is up for discussion on Episode 97 of KK&F, and we hope you enjoy the debate.You can also listen to this podcast on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. Please consider subscribing for $5/month to help keep us ad-free, and thanks again for joining us. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

We’re grateful to Alexandra Hunt for delving into the tough issues of the “manosphere,” toxic masculinity, and how the left should view and respond to sexual frustration among young men. She considers young men’s increasing radicalization by far-right figures around issues of sexuality to be an issue the left should take on, and one that has major implications for our political system.Alexandra and Kyle lay out how manosphere commentators are able to identify and speak to struggles that we would think of as systemic, but present these struggles as individualistic, offering misogynistic diatribes, self-help advice, and, of course, often a mixture of both. But Alexandra argues that it doesn’t have to be this way. It’s possible for the left to take on this topic and ensure that people who struggle in this way aren’t radicalized to the far right.Thanks for tuning in. You can listen to this conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Even among fellow Conservatives, former PM Liz Truss’s agenda registered a shock. She pushed policies of deregulation that directly attacked working people, while cutting taxes for the wealthy. And, as of Thursday, she’s out of office. Now the party will be tasked with putting up another Prime Minister to carry out a political program that lacks public consent. We dive into the past, present, and future of this process with this week’s guest, Owen Jones, and we hope you’ll appreciate his insight into the tumult currently sweeping British politics; we certainly did. You can listen to this conversation as a podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

After years of a pandemic, layoffs, the beginning of a recession, and so many other hardships for working people, why should we be reassured by centrism? What makes this political vision attractive at all, and why do we still have to contend with it? We’ve seen how Biden has scaled down or outright abandoned the central campaign promises that made his candidacy bare-minimum palatable to many leftists. We’re turning to the work of Jacobin writer Luke Savage (especially in his new book, The Dead Center) to understand the legacy of centrism, hoping to get a sense of where it’s headed — and how much longer it’ll be around.Luke’s book focuses on twenty-first century liberalism, touching on everything from media (The West Wing) to the politics of the Obama years, explaining how we’re left with an undead center in mainstream politics — a politics that’s deeply disconnected from the struggles that everyday people experience, yet continues to go on shaping our day-to-day lives through its entrenchment in our political establishment. We highly recommend listening to this conversation — and checking out Luke’s book — if you find yourself wondering how the lethargic politics that brought Biden back into power and have carried Democrats through various recent elections just keep hanging on by a thread.This conversation is now available as an audio episode via Pandora, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. We’re grateful to our paying subscribers for helping us stay ad-free — subscribing is just $5 a month, and we promise you’ll enjoy the full video conversations for each weekly episode, delivered to you a whole day early. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to KK&F — this week we’re joined by Katie Halper to discuss how she was dismissed from her appearances on The Hill’s Rising in retaliation for her coverage of Israeli apartheid. As ironic and counterintuitive as it sounds, conservatives literally make a career out of crying “cancel culture.” And when right-wingers do face consequences (books pulled from shelves, Twitter accounts permanently banned) for spreading dangerous misinformation, you’ll notice that we keep hearing from them — now on the topic of endangered free speech. But when independent left-wing reporters like Katie tackle significant issues dealing with human rights abuses — issues that reveal the U.S.’s own hegemonic interests in the Middle East — they’re kicked off platforms that tout themselves as open-minded and intellectually diverse.This hypocrisy reminds us how important — and difficult — it is for the American left to fight back against corrupt media institutions. For her part, Katie has done an incredible job bringing attention to the topics those institutions have deemed “taboo,” and she’s also spoken on other platforms about the significance of her firing from The Hill (you can check out this interview on the Intercept). We hope you enjoy this critical conversation with a truly important voice in international left politics, and we’re grateful to you for joining us for another week of KK&F. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Comedian RM Brown joins us this week for a conversation about bringing comedy to left politics, right-wing attacks on basic freedoms — from trying to shut down gay marriage to book-banning frenzies — and where our movement’s priorities should be right now. As you’ll see in this exclusive interview, he views our current moment as an opportunity for a “collective project” for public well-being (think housing, healthcare, student debt) that will help us build power and deliver on everything Republicans are trying to take away from us right now (with all but outright consent from the Democrats). We at KK&F believe that, given leftists’ serious and dedicated focus on the truly tough straits working people find themselves in today, it’s essential to have a good laugh — and to appreciate the potential of comedy to carry across a powerful political message at the same time that it provides entertainment. So, on to our interview with one of our favorite comedians, RM Brown. RM’s got a channel full of hilarious commentary on our political moment and its most notable figures, and his work provokes us to think about how important it is to turn to comedy for memorable, sharp political commentary with the power to draw people in.Thanks for tuning in — and thanks to our paying subscribers, whose support helps keep us ad-free. You can listen to this conversation right now as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to KK&F, where we’re confronting capitalism with sociologist and leftist thinker Vivek Chibber. We’ve brought him on the show to discuss everything from what it means to be a socialist, why we can’t take our eye (and our organizing) off of electoral politics, what role incrementalism should play in our politics, and much more.The share of our organizing that should focus on electoral politics is hotly contested on the Left. According to Dr. Chibber, it’s essential to acknowledge how the change we agitate for at the grassroots level can be stymied or stalled by hostile bureaucracy and establishment feet-dragging. If we intend to take on our opponents through the democratic channels of our government, we’ll need comrades in the halls of power — those who will bring a working-class agenda to the floor for votes, and those who won’t pursue a directly antagonistic agenda to stop our voices from being heard. In other words, electoral organizing isn’t at all isolated from other forms of protest and political work: it can provide support to those other avenues that go beyond ballots and elections, and a powerful Left will be able to balance these efforts together.We hope you enjoy this episode of KK&F. Remember that you can listen to this conversation as a podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to Episode 90 of KK&F. Our guest this week, Ryan Grim, has given us a great line to help us think about how the Biden admin has positioned itself on major issues like labor and climate, offering some improvements (e.g. through climate funding) while continuing to uphold an establishment status quo that is hostile to the working class. “If you’re used to getting punched in the face with both hands, this is progress.” We look at how this sentiment applies to the Democrats’ overarching approach to governing and policymaking as we near the midterms, where big losses could very well loom for Dems in the absence of significant efforts like the child tax credit, fighting for some version of the promised public option, and more. Tune in to get our read on what comes next for the Democrats, whether they’ve got the will to do what it will take to keep power, and what they plan to do with that power.Thanks for tuning in! We’re especially grateful to our paying subscribers, who pay $5 a month to keep us ad-free. You can get KK&F convos a whole day early, in video format, by subscribing today. Remember that this conversation is also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to KK&F, where we’re joined this week by political commentator, comedian, and Chapo Trap House co-host Matt Christman. Following the news of more legal struggles for Trump’s allies, we’re taking a look at how the former president and the members of his political team have survived various attempts at prosecution and alienation from their base of supporters — and why (if at all) that might be about to change.Neither Trump nor his closest associates have faced true legal consequences for crimes committed during Trump’s administration; rather, the potential of political consequences has become a major, rotating fixture in the American news cycle, where incidents like Trump’s involvement in the January 6 riot (or the recent raid by the Feds on Mar-a-Lago) place the former president under threat of legal action but fail to fully bring him to justice. Is there a long game in play here? These efforts may well serve to foreclose the possibility of future Trump candidacies. As Kyle posits, it could create a political situation where Trump is able to perform well in primaries, but in general elections, his total lack of trust and respect outside a group of die-hard supporters leads to losses.With Matt, we talk through what’s ahead on Trump’s political horizon and how it’s going to affect the rest of us. We hope you enjoy the conversation. This episode is also available on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to Krystal Kyle & Friends — minus the Friends this week, as we’re giving you a special episode of in-depth conversation between our two hosts. This week, we’re focusing on COVID policy, from vaccines and masks to lockdowns, in terms of what health and safety precautions have shaped American life in the past two years. We’re taking this opportunity to examine how the imposition of these health measures has changed public thinking about our collective duty to one another, the way we protect and advocate for kids growing up during and post-COVID, and more ethical questions we’ve faced since the onset of the pandemic.As you’ll see in our conversation, we think carefully about how to balance issues of personal freedom, mental health, and a return to normal social life with basic measures for health and safety. It’s not clear whether there are COVID surges ahead, and if more illness is in our shared future, we continue to see the value in preventative steps like masking and vaccinating. At the same time, we focus on the essential question of why Americans feel dubious when it comes to taking health guidance from our government. From the profit motive behind pharmaceutical companies to histories of racial and economic injustice playing out in health care, we delve into the problems of trust, transparency, and, of course, greed that undermine public faith in our government’s ability to care and provide for us — faith that is undermined far beyond the issue of COVID.Thanks for tuning in. Remember that you can listen to this conversation as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

COVID didn’t start the struggles that American teachers face today. It did, however, force our country’s educators to face new political and economic threats. Now, as teachers stand up and fight back on picket lines across the country, we’re also asking questions about what our educational system could and should look like. What new roles could public education play in students’ lives, and why is it so important that we fight for them? This is just the beginning of our conversation with historian, author, and educator Eric Blanc, and we hope you enjoy.Thanks for tuning in. You can listen to this podcast tomorrow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

From an assessment of the motives behind Trump’s retention of classified info to explainers on the Espionage Act, Special Access Programs, and everything else that’s further complicating the debacle at Mar-a-Lago, our guest Ken Klippenstein joins us to demystify the raid on Trump’s property and give us some insight into what comes next. This discussion of how Trump went rogue with top-secret government intel fits into a longer timeline of Trump’s cavalier approach to classified info — like his Twitter calls to declassify Russiagate info, which his administration later nullified. With Ken leading the way, we put it all in context, adding our own ideas about Trump’s future plans for presidential races, strengthening Saudi ties, and more. We hope you’ll enjoy the conversation, and as always, we’re grateful to you for listening. This episode is also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

In an exclusive interview, Jesse Ventura takes us through his journey as an antiwar advocate, a pro wrestler, and a famously successful third-party candidate for Governor of Minnesota. Ventura is known as a major, widely renowned wrestler, and he explains how wrestlers like him brought significant attention to Saturday night wrestling. But as we know from his legacy as an organizer within the wrestling community, Ventura brought attention to the unfair contracts and compensation that he and his fellow wrestlers received. He’s carried this spirit of class struggle with him into his advocacy against war, where he brought attention to the draft as a method of exploiting young working-class people to the benefit of the wealthy.Our conversation with Ventura captures his unique experiences organizing his pro wrestling colleagues, formulating a politics against violence and exploitation, and creating a viable path to third-party victory in his home state of Minnesota. We hope you enjoy the discussion. You can listen to this episode as a podcast on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. If you’d like to support our work, which will always be available to you ad-free and for just $5 a month, we invite you to become a paying subscriber and get your episodes one day early. Take care and see you next week for more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

This week, we’re bringing you a lively discussion — and some friendly debate — between KK&F host Kyle and our friends Adam and Sitch of the Sitch & Adam show. Adam and Sitch have positioned themselves as enlightened centrists, taking a critical stance on some issues at the core of traditional left politics but embracing progressive ideas like Modern Monetary Theory. That is to say, there’s plenty of room in this conversation for beliefs to be challenged, new ideas to be introduced, and the latest in big news — from the Alex Jones trial to the limitations of Roe v. Wade — to be discussed from different political angles.We hope you enjoy this episode of KK&F, featuring our breakdown of the Alex Jones trial; a discussion of Roe v. Wade and what Kyle, Adam, and Sitch see as the ideal situation for reproductive rights in the U.S.; and much more. Thanks for subscribing — remember that you can listen to this episode when it’s released tomorrow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and more.Thumbnail image: Sergio Flores / Getty Images This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

If you told me a cosmic ray hit Washington and flipped everyone’s brains, giving Schumer the Machiavellian cunning of a Republican and giving McConnell the guileless approach of a Democrat, that might be a more plausible explanation for this display than the truth.So says Prospect editor David Dayen in a recent piece on the shocking Manchin-Schumer deal that will use $369 billion in funding to combat the climate crisis and address energy security. David is a seasoned political writer, covering issues from Build Back Better to the Supreme Court in recent weeks, and his piece captures the senator’s surprising heel turn from forestalling governmental action on climate disaster to allowing a basic level of climate funding to see the light of day.Of course, the funds set up by the Inflation Reduction Act are only the beginning of the resources and dedication required to tackle the issue of impending environmental disaster. As long as Manchin preserves his lucrative ties to the fossil fuel industry, we won’t see the bold action on climate change that our government is more than capable of, and the American working class will be the first to suffer as a result. So, with David, we take a well-rounded look at what this bill means for the American people, what it means for the future of power relationships within the Democratic Party, and what it means for our shared future.This episode is also available on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

We’re thrilled to bring Zac and Gavin of The Vanguard podcast onto the show for Episode 82 of KK&F. These terrific guests bring wit and welcome insight to their exploration of today’s independent media landscape — and of what that landscape can tell us about free speech, misinformation, and freedom of the press in the United States. Zac and Gavin see their channel’s interventions into left-media disputes as interventions into deeper, more perennial conversations about the role and responsibility of the political commentator. They mention recent coverage of a certain commentator’s threats to sue over a disagreement — and how that conversation evolved into a bigger discussion of defamation, freedom of speech, and other issues that shape what messages are censored and who is allowed to participate in these debates.Then it’s time to consider what lies in store for us in 2024, especially whether the Left will have a candidate to coalesce behind. From familiar faces like Bernie and Marianne to potential newcomers, we imagine the campaign that could bring a left perspective to the 2024 presidential election. You can listen to this podcast on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

This week, we’ve prepared a conversation for you with the brilliant scholar Gary Gerstle, whose research on what defines the global neoliberal order can also help us understand what might bring that order to a close. We’re sharing this conversation on the heels of the news that Manchin, who’s made no secret of his opposition to Biden’s most meager proposals for social welfare, will oppose the shell of Build Back Better that remains. Specifically, he’s vetoing measures to address climate change and taxing the rich — that is, the watered-down measures that remain on the Biden agenda. The political agenda he supports — means-testing, sacrificing us all to the whims of the market — suggests that the neoliberal order is alive and well.We hope you’ll enjoy this discussion on Episode 81 of KK&F, with Gerstle’s insights on how neoliberal economic approaches continue to shape the world we’re living in, on what could come next, and on how this all fits into the political moment we’re living through. Thanks for joining us for another week of Krystal Kyle & Friends. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

In an episode months in the making, Krystal Kyle & Friends’s Kyle Kulinski is joined by psychologist and political commentator Dr. Jordan Peterson. For Kyle, it’s the “perfect situation” of getting to speak with someone whose work in psychology and philosophy has been particularly interesting to him — but who differs from him significantly on most political issues. They’re here for a back-and-forth on everything from Twitter controversies to Trump, economics, liberal versus conservative mindsets, and interpreting the results of Kyle’s personality quiz. We hope you enjoy the episode! It’s also available as a podcast on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. If you liked this conversation, consider becoming a paying subscriber for $5/month: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Sixty-one percent — a majority — of Americans support the legalization of abortion. Yet in last week’s Supreme Court decision, five out of nine judges voted to overturn the prior decision that federally protected abortion as a right. As we’ve seen from the extremely contentious appointments of Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, and more, everyday people don’t even have a direct say in who gets to be on the court, much less in the life-changing opinions that the court hands down.Roe v. Wade is our focus this week, with guest Pascal Robert (he hosts This Is Revolution podcast, and you can find the Patreon here). With Pascal, we discuss the history of unaccountability and undemocratic decision-making within the highest court in the country, as well as the path forward offered by liberalism — and how that path may well be a dead end.Thanks for tuning in. You can tune into the podcast through Pandora, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

This week, the Supreme Court landed the death blow to Roe vs. Wade, a decision which federally protected the right to abortion. Trigger laws are taking effect; abortion clinics are closing. It will take the grassroots struggle of working people to make abortion — an essential element of basic healthcare — not only legal across the nation, but also free and easy to obtain in a way it has never been before. We’ve seen all too clearly that the Supreme Court won’t deliver when it comes to protecting our basic rights, and when our lives are on the line, the Democratic Party has only performative, empty gestures to offer.We’ve got a great show for you this week, centering on issues of free speech and attacks on independent media. Journalist Branko Marcetic, author of Yesterday’s Man: The Case Against Joe Biden, as well as a staff writer at Jacobin magazine, joins us to discuss online censorship of left and independent media, the extradition of Julian Assange, and much more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to Krystal Kyle & Friends, where we’re joined by Humanist Report host Mike Figueredo. Our conversation with Mike is wide-ranging: We talk with him about everything from his experiences as a “veteran” leftist commentator and the way his work has evolved over the years, to the invigorating prospects of the energized labor movement, to the personal story of Mike’s coming out to his family. His trademark wit, candor, and brilliant insight make this episode an essential listen.We hope you enjoy this episode of Krystal Kyle & Friends. Audio is available through Pandora, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

This week’s guest, journalist David Wallace-Wells, speaks with us about the defining issue facing humanity, climate change — and the task of getting our government to treat it as such. Currently, fossil fuel corporations are free to chase endless profit at the expense of our health and safety, and our planet’s future.When we wonder why our representatives don’t take on these corporations in defense of the planet and its people, it’s illustrative that these representatives bring in a formidable haul from the fossil fuel industry — up to $93 million in stocks, according to the American Prospect, as of 2020. What’s clear is that to make climate change the priority we need it to be in national politics, electoral change is needed — alongside the organizing work that extends far beyond anything that can be accomplished at a ballot box in November.We hope you enjoy this conversation. Audio can also be found on Pandora, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

Thanks for joining us for another week of KK&F — this one centering on the Colombian presidential elections, drug wars, and more. A left-wing candidate has taken the lead in the first round of voting; his right-wing opponent, who has styled himself as anti-establishment and anti-corruption, has his own charges of corruption to deal with. To get a fuller sense of what’s happening and what’s to come in the runoff, we’re joined by journalist Toby Muse, author of Kilo: Inside the Deadliest Cocaine Cartels.With a leftist candidate who could change the course of Colombian politics for the benefit of the working class, this is shaping up to be a watershed moment for the international left, and Toby does a great job situating the election among other leftist movements in Latin America and beyond. Thanks for joining us, and we hope you enjoy.You can listen to this conversation as a podcast on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

The brutal killing of nineteen children and two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas has left us in national mourning, as the sickeningly familiar news of a school shooting continues to trickle in. As we learn more about the inaction of law enforcement on the scene and the agony of the children seeking help in their final moments, we confront one question above all: What will it take to make sure this never happens again?This is a major topic of discussion for this week’s episode of Krystal Kyle & Friends. From the policies we’d like to see surrounding gun control to the way politicians are responding, we cover a lot of ground, joined by our guest Mac (you know him as @GoodPoliticGuy). We hope you enjoy the episode, which will be available to stream tomorrow through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and more. Thanks for joining us this week. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe

This week’s guest is the inimitable Doug Henwood, economic journalist and analyst — and the person we’ve come to in order to discuss the crypto crash of just a few weeks ago. Whether you have a deep understanding of all things blockchain and are looking to hear a left-wing perspective on the recent turmoil, or whether you’ve never heard of a “stablecoin” before, we think you’ll enjoy Doug’s sharp analysis of why cryptocurrencies have become so popular, what they seem to offer beyond our current system, and how they fall short.Thanks for tuning in. You can listen to this podcast tomorrow on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit krystalkyleandfriends.substack.com/subscribe