Lever Time

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) to discuss the House’s Israel-Palestine ceasefire resolution as well as the public pushback from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which has been lambasting the ceasefire resolution as well as some progressive House members. Recent polling shows a majority of Americans support a ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict, and yet only 18 members of the U.S. House of Representatives officially support a ceasefire resolution. This is explained in part because America’s political discourse has been dominated by conservative groups such as AIPAC that equate opposition to Israel’s right-wing government to rising anti-semitism. In today’s interview, David speaks with Pocan, who has been publicly calling for a ceasefire. Pocan was recently criticized by AIPAC after he called out the organization for polarizing the national conversation and demonizing Democrats who question Israel’s policies. A transcript of this episode is available here. BONUS: Last week’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium featured an interview with music writer Robin James and musician Greg Saunier about the the state of the music industry after the online music platform Bandcamp, which was recently sold to the licensing company Songtradr, laid off 50 percent of Bandcamp’s employees amid union contract negotiations. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by lawyer Caroline Fredrickson, who recently penned an op-ed for The Atlantic titled, “What I Most Regret About My Decades of Legal Activism.” As the former head of the American Constitution Society — the liberal counterweight to the conservative legal network The Federalist Society — Caroline speaks with David about the strengths and weaknesses of liberal legal activism over the last two decades. Caroline’s piece explores the past errors of the liberal legal movement, specifically how focusing on social issues like abortion rights ultimately stacked federal courts with judges who are lax on antitrust enforcement and corporate power. The result gave the conservative legal movement more money and power to pursue their own goals on social issues, such as the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated federal abortion rights. In today’s interview, David and Caroline discuss how this dynamic created a negative feedback loop that bolstered the conservative legal movement, how think tanks like the Federalist Society have indoctrinated a generation of law students, and how the Democratic Party’s focus on identity politics have obscured the federal judiciary’s expansion of corporate power. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: What I Most Regret About My Decades of Legal Activism (The Atlantic, 2023) BONUS: This past Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium featured an interview with music writer Robin James and musician Greg Saunier about the the state of the music industry after the online music platform Bandcamp, which was recently sold to the licensing company Songtradr, laid off fifty percent of Bandcamp’s employees amid union contract negotiations. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, The Lever’s Nick Campbell speaks with music writer Robin James and drummer Greg Saunier from the band Deerhoof to discuss the shifting corporate landscape of the music industry, and the larger dynamics of our economy. The three zero in on a worrisome development: The online music platform Bandcamp was recently sold to the multinational music conglomerate Songtradr, leading to layoffs of 50 percent of Bandcamp’s employees amid union contract negotiations, an ominous sign for the future of the last major independent music sales platform. In today’s discussion, Nick, Robin, and Greg explore the exploitative practices making the industry harder for working-class musicians — and what an equitable music industry could actually look like. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: The Future of Rock and Roll: 97X WOXY and the Fight for True Independence by Robin James (The University of North Carolina Press, 2023) Miracle–Level by Deerhoof (Joyful Noise Recordings, 2023) What 90s Alt Rock Radio, Woodstock 99, And The Telecome Act Have To Do With Contemporary Right-Wing Media (Robin James, 2022) If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Wednesday, October 18, The Lever’s David Sirota hosted a live event with Canadian journalist and activist Naomi Klein and Palestinian-American political analyst Omar Baddar to discuss the ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas and the mounting humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. David, Naomi, and Omar spoke about the historical and political context that led to this moment, the double standard being applied by corporate media outlets in their coverage of Israel and Palestine, and recent responses from members of Congress. They also took questions live on-air from the audience. A transcript of this episode is available here. BONUS: On Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we’ll be sharing our interview with music writer Robin James and musician Greg Saunier about the the state of the music industry after the online music platform Bandcamp, which was recently sold to the licensing company Songtradr, laid off fifty percent of its employees amid unionization efforts. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by journalist and Citations Needed podcast co-host Adam H. Johnson to discuss the contradictions and hypocrisies of the multibillion-dollar self-help industry — an industry that has long convinced people that unhappiness is an attitude problem, and not a societal issue that needs to be addressed at a systemic level. Adam’s recent story for The Lever exposed how one of the industry’s leading authors, Arthur Brooks, spent decades advocating for economic policies that have immiserated working Americans. As the former head of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), one of the country’s most prominent conservative think tanks, Brooks was paid nearly $3 million a year to help lead campaigns against Medicaid expansion, free college, rent control, and universal health care. In today’s interview, David and Adam unpack how large parts of the self-help industry grifts its customers, the history of AEI and its toxic influence on American politics, and Brooks’ career transition from sower of despair to peddler of happiness. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: The Happiness Guru Who Immiserated America (The Lever, 2023) BONUS: This past Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, featured David’s interview with Media Matters’ Allison Fisher about Rupert Murdoch’s lasting impact on climate change, since the recently retired media mogul used his control of Fox News and hundreds of other media outlets to spread misinformation and climate denialism. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by Matt Duss, executive vice president at the Center for International Policy think tank, and Daniel Bessner, an international studies professor at the University of Washington, both of whom served as foreign policy advisors to U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, to discuss the deadly conflict unfolding in Israel-Palestine. In today’s media landscape, discourse surrounding war often falls along disparate ideological lines, polluted with instantaneous reactions and hot takes. More often than not, these practices often dehumanize the extraordinary destruction and loss of human life these conflicts produce, as well as those with personal connections to the people and places experiencing that conflict. At their core, wars are terrible and devastating events that shake the foundations of civilization and should always be treated as such. During today’s interview, David, Matt, and Daniel provide a thoughtful discussion of the events of the past week, including Hamas’ surprise attack on Israeli citizens and the Israeli government's violent response. They also discuss the historical rise of Hamas in the wake of failing peace negotiations, the internal dynamics within the Israeli government and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ideological framework, and the response from the U.S. government. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: Center For International Policy American Prestige Standing Together BONUS: Next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, will feature David’s interview with Allison Fisher from the watchdog group Media Matters about Rupert Murdoch’s lasting impact on climate change, since the recently retired media mogul used his control of Fox News and hundreds of other media outlets to spread misinformation and climate denialism. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by Matt Stoller, the director of research at the American Economic Liberties Project, who explains the failures and successes of President Joe Biden’s economic policies, also known as “Bidenomics.” In the past several months, unemployment has dropped and the rate of inflation has begun to slow, while consumer spending and manufacturing is on the rise. In a macro sense, the economy is doing well. But according to a recent NBC poll, 59 percent of Americans disapprove of President Biden’s handling of the economy. During today’s interview, Stoller explains the disparity between the economic numbers and how working people are feeling, citing missing inflation data and a host of counteracting economic policies. The two also dig into the current antitrust case against tech giant Google — the biggest antitrust lawsuit in several decades — and what it portends for the future of the tech industry and the economy as a whole. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: The Missing Inflation Data (The Lever, 2023) BIG by Matt Stoller BONUS: Next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, will feature our interview with former Senior Advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders, Nikhil Goyal, about his new book Live to See the Day: Coming Of Age In American Poverty, which chronicles the lives of three Puerto Rican teenagers growing up in one of Philadelphia’s poorest neighborhoods as they navigate America’s broken education and welfare system. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by Brendan James and Noah Kulwin, producers and hosts of the wildly popular historical narrative podcast Blowback. Their new season covers the history of foreign intervention in Afghanistan and both the intentional and unintentional blowback from those efforts. “Blowback” refers to an old CIA term meaning, “the unforeseen and unwanted effects, or repercussions to one’s actions.” In Blowback, Brendan and Noah report on the history of America’s foreign policy and interventions — including its efforts related to the various wars in Iraq, the Cuban Revolution, and the Korean War. David speaks with Brendan and Noah about their new season, which goes into painstaking detail about Afghanistan, a country that has arguably suffered more modern foreign interventions than any other place on Earth. They cover Soviet interventions in the country in the 1970s and ’80s, the U.S.-backed rise of the Mujahideen, the September 11 World Trade Center attacks, and the subsequent U.S. invasion and war, which lasted over two decades. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: Blowback BONUS: On this past Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we shared our interview with attorney Jeffrey Simon, who is part of the legal team suing 17 fossil fuel companies for their contribution to a 2021 heatwave that killed 69 people in Oregon’s Multnomah County. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s Lever Time, David Sirota and journalist Laura Krantz are joined by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb to discuss his research into extraterrestrial life. In 2017, a Maui telescope discovered an interstellar object that astronomers named Oumuamua (Hawaiian for “scout” or “messenger”) that had an elongated shape and an unusual acceleration not explained by gravity alone. That’s when Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb suggested a controversial hypothesis: The object might be an extraterrestrial “light sail” — a thin metallic sheet that could harness sunlight for propulsion. Loeb continued to advocate for scientists to investigate astronomical anomalies, and in 2021, he co-founded the Galileo Project, which seeks to apply scientific rigor to eyewitness testimonies and other evidence related to potential alien technology on Earth. Loeb's outspoken views have made him a prominent and controversial figure. Some people champion his approach, while others accuse him of distracting from legitimate astronomical discoveries and misleading the public. In today’s interview, David and Laura speak with Avi about his scientific approach. They also discuss the recent alien hearings in Mexico’s Congress, how NASA’s own technology for space monitoring and exploration hasn’t been modernized, and how the stigma attached to extraterrestrial study hampers meaningful progress. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: The Galileo Project How A Harvard Professor Became The World’s Leading Alien Hunter (New York Times Magazine, 2023) Mexican Congress Shown ‘Non-Human’ Corpses In UFO Hearing (The Hill, 2023) Is There Anybody Out There? (A Wild Thing Book) by Laura Krantz BONUS: On Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we’ll be sharing our interview with attorney Jeffrey Simon, who is part of the legal team suing 17 fossil fuel companies for their contribution to a 2021 heatwave that killed 69 people in Oregon’s Multnomah County. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota and Peter Goodman, The New York Times’ global economics correspondent, explore the pivotal role of Indonesia’s vast nickel reserve in the global electric vehicle (EV) revolution and the high-stakes geopolitical chess game the mineral has ignited. The strategic tug-of-war between the U.S. and China over nickel — a crucial component for electric vehicle batteries — has implications for global trade dynamics and international alliances. If China dominates the EV supply chain, what does that mean for the U.S.’ electric vehicle ambitions? The conversation serves as a reminder of how formerly mundane resources like nickel will become embroiled in increasingly complicated geopolitical issues as part of a future reliant on clean energy. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: Peter Goodman’s article on the subject, “How Geopolitics Is Complicating the Move to Clean Energy.” BONUS EPISODE RECOMMENDATION: From July 2023, “LEVER TIME PREMIUM: Norman Solomon On America’s Invisible Wars.” If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota talks with author Richard Reeves about the growing evidence that men are struggling in modern America. In his latest book, Reeves delves into recent economic and social shifts that have negatively impacted men's lives. They discuss empirical data showing that men are falling behind in both college attendance and graduation rates, and how they are three times more likely than women to perish from “deaths of despair” related to suicide, alcohol, or drugs. The two also explore how the shifting nature of masculinity is being manipulated by the likes of Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz and used as a recruiting tool for alt-right groups. Through it all, Reeves emphasizes the importance of addressing these issues without sidelining marginalized groups. “Problems that are not addressed become grievances,” says Reeves. “And grievances are exploited.” Links Reeves’ book: Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It A transcript of this episode is available here. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, producer Frank Cappello speaks with Labor Notes staff writer Luis Feliz Leon about why a potential autoworkers strike could be transformational for younger union members struggling under depressed wages and limited benefits. Luis has been reporting on the ground about the ongoing contract negotiations between the United Auto Workers union and the “Big Three” automakers — Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis (formerly known as Chrysler). Last Friday, 150,000 autoworkers voted overwhelmingly to strike if a deal isn’t reached by the time their current contract expires on September 14. Under the new leadership of reformist president Shawn Fain, the union is ready to take action if their bold demands aren’t met. In today’s interview, Frank and Luis break down everything you need to know about the ongoing negotiations. Luis offers his perspective on the union’s current strategy for exacting the best possible deal, and what a potential strike would mean for workers and the auto industry. He also breaks down how the union’s former leadership gave away major concessions during the Great Recession, and why a new union dynamic is long overdue. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: Fired-Up Auto Workers Are Ready to Battle the Big 3 (Labor Notes, 2023) UAW Reformers Just Won Control of the Union. They Want to Turn It Into A Fighting Union. (Jacobin, 2023) Will The Clean Energy Auto Economy Be Built On Factory Floors Riddled With Toxic Chemicals And Safety Hazards? (In These Times, 2023) BONUS: On Monday’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we’ll be sharing David Sirota’s interview with economist Isabella Weber about monetary policy, inflation, and how we can use strategic price controls to rein in corporate profiteering. If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, Lever news editor Lucy Dean Stockton speaks with former Hawaii state representative and national director of the Green New Deal Network Kaniela Ing about the recent wildfires in Maui. On August 8th, a wildfire swept through the historic city of Lahaina, reducing almost every building to ash and killing more than 100 people. Scores of Lahaina residents have lost their homes, and more than 800 people are still missing as emergency responders address the crisis. As the community reels from the tragedy, people are examining the complicated roles that colonialism, climate change, and private equity played in the disaster. In today’s interview, Lucy speaks with Kaniela, a seventh-generation indigenous Hawaiian, about current conditions in Maui, how the island’s underserviced electrical infrastructure contributed to the disaster, and how the Lahaina community is looking to rebuild. They also discuss Maui County’s landmark climate lawsuit against Big Oil, which alleges that oil companies knowingly made the climate crisis worse by selling and burning fossil fuels. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: Green New Deal Network Maui Just Recovery Fund BONUS: On Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we’ll be sharing our interview with historian Harvey Kaye and progressive activist Alan Minsky about the unfinished business of FDR’s Economic Bill of Rights. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, Julia Rock and Frank Cappello speak with environmental lawyer Julia Olson to discuss a recent historic win for young climate activists who she represents in Montana. This past Monday, a judge in Montana ruled that young people are entitled to a “clean and healthful” environment. The case, known as Held v. Montana, included 16 plaintiffs ages 5 to 22, who testified that the state government’s pro-fossil fuel policies were unconstitutional. Held v. Montana was the first of several youth-led U.S. climate lawsuits to make it to trial. Olson is the executive director and lead counsel for Our Children’s Trust, a nonprofit public interest law firm that represents plaintiffs in a number of these youth-led state climate cases as well as in a federal lawsuit, Juliana v. United States. Julia and Frank spoke with Julia Olson about this historic win, how the case’s legal strategy can be applied across the country, and why the Biden administration is attempting to prevent other youth-led climate lawsuits from going to trial. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: Our Children’s Trust ‘Gamechanger’: Judge Rules In Favor Of Young Activists In US Climate Trial (The Guardian, 2023) Biden DOJ: “No Constitutional Right To A Stable Climate” (The Lever, 2023) BONUS: On Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we’ll be sharing our interview with historian Harvey Kaye and progressive activist Alan Minsky about the unfinished business of FDR’s Economic Bill of Rights. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s Lever Time, Audit hosts and friends of the show Josh Olson and Dave Anthony are joined by journalist and media expert John Knefel to discuss how the conservative propaganda operation PragerU landed a major new partnership with Florida’s public schools. PragerU produces short-form video content on politics, social issues, and history. The media organization’s stated goal is to “promote American values through the creative use of educational videos” and “[offer] a free alternative to the dominant left-wing ideology in culture, media, and education.” In 2021 PragerU launched PragerU Kids, focused on “educational content for children.” Now PragerU has raised the stakes, as it was recently announced that PragerU Kids content has been approved as supplemental teaching material in Florida public schools — even though PragerU is not an accredited educational institution. Prager isn’t planning to stop there: They recently published an online petition to get their content into schools across the country. Hosts Josh and Dave, who examined the rise of PragerU in the latest season of The Audit, sit down with John to discuss PragerU’s official entry into the American education system. They break down how PragerU managed to get approved in Florida, how their work plays into the larger conservative movement to capture public education and siphon taxpayer money to fund charter schools, and what parents can do to stop PragerU from indoctrinating children. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: The lessons Florida public school students will learn from PragerU Kids (Media Matters, 2023) Florida’s conservative PragerU teaching texts labeled ‘indoctrination’ (Tampa Bay Times, 2023) What It Means That Florida Will Allow Conservative PragerU Content in Schools (Time, 2023) BONUS: On Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we published our recent live chat with Yale law professor Samuel Moyn where we examined whether or not Congress has the authority to regulate the Supreme Court and the troubling legacy of Chief Justice John Roberts. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by Jeff Goodell, author of the new book The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet, to discuss recent deadly heat waves and how they’re a prelude to dangers to come. This past July was the hottest single month in recorded history. In the United States, temperatures rose above 120 degrees in several regions of the country, and ocean temperatures in parts of Florida reached 101 degrees, potentially shattering the world record for ocean heat. It’s not just the temperature that’s rising. Over the past few months, there has also been an increase in heat-related deaths and hospitalizations, including for life-threatening burns people have suffered from falling onto scorching concrete. Heat is the deadliest type of weather, each year killing on average more than twice as many people as tornadoes and hurricanes combined. Of course, the groups that most acutely suffer from extreme heat events tend to be the most vulnerable, like unhoused people, the elderly, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. To examine these problems, Sirota sits down with Goodell, a climate journalist and bestselling author. Together they break down which regions of the country will experience the most severe heat in the future, the limitations of air conditioning as a potential solution, our new geologic era, and how our concept of summer is set to drastically change from fun to survival. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet (Hachette Books, 2023) The Anthropocene began in 1950s, scientists say (NPR, 2023) BONUS: This past Monday’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, featured David’s interview with political economist and economic geographer Brett Christophers, author of the new book Our Lives In Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own The World. If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with law professor and policy advocate Robert Hockett and former FDIC attorney Todd Phillips, to explain “The Great Bank Robbery of 2023” — a financial grift that very well could be impacting you. The three explore how this complicated bank swindle has become so prevalent, what federal regulators could do to stop it, and how consumers like you can protect yourself from the scam. The grift goes like this: When you deposit your money at a bank, they should pay you interest for your money. That’s because they make money off of it: Banks lend out your deposits for mortgages and small business loans, or deposit money with the Federal Reserve — all of which generate a much higher interest rate return for the banks. The difference is profit. Until recently, banks would pass along increased interest on these efforts to its customers. But over the last two years, as the Federal Reserve has hiked interest rates to combat inflation, banks haven’t been sharing the wealth. Today, the gap between the profit banks generate by lending out those deposits and what they pay their customers is the largest it’s ever been: On average, banks are paying its depositors 0.4% interest, while reaping anywhere from 5 to 7 percent interest via lending. This has resulted in one of the largest upward wealth transfers in the modern economy, from customers to bank executives. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: The Great Bank Robbery of 2023 (The Lever, 2023) BofA profit surges on interest income, surprise investment banking gain (Reuters, 2023) TreasuryDirect.gov BONUS: Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, featured our interview with climate scientist Dr. Andrew Pershing about “attribution science” — a new technique that can pinpoint how manmade climate change influences extreme weather events. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by The Bear writer and Writers Guild of America (WGA) union member Alex O’Keefe to discuss the stakes of the current Hollywood strike. The WGA has been on strike since early May after failing to secure a contract with the country’s major film and television producers. This past week, SAG-AFTRA, the union representing film and TV actors, joined the strike after failing to secure their own contract, putting Hollywood on standstill for the first time since 1960. Over the last decade, the economy of Hollywood has been completely upended by the advent of streaming services like Netflix, as well as the consolidation of major entertainment companies such as the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery. This has led to a “content arms race” as companies have competed to amass their own libraries of movies and TV shows. The result has been a shift to faster and cheaper film productions, which have adversely affected almost all of Hollywood’s workers. In the face of such rapid changes, David speaks with Alex about what the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are demanding from the studios. This includes increased pay for shorter production schedules, residual payments for content on streaming platforms, and protections against AI programs taking over their jobs. The two discuss what’s at stake if workers’ demands aren’t met, and whether or not the unions are being “unrealistic,” as Disney CEO Bob Iger recently put it. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: LEVER WEEKLY: What Workers Are Up Against (The Lever, 2023) SAG actors', writers' strikes bring revolution to Hollywood (LA Times, 2023) Hollywood Studios’ WGA Strike Endgame Is To Let Writers Go Broke Before Resuming Talks In Fall (Deadline, 2023) If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we’re sharing an episode of the podcast Deconstructed from our friends over at The Intercept, an award-winning investigative news organization. Centrist and right-wing economists continue to advocate for laying off workers and engineering a recession to address inflation. But why not set price controls instead? This week on Deconstructed, host Ryan Grim is joined by James K. Galbraith, a professor of government and business relations at the University of Texas at Austin. Galbraith has an extensive history of working in government, including as executive director of the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress and an economist for the House Banking Committee. Galbraith and Grim discuss the implementation of price controls by the U.S. government and how such measures bring down prices. They also explore how the Biden administration could expand its price control efforts, and how Galbraith’s father — economist and politician John Kenneth Galbraith — was instrumental in setting price controls during World War II. If you like Lever Time with David Sirota, be sure to check out Deconstructed on all podcast platforms and subscribe. A transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by law professor Stephen Vladeck, author of the new book, The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic. The Supreme Court has received a lot of attention in the last several years for its extreme rulings on matters such as abortion rights, environmental regulations, and affirmative action. But there’s another very important court procedure that doesn’t receive nearly as much attention: the aptly named “shadow docket.” These are the cases that occur outside of the court’s regular docket and usually involve urgent matters, such as requests for emergency stays, injunctions, and other types of temporary relief. These cases are often decided through brief orders, meaning without oral arguments, full written opinions, or even disclosing how the justices voted. But in recent years, the court has increasingly used the shadow docket to effectively leapfrog over the appeals court system on major decisions, sometimes with devastating effects. David and Stephen dive deep into the shadow docket’s history, how it continues to undermine the Supreme Court’s credibility, and how most of these decisions are not based on any kind of legal rationale or precedent. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic (Hachette Book Group, 2023) Supreme Court “Shadow Docket” Under Review by U.S. House of Representatives (American Bar Association, 2021) BONUS: This past Monday’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, featured David’s interview with media critic Norman Solomon about his new book, War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its Military Machine. If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we’re sharing an episode of the podcast Deconstructed from our friends over at The Intercept, an award-winning investigative news organization. In this episode, Daniel Boguslaw, a politics reporter for The Intercept, interviews Senator Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) former political advisor Scott Sears. Boguslaw tells the story of Manchin’s rise in West Virginia politics, his strategic alliance with powerful business interests, and explains how the Senator ended up with such power over the Democratic legislative agenda. In recent months, Manchin has been noncommittal when asked about a presidential run. Meanwhile, No Labels, a centrist political organization funded by dark money donors, is looking to run a split ticket featuring one Republican and one Democrat — and Manchin is considered one of the likely candidates. Sears helped Manchin secure political wins across the state before switching parties and throwing his support behind Donald Trump. If you like Lever Time with David Sirota, be sure to check out Deconstructed on all podcast platforms and subscribe. A transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota and Andrew Perez are joined by ProPublica’s Justin Elliott, who recently co-authored an exposédetailing how Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito failed to disclose luxury gifts provided by billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Singer. This story follows ProPublica’s reporting from earlier this year about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who also failed to disclose gifts he received from his own billionaire benefactor, Harlan Crow. David, Andrew and Justin discuss how these new revelations raise questions about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, why a lack of judicial oversight contributes to the problem, and how powerful GOP operative Leonard Leo ties all of these stories together. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court (ProPublica, 2023) Alito Could Deliver Another Ruling For Billionaire Benefactor (The Lever, 2023) Clarence Thomas And The Billionaire (ProPublica, 2023) BONUS: This past Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, featured our interview with Brandon Tizol, a New York-based organizer who was part of the campaign that helped pass a transformative renewable energy bill in the state. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we’re sharing an episode of the podcast Deconstructed with Ryan Grim, D.C. bureau chief of The Intercept, an award-winning investigative news organization. In this episode, Grim, speaks with communications consultant Anat Shenker-Osorio, host of the podcast Words to Win, and whose company ASO Communications works with progressive think tanks like the Voting Rights Lab. Grim and Shenker-Osorio discuss why progressive messages often succeed while moderate messages typically fail, and how strategists can meaningfully reframe an ideological conversation to craft a message that resonates and wins. They also revisit Ryan’s conversation with tech executive and political strategist Dmitri Mehlhorn, who made news last May for helping finance E. Jean Carroll’s defamation lawsuit against former president Donald Trump. Grim and Shenker-Osorio unpack why messaging that gravitates toward the center is less effective than messages that challenge entrenched power. Links: The May 6, 2023 Deconstructed episode with Dmitri Mehlhorn If you like Lever Time with David Sirota, be sure to check out Deconstructed on all podcast platforms and subscribe. A transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Writers Guild of America strike enters its eighth week, David Sirota sits down with writer, director, musician, and activist Boots Riley to discuss the ongoing labor struggle, as well as his radical new TV show. In all of Boots’ work runs a deep commitment to social justice and organized labor. In 2018, Boots released the celebrated film Sorry to Bother You, an absurdist dark comedy about race and class politics set in the world of telemarketing. Now, Boots speaks with David about his fantastical new TV series I’m A Virgo, which is garnering rave reviews. Boots also discusses his roots in political activism and the importance of the writers strike and how its visibility is crucial to the resurgent U.S. labor movement. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: ‘Sorry To Bother You’ Director Boots Riley On WGA Strike, Struggle, Solidarity, Sacrifice & AI – Guest Column (Deadline, 2023) I’m A Virgo (Prime Video, 2023) BONUS: On next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we’ll be sharing our interview with Brandon Tizol, a New York-based organizer who was part of the campaign to pass the Build Public Renewables Act in the state. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David sits down with prominent investigative journalist Leslie Kean, who earlier this month published a blockbuster report about a potential secret government UFO effort. According to Kean and her co-author, a former U.S. intelligence official-turned-whistleblower recently gave Congress classified information about covert programs that he says possess intact and partially intact aircraft of non-human origin. Kean has become known for her diligent reporting on UFOs (they’re now officially called “unidentified anomalous phenomena,” or UAP) and how the government is hiding information about them from the public. David and Leslie dig into her new story as well as the long history of UFO sightings and official obfuscation: What does the government know? How long have they known it? And why aren’t they telling us? A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: Intelligence Officials Say U.S. Has Retrieved Craft Of Non-Human Origin (The Debrief, 2023) Why The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Politico Didn’t Publish a Seemingly Bombshell Report About UFOs (Vanity Fair, 2023) Glowing Auras and ‘Black Money’: The Pentagon’s Mysterious U.F.O. Program (The New York Times, 2017) BONUS: Next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, will explore the Build Public Renewables Act — a landmark piece of climate legislation recently passed in New York state — and include an interview with one of the organizers involved in the campaign. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The country may have narrowly avoided a debt default catastrophe by passing a debt ceiling deal on June 3, but that doesn’t mean we should allow the fiasco to fall into the memory hole. David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect, joins host David Sirota to dissect the event, discuss the political misuse of the debt limit, and explore what was traded away in this crisis. While the Biden administration is literally advertising the deal as a bipartisan triumph, the two scrutinize its controversial implications: slashed budgets, renewed student debt payments, and major fossil fuel concessions. Dayen, who covers the intersection of politics and economics, questions the acceptance of such outcomes by the Democrats: Are these political tradeoffs, or do they represent the party’s true goals? Links: California Passes Law To Divest Pensions From Fossil Fuels Supreme Court Won’t Review Ruling Barring Offshore Fracking In California The Leonard Leo Dark Money Behind Kansas’ Misleading Anti-Abortion Campaign Democrats’ Resounding Vote for Debt Ceiling Concessions Won’t Age Well A transcript of this episode is available here. BONUS: Next Monday’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, is a deep dive on the climate crisis in the American West, and how new fights over climate legislation there could determine climate policy for years to come. If you’d like access to this and other episodes of Lever Time Premium, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Sirota sits down with U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) for a wide-ranging interview. They discuss the proposed debt ceiling deal and whether Democrats could have done more to stop Republicans from holding the U.S. economy hostage. They also discuss Murphy’s key legislative focus: social media’s harmful effects on Americans, particularly children, and what can be done to stop it. According to a survey by Common Sense Media, teenagers report spending nearly nine hours every day in front of screens, 38 percent of kids ages eight to twelve say they use social media, and more than 60 percent report trying and failing to quit social media. All of these findings are possible signs of dependency and addiction. Social media companies won’t address this problem on their own, since their business model is predicated on keeping users scrolling as long as possible. That’s why Sen. Murphy, along with a bipartisan group of lawmakers, recently proposed the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act, legislation that would limit some of the most harmful aspects of social media from endangering America’s children. David speaks with Sen. Murphy about his proposal, and the larger issues of social isolation and depression plaguing Americans. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: We are senators from both parties. It’s time to protect kids on social media. (Washington Post, 2023) This Democratic Senator Is Making an Unusual Enemy (The New Republic, 2023) BONUS: Last Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, included David’s interview with political theorist Adolph Reed Jr. about his new book No Politics But Class Politics. To get access to Lever Time Premium, click here. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota sits down with writer and executive producer Frank Rich to discuss the series finale of HBO’s Succession. As the award-winning series comes to an end this Sunday, David and Frank take a look at Succession’s role in popular culture over the last five years, particularly its satire of the media industrial-complex and the American political system. Frank explains how the show offers a larger commentary on power and influence but above all, tells a story about a broken family. David also asks whether it’s plausible for an “intellectual fascist” like the character Jeryd Mencken to succeed in the Republican primary system. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: Frank Rich Bids Farewell to Succession (Vanity Fair 2023) BONUS: Next Monday’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, will include David’s interview with political theorist Adolph Reed Jr. about his new book No Politics But Class Politics. To get access to Lever Time Premium, click here. If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: After corporate pundits spent the last year gaslighting the American public into believing that rising corporate profits were definitely not driving inflation, now economists and financial institutions are arriving at consensus that rising corporate profits are in fact driving inflation. David Sirota sits down with Lindsay Owens, the Executive Director of the Groundwork Collaborative, and Hal Singer, the Managing Director of Econ One, who have both been sounding the alarm for over a year about corporate price gouging and profiteering which have been driving inflation. The group digs into the origins of the false inflation narrative, which corporate pundits and beltway economists are most responsible, and how policymakers can push back. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: How Pundits’ Inflation Myth Crushed The Working Class (The Lever, 2023) The Real Inflation Problem: Corporate Profiteering (Groundwork Collaborative, 2022) With the New Consensus on How Profits Are Driving Inflation, We Must Pivot to New Policies (The Sling, 2023) BONUS: Next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, will include our interview with Tara Raghuveer, the campaign director for the People’s Action Home Guarantee campaign, to discuss the skyrocketing rent prices across the U.S. Tara explains who’s profiting off rising rents and what policies can be put in place to help renters. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by Josh Olson and Dave Anthony, hosts of The Audit podcast, to discuss the dangerous influence of the conservative media network Prager University (also known as PragerU). PragerU has become one of the most successful peddlers of right-wing propaganda, as their professionally produced short-form videos often go viral on YouTube and Facebook. Though they originally made videos for adults, PragerU’s “educational content” has pivoted towards children and their parents in recent years. Now, shockingly, PragerU videos are finding their way into the American education system, as teachers across the country use PragerU content in their classrooms, with or without the consent of students and their parents. This season of The Audit focuses specifically on PragerU, digging into how this propaganda organization got its start, where it gets its money from, and how it's attempting to indoctrinate America’s children. A transcript of this episode is available here. Links: The Right Curriculum? How PragerU Infiltrates Schools. (The American Prospect, 2021) Right-wing propaganda organization PragerU begins targeting children (The Hawk Talk, 2022) Inside the Right-Wing YouTube Empire That’s Quietly Turning Millennials Into Conservatives (Mother Jones, 2018) BONUS: Next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, will include David’s dual interviews with with Brendan Ballou, author of the new book Plunder: Private Equity's Plan to Pillage America, and Josh Rosner, co-author of These Are the Plunderers: How Private Equity Runs – And Wrecks – America. Brendan and Josh break down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the private equity industry, which is arguably one of the most destructive industries within the American economy. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Sirota sits down with Dr. Max Tegmark, president of the Future of Life Institute and one of the world’s leading experts in artificial intelligence, to dive into the growing debate around AI. In this deep-dive conversation, Dr. Tegmark breaks down recent breakthroughs in generative AI technology like ChatGPT and explains how it could replace most forms of human labor — for better or worse. They unpack why private interests are barreling forward with commercial AI development and why the Future of Life Institute has publicly called for an immediate pause on all AI experimentation. Dr. Tegmark also explains how AI could be the most transformative technology in human history — and the (small!) probability it becomes the Terminator. Next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, will include David’s extended conversation with Dr. Tegmark. In this special bonus segment, Dr. Tegmark describes the safety measures that could prevent the emergence of the most dangerous forms of AI. If those precautions are put in place, he argues, AI could cure disease, stop climate change, end poverty, and just maybe set us free. Links: Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter (Future of Life Institute, 2023) EU lawmakers' challenge to rein in ChatGPT and generative AI (Reuters, 2023) If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota speaks with Philadelphia Inquirer journalists Barbara Laker and David Gambacorta about their recent blockbuster investigation, which details how chemicals found in the AstroTurf at Veterans Stadium may be linked to the deaths of six Philadelphia Phillies baseball players. The three discuss how hazardous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” are now being discovered in a variety of different products. They also unpack why the conditions at Veterans Stadium may have been uniquely hazardous — and what, if anything, is being done to regulate PFAS. Links: Field Of Dread (The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 2023) Toxic PFAS Chemicals Found In Artificial Turf (The Intercept, October 2019) If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota and Andrew Perez talk with ProPublica reporter Justin Elliott, who helped break open the explosive story about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas failing to disclose luxury gifts and business deals with billionaire real estate magnate Harlan Crow. The three discuss how Propublica uncovered these groundbreaking details, the ethical questions emerging from the revelations, and what we know about Crow's interest in the Supreme Court. Links: Billionaire Harlan Crow Bought Property From Clarence Thomas. (ProPublica, April 6) Thomas Pushed To Kill Disclosure Laws While Getting Secret Billionaire Gifts (The Lever, April 12) If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota talks with author and political activist Marianne Williamson. They discuss her repeat candidacy for the Democratic party’s nomination in the 2024 presidential election, the political media industrial complex, universal healthcare, economic reform, science denialism, and facing down neo fascists. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s special episode of Lever Time, progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) sits down for an extended interview with David Sirota. The two discuss the breaking news of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas accepting luxury trips from a billionaire Republican donor, which AOC says is grounds for impeachment (00:00), as well as the Biden administration’s "extremely risky and very perilous" swing to the right. They also tackle the railroad labor dispute, President Joe Biden’s support for a disastrous fossil fuel project in Alaska, how to pass Medicare for All, and the recent indictment of former President Donald Trump. What’s more, Sirota presses AOC on why she and other progressives haven’t withheld their votes more often to pressure Democratic leaders. Finally, in a special Lever Time Premium bonus segment for paid Lever subscribers, AOC reveals what it’s like trying to function in Washington amid the culture of money, power and pressure of massive corporate spending. If you'd like access to this bonus content and other Lever Time Premium episodes, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Sirota speaks with Naomi Oreskes about the mythology of “market fundamentalism” that exists deep within the American psyche. A Harvard Professor of history, Oreskes explains how the total belief in the wisdom of the free-markets (in opposition to the ‘evil’ big government), went from being on the fringes of public debate to a dogmatic ideology that is unique to the United States. It’s a fascinating history involving key figures of the 20th century, including Herbert Hoover, industry groups, and a massively popular show called “General Electric Theater that starred a Hollywood actor named Ronald Reagan. (02:49) If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Read a transcript of this episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Sirota delves into the bank panic of 2023 with Saule Omarova, a Cornell Law School professor whose nomination to be one of the government's top bank regulators was blocked due to her opposition to deregulation. She was right about everything, as it turns out. Also, Matt Stoller joins David to explore alternative methods for securing deposits and advocate for policy-makers to rethink their relationship to the Federal Reserve. (09:12) Links: Brian Stelter’s profile of David Sirota and The Lever in Airmail. Last Friday’s live discussion with U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on the SVB collapse. Sign The Lever’s open letter to fire Jay Powell right now www.firepowell.com. Find a transcript of this episode here. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s episode of Lever Time explores the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and its impact on the U.S. financial system. Lever reporter Julia Rock joins David Sirota to discuss banking CEOs’ lobbying efforts to roll back key regulations in the lead-up to the implosion, and Cornell University Law Professor Robert C. Hockett provides expert insight on whether uninsured deposits should be protected from such disasters. (08:25) Also discussed: The recent conviction of former Ohio House speaker Larry Householder, a Republican, on racketeering conspiracy charges in connection with a bribery scheme involving FirstEnergy Corp. If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which features international whistleblower expert Stephen Kohn on how to blow the whistle on corporate and government malfeasance while protecting yourself, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Sirota is joined by progressive icon Nina Turner to talk about Ohio politics and why Democrats like Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg completely fumbled the political response to the train derailment in East Palestine. A former Ohio State Senator, Nina has a keen sense of why Trump’s messaging appeals so much more to working-class residents and why Democrats must avoid the “neo-liberal cult of self-righteousness” if they want to win back voters. Also discussed: recent organizing efforts by Starbucks and Amazon workers and the 2024 presidential election.(16:42) If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Sirota talks with U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Penn.) about the fear, anger, and mistrust felt by many of his constituents in the aftermath of the Norfolk Southern train derailment disaster. The freshman congressman talks about the latest efforts to hold these giant railroad companies accountable, the runaway deregulation that has put communities at risk, and his hopes for bipartisan movement toward fixing the real problems. In fact, just after taping this interview, Deluzio and Congressman Ro Khanna introduced a bill to tighten safety regulations for “high-hazard” flammable materials on trains (09:11). If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Andrew Perez who details their new story published by The Lever: “For years, Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) led the fight to protect one of the most controversial provisions in the entire tax code — a loophole criticized by presidents of both parties that allows a handful of private equity executives to pay a lower tax rate than other high earners. Now, Toomey is being rewarded with a seat on the board of a private equity giant that has lobbied to preserve that tax loophole.” To read the full story, click here. If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: Producer Frank sits down with journalists Julia Rock, Rebecca Burns, and Matthew Cunningham-Cook for an in-depth conversation about The Lever’s groundbreaking reporting on the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The group explores how an environmental disaster like this can occur, including examining the influence of the railroad and chemical lobbies, as well as detailing the regulatory capture of three separate presidential administrations. The group also details how The Lever’s reporting gained national coverage, triggered a public pressure campaign, and helped lead to a response from Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (1:50). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by investigative journalist Jefferson Morley, one of the foremost experts on the assassination of president John F. Kennedy. David and Jeff discuss the trove of classified documents pertaining to the assassination that were recently released by the Biden administration, what we learned from the materials, and the potential reasons why the CIA is still withholding an estimated 4,000 additional documents (8:49). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Julia Rock and Rebecca Burns who detail their new story published by The Lever: “Before this weekend’s fiery Norfolk Southern train derailment prompted emergency evacuations in Ohio, the company helped kill a federal safety rule aimed at upgrading the rail industry’s Civil War-era braking systems, according to documents reviewed by The Lever. Though the company’s 150-car train in Ohio reportedly burst into 100-foot flames upon derailing — and was transporting materials that triggered a fireball when they were released and incinerated — it was not being regulated as a “high-hazard flammable train,” federal officials told The Lever.” To read the full story, click here. If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota sits down with freshman Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska), who recently made history as the first woman elected to represent Alaska in the House of Representatives, and the first Democrat to represent the state in the lower chamber in almost 50 years. David speaks with Mary about how she pulled off her historic win, why she opposed forcing the railroad unions to accept the contract brokered by the Biden administration, and Alaska’s economic dependency on the oil and gas industry in the face of climate change (12:40). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Julia Rock who details their new story published by The Lever: “The restaurant industry has long coordinated efforts to suppress labor costs through the NRA, a multimillion-dollar lobbying machine funded both by its restaurant members and by the fees workers pay for required food-safety classes. The group has spent its war chest on lobbying campaigns to preserve a subminimum wage for tipped workers — who are disproportionately young, women, and people of color, and far more likely to live in poverty than regular minimum wage workers — and to help block state and federal sick leave proposals and minimum wage increases.” To read the full story, click here. If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: A few weeks ago, House Republicans passed a bill to cancel new Internal Revenue Service funding. David Sirota sits down with journalist and tax policy expert Jesse Eisinger, who provides much-needed context on the GOP’s push to defund one of our most integral government agencies. (Yes, the IRS really is necessary.) Jesse explains how the modest investments passed by Democrats would help the beleaguered IRS hold accountable our worst tax cheats and create billions of dollars in new revenue, and how Republican efforts to defund the agency would lead to even more of its chronically lax oversight (12:08). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Jordan Uhl who details their new story published by The Lever: “Since Elon Musk took over Twitter, the national debate over free speech has narrowly focused on tech companies’ social media censorship. But offline in a Texas court, a lawsuit could send an intimidating message to political candidates across the country: If you suggest billionaire donors buy political influence, you could face severe punishment.” To read the full story, click here. If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Andrew Perez who details their new story published by The Lever: “Pfizer recently made headlines for hiking prices on roughly 100 drugs in the United States, shortly after the company announced plans to quadruple the price of its COVID-19 vaccine. Now, the pharmaceutical giant is paying news outlets to tell a different story — a fawning tale about how the company has been altruistically working to expand access to its products overseas.” To read the full story, click here. If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Lever Time Premium: David Sirota sits down with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) for a substantive conversation on the latest congressional developments. First, they discuss Ro’s ongoing House Oversight Committee investigation into fossil-fueled disinformation campaigns. The two also cover the U.S. airline industry debacle, the debate around banning gas stoves, and the recent votes for House Speaker — and why progressives have yet to wield the same power as right-wing Republicans (9:16). If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber. If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar A rough transcript of this episode is available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices