Unf*cking The Republic

This week we go all the way back to the beginning to ruminate about what motivated us to start the podcast in the dark days of the pandemic. We open with a passage from Nancy MacLean’s Democracy in Chains that struck a chord with Max. In it MacLean talks about the early days of the nihilistic libertarian society built by Charles Koch who was himself building upon the work of his father in the John Birch Society. Turns out, Koch and the founders of the neoliberal movement were inspired by the organizing principles of Vladimir Lenin. Let that sink in. Chapters Intro: 00:00:00 Sketch: 00:01:29 Max’s Moment: 00:06:39 A Discussion: 00:41:19 Outro: 01:27:49 Resources Nancy MacLean: Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America The Family on Netflix Jeff Sharlet: The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power Max on Bluesky UNFTR on YouTube -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we offer a grim and final eulogy to the Democratic Party and the 2024 election. The results were foretold by countless DNC missteps and missed opportunities that the Party remains reluctant to admit to. The next stage in the American experiment is going to be dire and regressive, leaving progressives with two options to move forward: Succumb to the forces of authoritarian rule guided by the corporate class, or build a plan to take control of our democracy after they burn it to the ground. We’re exiting the neoliberal phase of our journey and entering what Stanley Deetz termed “corporate colonialism.” In order to build a strong coalition to jumpstart a new progressive movement, it’s imperative that we focus our efforts on decolonizing America. -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Max and 99 have a Manny-less conversation (Manny on assignment, don’t worry) about the election. It’s a sobering discussion about what’s at stake; they talk Democratic missteps along the way and ask whose idea it was to let Steve Bannon out of prison before the election. Resources Join the livestream on Wednesday, 11/6/24 at 8:00 PM EST. New York Times: Election 2024 Polls: Harris vs. Trump Middle Aged Dad Jam Band AP: CNN bans conservative writer after ‘beeper’ comment to Muslim commentator I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson: Brian’s Hat Full Sketch I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson: Ghost Tour I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson: Save Corncob TV I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson: Door AP: Crossing against the light? You won’t get ticketed now that jaywalking is legal in NYC UNFTR Episode Resources Phone A Friend: Nick Hanauer of Pitchfork Economics. -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we focus on a thin slice of the energy pie to disabuse the notion of “energy independence.” When politicians reference this concept they speak narrowly in terms of oil and gas production in the United States. As though if we could somehow pump enough of our own oil specifically, we could break our dependence on foreign nations, especially those villainous bad actors like Russia and Iran. Not only is this talking point an illusion, the framing of it is completely false. For starters, we already pump more oil than we consume. Moreover, we import crude and refined oil from allies. Chapters Intro: 00:01:00 Post Show Musings: 00:14:42 Outro: 00:20:15 Resources U.S. Energy Information Administration: What countries are the top producers and consumers of oil? NRDC: Study Shows 14,000 Unplugged Oil and Gas Wells in Gulf of Mexico Baker Hughes Rig Count Marketplace: Why oil companies aren't drilling on those 9,000 land leases CNN Business: Why oil companies are raking in record profits under Joe Biden Haas News: Explainer: The myth of 'energy independence' U.S. Senate Committee On The Budget: Sen. Whitehouse on Fossil Fuel Subsidies: “We Are Subsidizing the Danger” BLS: Fastest Growing Occupations -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Worker cooperatives are often viewed as part of the solution to beating back capitalism. Yet there are more than 33 million small businesses in the U.S. and less than a thousand worker co-operatives. This week’s episode looks at the different co-op models and the barriers to the growth and success of worker cooperatives in the U.S. as opposed to Europe. We take a look at iconic cooperatives such as the Mondragon Corporation in Spain to the Park Slope Food Co-Op in Brooklyn, NY and explain how everyone can easily support worker co-ops this election day. Chapters Intro: 00:00:03 Chapter One: Doing the Work. 00:03:52 Chapter Two: Mondragon. 00:11:27 Chapter Three: Cooperatives Models. 00:19:18 Chapter Four: The Food Dude Retires. 00:27:54 Chapter Five: Barriers and Clues. 00:31:20 Bring it home, Max. 00:35:31 Outro: 00:39:29 Resources Expert Market: The Most Productive Countries in 2024 USDA: More than just a co-op: How Cooperatives Strengthen Economic Power National Council of Farmer Cooperatives EOS Data Analytics: Agricultural Cooperatives: Find The Top Co-Ops In The US Ocean Spray: About Us Land O’Lakes Inc. NCBA CLUSA: Healthcare Co-ops NCUA Quarterly Credit Union Data Summary 2024 Q1 U.S. Small Business Administration: Office of Advocacy: Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business, 2023 Co-op News: Worker co-op sector continues to grow in the USA Co-opLaw.org: Subchapter T and How Money Flows Through a Cooperative H.R.7721 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): National Worker Cooperative Development and Support Act The New York Times: Founder of the Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn to Retire After 50 Years Reuters: Personal Finance: Bank Transfer Day saw 600,000 switch Bob’s Red Mill: Proudly Employee Owned Democracy at Work Institute Democracy at Work (d@w): About Co-ops MONDRAGON Corporation U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives: Sen. Bernie Sander’s Address at The Worker Co-op Conference U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives: Member Directory The New Yorker: How Mondragon Became the World’s Largest Co-Op UN: Measuring the Size and Scope of the Cooperative Economy: Results of the 2014 Global Census on Co-operatives -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Max puts the finishing touches on the forthcoming Worker Cooperative episode, we’re replaying an oldie but a goodie called The American Propaganda Machine. We chose this as a complement to our recent discussions surrounding news literacy. We think it holds up pretty well, actually. -- On this episode of Unf*cking the Republic we do a deep dive into the American system of propaganda and pull back the curtain on the tangled web of think tanks, lobbying groups, media organizations and corporations that live to fuck over the American people. We’ll demonstrate how dark money works its way through a labyrinth of special interest groups and emerges as public policy that looks and sounds patriotic and helpful but is actually designed to strip away your rights and generate profits for a handful of assholes. And we’ll show how groups like the Heritage Foundation help craft and sell these messages to turn people against their own best interests and make you believe the horse shit they’re peddling. Resources The Center for Public Integrity: You elected them to write new laws. They’re letting corporations do it instead. Book Love Jane Mayer: Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Quickie. It’s been months since we put together a quick take on three seemingly unrelated issues. What do a wider Middle East war, U.S. manufacturing as the answer to climate change and dock worker strikes all have to do with one another? Both sides of the political aisle have all the wrong answers and the media are asking all the wrong questions. Max breaks it all down. Chapters Intro: 00:00:06 Part One: Asheville. 00:00:13 Part Two: Israel. 00:06:36 Part Three: Inequality. 00:10:38 Outro: 00:16:31 Resources Axios Charlotte: North Carolina is filled with Yankees — maybe more than you think The New York Times: ‘Climate Havens’ Don’t Exist BBC: US cities are advertising themselves as 'climate havens'. But can they actually protect residents from extreme weather? NPR: Climate-fueled flooding in Vermont is causing both worry and adaptation Marinette County: Tornado and Severe Summer Weather CBS News: Vice Presidential candidates Walz and Vance spar on energy policy and climate change CBS News: Israeli strikes in Lebanon decapitate Hezbollah, as civilian deaths mount and ground operation looms Barron’s: New Tally Puts October 7 Attack Dead In Israel At 1,163 Stimson Center: Israeli Assassinations in Iran and Lebanon Put Iraq’s Stability in Further Peril The Washington Post: As war widens and costs mount, Israel’s economy is in ‘serious danger’ AP News: Dockworkers may have negotiating advantage in ports strike Book Love Tad Delay: Future of Denial: The Ideologies of Climate Change -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s Show Notes Max and 99 catch up in studio to touch on the Libya episode and catch up on recent feedback from Unf*ckers. Plus, they had a therapy session about the state of podcasting and feelings around the election as well. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Libya Chat: 00:19:44 Email + YouTube Feedback: 00:24:21 Memberships: 01:18:03 Reviews: 01:18:28 Outro: 01:19:22 UNFTR Episode Resources Meaningless Rage and Outrage on the Debate Stage. The Great Man-Made River Project. -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Great Man-Made River in Libya was once considered the 8th Wonder of the World. Water was first discovered in the 1960s when oil and gas drilling companies discovered enormous aquifers beneath the desert sands of Libya. 20 years after these discoveries, Libya was under the brutal dictatorship of Muammar Gaddafi who had overthrown the monarchy in 1969. Gaddafi embarked on an ambitious plan to pump water from under the desert into large reservoirs that were connected by pipelines throughout the country. While three of the five planned phases were completed at an estimated cost of $30 billion, the project was halted when Gaddafi was killed in 2011 during the Arab Spring uprisings. This is the fascinating story of a despot who had a grand vision for Islamic pan-Arab nationalism and will forever be linked to one of the greatest engineering feats the world has ever seen; a man who was ultimately betrayed by western “allies” and ironically died as brutally as he ruled at the hands of young Islamic Arab nationalists. Chapters Intro: 00:00:35 Chapter One: 00:05:11 Chapter Two: 00:09:21 Chapter Three: 00:15:27 Chapter Four: 00:21:57 Chapter Five: 00:32:13 Chapter Six: 00:37:07 Bring it home, Max. 00:44:18 Resources Water Supply Project: GMR (Great Man-Made River) Middle East Institute: What’s next for Libya’s Great Man-Made River Project? What Happened to Libya's Great Man-Made River Project? GWI: Libya’s $11 billion water lifeline ScienceDirect Topics: Agricultural Revolution - an overview Reuters: Libyan leaders agree form new unified government Al Jazeera: Libya’s High State Council elects new leader as political gridlock deepens Muammar Gaddafi Interviewed Just Before Libyan Revolution Moammar Gadhafi Dead Video: Last Moments Alive Caught on Tape in Sirte Book Love John Wright: History of Libya -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Because it’s silly season, we interrupt our regularly scheduled programming once again to provide blow-by-excruciating-blow coverage of the (apparently only) debate between Vice President Harris and former President Donald Trump. While most observers called it a clear victory for Harris who was composed and on message, as opposed to a meanspirited and meandering Trump, the debate was more remarkable for the theatrical nature of the staging and the absence of pertinent questions that could reveal something (anything) of substance for the American people to grab onto. Resources Wall Street Journal: Full Debate: Harris vs. Trump in 2024 Presidential Debate -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever wondered what oligarchs talk about when they think no one is listening? Wonder no more. This week we dissect Eric Schmidt’s recent Q&A at Stanford University where he talks about remote work culture, the future of AI and how big tech intervenes at the highest levels of government. The kicker is…he thought it was private and didn’t realize it was being recorded. Some of his comments regarding the laziness of remote workers and the “arrogance” of the programmer community went viral prompting Schmidt to apologize and scramble to have the video removed. Considering he ran the world’s biggest internet search engine he should have known that nothing ever really disappears. In fact, we dug up his own words from 2013 when he said exactly that. Beyond the comments that got the most attention in the media (for a minute) the conversation reveals much more about the dark side of oligarchy in the United States. Resources TechCrunch: Video of Eric Schmidt blaming remote work for Google's woes mysteriously vanishes The Verge: Ex-Google CEO: AI startups can steal IP, hire lawyers to “clean up the mess” Digital Music News: Ex-Googler Eric Schmidt on AI — They Steal IP, Then Hire Lawyers Disconnect: Roundup: Eric Schmidt says the quiet part out loud TIME: Eric Schmidt: The 100 Most Influential People in AI 2024 Eric Schmidt, Jared Cohen: The New Digital Age: Transforming Nations, Businesses, and Our Lives Ex-Google CEO's BANNED Interview LEAKED: "You Have No Idea What's Coming" -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s Show Notes, Max & 99 cover trending headlines, discuss the recent Krugman episode, and hear from a few Unf*ckers with general feedback. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Headlines: 00:04:15 YouTube: 00:43:09 Emails: 00:56:54 Memberships: 01:18:33 Outro: 01:18:39 Resources Shiny Happy People AP: GOP network props up liberal third-party candidates in key states, hoping to siphon off Harris votes Fernando Morais: Lula Binyamin Appelbaum: The Economists' Hour: False Prophets, Free Markets, and the Fracture of Society Thomas Piketty: Capital in the Twenty-First Century Michelle Alexander: The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness Chris Hedges: Death of the Liberal Class Howard Zinn: A People's History of the United States Jeff Sharlet: The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power Bernard Harcourt: The Illusion of Free Markets: Punishment and the Myth of Natural Order Nancy MacLean: Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America UNFTR Episode Resources The 5 Books that shaped my political and economic worldview Palestine Series. Fuck Milton Friedman. Capitalism. -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ve long been an admirer of Paul Krugman of The New York Times as he’s a rational and accessible liberal economist who genuinely seems to have the best interests of the public at heart. But a recent column smacked of establishment rhetoric that bordered on gaslighting. Democrats ignore economic realities at their own peril and while most leftists expect little from sources like The New York Times, Krugman has often risen above partisan talking points making this even more disappointing. Chapters Intro: 00:00:41 Deconstructing Krugman: 00:03:09 The Dual Mandate is Horseshit: 00:03:09 The Harris Economic Plan: 00:12:52 Post Show Musings: 00:19:09 Resources The New York Times: What Happened to Inflation? The New York Times: Warning Signs Flash in a Labor Survey as Fed Officials Watch for Weakness Trading Economics: United States Average Hourly Wages Ramsey: The Average American’s Monthly Expenses The Ascent: Average American Credit Card Debt in 2024 Axios: The most popular grocery stores in the U.S. Yahoo Finance: Fed confronts up to a million US jobs vanishing in revision BLS Reports: Characteristics of minimum wage workers, 2022 MacroTrends: S&P 500 PE Ratio - 90 Year Historical Chart PBS News: Harris has proposed a slew of economic policies. Here’s a look at what’s in them -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Max and 99 are back to discuss Harris v. Trump episode feedback, and catch up a bit. A regular episode is coming early this week, so stay tuned! Chapters Intro: 00:00:19 Emails: 00:03:17 Memberships: 00:43:52 Outro: 00:44:11 -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UNFTR is back in the swing of things with a snapshot of where the election stands just 80 days from decision time. We look at trends in each of the swing states, how Congressional races are stacking up and which presidential candidate has the advantage in the swing states and on key issues. Max also tackles the media’s breathless pursuit to portray the Harris/Walz ticket as progressive despite the lackluster and surface level DNC platform. Chapters Intro: 00:02:09 Support UNFTR: 00:14:37 Post Show Musings: 00:35:00 Outro: 01:07:22 Resources Democratic Party Platform CNN: Tim Walz’s political evolution took him from moderate Democrat to progressive champion New York City Food Policy Center: States that Have Passed Universal Free School Meals (So Far) World Population Review: Red Flag Laws States 2024 Born Perfect: Conversion Therapy Bans by U.S. State Movement Advancement Project: Transgender Healthcare "Shield" Laws DISA: Marijuana Legality By State Bipartisan Policy Center: State Paid Family Leave Laws Across the U.S. NCSL: States Offering Driver’s Licenses to Immigrants NCSL: Felon Voting Rights UNFTR: Can Progressives Convince Harris To Support These Popular Policies? -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In October of 2022, we released this episode on Peter Thiel. The last line of the story is that he’s a monster. At the time, we were focused on his personal selections and funding of Congressional candidates, one of whom was none other than JD Vance. Far from his purported hillbilly roots, the country quickly came to know that JD is little more than a huckster who grew up pretty well and became a go-to hedge fund guy for Peter Thiel. Amazingly, Thiel is still on the backburner of people’s awareness and given Vance’s sudden rise to VP prominence, it’s important we continue to bring him forward. -- I’m not a doctor. But even I can certainly see that Peter Thiel is a sick, sick person. Bright, awkward and successful, Peter Thiel has risen to prominence in American society on the gamble that he can break it. The product of an elitist system who wants to take it down. A gay man who backs candidates that would degrade his civil rights. A hedge fund tech investor who thinks Silicon Valley hasn’t done anything innovative in 50 years. A Trump backer and advisor who walked away when he got what he wanted. Peter Thiel is known as a contrarian, but it may be simpler than that. He might just be a nihilistic asshole. Chapters 2024 Update: 00:00:00 Intro: 00:01:18 Chapter One: So who the fuck is this guy? 00:05:21 Chapter Two: Where did all his money come from and can I have some? 00:14:26 Chapter Three: We’re all just pawns on Peter’s board 00:22:11 Chapter Four: Bring it home, Max. 00:33:11 Post Show Musings: 00:39:09 Outro: 00:46:56 Resources The Atlantic: Peter Thiel Hates a Copycat ProPublica: Lord of the Roths: How Tech Mogul Peter Thiel Turned a Retirement Account for the Middle Class Into a $5 Billion Tax-Free Piggy Bank Founders Fund: Portfolio The Intercept: How Peter Thiel’s Palantir Helped The Nsa Spy On The Whole World The Wall Street Journal: Tech Tycoon Peter Thiel Shies From Trump Re-Election Campaign SEC: Palantir Technologies Inc. Cato Unbound: The Education of a Libertarian The Intercept: The New New Right Was Forged in Greed and White Backlash Daily Beast: Blake Masters’ Views on Gay Marriage May Surprise His Political Master Peter Thiel Book Love Max Chafkin: The Contrarian: Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley’s Pursuit of Power -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Max welcomes Ben Lorber and Shane Burley to the program, co-authors of Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism. Resources Melville House: Safety through SolidarityA Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism Bookshop: Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism Ben Lorber on Twitter Ben Lorber on Instagram BenLorber.com Shane Burley on Twitter Shane Burley on Instagram Shane Burley Linktree -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Democratic Party finally took the all important step of convincing Joe Biden to drop his bid for re-election. In a matter of hours, the party elites, donors, elected officials and DNC members coalesced around Kamala Harris, and according to The New York Times, she has already secured the delegates required to run the table at the convention. Despite calls for an open convention process from figures like Barack Obama, the urgency surrounding the failing campaign led to the decision to go with Harris. As quickly as the Dems fell in line, the media narratives on the left and right came together, and the narrative has been set for November. This episode is a reminder of what has been forgotten along the way and highlights the single biggest issue that Democrats continue to ignore. UNFTR Video Resources The Coronation of Kamala Harris: A Progressive Perspective DNR The DNC: Propping up the Cadaver-in-Chief -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week I spoke with an old friend and inspiration—comedian, author, commentator and activist Lee Camp. We’re all over the place in a cathartic conversation about independent media, censorship, Supreme Court antics, Julian Assange, the presidential election and more. Resources Lee Camp Online Lee Camp on Twitter Lee Camp on Instagram Lee Camp on Facebook Dangerous Ideas with Lee Camp Bullet Points and Punch Lines: The Most Important Commentary Ever Written on the Epic American Tragicomedy -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite his assurances to the contrary, Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee is far from a lock. What happens if the DNC winds up hosting a contested convention? In this episode we delve into a brief history of contested conventions and draw upon prior examples to demonstrate how progressives can use a contested convention to their advantage and get the so-called progressive movement back on track. Chapters Intro: 00:00:10 Chapter One: Nullification. 00:00:52 Chapter Two: Delegate to the Delegate. 00:06:45 Chapter Three: Moon Shot for Progressives. 00:14:18 Post Show Musings: 00:25:44 Outro: 00:42:15 Resources 99's Birthday Donor Drive FactCheck.org: Q&A: How Biden Can Be Replaced as the Democratic Nominee Democrats.org: Delegate Selection Rules History: How Ronald Reagan's 1976 Convention Battle Fueled His 1980 Landslide History: 4 Contested Conventions in Presidential Election History Brookings: What is a brokered convention? What is a contested convention? PBS News: What is a contested convention, and why does it matter in 2020? Newsweek: Joe Biden Is Ready for a Messy Democratic Convention Pew Research: Contested presidential conventions, and why parties try to avoid them History News Network: Why Does the Democratic Party Have Superdelegates? New York Magazine: Why Are AOC and the Squad Backing Biden So Forcefully? -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After Joe Biden’s historically bad debate performance, many Americans were left wondering how the Democratic Party could allow him to remain in the race. The answer is a corrupt and wholly inept corporation called the DNC Services Corporation—Democratic National Committee or DNC for short. This episode looks at the DNC’s failures over time and how they’ve worked with the RNC to rig the system against third party candidates. And it pulls back the curtain to reveal the tragic ineptitude that continues to deliver wins to the Republican Party. Resources Newsweek: My Fellow Progressives: Replacing Biden Is Not Our Fight BYU Law: The Constitution and the Ballot Box: Supreme Court Jurisprudence and Ballot Access for Independent Candidates Intercept: DNC Staffers Mocked the Bernie Sanders Campaign, Leaked Emails Show Colorado Politics: How Dems, GOP each legally 'rig' presidential primaries, caucuses The New York Times: The D.N.C. Has a Primary Problem The Hill: DNC chair on third-party candidates: ‘This is not the time in order to experiment’ Democrats.org: Jaime Harrison League of Women Voters: The League's History Sponsoring Presidential Debates Commission on Presidential Debates Tampa Bay Times: Nader, Buchanan kept out of debate Britannica: United States presidential election of 1912 TIME: How Ross Perot Changed Political Campaigns AP News: Biden's debate performance spurs Democratic panic about his ability to lead party against Trump The New York Times: To Serve His Country, President Biden Should Leave the Race The New York Times: Biden Tells Allies He Knows He Has Only Days to Salvage Candidacy Ballotpedia: Partisan composition of state legislatures Pew Research Center: Public Opinion on Abortion The Hill: 88 percent in new poll support background checks on all gun sales UNFTR Episode Resources The Clinton Years Series. The Carter Years Series. From Bull Moose to Jackass: U.S. Progressivism from 1912 to 2021 The End of Roe v. Wade: Extinguishing the Penumbra -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's Show Notes Max and 99 catch up from a few episodes past, and dive into some news items. They also hatch a plan to celebrate 99's birthday month. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:20:00 Emails: 00:23:39 Memberships: 00:58:29 Reviews: 00:59:17 Outro: 01:00:53 -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this UNFTR Phone A Friend we speak with economist, political leader and bestselling author Yanis Varoufakis about his latest book Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism. Max and Yanis cover a wide array of topics from the release of Julian Assange, the thesis behind Technofeudalism, the future of labor and the post-capitalism reality we already live under. Watch the interview on YouTube. Resources Melville House: Technofeudalism Bookshop.org: Technofeudalism -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States Postal Service is one of the most derided institutions in the country. Also, it’s one of the most highly regarded according to every poll conducted on government agencies. This episode digs into our complicated relationship with the Postal Service and examines the historical challenges facing this institution. We cover the controversy surrounding Louis DeJoy, the current Postmaster General and his ten-year plan to modernize the agency. And we finish with a recommendation for how it should ultimately be run that honors its original mandate. Chapters Intro: 00:00:48 Chapter One: Ye Olde Post Office. 00:01:41 Chapter Two: The Post Office Gets a Makeover. 00:06:11 Chapter Three: Ode to DeJoy. 00:13:20 Bring it home, Max. 00:18:37 Post Show Musings: 00:27:14 Outro: 00:34:47 Resources Pew Research Center: Public Holds Broadly Favorable Views of Many Federal Agencies, Including CDC and HHS USPS: Postal Facts Congress.gov: ArtI.S8.C7.1 Historical Background on Postal Power Brookings: How is the U.S. Postal Service governed and funded? The Guardian: There was only one loser in this Royal Mail privatisation: the taxpayer Wikipedia: Bandwidth throttling United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General: Postal Retirement Funds in Perspective: Historical Evolution and Ongoing Challenges Congressional Research Service: FY2024 U.S. Postal Service Appropriations Vox: Trump thinks Amazon’s destroying the post office. Here’s what’s really happening. Katie Porter gets DeJoy to make embarrassing admission at USPS hearing USPS: Delivering for America The Guardian: ‘It’s going to delay the mail’: the fight over Louis DeJoy’s USPS plan GovExec: Biden taps former cabinet secretary for USPS board GovExec: Senators call on postal board to abandon DeJoy’s USPS reforms Common Dreams: 'DeJoy Has to Go Right Now': Fury Over Postal Service Failure to Electrify Truck Fleet Time: Louis DeJoy’s Surprising Second Act CNN: Biden signs US Postal Service reform bill into law Hey Arnold: I Hate The Snow -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parliamentary elections were held in the European Union last week. It did not go well. Check that. It went very well for the right-wing movement in Europe. Most Americans caught wind of some kind of election in the EU but it’s fair to say that few really understand what it was all about. And with good reason. This stuff is really confusing. Scores of parties under the umbrella of seven coalition parties, 720 members representing 27 nations, two councils, one commission, a bank and court. No one is in charge and everyone is in charge. In this episode we break down the governing structure of the EU and lay out what was at stake in this election. Chapters Intro: 00:01:07 Chapter One: 00:01:42 Chapter Two: 00:05:29 Sponsors: 00:16:51 Chapter Three: 00:17:40 Skit: 00:25:59 Post Show Musings: 00:30:24 Outro: 00:43:31 Resources Organisation of the European Commission Jacobin: In France, the Far Right Is Beating a Divided Left The New York Times: In E.U. Elections, the Center Holds, but the Far Right Still Wreaks Havoc The Guardian: Ursula von der Leyen in pole position as she tries to build majority to keep job | European parliamentary elections 2024 European Parliament: MEPs World Socialist Web Site: Why is the far-right vote surging in the European elections? Reuters: EU’s bid to save bees stings sugar beet farmers -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Max and 99 are back after a few week Show Notes hiatus. In this episode they catch up on the most recent episodes and the latest news. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:27:35 Memberships: 01:21:50 Reviews: 01:22:16 Outro: 01:22:45 Resources UNFTR TikTok -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Max breaks down the biggest scandal in the healthcare industry (and that’s saying a lot). We walk through how a bunch of pencil pushing pharmacy middlemen became so powerful they bought out the biggest health insurance companies and pharmacy chains, and did it through hiking up drug prices, kickbacks and taking advantage of government contracts. This is the story of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and how they became the American Drug Cartel. Chapters Intro: 00:00:36 Sponsors: 00:03:14 Chapter One: The Birth of the American Drug Mafia. 00:04:47 Chapter Two: Unraveling the Supply Chain. 00:16:15 Chapter Three: Is that all? Please tell me that’s all. 00:28:09 Chapter Four: Bring it home, Max. 00:38:44 Post Show Musings: 00:45:24 Outro: 00:01:16 Resources NAIC: Pharmacy Benefit Managers Healthcare Dive: FTC launches investigation into PBMs; CVS, UnitedHealth, Cigna and more hit with requests for data FTC: FTC Launches Inquiry Into Prescription Drug Middlemen Industry Healthcare Dive: PBM practices are keeping consumers from generics savings, white paper finds Association for Accessible Medicines: US Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Savings Report 2021 Lever News: Who’s Killing Your Independent Pharmacy? PSSNY: PBM Basics USC: PBMs Are Inflating the Cost of Generic Drugs. They Must Be Reined In Jama Network: Costco v Medicare study Frier Levitt: AUDITING PBMs 46Brooklyn National Bureau of Economic Research: CVS Response: A world without PBMs: Unpacking the data FTC: White House Roundtable PBMs Yahoo Finance: 30 Largest Companies by Revenue UNFTR Episode Resources Healthcare Series. -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In celebration of Pride we're flashing back to an early Unf*cking: UNFTR on LGBTQ. Read the essay or visit the episode resources online. -- Today we begin a conversation about the LGBTQ movement in the United States, with a nod to our Canadian friends as well. In order to properly introduce issues facing LGBTQ people into the larger context of socio economic and political topics we cover on UNFTR, we wanted to start with a conversation about the evolving language of inclusion and representation within the LGBTQ community. Resources Edmonton CityNews: Hope blossoms as first two-spirited MP elected Code Switch: Is It Time To Say R.I.P. to P.O.C.? Geneseo: Understanding Gender Identity and Gender Expression PBS: American Experience- Stonewall Uprising New York Times: The Stonewall You Know Is a Myth. And That’s O.K Human Rights Campaign: Fatal Violence Against the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Community in 2021 National Center For Transgender Equality: LGBTQ People Behind Bars Human Rights Campaign: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Definitions The Williams Institute: Poverty In The Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Community Columbia Journalism Review: How the word ‘queer’ was adopted by the LGBTQ community LGBTQIA Resource Center: UC Davis Resource Book Love Eric Cervini: The Deviant's War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America Joey Mogul, Andrea Ritchie + Kay Whitlock: Queer (In)Justice: The Criminalization of LGBT People in the United States -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m still catching my breath from the immigration series, slew of Phone A Friends and topical political stories these past couple of weeks. The upcoming episodes are all pretty exciting and intense so I decided to take a moment to have a family meeting with Unf*ckers in another “Max Unfiltered.” Resources UNFTR: Over The Borderline: Intro. UNFTR: Phone A Friend: Rev. Roger Williams. UNFTR: Phone A Friend: Ben Burgis. UNFTR: Phone A Friend: Briahna Joy Gray. UNFTR: On Protest and Anti-Semitism. Al Jazeera: ‘Hell on Earth’ as violence escalates in Sudan’s el-Fasher The Washington Post: ChatGPT provided better customer service than his staff. He fired them. Bernie Sanders: Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act The Hill: Corporate profits hit record high as economy boomed in fourth quarter of 2023 ITEP: Corporate Taxes Before and After the Trump Tax Law UNFTR: Project 2025. UNFTR: Phone A Friend: Jeff Main. UNFTR: Phone A Friend: Tad DeLay. -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Max takes aim at NYU professor Scott Galloway who recently appeared on CNN to criticize student protests with the most bizarre analysis that smacks of laziness and propaganda. While “takedowns” and “gotchas” aren’t Max’s favorite thing, he makes an exception for Galloway because of the space he occupies in the media ecosystem and on the spectrum of white male bro-influencers with independent platforms that are poisoning the media. Max also provides closing thoughts on the rise of anti-Semitism and the dangers of conflating Judaism with the far-right ruling government in Israel. Chapters Intro: 00:01:34 Section One: 00:11:05 Section Two: 00:17:11 Section Three: 00:19:01 Section Four: 00:20:25 Section Five: 00:25:40 Post Show Musings: 00:39:30 Outro: 00:48:32 Resources CNN: Why NYU professor says instructors who are protesting should be fired ACLU: Know Your Rights: Students in Higher Education & the First Amendment ACLU: Defending Speech We Hate Axios: Over 2,000 protesters arrested at college campuses across the U.S. Los Angeles Times: Striking deals to end campus protests, some colleges invite discussion of their investments PBS: Protests and Backlash Niche.com: Most Conservative Colleges in the U.S. Common Dreams: Israeli Finance Minister Denounced for Calling for 'Total Annihilation' of Gaza Haaretz: They Incited Rabin’s Murder. Now They’re Murdering Israel’s Democracy Vox: TikTok isn’t creating false support for Palestine. It’s just reflecting what’s already there. The Baffler: Parting Waters: Passover at the Columbia encampment -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's Show Notes, Max and 99 get into many spirited discussions inspired by Unf*cker feedback—from climate change to faux intellectual influencers. Additionally, they touch on some topical headlines relevant to the Over The Borderline Series and Point of Pride Phone A Friend. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:34:25 Outro: 01:30:00 Resources Phone A Friend: Jeff Main, Executive Director of Point of Pride. Point of Pride Resource Library Erin Reed Substack, @erininthemorn on Twitter and TikTok @pointofprideorg on Instagram, @pointofpride on Facebook BBC: José Raúl Mulino: Stand-in for convicted candidate wins Panama presidency New York Magazine: Andrew Huberman’s Mechanisms of Control Phone A Friend: Tad Delay, author of Future of Denial. UNFTR Episode: A (Mostly) Vegan World. UNFTR Episode: Building the Climate Industrial Complex. Highland Lakes Canine Rescue (HLCR) @hlcaninerescue on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok Unf*cker Recommendations George Orwell: The Road to Wigan Pier Jacobin Radio: Behind the News: Criminalizing Protest w/ Adam Federman -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One half of one percent of Americans identify as a gender other than the one assigned to them at birth. And yet our state legislatures found the time to propose more than 550 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in 2023, with over 80 passed into law and nearly all focused narrowly on restricting trans rights. According to Human Rights Watch, since the Transgender Day of Remembrance in November of 2022, at least 33 transgender and gender non-conforming people have been killed in the United States. In 2024, state legislatures are on pace to drop even more legislation. To help us wrap our minds around the challenges facing the trans community, I spoke with Jeff Main, executive director of Point of Pride, an organization dedicated to helping trans youth and adults access necessary, life-saving health and wellness services. Point of Pride’s vision is a world where trans and gender diverse people see a bright future for themselves—living their authentic truth. Resources Point of Pride Point of Pride Instagram Point of Pride Facebook Mercury Stardust Instagram Alluring Skull Instagram Erin Reed Substack -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our third and final installment of Over The Borderline stays below the U.S. southern border to look at the economic factors that contribute to mass migration from Central and South American countries specifically. We look at the root economic causes of migration, the U.S. failure to meaningfully partner with LAC nations to promote mutually beneficial economic conditions and the expansion of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Latin America and the geopolitical impact that’s having on our relationships. Chapters Intro: 00:01:01 Chapter One: 00:02:45 Chapter Two: 00:10:19 Chapter Three: 00:22:16 Chapter Four: 00:31:02 Post Show Musings: 00:38:18 Outro: 00:53:01 Book Love Alan McPherson: A Short History of U.S. Interventions in Latin America and the Caribbean Carol Wise: Dragonomics: How Latin America is Maximizing (or Missing Out on) China’s International Development Strategy Tad DeLay: Future of Denial: The Ideologies of Climate Change Imperialism, Neoliberalism, And Social Struggles in Latin America Resources El Pais: Mexican Tycoon Carlos Slim Takes Stock of the last six years… Congressional Research Service: Central American Migration U.S. State Department: Dollar Diplomacy World Population Review: Country Rank by GDP World Bank: Latin America and the Caribbean Economic Review (LACER); April, 2024 Council on Foreign Relations: China’s Massive Belt and Road Initiative UNFTR Episode Resources The Washington Consensus -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's Show Notes, Max and 99 review Unf*cker feedback from the Over The Borderline series and the recent Phone A Friend with Tad DeLay. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:08:55 Instagram Shout Outs: 00:43:09 Member Shout Outs: 00:46:28 Outro: 00:47:04 Resources Phone A Friend: Tad DeLay. -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Phone A Friend. Today we’re speaking with Tad DeLay, the author of the newly released book Future of Denial: The Ideologies of Climate Change. Tad Delay is a philosopher, religion scholar and interdisciplinary critical theorist. His books include Against: What Does the White Evangelical Want?, The Cynic and the Fool, and God is Unconscious. He is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy in Baltimore. I positively devoured this book and am anxious to dig into his previous titles as well. There are so many intersections that speak to the work that we do on UNFTR that I know it will resonate with you. Philosophy. Theology. Science. And even the dismal science. Future of Denial takes a multidisciplinary approach woven together with factual anecdotes and projections of science fiction. It is at once deeply intellectual and approachable; a delicate feat. Marx and Engels in dialogue with Freud and Greta Thunberg concluding with the words of Rosa Luxemburg…obviously I was in pure heaven digesting this work. Access the transcript. Resources Tad DeLay: Future of Denial: The Ideologies of Climate Change Verso: Future of Denial: The Ideologies of Climate Change TadDelay.com Tad on Facebook Tad on Twitter First Paper to Link CO2 and Global Warming, by Eunice Foote (1856) John Tyndall: Heat considered as a Mode of Motion Karl Marx: Capital Vol. 1, 2, & 3 John Bellamy Foster: Marx's Ecology: Materialism and Nature Erik M. Conway + Naomi Oreskes: Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Climate Change -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's Show Notes, Max & 99 dive into some headlines, as well as the divisive feedback from the recent UNFTR episode/video on RFK Jr. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Headlines: 00:23:16 Emails + YouTube Comments: 00:43:22 Outro: 01:06:08 UNFTR Episode Resources Video: RFK's Trojan Horse Campaign: What Michigan Ballot Access Means Episode: RFK's Trojan Horse Campaign: What Michigan Ballot Access Means -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For months we’ve said that RFK Jr. is the biggest threat to Biden’s re-election. Now that he’s gained ballot access in Michigan, it’s time to go beyond the vaccine headlines to examine Kennedy the nascent politician and what his candidacy means to this election cycle. Just as the pollsters missed several important cues during the 2016 election, we might be underestimating the impact Kennedy has beyond his loyal environmental and anti-vaccine followers the media focuses on. Resources FiveThirtyEight: 2016 Election Forecast Associate Press: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. secures ballot access in battleground state of Michigan New York Times: The Ex-Bernie Sanders Pollster Raising Alarms About R.F.K. Jr.’s Appeal Among Latinos and Young Voters Quinnipiac Poll: Is Democracy In The U.S. Working? It's A Toss-Up, But Voters Don't See It Ending In Their Lifetimes The Conversation: Anti-vaccination beliefs don’t follow the usual political polarization Wired: RFK Jr.’s Very Online, Conspiracy-Filled Campaign New York Times: R.F.K. Jr.’s Environmental Colleagues Urge Him to Drop Presidential Bid CNN: Kennedy family brushes off RFK Jr.’s campaign as they endorse Biden -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Distracted Max reached new heights this week so instead of releasing the third installment of the Over the Borderline series, he mashed up two shorter Topical Creams from YouTube into an episode. Both cover familiar ground to keep a focus on what matters politically. The “silly season” is when narratives harden so sometimes it’s important to reassert certain claims. The first segment is about AOC’s recent decision to fund the Democratic Party in the upcoming election for the first time in her brief career. The second is a reminder that the things that people recall fondly from the Trump era were predominantly socialist-style and Keynesian interventions that provided momentary relief and financial security for all those who made it through COVID. Chapters Intro: 00:00:18 The Evolution of AOC: 00:02:16 Behind the Trump Bump: 00:10:36 Post Show Musings: 00:18:33 Outro: 01:16:25 Resources OpenSecrets: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez The Moscow Times: Why Is Stalin’s Popularity On the Rise? The Guardian: Trump suggests 'nuking hurricanes' to stop them hitting America – report Newsweek: Trump Suggests Not Raking Leaves Is Bigger Cause of California Wildfires Than Climate Change Brookings: What did the Fed do in response to the COVID-19 crisis? UNFTR Episode Resources Hands Off AOC. AOC & the Lying Men Hydra. -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode, we head to the border and below to examine the root causes and circumstances that factor into immigration patterns, from economic opportunity to asylum. Max speaks with Maureen Meyer from The Washington Office on Latin America, known as WOLA, a D.C. based organization that advocates for human rights in the Americas. Meyer serves as WOLA’s Vice President for Programs, working with senior staff to develop policy priorities and strategies to advance human rights and social justice in Latin America. We’re still following the blended episodic and Phone A Friend approach for this series, so Max begins with a brief discussion about the complex nature of immigration policy and the historical relationship between the United States and Latin America. Chapters Intro: 00:00:36 Episode Section: 00:03:30 Interview: 00:21:20 Resources WNYC: WNYC's Suds & Civics project brings political dialogue to laundromats across the NY metro area American Immigration Council: CBP One: An Overview Pew Research Center: Migrant encounters at U.S.-Mexico border hit record high at end of 2023 Human Rights Watch: Venezuela: Events of 2023 Migration Policy Institute: Shifting Patterns and Policies Reshape Migration to U.S.-Mexico Border in Major Ways in 2023 The Baffler: Enigmas of Ecuador | Pablo Ospina Peralta WhiteHouse.gov: FACT SHEET: The United States and Central America: Honoring Our Commitments Forbes: 2024: A New Age For Venezuela-U.S. Relations Gobierno de Mêxico: México y Venezuela estrechan cooperación en materia migratoria El País: United States reactivates mass deportations of Venezuelans to relieve pressure on the border with Mexico Council on Foreign Relations: Central America’s Turbulent Northern Triangle Council on Foreign Relations: Climate Change and Regional Instability in Central America Congressional Research Service: Central American Migration: Root Causes and U.S. Policy Vice: The Violence Central American Migrants Are Fleeing Was Stoked by the US Time: Welcome to the Immigration Election Pew Research Center: How Americans View the Situation at the U.S.-Mexico Border, Its Causes and Consequences Brookings: The collapse of bipartisan immigration reform: A guide for the perplexed The Hill: Manchin: Failed border bill factored into decision not to run for White House DW News: Ecuador raid on embassy in Mexico Yahoo Finance:Border crisis might be boon for economy WOLA: Migration in the Americas: 'A root causes strategy only for Central America falls far short of addressing the type of migration we are seeing' Congressional Budget Office: Director’s Statement on the Budget and Economic Outlook for 2024 to 2034 WOLA -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Max and 99 are back today to talk "SPACtacular Bullsh*t" feedback, catch up with the Unf*ckers and get into numerous tangents, of course. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:07:13 Facebook Shout Outs: 00:52:14 YouTube Shout Outs: 00:59:51 Members + Outro: 01:05:39 Resources Deep Blue Something: Breakfast At Tiffany's Project 2025 YouTube Video Unf*cker Recommendations McFleshman's Brewing Co: Respecting the Beer Podcast UNFTR Episode Resources Immigration Nation: A Crisis Of Our Own Design. SPACtacular Bullsh*t: Inside Trump’s Multi-Billion Dollar Sham. -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He did it again. The Donald pulled off yet another miracle by taking his (failing) social media platform public. The deal had been in the works for a while and looked DOA last year. But it was revived recently and when it hit the Nasdaq this week it added billions to Trump's net worth and gave him an immediate cash infusion that will likely prevent him having to sell assets to make the (reduced) bond in his civil fraud case. The wealthy in this country truly operate under different rules. The mechanism Trump used to take a losing company public quickly and with relative ease compared to normal IPOs is called a SPAC, or Special Purpose Acquisition Company. SPACs gained a lot of attention a few years back before basically imploding as regulators frowned upon them and investments fizzled. As quickly as they gained prominence, they flamed out and were basically revealed to be scams. But it didn't stop the biggest SCAM artist in the world from packaging up his SCAM social media platform inside a SCAM financial vehicle. God bless 'Murica. Chapters Intro: 00:00:38 Chapter One: 00:07:01 Chapter Two: 00:17:57 Chapter Three: 00:26:44 Post Show Musings: 00:26:$4 Resources New York Times: Why Only One Top Banker Went to Jail for the Financial Crisis Morningstar: How to Lose Money: Buy Digital World Acquisition Corp. SPACInsider: Benessere Capital Acquisition Corp. (BENE) to Liquidate Trust SPAC Insider: Executive Drama at Digital World Acquisition Corp. (DWAC) Provides New Source of Risk Financial Review: Meet the Brazilian ‘prince’, Luiz Philippe de Orléans e Braganza, backing Donald Trump’s media venture Investment Adviser Public Disclosure: Brian C. Shevland CBS News: Trump's Truth Social is losing money and has scant sales. Yet it could trade at a $5 billion value. Mizuho Insights: The SPAC Roller Coaster – Is a Renaissance Coming? Fast Company: DWAC says Truth Social won't be profitable 'for the foreseeable future' as investors eye risky SPAC merger Bloomberg Law: SEC Imposes New Rules on Blank-Check Deals as SPACs Fizzle (3) US News: What Is a SPAC? 6 Best SPACs to Invest In Yahoo Finance: Chamath Palihapitiya’s Crumbling SPAC Empire: Where His Top 5 Deals Are Today Casetext: Shevland v. Orlando, 629 F. Supp. 3d 1252 -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Max and 99 are back together in the studio to discuss Project 2025 Feedback, share Over the Borderline updates, and of course, tell a silly story or two. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:31:51 Instagram Shoutouts: 00:39:19 YouTube Shoutouts: 00:40:05 New Members: 01:02:16 Outro: 01:04:02 Resources Become a UNFTR Member UNFTR Series The Kosh Podcast: Episode 121: Bob Knudsen - County Board Supervisor Candidate District #16 Unf*cker Recommendations Rutger Bregman: Humankind: A Hopeful History Unf*cking Episode Resources Don’t sweat the election. We already lost. "Project 2025." Over The Borderline. -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Silly season is in full swing so politicians take center stage. But it's important to remember who really pulls the strings and runs the show. This week is an overdue flashback to our Corporate (Ir)Responsibility episodes that have been combined for the first time by the great Manny Faces for your listening pleasure. It's a good refresh on the bad actors that came together to rig the system. We'll be back next week with more original content as we plug away at the border crisis and other pressing issues. For now, enjoy! This episode online Essay + Show Notes Resources HBR: Why Are Companies Sitting on So Much Cash? The Atlantic: When the Top U.S. Tax Rate was 70 Percent—or Higher Bloomberg Tax: 10 Steps States Should Take to End Corporate Giveaways Politico: Actually, it was Democrats who killed the 70 percent tax Foreign Policy: To Pay for the Pandemic, Dry Out the Tax Havens Tax Policy Center: What is the TCJA repatriation tax and how does it work Tax Justice Network: Financial Secrecy Index - 2020 Results OCCRP: Giant Leak of Offshore Financial Records Exposes Global Array of Crime and Corruption Tax Foundation: How Much Revenue Would a 70% Top Tax Rate Raise? An Initial Analysis FRED: Unemployment Rate Trading Economics: Corporate Tax Rate in the United States remained unchanged at 21 percent in 2021 from 21 percent in 2020 BLS: Inheritances and the Distribution of Wealth, Or Whatever Happened to the Great Inheritance Boom? Tax Foundation: Corporate Tax Rates around the World, 2020 Road & Track: Yes, The Chevrolet Corvair Really Was a Handful to Drive GoodJobsFirst.Org Book Love Matt Taibbi: Griftopia: A Story of Bankers, Politicians, and the Most Audacious Power Grab in American History Jane Mayer: Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right Zachary D. Carter: The Price of Peace: Money, Democracy, and the Life of John Maynard Keynes Pod Love Useful Idiots: David Sirota on the SALT Tax Cap, Plus: Is Biden Really the new FDR? Best of The Left: #1414 Go Home and Go Big (Infrastructure Investment, Jobs and Climate Mitigation) -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are few things in this world as dangerous as Republicans with time on their hands. When Republicans find themselves out of office, they stay busy hatching evil plans in undisclosed lairs somewhere. Actually, they do it in think tanks. What’s impressive is how many plans they concoct during these periods that actually wind up as legislative public policy when they’re re-elected. The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 playbook is one of the more devastating handbooks ever written and it’s really important that we take them at their word given prior successes. This week’s episode is a deep dive into the 900+ book they recently published to help guide the next conservative president’s first 180 days in office. Resources Project 2025 The Project for the New American Century: Rebuilding America's Defenses Project 2025: Mandate For Leadership Global Project Against Hate and Extremism: Project 2025: The Far-Right Playbook for American Authoritarianism The New York Times: Trump’s Tariffs Hurt U.S. Jobs but Swayed American Voters, Study Says Unf*cking Episode Resources The American Propaganda Machine. The Carter Series. F*ck Milton Friedman. The Clinton Years. Don’t sweat the election. We already lost. -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today is a Max solo adventure; join him as he covers feedback from the new Over the Borderline series, as well as some Unf*cker comments from the recent Phone A Friends. Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:02:31 Outro: 00:42:34 Resources Over the Borderline: Part One. Phone A Friend: George Laws García, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Statehood Council. Phone A Friend: ​Briahna Joy Gray of the Bad Faith Podcast. -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We kick off the first installment in our series “Over the Borderline” where we examine the plight of immigrant families, the socioeconomic and political conditions that drive people to migrate to the United States and the current crisis that has become a central talking point in the 2024 election. This first episode is a spotlight on New York City, which has been overwhelmed by a surge in migrant families being bused from border states as part of a political maneuver to deposit the immigration issue at the feet of leaders in Blue States. After a brief summary and update of how the situation has changed over the past two years, we speak with Marlene Galaz, Director of Immigrant Rights Policy at the New York Immigration Coalition. Chapters Intro: 00:00:36 Interview: 00:12:41 Resources Associated Press: With beds scarce and winter bearing down, a tent camp grows outside NYC’s largest migrant shelter NYC.gov: NYC Shelter Information The City: What Exactly Is a Sanctuary City and What Does That Mean for NYC? Gothamist: Nearly 80% of New Yorkers back right to shelter, poll finds New York City Police Department: NYPD Announces January 2024 Citywide Crime Statistics The New York Times: National Guard and State Police Will Patrol the Subways and Check Bags NYC.gov: Seven Major Felony Offenses City & State New York: As migrant families receive 60 day eviction notices, advocates rally to ditch the policy New York Immigration Coalition -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Max and 99 are apart this week but meet up ~virtually~ to discuss feedback from the two recent Phone A Friends! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Email: 00:10:43 Outro: 00:33:19 Resources Phone A Friend: George Laws García, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Statehood Council. Phone A Friend: ​Briahna Joy Gray of the Bad Faith Podcast. -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the brief introduction to our series “Over the Borderline” where we update our reporting on immigration and the border crisis to examine the myriad moving parts of this hot button topic. The series kicks off this weekend with a look at the current crisis facing New York City with busloads of migrants continually flowing into the city on a daily basis and stretching city services to their limits. Then we’ll head south of the border to examine the root causes of mass migration from economic and political perspectives. In this introduction we set the table for the discussion going forward and speak to the highly charged political nature of immigration and how it’s playing out in the presidential election cycle. Resources U.S. Government Accountability Office: U.S. Immigration Courts See a Significant and Growing Backlog Associated Press: With beds scarce and winter bearing down, a tent camp grows outside NYC’s largest migrant shelter UNFTR Episode Resources Immigration Nation: A Crisis of Our Own Design. Quickie: Fox in the Outhouse. Invasion, Immigration & Inflation. The Washington Consensus: Consensus is not consent. -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest this week is George Laws-García, the Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Statehood Council. A longtime policy advocate and consultant and native of San Juan, Laws-García was tapped to be the organization’s first executive director to increase the engagement of Puerto Rico statehood supporters. George and I have a great conversation about the hows and whys of statehood, roadblocks and resistance the movement faces and the tension between advocates for statehood versus full independence. He is a wealth of information and an extremely thoughtful approach that I know you’ll appreciate. He doesn’t shy away from the dark side of the imperial and colonial relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico and some of the atrocities that those we are unfamiliar with our past might find surprising. Resources Puerto Rico 51st Puerto Rico 51st on Twitter Puerto Rico 51st on Facebook Puerto Rico 51st on Instagram Puerto Rico 51st on YouTube George H. Laws García on Twitter George H. Laws García on Instagram -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week’s UNFTR Phone a Friend we’re speaking with the incomparable Briahna Joy Gray. Briahna is the host of the popular politics podcast and YouTube channel Bad Faith and co-host of The Hill’s Rising. Prior to this she was the National Press Secretary for the Bernie Sanders 2020 campaign, was senior politics editor at The Intercept and has written for The Guardian, Rolling Stone, New York Magazine and for our friends over at Current Affairs Magazine. She has a B.A. and a law degree from Harvard University and I personally believe her to be one of the most uncompromising intellectuals and searing interrogators in the news media. We cover a lot of ground in a short period of time so buckle up. Watch the interview on YouTube. Resources Bad Faith Patreon Bad Faith on Spotify Bad Faith on YouTube The Hill's Rising Briahna on Twitter Briahna on Instagram -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.