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20 April 2024

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Jun 14, 2012 — Mark Schmitt & Richard Yeselson
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Fireside Chats

On Fireside Chats, Mark talks with Rich Yeselson, a veteran of the labor movement, about the Wisconsin recall election and the decline of organized labor. Do Americans hate unions, or are they just indifferent? Are we all just free-riders on the benefits unions obtained for us? Was it a mistake to go after Scott Walker? Have unions put too much faith in electoral politics? Why does the more affluent, liberal wing of the Democratic Party find itself at cross purposes with unions? Rich argues that while it’s great that liberals like Paul Krugman, Timothy Noah, and Mark finally appreciate unions, bloggers and academics are no substitute for a broad social movement.

Jun 13, 2012 — Robert Wright & Eli Lake
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Nonzero (The Wright Show)
Jun 12, 2012 — Sarah Posner & Anna Clark
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The Posner Show
On The Posner Show, Sarah talks with Anna about whether the financial troubles faced by The American Prospect, and the recent editorial firings at GOOD magazine, signal a troubling trend for progressive media. Anna and Sarah debate whether journalism should be tied to political activism. Turning to presidential campaign coverage, are political reporters starved for material and obsessed with overanalyzing gaffes? Sarah thinks that campaign coverage has become like TV episode recapping. Sarah criticizes media coverage of Obama and Romney’s religious beliefs. Plus: When will we ever be done talking about the byline gender gap?
Jun 11, 2012 — Glenn Loury & John Tomasi
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The Glenn Show
On The Glenn Show, Glenn interviews his colleague John Tomasi about his new book, Free Market Fairness. John explains how economic liberties have been downplayed by political philosophers since the days of John Stuart Mill, and then suggests that John Rawls and Friedrich Hayek would have agreed on some fundamental principles of justice. In the long run, would robust economic rights be the best way to promote social justice? Glenn wants to know why, if Rawls and Hayek were in basic agreement, Rawlsians and Hayekians are today at each others’ throats. Finally, John explains how one can support both economic liberty and social justice.
Jun 10, 2012 — Mike Konczal & Sarah Leonard
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Fireside Chats
On Fireside Chats, Mike and Sarah talk about the possibilities for left publications when print is declining, then discuss the concept of “precarity” in work, and what it means for the future of organized labor. Sarah argues that recent college graduates, with unpaid internships and large student debt, are more like indentured servants than you might think. Then Sarah describes the new frontiers of progressive politics, and she and Mike talk about how feminism’s relationship to economics has changed over the last 40 years. Finally, Sarah attacks Sex and the City feminism, and gives a more substantial alternative.
Jun 9, 2012 — Robert Wright & T.M. Luhrmann
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Nonzero (The Wright Show)
Jun 8, 2012 — Bill Scher & Matt K. Lewis
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The DMZ
On The DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss the failed attempt to recall Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. What lessons should Democrats, Republicans, and the labor movement draw? Why didn’t President Obama come out more strongly in favor of the Democratic candidate? Speaking of Obama’s reelection campaign, why is Bill Clinton suddenly off-message? Should Obama be on Clinton’s message? And Matt’s big idea: cable news as we know it won’t survive.
Jun 7, 2012 — Matthew Duss & Eric Trager
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Foreign Entanglements
On Foreign Entanglements, Matt and Eric discuss the surprising results of Egypt’s recent elections. Eric is skeptical that Islamist parties offer a way forward for Egyptian democracy. Matt asks whether the Muslim Brotherhood is a typical religious right party, and Eric argues that they’re something far more dangerous. Matt pushes back, and Eric suggests that Egypt’s future will be one of perpetual instability between the Brotherhood and the military. The two discuss the options facing US foreign policymakers regarding Egypt going forward. Finally, they debate whether it’s possible to regard the new Egypt as a true democracy.
Jun 6, 2012 — Conor Friedersdorf & Robert Wright
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Friedersdorf
Conor asks whether Bob might abandon the Democratic Party over national security issues. Bob posits that humans aren’t evolutionarily equipped to evaluate the possibility of blowback in foreign affairs. Conor wonders why Americans aren’t more willing to impose checks on the executive branch—what won’t the public will accept in the name of “security”? They next discuss whether Obama’s mild manner causes people to accept policies that they would object to under a more cowboyish president. Bob presses Conor about what he hopes to gain by voting for Libertarian Party candidates. They conclude with Bob making the case that network effects all but guarantee Facebook’s long-term success—an argument Conor isn’t buying.
Jun 5, 2012 — Sarah Posner & Marie Ashe
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The Posner Show
On The Posner Show, Sarah chats with Marie about the interwoven history of religious freedom and women’s rights in America. Marie argues that that the 1638 trial of religious dissident Anne Hutchinson reveals a great deal about our ideas of religion and women’s rights, demonstrating a prurient strain that that is still evident in the US today. Moving to more recent history, Sarah and Marie discuss conservative pushback to the line of Supreme Court cases culminating in Roe v. Wade. While Roe and church-state separation have been eroded, the government has become more protective of religious freedom for organizations and individuals claiming conscience objections. Finally: Do corporations have a religious conscience that ought to be protected by the law?

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