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Mar 31, 2012 — Robert Wright & Ann Althouse

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Mar 31, 2012 — Matthew Duss & Ben Birnbaum

Foreign Entanglements

On Foreign Entanglements, Matt and Ben discuss new indications that Israel will hold off on striking Iran. Matt brings up the important difference between preemption and prevention. They point out that a nuclear Iran would be subject to the dangers of accidents and mistakes. We shouldn’t grow too comfortable with the Cold War doctrine of mutually-assured destruction, they suggest, just because it happened to work for a few decades. What are the chances of Obama ordering a strike after the election? They close with Ben’s interview with Iraqi opposition leader Ayad Allawi.

Mar 30, 2012 — Robert Wright & Jonathan Haidt

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Mar 29, 2012 — Bill Scher & Matt K. Lewis

The DMZ

On The DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss the killing of Trayvon Martin. Matt argues that the case has led to oversimplification and misplaced political tribalism. They next discuss Obamacare at the Supreme Court—would overturning the law spark a pro-Democrat backlash? Bill sees a way for Justice Kennedy to uphold the law, but it may come at a price.

Mar 28, 2012 — Conor Friedersdorf & Reniqua Allen

Friedersdorf

Reniqua lays out the argument she made in a recent op-ed lamenting the state of America’s conversation about race and urging President Obama to talk more about the subject. Pushing back against her thesis, Conor argues that President Obama is the wrong man to lead such a conversation. He also claims that for all his eloquent rhetoric, Obama’s substantive record on issues with a racial dynamic isn’t strong. Reniqua talks about her frequent frustration with being the only black person in a room full of white people. They next give different versions of the racial conversation they’d like to see more of in America and grapple with the tension between embracing multiculturalism and creating self-segregation.

Mar 27, 2012 — Sarah Posner & Paul Waldman

The Posner Show

On The Posner Show, Sarah and Paul discuss this weekend’s Reason Rally. Should a secularist movement model itself on the Christian Coalition? They examine obstacles to a secularist movement gaining political influence and whether religious groups will always have an advantage. The religious right and the Republican Party are united, but Democrats worry that they have to appeal to secularists and religious voters alike. Can those two factions unite around protecting church-state separation? Plus: Do secularists need better public advocates than Richard Dawkins?

Mar 26, 2012 — Michael Brendan Dougherty & Corey Robin

Washington Squares

On Washington Squares, Michael is joined by Corey Robin, author of The Reactionary Mind, a new book about conservative thought. They discuss Michael’s unusual brand of conservatism and whether violence is an integral part of the conservative mind. Do reactionaries in America today defend entrenched power hierarchies, or are they a counter-cultural force? What ever happened to the old conservative WASP elite? They close with a discussion of the role that the idea of struggle plays in conservatism.

Mar 25, 2012 — Glenn Loury & John McWhorter

The Glenn Show

John and Glenn express their outrage at the killing of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman. They consider the intersection of violent crime, stereotyping, and “stop and frisk” policies. Glenn explores possible reasons for higher rates of violence in black communities and extols the benefits of organized black protest against police brutality in the wake of this tragedy. John and Glenn liken the Trayvon Martin killing of 2012 to the Emmett Till lynching of 1955. John admits that this case helps him better understand the 1992 LA riots, while Glenn offers a potentially more effective alternative than civil disorder to help the black poor.

Mar 24, 2012 — Robert Wright & Joshua Landis