On a special Thanksgivukkah episode of The DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss this bizarre, once-in-a-lifetime holiday convergence. Bill praises John Kerry for achieving an agreement with Iran and suggests he may be a better Secretary of State than Hillary Clinton. Turning to immigration, they consider how Obama and Boehner responded to pro-reform hecklers. Is immigration reform still a live option? Plus: Matt cautions conservatives not to get carried away about Obamacare‘s troubles.
On The DMZ, Matt discusses his un-DMZ-like appearance on MSNBC, where Michael Eric Dyson accused him of displaying “white privilege.” Does the cable news format make encounters like this inevitable? Bill and Matt discuss the role that racism has played (and continues to play) in American politics, but Matt says liberals can’t keep pointing the finger at racism to explain away their troubles. Have Senate Democrats hurt themselves in the long run by limiting the filibuster? Matt says the “nuclear option” makes repealing Obamacare more likely, but other unintended consequences may occur as well. Plus: Why some liberals fear a Hillary Clinton presidential juggernaut.
On The Glenn Show, Glenn and Ross discuss the recent book by Anat Admati and Martin Hellwig, The Bankers’ New Clothes. Ross says that the government is inadvertently subsidizing bank fragility. Can anything be done about “too big to fail“? They explain the real reason that Wall Street wants to keep equity low and debt high—more money for bank executives and shareholders. Is it unrealistic to think that government could ever rein in the financial system? Glenn and Ross critique Admati and Hellwig on how accurately regulators can assess bank assets. Ross closes by explaining why he’s not optimistic about removing catastrophic risk from the financial system.
On The Posner Show, Sarah speaks with Matthew about Pope Francis’s impact on American Catholicism. Is the pope turning his back on conservative Catholics? Matthew explains why Francis is shifting focus, not ideology—the church isn’t changing its stance on social issues. Sarah brings up the election of Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, and Matthew describes the church’s financial crisis. Is Francis’s unscripted nature good or bad for the church? Plus: What the pope has in common with the honey badger.
On Interrobang‽, Katherine and Jillian discuss the implications of the Trans-Pacific Partnership for online freedom. They then turn to the survey by the writers’ organization PEN showing widespread concern over online surveillance. Can a barrage of FOIA requests expose how the FBI operates? Is the NSA spying on your cell phone even when it’s turned off? Is the International Space Station infected with malware? Is international development being used as a front for surveillance? Plus: Did comedian Andy Kaufman fake his own death?