3113 - “Deep State” vs Whistleblowers; AMLO: A Leftist Success Story? w/ Kerry Howley, Edwin F. Ackerman

It's an EmMajority Report Thursday! She talks to Kerry Howley, feature writer at New York Magazine, to discuss her recent book Bottoms Up and the Devil Laughs: A Journey Through The Deep State. Then, she is joined by Edwin Ackerman, assistant professor of sociology at Syracuse University, to discuss his recent piece on Mexican politics in the New Left Review entitled "The AMLO Project". First, Emma runs through Thursday’s headlines, tackling the Supreme Court’s decision regarding native sovereignty, and Lindsay Graham’s bold appearance on Hannity to wish Donald Trump a very happy birthday. Kerry Howley then dives right into her work exploring the extreme results of the loss of personal identity in the age of the Internet, working through the story of Reality Winner, a 25-year-old whistleblower whom the US Government painted as a deep-state terrorist. First, she and Emma step back to look at how she became contracted with the NSA, where she stumbled upon a document suggesting Russia had engaged in election interference in 2016, before parsing through her delivering of said document to the Intercept, where the information was completely mishandled resulting in the full force of the law coming down on Winner. Next, Howley dives into the project of the prosecution to turn Winner into a radical anti-American terrorist, largely by relying on factors of her life directly related to her work with the government, before she and Emma explore how this story is reflected in the backlash to various US whistleblowers, as well-meaning citizens, feeling civic obligation, are turned into anti-social monsters by the very government look misconduct forced their hand in the first place. Wrapping up, they look at the neoliberal nature of precarity as a central factor in putting all of us in similarly difficult positions. Edwin Ackerman then walks through the rise of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, current President of Mexico, from a surprise left-wing mayoral victory in Mexico City to a 30-point victory in the 2018 election. After stepping back to explore his political evolution and party affiliation, Emma and Ackerman tackle the success of his recently established MORENA party, and the pro-labor reforms his government has implemented, also touching on the evolution of his base, and addressing the allegations of authoritarianism from certain neolib outlets. Wrapping up, they explore the relationship between corruption, populism, and left-wing politics, and how AMLO’s regime has begun to change that.

And in the Fun Half: Emma is joined by Matt Binder and Brandon Sutton as they tackle the generative language model in sheep’s clothing that is AI, celebrate the success of Kari Lake’s new single, and watch Crowder discuss parental and marital abuses seemingly unrelated to his own actions. Dave from Jamaica and the MR Crew reminisce on some of their favorite conservative “punk” anthems, Gerrard from Florida discusses discussion of religion, and Glenn Grothman finally lends a voice to the voiceless (gas stoves), plus, your calls and IMs!

Check out the "Against The Web" audiobook by Michael Brooks, narrated by Sam here: https://www.audible.com/pd/Against-the-Web-Audiobook/B0C62G3P38

Check it out at Scribd as well: https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/640237251/Against-the-Web-A-Cosmopolitan-Answer-to-the-New-Right

Check out Kerry's book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/599267/bottoms-up-and-the-devil-laughs-by-kerry-howley/

Check out Edwin's piece here: https://newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/the-amlo-project

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