The Majority Report with Sam Seder (general)

For the best-of today, an interview from April 14th:

Ganesh Sitaraman (@GaneshSitaraman) is an Assistant Professor of Law at Vanderbilt Law School. He joins us to discuss his new book, “The Crisis of the Middle-Class Constitution: Why Economic Inequality Threatens Our Republic.”

Direct download: 12-25-17-Ganesh_Sitaraman-BestOf-Pub.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am EDT

It's the last live Majority Report of 2017, and have we got a star-studded line-up for you! First, cultural critic Fran Lebowitz joins us to discuss the rise of Trump, what it means about America, and what happened to our class consciousness. Next, our old pal Cliff Schecter breaks down the GOP tax bill and the shifting political ground with his trademark wonkishness. Then Isabel Gillies and Film Guy Matthew stop by to recommend uplifting and depressing movies, respectively. Finally, we close out the year with a viewing of Weird Mike's live Reddit AMA session.

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Direct download: 12-22-17-Fran_Liebowitz-Pub.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:21pm EDT

On this episode of MR, Travis L Dixon (@Dr_TLDixon), a professor of communication at the University of Illinois, discusses his new report for Color of Change, A Dangerous Distortion of Our Families: Representations of Families, By Race, in News and Opinion Media. Drawing on data from 2015-2016, Dixon outlines how African American families are over-represented in the media's reporting on crime and poverty, and discusses how politicians from Reagan to Clinton have used those perceptions to shred the social safety net in a racialized way. Read the full report here.

In the fun half: The first six Disrupt J20 defendants are found not guilty, Roy Moore thinks Muslims and Marxists worked together to defeat him and delight Doug Jones' gay son, Trump's politics re: taxes, drilling in the Arctic, etc. are just the same old Republican garbage, Nikki Haley delivers some tough talk on Israel at the UN, immigration courts show children no mercy, and the crew goes back and forth some more about the effects of classist snobbery.

 

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Direct download: 12-21-17-Travis_Dixon-Pub.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:48pm EDT

On this episode of the Majority Report, Paul Ryan does his smarmy best to pretend the GOP tax bill will help the 99% and not add to the deficit (not that the latter matters), animatronic William Howard Taft calls in to praise Donald Trump, banks plan to proceed with mortgage payments and foreclosures in Puerto Rico despite the ongoing crisis, Wyatt Koch peddles terrible shirts to his fellow failsons, and Rachel in Queens sparks a discussion on classist attitudes held by coastal elites.

After the break: Susan Collins blames sexism for tax bill backlash, Cenk recaps his bet with Jimmy Dore, Donald Trump Jr. does a fake TED talk on how the system is rigged against his dad, MN lawmaker and transphobe Mary Franson is scared to meet with high school students, the Department of Defense releases a UFO video, Sam tackles a random Rush clip, and Jeff in GA elicits further discussion on how the Democrats should (and should not) convince people to vote for them.

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Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter:

@SamSeder

@MattLech

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@jamie_elizabeth

@bf1nn

Direct download: 12-20-17-Sam_Seder-Pub.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:05pm EDT

This episode of the Majority Report begins with a viewing of the newly unveiled animatronic Trump at Disney World. Will it bring on the robot revolution? Then journalist David Dayen (@ddayen) joins us to discuss the Republican tax bill and the political history of 2017. With 83% of gains going to the top 1%, the GOP plan is unlikely to win favor with voters. But if and when the Democrats get back into power, we must pressure them to re-allocate the funds to social programs, rather than the deficit.

On the fun half: The Mooch says Trump is too smart to fire Mueller, "firefighter prophet" Mark Taylor says Trump is set to release cures for cancer and Alzheimer's, a caller reminds us of the importance of local races in pushing Democrats to the left, former Fox News employee Tamara Holder is released from her NDA, Alex Jones doesn't want Trump to get assassinated (but if he does, it'll be great for his numbers), listeners tell us about VA healthcare headaches and organizing in Florida, and Ronald Raygun calls in with a special, Cernovich-related offer.

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Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter:

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@jamie_elizabeth

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Direct download: 12-19-17-David_Dayen-Pub.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:23pm EDT

Steven A Cook (@StevenACook), Senior fellow of Middle East and North African studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins Michael Brooks to talk about our relationship with Turkey since Trump became president. Why is Turkey upset with the United States? The obsession with Fethullah Gulen by Erdogan's supporters.

Why the 'new' Jerusalem policy is just an acknowledgment of the reality that the peace process and two-state solution are no longer possible. Why it benefits those in power to pretend like the two-state solution is still viable. The generational divide re: Israel politics and why mainstream Dems continue to close ranks around the issue.

On the fun half: Judge Jeanine "doubles down" on apocalypse of the republic record against the FBI, Alex Jones needs your prayers, Pharma company McKesson killed americans with opioids but our justice system is too weak to punish them, what's the lesson from Alabama, and your calls an IMs.

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Cast: Sam Seder (@samseder), Michael Brooks (@_michaelbrooks) Matt Lech (@mattlech), Jamie Peck (@jamie_elizabeth), Brendan Finn (@BF1nn)

 

Direct download: 12-18-17-Steven_A_Cook-Pub.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:21pm EDT

Paul Ryan wants us to make more babies and Heather Digby Parton (@digby56) joins us to discuss the implications of the AL election, whether Trump is going to fire Mueller, Trump's chances of impeachment, the Trump admin's terrifying foreign policy, and police violence in America. Judy Gold then joins us for a Two Minutes Hate sesh on Omarosa, Roy Moore, Orrin Hatch, Israel, net neutrality, and Sarah Huckabee Sanders. A new Jimmy Reefercake song is played.

On the fun half: Dennis Miller tries out a new comedy routine on us, Trump wants to end the immigration lottery, Trump judicial nominee Matthew Petersen is hilariously under-qualified, the crew outlines leftist positions on gun control, Mindy calls in to commiserate about how fucked we are, and Mike Cernovich is the new Baked Alaska.

Cast: Sam Seder (@samseder), Michael Brooks (@_michaelbrooks) Matt Lech (@mattlech), Jamie Peck (@jamie_elizabeth), Brendan Finn (@BF1nn)

 

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Direct download: 12-15-17-Digby-Judy_Gold-Pub.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:06pm EDT

Today on the Majority Report, we're joined by Ryan Singel to discuss the implications of Ajit Pai's decision to overturn Net Neutrality safeguards and how Congress will pay a hefty price as a result. What exactly is Ajit Pai undoing? How this represents a taking of the commons. What will the next phase of the internet look like after the changes, and how quickly will the internet change?

On the fun half: Do even dum dums get the importance of Moore losing? Omarosa gets dragged by TV hosts after firing, how can we nationalize all these tech companies, Rush has to corral his confused sheep after the Roy Moore loss, are we going to live in an episode of Black Mirror soon, and your calls and IMs!

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Cast: Sam Seder (@samseder), Michael Brooks (@_michaelbrooks) Matt Lech (@mattlech), Jamie Peck (@jamie_elizabeth), Brendan Finn (@BF1nn)

Direct download: 12-14-17-Ryan_Singel-Pub.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:15pm EDT

On today's show, The Atlantic's Julia Ioffe joins us to discuss joins us to discuss her recent article in The Atlantic, What Putin Really Wants. While many Americans view Putin's government as a powerful, well-oiled machine, Ioffe says it's more like a messy, corruption-riddled bureaucracy with its various factions not always working together. "The Sopranos" is referenced.

On the fun half: Mike from PA calls in with detailed analysis of what drove Jones' win in the Alabama election, Weird Mike tries and fails to mess with another alpha cuck Jew, Jake Tapper schools a Roy Moore spokesman on the constitution, Alex Jones says Trump's accusers are not attractive enough for him to molest, and the gang takes on right-wing asshat "Sargon of Akkad" a.k.a. Carl of Youtube.

Cast: Sam Seder (@samseder), Michael Brooks (@_michaelbrooks) Matt Lech (@mattlech), Jamie Peck (@jamie_elizabeth), Brendan Finn (@BF1nn)

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Direct download: 12-13-17-Julia_Ioffe-Pub.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:10pm EDT

On today's show, author Malcolm Harris (@BigMeanInternet) joins us to discuss his new book, Kids These Days: Human Capital and the Making of Millennials. While their elders often blame the problems of the millennial generation on millennials themselves, Harris debunks that idea with a structural analysis of the political and economic factors driving their behavior and development.

On the fun half: More people call in to discuss Al Franken, Roy Moore's war buddy makes an excellent case for him, a father and son explain their different reasons for voting for Doug Jones, a grieving father calls out Moore's homophobia, Nikki Haley thinks Trump's accusers deserve to be heard, Nomiki Konst calls out DNC waste and incompetence, and Sam schools a ring-winger on rape apologia (and plays a clip of Trump accuser Jessica Leeds).

Cast: Sam Seder (@samseder), Michael Brooks (@_michaelbrooks) Matt Lech (@mattlech), Jamie Peck (@jamie_elizabeth), Brendan Finn (@BF1nn)

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Direct download: 12-12-17-Malcolm_Harris-pub.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:06pm EDT