Mark Riley: The Intersection of Politics and Culture

The Israel-Gaza war continues unabated, but now Israeli rules of engagement are starting to be questioned by the nation’s allies. There are also fears about a larger conflict in the Middle East after Islamic State takes credit for a deadly bombing in Iran. The President of Harvard resigns in the wake of twin scandals. Is she a victim of culture wars, or is she simply a sloppy scholar? Donald Trump wants the Supreme Court to decide whether he should be on the ballot in Colorado. Big implications there. And what does the document dump on the friends of Jeffrey Epstein mean to those exposed. 

1/12/24 • 18:41

The US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for a cease fire in the war between Hamas and Israel. This despite 13 nations voting for it. The Biden Administration is getting hard blowback, and not just from the expected places.  A federal judge approves a settlement barring the separation of migrant families. An appeals court has upheld but narrowed the gag order on a certain... former president. And finally, one of the toughest pieces I’ve ever had to do in a podcast. Biden should not run.

12/12/23 • 17:42

Last time out I told you the war between Israel and Hamas was fast becoming a propaganda war fought on social media. The actual battlefield remains real, but so too does the fights on social media. Just ask Elon Musk. Are we finally rid of George Santos? The chair of the House Ethics Committee has ruled he has none, he’s announced he’s not running for re-election, but now there’s yet another effort to expel him from the House. Does it make a difference? There’s yet another climate study that says earth is in trouble. Is it time to tell the truth and say politicians aren’t capable of doing anything about it?  The Supreme Court has a new ethics code. Does it really mean anything?

11/21/23 • 20:34

The war between Israel and Hamas has become a protracted struggle not just on the battlefields but between competing propaganda machines. Who’s winning? Meanwhile, the House passes a bill providing aid to Israel but not to Ukraine. Wait, what??? The damages trial against the Trump organization rolls on with his kids and the old man himself scheduled to testify. Why are infant deaths rising for the first time in two decades? Try as they might, the House can’t seem to get rid of serial grifter George Santos. Why? We’ll get into it

11/21/23 • 18:01

Hamas and Israel, and the question that no one seems to want to ask. And of course, who stuck his foot in his mouth yet again? You know who, that’s who. The House Speakers’ sweepstakes, and the self-destruction of the Republican Party. A truly frightening study on climate change. George Santos, what again? And the labor market chills a bit.

10/17/23 • 20:15

Israel and Hamas, at war again after the surprise attack against Israel. Chaos in the House, as Republicans try to figure out who their next speaker will be. Some in Congress think it ought to be Donald Trump? Seriously? Honestly? How did aid to Ukraine end up a litmus test for right wing lawmakers? A judge rules Alabama’s gerrymandered congressional lines have to be changed. 

10/10/23 • 18:29

More bad road for Donald Trump, as judge rules inflated his worth and one of his defendants cops a plea. Just to show alleged corruption knows no one political party, New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez is indicted on corruption charges, and some of his allies say it’s time to go! Senator Diane Feinstein passes away at age 90, and a replacement has been named. Is the war in Ukraine degenerated into a protracted stalemate? And, 27 years after his murder, a man has been charged in the murder of Tupac Shakur.

10/3/23 • 18:56

Joe Biden’s son Hunter indicted on gun charges. This has given rise to all manner of speculation, including charges of a hoax by the Deep State to whether Biden will now quit his bid for re-election. At the same time, the coward known as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tries to keep the ultra-right wolves away from his door by announcing an impeachment probe. The United Auto Workers strikes against all Big Three automakers at once. Why has the number of American children living in poverty doubled from 2021 to ’22.

9/19/23 • 18:22

We’ll be taking a look at, guess who, and his mug shot. Don’t be fooled, there’s another story that’s not being covered. There’s the story of Andrew Clyde, congressman and gun shop owner. Any wonder he’s against common sense gun legislation? Not too long ago, here were whispers about Michelle Obama running for president. Recent stumbles by Joe Biden have revived the talk. Should she think about it? Speaking of which, the president finally made it to Maui. His visit didn’t go as well as planned. He went against the backdrop of more than 300 people still listed as missing two weeks after the wildfires. We told you some episodes ago that the Brics countries were gearing up to compete with the West, especially the US. Guess what just happened.

8/28/23 • 17:22

 The fires in Hawaii are America’s latest climate tragedy. Did Maui’s utility do enough to contain them? A while back, I screened the gripping documentary All the Beauty and the Bloodshed. It’s all about artist Nan Goldin’s fight against the Sackler family, makers of, among other drugs, Oxycontin. The family eventually settled lawsuits for $6 billion dollars, but now the Supreme Court has stepped in and said not so fast. A GOP presidential hopeful wants to raise the voting age to 25. Are you young and can’t afford your rent? You’re not alone.  And a friend sent me an email about Kansas and abortion I just have to share with you. Tune in!

8/15/23 • 19:00

In this episode, we ask the one question no one seems to ask about Donald Trump and the 78 charges he faces, so far. Why do his defenders employ whataboutism as a default defense? Is the Hunter Biden probe worth the time for those who want to tie his wrongdoing to his father? Saudi Arabia extends its cut to oil production by a month. Does that mean US gas prices will go up? And just what is the Republican strategy on climate?

8/8/23 • 19:30

New charges against Donald Trump while he threatens Republicans who fail to do his bidding. Vladimir Putin cosies up to Africa, Mitch McConnell freezes during a press conference. Will Joe Biden end up being collateral damage? And the truth about wellness. Or at least some wellness.

8/3/23 • 21:14

Donald Trump and his minions have big plans should he win the election next year. Trust me, you don’t want to know them. At the same time, his documents trial has been set for May next year. That’s before the presidential election. Republicans in Congress shame themselves yet again with their attack on LGBTQ Americans. The White House pressures AI firms to implement guardrails and new tools to police itself. And why were Delta Airlines passengers left on a non-air-conditioned flight for three hours in the searing heat?

7/25/23 • 19:08

Inflation has cooled down sharply in the US, will it help President Biden in his quest for re-election? The Supreme Court stopped the Biden Administration from cancelling student debt. The Education Department just did an end around. Wait, what? Why is the far right trying to defund support for Ukraine? With 40% of the world enveloped in a searing heat wave, can the world really be relaxed about climate change? And there’s a rebellion afoot, and the target? AI, what else? 

7/18/23 • 20:41

How is that counteroffensive in Ukraine going? Why is the US ready to supply the government with cluster bombs and why is the rest of the West so nervous? Not to keep harping on climate change, but yes, I’ll keep harping on it as the South and Southwest are baking more than usual. There’s a new challenge to Twitter in social media, and Elon Musk isn’t happy about it. Lots of other people are, though. The right-wing Supreme Court says it’s okay to be a homophobe. Can approval of other evils be far behind? 

7/11/23 • 20:50

Republicans in Congress honor the January 6th insurrectionists.  At least 37 people, mostly students have been killed after suspected militants raided a school in western Uganda. When will people stop targeting the young? Southern Baptists move to oust women from the leadership of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. What’s next, taking away the right to vote? An attorney for the Oath Keepers has been deemed not mentally fit to stand trial in a case stemming from the January 6th insurrection. And former president Barack Obama speaks out on black Republicans who say race doesn’t matter anymore.

6/20/23 • 19:08

Donald Trump is indicted, what, again? The wages of climate change envelopes the East Coast in a shroud of smoke. It may be back to normal now, but is it really? The House is paralyzed by the far-right members of the Freedom Caucus. The Supreme Court in a surprise move, voids gerrymandered voting districts that would have diluted black voters’ power, while at the same time, Clarence Thomas has delayed filing required financial disclosure forms in the wake of reports he received gifts and luxury travel from a billionaire GOP donor

6/13/23 • 20:35

Donald Trump. He’s asking for the judge in his Stormy Daniels case to be replaced. On another front, there appears to be a recording where he acknowledges he couldn’t declassify documents after he left office. Gee, didn’t he say he could? Do you know about the Brics countries? They’ve got a huge swath of the world’s population, and they want to change the balance of power on the planet away from the West. What’s really behind the rash of anti LGBTQ laws sweeping through state legislatures, and that’s not even taking into account anti-trans hate.

6/7/23 • 20:13

Do Republicans eat themselves? When it’s Texas, and the person in question is Attorney General Ken Paxton. There’s a deal in the debt ceiling debacle. Is it time to put the whole thing out to pasture? There’s the story of the lawyer who used ChatGPT in court. Suffice to say it did not go well. Why are judges rebuking Social Security for massive errors on disability claims? And finally, Geena Davis has been compiling data on inclusion in Hollywood. A New York Times article about what she found may open some eyes

5/30/23 • 19:41

Exploring Political Deception: Why Politicians Lie and Voter Reaction - Democratic Party's Immigration Divide - Post-Title 42 Border Challenges under Biden - Debt Ceiling Crisis: Possible Solutions and Impact - The Jordan Neely Case: A Closer Look

5/17/23 • 20:49

Good ol' USA...Mass Shootings, Abortion Rights, Clarence Thomas, Donald Trump, the Proud Boys, Tucker Carlson, and Texas. Did I leave anything out? 

5/9/23 • 19:27

Fox News settled with Dominion Voting Systems for $787 million dollars. This was just as the 1.6-billion-dollar lawsuit was set to get underway. What does it mean for Fox, Dominion, Smartmatic, which still has a suit pending, and journalism in general? Two knocks on wrong doors, two people shot. Is this really Stand Your Ground? War is ravaging Sudan, as old allies turn on each other. Around the world, various countries are angling for advantage as the fighting continues in Africa’s third largest country by area. The US Supreme Court has allowed mifepristone, the abortion pill. To stay on the market while they consider whether to ban or restrict it. Guess who voted against keeping it available? How exactly does a 21 year old Air National Guardsman procure and leak sensitive information about the war in Ukraine and more? And finally, what do older people think about Joe Biden’s age?

4/25/23 • 20:18

I’ve reluctantly, painfully concluded that America is creeping toward a form of fascism I think most of us would never imagine. The signs are there, and I’m not at all sure that most people see them. Over the past week or two, I’ve been thinking to myself, what has America come to? American democracy, criminal justice, healthcare, and more have been put under stress by people who believe they have the right to tell others how to live. Some do this, by the way, while flaunting the very rules that they tell us to live by.

4/18/23 • 20:47

I’ve reluctantly, painfully concluded that America is creeping toward a form of fascism I think most of us would never imagine. The signs are there, and I’m not at all sure that most people see them. Over the past week or two, I’ve been thinking to myself, what has America come to? American democracy, criminal justice, healthcare, and more have been put under stress by people who believe they have the right to tell others how to live. Some do this, by the way, while flaunting the very rules that they tell us to live by.

4/18/23 • 20:47

You know what leads this episode. The only former president in US history to be indicted on criminal charges, what else? But don’t go partying in the streets just yet. Donald Trump has been charged, but he’s nowhere near being convicted. Besides, the indictment helps him raise money from those suckers, ‘er, supporters who still back him. After the tragic and senseless killing of six people in a Nashville, Tennessee school, would you think Republicans might re-think their knee-jerk opposition to gun regulations? Nope! Their answer? More guns. Things are getting sticky for Fox News after a judge ruled Dominion Voting System’s lawsuit can go to trial. And the Saudis want nukes. For energy purposes, you understand. If the US won’t give it to them, guess who they’ll ask next?

4/4/23 • 18:56

Upheaval in France; why is the right wing linking the Manhattan District Attorney to George Soros. George Soros? How does that work? Members of Congress rake the CEO of Tik Tok over the coals, while Utah is thinking about banning the app for kids. And what’s this about the huge number of guns stolen from cars?

3/28/23 • 18:23

Will Donald Trump get indicted? He seems to think so and has called on supporters to protest. And as that unfolds, his Proud Boys supporters are turning their trials into shambolic spectacles. Top it off with the reports that Trump tried in a second phone call to get the results of the Georgia vote overturned in 2020 and you have a trifecta of rough road ahead for the former president. What exactly is going on with banks?  Two in the US fail, while Credit Suisse, one of Switzerland’s biggest banks, gets bought out by a rival. Are we seeing a repeat of 2008? Two tales of abortion rights. The North Dakota Supreme Court blocks a ban in that state, while Wyoming, a couple of states over, bans the medication abortion pill, or at least tries to.

3/22/23 • 17:36

As President Xi Jinping consolidates his power, the Chinese broker a deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia that leaves the US sitting on the sidelines. This as President Biden bans Tik Tok from all federal devices. Where is Tik Tok based. You guessed it. Speaking of the president, when he ran, he had a proposal to shore up Social Security’s finances. Presto chango, his latest budget has no tax or spending increases related to the popular program. What gives? Also, how do you feel about permanent Daylight Savings Time? Wouldn’t bother me, but I’m just one person. And what gives with the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank?

3/14/23 • 18:40

In this episode, golden chocolate bars, Trump Jr. mocks Fetterman, booing Nikki Haley, and Trump is staying. A clown show? No, CPAC! Lawmakers want more action on child migrant labor, and well they should! Google has bowed to pressure and is now auditing its products for racial biases. They’re only following Meta and Apple. What took it so long? And how many paid vacation days do you get? And how does the US compare with other nations? The answer may surprise you.

3/6/23 • 19:12

In this episode, we take a long look and a deep dive into the extraordinary erosion of the Republican Party in the United States.  A sitting member of Congress calls for what she says is a national divorce. Funny, I thought that was settled in 1865. The Speaker of the House decides to outsource the GOP revision of the January 6 th insurrection by granting exclusive access to surveillance footage to, Tucker Carlson??? A couple of simultaneous setbacks for the former president and vice president, as there’s some evidence, as we’ve talked about before, that the former guy’s iron grip on the Republican Party is slipping just a bit. And finally, how many lies has George Santos lied, and will it ever be enough to force him from Congress?

2/27/23 • 19:14