Rick is joined by scholar and cultural historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat. An expert on authoritarianism. They dissect what happened in the midterms and how and why Americans chose democracy. Plus, who makes the list this episode.
Joe and Alex discuss a bombshell New York Times piece from our friend Tom Edsall on just how deep the Trump dark money apparatus goes -- over 100 groups, $2 billion in funding... and very little of it out in the open. Why Project 2025 is a blueprint for turning America into a pro-Trump authoritarian state. What are we supposed to do about it? Then, Joe and Alex explain why right-wing pollsters have the media trapped in a false polling narrative -- why is the mainstream media so obsessed with pro-Trump polling?
Brian Daitzman writes, "Trump is infamous for his spontaneous outbursts of sensitive information. His reckless disclosure of classified intelligence to Russian officials in 2017 starkly highlighted his disregard for the protocols safeguarding national security secrets. This incident, among others, showcased a pattern of behavior that risked compromising the operational security of U.S. intelligence efforts and the lives of those involved."
David Pepper writes, "Most have no clue their own dollars are playing such a big role in Ohio politics. Still, struggling Ohioans have been bankrolling the campaigns of powerful Ohio politicians for years."
What's the difference between Nero at HIS Olympics in 67 and Trump at HIS golf course 1,957 years later? Robert McElvaine on losers who declare themselves winners.
Teri Kanefield writes: "While there were always activists and idealists who believed that a country that boasted of rule by people should give all people a voice, the changes were also driven by self-interests." And it's self-interests working today to silence those voices.
