Unfit to Be the Ruler of a Free People: The Anti-American Presidency of Donald Trump
The Trump administration is an affront to everything good that America has become and everything America has ever sought to be.
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Two Paths to Immortality: Some Civic Religion for Nonbelievers
Reactionary immortality projects explain a lot about American political culture—above all why and how we Americans choose to panic.
The Grift Society
Where neoliberalism required at least the performance of adherence to impersonal rules, the grift economy revels in the scam of it all.
Neon Liberalism #24: The Border Crisis Is an Everything Crisis
Join Samantha and guest Professor Anna Law as they talk about the exploding constitutional crisis over Donald Trump's deportation program, exemplified by the removal of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Along the way they address the importance of due process, the Fugitive Slave Crisis and the origins of birthright citizenship,
Inherent Vice: Can America Come Back From Who We’ve Become?
At the richest moment in world history, in an unparalleled time of comforts and luxuries, we have elected self-harm and self-pity.
What Does “Defending the Constitution” Really Mean?
Does the oath of office I swore as an attorney for the trial court permit or even require me to defend the Constitution by force, if it is threatened by an illegitimate and authoritarian government?
What Congo’s Mobutu Sese Seko Teaches Us About Trumpism
Mobutu and Trump both rule by normalizing corruption, not just to enrich themselves but also to cement their own power.
The Red State Religious Narrative
Southern democracy, like every other aspect of Southern society, was shaped by the political and economic needs of the slaveholding planter class and is maintained by the MAGA movement via shame and projection.
The Present Crisis and the End of the Long '90s
The constitutional settlement that governed America from the end of the Volcker Shock in 1982 to the re-election of Donald Trump in 2024 encompassed three profound domains: politics, economics, and culture.
Half the Answer #9: Language, Identity, and Anti-Woke Academic Slander
Trent and Caitlin talk with Dr. Aris Clemons, an Assistant Professor in Linguistics, about the various slanders and misapprehensions that plague her field of study. We discuss language ideologies, the illusion of objectivity, the futility of being “apolitical” in a political institution, ethnography and lived experience, “other ways of knowing,
Trump Can't Both Deport Millions and Increase the Population
No serious person believes it’s possible to both decrease and increase the US population at the same time.
Trump ‘Alarmists’ Were Right. We Should Say So.
Commentators who got it wrong wouldn’t listen, won’t learn, and can’t lead.
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Neon Liberalism #12: Is It Time for Tariffs?
Tariffs were central to mercantilist economic policy—deployed to generate funding for government, protection for industries, or pain for enemies. But can or will tariffs be put to a genuinely public-spirited use for today's United States? Samantha, Jason, and guest Maia Mindel talk about purposes and consequences of
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Neon Liberalism #11: Immigration Is Good, Actually
Trump II is upon us, and the administration has already taken aim to reduce citizenship rights and deport immigrants, despite the longstanding truth that arguments against immigration don't hold much water. Liberal Currents associate editor Paul Crider joins Samantha and Jason to describe the new Republican restrictionism and
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Neon Liberalism #10: The Battle for Ottawa
Is Donald Trump going to give Americans an education in war on the homefront? Samantha, Jason, and guest Matthew Downhour evaluate new challenges to the liberal international order and assess the incoming administration's taste for territorial aggrandizement. The Battle for OttawaPodcast Episode · Neon Liberalism · 01/19/2025 · 50mApple
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Neon Liberalism #9: Why Is Youth Transition So Controversial?
Samantha, Jason, and guest Vikas Valiveti talk the science, politics, and ethics of youth transition. Spoiler: there are a lot of people spreading lies about trans healthcare. What don't they want you to know? Why Is Youth Transition So Controversial?Podcast Episode · Neon Liberalism · 01/13/2025 · 55mApple
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Neon Liberalism #8: Will Bluesky Save Us?
Social media powered the Arab Spring, the George Floyd protests, and (seemingly) much of our politics for the last decade. Since Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, many liberals have hoped that Bluesky might become what Twitter once was. But is social media really always a tool of progress?
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Neon Liberalism #7: Can HTS Land the Plane?
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham has dislodged the regime of Bashar al-Assad after a lightning offensive, raising new hopes for Syria's future. Having won on the battlefield, can HTS implant a successful government in Damascus? Liberal Currents contributing editor Matthew Downhour joins Samantha and Jason to talk about
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Neon Liberalism #6: Do Women Need Men?
Are we living through a crisis in gender relations? Maia Mindel joins Samantha and Jason to talk about abortion bans, trans rights, MeToo, "male loneliness," declining birthrates, and most of all the decline of the patriarchal bargain and what might replace it. Do Women Need Men?Podcast Episode
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Neon Liberalism #5: Will Political Violence Save Us?
Samantha and Jason talk about ghost guns, CEO killings, and the place of political violence in the repertoire of contention. Will Political Violence Save Us?Podcast Episode · Neon Liberalism · 12/15/2024 · 36mApple Podcasts Neon Liberalism can be heard on Spotify, on Apple, on YouTube, on Amazon, and elsewhere via
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Neon Liberalism #4: Coups—How Do They Work?
What makes for a successful coup, and wouldn't South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol like to know? Adam Gurri joins Samantha and Jason to talk about one of the biggest stories of the week, and whether America is on the path to a personalist dictatorship. Coups: How Do
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Neon Liberalism #3: Can Populism Save Democracy?
Join Samantha and Jason as they discuss the resurgence of economic populism, the breakdown of the dreaded "neoliberal consensus," and whether populism itself is just a vibe. Can Populism Save Democracy?Podcast Episode · Neon Liberalism · 12/02/2024 · 53mApple Podcasts Neon Liberalism can be heard on Spotify, on
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Neon Liberalism #2: Trans Issues and Gender Relations
Join hosts Samantha and Jason plus guest Sophia Hottel as they discuss Capitol Hill bathrooms, the patriarchal bargain, and how trans issues have become the bleeding edge of the crisis in gender relations worldwide. Trans Issues and Gender RelationsPodcast Episode · Neon Liberalism · 11/25/2024 · 46mApple Podcasts Neon Liberalism can
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Neon Liberalism #1: What Just Happened?
Samantha and Jason dissect and reject several popular theories of why Kamala Harris lost the 2024 U.S. Presidential election. They also speculate about what to expect from the next Donald Trump administration: tariffs, mass deportation, and Gorilla Channel Governance. What Just Happened?Podcast Episode · Neon Liberalism · 11/19/2024