The Politics of Fear in American History
The precedents for the violence and overt use of state power we are now experiencing can be found in the 1910s and 1920s rather than the 1930s and 1940s.
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Half the Answer #41: Andy Ngo and the Portland Mythology
Caitlin and Trent speak with Jared Holt and Michael Edison Hayden about the infamous right-wing "busybody journalist" Andy Ngo, his work demonizing Muslim immigrants in grad school, and his transition to online political influencer and professional victim with "The Post Millennial" as its editor-at-large. Half the
The Second Vanishing of Hazel Scott
As the Trump administration seeks to erase the history of Black achievements, we must ensure that figures like Hazel Scott are not forgotten.
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Half the Answer #40: Palestine in Context: The New Israel-Palestine Deal
Trent and Caitlin are joined by Layla al-Sheikh to discuss that Israel deal and the history of past proposals and solutions. Half the Answer can be heard on Spotify, on Apple, on YouTube, on Amazon, and elsewhere via its RSS feed. Resources: Current updates https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/
neonliberalism
Neon Liberalism #47: Liberalism 101: Liberalism and Limited Government
If you remember anything from high school civics, it's the phrases "separation of powers" and "checks and balances." That separation and those checks are under the greatest attack we've seen in our lifetimes. But why does that matter? How does it affect
Billionaires Are Hoarding Power, Not Money
Billionaire money has become a source of wildly distorted political power that allows a few men with extremist views to wreak havoc on the rest of us.
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Half the Answer #39: What Is Antifa, and How Do You Catch a Fascist?
Christopher Mathias, author of "To Catch a Fascist," speaks to Caitlin and Trent about the events of 2020, clashes between violent fascist clubs and "community defense" groups. They discuss misconceptions about what "antifa" is and what kinds of activities they are engaged in, the
All In Our Heads: On Losing Our Democracy and Life Beyond Our Imaginations
Our language has to meet the moment, and we have to be relentless about dispelling the fiction MAGA is selling.
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Half the Answer #38: Mass Shootings, MedBeds, Media Mistakes and Misconceptions
Trent and Caitlin talk with journalist Jacqueline Sweet about how violence is framed in media as political, the rush to score points for one side or the other, inconsistent standards for free speech and freedom of the press, and the scammy nature of our president and his public statements. Half
oppositionreport
The Opposition Report #6
Charlie Kirk, the shutdown, mass deportation and militarization, and more.
neonliberalism
Neon Liberalism #46: Liberalism 101: Liberalism and Toleration
Samantha and Lucian Staiano-Daniels, author of "The War People," discuss the connection between liberalism and toleration and the dark history of religious civil war. How did the European Wars of Religion give birth to our concept of toleration? And is this history enough reason today to embrace toleration?
Democrats Must Embrace War Mindset
We have exited a long period of peace and entered into a struggle not unlike war, in which all the old certainties have gone malleable and the future of the republic is at stake.