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Here's Episode 116 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast!

00:00-16:00: Dems Acting Like "Maga-Dems"

The first segment features Pat Johnston sharing his thoughts on both Michigan and national Democrats running as "MAGA" Democrats, and how detrimental that will be to a Democratic Party struggling to attract new voters. It'll be difficult for Democrats to differentiate from MAGA Republicans if they adopt MAGA policies. Pat points-out how three Michigan Democrats are jumping aboard a MAGA deportation bill, and how joining Republicans will further anger those voters they told Republicans and Trump were an existential threat to our country. And Pat talks about how Michigan Democrats in Lansing failed to pass important progressive bills, like affordable water, polluter pay, and government transparency, but they did pass a massive corporate handout to Big Tech for data centers.

16:01-43:58: Guest--Jennifer Schulze on Big Tech's Power Grab

The second segment features a discussion between Pat and Jennifer Schulze on Big Tech's power grab in government, and whether or not the media is set-up to cover this merger between the Big Tech Bros and the incoming Trump Administration. They discuss her Heartland Signal article, "Welcome To The United States of Elon," in which Ms. Schulze writes how Musk has bought Trump and the Republicans, and she's unsure if today's mainstream media is ready to take a strong stance in covering this reality.

Click here for a complete archive of Jennifer Schulze's writings on the Heartland Signal.

Click here to visit Jennifer's Substack "Indistinct Chatter."

43:59-49:52: Last Call--The New Robber Baron Age

In this week's "Last Call," Pat explains how Mark Zuckerberg's announcement to turn Facebook into Musk's Twitter simply illustrates how all of these Tech Bros are sticking together. They are the New Age Robber Barons, and it's time for us to realize they are fighting for a stronger billionaire class while determined to hurt the working class.

51:00-52:18: Ending

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NOTES:

Elon Musk Picture: "Elon Musk at the 2016 Tesla Annual Shareholders' Meeting" by jurvetson is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

"What They Always Wanted: Zuckerberg, Trump, and the New Normal." By Jared Yates Sexton in Dispatches From a Collapsing State.

"House passes Laken Riley Act, which heads to Senate with increasing Democratic support." By Fernando Cervantes, Jr. of USA Today

House Vote of Lakin Riley Act (Michigan Reps.).

"Rhetoric versus reality: Addressing common misconceptions about immigration." By Gloria Rebecca Gomez of The Arizona Mirror via Michigan Advance