Call It Like I See It

Pushing her Republican colleagues to prioritize democratic principles over partisan agendas has made Liz Cheney’s position in her party increasingly tenuous, so James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at Liz Cheney’s stand and discuss the seriousness of the threat to our American experiment (02:18).  The guys also consider whether some of the conveniences of technology are diminishing us as people (37:30).

LINKS (Pt. I)
Opinion: Liz Cheney: The GOP is at a turning point. History is watching us. (WaPo)

Larry Hogan: GOP turning into 'circular firing squad' over Trump loyalty (NBC News)

Liz Cheney Has Only Herself to Blame (The Atlantic)

LINKS (Pt. II)
How GPS Weakens Memory—and What We Can Do about It (Scientific American)

Since the 2020 election’s record voter turnout, there have been many efforts around the country to make it harder and more inconvenient to vote, so James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana, Rick Ellsley take a look at both who is pushing these efforts and why they appear to be doing so (01:35).  The guys also discuss whether the recent confirmation of a UFO by the U.S. government is being underplayed (39:51).

The Truth About Georgia’s Voter Law (The Atlantic)

Florida Legislature passes elections bill that adds restrictions to voting (CNN)

Republicans Say They Care About Election Fraud. Here’s How They Could Actually Prevent It. (538)

G.O.P. Seeks to Empower Poll Watchers, Raising Intimidation Worries (NY Times)

Pentagon confirms UFO video is real, taken by Navy pilot (CNN)

The murder conviction of a former Minneapolis police officer is proof that holding police officers accountable for misconduct is possible in the U.S., so James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider how society has changed over the last year and how it still needs to change moving forward (01:41).  The guys also weigh in on some recent analysis into the kinds of factors which make our brains tend to embrace conspiracy theory thinking (42:03).

Chauvin’s Conviction Is the Exception That Proves the Rule (The Atlantic)

Why A Guilty Verdict For Derek Chauvin Doesn’t Change The Reality Of Police Violence (538)

The Derek Chauvin guilty verdict is a huge outlier (Vox)

Opinion: After George Floyd's Death, A Press Release Obscured A Police Murder (NPR)

Here's what the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would do (NBC News)

How You've Been Conditioned to Love Conspiracy Theories (Popular Mechanics)

Reportedly over 100,000 migrants per month have been encountered in consecutive months at the U.S. southern border, so James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider the implications of this scale of activity from a historical, humanitarian, and political perspective (01:16).  The guys also take a look at an essay and related research which lays out why the common the human brain as a computer analogy is misguided (37:06).

9 questions about the humanitarian crisis on the border, answered (Vox)

The Situation at the U.S.-Mexico Border Can't Be 'Solved' Without Acknowledging Its Origins (Time)

Biden admin secures agreements with Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala to secure borders, official says (CNN)

There’s an Immigration Crisis, But It’s Not the One You Think (Politico)

The empty brain (Aeon.co)

The Biden Administration’s infrastructure proposal is quite ambitious, and James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss both the timing of it and the approach being taken to improve the nation’s infrastructure and increase the nation’s potential (01:23).  The guys also take a look at the US National Intelligence Council’s recent Global Trends report and the types of challenges facing the world in the near future (31:56).

Here's what's in Biden's infrastructure proposal (CNN)

With His Legacy In Mind, Biden Seeks U.S. Transformation With Infrastructure Plan (NPR)

Biden wants to go big on infrastructure. History says that’s the right call. (WaPo)

Biden to meet Monday with bipartisan lawmakers about infrastructure (The Hill)

U.S. Intelligence Report Warns of Global Consequences of Social Fragmentation (NY Times)

The global future is looking dark and stormy (Axios)

Global Trends 2040 pdf (DNI.gov)

Seeing the strikingly fast development and roll out of the COVID-19 vaccines, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the new mRNA technology that is driving two of the vaccines and also at some of the skepticism of the vaccines amongst the public (01:13).  The guys also discuss some recent research into how different parenting styles may predispose people to falling into certain traps as adults (44:36).

How mRNA Technology Could Change the World (The Atlantic)

Few Facts, Millions Of Clicks: Fearmongering Vaccine Stories Go Viral Online (NPR)

What Parenting Styles Set Kids Up for Emotional Abuse? (Psychology Today)

Alarmed by the U.S. Intelligence Community recently released a declassified assessment of foreign threats to the 2020 U.S. election, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss whether the significance of the escalating efforts to undermine our democracy from abroad, often with assistance from domestic actors, is being underplayed (01:30).  The guys also take a look at the fight over whether transgender women should be able to compete in women’s sports (36:08).

Intelligence Community Assessment on Foreign Threats to the 2020 U.S. Federal Elections (DNI.gov)

US intelligence: Russia tried to help, and Iran tried to hurt, Trump’s 2020 reelection (Vox)

A New Report Adds Evidence That Trump Was a Russian Asset (Slate)

Russia and Iran tried to interfere with 2020 election, U.S. intelligence agencies say (CNBC)

Banning trans women from sports is not about fairness — it's about transphobia (Mic)

It has been observed that political interactions have increased in intensity as markers of religious faith have declined, so James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at how religious and political approaches to interacting with others can differ and affect outcomes (02:00).  The guys also discuss a recent push to improve civics education in schools (40:10).

America Without God (The Atlantic)

Massive investment in social studies and civics education proposed to address eroding trust in democratic institutions (WaPo)

A third stimulus has been signed into law in the United States, so James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider what it appears to be trying to accomplish and the political strategies around its passage (01:32).  The guys also take a look at daylight savings time around the U.S. and wonder who will step up to save daylight all year round (36:21).

60% of Republicans Support Biden's $1.9 Trillion Stimulus: Poll (Newsweek)

Broad Public Support for Coronavirus Aid Package; Just a Third Say It Spends Too Much (Pew)

Covid stimulus bill passes as Republicans use cancel culture to hide their obstruction (NBC News)

Why Republicans Don’t Fear An Electoral Backlash For Opposing Really Popular Parts Of Biden’s Agenda (538)

Daylight saving time begins Sunday: 8 things to know about “springing forward” (Vox)

With Black Lives Matter establishing itself as a potent fundraiser, and local activists beginning to question its use of funds and demand financial support, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the organization’s growth and successes as well as some challenges it may face moving forward on its current trajectory (01:12).  The guys also take a look at some research experiments where scientists were able to have two way communication with people who were sleep (36:52).

Ferguson activists demand $20 million from Black Lives Matter (Fox News)

Michael Brown’s father, Ferguson activists request $20 million from Black Lives Matter (Revolt)

BLM Responds to Demand From Mike Brown Sr. and Ferguson Organizer for $20 Million to the Site of 2014 Uprisings (The Root)

Killings by Police Declined after Black Lives Matter Protests (Scientific American)

Scientists Talked To People In Their Dreams. They Answered (NPR)