Current Affairs

An excerpt from today's bonus episode, available in full to our Patreon patrons, in which Current Affairs Editor-in-Chief Nathan J. Robinson and contributing editor Briahna Joy Gray discuss the unending stream of lies told by Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation process.

Read Brie's Intercept article on the subject here and Nathan's Current Affairs article on the subject here. Read Nathan's earlier piece on Kavanaugh's judicial record here.

To listen to this episode — and gain access to our patrons' "Bird Feed" — consider becoming a monthly patron at our Patreon page. Call into Current Affairs anytime at (504) 867-8851.

In an episode-long special, Current Affairs social media editor Vanessa A. Bee and amusements editor Lyta Gold launch their new investigative journalism podcast, "Uncovering the Unspeakable," on our sister network, Concurrent Affairs. Their pilot episode: uncovering the curious case of Brett Kavanaugh's patriarchiitis.

The Current Affairs in-house counsel tells us we must share that this is mostly satire. However, we would like to add that all facts about Brett Kavanaugh in this episode are drawn from publicly-available news sources.

For our very-real investigations in Brett Kavanaugh, see editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson's exploration of Kavanaugh's unceasing stream of lies.

Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron on our Patreon page. For the written form of Current Affairs — and to subscribe to the beautiful print magazine — visit: CurrentAffairs.org. To join the conversation, leave us a voicemail at 504-867-8851.

An excerpt from today's bonus episode, available in full to our Patreon patrons, in which legal editor Oren Nimni and senior editor Brianna Rennix talk about the Central American refugee crisis. Brianna is an attorney for asylum seekers on the southern border and Oren just traveled to Central America to see first-hand the effects of the Trump administration’s horrific anti-immigrant, anti-refugee policies. The two share what they have learned from their work and travels about the larger context of the refugee crisis you have been hearing about in the news.

Donate to Brianna's organization, the CARA Pro Bono Project here.

Many thanks to Dan Thorn and Anna Lathrop (@annaaybaci on Insta) for editing help on the episode.

To listen to this episode — and gain access to our patrons' "Bird Feed" — consider becoming a monthly patron at our Patreon page. Call into Current Affairs anytime at (504) 867-8851.

The Current Affairs panel discusses whether the political is personal, Nathan waxes poetic about Wikipedia, and we all share something that is trending in the right direction.

The Panel:

Further reading on Wikipedia:

Here's more on Wikipedia's government structure. Here's The Guardian waxing poetic about Wikipedia. Here's a relatively recent profile of Jimmy Wales. Here's the Wikipedia page on gender bias on the site. Here's a group working to increase black representation among Wikipedia's articles and editors.

Many thanks to Dan Thorn for editing help.

Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron on our Patreon page. For the written form of Current Affairs — and to subscribe to the beautiful print magazine — visit: CurrentAffairs.org. To join the conversation, leave us a voicemail at 504-867-8851.

BBC radio used to have a show, Room 101, in which celebrities came on and discussed their pet gripes, trying to convince the host to consign the object of their gripes to the titular Room 101... the punishment room from George Orwell’s 1984. In today's bonus episode, available in full to our Patreon patrons, legal editor Oren Nimni and editor in chief Nathan J. Robinson recreate the show, sharing their loathing for a famous lawyer, a classic book, a gummy bear brand, a social media platform, a famous Leftist, a genre of movies, a mode of transportation, a major city, and... garnishes. We present an excerpt here.

To listen to this episode — and gain access to our patrons' "Bird Feed" — consider becoming a monthly patron at our Patreon page. Call into Current Affairs anytime at (504) 867-8851.

An excerpt from today's bonus episode, available in full to our Patreon patrons, in which, continuing the conversation from Episode 9, social media editor Vanessa A. Bee talks tackling monopoly power with modern day trust busters Lina Khan and Sandeep Vaheesan.

Read Vanessa's recent piece on the modern day anti-monopoly movement here. Follow Lina here and Sandeep here.

Many thanks to @spaventacular for editing help on the episode.

To listen to this episode — and gain access to our patrons' "Bird Feed" — consider becoming a monthly patron at our Patreon page. Call into Current Affairs anytime at (504) 867-8851.

A Current Affairs megapanel opens up the Current Affairs voicemailbag again to answer listener questions on topics ranging from separation of powers to policy prioritization to workplace democracy to the lack of a recent Chomsky drop...and more.

The Panel:

Miscellany:

Nathan's prison abolition article is here. Brianna's open borders essay is here. Brie's race reductionism essay is here.

Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron on our Patreon page. For the written form of Current Affairs — and to subscribe to the beautiful print magazine — visit: Current Affairs.org. To join the conversation, leave us a voicemail at 504-867-8851.

An excerpt from today's bonus episode, available in full to our Patreon patrons, in which, just in time for the beginning of the season, amusements editor Lyta Gold and legal editor Oren Nimni discuss all things football: its labor politics, its racial politics, and why (according to Lyta) it is the masculine version of drag.

To listen to this episode — and gain access to our patrons' "Bird Feed" — consider becoming a monthly patron at our Patreon page. Call into Current Affairs anytime at (504) 867-8851.

Special thanks to Caitlin Reilly for editing help. You can follow her @reilly_cait on Twitter.

An excerpt from today's bonus episode, available in full to our Patreon patrons, in which Current Affairs finance editor Sparky Abraham and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson discuss John Carreyrou's recent book about the Theranos scandal, Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup. Discussed: why you should be skeptical of prestige (and allegedly liberal lawyers); the importance of good investigative journalism; Silicon Valley boosterism; the cult of Steve Jobs; and more.

To listen to this episode — and gain access to our patrons' "Bird Feed" — consider becoming a monthly patron at our Patreon page. Call into Current Affairs anytime at (504) 867-8851.

Thanks to Anna Lathrop (design work on Instagram @annaaybaci) for editing support.

The People's Policy Project's Matt Bruenig enters the Lefty Shark Tank to pitch a social wealth fund and modern day trustbusters Lina Khan and Sandeep Vaheesan stop by to explain antitrust. (Plus, in between, the debut of the official Current Affairs Ben Shapiro diss track).

Read the People's Policy Projects full report on social wealth funds here. Read Matt's pitch for one in the New York Times here.

Vanessa's recent article on monopoly is here. Lina's groundbreaking Yale Law Review article on Amazon is here. Sandeep on worker power and monopoly is here. Barry Lynn's monopoly primer is here. Lina and Sandeep are out of the Open Markets Institute.

Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron on our Patreon page. For the written form of Current Affairs — and to subscribe to the beautiful print magazine — visit: CurrentAffairs.org. To join the conversation, leave us a voicemail at 504-867-8851.