Dirty Moderate with Adam Epstein

"Flesh is interesting. it comes in different sizes and colors and shapes but the bones are the things that bind us and hold us up and also what is left of us when we are gone. Happy to have the flesh be part of the culture, I want the politics to focus on the bones because that’s the only place that you get a sense of common human dignity and common human rights." -Susan Neiman

“Susan Neiman’s profound wisdom, courage and vision give us a public conception of goodness and a reinvigorated progressive vision. She is a beacon of light and hope in these morally debased times.” -Cornel West

Woke. 

If there is one word that can embody and define so much of what is right and wrong here in America, while mapping out the journey in between, its Woke.

Weapon for the right; as in Ron DeSantis’s lovely “Stop Woke” Act, philosophical (or actual) tattoo alongside the butterflies and infinity symbols for the left, this multi layered word that started out as a way to describe being a non-racist, empathetic, aware and grown ass human (and a lyric in an amazing song) has become much larger and more powerful than it’s mere 4 letters would lead you to believe. (We see you “fuck”) In this episode, Adam sits down with American philosopher, writer, and director of the Einstein Institute, Susan Neiman, author of Left is Not Woke

Susan has written extensively on the Enlightenment, moral philosophy, metaphysics, and politics. Her work shows that philosophy is a living force for contemporary thinking and action. An adept philosopher and public intellectual who has taught at Yale and Tel Aviv University, she has been a member of the Institute for Advanced Study and this is the latest of her nine books. Her upbringing in Atlanta during the Civil Rights Movement sealed her identity on the left. She has lived for years in Berlin, where she lectures and serves as the director of the Einstein Forum.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, during the Civil Rights Movement, Neiman dropped out of high school to join American activists working for peace and justice. Later she studied philosophy at Harvard University, earning her Ph.D. in 1986 under the direction of John Rawls and Stanley Cavell. In the 80s she spent six years in Berlin, studying at the Free University and working as a freelance writer. She was professor of philosophy at Yale and Tel Aviv University. In 2000 she assumed her current position as director of the Einstein Forum in Potsdam.

Links you are going to want after listening to this incredible episode: 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/07/opinion/black-dancer-american-ballet-theater.html

Amanda Gorman 

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/foucault/

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/schmitt/

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As former Democrats with some Republican leanings, we no longer swear allegiance to any party. We find ourselves out in this new wild west of a middle, carving out a lane for the growing number of Americans who are leaning, even if ever so gently, into identifying as independents. It's not where many of us are comfortable. Not having the ability to say we are a D or R can be disconcerting for multiple generations whose core decision making was perhaps an easy sequence of ticks down a long line of candidates simply based on their party affiliation. No longer can we rely on either party to  consistently put country first, to go "off script", or even to fight for the citizens who elected them instead of holding the party line. 

We emphatically agree that this is uncomfortable and in some cases, really frightening. We are not politically homeless by choice, but rather by necessity.

As a podcast, we showcase the people who cut through the nails on a chalkboard din of the modern-day American political scene by promoting rigorous analysis and lively debate with individuals on both sides of the aisle and beyond.  Full disclosure, we champion many of the things that make the hard right cringe like clean energy, LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, racial and religious freedom, and other basic human dignities, while also having zero tolerance for "the squad" and the reverberating drivel and deaf displays of the hard left. 

It's complicated. It's nuanced. It's America right now.

All that being said?  Fuck Trump. Forever and always, fuck that grifter. MAGA is a minority of the country, yet they represent the  greatest threat to our democracy.  As an independent voter who puts country first, I can 100% say he and his band of crazed loonies are not the answer. Disagreement is healthy in a democracy. But MAGA are American arsonists. It’s America or Trumpism; you can’t have both.

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Is a wealthy black kid from an upper income household more disadvantaged than a Bangladeshi immigrant’s kid whose parents work multiple jobs to stay afloat? That’s the conundrum in using race as a factor in college admissions, especially in an increasingly multi ethnic society. 

In a 6-3 SCOTUS decision, the court on Thursday ruled that Harvard and the University of North Carolina race-conscious admissions programs were unlawful, striking down nearly 50 years of jurisprudence on affirmative action in higher education.

Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John G. Roberts argued: 

“The Harvard and U.N.C. admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause. Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping and lack meaningful end points. We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today.”

Is this a setback for racial justice? Or is this a case of identity politics devouring itself where racial remedies benefit some historically disadvantaged groups at the expense of others?

The debate continues, even as this seismic shift in the law portends greater and arguably more consequential policies for dealing with America’s original sin.

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Chris Christie is the big mouthed public servant we’ve all been waiting for.

And yes, that’s a compliment.

Since entering the 2024 GOP presidential fray, Christie has been unsparing and relentless in his attacks on Trump. Yes, he should have done it sooner, and, no ,he should have never cozied up to the former president. But Christie’s tenure as a take no prisoners GOP governor of deep blue New Jersey has prepared him for this moment. Christie is willing to do two essential things: take it to Trump and save the Republican Party from itself. In other words, he’s willing to tell the truth.

Frank Bruni at the New York Times shared similar sentiments and wrote about them this week in a must read essay for The New York Times. Click here

Keep an eye on the Dirty Moderate Nation, as we have so much coming that we cannot wait to share with you! As always, Stay Dirty, Stay Moderate, and Stay Safe.

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"A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed."

As the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia once wrote, "Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited." The Founding Fathers, if they could have foreseen the terror of today, would surely have revised the Second Amendment. But here we are. How does a modern society balance the right to bear arms and protect its citizens-especially its innocent children-from the small yet murderous and sick percentage of individuals using guns in the most abhorrent ways? Enter this episode’s guest, Matthew Littman of 97Percent. Their mission is to reduce gun-related deaths in America by changing the conversation around gun safety to include gun owners, conducting original research to identify common ground, and leveraging technology to make our communities safer. They feel strongly that gun safety is not about guns, it’s about people. Do you agree? Give the episode a listen and share your thoughts in the comments.

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There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity. You can smell it. It smells like death.” -Harvey "Big Daddy"Pollitt in Tennessee Williams' brilliant Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Important reminder: Trump could have returned the documents when asked
( they aren't his, they belong to 'we the people,') rather than defying subpoenas and leaving. The FBI no choice but to execute a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago. His refusal to cooperate was his undoing. Let us know what you think about it in the comments. Agree, disagree, we welcome all dialogues and opinions and would love to hear your thoughts!

Stay Dirty. Stay Moderate. Stay Safe.

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The man charged in the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history is currently on trial for the heinous act of shooting to death 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue simply because they were Jews. Adam has a lot to say on the subject and the myriad political agendas attached like gun control, the death penalty, Trump's nauseating validation and encouragement of radical and fascist behaviors, and how mass shootings have to some degree become just another headline, or at the very least, unsurprising.

Don’t miss Adam’s interview with Matt Littman of https://www.97percent.us/ dropping this Friday where they talk about the refreshing combination of championing the right to bears arms and laws to keep America safe.

Peace and strength to the victims families.

Joyce Fienberg, 75

Richard Gottfried, 65

Rose Mallinger, 97

Jerry Rabinowitz, 66

Cecil, 59 & David Rosenthal, 54

Bernice, 84 & Sylvan Simon, 86

Daniel Stein, 71

Melvin Wax, 88

Irving Younger, 69

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The fear, loathing and bigotry of Ron DeSantis’s culture war against the LGBTQ community has sparked a national debate, and for many on the reactionary right, a national reckoning. But an entirely different narrative is emerging in the form of resistance: Even parents in deep red Hernando County, FL ( north of Tampa ,) are rising up and declaring that they’ve had enough, as a recent contentious school board meeting attests. And as Pride month 2023  begins, there are glimmers of hope that acceptance and love may yet win the day. Happy Pride!

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Happy Memorial Day to all. May we all honor and remember those who have served to protect this beautiful experiment we call democracy. Thank you to our servicemen and women, and the families who keep things going in their absence. We salute YOU. 

Ron DeSantis on the other hand is a dangerous pudding eater, who has unsurprisingly (and in poor form really) declared himself a candidate for the presidency of these United States. Hang on to your uteruses folks, because this is going to be a bumpy ride…

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For many Americans, President Gerald Ford was the genial accident of history who controversially pardoned his Watergate-tarnished predecessor, presided over the fall of Saigon, and became a punching bag on Saturday Night Live. Yet our revered guest nationally recognized authority on the American presidency, a familiar face to viewers of C-SPAN (our nerd tv mecca) and an absolute national treasure, Historian and Author, Richard Norton Smith reveals in his incredible new book Ordinary Man, An: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford that with a proper look, Ford was underrated and full of surprises. 

Richard was a joy to spend time with, and his knowledge and understanding of the presidency seems boundless, like if we sat for 10 more episodes, we would barely scratch the surface. His latest book is an incredible study of an underrated leader whose tough decisions and personal decency look better with the passage of time. I couldn’t put it down, and made this interview happen based on being so very taken with this book and its fine author. 

As I gear up to devour the rest of Richards books, you can catch up and enjoy not only this very special episode, but please read his absolutely gorgeous eulogy at President Ford’s funeral as well.  https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/grf/funeral/smith.asp

If only we had a Gerald Ford to choose from instead of the buffoon parade currently positioning for 2024…

https://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Man-Surprising-Historic-Presidency/dp/0062684167/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1676660761&sr=1-1

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