Fault Lines

On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Shane Stranahan talked about the news of the day as well as topics including modern monetary theory, the Democratic National Convention, and Roger Stone.


GUESTS


Steve Grumbine - Political, Economic and Social Justice Activist, Founder of Real Progressives and Real Progress in Action | Biden and Betrayal


Demitrius Minor - Minister, Political and Cultural Commentator, Author | A Pastor on Politics & Protests


Randy Credico- Political Satirist, Civil Rights Activist, Prankster | Randy Rips Roger


In Jamarl's first hour monologue, he criticized Biden for using his deceased son to garner support for a healthcare plan that is not Medicare For All. He said the Democrats are moving right, betraying the real left.


Then Shane and Jamarl talked to modern monetary theory expert Steve Grumbine, who began by saying that he thinks alternative currencies such as bitcoin are less currencies and more commodities. Then the conversation turned to how the Democrats are managing Joe Biden in 2020, and Steve agreed with Jamarl that not running on a strong Medicare For All policy platform is unsatisfactory and said that as a voter, not just a policy person, he finds the notion that the Democrats are the only alternative for progressives to be offensive. Then they discussed modern monetary theory and Steve said that a lot of people have misconceptions about the way money works in his opinion and that when the government approves a spending policy, it prints the money to cover that spending, which creates value in the marketplace.


In the second hour, they were joined by Demetrius Minor, who said that even as someone who is broadly on the right, he found the Democratic National Convention more compelling than the Republicans’, saying that he did not think the conventions would really move the needle either way for anybody but the hard-core political junkie. He expanded on that to say that he found Donald Trump's speech to be too long. Demetrius said that as a minister, he thinks neither side of the political aisle is doing a good job bringing the country together about the nationwide protests, and he feels that both Donald Trump and Joe Biden are incapable of taking the biblical advice to be quick to listen and slow to speak. 


In the third hour, the hosts were joined by Randy Credico. Jamarl said he didn't like the way that previous guests had been. Randy said he was lied about and he felt like a fall guy. Randy said Roger Stone's accusation that he had impersonated Roger was false and said that Stone had no connection to Wikileaks and that Randy considers Stone to be a showboater. He also said that filmmaker David Lugo slandered him. Randy discussed the history of his relationship with Roger Stone, and he said Stone supported Randy when he ran as a Libertarian candidate for Senate and said that they got along for the most part personally. Randy also discussed the Black Lives Matter protests and Randy said people have had enough.

On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Shane Stranahan talked about the news of the day and issues ranging from the protests and violence in Portland and Washington, DC, to Russia’s response to COVID-19 to Christianity in politics.


GUESTS


Mark Sleboda - International Relations & Security Analyst | COVID-19 Protests in Germany


Adam Eidinger - Activist and Organizer in the Fight to Legalize Cannabis | Protests, Brutality & Mushroom Advocacy


Carmine Sabia - Writer & Editor at Large at SabiaReport.com | Kamala & the Democrats


In Jamarl's first hour monologue, he objected to “voter shaming” that he sees coming from the Democrats and aimed at progressives.


The hosts talked to Mark Sleboda and discussed the recent protests in Germany by people who are opposed to mask lockdowns and other restrictions that the government in Germany has put into place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mark said that while most of the protesters were on the right, there were also some protesters from the LGBTQ group and other traditionally left wing groups. Mark said that German politicians were outraged when the protesters stormed the German parliament and discussed some of Germany's history with parliamentarians. They also discussed the reaction to COVID-19 restrictions in Russia, and Mark said that although he's been critical in the past of the Russian government’s response to the pandemic, recently Putin experienced lower numbers in part due to his handling of the crisis. They also discussed the reaction in Russia to the recent confrontation between the United States and Russian troops in Syria.


In the second hour, the hosts were joined by Adam Eidinger, who talked about his experience protesting in Washington, DC, recently and decried what he sees as police brutality. Adam says he believes that Donald Trump is the root of most of these problems and praised the Democrats for a more even-headed response. Adam highlighted his personal experience, including an injury he suffered, and compared his reaction to it to protests because of the way the Obama administration treated protesters. He also discussed the possible legalization of psychedelic mushrooms in some states and criticized the lack of a federal policy on marijuana legalization that has resulted in higher prices, he says, because restrictions are in place that don't allow for outdoor cultivation in urban areas.


In the third hour, Shane and Jamal talked to Carmine Sabia and started the discussion by asking whether Christians can be conservative. Carmine said he thinks that no Christian could support what the Democrats are supporting nowadays, including protests and riots, and discussed what he sees as Jesus's view on the role of government in man's life. Carmine rejected the idea that Jesus was a refugee, pointing out Mary and Joseph were refugees and that they had returned home to Bethlehem. They also discussed some of the work Carmine says is complete hypocrisy on behalf of Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi on the issue of abortion. Then they discussed the protest. Carmine took the view that the Kenosha shootings were done in self-defense.

On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Shane Stranahan discussed a variety of topics, from the unrest outside the White House to the unrest in Lebanon to the internet theories on COVID-19.


GUESTS


Laith Marouf - Award-winning Multimedia Producer, media policy/law consultant | Live From Beirut


Joel Segal - Former Congressional Staffer | Progressives Need to be Practical


Steve Malzberg - Veteran Political Commentator, host of Eat the Press airing on RT America Fridays 6:30 pm EST and Sundays 10:30am EST | GOP Convention


Siouxsie Wiles - Microbiologist at the University of Auckland | New Zealand and COVID-19


In Jamarl's first hour monologue, he castigated both the Democrat and Republican conventions. Then, Shane and Jamarl were joined by Laith Marouf who followed up on the recent explosion in Lebanon and the large spirit of demonstrations that followed it. Laith said it is clear to him that Western-aligned powers like the United States, France, and Saudi Arabia are pushing the demonstrations and publicizing them to achieve a result. He also gave a history of some of Lebanon's financial problems and how the country's finances and finance minister seem to have outside control. Laith said he views the current situation in Lebanon as a last resort for the Western Allied powers over in Syria, which he says is on its last legs, and so promoting chaos in Lebanon keeps it going.


In the second hour, Shane and Jamarl spoke to political vet Joel Segal who said that he thinks the energy of the Black Lives Matter movement’s needs trained leaders to be successful. Segal said that the Left shouldn’t make the mistake of the corporate media and promote the wrong leaders, and he talked about Martin Luther King and John Conyers as examples. Joel also said that not supporting Biden is self-defeating for the progressive left and said more people will benefit from a Biden-Harris administration, so progressives need to take over the Democratic Party and “phony activists” won’t help.


Then Shane and Jamarl spoke with Steve Malzberg. who said that just on the optics, the Republican convention was far superior to the Democratic convention and that on substance, the Republicans showed who Donald Trump really is beyond the Trump-hating media hype. Steve said that although he thought Trump’s speech could have been shorter and had more energy, he still expected to see a post-convention bump for Trump that Biden did not get. Steve also said he found it ridiculous to say that the Democratic Party is moving to the right.


In the third hour, the hosts talked to Siouxsie Wiles about New Zealand’s experience with COVID-19, going from 100 days without a single case due to strict measures to a recent cluster of cases in Auckland. They discussed the different alert levels in New Zealand. She also discussed the importance of providing financial support to people under lockdown restrictions. Siouxsie also expressed frustration about conspiracy theories about COVID-19, including the idea that “it’s just the flu” and her own experience being dragged into stories because of her former association with the Gates Foundation and explained the fallacies people believe about vaccines.

On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Shane Stranahan discussed a variety of topics, from climate change to Israel to a Marvel-ous economy.


GUESTS


Dr. Guy McPherson - Internationally Recognized Speaker, award-winning scientist, world’s leading authority on abrupt climate change | Climate Change Is Scary


Miko Peled - Human Rights Activist and Author of The General’s Son, Journey of an Israeli in Palestine and Injustice, The Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five | Israel is Bad


Mark Frost - Economist, professor, consultant, drummer, Eagle Scout, Marine, libertarian’ish | Scarcity, Profit and Thanos


In Jamarl's first hour monologue, he voiced his displeasure that Tucker Carlson gave an explanation for the 17-year-old that shot three people in Kenosha, killing two. Shane pushed back on Jamarl’s interpretation of Carlson’s comments.


Then the hosts talked to Dr. Guy McPherson, who said that events are happening once a decade and that he’s not surprised human beings are losing habitats, since a warmer planet is a wetter planet. They also discussed extra political scientific approaches to dealing with climate change, including the Mirrors Project, which he contrasted to other attempts that have been tried in Europe and elsewhere that have not been successful. Dr. McPherson also described how he opted out of the global economic system and moved off the grid for a period of time before deciding it was not an effective way to get his message out, stating that time is of the essence.


In the second hour, Shane and Jamarl spoke to Miko Peled about the situation of the Palestinians, who he says are under severe oppression by the state of Israel, which includes food, water, and power shortages. Miko discussed the recent headlines about the peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and how the media is using it to cover for the real nature of what’s going on. Miko discussed his background as the son of an Israeli general in a patriotic Israeli household and talked about his journey from that background to being an anti-Israeli activist. They also talked about Mike Pompeo’s RNC speech and how it was aimed at a Republican evangelical base, and he described Trump’s popularity in Israel. Miko said the only solution for peace in the region is real one-man-one-vote democracy,


In the third hour, the hosts talked to Mark Frost who said that he is a recovering libertarian and expressed a general disappointment in politicians across the board, although he said he is planning to vote for President Trump in the 2020 election. Given that, he said some might find it surprising that the Republican convention bothered him more than the Democrat one because as an atheist he felt the Republicans were too focused on God, when all he is interested in is how the party in power will use that power. Marc talked about how war creates significant economic problems because the cost of war is generally kicked to the next generation. They discussed Malthusian economics and its relationship to the Marvel universe before a discussion about love, scarcity of resources, and profit motive.

On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Shane Stranahan discussed the news of the day and subjects like the Republican National Convention, the violent riots in Kenosha, COVID-19 facts, and Artificial Intelligence.


GUESTS


Dr. Mikhail Kogan - Medical Director at the George Washington Center for Integrative Medicine | Latest Developments on COVID-19


Elbert Guillory - Attorney, political activist, former member of both the Louisiana state Senate and Louisiana House of Representatives | Kenosha and the DNC


Ben Swann - Award-winning Television News Anchor, investigative journalist, and host on Boom Bust airing weekdays on RT America | Protests and COVID-19 Cures



In Jamarl's first hour monologue, he expressed disgust with Black Lives Matter activists who attempted to force a woman dining in Washington, DC, to raise her fist.


Then the hosts talked to Dr. Kohan about the recent cases of reinfection of COVID-19, and he said it’s consistent with a new study that shows antibodies don’t seem to last after a mild case and this may show that vaccines might not be effective. Dr. Kogan also talked about the issue of schools opening and said new data has come out showing transmission rates for young people are similar to rates for older people and said it may be time to admit mistakes were made in places like Florida and Alabama and reverse course in order to avert a potential disaster.


In the second hour, Shane and Jamarl talked to civil rights movement vet Elbert Guillory about the Jacob Blake shooting and Kenosha riots, and he said that Blake bears some responsibility for the shooting and that in this nation, children need to be taught to obey police on the streets and not to burn the country to the ground. Then they discussed the political conventions, and Guillory said that as a former Democrat he didn’t enjoy the DNC, which he found to be too anti-American, and he also said the Republican convention has impressed him so far, citing the speech by Nick Sandmann as an example. Guillory also bluntly listed Joe Biden’s flaws as a candidate.


In the third hour, Shane and Jamarl discussed Kenosha and the #BlackLivesMatter protests with Ben Swann, who said he’s concerned that the violence and looting are overtaking any legitimate message the movement has, and he thinks people aren’t looking at the issue of how police funding is related to the police being a revenue source through fines. Ben said he thinks the waters have been muddied about Hydroxychloroquine, and he also said he’s concerned that low cost treatments for coronavirus aren’t being pursued due to the influence of Big Pharma. Ben also pointed out that two of the major studies on Hydroxychloroquine were retracted.

On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Shane Stranahan discussed a variety of issues, from speeches at the Republican National Convention to the situation in Syria to the fiery riots in Kenosha.


GUESTS

Maram Susli - Political

Commentator and Geopolitical Analyst | Aggression Against Syria Continues


Jacqueline Luqman - Cohost of By Any Means Necessary, Cofounder of Luqman Nation | Kenosha Riots Are Justified


Mike Partyka - creator of the series The Black Lives Matter Riots and the Left's Moral Blindness on YouTube | Kenosha Riots Are Not Justified


Richard D. Wolff - Professor of Economics Emeritus, University of Massachusetts, Amherst | How the USA Should Have Dealt With COVID-19


In Jamarl's first hour monologue, he talked about his feelings of betrayal by both political parties who he says put rhetoric over policy.


Then the hosts were joined by Maram Susli, who discussed the current situation in Syria and the pressure being put on that country by both the United States and US allies the Kurds. Maram also talked about the economic situation in Syria and shared that, although exports have been cut sharply in the past year and the situation has gotten worse due to the explosion in Beirut Lebanon recently, the Syrian economy also has a self-sustaining aspect to it which is kept it afloat during hard times, including internal production of not just food but also things like medicine. They also discussed where the current situation in Syria seems to be headed.


In the second hour, Shane and Jamarl got two views on the arson, looting, and riots going on in Kenosha, Wisconsin, after the shooting injury to a man reaching into his car who was disobeying police orders to stop. First they spoke to Jacqueline Luqman, who said that, although the shooting victim may not have been the most savory character, the more important issue is black people's feelings about stories of police mistreatment. She compared the situation in the United States to that of the Founding Fathers who felt that they were victims of injustice from the British and said that many African-Americans felt like they were in a pressure cooker. She said that arson, vandalism, and looting in the name of uprisings were a natural outgrowth of those feelings.


Then they were joined by Mike Hardy who took a different view and talked about the specifics of the shooting of Jacob Blake. Mike says that based on the multiple video angles available he did not field at the police had any choice but to fire on Blake, even though his children were in the car. He said that there might push back on the idea that the riots are justified.


In the third hour, Jamarl and Shane were joined by Professor Richard Wolff who discussed the mistakes he saw made in the COVID-19 crisis in regards to the economy. Wolff said that both parties are suffering from a form of denialism and he believes what the United States should have done was to institute another program like the Great Depression's WPA program, where the government hired not only workers but also artists in order to stimulate the economy through government action. Wolff said he believes in “trickle up” stimuli. They also discussed the political realities of fighting for things such as a $15 an hour minimum wage.

On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Shane Stranahan discussed a variety of issues, from the upcoming Republican National Convention to the riots in Kenosha to whether the Democrats are a right wing party.


GUESTS


Stephen Lendman - Author and Geopolitical Analyst | Belarus Bullying


Chuck Zlatkin - Legislative and Political Director, New York Metro Area Postal Union | Trump Goes Postal


Garland Nixon - Sputnik Political Analyst and the Co-Host of The Critical Hour and Critical Hour Extended airing M-F from 6:00-8:00pm EST on Radio Sputnik | Both Political Parties Are Bad


Danny Sjursen - Retired U.S. Army Officer and Former History Instructor at West Point | The Democrats And War




In Jamarl's first hour monologue, he told the hard truth that progressives don’t like Rahm Emanuel after his statement that this is the year of the “Biden Republican.”


Then the hosts were joined by Steven Lemmen who discussed the situation in Belarus and said that it's clear to him that the United States and other Western powers are agitating to back Lukashenko's opponent. Steven said recent statements by the Russian foreign minister seem to indicate that they are hoping for a mediated settlement and he hoped for something along the lines of what happened in Crimea where there was an overwhelming reunification with the Russian federation.


In the second hour, they were joined by postal union leader Chuck Zlatkin and they discussed the ongoing battle between President Trump and the Democrats over the Postal Service. Chuck discussed his displeasure at the current postmaster general who was appointed by President Trump and described his view of the unique role of the Postal Service. Chuck told stories of heroism by postal workers getting out vital mail such as people’s prescriptions during incredibly trying circumstances, from Hurricane Katrina to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chuck said that the dedication by postal workers makes a nationwide postal strike unlikely, and they also discussed the history of the post office organization under Richard Nixon.


In the third hour, Shane and Jamarl were joined by Garland Nixon, who said that he believes there are no left-leaning parties and that the Democratic Party is a center right party, whereas the Republican party is firmly on the right. Garland also discussed the recent comments by Rahm Emanual as an example of why he thinks the Democratic Party has drifted to the right under the guise of a "big tent." They also discussed police shootings.


Then they were joined by Danny Sjursan, who said he was very critical of Donald Trump and feels it is important to be honest about Joe Biden and the Democrats. Danny argued that the democratic party is not an anti-war party, even though they have occasionally used ready to win elections and cited the example of Nancy Pelosi, who became Speaker of the House after Democrats were elected on an anti-Iraq war mandate and then saying she would not cut funds to the Iraq war. Danny also said that both political parties have anti-war wings that get suppressed and that anti-war street activism has proven to be effective politically. They also talked about the role of a professional military class in modern US foriegn policy.

On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Shane Stranahan discussed a variety of issues, from Joe Biden’s speech at the virtual DNC to the arrest of Steve Bannon to the economics of COVID-19 as it continues to hit the wallet of Americans.


GUESTS


Peter LaVelle - Host of CrossTalk on RT, American journalist | Are Both Political Parties Hopeless?


Lee Stranahan - Investigative Reporter, host of Populist.TV, director of Citizen Journalism School | Steve Bannon Arrest


Danny Haiphong - Contributor to the Black Agenda Report and Co-Author of American Exceptionalism and American Innocence: A People's History of Fake News | What Will It Take For the Left to Ditch the DNC?


Dr. Linwood Tauheed - Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City | Trump’s COVID-19 Executive Orders


In Jamarl's first hour monologue, he said that the Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, managed to meet the very low bar they set for his acceptance speech.


Then Shane and Jamarl were joined by Peter LaVelle, who discussed the Democratic Convention and agreed that while Joe Biden did not screw up his acceptance speech at the virtual DNC, it lacked any important substance. Peter said he expected no better from the Republican Convention coming up next week and that neither party seems to want to deliver on the populist promises that they make in order to get elected. LaVelle also pointed out his disappointment in Donald Trump for an inability to deliver on promises and said that he thinks both political parties in America are more accountable to the donor class than they are to the people.


In the second hour, the hosts were joined by investigative journalist Lee Stranahan, who discussed his relationship and that of other Breitbart reporters to Steve Bannon, who was arrested yesterday and faces fraud charges along with three others. Lee said that Bannon treated employees badly and also that his own personal politics seem inscrutable and tied more to the pursuit of money than any ideological position. He also gave details of the We Build the Wall project that is at the heart of Bannon's fraud indictment and said Bannon took over the project after it began making money.


Then the hosts were joined by Danny Haiphong, who said that as a leftist, he thinks it is time for the progressive and socialist left to abandon the dream that they are going to significantly change American politics through the Democrat party. Danny pointed out the Democrats go so far as to criticize people who belong to other parties, such as the Green Party, for not voting Democrat. Danny said real political change in America only comes through street action and that it's time for the left to reconsider its strategy.


Then in the third hour, Dr. Linwood Tauheed said that while he is not a Trump supporter, he believes that Trump’s announcement of executive orders to deal with Congressional inaction on economic issues caused by COVID-19 was a brilliant political move. He pointed out that since Trump announced a $300 / week extension with money from a FEMA fund, over half of US states have already signed up for it. They also discussed the irony of Trump’s older base opposing Social Security reform.

On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Shane Stranahan discussed a variety of issues from the prospects for a new nuclear power in the Middle East to the way different governments have responded to COVID-19 to Kamala Harris’s DNC appearance.


GUESTS


Bradley Blankenship - Prague-based American Journalist, political analyst, and freelance reporter | How Will Belarus Play Out?

Walter Smolarek - Sputnik News Analyst and Producer for Loud and Clear airing M-F from 4-6pm EST | Is China Helping Saudi Arabia Build Nukes?


Ben Swann - Award Winning Television News Anchor, investigative journalist, and a host on the program Boom Bust airing weekdays on RT America | COVID-19 Responses


Jamarl's first hour monologue expressed frustration that the Democrats' reliance on identity politics is not delivering better policy.


Then the hosts were joined by Bradley Blankenship, who discussed the situation in Belarus and said that he does not see Belarus as a direct equivalent to the overthrow of the Ukrainian government a few years ago. He said he sees more genuine grievances from the people in Belarus and believes that the situation will eventually result in some sort of mediation, not a direct overthrow of the government. Bradley said he also thinks the reason the United States and other Western governments want change in Belarus is very clear -- they want to privatize the country in order to strip its assets, which was done as well in Russia during the 1990s. He also talked about Mike Pompeo's inability to convince eastern European countries that China and Russia are a threat and said it shows the United States is no longer a monolith.


The second hour, the hosts were joined by Walter Smolarek, and they began by discussing reports that China is helping Saudi Arabia develop nuclear weapons, a story Walter thinks is far-fetched; however, he does think Saudi Arabia very well may be developing nuclear weapons. He discussed how the open secret that Israel has nuclear weapons has given it power in the region, including working in a block against the country of Iran.He also discussed the ongoing trade war between the United States and China and said that as China develops other markets around the world, they are not reliant simply on exports from the United States, and they are also responding to US sanctions with sanctions of their own, and he sees that heightening if the Trump administration continues to push anti-China policies.


In the third hour, Shane and Jamarl were joined by Ben Swann, and they discussed developments in the COVID-19 pandemic, including the fact that Sweden, which notably did not shut down its entire economy, has had plunging numbers whereas countries like Japan, which has imposed heavy lockdowns, sees its death toll rising. Ben said that the worst is yet to come, as many US companies have not downsized or laid off workers as much as they might in the future. He also said he thinks a one size fits all approach to COVID-19 is a mistake that is being made over and over again, and that people who are less vulnerable, such as younger people, should not be treated the same way as more vulnerable populations such as the elderly.

On today's episode of Fault Lines, hosts Shane Stranahan and Jamarl Thomas discussed issues ranging from the news of the day to Joe Biden officially receiving the Democratic Party’s nomination to the nature of Zionism to a detailed explanation of how the Magnitsky Act kicked off the Russiagate frenzy.

GUESTS

Ted Rall - Political Cartoonist & Syndicated Columnist | The Democrats Betrayed Progressives

Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro - Speaker & Author | Zionism and Judaism

Lucy Komisar - Investigative Journalist focusing on corporate and financial corruption | Russiagate Started With The Magnitsky Act

In Jamarl’s first hour monologue, he said he is done watching the Democratic convention because it is weird, hypocritical, and isn't addressing the issues he cares about. Then they were joined by progressive author and cartoonist Ted Rall, who likened Joe Biden to an inert gas, saying that since the Democrats are putting their hopes entirely on an anti-Trump agenda, Trump himself has become the active ingredient. Ted predicted the race would tighten heading towards election day.

In the second hour, the hosts were joined by Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro, who explained why he and other ultra -Orthodox Jews believe that Zionism and allegiance to the state of Israel is profoundly anti-Jewish. He discussed the early history of the Zionist movement and the loathing that its leaders had for Judaism and how for Zionists the modern state of Israel has explicitly replaced Judaism itself. He also explained how he believes the blurring of the lines in the media, which is trying to discuss Israel as a religious issue, is purposeful and designed to keep any solutions to the problems in the Middle East from happening.

In the third hour, the hosts were joined by investigative reporter Lucy Komisar, who did a deep dive into the connection between the Bill Browder story and Russiagate. Lucy said she considers Bill Browder and the Magnitsky Act to be the first pillar of Russiagate, even though the Magnitsky Act law was originally passed in 2012. She went over the history of tax evasion by Bill Browder that led to the Russian government expelling him and to the eventual arrest of his accountant, Serge Magnitsky. Lucy laid out the gaping holes in Bill Browder's story and showed how he had political connections among both Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate and showed how it relates to the current round of sanctions that the US is imposing worldwide.