Mark Riley: The Intersection of Politics Culture

New Podcast Episode: Of all the Trump policies Biden could have junked, he chose to keep the one to deport tens of thousands of Haitians. Result: He's either shot his own party in the foot, or he's unleashed a new generation of Progressives who won't get duped again! The Arizona voter probe finds Biden received even more votes than the official count stated one year ago – will this latest humiliation force Trump to cease and desist the 'Stop the Steal' movement, or is there another sheepherding strategy lurking? To Boost or not to Boost? The debate drags on as to who stockpiles the lion share of vaccines and when is the right time to boost your dose. Click for more…

NEW PODCAST EPISODE: When does the US Military get checked? American intelligence said that a car heading to Kabul Airport in August was carrying explosives aimed at killing American soldiers …they turned out to be water bottles costing 10 civilians their lives -- US drone strikes have gone terribly wrong before in Afghanistan and Iraq! US gymnast Simone Biles testified before a US Senate committee about the rampant sex abuse of young athletes and is calling for the heads of others who knew about Larry Nassar's criminal trail…but did or said nothing to stop it. In yet another 'influencer' scandal, entertainer Nicki Minaj creates a whirlwind of fake news using COVID as the trigger for the even more sensitive topic of men's nuts! Click and listen for more…

Why are the five men charged in connection with the 9/11 attack still being held at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base 20 years on? Why not CHARGE them and ship them out to ADX to join The Unabomber, Shoe Bomber, the Boston Marathon Bomber and "El Chapo?' Biden's ordered employers with 100+ workers, federal employees, and healthcare workers must get their workers vaccinated or tested…Rep Governors are not so happy about that. Conversely, Biden's buckled under NRA pressure and withdrawn support of David Chipman's nomination to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. So, long lives on John Wayne's gun-toting USA and Americas denial of the Wild West vs real life.

What does freedom mean, how do we measure success and who sets the KPIs? We know there are racial inequities, but some people are placing mask-wearing a constraint right up there with women's rights and labor discrimination. Texas…keeps wanting to secede and we won't allow it. WHY are we clinging on to a state that touts voter suppression and a reversal of Roe Vs. Wade in its mission statement? Who's your favorite influencer? I hope it's not one of the four Anti-vaxxer Talk Radio Hosts who died from COVID recently…

Afghanistan: You can blame Trump for negotiating the pull-out, Obama for the mission creep, GW Bush for invading in the first place…but if I were president, I'd be telling the Taliban the deadline is when WE say it is! The COVID jab… freedom rights are yours to decide but stop with the viral videos and fake press. Why not give healthcare workers refusing to vaccinate a valid reason they can respect from medical professionals? We're also talking travel – who benefits for your 2022 cruise booking? My guest is Travel guru Kim Jack-Riley.

The Taliban have taken over Afghanistan but face challenges that weapons and bloodlust won't fix. The dust is settling on a frozen Treasury and a mass exodus of the very people with the skills it takes to run a country – civil workers. Meanwhile, Federal Unemployment Benefits in the US are about to expire, yet the impact of COVID still runs rampant among the unemployed. This week we also take a look at the Brooklyn trial of R&B superstar/sexual predator, R. Kelly. With a string of allegations too long to list, Kelly still maintains his swagger and his innocence.

September 11th the date set for the total withdrawal of US and allied forces from Afghanistan. Why hasn't the Afghan military been able to fight the Taliban and win without help? Who is financially backing the Taliban and how will things turn out under a regime that will now feel emboldened to use Sharia Law to oppress Afghan women even further than they did when in power 20 years ago. New York's State Governor Andrew Cuomo has resigned, and his legacy will be debated for a while to come; meanwhile, California is also facing the possibility of a governor being pushed out of office with first term Governor Gavin Newsom facing a recall vote. And then there's mandatory masking with Texas and Florida fighting hard against it. Who wins and who loses in this battle?

New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo accused of sexually harassing 11 women and creating a hostile work environment for women! Cuomo resists, as even President Joe Biden has called for his resignation. Meanwhile in the Wild West, Gov. Mike Parson (R-MO), has just pardoned the McCloskeys, that gun-toting couple who threatened peaceful protestors last year in St. Louis…just a smidgen of our elected officials. We're also talking about the hoodwinking going on at the Capitol insurrection hearings, and…what's the deal with Progressives and Moderate Dems…aren't we all on the same team?

Can someone explain to me where we are with the coronavirus? Am I the only one utterly confused? CDC mask guidance flip-flops, some states are preventing businesses and schools from requiring mask-wearing, and still we have rapidly increasing infection rates. What are Americans supposed to do? We'll also be discussing the reopening of nightlife with my guest and international DJ, Colleen "Cosmo" Murphy. As for the most irritating of all forms of communication – autodials, roboscammers, fraud calls…whatever you wanna call …them I want them out of my life!

The investigation has officially begun… I say, subpoena all those right wing congresspeople who spread the Big Lie about the 2020 election, and have them explain to the American people why they heralded the fantasies of a grifter president. Then maybe the real truth of January 6, 2021, will be known to all! Extreme weather is crippling nations worldwide, proving true Greta Thunberg's prophecies. Yet governments still duck and dive accountability by setting climate goals far into the distant future. Meanwhile, with COVID still high on the leader board, the UK's 'Freedom Day' falls flat and the failure of App alerts turns 'Ping-demic' into the new catch phrase.