Mark Riley: The Intersection of Politics Culture

Good ol' USA...Mass Shootings, Abortion Rights, Clarence Thomas, Donald Trump, the Proud Boys, Tucker Carlson, and Texas. Did I leave anything out?

Fox News settled with Dominion Voting Systems for $787 million dollars. This was just as the 1.6-billion-dollar lawsuit was set to get underway. What does it mean for Fox, Dominion, Smartmatic, which still has a suit pending, and journalism in general? Two knocks on wrong doors, two people shot. Is this really Stand Your Ground? War is ravaging Sudan, as old allies turn on each other. Around the world, various countries are angling for advantage as the fighting continues in Africa's third largest country by area. The US Supreme Court has allowed mifepristone, the abortion pill. To stay on the market while they consider whether to ban or restrict it. Guess who voted against keeping it available? How exactly does a 21 year old Air National Guardsman procure and leak sensitive information about the war in Ukraine and more? And finally, what do older people think about Joe Biden's age?

I've reluctantly, painfully concluded that America is creeping toward a form of fascism I think most of us would never imagine. The signs are there, and I'm not at all sure that most people see them. Over the past week or two, I've been thinking to myself, what has America come to? American democracy, criminal justice, healthcare, and more have been put under stress by people who believe they have the right to tell others how to live. Some do this, by the way, while flaunting the very rules that they tell us to live by.

I've reluctantly, painfully concluded that America is creeping toward a form of fascism I think most of us would never imagine. The signs are there, and I'm not at all sure that most people see them. Over the past week or two, I've been thinking to myself, what has America come to? American democracy, criminal justice, healthcare, and more have been put under stress by people who believe they have the right to tell others how to live. Some do this, by the way, while flaunting the very rules that they tell us to live by.

You know what leads this episode. The only former president in US history to be indicted on criminal charges, what else? But don't go partying in the streets just yet. Donald Trump has been charged, but he's nowhere near being convicted. Besides, the indictment helps him raise money from those suckers, 'er, supporters who still back him. After the tragic and senseless killing of six people in a Nashville, Tennessee school, would you think Republicans might re-think their knee-jerk opposition to gun regulations? Nope! Their answer? More guns. Things are getting sticky for Fox News after a judge ruled Dominion Voting System's lawsuit can go to trial. And the Saudis want nukes. For energy purposes, you understand. If the US won't give it to them, guess who they'll ask next?

Upheaval in France; why is the right wing linking the Manhattan District Attorney to George Soros. George Soros? How does that work? Members of Congress rake the CEO of Tik Tok over the coals, while Utah is thinking about banning the app for kids. And what's this about the huge number of guns stolen from cars?

Will Donald Trump get indicted? He seems to think so and has called on supporters to protest. And as that unfolds, his Proud Boys supporters are turning their trials into shambolic spectacles. Top it off with the reports that Trump tried in a second phone call to get the results of the Georgia vote overturned in 2020 and you have a trifecta of rough road ahead for the former president. What exactly is going on with banks? Two in the US fail, while Credit Suisse, one of Switzerland's biggest banks, gets bought out by a rival. Are we seeing a repeat of 2008? Two tales of abortion rights. The North Dakota Supreme Court blocks a ban in that state, while Wyoming, a couple of states over, bans the medication abortion pill, or at least tries to.

As President Xi Jinping consolidates his power, the Chinese broker a deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia that leaves the US sitting on the sidelines. This as President Biden bans Tik Tok from all federal devices. Where is Tik Tok based. You guessed it. Speaking of the president, when he ran, he had a proposal to shore up Social Security's finances. Presto chango, his latest budget has no tax or spending increases related to the popular program. What gives? Also, how do you feel about permanent Daylight Savings Time? Wouldn't bother me, but I'm just one person. And what gives with the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank?

In this episode, golden chocolate bars, Trump Jr. mocks Fetterman, booing Nikki Haley, and Trump is staying. A clown show? No, CPAC! Lawmakers want more action on child migrant labor, and well they should! Google has bowed to pressure and is now auditing its products for racial biases. They're only following Meta and Apple. What took it so long? And how many paid vacation days do you get? And how does the US compare with other nations? The answer may surprise you.

In this episode, we take a long look and a deep dive into the extraordinary erosion of the Republican Party in the United States.

A sitting member of Congress calls for what she says is a national divorce. Funny, I thought that was settled in 1865.

The Speaker of the House decides to outsource the GOP revision of the January 6 th insurrection by granting exclusive access to surveillance footage to, Tucker Carlson???

A couple of simultaneous setbacks for the former president and vice president, as there's some evidence, as we've talked about before, that the former guy's iron grip on the Republican Party is slipping just a bit. And finally, how many lies has George Santos lied, and will it ever be enough to force him from Congress?