Middle Theory

Middle Theory

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Middle Theory episodes

  • 02.04.20. Gaslighting

    This week as the Iowa Caucus implodes, an influential podcaster becomes the latest victim of "Cancel Culture" courtesy of Gaslighting by the mainstream media. 

    This just in from Iowa... we have results beginning to come in, indicating a complete system failure. Big surprise there, especially since the new system the Iowa Democratic Party had been using had not been vetted or tested by the DHS (not to say they didn't offer). The result of the debacle has some Senators actually calling for the end of the Iowa Caucuses altogether. 

    We also touch on the news of radio icon Rush Limbaugh's announcement that he is being treated for advanced-stage lung cancer, and the division that ensued on social media following the controversial broadcaster's statement. Meanwhile, the media has turned its sights on podcaster Joe Rogan, whose recent confession that he "would probably vote for Bernie Sanders" was touted by the Sanders campaign as an "endorsement." Recognizing the peril the Democrat Party might face from such a lofty association, CNN was quick to accuse Rogan of having a history riddled with homophobic and racist commentary; the most disturbing part of that claim is that it's completely false. 

    How concerned should we be that the mainstream media can create completely false narratives about individuals like Rogan, in an effort to discredit a Presidential candidate they dislike? We explore how the media has jumped in on the "Cancel Culture" trend by attempting to gaslight us on Joe Rogan, and much more on this week's Middle Theory.

    DOLLARS FOR DONUTS

    A special thank you to those who donated to the podcast this week:

    • Daniel Baumberger 
    • Robert Westfall 
    • Grimerica 
    • Robert Walshe 

    If you like Middle Theory and want to help support the show, you can donate to the program here:

     

    We also offer SUBSCRIPTION accounts for those who would like to make recurring monthly payments to Middle Theory. If you would prefer to SUBSCRIBE to the program, click here to visit our DONATES page, and scroll down below the primary DONATE button. 

    SHOW NOTES

    IOWA UPDATE: A Systemwide Disaster’: How the Iowa Caucuses Melted Down

    FEELING THE RUSH: Rush Limbaugh announces he has lung cancer

    GREAT SCOTT, MARTY: Michael J. Fox Trends on Twitter

    Liberal Activists On Twitter Celebrate Rush Limbaugh’s Cancer Diagnosis

    GASLIGHTING: Some Media Outlets Are Gaslighting Us About Joe Rogan 

    CANCEL CULTURE: Joe Rogan Responds to Bernie Sanders Endorsement Controversy

    Panel reacts to SJW freakout of Rogan Bernie support

    SALTY SANDERS: The Sanders surge shapes the Iowa caucuses

    With live music and booze, Sanders draws massive crowd to party-like Iowa campaign rally

    HIGHS IN THE UPPER 40s: Trump Job Approval at Personal Best 49%

    JOIN US: REACH OUT TO MIDDLE THEORY

    To send us feedback, you can email us here. Also, follow Middle Theory on Twitter too... this is highly recommended, and may even be vital for some of you. Finally, as mentioned earlier, some may be further compelled to donate to the program, which helps keep ads for survival gear, water filters, male enhancement supplements, and do-it-yourself earthworm farming kits off the program.

    1 hr 12 min
  • 01.30.20. Got Impeachmilk?

    This week, "Impeachmilk" and other bizarre ideas are on the table as the bizarre rules and hidden secrets of the Senate Impeachment are revealed.

    The ongoing saga of the 2020 coronavirus scare reportedly has nearly 75% of the U.S. population more concerned than it had been about the ebola outbreak a few years back, despite the fact that the Centers for Disease Control thinks it's unlikely that things will ever reach critical mass. 

    Then following up on some of last week's "predictions," we note the surge in interest Bernie Sanders is seeing as we head into Iowa; could this have been the result of some of the recent attacks he has recieved? In any case, this all comes together as the Senate Impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump continue, and while many commentators have noted the apparent lack of enthusiasm many Americans appear to have about it, networks have decided to keep up the only way they know how: watercooler reporting on the milk and candy being consumed by Senators, who aren't allowed to have smartphones (or even coffee... SAD) with them while on the Senate floor.

    We ponder who would have agreed to having such draconian rules, in addition to looking at other stories in the news on this week's Middle Theory. 

    DOLLARS FOR DONUTS

    A special thank you to those who donated to the podcast this week:

    • Sean O’Neal 
    • Jill Ellis  
    • Brian Davis
    • Mark Hankins II  
    • Jamie Craven 

    If you like Middle Theory and want to help support the show, you can donate to the program here:

     

    We also offer SUBSCRIPTION accounts for those who would like to make recurring monthly payments to Middle Theory. If you would prefer to SUBSCRIBE to the program, click here to visit our DONATES page, and scroll down below the primary DONATE button. 

    SHOW NOTES
    • CORONA EXTREME: 74% of Americans Fear Outbreak
    • Surgical masks are reportedly selling out
    • Silicon Valley scrambles to stop misinformation
    • BERN SURGE: 'Oh my God, Sanders can win': Democrats grapple with Bernie surge in Iowa
    • Bernie Is Frightening the Democrats
    • “She fantasizes being raped by 3 men”: Bernie Sanders’s bizarre 1972 essay on gender
    • GOT IMPEACHMILK? Senators spill the story on milk at the impeachment trial
    • Strangest moments of the Senate impeachment trial so far
    • BOLT-ON: Bolton Revelations Anger Republicans, Fueling Push for Impeachment Witnesses
    • KOBE BRYANT 
    • Officials: Helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant didn't have recommended terrain warning system
    • In #MeToo era, Kobe and other athletes often get a pass
    • BIDEN WANTS WARREN
    • 2016: Biden wanted Warren as his VP
    • 2019: Biden says Warren on list of possible VPs
    • SANDERS TOO: Sanders campaign looked into whether Warren could be both vice president and Treasury secretary

    JOIN US: REACH OUT TO MIDDLE THEORY

    To send us feedback, you can email us here. Also, follow Middle Theory on Twitter too... this is highly recommended, and may even be vital for some of you. Finally, as mentioned earlier, some may be further compelled to donate to the program, which helps keep ads for survival gear, water filters, male enhancement supplements, and do-it-yourself earthworm farming kits off the program.

    56 min
  • 01.23.20. Two’s Company


    This week, political hijinks in advance of the Iowa Caucus lead to a Democratic Debacle, and Double Trouble as the New York Times endorses two candidates. 

    This week, health officials around the world are on high alert as several towns in China have been quarantined following the outbreak of a deadly strain of coronavirus. We explain what that is, and what it means, before turning our attention to a brief impeachment update that’s nearly as humorous as watching the real thing, but without having to invest hours of our lives that we’ll never get back. We also touch on dystopian future surveillance technologies, and which brings us to why Edward Snowden’s preferred journalist, Glenn Greenwald, is being charged by the Brazilian government with cybercrimes.

    It’s no secret that most of us (Americans especially) are sick of hearing about partisan politics. During the second half of the program, we look at some of the reasons why, which include partisan bickering within the Democratic party, which includes a concerted effort by both politicians and the media to discredit Bernie Sanders. We also look at some of the 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s controversial attacks against not just Sanders, but Tulsi Gabbard (who endorsed Sanders in the last election).

    Finally, we have the bizarre decision from the New York Times to endorse not one, but two candidates as the best “choices” for Democrats in 2020… breaking a tradition more than a century, and raising a lot more questions than answers. Fortunately, there are some signs of unity at least, as Rolling Stone writer Matt Taibi argues that the level of stupidity we’re seeing in the media right now may actually be uniting the Left and Right. Our prediction: this will likely only backfire, and if anything, aid Bernie Sanders as we head into the Iowa Caucus.
    DOLLARS FOR DONUTS
    A special thank you to those who donated to the podcast this week:

    * Shelli Orlandini 
    * Jennie Vongvith
    * Jessica Riley 
    * Ali Buchan
    * Lauren Turinetti 

    If you like Middle Theory and want to help support the show, you can donate to the program here:


    We also offer SUBSCRIPTION accounts for those who would like to make recurring monthly payments to Middle Theory. If you would prefer to SUBSCRIBE to the program, click here to visit our DONATES page, and scroll down below the primary DONATE button. 
    SHOW NOTES

    * CORONA EXTRA: As virus spreads, anxiety rises in China and overseas
    * Answers about Coronavirus from Nebraska Medicine
    * California toddler hospitalized for a MONTH with coronavirus
    * BIGGER BROTHER: The Secretive Company That Might End Privacy as We Know It
    * GREENWALLED: Glenn Greenwald Charged With Cybercrimes in Brazil
    * BERNED: Warren Says Sanders Told Her a Woman Could Not Win the Election
    * CNN draws fire for debate question that ignores denial
    * Warren accused Sanders in tense post-debate exchange ...
    1 hr 21 min
  • 01.23.20. Two's Company

    This week, political hijinks in advance of the Iowa Caucus lead to a Democratic Debacle, and Double Trouble as the New York Times endorses two candidates. 

    This week, health officials around the world are on high alert as several towns in China have been quarantined following the outbreak of a deadly strain of coronavirus. We explain what that is, and what it means, before turning our attention to a brief impeachment update that’s nearly as humorous as watching the real thing, but without having to invest hours of our lives that we’ll never get back. We also touch on dystopian future surveillance technologies, and which brings us to why Edward Snowden’s preferred journalist, Glenn Greenwald, is being charged by the Brazilian government with cybercrimes.

    It’s no secret that most of us (Americans especially) are sick of hearing about partisan politics. During the second half of the program, we look at some of the reasons why, which include partisan bickering within the Democratic party, which includes a concerted effort by both politicians and the media to discredit Bernie Sanders. We also look at some of the 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s controversial attacks against not just Sanders, but Tulsi Gabbard (who endorsed Sanders in the last election).

    Finally, we have the bizarre decision from the New York Times to endorse not one, but two candidates as the best “choices” for Democrats in 2020… breaking a tradition more than a century, and raising a lot more questions than answers. Fortunately, there are some signs of unity at least, as Rolling Stone writer Matt Taibi argues that the level of stupidity we’re seeing in the media right now may actually be uniting the Left and Right. Our prediction: this will likely only backfire, and if anything, aid Bernie Sanders as we head into the Iowa Caucus.

    DOLLARS FOR DONUTS

    A special thank you to those who donated to the podcast this week:

    • Shelli Orlandini 
    • Jennie Vongvith
    • Jessica Riley 
    • Ali Buchan
    • Lauren Turinetti 

    If you like Middle Theory and want to help support the show, you can donate to the program here:

     

    We also offer SUBSCRIPTION accounts for those who would like to make recurring monthly payments to Middle Theory. If you would prefer to SUBSCRIBE to the program, click here to visit our DONATES page, and scroll down below the primary DONATE button. 

    SHOW NOTES
    • CORONA EXTRA: As virus spreads, anxiety rises in China and overseas
    • Answers about Coronavirus from Nebraska Medicine
    • California toddler hospitalized for a MONTH with coronavirus
    • BIGGER BROTHER: The Secretive Company That Might End Privacy as We Know It
    • GREENWALLED: Glenn Greenwald Charged With Cybercrimes in Brazil
    • BERNED: Warren Says Sanders Told Her a Woman Could Not Win the Election
    • CNN draws fire for debate question that ignores denial
    • Warren accused Sanders in tense post-debate exchange of calling her a 'liar' on national TV
    • QUACK ATTACK: Joy Ann Reid Invites Quack Body Language Expert on to Trash Sanders
    • HILLARY 2020: ‘Nobody Likes Him’: Hillary Clinton Risks a Party Split Over Bernie Sanders
    • Clinton clarifies that she will support the Democratic nominee even if it's Bernie Sanders
    • DOUBLE TROUBLE: NYT Endorses Both Amy Klobuchar AND Elizabeth Warren
    • ‘You Picked Two!’: Parsing the Klobuchar-Warren Endorsement
    • Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar Get Dual New York Times Endorsement
    • Howard Kurtz: Why NY Times, hedging its bets, actually favors Klobuchar over Warren
    • The ‘New York Times’ ‘Endorsement’ Fails Us All
    • ROLLING STONED: Taibi: Media Stupidity Is Uniting Left and Right

    JOIN US: REACH OUT TO MIDDLE THEORY

    To send us feedback, you can email us here. Also, follow Middle Theory on Twitter too... this is highly recommended, and may even be vital for some of you. Finally, as mentioned earlier, some may be further compelled to donate to the program, which helps keep ads for survival gear, water filters, male enhancement supplements, and do-it-yourself earthworm farming kits off the program.

    Warren and Klobuchar caricatures by DonkeyHotey via Wikimedia Commons.

    1 hr 21 min
  • 01.14.20. Iran “Smacks” Back


    Tensions rise as Iran retaliates following last week's eventful U.S. strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, and world leaders weigh the prospect of reimposing UN sanctions. 

    Did we say it was a tense beginning to 2020 last week? We dive into the news amidst reports of U.S. government advisories to upgrade certain operating systems and web browsers, before turning our attention to the biggest nonsensical (yet newsworthy) story of the week, involving actor Vince Vaughn's castigation after he was filmed shaking hands with Donald Trump at a ballgame (we can't help but wonder how Ellen Degeneres might feel about this). We also look at the official launch of the U.S. Space Force, and what that might mean for the future of America... as well as the Trump administration. 

    Then shifting gears, we look at updates following the retaliation by Iran in response to a U.S. drone strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, Iranian major general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Tensions came to a head last Wednesday, leading up to an announcement from the Whitehouse that seemed to indicate a standdown by all parties; however, as European nations weigh their options facing the possibility of a nuclear Iran, discussion of imposing UN sanctions may soon be back on the table. In light of already crippling sanctions being imposed on the country by U.S. leadership, how effective would this strategy be in preventing future conflict?
    DOLLARS FOR DONUTS
    A special thank you to those who donated to the podcast this week:

    * Sascha Neubauer 
    * Bethany Trottier 
    * John Lipartito 
    * James Malone

    If you like Middle Theory and want to help support the show, you can donate to the program here:


    We also offer SUBSCRIPTION accounts for those who would like to make recurring monthly payments to Middle Theory. If you would prefer to SUBSCRIBE to the program, click here to visit our DONATES page, and scroll down below the primary DONATE button. 
    SHOW NOTES

    * BACK OFF THE MIC: Microsoft is patching a major Windows 10 flaw discovered by the NSA
    * VILLAIN VAUGHN: Vince Vaughn catches heat for handshake with Trump
    * MAY THE (SPACE) FORCE BE WITH YOU: Space Force preparing for everything, even interplanetary operations, as it sets up
    * Mike Pence swears in Gen. John Raymond as the chief of space operations
    * IRAN SLAPS BACK: Iranian leader calls missile attack a 'slap' at US bases
    * THE ADDRESS: Trump's full address to the nation on the Iran missile strikes
    * CASUALTIES: Anger in Iran over jet's downing; gunfire disperses protests
    * SOLEIMANI: The Danger From Iran Didn't Die With Soleimani
    * Soleimani Did ‘Lift a Weapon’ Against Muslims
    * FACT CHECK:
    1 hr 3 min
  • 01.14.20. Iran "Smacks" Back

    Tensions rise as Iran retaliates following last week's eventful U.S. strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, and world leaders weigh the prospect of reimposing UN sanctions. 

    Did we say it was a tense beginning to 2020 last week? We dive into the news amidst reports of U.S. government advisories to upgrade certain operating systems and web browsers, before turning our attention to the biggest nonsensical (yet newsworthy) story of the week, involving actor Vince Vaughn's castigation after he was filmed shaking hands with Donald Trump at a ballgame (we can't help but wonder how Ellen Degeneres might feel about this). We also look at the official launch of the U.S. Space Force, and what that might mean for the future of America... as well as the Trump administration. 

    Then shifting gears, we look at updates following the retaliation by Iran in response to a U.S. drone strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, Iranian major general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Tensions came to a head last Wednesday, leading up to an announcement from the Whitehouse that seemed to indicate a standdown by all parties; however, as European nations weigh their options facing the possibility of a nuclear Iran, discussion of imposing UN sanctions may soon be back on the table. In light of already crippling sanctions being imposed on the country by U.S. leadership, how effective would this strategy be in preventing future conflict? 

    DOLLARS FOR DONUTS

    A special thank you to those who donated to the podcast this week:

    • Sascha Neubauer 
    • Bethany Trottier 
    • John Lipartito 
    • James Malone

    If you like Middle Theory and want to help support the show, you can donate to the program here:

     

    We also offer SUBSCRIPTION accounts for those who would like to make recurring monthly payments to Middle Theory. If you would prefer to SUBSCRIBE to the program, click here to visit our DONATES page, and scroll down below the primary DONATE button. 

    SHOW NOTES
    • BACK OFF THE MIC: Microsoft is patching a major Windows 10 flaw discovered by the NSA
    • VILLAIN VAUGHN: Vince Vaughn catches heat for handshake with Trump
    • MAY THE (SPACE) FORCE BE WITH YOU: Space Force preparing for everything, even interplanetary operations, as it sets up
    • Mike Pence swears in Gen. John Raymond as the chief of space operations
    • IRAN SLAPS BACK: Iranian leader calls missile attack a 'slap' at US bases
    • THE ADDRESS: Trump's full address to the nation on the Iran missile strikes
    • CASUALTIES: Anger in Iran over jet's downing; gunfire disperses protests
    • SOLEIMANI: The Danger From Iran Didn't Die With Soleimani
    • Soleimani Did ‘Lift a Weapon’ Against Muslims
    • FACT CHECK: Supposed footage of Soleimani drone strike actually stolen from a video game
    • BERNIN DOWN THE HOUSE: Bernie Sanders sounds off on potential war with Iran
    • U.N.-DOING THE DEAL: France, Germany and U.K. Serve Notice on Iran Under Nuclear Deal

    JOIN US: REACH OUT TO MIDDLE THEORY

    To send us feedback, you can email us here. Also, follow Middle Theory on Twitter too... this is highly recommended, and may even be vital for some of you. Finally, as mentioned earlier, some may be further compelled to donate to the program, which helps keep ads for survival gear, water filters, male enhancement supplements, and do-it-yourself earthworm farming kits off the program.

    1 hr 3 min
  • 01.07.20. War Nerves: The Soleimani Strike

    Tensions rise in the Middle East in the aftermath of a recent U.S. drone strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian major general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 

    It's been a tense beginning to 2020 friends... but before we get to the storm brewing in the Middle East, we look aat how a recent historical review of documents released by the British National Archives may indicate how our UK allies meddled in a U.S. election. We also explore the ever-sensitive issue of free speech, as it relates to social media and tech corporation monopolies... are there times when inaction is a form of action, especially when it comes to governmental oversight of the tech industry?

    However, the big news this week involves the recent drone strike which killed Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian major general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It is the latest in a long string of actions over the course of Donald Trump's presidency which have led to worsening relations between the U.S. and Iran. While some critics are asking Trump fully understands the significance of Soleimani, even one-time Trump supporters like Ann Coulter are taking to Twitter, saying "We Thought Trump Was Different About Starting Wars." However, not all agree that this was pure recklessness on part of the Trump administration, and point to the longstanding interest Pentagon officials had in targeting Soleimani.

    We examine this unfolding story (even as news of retaliatory strikes by Iran on bases housing U.S. troops are making headlines) on this first 2020 edition of Middle Theory. 

    DOLLARS FOR DONUTS

    A special thank you to those who donated to the podcast this week:

    • Betty June 
    • Daniel Baumberger 
    • Sean O’Neal
    • Robert Westfall  
    • Grimerica 
    • Jill Ellis 
    • Robert Walshe  
    • Lauren Turinetti 

    If you like Middle Theory and want to help support the show, you can donate to the program here:

     

    We also offer SUBSCRIPTION accounts for those who would like to make recurring monthly payments to Middle Theory. If you would prefer to SUBSCRIBE to the program, click here to visit our DONATES page, and scroll down below the primary DONATE button. 

    SHOW NOTES
    • HEAVY MEDDLE: Did Britain meddle in a US presidential election?
    • BIG CENSORSHIP: Permitting the growth of monopolies is a form of government censorship
    • IRAN STRIKE: Qasem Soleimani: US kills top Iranian general in Baghdad air strike
    • Russian Lawmaker: ‘Trump Did Not Understand the Significance of Soleimani’
    • COULTER SHOULDER: Ann Coulter: ‘We Thought Trump Was Different’ About Starting Wars
    • Uproar and consequences mount for Trump after Soleimani killing
    • WW3 ON THE WWW: 'World War III' was trending
    • WAR BROS: 'We're going to war, bro': Fort Bragg's 82nd Airborne deploys to the Middle East
    • HOSTAGE CONCERNS: Death of Iran general spurs anxiety over fate of US hostages
    • ATTACK OF THE DRONES: US forces on high alert for possible Iranian drone attacks, and intelligence shows Iran moving military equipment
    • CULTURE CONFLICT: Trump's Twitter threats against Iran cultural sites borrow from the ISIS playbook
    • A war with Iran is awful, and Iraq knows it. Why doesn't America — especially Democrats?
    • AL JAZEERA: Soleimani is no anti-imperialist hero. And Trump's reckless decision to assassinate him will not result in 'World War III'.
    • After the killing of Iran Gen. Qassem Soleimani, it's time for America to leave Iraq
    • Rose McGowan, you're dismissed
    • DECISIVE OR IMPULSIVE? The two words that could tip the debate on Iran -- and help decide the next election

    JOIN US: REACH OUT TO MIDDLE THEORY

    To send us feedback, you can email us here. Also, follow Middle Theory on Twitter too... this is highly recommended, and may even be vital for some of you. Finally, as mentioned earlier, some may be further compelled to donate to the program, which helps keep ads for survival gear, water filters, male enhancement supplements, and do-it-yourself earthworm farming kits off the program.

    1 hr 26 min
  • 12.28.19. Era of Orwell

    As 2019, and an entire decade draws to a close, we look at cultural trends and events in relation to George Orwell's influential novel, 1984, and its impact on Western thought. 

    This week, we look at Christmas and New Year traditions, and how the evolution of ideas and shifting attitudes affect the way we perceive and appreciate them. We also examine news about a new Russian super weapon that recently became operational, capable of traveling at 27 times the speed of sound, as well as odd reports of drone fleets seen flying over Colorado. Are we entering a real-life era of "Star Wars"? 

    We also look at many of the big trends in technology of the last year, along with those which were expected to arrive by 2020, but didn't, and a few of the most unusual and ironic clips in politics and current events of the last 12 months. Then, in the final segment, we turn our attention toward George Orwell's landmark novel, 1984, which defined an era with its discussion of surveillance and propaganda. Some commentators have argued that the 2010's are the period in history that most closely matches the dystopia that Orwell imagined (and warned about), which we examine in this final 2019 edition of the podcast. 

    DOLLARS FOR DONUTS

    A special thank you to those who donated to the podcast this week:

    • Jessica Zuccarelo
    • Mark Hankins
    • Brian Davis
    • Ali Buchan
    • Jamie Craven

    If you like Middle Theory and want to help support the show, you can donate to the program here:

     

    We also offer SUBSCRIPTION accounts for those who would like to make recurring monthly payments to Middle Theory. If you would prefer to SUBSCRIBE to the program, click here to visit our DONATES page, and scroll down below the primary DONATE button. 

    SHOW NOTES
    • STAR WARS: Politico: The Empty Politics of Star Wars (2015)
    • To truly understand the Brexit debacle, look to Star Wars (2017)
    • ATTACK OF THE DRONES: “Weird and concerning”: Mystery drone sightings continue in Colorado, into Nebraska
    • RED SCARE: New Russian weapon can travel 27 times the speed of sound
    • POOR PREDICTIONS: Flying Cars, Hyperloops and the Other 2020 Tech Predictions That Didn’t Pan Out
    • TOP OF THE CROP: Grabien News’ Top Soundbytes of the Year
    • THE 2010s: ERA OF ORWELL: 2010s = 1984: The decade we finally understood Orwell
    • UN gives green light to draft treaty to 'combat cybercrime' FOUR MOORE YEARS: Michael Moore Predicts 2020 Trump Victory: Trump's Support "Has Not Gone Down One Inch"

    JOIN US: REACH OUT TO MIDDLE THEORY

    To send us feedback, you can email us here. Also, follow Middle Theory on Twitter too... this is highly recommended, and may even be vital for some of you. Finally, as mentioned earlier, some may be further compelled to donate to the program, which helps keep ads for survival gear, water filters, male enhancement supplements, and do-it-yourself earthworm farming kits off the program.

    1 hr 24 min
  • 12.20.19. House Rules

    This week we examine the historic impeachment of Donald Trump, activist Greta Thunberg's selection as TIME "Person of the Year," and Boris Johnson's election win in the UK. 

    While Micah has been traveling in Europe, things have been business as usual back in the States, with the latest installment of the Star Wars film franchise arriving in theatres (and being outshined by its serial counterpart, The Mandalorian, on Disney's new streaming service). We also have the final Democratic debates of 2019 exiting on a bang, and controversies surrounding Bernie Sanders' endorsement--and then retraction--of Young Turks host Cenk Uyger in California.

    Also in big news this week had been TIME Magazine's selection of climate activist Greta Thunberg as the 2019 Person of the Year, which had President Donald Trump up in arms, and taking to Twitter (as usual). Hilarity ensured on late-night television, as rival comedians borrowed jokes from each other (or not?) to create eerily similar skits making fun of the entire affair.

    However, the biggest story of the week, and perhaps the entire year of 2019, involves the historic impeachment of Donald Trump, marking only the third time in American history that such a formal impeachment has occurred. However, now that Articles I and II have passed the House, will they ever make it to the Senate? Serious questions linger as to what the next move by Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats will be... and looking back across the pond, Boris Johnson's big win in the UK has many US politicians asking whether Trump's reelection won't be almost inevitable, despite the ongoing impeachment process.

    What does Johnson's win mean for Brexit, and for the future of the UK, and does it foreshadow the outcome of the 2020 election in the US as well?

    DOLLARS FOR DONUTS

    A special thank you to those who donated to the podcast this week:

    • Betty June
    • Rick Dale
    • Daniel Baumberger
    • Sascha Neubauer
    • Shelli Orlandini
    • Robert Westfall
    • Robert Walshe 
    • John Lipartito 
    • James Malone
    • Jessica Riley

    If you like Middle Theory and want to help support the show, you can donate to the program here:

     

    We also offer SUBSCRIPTION accounts for those who would like to make recurring monthly payments to Middle Theory. If you would prefer to SUBSCRIBE to the program, click here to visit our DONATES page, and scroll down below the primary DONATE button. 

    SHOW NOTES
    • THE DARK SIDE: ‘Rise of Skywalker’ is almost here, but a dark side looms
    • UNDOING ENDORSEMENTS: Sanders retracts endorsement in US House race after backlash
    • AFGHUNNING: U.S. officials misled the public about the war in Afghanistan, confidential documents reveal
    • TIMES OF THE SIGNS: Greta Thunberg named TIME person of the year
    • AUDIO: Jimmy Kimmel on Trump’s Twitter Response
    • AUDIO: Stephen Colbert on Twitter Response
    • IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES: President Trump is impeached in a historic vote by the House
    • USA TODAY: “A monumental victory against blatant corruption and for democracy”
    • POLITICO: “Trump has… made victimhood into a kind of political strength”
    • PELOSI’S PLAY: Will Nancy Pelosi’s Gambit to Withhold Impeachment Charges From the Senate Work?
    • TULSI IN THE MIDDLE: Tulsi Gabbard Votes ‘Present’ on Impeachment Articles
    • Claire McCaskill Blasts Tulsi Gabbard for 'Present' Vote: 'That's Just Stupid!'
    • Tulsi also voted against a Congressional Resolution condemning Assad
    • AUDIO: Also said that Assad “is not an enemy of the United States.”
    • BORIS THE SPIDER: Johnson claims Brexit mandate with new conservative majority
    • AUDIO: "MPs are servants of the people" Boris Johnson gives speech in North East
    • Victorious Boris urges Britain to move past Brexit divide
    • Protesters march on Downing Street
    • EU warns of post-Brexit rival Britain
    • Scotland eyes exit
    • Biden seizes on crushing defeat as proof only centrist can win
    • Similar: Trump sees incumbent Johnson’s UK win as ‘harbinger of what’s to come’ in US
    • Anti-Semitism and Brexit: Shattered dreams of global far-left revolution

    JOIN US: REACH OUT TO MIDDLE THEORY

    To send us feedback, you can email us here. Also, follow Middle Theory on Twitter too... this is highly recommended, and may even be vital for some of you. Finally, as mentioned earlier, some may be further compelled to donate to the program, which helps keep ads for survival gear, water filters, male enhancement supplements, and do-it-yourself earthworm farming kits off the program.

    1 hr 2 min
  • 12.02.19. London Bridge Attacks, Redux

    This week we look at the recent stabbing attacks at London Bridge, and why attempts at regulation only make problems with terrorism threats more problematic. 

    It sounds like something out of a science fiction film... a large, slow-moving blob was observed moving directly toward the White House, prompting military and other government officials to place Washington on lockdown. However, the official explanation for this one is fairly mundane (if not a bit bird-brained), although that still leaves a number of questions about security threats with relation to the Nation's Capital. 

    We then turn our attention to the first interview given by actor and comedian Bill Cosby since he began his prison sentence, after being convicted of indecent assault in April of last year. Cosby, seemingly unrepentant, says he did nothing wrong, and even went so far as to tell interviewers from the prison where he remains that his trial was "all a setup. That whole jury thing. They were imposters,” and that he was wrongly accused. Ironically, Cosby has remained involved with reform programs for young African American men while in prison, which encourages responsibility and accountability for one's own actions... something Cosby himself seems to be avoiding. 

    Then we present the latest on the recent stabbing attack that occurred at London Bridge and the political response to the incident. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks shortly after they occurred, having recently called for retaliatory attacks of this kind following the U.S. Delta Force operation that took out Abu Bakr al Baghdadi last month. Meanwhile, many politicians have expressed anger that the London attacker--who had been charged with crimes related to terrorism previously--was released and able to commit more terrorist acts. However, there has been pushback against calls for tightened regulation, namely from Boris Johnson, which some view as being a potentially totalitarian response to a problem that simply isn't easy to deal with... and which doesn't appear to be going away any time soon. 

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    SHOW NOTES
    • AIR INVASION: 'Slow-moving blob' that may have been a flock of birds caused White House lockdown
    • LINCOLN’S LIST: Majority of Republicans say Trump better president than Lincoln
    • COSBY CONSPIRACY: NNPA NEWSWIRE EXCLUSIVE: Bill Cosby Speaks from Prison
    • FOREVER IN YOUR DEBT: Forgiving Student Debt Would Boost Economy, Economists Say
    • LONDON BRIDGE: 2 killed in London Bridge stabbing, police say
    • FLASHBACK: November 4, 2019: UK terrorism threat downgraded to 'substantial'
    • AUDIO: PBS NewsHour Discusses London AND Netherlands Stabbing Incidents
    • MOTIVE: London Bridge terrorist 'plotted revenge for death of ISIS leader al-Baghdadi'
    • London Bridge attacker had previous terrorism conviction, police say
    • AUDIO: Investigators release new info about slain London Bridge suspect
    • Release of London Bridge terror suspect was 'mistake,' PM Boris Johnson says
    • NARLY: Bystander chases terrorist with 5-foot Narwhal tusk
    • IRONY: Murderer out on day release rushed to save woman in London Bridge attack
    • Telegraph blasted for smearing clumsy headline over photo of London Bridge HERO
    • FLASHBACK: June 2019: Victims' families criticise authorities for clearing MI5 and police
    • 2017: London Bridge inquest: coroner criticises Butt family's evidence
    • SOLUTIONS: Tougher sentences won’t stop another London Bridge attack, but probation reforms and more police might

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    1 hr 1 min

About Middle Theory

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News, current events, history, and politics... without the slant of the mainstream. On the Middle Theory podcast, Micah Hanks provides an independent, nonpartisan look at what's happening in the…