Politicology

In this two part series, Journalist and author Byron Tau joins host Ron Steslow to discuss his new book Means of Control: How the Hidden Alliance Of Tech And Government Is creating a New American Surveillance State 

Part 2:

(02:17) The extensive government data collection Edward Snowden revealed 

(09:40) How data vendors bypass privacy reviews within government agencies 

(11:50) The role of encryption in safeguarding privacy and the historical context of encryption legalization 

(18:40) Government efforts to weaken encryption and what that means for your privacy 

(22:45) How foreign governments could misuse data

(24:24) The public awareness of this form of surveillance 

(26:38) What could legislative reform look like? 

(29:37) The influence of advertising and data brokers in shaping privacy 

Read Means of Control: How the Hidden Alliance Of Tech And Government Is creating a New American Surveillance State — https://bit.ly/44199hw

Follow Ron and Byron  on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/ByronTau

Email your questions to [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬ 

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This week, we look at Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel, what it means for the Middle East, and the response at home. Then we discuss  how people living above the poverty line are feeling the financial crunch, Donald Trump’s plan to boost inflation, and the IMF’s warning that our deficit spending could upend the global economy. 

Joining Ron Steslow on this week’s panel: 

Hagar Chemali (Fmr. spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the UN)

Susan Del Percio  (MSNBC political analyst and crisis communications expert) 

Segments this week:

(02:40) Iran’s attack

(40:18) Financial frustration

[Politicology+] Uri Berliner’s resignation from NPR, the lack of viewpoint diversity in media, media activism and biases and the erosion of trust as a result

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Send your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/DelPercioS

https://twitter.com/HagarChemali

Related reading:

Segment 1: 

Axios - What to know about Iran's attack on Israel

CBS News - What Iran launched at Israel in its unprecedented attack, and what made it through the air defenses - CBS News

Politico - Has Biden Considered Having an Iran Strategy? - POLITICO

AP - Middle East conflicts revive clash between the president and Congress over war powers | AP News

ABC News Bay Area - 38 Pro-Palestinian protesters arrested after shutdown of Golden Gate Bridge, I-880 in Oakland, CHP says - ABC7 San Francisco

Politico - Democrats fear Netanyahu may have undermined Biden’s image among voters - POLITICO

WSJ - Mike Johnson Defies GOP Critics, Setting Up Ukraine-Israel Aid Showdown - WSJ

Segment 2: 

Politico - Trump trade advisers plot dollar devaluation - POLITICO

 WSJ - The Calls for Help Coming From Above the Poverty Line - WSJ

CNBC - Fed Chair Powell says there has been a 'lack of further progress' this year on inflation

The Financial Times - US deficit poses ‘significant risks’ to global economy, warns IMF

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In this two part series, Journalist and author Byron Tau joins host Ron Steslow to discuss his new book Means of Control: How the Hidden Alliance Of Tech And Government Is creating a New American Surveillance State 

Part 1:

(02:36) Byron’s background and why he decided to write this book 

(05:15) The Evolution of data brokering 

(09:00) Understanding metadata and data collection and how they can identify you 

(12:12) The implications for personal privacy 

(22:15) The state of privacy rights in the United States 

(26:16) The public-private surveillance relationship 

(28:43) The shift in Government attitudes toward this type of data 

(31:20) How social media changed the data collection game

Read Means of Control: How the Hidden Alliance Of Tech And Government Is creating a New American Surveillance State — https://bit.ly/44199hw

Follow Ron and Byron  on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/ByronTau

Email your questions to [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬ 

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To join Politicology+, visit politicology.com/plus or subscribe in Apple Podcasts.

This week, we look at No Labels announcing they won’t field a ticket and the impact RFK Jr. could have, how Trump’s abortion announcement and the Arizona Supreme Court case could impact the election, and Joe Biden tries to cancel student debt…again. 

Joining Ron Steslow on this week’s panel: 

Lucy Caldwell (Board Advisor to the Renew Democracy Initiative and advisor to the Forward Party)

Liam Donovan (Principal at Bracewell LLP; host of The Lobby Pod)

Segments this week:

(02:05) No Labels and RFK Jr. 

(14:47) Abortion

(38:20) Student loan debt

[Politicology+] The new book misleading people about “white rural rage” and the scapegoating of rural Americans

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Send your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/lucymcaldwell

https://twitter.com/LPDonovan

Related reading:

Segment 1: 

Politico -No Labels packs it up, won’t put forth a presidential ticket - POLITICO

CNN - RFK Jr. campaign walks back fundraising emails that said January 6 defendants were stripped of constitutional liberties | CNN Politics

Politico - RFK Jr. ballot access consultant promotes strategy to throw the election to Trump - POLITICO

CNN  - RFK Jr. campaign official attended Jan. 6 ‘Stop the Steal’ rally and wanted ‘favorite President’ Trump to run for third term | CNN Politics

Segment 2: 

AP - Trump's abortion statement angers conservatives and gives the Biden campaign a new target | AP News

CNN  - Trump says he wouldn’t sign federal abortion ban | CNN Politics

WP - Arizona’s abortion ruling threatens to upend 2024 races - The Washington Post

Segment 3:

NYT - What to Know About Biden’s New Student Debt Relief Plan - The New York Times

CNBC - Biden administration could start forgiving student debt this year

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Molly McKew (writer and lecturer on Russian influence and information warfare) and Chris Zappone (Digital Foreign Editor at The Age and the writer and narrator of the Dark Shining Moment podcast) join host Ron Steslow to discuss the evolution of Russian tactics since 2016 and the vulnerability of American democracy

Segments to look forward to:

(02:16) The state of the war  in Ukraine 

(10:00) The evolution of Russian influence campaigns  

(14:37) What Putin wants 

(25:14) The democratic mind and future vision

(29:00) America’s role in the world 

(46:00) The erosion of trust and manipulation of narratives 

(59:10) The importance of national psychological defense 

(1:10:00) The impact of social media on trust in media institutions 

(1:13:00) Balancing healthy skepticism and toxic cynicism in meaning making institutions 

(1:14:45) The challenge of finding reliable sources 

(1:18:00) Russia’s goal: America eating itself alive

Listen to Dark Shining Moment: https://apple.co/3Jhasz2

Follow Ron, Molly, and Chris on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/MollyMcKew

https://twitter.com/chrizap

Email your questions to [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬ 

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This week, we look at one way Republicans could try to legally throw out votes to ensure Trump’s victory, the latest Wall Street Journal polling, and the backlash against DEI 

Joining Ron Steslow on this week’s panel: 

Zack Czajkowski (Fmr. Lincoln Project Political Director)

Alex Thompson (National Political Correspondent for Axios)

Segments this week:

(02:06) Starting the steal

(20:10) The WSJ Poll and who benefits from RFK Jr’s run 

(30:15) The backlash against DEI  

[Politicology+] Lab Leak, the origins of human life, and the push for ideological purity that is stifling scientific inquiry

Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss the extra episodes on our private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus.

Send your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/ZackCz

https://twitter.com/AlexThomp

Related reading:

Segment 1: 

The Bulwark - ‘Start the Steal’: Trump Once Again Planning to Overturn an Election

NYT - Here Is One Way to Steal the Presidential Election

WP - GOP scrambles to organize early and mail voting despite Trump’s attacks - The Washington Post

Segment 2: 

WSJ - Trump Leads Biden in Six of Seven Swing States, WSJ Poll Finds

WSJ - Five Takeaways From the WSJ Swing-State Poll

AP - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. picks Nicole Shanahan as his running mate for independent White House bid | AP News

CNN - RFK Jr. names Silicon Valley attorney Nicole Shanahan as running mate | CNN Politics

Axios - Conservative media sours on RFK Jr. as an independent

Segment 3:

Axios - Behind DEI’s rise and fall

NBC News - Oregon re-criminalizes small amounts of hard drugs after 2020 voter initiative is overturned

Brianna Wu criticizing progressivism 

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Mike Madrid (Lincoln Project cofounder) and Ron Steslow respond to your feedback and answer your questions on our latest mailbag episode. 

(01:05) The Bannon Line and how the dynamics of this cycle are different from 2020

(09:00) Why the traditional political spectrum isn’t a useful framework and the rise of populism

(17:50) The Fairness Doctrine and the impact of its Removal

(25:25) The debate over whether Biden should debate Trump 

(30:46) Trump’s takeover of the RNC 

(41:31) The Republican Party’s brand 

(46:26) Authoritarian Reactionary Christians in American Politics 

(50:02) The loss of focus on Community 

(1:03:00) The threat of Religious Nationalism

Have a question for a future Mailbag episode? Send it over to us at [email protected]!

You can also leave us a voice message at ‪(202) 455-4558‬

Follow Ron, and Mike on Twitter:

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https://twitter.com/madrid_mike

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This week, we look at Trump taking Truth Social public, the ISIS terrorist attack in Moscow, and why you weren’t crazy about how bad inflation was

Joining Ron Steslow on this week’s panel: 

Al Cárdenas (Advisor to Presidents Regan and George H.W. Bush)

Hagar Chemali (Fmr. spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the UN)

Segments this week:

(02:50) Truth Social Goes Public

(17:00) ISIS attack in Moscow

(36:24) Inflation was bad, you’re not crazy

[Politicology+] Ronna McDaniel and the MSNBC  On-Air Uproar

Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss the extra episodes on our private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus.

Send your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬

Check out Oh My World!: https://www.ohmyworld.tv/

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/AlCardenasFL_DC

https://twitter.com/HagarChemali

Related reading:

Segment 1: 

CNN - Trump bond lowered to $175 million as he appeals civil fraud judgement in New York | CNN Politics

Axios - Truth Social faces harsh reality as a public company

Time Magazine - Why Is Trump's Truth Social Worth Billions? Experts Have Theories

Segment 2: 

Radio Free Europe - Putin Blames 'Radical Islamists' For Concert Massacre, But Still Points To Ukraine, U.S.

USA Today - ISIS behind brutal Moscow terror attack, France tells Russia, as Kremlin points to Ukraine

AP - US gave advance notice of Moscow attack. What is 'duty to warn'? | AP News

Segment 3:

The Bulwark - Harvard Economists Confirm You’re Not Crazy: Inflation Was Really Bad

(From March 8) Bloomberg - Biden Bets Fed Will Cut Rates Soon as He Pledges Housing Help - Bloomberg

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How do you win campaigns in a world awash with lies? And why do candidates and campaigns struggle to “use their normal brains” when those lies happen to start online? 

In the second episode of this two-part conversation, join host Ron Steslow, Mike Madrid, and Sasha Issemberg to discuss the way Democratic political campaigns are adjusting to the challenges of the new information landscape, as Sasha’s reveals in his new book The Lie Detectives: In Search of a Playbook for Winning Elections in the Disinformation Age.

In part 2:

(01:53) What strategists learned about combating disinformation from foreign campaigns 

(06:30) How a Brazilian candidate turned a lie about him into a branding opportunity 

(17:50)How the Supreme Court in Brazil tried to fight disinformation 

(30:00) Who gets to decide what’s a lie online? 

(38:17) The use of AI in campaigns and disinformation

Read The Lie Detectives: https://www.sashaissenberg.com/the-lie-detectives

Read The Victory Lab: https://www.sashaissenberg.com/the-victory-lab

Follow Ron, Sasha, and Mike on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/sissenberg

https://twitter.com/madrid_mike

Email your questions to [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬ 

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This week, we look at Tuesday’s election results and the warning signs for Trump, whether the impeachment inquiry is backfiring on Republicans, and how to talk about “Christian Nationalism”

Joining Ron Steslow on this week’s panel: 

Zack Czajkowski (Fmr. Lincoln Project Political Director)

Susan Del Percio  (MSNBC political analyst and crisis communications expert) 

Lanae Erickson (Senior Vice President for Social Policy, Education, and Politics at Third Way)

Segments this week:

(02:27) Trump’s base weakness

(19:00) Impeachment 

(31:41) “Christian Nationalism”

[Politicology+] Should Biden debate Trump? 

Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss the extra episodes on our private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus.

Send your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/ZackCz

https://twitter.com/DelPercioS

https://twitter.com/LanaeErickson

Related reading:

Segment 1: 

Axios - Trump wins Arizona primary, but Haley takes nearly 19% of the vote - Axios Phoenix

The Guardian - Trump predicts ‘bloodbath’ if he loses election and claims ‘Biden beat Obama’

CNN - Pence says he ‘cannot in good conscience’ endorse Trump | CNN Politics

USA Today - Mike Pence accuses Donald Trump of 'walking away' from the Constitution after refusing to endorse him

Segment 2: 

Religion in Public - Christian Nationalism is Both Smear and Savior to Many Christians

Matt Taylor Thread on “Smear and Savior” 

Matt Taylor Thread on Dusty Deevers speech 

Segment 3:

Axios - Shouting, accusations, a mask: GOP's Hunter Biden hearing erupts into bickering

NBC News - Lev Parnas, ex-Giuliani associate, testified allegations against Bidens are false and 'spread by the Kremlin'

Reuters - Democratic lawmaker dons Putin mask, mocks Republicans at Biden impeachment hearing | Reuters

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