The co-hosts interview David Golumbia, author of The Politics of Bitcoin: Software as Right-Wing Extremism. They discuss cyber-libertarian ideology and how the rise of Bitcoin has made it mainstream. David argues that many supposedly non-ideological Bitcoin enthusiasts have been influenced by cyber-libertarianism. He and the co-hosts also discuss what Bitcoin is, whether it is money, whether it is decentralized, and blockchain technology. David fact-checks and theory-checks a good deal of the nonsense said about Bitcoin.

The episode’s current-events segment is on the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign’s statement of solidarity with the people of Ukraine against Russian imperialism.

The co-hosts interview Michael Albert about his new book, No Bosses. He summarizes the main ideas and components of participatory economics (parecon) and discusses what’s new about his latest book. The discussion then turns to values, evaluations of what’s possible, and “old ideological scripture”––what roles do they play in working out an alternative future? Finally, Albert discusses how planning in a participatory economy would differ from central planning.

Plus current-events segment on the “anti-mandate” truckers’ siege in Ottawa and the popular fightback against it.

The co-hosts and Anne Jaclard discuss Andrew’s article, “On What Grounds Should We Defend Liberal Democracy?” The discussion focuses on defense of the liberal-democratic individual rights and freedoms that are under heightened attack, not on classical liberal ideology or democracy “as such.” This stance is contrasted to the ambivalence toward liberal democracy that prevails in parts of “the Left.”

Brendan and Andrew critically review, and provide an alternative to, the soft-on-fascist-insurrection discourse of Jacobin writers Branko Marcetic, David Sirota, and Ben Burgis, which sympathizes with the insurrectionists, foregrounds their “anti-government” sentiment and alleged economic distress while concealing the racist “great replacement” thinking that motivates them, and––of course!––shifts the blame to “neoliberalism” and the Democratic Party. How does this help to advance Jacobin’s politics? The co-hosts also summarize and discuss the empirical evidence––recently published by political scientist Robert Pape and colleagues––on who the Capitol insurrectionists actually are and what actually drives pro-insurrection thinking.

RFH Ep. 59 Ecological Crisis by MHI

RFH Ep. 58 Triple Threat by MHI

The co-hosts welcome Ron E. Turing and MHI’s Anne Jaclard to discuss the trials in Kenosha, Charlottesville, and Brunswick, Georgia. A participant in the Kenosha protests, Turing is the author of “Rittenhouse Verdict: Vigilante Violence against BLM Goes Unpunished.” They discuss Rittenhouse’s claim of “self-defense” and the right wing’s perversion of that concept, the presiding judge’s bias, whether the verdict in Kenosha will intimidate potential protesters, whether the verdicts in the Arbery and Charlottesville trials will slow the emboldening of racist vigilantes––and more.

Plus current-events segment: Supreme Stench––the Court’s prepares its overthrow of abortion rights.

RFH Ep. 56 Jacobin's Autopsy by MHI

Brendan and Andrew interview alt-right-watcher Davis Matthias-Foster about his article, “The Threat from the Far Right, Post-Trump.” Matthias-Foster explains why Marxist-Humanist Initiative’s position on Trumpism and

the far right attracted him. He brings us up to date on the politics and fortunes of leading alt-right figures––such as Richard Spencer, Mike Enoch (Mike Peinovich), and Nick Fuentes––as well as Qanon and Alex Jones. A key

theme of the discussion is that, although the alt-right has suffered blows Charlottesville, many of its ideas and attitudes now permeate the Republican Party.

The episode’s current-events segment focuses on the causes and significance of the Democrats’ loss in the Virginia gubernatorial election.

Brendan and Andrew discuss Raya Dunayevskaya’s 1946-47 article, “The Nature of the Russian Economy,” and why the issues remain relevant to the fight for socialism today. Questions addressed in the discussion include: How can a society with a planned economy, and without private ownership of means of production, be capitalist? In what sense was the Russian economy “planned”? Did Russia really escape the capitalistic imperative to invest in and privilege the growth of high-profit industries? Was there a class division between the “classless intelligentsia” and the working class? Why was the Stalinist wage norm––“payment according to labor”––a capitalistic norm?

Current-events segment: Rolling Stone’s bombshell revelation that several Trumpite congresspeople helped plan the Capitol Insurrection.