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The Slate Money hosts discuss such terrifying topics as facial recognition technology, the coronavirus, and Australian bushfires.

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Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas, @EmilyRPeck

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. 

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Virginia Heffernan talks to Dr. Jennifer Mercieca, professor of rhetoric and author of Demagogue for President: The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump, breaking down how he uses language to control his audience, philosophical explorations of Hobbes and Descartes, the unexamined rhetorical life of Hillary Clinton, and rhetorical devices to watch in the 2020 presidential campaigns.

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Last week, Slate published The Evil List, an expansive attempt to document the most concerning tech companies around the world, according to the experts. Some you’ve heard of, some you probably haven’t, and some you almost certainly use every day. Which of these deserve our attention? And why?

Guests:

Mutale Nkonde, public interest technologist and fellow at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society

Felix Salmon, chief financial correspondent at Axios and host of Slate Money

Lindsey Barrett, staff attorney and teaching fellow at the Institute for Public Representation Communications & Technology Clinic. 

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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Last week, Slate published The Evil List, an expansive attempt to document the most concerning tech companies around the world, according to the experts. Some you’ve heard of, some you probably haven’t, and some you almost certainly use every day. Which of these deserve our attention? And why?

Guests:

Mutale Nkonde, public interest technologist and fellow at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society

Felix Salmon, chief financial correspondent at Axios and host of Slate Money

Lindsey Barrett, staff attorney and teaching fellow at the Institute for Public Representation Communications & Technology Clinic. 

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Plotz, Emily Bazelon and John Dickerson discuss Trump on trial, the Democratic primary race, and Mohammed bin Salman’s hacking of Jeff Bezos.

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, David, and John discuss what elements they would include if they crafted a new religion. Become a Slate Plus member here!

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Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.

Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap.

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Earlier this week, gun rights activists arrived outside the capitol building in Richmond, Virginia to rally against proposed gun control laws. Some people worried the event would turn into another Charlottesville. But even though thousands of people hoisted their guns and made threats against the government, there was no violence. What happened to bring tensions down? 

Guest: Lois Beckett, senior reporter for the Guardian. Read her coverage of gun politics and gun violence. 

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Virginia Heffernan talks to Susan Hennessey and Ben Wittes of Lawfare about their new book, Unmaking the Presidency, which explores Trump’s impact on the presidency and asks how his successor might be able to revive the role.

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On Tuesday, the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump began in earnest in the Senate. The debate over the rules of engagement lasted into the early hours of Wednesday morning and gave a first look at how both sides are going to approach the trial. 

Guests: Dahlia Lithwick and Jim Newell.

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A new executive order from the Trump administration was meant to curb refugee resettlement and further polarize the country. But most Republican governors have snubbed the policy. How did this particular anti-immigrant scheme backfire?

Guest: Jonathan Blitzer, staff writer for The New Yorker. 

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Virginia Heffernan talks to longtime GOP strategist Rick Wilson about evangelical political issues, media pundits, and stirring the ire of Rush Limbaugh.

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