The Atlantic Current

A Cabinet Secretary’s road trip — and his wife’s bizarre rationalization — highlights the space created for corruption in the U.S., though Tull and Vince debate what, precisely, is going on at the top of the Administration. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin makes yet another misstep, while Tull highlights the importance and reach of the rebounding Irish native language.

An op-ed in the Wall Street Journal sparks a discussion on the relative wealth between Europe and the United States. Is the Continent really falling further behind? And why can’t everyone be like the United States? Plus why a key Irish civil servant needs to fly more, and how Tull and Vince are contributing to the destruction of the global media.

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Tull previews the upcoming Irish bye-elections. The trends to watch, the candidates who are favored, and the narratives that will emerge later this month. Vince provides some comparisons to the American system — and a few interesting observations from the outside.

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Tensions are rising on both sides of the Atlantic. Irish and American voters express disappointment even as — in some ways — things have never been better. Disinformation, (alleged) gangsters, and threats to the American midterms add to the sense of worry — but a few detours into sandwiches, insects, and the most insane coup ever attempted add some levity to the insights.

YouTube link for the history of US oil this century (7 minute clip):

https://youtu.be/jTxYhWXkJtg

Another assassination attempt on Donald Trump further inflames what Tull has long called an ongoing “cold civil war”. The instant explosion in conspiracy theories — now apparently the domain of both sides of the political divide — only adds to a sense that in America reality itself is fracturing. Vince charts an unlikely path for President Trump, while Tull offers a way out for nervous Americans.

Tull and Vince open with coverage of Kash Patel’s alleged exploits and errors as director of the FBI — but focus more closely on an interview Patel gave days later on Fox News. As Trump voters are fed an increasingly coordinated and aggressive narrative promising retribution and arrests of Democratic officials and leaders, the midterm elections loom. While the broader media touts ‘exclusives’ with the president and press conferences focus on negotiations with Iran, a dangerous undercurrent is flowing toward November.

Part II of the news roundup resumes the search for a Trump scapegoat — and lands squarely on the man occupying the most hated job in Washington. After ending so many episodes on a darker note, Vince closes with a joyful retelling of the long, sordid, bizarre, and often-hysterical story of Mark Sanford.

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Nationwide fuel protests are at an end, but pressure on Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin is starting to rise. After twelve years of potential challenges to his leadership, has a real threat emerged?

In the US, the executive branch is similarly embattled. But as Trump looks for an exit from Iran, will he need a scapegoat in the process?

Check out https://atlanticcurrent.substack.com/ for detailed show notes, updates, and more!

In the wake of massive fuel protests, Tull highlights the importance of social media in domestic politics. On the other side of the Atlantic, Vince uses the longest (and likely most interesting) story about gas stoves ever recorded to highlight the effect of social media on the American right.

Tull and Vince explain why they’re not talking about Iran (Vince’s mental health being one core reason), and instead pivot to large-scale, wild, and logically questionable protests sweeping Ireland at the moment. Tull gives detailed accounts from the ground; as always, Vince provides the American perspective, along with his experiences at a university where protests were so common they inspired their own movie.