The Audit

On this week’s episode of The Audit, Dave and Josh delve into a topic at the root of much of PragerU’s curriculum: The apparent evils of socialism!

To discuss the persistent misrepresentations and misunderstandings surrounding communism and socialism, they are joined by guest Professor Richard Wolff, a Marxist economist and co-founder of the nonprofit Democracy at Work. Wolff highlights the influence of Marxist ideas on various Christian socialist movements throughout history, and the conversation covers issues like the economics of colonialism, systemic racism, toxic masculinity, and China. 

Overall, this episode emphasizes the importance of nuanced discussions, critical thinking, and understanding the complexities of different ideologies to foster a more informed and constructive dialogue.

PragerU videos discussed this week:

• Is Communism Moral?
• Socialism Makes People Selfish
• Addicted to Free 

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A transcript of this episode is available here.

On this week’s episode of The Audit, Dave, Josh and their guest Jared Yates Sexton, explore PragerU's treatment of the founding fathers. From George Washington's wealth and questionable actions to PragerU’s obsession with the founding fathers' heights, they unpack the mythologies and oversimplifications that the American Right invests in these historical figures. Jared Yates Sexton is author of The Midnight Kingdom: A History of Power, Paranoia, and the Coming Crisis and co-host of the Muckrake Podcast. He challenges the traditional narratives we've been told about Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and James Madison, including their involvement with slavery and underlying concern with maintaining the power of the wealthy elite. 

The episode opens with an excerpt from the documentary Dreams With Sharp Teeth, directed by Erik Nelson.

PragerU videos we discussed this week:

• What Made George Washington Great?
• George Washington: A General without an Army
• John Adams: American Founder and Second President
• The Genius of Thomas Jefferson
• James Madison: The Great Pragmatist

If you’d like to support this show, head over to www.levernews.com/audit/ and leave a tip for Dave and Josh. To get access to Lever Premium Podcasts, and all the other benefits of a paid subscription, click here. 

A transcript of this episode is available here.

On this week’s episode of The Audit, Dave and Josh go back to school with Denis Prager’s enormous library of children’s educational content! The American right’s obsession with attacking teachers and public education in recent years has given us PragerU Kids, a streaming hub of “pro-America” kids programming intent on battling the evil woke agendas “infiltrating classrooms, culture, and social media.” 

As a guest, the two brought in a real teacher: Betsy Long, a public school educator in Los Angeles who has written about education politics in Jacobin Magazine. As a union leader, Betsy led her school site in the recent teacher strike that won record-breaking wage increases. 

The team discusses various “educational” PragerU Kids videos:

• Amy Coney Barrett Crafting Game Show
• Venezuela: Vivi’s Life under Socialism (Animated)
• Otto’s Tales: Remember the Ladies (Storytime)
• Otto’s Tales: The American Trinity with Dennis Prager (Storytime)
• The National Anthemwith Candace Owens (Storytime)

If you’d like to support this show, head over to www.levernews.com/audit/ and leave a tip for Dave and Josh. To listen to Lever Premium Podcasts, and all the other benefits of a paid subscription, click here. 

A transcript of this episode is available here.

On this week’s episode of The Audit, Dave and Josh analyze an area of PragerU’s curriculum that will make your head spin: racism in America. For this precarious exercise, they brought in writer/commentator Aaron Thorpe of the Trillbilly Worker’s Party podcast. They dive deep into multiple PragerU videos from the likes of Candace Owens on topics such as critical race theory, slavery, and reparations, with a clearer understanding of the historical counternarratives that conservatives wish to spin around race. You can read more of Aaron Thorpe’s work at http://spacelight.substack.com

If you’d like to support this show, head over to www.levernews.com/audit/ and leave a tip for Dave and Josh. To get access to Lever Premium Podcasts, and all the other benefits of a paid subscription, click here. 

PragerU videos referenced this week:

• How to End Systemic Racism 
• A Short History of Slavery 
• What Is Critical Race Theory?  
• Did The Founders Support Slavery?  
• Why I Don't Want and Don't Deserve Reparations 
• New-Age Racism In Hollywood 
• The Top 5 Issues Facing Black Americans 

A transcript of this episode is available here.

In the new season of The Audit, Dave and Josh take a big leap into the astounding world of PragerU, a right-wing propaganda machine that aspires to become a force in American education. This first episode, which delves into PragerU’s approach to world history and foreign affairs, features guest Daniel Bessner, an associate professor of International Studies at the University of Washington and co-host of the American Prestige podcast. The three discuss PragerU’s revisionist understanding of topics like the British Empire, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War, as well as the importance of education and expertise in shaping our understanding of history and the world around us.

If you’d like to support this show, head over to www.levernews.com/audit/ and leave a tip for Dave and Josh. To get access to Lever Premium Podcasts, and all the other benefits of a paid subscription, click here. 

Additional PragerU videos we discussed this week:

• The Inconvenient Truth About the Democratic Party
• Who Celebrates Che Guevara?
• Was it Wrong to Drop the Atom Bomb on Japan?
• Why the West Won
• The Middle East Problem

The Audit is back with a new season.

Subscribe now at Levernews.com/audit/ and get all the new episodes as they arrive.

Rove & Axelrod discuss the current state of politics, and we break down their discussion in real time. You might be surprised which of these two players actually understands why we are where we are and which one is completely oblivious to any measurable reality. Actually, you probably won't be.

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For a rough transcription of this episode click here. 

Axelrod oozes over Ronald Reagan, leaving us to wonder if these people actually believe in anything. Nina Turner discusses why she doesn't hang out with her counterparts on the Beltway.

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For a rough transcription of this episode click here. 

Rahm Emanuel's campaign to run for re-election while covering up the murder of a Black teenager elicits some strong reactions from everyone. Nina Turner tells an infuriating story about the Democratic convention that she's never told before.

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For a rough transcription of this episode click here. 

David Axelrod explains how to accidentally stumble across a once in a lifetime presidential candidate who doesn't really need you, while Karl Rove explains how to use racist and homophobic smears to destroy your political opponents.

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For a rough transcription of this episode click here.