Elon Musk finally completes his takeover of Twitter. Emile, Helen, Micah, and Sohrab discuss the implications for the social media platform and our political discourse. Plus, progressives cave to Democratic hawks by retracting a letter that simply suggested a proactive diplomatic push to end the war in Ukraine, and the Nation's Report Card shows record declines in student scores over the pandemic shutdown years.   Join us for our 20th Anniversary Gala in Northern Virginia on 11/17, featuring Rep. Dan Bishop, Chris Rufo, and Jim Webb!   Picks of the week:   Emile: The Fight Over Child Mutilation in Oklahoma, Harry Scherer Helen: Good Trouble: A Sitdown with Marjorie Taylor Greene, Bradley Devlin Sohrab: Voting for War, Micah Meadowcroft Micah: Making Sense of Vladimir Putin, Helen Andrews   

The Bird Is Freed

A weekly current affairs podcast featuring the editors & leadership of The American Conservative. Emile Doak, Helen Andrews, Micah Meadowcroft, and Sohrab Ahmari discuss the news of the day from a decidedly TAC perspective: one that is suspicious of big business as well as big government, and localist rather than globalist.

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Bradley joins Helen, Jude, and Mason to talk about the Red Lobster bankruptcy, the potential for a color revolution in the country of Georgia, and whether there is really a "neopopulist" bipartisan consensus in Washington. Picks of the week: Helen: "The Winners and Losers of Trump's Libertarian Speech," W. James Antle III Jude: "Why Detroit's Population Rebound Matters," Mary Frances Myler Bradley: "Trump's Bronx Rally May Show the Future of the GOP," Ryan Girdusky Mason: "Against Summer Vacation," Peter Tonguette

Too Much Endless Shrimp?

Bradley joins Helen, Jude, and new panelist Mason to discuss the death of Iran's president, the ICC warrants against Israel and Hamas, and the closing days of Trump's Manhattan trial. Picks of the week: Helen: "A Black Economist Goes Right, Left, and Back Again," Helen Andrews Bradley: "Assange Wins Delay," James Bovard Mason: "Mall by Mall, America's Interior Is Wasting Away," Peter Tonguette Jude: "What If the Gaza Pier Is a Two-Way Street," James Pinkerton

Just a Helicopter Crash

Special guest Colton Moor joins Bradley, Helen, and Sumantra to talk about the primaries in West Virginia and Maryland, whether anyone can trust the poll numbers showing Trump favored to win in November, and the cabinet shakeup in Russia. Picks of the week: Sumantra: "Putin's New Defense Minister Could Be His Successor," Helen Andrews Helen: "Not Your Parents' Protests," Scott McConnell Colton: "Anti-Establishment Pressure Builds as EU Elections Loom," Michael O'Shea Bradley: "Richard Nixon's Prophet," Krzysztof Tyszka-Drozdowski

Justice in West Virginia, Surprises in Maryland

Curt joins Bradley, Helen, and Jude to discuss the operation in Rafah, the indefinite postponement of Trump's documents trial, and Speaker Johnson's chances of making it to November. Picks of the week: Helen: "America's Public Transit Nightmare," Harry Scherer Bradley: "Another Trial in New York," Peter Tonguette Jude: "The Hur Memo and the Tragedy of Joe Biden," Philip Jeffery Curt: "Israel Looks Poised to Escalate," Bradley Devlin

The Boxes Hoax Sputters

Bradley, Helen, Sumantra, and Ryan Girdusky discuss the veepstakes, what an ICC prosecution would mean for Netanyahu, and Kosovo becoming the first Muslim-majority country to approve gay marriage. Picks of the week: Bradley: "Is the Navalny Intelligence Leak an Olive Branch to Putin," Helen Andrews Helen: "Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature," Nic Rowan Ryan: "Giorgia Meloni Is Better Than You Think," Ryan Girdusky Sumantra: "DEI Was Never about Profitability," Chris Brunet

The Bird Is Freed

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