Unf*cking The Republic

This week we go all the way back to the beginning to ruminate about what motivated us to start the podcast in the dark days of the pandemic. We open with a passage from Nancy MacLean’s Democracy in Chains that struck a chord with Max. In it MacLean talks about the early days of the nihilistic libertarian society built by Charles Koch who was himself building upon the work of his father in the John Birch Society. Turns out, Koch and the founders of the neoliberal movement were inspired by the organizing principles of Vladimir Lenin. Let that sink in.

Chapters

Intro: 00:00:00

Sketch: 00:01:29

Max’s Moment: 00:06:39

A Discussion: 00:41:19

Outro: 01:27:49

Resources

Nancy MacLean: Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America

The Family on Netflix

Jeff Sharlet: The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power

Max on Bluesky

UNFTR on YouTube

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Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.

Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."

Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we offer a grim and final eulogy to the Democratic Party and the 2024 election. The results were foretold by countless DNC missteps and missed opportunities that the Party remains reluctant to admit to. The next stage in the American experiment is going to be dire and regressive, leaving progressives with two options to move forward: Succumb to the forces of authoritarian rule guided by the corporate class, or build a plan to take control of our democracy after they burn it to the ground. We’re exiting the neoliberal phase of our journey and entering what Stanley Deetz termed “corporate colonialism.” In order to build a strong coalition to jumpstart a new progressive movement, it’s imperative that we focus our efforts on decolonizing America.

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Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP.

Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.

Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.

Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.

Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."

Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Max and 99 have a Manny-less conversation (Manny on assignment, don’t worry) about the election. It’s a sobering discussion about what’s at stake; they talk Democratic missteps along the way and ask whose idea it was to let Steve Bannon out of prison before the election. 

Resources

Join the livestream on Wednesday, 11/6/24 at 8:00 PM EST.

New York Times: Election 2024 Polls: Harris vs. Trump

Middle Aged Dad Jam Band

AP: CNN bans conservative writer after ‘beeper’ comment to Muslim commentator

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson: Brian’s Hat Full Sketch

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson: Ghost Tour

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson: Save Corncob TV

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson: Door

AP: Crossing against the light? You won’t get ticketed now that jaywalking is legal in NYC

UNFTR Episode Resources

Phone A Friend: Nick Hanauer of Pitchfork Economics.

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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.

Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.

Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week.

Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP.

Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.

Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.

Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.

Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."

Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we focus on a thin slice of the energy pie to disabuse the notion of “energy independence.” When politicians reference this concept they speak narrowly in terms of oil and gas production in the United States. As though if we could somehow pump enough of our own oil specifically, we could break our dependence on foreign nations, especially those villainous bad actors like Russia and Iran. Not only is this talking point an illusion, the framing of it is completely false. For starters, we already pump more oil than we consume. Moreover, we import crude and refined oil from allies. 

Chapters

Intro: 00:01:00

Post Show Musings: 00:14:42

Outro: 00:20:15

Resources

U.S. Energy Information Administration: What countries are the top producers and consumers of oil?

NRDC: Study Shows 14,000 Unplugged Oil and Gas Wells in Gulf of Mexico

Baker Hughes Rig Count

Marketplace: Why oil companies aren't drilling on those 9,000 land leases

CNN Business: Why oil companies are raking in record profits under Joe Biden

Haas News: Explainer: The myth of 'energy independence'

U.S. Senate Committee On The Budget: Sen. Whitehouse on Fossil Fuel Subsidies: “We Are Subsidizing the Danger”

BLS: Fastest Growing Occupations

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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.

Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.

Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week.

Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP.

Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.

Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.

Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.

Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."

Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Worker cooperatives are often viewed as part of the solution to beating back capitalism. Yet there are more than 33 million small businesses in the U.S. and less than a thousand worker co-operatives. This week’s episode looks at the different co-op models and the barriers to the growth and success of worker cooperatives in the U.S. as opposed to Europe. We take a look at iconic cooperatives such as the Mondragon Corporation in Spain to the Park Slope Food Co-Op in Brooklyn, NY and explain how everyone can easily support worker co-ops this election day.

Chapters

Intro: 00:00:03

Chapter One: Doing the Work. 00:03:52

Chapter Two: Mondragon. 00:11:27

Chapter Three: Cooperatives Models. 00:19:18

Chapter Four: The Food Dude Retires. 00:27:54

Chapter Five: Barriers and Clues. 00:31:20

Bring it home, Max. 00:35:31

Outro: 00:39:29

Resources

Expert Market: The Most Productive Countries in 2024

USDA: More than just a co-op: How Cooperatives Strengthen Economic Power

National Council of Farmer Cooperatives

EOS Data Analytics: Agricultural Cooperatives: Find The Top Co-Ops In The US

Ocean Spray: About Us

Land O’Lakes Inc.

NCBA CLUSA: Healthcare Co-ops

NCUA Quarterly Credit Union Data Summary 2024 Q1

U.S. Small Business Administration: Office of Advocacy: Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business, 2023

Co-op News: Worker co-op sector continues to grow in the USA

Co-opLaw.org: Subchapter T and How Money Flows Through a Cooperative

H.R.7721 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): National Worker Cooperative Development and Support Act

The New York Times: Founder of the Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn to Retire After 50 Years

Reuters: Personal Finance: Bank Transfer Day saw 600,000 switch

Bob’s Red Mill: Proudly Employee Owned

Democracy at Work Institute

Democracy at Work (d@w): About Co-ops

MONDRAGON Corporation

U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives: Sen. Bernie Sander’s Address at The Worker Co-op Conference

U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives: Member Directory

The New Yorker: How Mondragon Became the World’s Largest Co-Op

UN: Measuring the Size and Scope of the Cooperative Economy: Results of the 2014 Global Census on Co-operatives

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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.

Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.

Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week.

Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP.

Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.

Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.

Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.

Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."

Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Max puts the finishing touches on the forthcoming Worker Cooperative episode, we’re replaying an oldie but a goodie called The American Propaganda Machine. We chose this as a complement to our recent discussions surrounding news literacy. We think it holds up pretty well, actually. 

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On this episode of Unf*cking the Republic we do a deep dive into the American system of propaganda and pull back the curtain on the tangled web of think tanks, lobbying groups, media organizations and corporations that live to fuck over the American people. We’ll demonstrate how dark money works its way through a labyrinth of special interest groups and emerges as public policy that looks and sounds patriotic and helpful but is actually designed to strip away your rights and generate profits for a handful of assholes. And we’ll show how groups like the Heritage Foundation help craft and sell these messages to turn people against their own best interests and make you believe the horse shit they’re peddling. 

Resources

The Center for Public Integrity: You elected them to write new laws. They’re letting corporations do it instead.

Book Love

Jane Mayer: Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical

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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.

Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.

Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week.

Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP.

Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.

Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.

Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.

Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."

Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Quickie. It’s been months since we put together a quick take on three seemingly unrelated issues. What do a wider Middle East war, U.S. manufacturing as the answer to climate change and dock worker strikes all have to do with one another? Both sides of the political aisle have all the wrong answers and the media are asking all the wrong questions. Max breaks it all down.

Chapters

Intro: 00:00:06

Part One: Asheville. 00:00:13

Part Two: Israel. 00:06:36

Part Three: Inequality. 00:10:38

Outro: 00:16:31

Resources

Axios Charlotte: North Carolina is filled with Yankees — maybe more than you think

The New York Times: ‘Climate Havens’ Don’t Exist

BBC: US cities are advertising themselves as 'climate havens'. But can they actually protect residents from extreme weather?

NPR: Climate-fueled flooding in Vermont is causing both worry and adaptation

Marinette County: Tornado and Severe Summer Weather

CBS News: Vice Presidential candidates Walz and Vance spar on energy policy and climate change

CBS News: Israeli strikes in Lebanon decapitate Hezbollah, as civilian deaths mount and ground operation looms

Barron’s: New Tally Puts October 7 Attack Dead In Israel At 1,163

Stimson Center: Israeli Assassinations in Iran and Lebanon Put Iraq’s Stability in Further Peril

The Washington Post: As war widens and costs mount, Israel’s economy is in ‘serious danger’

AP News: Dockworkers may have negotiating advantage in ports strike

Book Love

Tad Delay: Future of Denial: The Ideologies of Climate Change

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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.

Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.

Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week.

Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP.

Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.

Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.

Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.

Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."

Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s Show Notes Max and 99 catch up in studio to touch on the Libya episode and catch up on recent feedback from Unf*ckers. Plus, they had a therapy session about the state of podcasting and feelings around the election as well. Enjoy!

Chapters

Intro: 00:00:20

Libya Chat: 00:19:44

Email + YouTube Feedback: 00:24:21

Memberships: 01:18:03

Reviews: 01:18:28

Outro: 01:19:22

UNFTR Episode Resources

Meaningless Rage and Outrage on the Debate Stage.

The Great Man-Made River Project.

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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.

Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.

Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week.

Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP.

Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.

Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.

Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.

Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."

Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Great Man-Made River in Libya was once considered the 8th Wonder of the World. Water was first discovered in the 1960s when oil and gas drilling companies discovered enormous aquifers beneath the desert sands of Libya. 20 years after these discoveries, Libya was under the brutal dictatorship of Muammar Gaddafi who had overthrown the monarchy in 1969. Gaddafi embarked on an ambitious plan to pump water from under the desert into large reservoirs that were connected by pipelines throughout the country. While three of the five planned phases were completed at an estimated cost of $30 billion, the project was halted when Gaddafi was killed in 2011 during the Arab Spring uprisings. This is the fascinating story of a despot who had a grand vision for Islamic pan-Arab nationalism and will forever be linked to one of the greatest engineering feats the world has ever seen; a man who was ultimately betrayed by western “allies” and ironically died as brutally as he ruled at the hands of young Islamic Arab nationalists.

Chapters

Intro: 00:00:35

Chapter One: 00:05:11

Chapter Two: 00:09:21

Chapter Three: 00:15:27

Chapter Four: 00:21:57

Chapter Five: 00:32:13

Chapter Six: 00:37:07

Bring it home, Max. 00:44:18

Resources

Water Supply Project: GMR (Great Man-Made River)

Middle East Institute: What’s next for Libya’s Great Man-Made River Project?

What Happened to Libya's Great Man-Made River Project?

GWI: Libya’s $11 billion water lifeline

ScienceDirect Topics: Agricultural Revolution - an overview

Reuters: Libyan leaders agree form new unified government

Al Jazeera: Libya’s High State Council elects new leader as political gridlock deepens

Muammar Gaddafi Interviewed Just Before Libyan Revolution

Moammar Gadhafi Dead Video: Last Moments Alive Caught on Tape in Sirte

Book Love

John Wright: History of Libya

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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.

Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.

Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week.

Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP.

Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.

Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.

Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.

Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."

Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Because it’s silly season, we interrupt our regularly scheduled programming once again to provide blow-by-excruciating-blow coverage of the (apparently only) debate between Vice President Harris and former President Donald Trump. While most observers called it a clear victory for Harris who was composed and on message, as opposed to a meanspirited and meandering Trump, the debate was more remarkable for the theatrical nature of the staging and the absence of pertinent questions that could reveal something (anything) of substance for the American people to grab onto.

Resources

Wall Street Journal: Full Debate: Harris vs. Trump in 2024 Presidential Debate

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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.

Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565

Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.

Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week.

Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP.

Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.

Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.

Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.

Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."

Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.