Half the Answer
Half the Answer is hosted by Caitlin M. Green and Trent R. Nelson. They interview experts who weigh in on current debates. The show aims not only to uncover answers to today's questions but also to explore why those questions are being asked. It argues that understanding the questions we ask is half the answer.
Episodes
Graft the Likes of Which the World Has Never Seen Before (with Zach Everson)
Donald Trump made more than two billion dollars in the first year of his second term. Much of it was from cryptocurrency, which he used to refer to as "based on thin air" until he started selling it. Zach Everson from Public Citizen explains how Trump ramped up his corruption and grifting after getting away with smaller stuff in his first term.Resources:https://www.citizen.org/about/pers
At First ICE Loses, Then It Flies, Flies Again (with Gillian Brockell)
ICE has been transporting people in inhumane conditions to countries to which they have no affiliation or connection. What do the courts think about this? It's…confusing. Reporter Gillian Brockell is here to get the word out, sharing stories not only about ICE's awful actions and our ridiculous Supreme Court but also about how Democrats on Chicago's city council have fought back.Resour
Everything's 'National Security' in Trump's Washington (with Stephanie Mencimer)
Donald Trump is changing the landscape of Washington—literally. From East Potomac Park to the Kennedy Center to the 'Arc de Trump,' everything he touches turns to plaster and adhesive gold-colored filigree. And all the while, D.C. is still under occupation by National Guard out-of-towners. Stephanie Mencimer, a senior reporter with Mother Jones and resident of the city under siege, joins u
Orange Man Deteriorating: What It Means for 2026 and 2028 (with Ryan Cooper)
Donald Trump appears to be deteriorating…in every way possible. Physically, mentally, internationally, grammatically—somehow, orange man worsening, while word salads, IVs, and naps are great again. Ryan Cooper of the American Prospect helps us think through what it means for 2026, 2028, and beyond.Resourceshttps://prospect.orghttps://www.leftanchor.comhttps://wlos.com/news/local/joke-trump-fema-fu
How the Tech Bros of Silicon Valley Would Govern Us (with Adrian Daub)
When those at the very top echelon of influence in Silicon Valley think about, talk about, and interact with government, what does that look like? Can we come up with a legible, understandable picture of the tech elites' idea of what governing is and how they relate to it? Adrian Daub says yes, and he says it in his new book "What Tech Calls Governing."Resources"What Tech Calls
Trump, Israel, the Iran War, and the Death of the Two-State Solution (with Y. L. Al-Sheikh)
What is the current state of affairs in Israel, Palestine, and the surrounding nations? We ask Y. L. Al-Sheikh for her help summarizing and contextualizing recent developments.Resourceshttps://bsky.app/profile/diplomatofnight.comhttps://www.liberalcurrents.com/author/ylalsheikh/https://foreignpolicy.com/author/yaseen-al-sheikh/https://internationalpolicy.org/resource-author/y-l-al-sheikh/
Very Normal, Sir: Trump's Canadian and Iranian Quagmires (with Greg Sargent)
Donald Trump's unprovoked trade war with Canada and his chaotic attacks on Iran have him hemorrhaging support in states he won in 2024. Why doesn't he seem to care? What is he thinking? We can't read minds, but we can talk to Greg Sargent from the New Republic about Trump's statements, posts, and actions over the last month or so.Resourceshttps://newrepublic.comhttps://bsky.app/pro
Esther's Army: The Women Who Make Up MAGA (with Katie Gaddini)
Who are the women supporting the rise of the far right in the United States? Are they brainwashed? Confused? Under coercive control? Dr. Katie Gaddini presents her findings after interviewing politically active right-wing women across the country and explains that there can be several distinct classifications of such women, who all are different, complex, and active participants in their political
For Back-to-School, It's Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (with Caitlin Gilbert)
Vaccination rates are falling across the country, vaccine deniers are occupying positions of power in the United States government, and previously eradicated diseases are reappearing. Tracking all of this is Caitlin Gilbert and her colleagues at the Washington Post health, science, and wellness desk. We asked her to fill us in on the state of the nation when it comes to vaccination, inoculation, a
Midterm Madness: Political Ads from Michigan to Texas (with Jonathan M. Katz)
It's an unhinged political ad round-up, featuring racist memes from Donald Trump himself and Ken Paxton's rancid, deep-fried AI slop rip-off of one of the most famous ads from history. Author Jonathan M. Katz helps us make sense of the hideous soup of extremism, slander, bad art, and dirty dealings that we're all floating in.Resources:https://www.theracket.newshttps://www.forever-wars.
Was Cultural Marxism Responsible for the Beatles? (with A. J. A. Woods)
Why does the right keep talking about a handful of critical theorists from the 1960s? Why are they hellbent on rooting out discussion of progressive ideas from the public sphere? What did Theodor Adorno have to do with the release of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"? And does the notion of "Cultural Marxism" imply the existence of seminal thinker Cultural Marx? We talk to A. J. A. Wood
Lindsey Graham: "Corporal," Senator, Hypocrite (with Maya Rupert)
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham has somehow jumped the queue, passing Mitch McConnell on the way to the place where Republican senators go at the end of a life full of compromises, betrayals, and cruelty. With the help of author, election strategist, and social justice advocate Maya Rupert, we explore the life and works of the man who occupied the most racist seat in American history.Resourc
Ken Paxton and the Potential Boogaloo Congressman (with Steven Monacelli)
Ken Paxton isn't the only Looney Toon running for a position in the United States Congress this November. An extremist gun YouTuber is the Republican nominee for a House seat in the district that contains Uvalde, Texas. How did this happen? How is Katy Stout, his Democratic opponent, feeling about suddenly facing a boneheaded boogaloo bro instead of the moderate who was supposed to be there? J
Graham Platner: Walking Red Flag (with Marisa Kabas)
Graham Platner is a parade of red flags stuffed into a pair of yellow rubber waders, and yet so many let those things slide with a tsk tsk at best. For others, he was a bad man with bad views who unfortunately represented the only possible way to reverse the GOP majority in the senate. Improperly vetted, he relied on his "everyman" image to skate through the primaries despite several rounds of dam
ICE Flights: Cattle Cars in the Sky (with Gillian Brockell)
ICE flights are still happening and they are still horrifying. Gillian Brockell brings us updates on some of the major players in the game of torturing innocent people in the sky, their victims, and the regular people who do not want this abusive pack of monsters to continue using their resources.Resourceshttps://gillianbrockell.com/Send tips to: gbrockell.44 on signalhttps://bsky.app/profile/gill
America's 250th Birthday Party and The Green Reflecting Pool (with Amanda Moore)
Why won't Gregory Bovino stay gone? Why can't Trump keep his pool clean? And how many fireworks is too many fireworks? We asked our friend and yours Amanda Moore to help us get to the bottom of these questions and more.Resources:https://www.instagram.com/noturtlesoup17/?hl=en https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/an-ice-chaser-bovino/https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/02/gregory-bovino
Jared Kushner and Albania's Flamingo Revolution (with Hunter CG)
Why is Albania having anti-Jared Kushner protests? What did he do to them? And what on Earth is going on in the UK? We asked our resident Europe expert to explain it all to us.Resourceshttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/how-uks-keir-starmer-went-from-election-landslide-to-downfallhttps://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/06/jared-kushner-ivanka-trump-albania-luxury-resort-protest-movement-overthro
The Legalization of Sports Gambling in America (with Danny Funt)
How did sports betting burst onto the scene so violently in the last half-decade? Danny Funt, author of Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling explains the legal, regulatory and business changes that have led us here. For immediate help with problem gambling, please call 1-800-MY-RESET (800-522-4700) or visit https://www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/Resourceshttps://boo
SCOTUS, Callais, and What's Next for Voting Rights and Other Civil Rights (with Madiba Dennie)
What does the Callais decision mean for voting rights and other anti-discrimination protections in the United States? How is anybody supposed to defend their rights against race-based discrimination if they're not allowed to use disparate impact as proof? Catch the discriminators confessing on a voice recording carrot pen, "Zootopia"-style? Bust out the mind-reading machine? We ask Madiba Dennie,
Bari Weiss Is Supposed to Do the News Now (with Radley Balko)
Why has Bari Weiss, a liberal-presenting Trump sycophant, been handed the reins to CBS News, one of our most prestigious news organizations? What does her time running the Free Press, a website that publishes commentary, tell us about how she thinks about "doing the f--king news," which is to say, journalism? Radley Balko joins Trent and Caitlin to explain what he found when he dug into the work o
The Two American Reconstructions: An Appraisal, Reflection (with Thomas Zimmer)
What was the first American Reconstruction after the Civil War? Why are some historians suggesting we just left a second sort of Reconstruction Era? Join Caitlin and Trent as they got into it all with Historian Thomas Zimmer, going from the first period of reconstruction, across the late 19th and early 20th centuries, before pressing through this second reconstruction, which Thomas considers as be
Eat Like a Politician? (with Bennett Rea of Cookin' with Congress)
What was Andrew Jackson's favorite gelatin-based meal? Why did Hilary Clinton feel a deep and urgent need to tell everyone about her fantastic chocolate chip cookie recipe? Did Ronald Reagan really eat that many jelly beans? We answer these questions and more with Bennett Rea, creator and host of Cookin' With Congress. Plus a little taste test!Resourceshttps://www.cookinwithcongress.com/ht
Richard Dawkins Finds Love, Isolation as a Societal Norm, and Other AI News (with Hagen Blix)
Is this chatbot sentient? Is AI my friend? Is isolation hackable? Trent and Caitlin discuss recent AI news, Sam Altman's troubles legal and otherwise, labor organizing as a strategy against the worst fears of AI experts, and whether Richard Dawkins is conscious, in this news digest episode with linguist and AI researcher Hagen Blix.Resourceshttps://bookshop.org/p/books/why-we-fear-ai-on-the-in
To What Lengths Should Democrats Go to Save a Liberal Society? (with Jacob Levy)
In a time when the ruling party seems to be totally fine with breaking every law, every rule, and every norm that was holding our country in the general shape and consistency of a democracy, what should the opposition party be willing to do? Are there times when retaliation that goes against one of our principles might serve a greater purpose? Are there times when it would only further erode our v
Dystopian Prisons, Progressive Messaging, and the 2026 Midterms (with Whitney Curry Wimbish)
Progressive messaging is so hot, the cynical opportunists are appropriating it for mass appeal. A combat surgeon returned from Gaza has found financial support in a pro-Palestine super PAC. Public pressure may prevent new ICE facilities. Journalist Whitney Curry Wimbish walks us through these and other recent stories she has worked on for The American Prospect.Resourceshttps://am-quickie.ghost.io/
Understanding How Israeli Settlers Are Illegally Seizing New Regions of the West Bank (with Oren Ziv)
Apartheid and incursions into Palestinian territory are accomplished by a specific set of tactics. Oren Ziv, an Israeli photojournalist, joins Trent and Caitlin to describe some examples of the strategies he has seen in person and learned of in his reporting.Resourceshttps://www.activestills.org/https://www.972mag.com/writer/orenziv/https://www.972mag.com/israeli-settler-violence-condemnations-smo
The Cancel Culture Panic: Understanding How an American Obsession Went Global (with Adrian Daub)
You can't say anything these days! Especially not on a college campus, and especially not if you're a white man. For evidence, please enjoy this loose assemblage of sixth-hand anecdotes with no detail or reporting to back it up. This is the discursive form that Caitlin and Trent brought Stanford professor Adrian Daub on to discuss, described in his 2024 book, The Cancel Culture Panic: How
Understanding Israel, Palestine, Iran, and Lebanon (with Y. L. Al-Sheikh)
Look at my Iran negotiator, dawg, we’re never getting through the Strait of Hormuz. Friend of the program Y. L. Al-Sheikh helps us understand the unfolding diplomatic and military nightmare that is the Middle East, and how the United States plays a role in each.
Orban Out!: Understanding Viktor Orban, Peter Magyar and the Hungarian Election (with RoteRote)
Goodbye to Viktor Orban! Don't let the door hit you! Trent and Caitlin bring you a discussion with resident Europe expert Hunter CG (also known as @roterote).Resourceshttps://bsky.app/profile/roterote.bsky.socialhttps://www.tiktok.com/@roterotemediahttps://linktr.ee/roterotemediahttps://19thnews.org/2026/04/voting-citizenship-proof-laws-trump-save-america-act/https://www.newsweek.com/viktor-or
"No Quarter, No Mercy": Understanding Pete Hegseth
A bloodthirsty, homicidal maniac is in charge of our nation's military for some reason, and he just can't stop saying stuff that confirms that he deeply believes that extreme violence is awesome and God likes it a lot. Trent and Caitlin ask Greg Sargent of the New Republic what he learned from experts about the ideology that underpins Pete Hegseth's attitude toward violence.Resources:https://newre
Liam Ramos, Kid Prisons, and ICE Flights
Delta Airlines brought Liam Ramos back from the child prison in Texas, but they don't seem to want to talk about how they took him there in the first place. Trent and Caitlin debrief with Gillian Brockell about the current status of ICE flights, the fate of the boy in the bunny hat, and the way journalists credit each other (and also sometimes don't) when they rely on each other's reporting.Resour
What the Hell Is Happening in Texas?! (with Gwen Howerton)
What the hell is going on in Texas? Trent and Caitlin welcome Houston culture reporter Gwen Howerton about the Texas senate primaries, censorship in prisons, and the state of LGBTQ+ rights in the Lone Star State.Resources:https://bsky.app/profile/kissphoria.bsky.socialhttps://www.chron.com/culture/article/cornyn-paxton-texas-senate-ai-22082110.phphttps://www.chron.com/culture/article/texas-prison-
Sharia Socialism in NYC, Or Just Smarter Governance? (with Ryan Cooper)
What's happened in New York City since Zohran Mamdani became mayor in January? Has it become a Marxist-Islamic bastion, ruled by a soviet in the succeeding three months? Trent and Caitlin discuss the Sharia Socialism of NYC Mayor Mamdani, the naked vice signalling and stove-touching of the GOP with author Ryan Cooper.Resourceshttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanlcooper.comhttps://prospect.org/https://www
DOGE Dunces, Depositions, DC Cops and Scoop Ethics (with Marisa Kabas)
Trent and Caitlin achieve the coveted threepeat guest appearance with journalist Marisa Kabas of the Handbasket, fresh off her incredible legal win obtaining the body cam footage from the DC cops who assisted the DOGE boys in breaking into the USIP office in March 2025. They discuss the total disregard for life, law, and locked doors that was on display that day, as well as the frustrating events
Holding ICE and Border Patrol Accountable (with Joshua Erlich)
Trent and Caitlin catch up with employment litigator Joshua Erlich about the difficulties of holding immigration and border patrol agents to account when they break the law. What happens when you can't be sure which individual attacked you? How can their actions be restricted, and what should Democrats do given their level of power in the government right now?ResourcesJoshua's bluesky: https://bsk
Political Polarization Across the U.S.A. and Europe (with Aurelien Mondon)
Caitlin and Trent talk with Aurelien Mondon about his recent political science paper outlining the limitations of considering all politics through the lens of "polarization." They discuss the pitfalls of the term and the ways "polarizing" events and speech can be drastically different and sometimes even positive.Resourceshttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41296-025-00779-4https://www.searc
Making America Sick Again: How MAGA is Hurting Healthcare & Science (with Walker Bragman)
Trent and Caitlin reconnect with journalist Walker Bragman to hash out the current state of the NIH and HHS, the ideologies that drive people to promote eugenics and science denial, and the childish nature of fascism.Resources:https://www.importantcontext.news/https://www.accountabilityjournalism.org/https://bsky.app/profile/walkerbragman.bsky.socialhttps://publichealth.jhu.edu/ivac/resources/us-m
America and Iran: Another Forever War? (with The Logical Leftist)
Happy days are not here again, but at least Trent and Caitlin have Jeff Waldorf, the Logical Leftist, to hang out with while they process it all. The United States has dropped bombs on Iran, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several of his top-ranking officials, civilians, and the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' school, in which more than 160 little girls were killed. They talk through the conflicting,
The WaPo Defenestration and ICE Flight Brutality (with Gillian Brockell)
Trent and Caitlin check in with journalist Gillian Brockell after the release of her article on ICE air. They discuss the recent mass layoffs at the Washington Post, the abhorrent treatment of deportees, the justifications used to mistreat humans, and the importance of empathy and being a human.Resources:https://gillianbrockell.ghost.io/https://bsky.app/profile/gbrockell.bsky.socialhttps://www.bus
What’s the Deal with Concentration Camps? (with Andrea Pitzer)
Trent and Caitlin talk with author and journalist Andrea Pitzer about the modern concentration camp model, its history and public perception, and the concentration camps the United States government is operating and hopes to open in the near future.Resourceshttps://andreapitzer.com/Andrea's newsletter: https://degenerateart.beehiiv.com/Andrea's book on camps: https://bookshop.org/p/books/one-long-
The SAVE America Act’s Assault on Voting Rights (with Hunter CG)
Trent and Caitlin chatted with Hunter CG of RoteRote Media and Democrats Abroad, looking at the GOP's latest assault on voting rights, the SAVE America Act. This act has passed the House of Representatives and will be addressed by the Senate in the next couple of days. They talk about all the different ways this piece of legislation disenfranchises voters in the US and abroad, and they exhort
CBP and ICE Report: New Orleans, Minneapolis, Greg Bovino & Apple Pie (with Amanda Moore)
Caitlin and Trent talk with journalist Amanda Moore about her work tracking the DHS "surges" all over the United States, her efforts to get close to former commander at large Gregory Bovino, and her experience trying to form conclusions about the broader patterns of immigration forces' violence over time.Resources:https://substack.com/@noturtlesoup17https://www.instagram.com/noturtle
Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show, Warehouse Prisons & the El Paso Laser Fiasco (with Jonathan Katz)
Trent and Caitlin boogie with friend-of-the-program, journalist Jonathan M. Katz of The Racket. They talk Super Bowl, Bad Bunny, the TPUSA halftime safe space show, and immigration detention.Resources:theracket.newshttps://bsky.app/profile/katz.theracket.newshttps://www.tiktok.com/@katzonearth?lang=enSchools Closed in Puerto Rico: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/09/12/magazine/puerto-rico
Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself? (with Matt McManus)
Trent and Caitlin catch up with political science assistant professor Matt McManus. They discuss the narratives surrounding resistance in the twin cities, the loud and ugly voices on the right describing an ideology of cruelty and dehumanization, and the power of regular people to puncture false claims from the government.Resources: https://www.factcheck.org/2026/01/as-ice-arrests-increased-a-high
SCOTUS, the Fourth Amendment, and the Resistance (with Chris Geidner)
Trent and Caitlin talk to Chris Geidner of Law Dork about the absolute deluge of legal news that seems to be crashing over us like a tsunami. What are the current assaults on our constitutional rights? What are judges and lawmakers doing to defend those rights? Why is Mike Johnson pretending the Fourth Amendment doesn’t exist?Resources: https://www.lawdork.com/https://bsky.app/profile/lawdorknews.
ICE Flights and Accountability in Journalism (with Gillian Brockell)
Caitlin and Trent talk with journalist Gillian Brockell about her work tracking the flights and airline companies that move people in unsafe conditions to third-party recipient countries, where they will be imprisoned, mistreated, tortured, and possibly sent to their country of origin in violation of international law.ResourcesICE flight monitor https://humanrightsfirst.org/ice-flight-monitor/Unsa
The Year We Lost Everything: Appraising 2025 and Fighting Back in 2026 (with Evan Urquhart)
Trent and Caitlin ask Evan Urquhart about his 2025 wrap up piece on Assigned Media: "The Year We Lost Everything." They discuss the need to take stock of where we are on trans rights, autonomy and the various freedoms we hold dear, and the value of acknowledging that we are not hysterical or out of touch with reality when we feel those freedoms being wrenched from our grasp. We talk about the inte
2025's Word of the Year (with Savi Namboodiripad and Daniel Midgley)
Caitlin and Trent chat with linguistics scholars Savi Namboodiripad and Daniel Midgley on what word most exemplifies 2025. Was it a new coinage? A pre-existing word that gained a new meaning or usage this year? A word that seemed to be on everybody's lips in 2025?Resources:https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/word-of-the-year"6 7" song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07xpV4ix2K8https://www.the
Understanding Stephen Miller (with Greg Sargent)
Trent and Caitlin catch up with Greg Sargent from The New Republic about his recent piece exploring the family history and ideology of Stephen Miller. How did the product of Russian Jewish refugees come to see today's refugees as incapable of integration in American society? What are the white nationalist positions on who is a real American, and how does Miller navigate his position in relation to
The U.S. in Venezuela: The International Community and the Donroe Doctrine (with Mark Copelovitch)
Caitlin and Trent speak with Mark Copelovitch, a political science professor from University of Wisconsin–Madison. They discuss the problem of a world power going rogue, the lack of viable responses for countries like Venezuela and Denmark, and the costs to international trust when the US is so unreliable.Resources:https://polisci.wisc.edu/staff/mark-copelovitch/https://www.markcopelovitch.com/htt
The U.S. in Venezuela: Why Is Corporate Media Being So Weird? (with Marisa Kabas)
Trent and Caitlin check in with the Handbasket’s Marisa Kabas about the year that has been the first week of 2026. What are we doing in Venezuela, and why is corporate media being so weird about it? What are the ethics of publishing scoops that involve military actions? Why are we doing our war crimes from a resort ballroom in Florida?Resources:https://www.thehandbasket.co/https://www.semafor.com/
The Imaginary "War on Science"—and the Real One (with Nathan Oseroff-Spicer)
Trent and Caitlin talk with philosophy of science expert Nathan Oseroff-Spicer about his review of the book "The War On Science," how the book misses the mark, what strategies its authors use to downplay the threats from the right and fabricate a threat from the left, and what motivations could possibly lead thirty-nine scholars to create such a meritless collection of propaganda under the leaders
What Do Republicans Know? (with Matthew Sheffield)
Caitlin and Trent talk with Matthew Sheffield about his experiences as a former Republican strategist and the information he wants progressives to know about their strategies and successes.Resources:https://plus.flux.community/p/what-republicans-knowhttps://www.patreon.com/posts/142008768?utm_campaign=postshare_fanhttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr4qwwk0g0yohttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/
Touring America with Border Patrol and ICE (with Amanda Moore)
Trent and Caitlin catch up with journalist Amanda Moore to hear about her tour of American cities that have been targeted for ICE and Border Patrol operations.Resources: https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/broadview-ice-cbp-gregory-bovino/https://www.clippings.me/users/noturtlesoup17https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/29/us/illinois-broadview-ice-protesters-chargedhttps://abcnews.go.com/US/border-p
Sick in America: Is Everyone Else Lying to You? (with Jonathan Howard)
Caitlin and Trent talk with Jonathan Howard, a neurologist, psychiatrist, and author of *Everyone Else Is Lying to You* and *We Want Them Infected*, both books analyzing the policies and discourses around the COVID-19 pandemic.ResourcesScience-Based Medicine website: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/*Everyone Else Is Lying to You*: https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9781959346999*We Want Them Infected*
Modern Gangsters of Capitalism and the Imperial Boomerang
Trent and Caitlin talk with journalist and author Jonathan Katz about the gangsters of capitalism, the imperial boomerang, and the moral injuries inflicted when officers, agents, and soldiers engage in the inhumane and depraved acts that are demanded of them.ResourcesJonathan's book https://jonathanmkatz.com/gangstershttps://theracket.newshttps://www.tiktok.com/@katzonearth?lang=enhttps://www.
National Delirium: NatSec in Post-9/11 America, from Dubya to Donny
Trent and Caitlin speak with journalist Spencer Ackerman about the CIA, DHS, and other parts of the US government ostensibly protecting us from terrorism. How have they achieved this level of impunity? What are the precedents for the intolerable level of human rights and privacy violations we see today? What have we allowed to be done to the “other” in the past and present?Resourceshttps://www.for
Leaving Children Behind: Education Policy from Bush to Trump
Caitlin and Trent speak with educational policy researcher Derek Gottlieb about what it's like to research education in a country whose administration thinks public education shouldn't really even be a thing.Resources: https://www.derekgottliebphd.com/"Building a Better Teacher" https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/magazine/07Teachers-t.htmlKristof, "Obama and Our Schools"
What's It Really Like at the Portland ICE Facility? Part Deux
Caitlin and Trent speak with livestreamer Audrey Lee about her experiences participating in and documenting protests at the Portland ICE facility. Audrey explains the relationship among the people on the street, the officers of various departments and agencies, and the counterprotesters and right-wing influencers who have been interacting since she arrived this fall.Resourceshttps://www.tiktok.com
Prison Reform, Mass Incarceration, and the History of ICE
Trent and Caitlin speak with Professor John Pfaff, author of "Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration—and How to Achieve Real Reform." They talk about prisons, militarized police, and ICE in today's political climate.Resources:John's book https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/john-pfaff/locked-in/9780465096916/?lens=basic-books ICE accidentally gasses everybody https:
The Tucker Carlson–Nick Fuentes Interview Episode
Caitlin and Trent check in with Daniel Harper of the "I Don't Speak German" podcast, taking another moment to peek under the rock and discover that the creepy crawlies are making friends with each other. They discuss the controversial interview between Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes, the role it seems to be playing in the far right, and various reactions (the good and the goofy).Res
SCOTUS, the Originalism Trap, and the Civil Rights Act
Caitlin and Trent check in with attorney and legal scholar Madiba K. Dennie about the Supreme Court and the originalist reading of the US Constitution—and why the originalist reading is a trap.Resourceshttps://ballsandstrikes.orghttps://madibadennie.com/The Originalism Trap https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/735353/the-originalism-trap-by-madiba-k-dennie/NJ Reparations Council report https:/
What Does History Tell Us About the Second Trump Term?
Trent and Caitlin talk with Emily Glankler of Anti-Social Studies about moments in American history that could inform us about the events of Trump’s second term as president. Who are some characters who resemble the individuals we are dealing with today? Who are the scapegoats? Resources:https://www.randyblazak.comhttps://www.tiktok.com/@antisocialstudies?_t=ZT-90u54I8WX3F&_r=1https://youtube.
What's It Really Like at the Portland ICE Facility?
Caitlin plays field reporter at the Portland ICE facility, interviewing the famous Portland chicken suit guy, Jack Dickinson himself, who gives his observations and thoughts after eight months on the scene.Resources:The impact of inflatables: https://www.404media.co/the-surreal-practicality-of-protesting-as-an-inflatable-frog/ICE recruits not well vetted: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna23873
MAHA and the Climate Deniers: Who Are These People?!
Trent and Caitlin talk with journalist Walker Bragman about the various crises in public health and climate change, the people who helped bring us here, and the dark money that funded it. They discuss the ways disinformation is packaged and spread to discourage the public from being able to access the services and tools they need to live.Resourceshttps://www.accountabilityjournalism.org/https://ww
America and Iran: Past, Present and Future
Caitlin and Trent catch up with historian and former journalist John Ghazvinian to discuss the state of Iran, its past, present and future, how that has historically intersected with the United States dating back nearly 300 years, why trust is so important in international relations, the JCPOA, the Trump era, and his book, "America and Iran."John's book: https://www.penguinrandomhous
Andy Ngo and the Portland Mythology
Caitlin and Trent speak with Jared Holt and Michael Edison Hayden about the infamous right-wing "busybody journalist" Andy Ngo, his work demonizing Muslim immigrants in grad school, and his transition to online political influencer and professional victim with "The Post Millennial" as its editor-at-large.ResourcesPosting Through It https://www.patreon.com/cw/PostingThroughItWhi
Palestine in Context: The New Israel-Palestine Deal
Trent and Caitlin are joined by Layla al-Sheikh to discuss that Israel deal and the history of past proposals and solutions.Resources:Current updates https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10/09/world/israel-hamas-gaza-ceasefireDoha attack https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/netanyahu-killed-any-hope-of-hostage-release-with-strike-on-doha-qatars-prime-minister-saysPatrick Wintour in the Guardian https:/
What Is Antifa, and How Do You Catch a Fascist?
Christopher Mathias, author of "To Catch a Fascist," speaks to Caitlin and Trent about the events of 2020, clashes between violent fascist clubs and "community defense" groups. They discuss misconceptions about what "antifa" is and what kinds of activities they are engaged in, the difference between doxxing a teacher who practices inclusivity and doxxing one who is br
Mass Shootings, MedBeds, Media Mistakes and Misconceptions
Trent and Caitlin talk with journalist Jacqueline Sweet about how violence is framed in media as political, the rush to score points for one side or the other, inconsistent standards for free speech and freedom of the press, and the scammy nature of our president and his public statements.Resources:Jacqueline's social media: https://bsky.app/profile/jsweetli.bsky.socialMass shooting info: http
Education Wars
Trent and Caitlin speak with Jennifer Berkshire and Jack Schneider about their recent book "The Education Wars: A Citizen’s Guide and Defense Manual." They discuss the faulty beliefs and logics that lead us to think about education as a tool for achievement and competition rather than a service provided by communities to their members. They ask what rhetorical strategies have been employ
Charlie Kirk and the Roots of the Far Right
Trent and Caitlin talk with political science professor Matt McManus about far-right thinkers and their journey through the past two decades. He regales the HTA audience with nuggets of wisdom from Charlie Kirk's books and other pieces of right-wing political theory he has reviewed.ResourcesMatt's book: https://www.routledge.com/The-Political-Theory-of-Liberal-Socialism/McManus/p/book/9781
Chaotic Neutrality in the Democratic Party
Trent and Caitlin talk with politics blogger and podcaster Ed Burmila about the centrist arm of the Democratic Party and its zombie-like shuffle through our dark era of authoritarian overreach. We ask what exactly went wrong over the last half-century that led our ostensible protectors to be so ill-equipped for this moment? Who is failing us, who is trying something else, and what tactics seem pro
Ezra Klein, Charlie Kirk, Free Speech, and Whitewashing in the Media
Trent and Caitlin check in with independent journalist Marisa Kabas about media and public figures’ reactions to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, their impulse to valorize and whitewash his legacy, and the mass harassment and firing campaigns against anyone who is insufficient in their praise of him.Resources:https://www.thehandbasket.cohttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/opinion/charlie-kirk-ass
What Are Groypers?
Caitlin and Trent talk with independent journalist Amanda Moore about the groypers and their peers, the self-serving micro-celebrities who profit from them, and the media’s mad scramble to make the latest assassination fit into the left-right paradigm without consulting experts.Amanda’s work: https://www.clippings.me/users/noturtlesoup17 Pepe Jack-o-lantern image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/i
The Language of Democrats and Republicans
Trent and Caitlin speak with political science professor Lindsey Cormack about her analysis of the DCInbox database of political communications, focusing especially on the memo from Third Way advising Democrats to avoid certain words that make them sound out of touch, elitist, or insincere. Where did these words come from? And do Democratic politicians actually use words like “heteronormative” and
The Health of American Democracy
Caitlin and Trent speak with Jacob T. Levy, Tomlinson Professor of Political Theory at McGill University, about the state of democracy in the U.S. How did we get here? What are the tools and motivations of the people working to dismantle the institutions that make us a democratic nation? Is there a way out of it?Resources:Jacob's website: https://jacobtlevy.com/Jacob's book: https://global
A Second American Midnight?
Trent and Caitlin talk with author, journalist and historian Adam Hochschild about the historical periods that most inform his view of today's disturbing American politics. What tactics and goals does Trump 2.0 have in common with Woodrow Wilson's post-WWI administration? What is different? What inspiration and warnings can we take from that dark period to help us survive this one?Resource
The American Anti-Vaxx Movement: Past, Present, and Future
Trent and Caitlin ask Steven Monacelli about his recent work documenting the history and present of the American anti-vaccination movement. Who is drawn into it? How did we get here? What happens now that representatives of anti-vaccine beliefs now have the power to cut off the funds and regulatory processes that allow us to access immunization and disease management?Resources:Podcast: "Anti-
Are We Liberated Yet?
Trent and Caitlin chat with James Palmer about China, the current state of America's relationship with China, and what it means for the U.S. to be constantly proposing wild tariff hikes, changing and pausing those hikes, and effectively withdrawing from international trade.
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