Neon Liberalism
Hosted by Liberal Currents Executive Editor Samantha Hancox-Li, Neon Liberalism explores what liberals need to understand in today's turbulent times. Each episode features guests discussing topics ranging from economics and gender to philosophy and politics. The show aims to provide thoughtful perspectives for navigating contemporary challenges.
Episodes
The Midterms Will Be a Referendum on MAGA (with Greg Sargent)
In this podcast, host Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Greg Sargent, staff writer for The New Republic and host of the Daily Blast podcast, discuss Trump's cratering poll numbers—worse than Bush's after Katrina—and what that means for the country, including how elites got hoodwinked by the vibe shift, why MAGA isn't working, and whether a major realignment is coming.
Labor Economist Explains: To Fix Inequality, Start Young (with Kathryn Anne Edwards)
Samantha Hancox-Li interviews labor economist Kathryn Edwards on the fundamentals of a healthy economy. They talk housing, childcare, and the politics of being a "smart-stupid" economist who knows how to be cynical about what matters.
How Taylor Sheridan's Fever Dreams Explain MAGA Foreign Policy (with SecDef Rock)
Samantha and the pseudonymous commentator Secretary of Defense Rock talk "Lioness," "Sicario," and the broader Taylor Sheridan-verse as a Rosetta stone for untangling right-wing policy from the border to Venezuela to drones.
How the Court Built Trump's Imperial Presidency (with Josh Chafetz)
Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Josh Chafetz, professor at Georgetown Law, discuss how Supreme Court rulings around the "legislative veto" laid the groundwork for expanded executive power.
The Moral Case for Dynamism (with Sonja Trauss)
Samantha is joined by Sonja Trauss, president and founder of YIMBY Law, to discuss the state of the housing movement. They discuss the tension between articulating a radical liberal idealism, one which embraces change and dynamism, and meeting people where they are, which so often involves compromise and kludges. The most effective YIMBY reforms, Trauss argues, still fall somewhere in the middle.
Red in Tooth and Claw
Samantha Hancox-Li talks about the return of international competition in our increasingly unsettled age. In historical perspective, far from being an alien imposition on "normal politics," international competition has been a feature of human societies from the start. Reflecting on how the pressure of competition has driven both mindless militarism and genuine modernization—from the mas
Sovereign Citizens with Badges? (with Jessica Pishko)
So-called "constitutional sheriffs" are spreading across the country, declaring that they have the right to nullify federal law based on their interpretation of the Constitution. Join Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Jessica Pishko, author of The Highest Law in the Land, as they talk about how fringe ideas once confined to militia movements and strange cranks have infected public office, the
Gender and Gender Anxiety (with Katherine Cross)
So much of our politics today is driven by gender, from Graham Platner's rise and fall to Pete Hegseth's testosterone testing to various anti-trans crusades. Samantha and guest Katherine Cross, contributing editor at Liberal Currents, discuss the historical antecedents of modern gender anxieties, how history moves in a corkscrew, and why the right wing is forever driven by a longing for a
Is the Lock Box Empty? (with Stephen Nuñez)
The American government is an insurance company with an army--so how do our insurance company's finances look? Samantha and guest Stephen Nuñez, Director of Stratification Economics at the Roosevelt Institute, talk about the state of Social Security. No, it's not because the boomers are retiring--but the problems are real and getting closer. What can we do about it?
The Power of Christian Nationalism (with Allyson Shortle)
Samantha and guest Allyson Shortle, professor at the University of Oklahoma, talk about the current state and long history of the movement which forms the hard core of Donald Trump's support: Christian Nationalism. Where did this movement begin? How deep are its roots in American myth? What do they believe, and why have they stuck with Trump even as other groups begin to desert him?
What Was Neoliberalism? (with Nick Hanauer)
"Neoliberalism" has become a epithet applied to almost everything. And yet it represented a real political movement, one captured governance in America for decades. Join Samantha Hancox-Li and Nick Hanauer, billionaire entrepreneur, civic activist, and co-author of Markets Built for Humans, as they discuss the origins of neoliberalism, how it broke apart under its own contradictions, and why eco
The Supreme Court Is Broken (with Madiba Dennie)
The Supreme Court has never occupied a more central place in American governance. Republican dominance on that court has enabled them to push through much of their agenda without going through Congress: overturning Roe, repealing the Voting Rights Act, and more. Join Samantha Hancox-Li and Madiba Dennie, Deputy Editor and Senior Contributor at Balls and Strikes, and author of The Originalism Tra
Governance After Neoliberalism (with Rey Fuentes)
Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Rey Fuentes, Director at the Roosevelt Institute, discuss the Democratic "ideas primary." Roosevelt's new "Good Life Agenda," a package of governing tools and policy proposals, aims to get beyond the "submerged state" and return to an ideal of active government delivering for the people. Their talk ranges over industrial policy, taxing the rich, and why mass membership
Would a Land Value Tax Fix That? (with Christopher England)
Samantha and guest Christopher England, author of Land and Liberty, talk the legacy of Henry George and his most famous proposal: the land value tax. They put George in his historical context, alongside Gilded Age oligarchy and radical political movements from socialism to anarchism. Why did Georgism fade away, why is it experiencing a resurgence now, and what—if anything—would Henry George have t
The Democratization of Air Power (with Secretary of Defense Rock)
Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Secretary of Defense Rock talk the state of modern war: the proliferation of drones, the endurance of the human factor, Ukraine's successful strategic bombing campaign vs. Trump's unsuccessful one. What does the democratization of airpower mean for the politics of future wars?Liberal Currents merch store live now! https://liberalcurrentsmerch.printful.me/
After America, Nothing (with Nicholas Grossman)
Join Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Nicholas Grossman, professor of political science at the University of Illinois, as they discuss the damage Trump is doing to the Pax Americana, the prospects for a "Chinese Century," and why the likeliest future is simply multipolar anarchy. Check out Nick's latest, "Staggering Towards Anarchy," at Liberal Currents: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/staggering-towa
The Constitutional Crisis Is Here (with Robert Tracinski)
Join Samantha and Robert Tracinski, currently running for Congress in Virginia's fifth district, as they talk about the danger Donald Trump's corruption and lawlessness poses to the country, the continuing importance of the Constitution, and Robert's road from a member of the Tea Party to a staunch liberal. You can check out Robert's campaign website here: https://www.tracinskiforcongress.com/*Not
Against Slopulism, For Taxes? (with Elizabeth Wilkins)
Samantha is joined by Elizabeth Wilkins, president of the Roosevelt Institute, to discuss the economic debate that's roiling the Democratic Party--whether to lean in to Republican slopulism about tax cuts, or to embrace broad social programs funded by a broad tax base. Along the way, they discuss the legacy of Bidenomics, the nuts and bolts of tax policy, the glaring problem of inequality--and
Measuring the Vibecession (with Matt Darling)
Measuring the Vibecession (with Matt Darling) Samantha is joined by Matt Darling to discuss the state of the economy. Macroeconomic indicators are good, but the vibes are rancid. People feel like America is not on the right track. The divergence between the vibes and the macro is the vibecession--and it can be measured empirically. But what's causin
What Next, Democrats? (with Bethany Andres-Beck)
Samantha interviews Bethany Andres-Beck, running in the Democratic primary for Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District. They talk about the spiritual crisis in the Democratic Party, the need to fix what's broken in America, and how they intend to fight for working people across a range of issues. "I have no patience for people who dodge responsibility for their power. You have power whether you
Vote the Fascists Out (with Greg Sargent)
Why did JD Vance personally campaign for the former Hungarian prime minister, Victor Orban? Why did his comprehensive defeat by a former member of his own party, Peter Magyar, garner such attention from the American press? Because, according to Greg Sargent, Orban has for the last sixteen years served as the vanguard of the authoritarian internationale, leading and organizing would-be autocrats ac
Trump's Trade Con (with Joey Politano)
On April 2, 2025, Donald Trump announced "Liberation Day" tariffs which, according to him, would fix the trade deficit and bring American manufacturing roaring back. One year on, Samantha and economic analyst Joey Politano dig in to what actually happened. Manufacturing is down, the deficit is barely changed, fake "deals" have been signed--and, according to Joey, the heads of m
Trump vs. the Ayatollbooth
Last month, Donald Trump started a war—or perhaps a special military operation—with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Join Samantha and military historian Bret Devereaux as they discuss the "uncomfortable frontier arrangement" that previously existed with Iran, why Donald Trump blew it up, and what—maybe—the future holds (spoiler: a mess).
Is Platner the Face of a Democratic Tea Party? (with Chance Phillips)
According to all current polling, Graham Platner will be Maine's next senator--despite a Nazi tattoo, a history of "controversial" social media posts, and an almost-total lack of political experience. To try and understand what this tells us about the direction of the Democratic Party, Chance Phillips recently traveled to Maine to speak with Platner's supporters. Chance and Samantha Hancox-Li disc
Envy, Greed, and Billionaires (with David Lay Williams)
Samantha Hancox-Li and guest David Lay Williams, author of The Greatest of All Plagues, discuss the nature of extreme wealth inequality in America and across history, from Plato to Occupy Wall Street. Williams argues that extreme wealth warps the soul, leading to "pleonexia"--a restless desire for more and more that will never be fulfilled. Reducing wealth inequality is therefore not abo
The State of the Union (with Jamelle Bouie)
Samantha and returning guest Jamelle Bouie take a step back and assess the overall arc of the Trump Administration. Bouie argues that Trump's theory of the case when he came into office was fundamentally based on speed: move fast, break things, and present American society with strongman rule as a fait accompli. But instead of producing compliance and popularity, Trump's authoritarian poli
The Case for Public Electricity (with Ryan C. Smith)
Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Ryan C. Smith, author and economic historian, discuss the possibility of publicly-owned electric utilities in America. Smith argues that there is a strong case for public power. Electricity distribution is a "natural monopoly," and existing private companies—like Pacific Gas and Electric—are often inefficient and incompetent. Meanwhile, Nebraska and other sta
Canada Fights Back (with John Banks)
Samantha and essayist John Banks discuss what steps Canada is taking to fight back against Trump's aggression. Mark Carney's "variable geometry" Davos speech, the dilemmas facing middle powers, and the future of liberal internationalism are covered. In Banks' view, the Republican Party has adopted the ideology of a continental "civilization-state," and as long as they remain a political force in A
What Is Personalism? (with Xavier Márquez)
Samantha and guest Professor Xavier Márquez talk the nature of non-democratic politics, and why the concept of "personalism" is the key to understanding the dynamics and dysfunctions of the second Trump administration. Along the way they discuss the difference between totalitarianism and authoritarianism, the ongoing importance of elections to non-democratic regimes, and how authoritarian regimes
The State of the Resistance (with Omar Wasow)
Samantha interviews Professor Omar Wasow, challenging him to reflect on the first year of the second Trump administration. What forms of resistance have worked? What forms have been less successful? Why is the regime trying to "recreate 2020," and why are they failing? Professor Wasow tells a story about why nonviolence, adaptation, and creativity are essential building blocks for retaking power.
Minneapolis Under Siege (with Will Stancil)
Samantha and guest Will Stancil talk the murder of Renée Good and the Trump administration's larger assault on Minneapolis. Will is on the front lines of monitoring ICE in Minneapolis, working with his neighborhood rapid reaction group, and remains a vital commentator and activist in this disturbing time. Will recounts witnessing ICE abductions, confronting ICE agents, and the personal experience
Venezuela and the State of American Strategy (with Giselle Donnelly)
Join Samantha and Giselle Donnelly, foreign policy analyst and American Enterprise Institute alumna, as they discuss the recent attack on Venezuela. Does this reflect a considered strategy? Or multiple factions "working towards the sleepy Führer"? Can we make predictions about future American foreign policy, or is it all just chaos?
We Are Going to Win (with Adam Gurri)
Take a step back and recall where you were on election night 2024. Recall the way the future looked in January 2025 at Trump's inauguration. In this episode, Samantha and Adam Gurri, editor-in-chief of Liberal Currents, evaluate the long game against Trump—and argue that the Trump revolution is stalling out, even as he flails his way through imperial misadventure in Venezuela.Read Adam's essay We
Why Did the Soviets Fail? (with Yakov Feygin)
As we stand on the brink of a new Cold War, it's time to look back at the first Cold War and try to understand why America won—and, more importantly, why the USSR lost. Samantha and guest Yakov Feygin, author of *Building a Ruin*, talk about the fundamental story of Soviet economic success, stagnation, and ultimate implosion. What does this have to teach us about China today? How can party states
The Culture War Eats Foreign Policy (with Joe Stieb)
Join Samantha and guest Joe Stieb, assistant professor at UNC Chapel Hill, as they talk about Donald Trump's 2025 National Security Strategy. This strange document treats the European Union as our enemy, Russia as an afterthought, and obsesses over the dangers of "DEI." Stieb argues that this reflects a fundamental belief that American strength is founded on White Christian nationalism, at home an
Politics As Culture (with W. David Marx)
Has culture stagnated in the 21st century? Do the last twenty-five years feel like a blur? What can politics learn from the inherent dynamics of cultural change? And is Donald Trump the greatest kitsch artist of our time? Join Samantha Hancox-Li and guest W. David Marx, author of the just-released *Blank Space*, as they talk all of this and more.And if you like what we're doing here at Liberal Cur
An Army Is a Dangerous Thing to Play With (with Kori Schake)
Join Samantha and guest Kori Schake, author of The State and the Soldier, as they discuss the history of civil-military relations in America—and how that relationship is being pushed to the breaking point. National Guard units are deployed in the streets; DHS rappels from Black Hawks onto civilian homes. Why does George Washington still matter—and why was Samuel Huntington wrong about everything?D
Beyond Abundance? (with Becky Chao)
Join Samantha and guest Becky Chao, Director of Policy and Research at the Economic Security Project, as they talk about the never-ending conflict between YIMBYs and anti-YIMBYs—and how we can get beyond it. Broken markets and broken incomes both shape American dysfunction. What can we do about it?https://economicsecurityproject.org/resource/affordability/
The Furious Minds of the MAGA Right (with Laura Field)
Join Samantha and guest Laura Field, author of the new book *Furious Minds*, as they discuss how ideas have driven history, from John Maynard Keynes to Abraham Lincoln to Project 2025. How did highly online right-wing weirdos become "the brain trust and influencer arm" of the Republican Party? What sects and factions are operating beneath the surface? And how do they marry grandiose philosophy, gu
The Meme Politics of "Hearts of Iron"
Join host Samantha Hancox-Li as she explores the concept of "meme politics," which pervades the current Trump II administration, through the historical grand strategy game Hearts of Iron IV. In reality, society is an obscure, complicated, recalcitrant system. Meme politics asks: what if it wasn't? What if everything was simple, direct, and easy? By understanding this popular historic
Radical Liberalism?
Join Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Alex Zakaras, author of Freedom for All, as they discuss the idea of liberalism as a radical political project, the differences (if any) between liberalism and (market) socialism, and the "playbook" for radical liberals in the age of Trump II.Freedom for All: https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780300281767
Liberalism 101: Liberalism Today
Join host Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Adam Gurri, founder and editor-in-chief of Liberal Currents, as they discuss the crisis—the malaise—that has befallen the Western world, the historical roots of the problem, and perhaps most importantly: what we can do to revitalize liberalism for the 21st century.
Liberalism 101: Liberalism and Enlightenment
Are you sad? Lonely? Can't get a girlfriend? The reactionary right promises a total philosophy of life—not just a politics, but a comprehensive way of living (and explaining why it's all the libs' fault). Can liberalism speak to the same anxieties? Host Samantha Hancox-Li argues that it can, but to understand why, we need to return to the roots of liberalism in the Scientific Revolutio
Liberalism 101: Liberalism and Limited Government
If you remember anything from high school civics, it's the phrases "separation of powers" and "checks and balances." That separation and those checks are under the greatest attack we've seen in our lifetimes. But why does that matter? How does it affect the character of society? Join Samantha Hancox-Li and guest Robert Black, constitutional scholar and author of "T
Liberalism 101: Liberalism and Toleration
Samantha and Lucian Staiano-Daniels, author of "The War People," discuss the connection between liberalism and toleration and the dark history of religious civil war. How did the European Wars of Religion give birth to our concept of toleration? And is this history enough reason today to embrace toleration? Can religious civil wars be won—or is there a deeper reason to want to live in a
Liberalism 101: Liberalism and Prosperity
Samantha and fellow Liberal Currents editor Jason Briggeman discuss the economics of liberal democracy, starting from the basic question "why are all the rich countries liberal democracies?" Did liberal democracy cause the Industrial Revolution? What is the role of imperialism in the modern economy? And perhaps most importantly: what does this have to do with the philosophical foundation
Why Be a Liberal?
Join host Samantha Hancox-Li for a discussion of the difference between liberalism as an assumed default and liberalism as an active project. Even as the progressive base—and Americans generally—grow increasingly outraged at Trump II's attacks on our Constitution, elite liberals in media and journalism wring their hands and debate how much we should concede to the right. The end of history lef
The Future of Feminism
There's a lot of gender happening these days—and feminism, the political movement that ought to be at the forefront of responding to the MAGA backlash, is in its wilderness years. Join Samantha and guest Jude Doyle, author of the forthcoming book DILF, for a wide-ranging conversation about the history of the third wave, the meaning of patriarchy, and why a renewed focus on bodily autonomy and
The Spectacle of Cruelty
Join Samantha and guest Alan Elrod, president and CEO of the Pulaski Institution, as they talk about how the spectacle of deliberate cruelty—troops on the streets, deportations of firefighters, the public performance of vileness—is not an accident or a distraction, but is a core part of the Trumpian project to remake American culture. Creating the mass basis for an authoritarian movement has alway
Is the Fed Okay?
Join Samantha and guest Maia Mindel as they talk about Trump's latest attack on the Federal Reserve, give some historical context for central bank independence, and struggle with the difficult question of how to balance technocratic expertise with democratic accountability. Plus some cats.
The Ongoing Immigration Crisis
Join Samantha and guest Dara Lind, Senior Fellow at the American Immigration Council and former immigration reporter for Vox and ProPublica, as they talk the state of Trump's mass deportation program, the question of its constitutionality, and the bigger question of how immigration in America became such a nightmare—and what we can do about it.
An Unsettled Age
The future of the world order is more uncertain than it has been since the fall of the Soviet Union—which is to say, up for grabs. Join Samantha and guest Joe Stieb, assistant professor at UNC Chapel Hill and historian of American foreign policy, as they discuss how the world order has changed since 1989, the decay of liberal internationalism in favor of American unilateralism, and the alarming gr
What Is Liberal Currents?
People find us hard to categorize: are we emphatic liberals? Radical leftists? Crypto-libertarian infiltrators? Join Samantha and Liberal Currents editor-in-chief Adam Gurri as they discuss what it means to be a home for mere liberalism, the foundational principles of the liberal project, and how to be a liberal who means it in our time of crisis.
The Authoritarian Logic of Child Abuse
Join Samantha and guest Talia Lavin, author of Culture Warlords and Wild Faith, as they discuss Donald Trump's connections with Jeffrey Epstein, the broader problem of child sexual abuse among Republicans, and how this connects with their vision of a family and a nation dominated by authoritarian, unaccountable fathers. As they say on the internet: pedocon theory is a theory like gravity is a theo
Strange Bedfellows
In recent years, a number of prominent right-wingers have moved left dramatically. In particular, a surprising number of libertarians have abandoned their "fusionist" association with the Republican Party, and become more closely affiliated with the progressive movement. How did this happen? What was fusionism and why did it break down? And, most importantly, what—if anything—can liberta
Tell Me a Story
Join Samantha and author Robert Jackson Bennett as they discuss the power of fiction to shape politics, from 20th-century detective fiction to modern-day QAnon. Along the way they discuss the fiscal-military state, the meaning of liberal society, and why it matters that conservatives have fun engaging with conservative narratives.
Are Liberals Losing the Culture War?
Andrew Breitbart argued long ago that "politics is downstream of culture." Is that true? Is there such a thing as liberal culture? Has Trump II revealed its apparent dominance to be hollow? Or is the death of liberalism overwrought? Join Samantha and guest Alex Lefebvre, author of Liberalism As a Way of Life, as they discuss these issues and more.
What Is America?
According to Vice President Vance, America is not an idea: America is a nation. A people. And there are some here who don't belong. Join Samantha and guest Guillaume Attia as they discuss the contrast between America as a nation and America as an idea, the philosophical foundations of liberal politics, and the long—and messy—arc of American history. You can also read Guillaume's essay on t
A New Nuclear Age
Since the end of the Cold War, it's been easy to see nuclear competition as a thing of the past. As the dust settles over Iran—as Russia rattles the nuclear saber in Ukraine—it's increasingly clear that the question of nuclear weapons has been re-opened. Join Samantha and guest Matthew Downhour as they talk the fundamentals of nuclear strategy, how "red lines" are not natural but
The Inner Philosophy of the Far Right
The reactionary right is in ascendance in the Trump administration. It's easy to dismiss them as a cabal of incoherent fools scrambling for Trump's ear. But there is a deeper philosophy animating their political project: one based on a longing for an imagined aristocratic past, a craving for hierarchy and certainty, and simultaneously a deeply ambivalent relation to modernity. Samantha is
Rethinking International Trade
Are Trump's tariffs a personal madness, or a response to deeper dysfunctions in the world trade system? Yes. Join Samantha and guest Steven Randy Waldman as we talk about why global trade has become so imbalanced, what kinds of dysfunctions that creates, and why a tax on the flow of capital rather than goods is a policy to work towards. The takeaway: it's still John Maynard Keynes' wor
Immigration and Terror
Amidst escalating ICE raids, lawless deportations, and the horror of CECOT, immigration has moved to the center of American politics. Join Samantha and guest Adam Gurri, editor-in-chief of Liberal Currents, as we talk about the ground truth: policing immigrants requires restricting the freedoms of citizens. Authoritarianism for the out-group inevitably trends towards authoritarianism for the in-gr
Has Feminism Run Out of Steam?
Join Samantha and guest Talia Bhatt as they discuss the state of feminism under Trump II, the enduring relevance of radical feminist ideas, and the uses and abuses of intersectionality in contemporary leftist thought.
How to Fix Democracy
Join Samantha and guest Kevin J. Elliott as we talk about the history of democracy as a form of government, why it has no longer has any competitors, and how the structure of our democracy has nevertheless become a site of political contestation. Elliott also swings for the fences and offers some deep reforms we need to restore fairness and competition to our system—a fascinating conversation!
Against Hyperlocalism
Join Samantha and guest Ned Resnikoff as they discuss why Americans are so cynical about politics—and how a movement that began with the goal of returning control to the people has spiraled into the opposite outcome. Along the way they talk Robert Moses, "citizen voice" politics, how free markets and functional governments support each other—and why we have neither of them in America tod
Does the Narrative Matter?
Join Samantha and guest Will Stancil as they talk the vexed question of whether politics is driven by merely material conditions, ask why tyrants are obsessed with their own popularity, and assess why the Democratic budget standoff fizzled while Chris Van Hollen's trip to El Salvador broke through—and shifted public opinion on Trump's immigration policies.Link to Stancil's essay, refer
The Border Crisis Is an Everything Crisis
Join Samantha and guest Professor Anna Law as they talk about the exploding constitutional crisis over Donald Trump's deportation program, exemplified by the removal of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Along the way they address the importance of due process, the Fugitive Slave Crisis and the origins of birthright citizenship, and the meaning of American citizenship in the twenty-first century.References
The Porn Brain of the New Right
Content warning: rape, pedophilia, and historical atrocities. Join Samantha and guest Alan Elrod as they talk about the role of rape in conservative ideology, biopolitics as the Rosetta Stone of authoritarian reaction, and the pornographic fantasies that pervade the new right. Alan is the president and CEO of the Pulaski Institution, as well as a contributing editor at Liberal Currents.Links to es
We CAN Fix Housing
Samantha and guest David Vatz, founder of Pro-Housing Pittsburgh, discuss the meaning of the housing crisis, the death of the "asset economy," and what we liberals can do to fix housing despite Trump.ReferencesPro-Housing Pittsburgh's website: https://www.prohousingpgh.org/The Asset Economy: https://www.amazon.com/Asset-Economy-Lisa-Adkins/dp/1509543465The Crisis of Democratic Govern
A New Reconstruction?
Samantha and guest Jamelle Bouie talk the present crisis, the many ages of the American Constitution, and how we might set about rebuilding what MAGA is breaking.
The Sulla Fantasy
Samantha and guest Bret Devereaux talk the fall of the Roman Republic, Elon Musk's obsession with the dictator Sulla, and what it takes to make constitutional change stick. The posts on Musk's X mentioned in this episode can be found at: https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1873976624812876048https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1883417427813499158https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1756479393470226561https:/
Liberal...Socialism?
Samantha and fellow Liberal Currents editor Paul Crider talk to Matt McManus, author of The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism, about a forgotten political tradition, the intellectual fallout of the Russian Revolution, and what this all means for how we think about the contemporary dangers of oligarchy and reaction.
Knowing the Question Is Half the Answer
Samantha and fellow Liberal Currents editors Caitlin Green and Trent Nelson talk the crisis of misinformation, taking responsibility for your own beliefs in the social media age, and their new podcast, Half the Answer.
The Trouble With Realism
Samantha and Professor Phillips O'Brien have a wide-ranging talk, including Trump's abandonment of Ukraine, the failures of "realism" as a theory of international politics, and the shape of the future in a Europe without American leadership.
Taking Trump Voters Seriously
Join Samantha and guest Toby Buckle of the Political Philosophy Podcast as they explore the foundations of Trump's enduring popular support, the legacy of the Southern Strategy, and the importance of taking people's beliefs seriously.
Winning a Rigged Game
The Civil Rights Movement, which stretched across decades, caused big changes in society that persist today. As some of the gains it brought about are now threatened by racists in the White House, what can we learn from the tactics and, more importantly, the strategy pursued by the movement's leaders and activists? Samantha and Jason are joined by Liberal Currents editor-in-chief Adam Gurri.
A Turn Toward Taiwan?
Taiwan is a free country, a powerhouse in technology, and it has about one-twentieth the population of Europe less Russia. JD Vance talks about the U.S. possibly disengaging with Europe, but is such disengagement necessary for, and does it really herald, increased engagement with Asia, and particularly with China and Taiwan? Liberal Currents contributing editor Matthew Downhour joins Samantha and
The Ketamine Koup
The chaos coming out of Washington, D.C., over the past week seems to be emanating from one man, and for once it's not Donald Trump—it's Elon Musk. Project 2025 is still happening, but Musk's seizure of government computer systems is happening more quickly. Samantha and Jason are joined by guest Adam Gurri to ask what this means for the country and the world.
Is It Time for Tariffs?
Tariffs were central to mercantilist economic policy—deployed to generate funding for government, protection for industries, or pain for enemies. But can or will tariffs be put to a genuinely public-spirited use for today's United States? Samantha, Jason, and guest Maia Mindel talk about purposes and consequences of the Trump administration's proposed tariffs.
Immigration Is Good, Actually
Trump II is upon us, and the administration has already taken aim to reduce citizenship rights and deport immigrants, despite the longstanding truth that arguments against immigration don't hold much water. Liberal Currents associate editor Paul Crider joins Samantha and Jason to describe the new Republican restrictionism and to give some of those arguments another drubbing.
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