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Editor@currentaffairs.org (Nathan J. Robinson)

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Current Affairs
Current AffairsThe U.S. Military is Destroying the Planet (w/ Abby Martin)🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership In their new documentary “Earth’s Greatest Enemy,” Abby Martin and Mike Prysner reveal that the climate and anti-war movements are really one and the same—because the U.S. military is the worst polluter of all. 🌏 Watch Earth's Greatest Enemy: https://earthsgreatestenemy.com/ 🌏 Current Affairs Review: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-u.s.-war-machine-is-earths-greatest-enemy 🌏 Subscribe to The Empire Files: https://www.youtube.com/@EmpireFiles 0:00-7:27 The Film’s Core Thesis 7:27-15:19 The Military As A Dest...
2026-03-0242 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsHow the Cold War Changed Everything (w/ Daniel Bessner)🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership Daniel Bessner is a historian and professor at the University of Washington’s Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, and the co-host of the foreign policy podcast American Prestige. He’s also the editor of the new Cambridge University Press volume Cold War Liberalism: Power in a Time of Emergency, which examines how liberal elites built the U.S. national security state and justified global dominance during the Cold War. He joined Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss...
2026-02-2845 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsThe Left is Always Right Too Early🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership  From slavery and child labor in the 19th century to the Iraq War and Gaza, the Left position has been accepted only after horrible human costs. Next time, how about listening before the damage is done?  ⏳ Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-left-is-always-right-too-early  🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership  🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs  🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/ 
2026-02-2518 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsCurrent Affairs News Briefing ❧ February 20, 2026A convoy to Cuba, Grok doxxes a sex worker,  Mamdani cuts the library, Pakistan has really fast jets, MGP declares war on sea lions, Andrew is arrested, and bugs are more popular than Trump. 📰 SUBSCRIBE TO THE BRIEFING: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2026-02-2107 minBaldwin & Co. Ideas Explored
Baldwin & Co. Ideas ExploredTrump Didn't Break America...This Did. -- Jamelle Bouie & Nathan RobinsonIn this wide-ranging but sharply focused conversation, Nathan J. Robinson and Jamelle Bouie argue that the central danger facing American democracy is not mass apathy or popular authoritarianism, but a crisis of elite legitimacy and institutional misalignment with a public that has already changed more than its leaders realize. They contend that reactions to Trumpism—especially resistance to state repression, overt racism, and the abandonment of democratic norms—reflect decades-long cultural shifts toward greater inclusion, historical awareness, and moral commitment to equality, rather than a sudden outbreak of “woke excess.” Jamelle Bouie frames this moment as a failure of elite so...
2026-02-1252 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsWhy Conservatives Hate the Government But Love the Cops🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership The core right-wing principle is a belief in hierarchy, not the limitation of state power. 🐍 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/2022/07/why-conservatives-hate-the-government-but-love-the-cops 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/ 
2026-02-0408 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsHow the Right Abuses Tolkien🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membershipFor Peter Thiel, JD Vance, and other figures on today’s far right, the works of J.R.R. Tolkien have become a cultural touchstone. Pity they don’t understand the first thing about them.🧙‍♂️ Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/how-the-right-abuses-tolkien🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2026-01-3028 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsCurrent Affairs News Briefing ❧ January 28, 2026EPA to stop animal testing, Palestinians go on general strike, Ye apologizes for his Nazism again, TikTok claims apparent censorship was caused by a power outage, and the government repeals workplace protections because they protect trans people.📰 SUBSCRIBE TO THE BRIEFING: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2026-01-2904 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsRo Khanna: “Newsom Doesn’t Want to Offend the Donor Class”Ro Khanna is the U.S. representative for California’s 17th Congressional district, more commonly known as “Silicon Valley.” He was a co-chair of Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign in 2020, and there’s been speculation he may run for president himself in 2028. He joined Current Affairs associate editor Alex Skopic to discuss his bipartisan efforts to release the Epstein files, a “new FDR moment” for the Democratic Party, and the dangerous state of U.S. foreign policy under Donald Trump.🦩 Read Alex Skopic's Article on Ro Khanna: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/every-argument-against-the-california-billionaire-tax-is-wrong🦩 Interview Transcript: https://www.currentaffairs.o...
2026-01-2440 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsHow Corporations Convinced America that Litter is Our FaultThe "Keep America Beautiful" campaign urged Americans to pick up their trash—so that companies could keep producing it.🗑️ Read the full article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-sinister-origins-of-americas-anti-litter-movement🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2026-01-2312 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsEd Wood and the Politics of Bad Taste (w/ Will Sloan)Will Sloan is a film critic and writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, Jacobin, and the Toronto Star. He is the co-host, with Luke Savage, of the podcast Michael and Us, which examines politics and ideology through popular film and television.He is the author of Ed Wood: Made in Hollywood USA, a critical reappraisal of the famously maligned filmmaker that challenges conventional ideas of “bad” art and cultural taste. Sloan joined Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss Ed Wood’s films, queer cinema, and what the politics of taste reveal about Hollyw...
2026-01-2143 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsThe Coup In Venezuela Is An Assault on the Whole WorldDonald Trump's overthrow of Nicolás Maduro sets a terrible precedent that severely erodes international sovereignty. Can other countries depose any leader they accuse of a crime?🇻🇪 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-coup-in-venezuela-is-an-assault-on-the-whole-world🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2026-01-0718 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsGaza, Ukraine, and Why Trump’s "Anti-War" Rhetoric Is a Lie (w/ Medea Benjamin)Medea Benjamin is an anti-war activist and one of the co-founders of CODEPINK: Women for Peace. She’s spent decades fighting the American military-industrial complex, organizing protests against the invasion of Iraq in the early 2000s and interrupting speeches by both Barack Obama and Donald Trump. She’s also the co-author, with David Swanson, of NATO: What You Need to Know. She joined Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss the ongoing push for war, from the Middle East to Venezuela, and how ordinary people can organize and stand against it.🌸 CODEPINK: https://www.codepink.org/🌸...
2025-12-1947 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsCandace Owens and the Decay of the American BrainHow can someone so delusional attract an audience of millions? What does it say about us that Owens is listened to by anyone other than a psychiatrist?🧿 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/candace-owens-and-the-decay-of-the-american-brain🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-12-1628 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsMAGA Megadonors Are Recruiting Mayors to Criminalize Pro-Palestine SpeechRight-wing megadonors flew mayors to an all-expenses-paid summit in New Orleans, where they pushed a policy framework that codified mainstream criticism of Israel as “antisemitic.”📰 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/a-dark-money-network-is-recruiting-u.s.-mayors-to-criminalize-pro-palestine-speech🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-12-1231 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsWhy Democrats Keep Failing Working People (w/ Nina Turner)Nina Turner is a former Ohio State Senator, national co-chair of Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, and one of the most forceful advocates for working-class politics in the United States. She’s a longtime champion of economic justice and a leading voice in movements for peace and social uplift, including the new Up in Arms campaign challenging the power of the military-industrial complex. Turner joined Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss why the Democratic Party keeps failing to meet the needs of ordinary people, why insurgent primary challenges are essential to democracy, and how redirecting our vast military spen...
2025-12-1039 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsAnthony Fantano on the Exploitative Music Industry and Zohran's Rap CareerAnthony Fantano is the biggest music critic on YouTube, and the self-described “internet’s busiest music nerd.” The New York Times calls him “The Only Music Critic Who Matters (if You’re Under 25),” and his show The Needle Drop has over 3 million subscribers. Fantano is known for his provocative takes, like “AI Music is Evil” and “Taylor Swift is a Coward.” He joined Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson and associate editor Alex Skopic to talk about the state of the music industry, how streaming platforms exploit artists, and whether Zohran Mamdani should rap again.🎹 The Needle Drop: https://www.youtu...
2025-12-0544 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsThere Have to Be Consequences For Advocating Illegal Wars📰 Email help@currentaffairs.org with proof of your New York Times cancellation, and we will gift you a FREE one-year digital subscription to Current AffairsYet again, the New York Times’ Bret Stephens advocates the overthrow of a sovereign government. Why do the readers of the “paper of record” tolerate this dangerous propaganda?🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/there-have-to-be-consequences-for-advocating-illegal-wars🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american...
2025-11-2619 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsWhy Everything is Getting Worse (w/ Cory Doctorow)Cory Doctorow is the author of over 20 books, including The Internet Con, How to Destroy Surveillance Capitalism, and the science fiction novels Unauthorized Bread and Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. He’s also an activist for civil liberties on the internet with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and a prolific blogger at his website Pluralistic. Doctorow joined Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson and associate editor Alex Skopic to discuss his newest book, Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It.💩 Transcript: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/cory-doctorow💩 Get the book: ht...
2025-11-181h 05Current Affairs
Current AffairsThe Silencing of Me🌹 Sign up for our FREE newsletter, State of Affairs, and we’ll send a digital copy of The Silencing of Me straight to your inbox: https://www.currentaffairs.org/newsletter?hsCtaAttrib=199589517656PAPERBACK VERSION available in the Current Affairs store: https://shop.currentaffairs.org/collections/booksCurrent Affairs presents a new “anti-woke” manifesto by Dr. Peter B. Jordanson, a man who refuses to be canceled even when nobody is canceling him, and who dares to angrily speak up for Facts in an age of mushy Feelings. The book is called The Silencing of Me: How Feminism, Wokeness...
2025-11-141h 38Current Affairs
Current AffairsThe Case for Centrism Does Not Hold UpThe New York Times editorial board is wrong. Principled progressive politics on the Bernie Sanders model is still the path forward.🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-case-for-centrism-does-not-hold-up🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-11-1228 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsFollow Mamdani’s ExampleThis is how you run. This is how you win. This is the politics we need right now. Democratic socialist candidates can inspire people again, and fight the right effectively.🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/follow-mamdanis-example🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-11-0824 minCurrent Affairs
Current Affairs“Dubai Chocolate” is Regime PropagandaThe viral pistachio-filled candy bar is everywhere—but there’s nothing sweet about the United Arab Emirates and its human rights record. 🍫 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/dubai-chocolate-is-regime-propaganda 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/ 
2025-11-0417 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsHow the Christian Right Betrays Everything Jesus Ever Said (w/ John Fugelsang)🌹 Claim 50% OFF FOREVER to The Lever and get a free copy of the Master Plan e-book: https://the.levernews.com/current-affairs-master-plan/John Fugelsang is a political commentator and author of Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds. He joins Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss how right-wing Christian nationalism has twisted the teachings of Jesus into a tool of hate and domination.0:00-6:37 Putting Jesus Back in Christianity6:37-11:55 Debating the Right11:55-15:00 John's Religious Backg...
2025-10-3041 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsThe Rise of Nick Fuentes Should Horrify Us All🌹 Claim 50% OFF FOREVER to The Lever and get a free copy of the Master Plan e-book: https://the.levernews.com/current-affairs-master-plan/A neo-Nazi is trying to fill the void left by the failures of the two major parties. Unless Americans are offered a visionary alternative, Fuentes’ toxic ideology may flourish.🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-rise-of-nick-fuentes-should-horrify-us-all🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-10-2629 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsHow the Rich Legalized Corruption in America (w/ David Sirota)🌹 Claim 50% OFF FOREVER to The Lever and get a free copy of the Master Plan e-book: https://the.levernews.com/current-affairs-master-plan/ David Sirota, founder and editor-in-chief of The Lever, joins Current Affairs Editor-in-Chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss his new book Master Plan: The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America. They trace how corporate America seized control of U.S. politics, from the Powell Memo and Watergate to the rise of the Heritage Foundation, Roger Ailes, and the corporate capture of the courts. 0:00-13:48 Corruption Is the Water We Swim In 13:48-24:19 The Po...
2025-10-2157 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsGuaranteed Income and The Debt America Still Owes (w/ Nika Soon-Shiong & Alanah Odoms)🌹 Subscribe to The Majority Report using the coupon code CURRENTAFFAIRS: https://fans.fm/majority/joinNathan J. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief of Current Affairs, speaks with Nika Soon-Shiong, founder and Executive Director of the Fund for Guaranteed Income, and Alanah Odoms, Executive Director of the ACLU of Louisiana. They discuss their collaboration on The Cost of Freedom: Truth and Reconciliation Guaranteed Income Program, a pilot exploring reparations through direct cash payments.Together, they examine how economic justice underpins civil rights, the historical links between slavery and mass incarceration in Louisiana, and how guaranteed income can reshape policy aro...
2025-10-1539 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsBen Shapiro's New Book Is a Total Embarrassment🌹 Subscribe to The Majority Report using the coupon code CURRENTAFFAIRS: https://fans.fm/majority/joinSupposedly, the world is divided into good, noble “lions” and evil, grasping “scavengers.” Guess which one Ben thinks he is?Script by Matt McManus & Nathan J. Robinson🦁 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/ben-shapiros-latest-book-adopts-a-horrifying-creators-vs.-parasites-worldview🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-10-0921 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsHow America Got Hooked on Shady Gas Station Drugs🌹 Subscribe to The Majority Report using the coupon code CURRENTAFFAIRS: https://fans.fm/majority/joinAs the FDA finally cracks down on kratom, decades of deregulation have already flooded shelves with questionable supplements and off-brand opioids.💊 Read Emily Topping's article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/how-america-got-hooked-on-shady-gas-station-drugs🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-10-0317 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsWhy We Can’t Trust Comedians to Do Politics (w/ Gianmarco Soresi)🌹 Subscribe to The Majority Report using the coupon code CURRENTAFFAIRS: https://fans.fm/majority/joinGianmarco Soresi joins Current Affairs Editor-in-Chief Nathan J. Robinson to talk about his acclaimed new special Thief of Joy, the pressures of fame, and why "the court jester was never supposed to have a chair next to the king."0:00-5:15 The Pressure of Being a Comedian5:15-7:24 Performing in America Today7:24-10:47 Israel/Palestine and Taking the Audience’s Temperature10:47-19:57 The Riyadh Comedy Festival19:57-23:21 Doing “Edgy” Comedy23:21-26:32 Can Right...
2025-09-3042 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsFULL INTERVIEW: Democrats, Gaza, and the Future of the Left (w/ Hasan Piker)🌹 Subscribe to The Majority Report using the coupon code CURRENTAFFAIRS: https://fans.fm/majority/join Hasan Piker, one of the most influential political streamers in the world, joins Current Affairs Editor-in-Chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss the failures of the Democratic Party, what they refuse to learn from the success of Zohran Mamdani, and how they are largely responsible for America's ongoing descent into fascism. They also discuss the shifting hasbara surrounding the Gaza genocide, dissect the framing of Hasan’s media profiles, and examine the compromises and contradictions of figures like AOC and Bernie while looking ahead...
2025-09-2952 minCurrent Affairs
Current Affairs“Powerlessness Is an Illusion”: Gaza, Resistance, and the Sumud Flotilla (w/ Kieran Andrieu)Kieran Andrieu is a British-Palestinian journalist, activist, and contributor to Novara Media. He joins Current Affairs Editor-in-Chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss his decision to join the Global Sumud Flotilla, the risks involved in confronting Israel’s blockade of Gaza, and why he believes powerlessness in the face of genocide is an illusion.0:00-6:29 Kieran’s Family Story of Resistance6:29-10:33 Joining the Flotilla10:33-14:12 What Success Would Mean14:12-17:53 Powerlessness Is an Illusion17:53-20:57 The Case for Recognizing Palestine20:57-22:25 Shifts in U.S. Public Opinion
2025-09-2527 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsEXCLUSIVE: Sumud Flotilla Responds to Israel’s Terrorism Allegations (w/ Tommy Marcus)Tommy Marcus (@quentin.quarantino) is an activist and content creator who has raised over $30 million for charitable causes. He joins Current Affairs Editor-in-Chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss his journey aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, the mission to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, and his response to official allegations that the flotilla is a “terrorist” operation.0:00-1:39 The Mission Explained1:39-3:18 Why Launch the Flotilla?3:18-10:13 Starvation as Israel’s Strategy10:13-13:51 Facing the Risks13:51-20:10 Tommy’s Political Transformation20:10-24:58 Why Zionist Narratives Stick24:58-31...
2025-09-2558 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsAs The Far Right Rises, Don’t Be Ezra Klein🌹 Subscribe to The Majority Report using the coupon code CURRENTAFFAIRS: https://fans.fm/majority/join You can be committed to dialogue without pretending the right are reasonable and while aggressively challenging their views. 🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/as-the-far-right-rises-dont-be-ezra-klein 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/ #ezraklein #currentaffairsmagazine #nathanjrobinson
2025-09-2416 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsDubai Chocolate, Selling Out, and the Sad World of Republican Congressional PodcastsCurrent Affairs editors Alex Skopic and Emily Topping join editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss their latest articles: the normalization of “selling out,” the weirdly viral “Dubai chocolate” craze, what GOP member podcasts reveal about right-wing propaganda, and why libertarian Rep. Thomas Massie outflanks most other Democrats on foreign policy.🦚 Selling Out: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/how-we-stopped-caring-about-selling-out🦚 Dubai Chocolate: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/dubai-chocolate-is-regime-propaganda🦚 Republican Podcasts: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-sad-world-of-republican-congressional-podcasts🦚 Thomas Massie: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/thomas-massies-anti-war-politics-put-democrats-to-shame🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/memb...
2025-09-1853 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsThe Myth of the Marxist UniversityAcademia is not full of radicals. There just aren’t many Republicans, perhaps because Republicans despise the academy’s values of open-mindedness and critical inquiry. 🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-myth-of-the-marxist-university 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/ 
2025-09-1718 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsThe Ruling Class Wants a New Cold War With ChinaRahm Emanuel encourages us to fear China solely because this would unify the country. But what is the threat?🇨🇳 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/political-elites-just-make-up-new-enemies-whenever-they-need-them🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-09-1111 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsTrump Thinks He Can Kill Anyone He WantsFrom North Korea to the Caribbean to Yemen, Trump claims the right to murder whoever he wants, whenever he wants. Where is the opposition to this outrageous criminality?💀 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/who-will-stand-up-against-the-presidents-lawless-killings🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-09-1014 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsThe Dark Money Behind “Progressive” Influencers (w/ Taylor Lorenz & John Ross)Taylor Lorenz, technology journalist and author of Extremely Online, joins Current Affairs Editor-in-Chief Nathan J. Robinson and Digital Editor John Ross (who was formerly a producer for The David Pakman Show) to discuss her bombshell Wired investigation into Chorus, Good Influence, and the 1630 Fund, the dark money network secretly funding Democratic influencers.0:00-10:04 Taylor's Reporting10:04-13:50 Why is Matters13:50-18:04 How Good Influence Works18:04-24:57 Suppression of Gaza24:57-29:12 The Decline of Journalism29:12-32:31 How Good Influence Provides Value32:31-35:11 The Democratic Party's "Messaging Problem"
2025-09-0644 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsLet Them Eat MemesThe Democrats’ latest alternative to an agenda is being really sassy on social media. But without substance to back it up, they will never replicate the magic of a Bernie or Mamdani. 🐍 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/let-them-eat-memes 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/ 
2025-09-0311 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsThe Clowns Aren’t Funny AnymoreWhen pompous pundits and politicos begin to rationalize crimes against humanity, it’s no longer possible to laugh at them. The correct reaction is horror, disgust, and a determination to end their influence.🤡 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-clowns-arent-funny-anymore🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-08-2712 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsGaza, Islamophobia, and the Democratic Party's Complicity (w/ Yasmine Taeb)Yasmine Taeb, Legislative and Political Director of MPower Change Action Fund—the largest Muslim digital activist organization in the U.S.—joins Current Affairs editor Alex Skopic to discuss the bipartisan complicity in the Gaza genocide, the rise of progressive challengers like Omar Fateh and Zohran Mamdani, and the Islamophobic attacks Muslim candidates continue to face.✊ MPower Change Website: https://www.mpowerchange.org/✊ MPower Action Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpoweraction/?hl=en✊ MPower Action Twitter: https://x.com/MPowerAction0:00–4:32 Origins of MPower Action and the No Muslim Ban Ever Campaign4:32–7...
2025-08-2629 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsThe Fight to Unionize Starbucks (w/ Jason Woods)Jason Woods, national spokesperson for Starbucks Workers United, joins Current Affairs associate editor Alex Skopic and contributor Stephen Prager to discuss the Starbucks union drive and the fight for fair wages.☕ Mutual Aid for Jason Woods: https://www.instagram.com/p/DM3UFBvxNq8/☕ SBWU's Website: https://sbworkersunited.org/☕ SBWU's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sbworkersunited/☕ SBWU's Twitter: https://x.com/SBWorkersUnited0:00-5:24 Why Starbucks Workers Unionized5:24-11:20 The Reality of Barista Pay11:20-16:11 Dress Codes as Union-Busting16:11-20:45 Sip-Ins20:45-23:50 Organizing in the S...
2025-08-2632 minCurrent Affairs
Current Affairs"THE MOST DANGEROUS PERSON IN THE WORLD?" Why Fascists Fear Teachers (w/ Randi Weingarten)Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers and one of America’s foremost labor leaders, joins Current Affairs editor in chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss her new book Why Fascists Fear Teachers. Weingarten explains why Mike Pompeo once called her “the most dangerous person in the world,” how right-wing figures like Chris Rufo are manufacturing distrust in public schools, and why education remains a radical force for pluralism, empathy, and democracy. She also addresses the weaponization of anti-Semitism in the context of academic freedom, the destruction of Gaza’s schools (scholasticide), and the role of teache...
2025-08-2336 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsHow We Stopped Caring About “Selling Out”From BetterHelp to bourbon, A-list celebrities are cashing in on our trust. Why is there no longer any stigma for sellouts? 💰 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/how-we-stopped-caring-about-selling-out 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-08-1921 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsAbdul El-Sayed DESTROYS AIPAC Talking PointsDr. Abdul El-Sayed, physician, former Detroit health commissioner, and candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan, joins Current Affairs editors Nathan J. Robinson and Alex Skopic to discuss the Democratic Party’s deep unpopularity, why Medicare for All remains a moral and economic imperative, the bipartisan silence surrounding the genocide in Gaza, and why all U.S. military aid—offensive and defensive—should end.🌹Abdul's Website: https://abdulforsenate.com/🌹Abdul's Book: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/2021/02/the-definitive-case-for-medicare-for-all🌹Abdul's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abdulelsayed/?hl=en🌹 Abdul's Twitter: https://x.com/AbdulElSayed
2025-08-1438 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsCurrent Affairs 10th Anniversary Speech (W/ Nathan J. Robinson)Nathan J. Robinson delivers remarks during the Current Affairs 10th anniversary party on the evening of August 8th, 2025 in New Orleans. 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-08-1317 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsIs This San Francisco’s Zohran Mamdani? (w/ Saikat Chakrabarti)Saikat Chakrabarti, co-founder of Justice Democrats and former chief of staff to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, joins Nathan J. Robinson to discuss his 2026 congressional campaign to unseat Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Party’s failure to respond to genocide in Gaza, and how decades of complacent leadership have left the party morally bankrupt and politically adrift.🔥 Saikat's Website: https://www.saikat.us/en 🔥 Saikat's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saikatforcongress/ 🔥 Saikat's Twitter: https://x.com/saikatc 0:00–5:30 Gaza 5:30–19:27 The Democratic Party 19:27–21:41 Nancy Pelosi 24:00–29:00 Zohran Mamdani 29:00–36:14 Saikat's Policy Agenda 36:14–42:27 Ca...
2025-08-1241 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsThis Surgeon Criticized UnitedHealth on TikTok—Then They Threatened to Sue (w/ Dr. Elisabeth Potter)Dr. Elisabeth Potter, a reconstructive surgeon and healthcare advocate, joins Nathan J. Robinson and Emily Topping to discuss her viral criticism of UnitedHealth, the systemic cruelty of the insurance industry, and how corporations are quietly reshaping American medicine through coercion, denial, and intimidation.🩺 Dr. Potter's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrElisabethPotterMD🩺 Dr. Potter's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drelisabethpotter?lang=en🩺 Dr. Potter's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drelisabethpotter/🩺 Dr. Potter's Website: https://www.drpotter.com/🩺 New York Times article on Dr. Potter: https://archive.ph/vrnN60:00-10:00 Insuranc...
2025-08-0537 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsRise of the Idiot InterviewerPodcast bros are interviewing presidents and power players without doing basic research beforehand. The result is a propagandistic catastrophe.💀 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/rise-of-the-idiot-interviewer 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/ 
2025-07-2821 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsWhat Democrats Refuse to Fight For (w/ Max from UNFTR)Max from UNFTR joins Nathan J. Robinson to discuss Zohran Mamdani's victory, the limits of third-party politics, and how the Democratic Party can be taken over with five bold, non-negotiable demands for progressive transformation. ⚙️ Subscribe to UNFTR: https://www.youtube.com/@UNFTR ⚙️ Read the 5 Non-Negotiables: https://www.unftr.com/5nn 0:00-8:10 Zohran Mamdani 8:10-36:57 Can Third Parties Succeed? 36:57-59:50 The Five “Non-Negotiables" 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.pengu...
2025-07-2558 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsWhat “The System” Really Means in American Politics (w/ Barry Eisler)🦩 This episode originally aired on July 15, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairsBarry Eisler, a former CIA agent and bestselling novelist, joins Nathan J. Robinson to discuss his new book, The System. They talk about how power actually works in Washington, how politicians get absorbed into the duopoly, why partisan conflict is mostly theater, and how language, fiction, and euphemism shape our understanding of violence, war, and the state. 🕸️ Purchase The System: https://barryeisler.com/books/the-system/ 🕸️ Barry's Other Writing: https://barryeisler.com/books/ 🕸️ Follow Barry on Twitter: https://x.com/barryeisler 
2025-07-241h 07Current Affairs
Current AffairsIsrael’s Starvation Campaign in Gaza Explained (w/ Mouin Rabbani)Middle East analyst Mouin Rabbani joins Nathan J. Robinson to discuss the ongoing genocide in Gaza. They examine the illusion of ceasefire negotiations, the weaponization of humanitarian aid through the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, and the eugenic logic underpinning Israel’s military campaign. They also explore how death tolls are systematically undercounted, how Palestinian voices are censored in Western media, why Israeli hasbara no longer works, and how genocidal logic is rationalized through propaganda. 🇵🇸 Follow Mouin on Substack: https://substack.com/@mouinrabbani 🇵🇸 Follow Mouin on Twitter: https://x.com/MouinRabbani 0:00-9:55 The Illusion of Negotiations 
2025-07-2348 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsThe Epstein Case Reveals the Fraud of TrumpismMAGA followers say they want to expose powerful, predatory billionaire elites. But Donald Trump is the exact person who should be their enemy.🏝️ Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-epstein-case-reveals-the-fraud-of-trumpism 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-07-1712 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsMAGA Doesn't Understand Anything About The Roman Empire (w/ Honor Cargill-Martin)Honor Cargill-Martin, a historian of the ancient world, discusses how myths about the Roman empire originated and continue to warp our political discourse.🏛️ Honor's Substack: https://allancienthistory.substack.com/🏛️ Honor's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqRIbS3NQ4ksTUrMiaMVQ-Q🏛️ Interview Transcript: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/what-the-right-doesnt-know-about-rome0:00-4:28 The Roman Empire TikTok Trend4:28-12:27 The Roman Empire Loved by MAGA Never Existed12:27-15:17 What JD Vance Doesn't Understand About Rome15:17-20:53 Do All Democracies Have to Die?20:53-32:30 Myth vs. Reality in Roman History3...
2025-07-1448 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsWhy the United States Is Really Losing to China (w/ Kishore Mahbubani)Kishore Mahbubani is a renowned diplomat, scholar, and one of the most insightful analysts of global power dynamics. He served as Singapore’s Ambassador to the United Nations and as President of the UN Security Council, and is the author of books including "Has China Won?" and "Has the West Lost It?"Mahbubani joins Current Affairs to explain why the United States is losing ground to China--not because of Chinese aggression, but because of internal dysfunction, elite failure, and strategic incoherence. He critiques the emotional, zero-sum mindset dominating U.S. foreign policy and calls for a more ra...
2025-07-0244 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsZohran Mamdani’s Victory Is Just What The Left NeededHe has shown that a socialist message can win people over. His campaign is a model that should be emulated everywhere.🗽 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/zohran-mamdanis-victory-is-just-what-the-left-needed🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-06-2713 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsABANDON "ABUNDANCE"The latest Democratic fad sidelines equality and justice in favor of a focus on cutting red tape. This is not the path forward.🌎 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/abandon-abundance🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-06-2526 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsHow Ordinary People Can Fight Trump (w/ Ralph Nader)Ralph Nader is one of the most important and successful activists in American political history. He played a key role in creating the consumer rights movement in the 1960s and ’70s, and his push for auto safety regulation led to measures that saved countless lives. He has also run multiple insurgent campaigns for president, challenging the two-party system and offering powerful criticisms of corporate power.Nader joins Current Affairs to analyze Donald Trump’s authoritarianism, the Democratic Party’s failure to offer a compelling alternative, and the media’s role in narrowing public imagination. He also responds to Ezra...
2025-06-2451 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsThe Brainless Propaganda of Stephen MillerEven by the standards of right-wing rhetoric, Miller’s public statements are uncommonly shameless. He treats his audience as stupid and gullible. 🦎 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-brainless-propaganda-of-stephen-miller 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-06-1519 minCurrent Affairs
Current Affairs“Andrew Cuomo Is Just Like Trump” — Lindsey Boylan Speaks OutAndrew Cuomo is not just unfit for office—he’s dangerous. In this interview, Lindsey Boylan, the first woman to publicly speak out about Cuomo’s abusive behavior, explains how his pattern of harassment, retaliation, and intimidation mirrors the authoritarian tactics of Donald Trump. Boylan describes how Cuomo weaponized state resources, silenced critics, and surrounded himself with enablers, all while cultivating a media image of competence and compassion. This interview complements a larger piece by Nathan J. Robinson, editor of Current Affairs, on Cuomo’s deadly mishandling of COVID, corruption scandals, abuse of elderly prisoners, and his pro-corpo...
2025-06-0720 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsAndrew Cuomo Is Worse Than You Even KnowThe former governor is a corrupt abuser of power with a pro-corporate agenda and a proven track record of deadly negligence. He will do nothing to improve New Yorkers’ lives. Why on Earth is he a contender for mayor? Nathan J. Robinson, editor of Current Affairs Magazine, reads his article "Andrew Cuomo Is Worse Than You Even Know" 🗽 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/andrew-cuomo-is-worse-than-you-even-know 0:00–4:37 The Story of Mr. Smalls 4:37–13:23 Abuse of Power & Workplace Misconduct 13:23–21:09 Deadly COVID Mismanagement 21:09–25:18 Corruption & Cover-Ups 25:18–39:35 Cuomo’s Political Record & Ideology 
2025-06-0438 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsThe Democratic Party Lied to You About Joe BidenThe Democratic Party is sclerotic. It’s easy to heap blame on Joe Biden now that he is weak and powerless. But that’s a convenient way of avoiding a major reckoning. Nathan J. Robinson, editor of Current Affairs, reads his article "The Problem Goes Well Beyond Biden" 🦚 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-problem-goes-well-beyond-biden 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
2025-05-2527 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsDemocrats Are Not "The Left" (w/Ted Rall)🦩 This episode originally aired on May 14, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairsTed Rall is one of the most influential political cartoonists on the left today. In his new book “What’s Left: Radical Solutions for Radical Problems," he presents a manifesto for left-wing politics in 2025, blending incisive analysis with his political cartoons.Rall outlines what it means to be a leftist in an era where the Democratic Party has abandoned progressive ideals. He argues that the left must focus on real, substantive demands — from healthcare and the defense budget to a livable wage, off...
2025-05-2045 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsHow Other Countries Solved What America Won’t (w/Natasha Hakimi Zapata)🦩 This episode originally aired on April 18, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairsAmerica is in crisis, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Around the world, other countries have already solved many of the problems we’re told are unsolvable here: from unaffordable healthcare to lack of parental leave, crumbling infrastructure, climate disaster, and more. So why can’t the U.S. do what other nations have already done?We’re joined by journalist and lecturer Natasha Hakimi Zapata, author of Another World Is Possible: Lessons for America from Around the Globe, a ne...
2025-05-1644 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsDouglas Murray’s “Expertise” Is a ShamIn “On Democracies and Death Cults,” Murray offers a straightforward “good versus evil” account of the Israel-Palestine conflict. He does this by excluding every piece of information that undercuts his thesis and even spreading outright falsehoods.🦚 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/douglas-murrays-expertise-is-a-sham 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/  
2025-05-1428 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsInside Saturday Night Live (w/Susan Morrison)🦩 This episode originally aired on May 6, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairsLorne Michaels might be the most powerful figure in American comedy — and yet, most people barely know who he is. In this episode, New Yorker editor Susan Morrison joins us to discuss her new book Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live, a deeply reported, wildly entertaining biography of the man behind SNL. We explore how Michaels built a cultural institution from scratch, reinvented the variety show format, and launched the careers of generations of comedy legends — all while staying deliberately out of the...
2025-05-1442 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsWe Must Return to the Radical Roots of Liberalism (w/ Matt McManus)🦩 This episode originally aired on April 29, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!Liberalism and socialism are often treated as opposites — but what if they’re actually part of the same fight for freedom, equality, and democracy? We’re joined by political theorist Matt McManus, author of The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism, a new book that challenges conventional narratives about liberalism, socialism, and the history of political philosophy.McManus explains how thinkers from John Stuart Mill to John Rawls argued that true freedom requires not just political rights, but freedom from domination in the workp...
2025-05-0646 minThe Study Hall Podcast
The Study Hall PodcastNathan J. RobinsonNathan J. Robinson, the founder and editor in chief of Current Affairs, shared his experience running a leftist publication during the Trump administration. He also discussed how leftists can engage with right wing media and the importance of rigorous, good faith debate.  Read Current Affairs here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/ Find out more about Study Hall: Studyhall.xyz. 
2025-02-0541 minThe Simple Heart w/ Wayne Hsiung
The Simple Heart w/ Wayne HsiungWhat To Do If You Hate CEOs (with Nathan Robinson) (Ep.63)Nathan and I discuss the deep-seated human desire for retribution – and how to harness it for change. — Follow Nathan: https://x.com/NathanJRobinson Follow Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org https://www.patreon.com/currentaffairs More links below. — The Simple Heart on Substack - Subscribe to Wayne Hsiung's newsletter to learn more about the #RightToRescue at https://www.simpleheart.org! — Chapters: Chapter 1) 00:00-10:18 Intro, Nathan Robinson of Current Affairs, on those that profit from healthcare, & how to h...
2024-12-131h 01Coming From Left Field (Audio)
Coming From Left Field (Audio)“The Myth of American Idealism: How US Foreign Policy Endangers the World” with Nathan RobinsonIn this podcast, we talk with Nathan J. Robinson about the book he co-wrote with Noam Chomsky, “The Myth of American Idealism: How U.S. Foreign Policy Endangers the World.” In this book, Noam Chomsky and Nathan J. Robinson outline America’s pursuit of global domination, offering an incisive critique of the self-serving myths that dominant elites in the United States continue to push. They discuss Washington's role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the impact of policies on The Global South, and the potential for future conflicts with Russia and China.  They argue that U.S. powe...
2024-11-131h 00Coming From Left Field (Video)
Coming From Left Field (Video)“The Myth of American Idealism: How US Foreign Policy Endangers the World” with Nathan RobinsonIn this podcast, we talk with Nathan J. Robinson about the book he co-wrote with Noam Chomsky, “The Myth of American Idealism: How U.S. Foreign Policy Endangers the World.” In this book, Noam Chomsky and Nathan J. Robinson outline America’s pursuit of global domination, offering an incisive critique of the self-serving myths that dominant elites in the United States continue to push. They discuss Washington's role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the impact of policies on The Global South, and the potential for future conflicts with Russia and China.  They argue that U.S. powe...
2024-11-131h 00Current Affairs
Current AffairsSeeing Through "The Myth of American Idealism"Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!This week The Myth of American Idealism: How U.S. Foreign Policy Endangers The World was finally released! The book, co-written by Noam Chomsky and Current Affairs editor in chief Nathan J. Robinson. Today, Nathan joins managing editor Lily Sánchez and associate editor Alex Skopic to discuss the book and introduce Prof. Chomsky's views on U.S. foreign policy, explaining why he finds Chomsky's warnings so important for our time. An article Nathan wrote further introducing the subject matter of the book can be found here.Th...
2024-10-2551 minGive Them An Argument
Give Them An ArgumentSeason 6 Episode 30: Is Kamala a Kammunist? Is Vance a Populist? (ft. Nathan J. Robinson)Current Affairs editor Nathan J. Robinson joins us once again to talk about Peter Thiel's favorite "populist," J.D. Vance, the (sadly inaccurate) hysteria from Trump, Musk and the New York Post about Kamala Harris being to the left of Bernie and possibly even a revolutionary communist, and his "anti-socialist bingo" card. Before that, Ben and the crew take a moment to remember Michael Brooks, whose 41st birthday would have been last Tuesday. No postgame this week--sorry about that, it's Ben's neighbor on Podcast Street Jason's birthday today so Ben promised to wrap things up by 7 West Coast time--but...
2024-08-261h 56Give Them An Argument
Give Them An ArgumentSeason 5 Episode 37: Nathan Robinson Goes to Prager University + Katie Halper in the PostgameIn the main show, Current Affairs editor Nathan Robinson joins us to talk about his magazine's newly released "A Student's Guide to Resisting PragerU propaganda." In the postgame for patrons, we're joined by Katie Halper to talk about Palestine.Tickets for Ben's debate with Siaka Massaquoi:https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/09005F42FFCD2E9BOrder the Student's Guide for Resisting PragerU propaganda:https://www.currentaffairs.org/store/product/77Follow Nathan on Twitter: @NathanJRobinsonFollow Katie on Twitter: @kthalpsFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgis
2023-10-202h 05Keine Experimente
Keine ExperimenteKE #09: Freiheit und DemokratieWas ist Freiheit? Ist es im Porsche mit 200 km/h über die Autobahn zu fliegen? Sind es die zwei Familien, denen die Hälfte des deutschen Vermögens gehört? Oder das grenzenlose Verlangen, Steuern zu senken? In dieser Folge sprechen wir über das Vulgärverständnis von Freiheit im Neoliberalismus, das vor allem die Politik der FDP prägt. Wir differenzieren zwischen unterschiedlichen Freiheitskonzepten und zeichnen das Verhältnis zwischen Demokratie und Freiheit nach. Dabei beginnen wir mit einer Definition verschiedener Freiheitsarten des russisch-britischen Philosophen Isaiha Berlin. Mit Nathan J. Robinson zeigen wir, dass die Abschaffung der Sklaverei nicht dir...
2023-05-281h 03Give Me An Argument - The Ben Burgis Call-In Show
Give Me An Argument - The Ben Burgis Call-In ShowSunday Chat: Nathan J. Robinson on RFK, Biden, Trump, DeSantis & MoreI talk to Current Affairs editor Nathan J. Robinson about the incredibly depressing mess the 2024 election is already shaping up to be and take a few calls. Nathan has written about the distinct possibility of Trump being re-elected: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2023/05/donald-trump-could-well-be-the-president-again ...and co-written an article with Lily Sanchez about why RFK, Jr. is so far from being the alternative to Biden we desperately need: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2023/05/rfk-jr-is-a-lying-crank-posing-as-a-progressive-alternative Download the Callin app for iOS and Android to listen to this podcast live, call in, and more! Also available at callin.com
2023-05-221h 01Coming From Left Field (Audio)
Coming From Left Field (Audio)“Responding to the Right: Brief Replies to 25 Conservative Arguments” with Nathan RobinsonNathan Robinson is the editor of Current Affairs magazine and is a leading voice of millennial left politics. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Republic, The Nation, Salon, The Guardian, and elsewhere. We discuss his new book where he gives a detailed explanation of how conservative arguments work and why we need to resist them, then goes through twenty-five separate talking points, showing precisely why each one fails. Book: Responding to the Right: Brief Replies to 25 Conservative Arguments by Nathan J. Robinson https://www.kingsbookstore...
2023-03-3136 minComing From Left Field (Video)
Coming From Left Field (Video)“Responding to the Right: Brief Replies to 25 Conservative Arguments” with Nathan RobinsonNathan Robinson is the editor of Current Affairs magazine and is a leading voice of millennial left politics. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Republic, The Nation, Salon, The Guardian, and elsewhere. We discuss his new book where he gives a detailed explanation of how conservative arguments work and why we need to resist them, then goes through twenty-five separate talking points, showing precisely why each one fails. Book: Responding to the Right: Brief Replies to 25 Conservative Arguments by Nathan J. Robinson https://www.kingsbookstore...
2023-03-3136 minBasse Aspettative
Basse Aspettative5. L'ipotesi della simulazione - parte 2Continuando il discorso sull’ipotesi della simulazione ci soffermiamo in particolare su alcuni argomenti di chi si è espresso a sfavore, partendo dal professor Amedeo Balbi, proseguendo con un certo Nathan J. Robinson, con la dottoressa Sabine Hossenfelder e tornando sull’ultima uscita di Neil DeGrasse Tyson. Per concludere proviamo a chiederci cosa ce ne frega, in effetti, se viviamo in una simulazione o meno? Proviamo a rispondere tirando in mezzo l'incorreggibile Elon Musk. ___ Grazie a Iago per la sigla: http://www.garbino.band Iscrivetevi alla nostra pagina Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p...
2023-03-1341 minBasse Aspettative
Basse Aspettative5. L'ipotesi della simulazione - parte 2Continuando il discorso sull’ipotesi della simulazione ci soffermiamo in particolare su alcuni argomenti di chi si è espresso a sfavore, partendo dal professor Amedeo Balbi, proseguendo con un certo Nathan J. Robinson, con la dottoressa Sabine Hossenfelder e tornando sull’ultima uscita di Neil DeGrasse Tyson. Per concludere proviamo a chiederci cosa ce ne frega, in effetti, se viviamo in una simulazione o meno? Proviamo a rispondere tirando in mezzo l'incorreggibile Elon Musk. ___ Grazie a Iago per la sigla: http://www.garbino.band Iscrivetevi alla nostra pagina Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087419747732 Potete scriverci a basseaspettativepodcast@gmail.com...
2023-03-1341 minGive Me An Argument - The Ben Burgis Call-In Show
Give Me An Argument - The Ben Burgis Call-In ShowSunday Chat w/Nathan Robinson: "Democratic Voters Want To Get Rid of Biden—But Will The Party Let Them?"Current Affairs editor Nathan Robinson joins me to talk about his new article "Democratic Voters Want To Get Rid of Biden—But Will The Party Let Them?" and take some calls. You can read Nathan's piece here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2023/02/democratic-voters-want-to-get-rid-of-biden-but-will-the-party-let-them Download the Callin app for iOS and Android to listen to this podcast live, call in, and more! Also available at callin.com
2023-02-271h 28Give Me An Argument - The Ben Burgis Call-In Show
Give Me An Argument - The Ben Burgis Call-In ShowEpisode 76: Talking to Matt McManus & Nathan Robinson About Douglas MurrayFriends of the show and frequent guests Matt McManus & Nathan Robinson just co-wrote an excellent take down of right-wing commentator Douglas Murray in Current Affairs. We're going to chat about it and take a few calls. You can read the piece itself here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2022/09/taking-white-supremacist-talking-points-mainstream Download the Callin app for iOS and Android to listen to this podcast live, call in, and more! Also available at callin.com
2022-09-071h 15Give Me An Argument - The Ben Burgis Call-In Show
Give Me An Argument - The Ben Burgis Call-In ShowEpisode 42: Nathan Robinson on "Clash of Civilizations" NonsenseCurrent Affairs editor Nathan J. Robinson joins Ben to talk about his article "The 'Clash of Civilizations' Thesis is Still Ignorant Nonsense"--and take your calls. Read Nathan's article here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2022/03/the-clash-of-civilizations-thesis-is-still-ignorant-nonsense Download the Callin app for iOS and Android to listen to this podcast live, call in, and more! Also available at callin.com
2022-04-0936 minGive Them An Argument
Give Them An ArgumentSeason 2 Episode 22: Ben Shapiro is Wrong About Everything ft. Djene Bajalan and Nathan RobinsonCurrent Affairs founder Nathan J. Robinson and historian Djene Bajalan join Ben to take apart the many terrible arguments made by Ben Shapiro--an individual The New York Times once chose to call "the cool kid's philosopher." Nathan's recent article on Shapiro can be found here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2021/0... Independent creators rely on your support to create the content you want! Support Give Them An Argument on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/benburgis. Patrons get a bonus episode every Thursday, access to the Discord server, a “Sopranos” Recap Bonus Episode every month with Mike Recine, Nando Vila, and Wosny Lamb...
2021-07-271h 43Give Them An Argument
Give Them An ArgumentSeason 2 Episode 22: Ben Shapiro is Wrong About Everything ft. Djene Bajalan and Nathan RobinsonCurrent Affairs founder Nathan J. Robinson and historian Djene Bajalan join Ben to take apart the many terrible arguments made by Ben Shapiro--an individual The New York Times once chose to call "the cool kid's philosopher." Nathan's recent article on Shapiro can be found here:https://www.currentaffairs.org/2021/0...Independent creators rely on your support to create the content you want! Support Give Them An Argument on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/benburgis. Patrons get a bonus episode every Thursday, access to the Discord server, a “Sopranos” Recap Bonus Episode every month with Mike Reci...
2021-07-271h 43The Katie Halper Show
The Katie Halper ShowFired By The Guardian Over Israel Tweets w/ Nathan RobinsonThe Guardian fired its own columnist Nathan Robinson (https://twitter.com/NathanJRobinson​) over his totally inoffensive tweets about the special relationship between the governments of Israel and the United States, which both governments acknowledge and praise. Nathan (http://nathanjrobinson.com​), Editor of @CurAffairs (https://www.currentaffairs.org/2021/0...​) talks about his experience and if he feels the same way about "cancel culture" as he did before. He will then be judged by Katie and her council of two Bens, Ben Burgis (https://twitter.com/BenBurgis​) & Ben Spielberg (https://twitter.com/BenSpielberg​). Thursday-night co-host Leslie Lee (https://twitter.com/leslieleeiii​) renders his own verdict...
2021-02-141h 44Current Affairs
Current AffairsVoicemailbag XIIIWe dip once again into your voicemails! Topics include expectations for the Biden administration, anarchic education, and aliens. Stay tuned to the end so you can be sad. The panel this week was business manager Allegra Silcox, contributing editor Eli Massey, legal editor Oren Nimni, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your host was, for the final time...Pete Davis. "Education Gamification": https://www.currentaffairs.org/2019/10/education-gamification "The Past and Future of the Socialist Sunday School": https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/08/the-past-and-future-of-the-socialist-sunday-school This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.
2021-01-1257 minThe West Wing Thing
The West Wing ThingHoly Night w/Nathan J. RobinsonJewish gangsters! SATs! Israeli hardware stores AND the world famous, beloved Whiffenpoofs! Life doesn't get better than this.  Here are the two articles Nathan wrote that we referenced in the show.  https://www.currentaffairs.org/2019/03/the-obama-boys https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/10/what-happens-in-the-west-wing/
2020-11-301h 28Current Affairs
Current Affairs#57: Some Sort of Bad SwordThe team shares their thoughts on "the college experience", the recent failed NBA strike, and how we feel about Covid six months in. The panel this week was associate editor Vanessa A. Bee, finance editor Sparky Abraham, lieutenant editor Brianna Rennix, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your host this week was Nick Slater. Nick's article on the UCSC strike: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/02/why-should-you-care-about-the-ucsc-strike Current Affairs Patreon: www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.
2020-09-081h 09The Michael Moore Podcast
The Michael Moore PodcastEp. 61: This Land Was Made For You And Me And You Know Who (feat Nathan J. Robinson)After a brief update on all the latest pandemic homicide news, Michael is joined by one of his favorite millennial writers, Nathan Robinson, the founder and editor of the brilliant magazine, Current Affairs. They discuss why older people don't like Bernie Sanders, why political half measures are killing us, and why  Americans are so afraid of the “S” word. ******** Buy Nathan's book, "Why YOU Should Be A Socialist" from: Bookshop! https://bookshop.org/a/1381/9781250200860 Or, if you insis...
2020-04-031h 16Revolution or Bust
Revolution or BustBOBShowEp196 "Nathan J Robinson -- Ideology & Character""Nathan J Robinson -- Ideology & Character" Porch Banner https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AxsJElGGjMtB_rAghuFrFjKsW6yoBRcW/view?usp=sharing The January 17, 2020 episode of the Bernie or Bust Show Nathan J Robinson - Thinking About The Democratic Primary https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/01/thinking-about-the-democratic-primary Bernie or Bust — OR BUST https://medium.com/@allenkithowell/bernie-or-bust-or-bust-6e064235ddc3 When Elizabeth Drops Out, Will She Endorse Bernie? https://medium.com/@allenkithowell/when-elizabeth-drops-out-will-she-endorse-bernie-ccccfd7bc2d5 When Should We Require Political Commentators to Show Their Tax Re...
2020-01-1816 minCurrent Affairs
Current AffairsPREVIEW: Luminiferous PeterPete Davis, host of the Current Affairs podcast, is many things. Even we at the Current Affairs headquarters only know, at best, maybe 10% of the things that he is. For over a year now, Pete has remained shrouded in mystery, hosting the show without dominating the conversation, allowing the rest of the team to speak their minds, and referring only occasionally to his own thoughts. Well, here and now, for the first time ever, editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson and finance editor Sparky Abraham are ready to quiz Pete on his many thoughts, theories and stray ideas about the world. What...
2019-10-2401 minWhat a Hell of a Way to Dad
What a Hell of a Way to DadPacifism Does Not Mean Constantly Getting Owned feat. Nathan J. RobinsonThis week, we speak with Current Affairs (@curaffairs) Editor-in-Chief Nathan J. Robinson (@NathanJRobinson) about pacifism: why it's so maligned in popular discourse, and why a horror of war and violence is a necessary thing in our violence-saturated era. Nathan recently published a piece on the topic of pacifism and the memoirs of Vera Brittain, which you can read here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2019/03/the-importance-of-pacifism You can access Vera Brittain's 'Testament of Youth' in PDF form here: https://ia601600.us.archive.org/7/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.34310/2015.34310.Testament-Of-Youth-An-Autobiographical-Study-Of-The-Years-1900-1925.pdf This week's bonus is a...
2019-03-2856 minNo Pods No Casters
No Pods No CastersSuck Away feat. Nathan J. RobinsonCurrent Affairs Editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson drops by to talk about the origins of the magazine, his standing offers to debate the right-wing demagogues, and how much he hates talking about himself   - Follow yer hosts @glvno @merrydevo @benjaminhoffazz    - Current Affairs is at currentaffairs.org
2019-03-251h 28Current Affairs
Current Affairs#20: Voicemailbag IVEvery fifth episode, we like to open up the phone lines and take callers. Join us as we answer questions about: science, Beto, doctors, reverse racism and Douglas Adams! Our panel: Briahna Joy Gray, contributing editor Sparky Abraham, finance editor Vanessa A. Bee, social media editor Lyta Gold, amusements editor Nathan J. Robinson, editor-in-chief Pete Davis, host Miscellaneous items Douglas Adams's cookie story Einstein's article on socialism Chomsky's on the responsibility of intellectuals Nathan on how rights don't mean slavery Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw's essay that coined the phrase "intersectionality" Corrections Vanessa said s...
2019-02-271h 05Srsly Wrong
Srsly WrongEp 172 – The Intellectual Light Web (w/ Nathan J Robinson) The Intellectual Light Web is a fierce new renegade political movement based in hope, joy, humor, and making the world a better place for everyone. Nathan J Robinson of Current Affairs Magazine joins the Wrong Boys to discuss this exciting new left tendency, which is rapidly gaining steam, despite being silenced, ignored, and shuttered by conservatives who hate free speech. They also discuss the new movement’s dark mirror-world counterparts – The (so-called) Intellectual Dark Web Read Nathans Work here: www.currentaffairs.orgsupport us on patreon: www.patreon.com/srslywrong Opening Theme by Hunt Hunt Hunt...
2018-12-041h 26Srsly Wrong
Srsly WrongEp 172 - The Intellectual Light Web (w/ Nathan J Robinson)The Intellectual Light Web is a fierce new renegade political movement based in hope, joy, humor, and making the world a better place for everyone. Nathan J Robinson of Current Affairs Magazine joins the Wrong Boys to discuss this exciting new left tendency, which is rapidly gaining steam, despite being silenced, ignored, and shuttered by conservatives who hate free speech. They also discuss the new movement's dark mirror-world counterparts - The (so-called) Intellectual Dark WebRead Nathans Work here:www.currentaffairs.orgsupport us on patreon:www.patreon.com/srslywrong
2018-12-041h 26The News Never Ends
The News Never Ends#46: Takedown Takeout w/ Yasmin Nair (2018/10/13)If the Lockheed Martin funding and the awards for Jeff Bezos at those yearly Human Rights Campaign National Dinners have left you with a pit in your stomach, let Dan Ackerman (@DarnArckerman) and Peter Ronson (@Parenthestein) fill you up with The News Never Ends's First Annual Takedown Takeout! Special guest star Yasmin Nair (@NairYasmin) joins the TNNE crew for an awards show of our own and a roast of the HRC and the role the Non-Profit Industrial Complex plays in contemporary LGBTQ movements. No need to microwave these takes! They stay lava-hot! Join the Galaxy Brain Club for even more...
2018-10-132h 49cold pizza party
cold pizza party11 Reasons Why Vox is Actually FascistThis week, we compare the paranoia over "fake news" to the pseudo-smart grandstanding of Vox dot com. We cover a few recent articles (linked below) that help us detail the shortcomings of Vox's "explaining the news" approach and unearth the ideology beneath its neutral surface. We talk the politics of belief, Ezra Klein's straight-A aesthetic, and Matt Yglesias' boring burrito drivel. We also struggle to name-drop de Certeau, and then lay bare why Hillary was deemed "more electable." Nathan J. Robinson, "Explaining It All to You" & "The Necessity of Credibility" https://www.currentaffairs.org/2016/11/explaining-it-all https://www.currentaffairs.org/2016/12/the-necessity-of-credibility ...
2016-12-221h 21