Electric Politics Podcast

Whither Korea?

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:00:00 -0500

The North Koreans aren't stupid. Nor are they brainwashed ideological zombies. Their main problem is that for the past sixty some years they've been at war with the U.S., a war the U.S. either doesn't want or know how to end. But might a changing of the guard in North Korea lead to an improvement? To check, I turned once again to Dr. Bruce Cumings, who knows more about Korea than most. A wonderfully patient man. Thanks, Bruce, for your clear insights! Total runtime thirty five minutes. Mors omnibus commūnis.

Nuclear Nihilism

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:00:00 -0500

Few people know more about nuclear power than a former Commissioner of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, especially the one who had the lead in responding to Three Mile Island. So when Dr. Victor Gilinsky suggests that it would be reasonable for the U.S. to phase out nuclear power, people should pay attention. After all, our concern is not about private profits. And apart from the safety of the reactors Victor makes an excellent point: If you think you want to try to cut down on greenhouse gases by using nuclear power you'll need thousands more nuclear power plants, all over the world. That will lead, almost inexorably, to a lot more countries having the bomb, at some point making the use of some of those bombs likely. A simple, powerful insight. Thanks, Victor! Total runtime forty minutes. Graviōra manent.

One of Our Other Cold Wars

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:00:00 -0500

As is typical of situations involving post-WWII imperial over-reach, U.S. distress with Iran is largely our own fault. If the CIA had not overthrown Mohammad Mosaddegh in 1953 — Operation Ajax — and if afterward the U.S. had not incessantly sought to get the Iranians to do what we wanted with their oil, relations today might even have been normal, but certainly would be far less fraught than they have become. Unless we sit down to talk through our differences this Cold War will go on and on, or maybe turn hot. Unsure of each other, both sides are capable of making extremely grave mistakes. It's all quite senseless. To get a helpful perspective from a former top State Department expert on Iran I turned to Ambassador John W. Limbert, who shares many of my concerns. Total runtime fifty minutes. Vāde mēcum.

Seeking Economic Truth

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 06:00:00 -0500

John Maynard Keynes understood that economics describes human beings, a fact that modern mainstream economics — the applied theory of "rational expectations" — effectively assumes away. Keynes' biographer, Lord Robert Skidelsky, reminds us that our economic priorities should extend beyond our logical models to address real human concerns, that we should not assume we know complicated things that we don't, and that there is merit in asking very basic questions about commonplace things we take for granted. It was a great pleasure and an honor to talk with Robert and his insights have sharpened my thinking immeasurably. Buy his most recent book, Keynes: The Return of the Master, and thank me later. Total runtime thirty two minutes. Dum vīvimus, vīvāmus.

Accelerated Ideas

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 06:00:00 -0500

When a retired four star Admiral provides support for nuclear arms control and a few other commendable things, the proper interrogatory is "yes." Or "yes, Sir." A gentleman with a friendly disposition and a cautious but lightning fast mind, Admiral Bobby Ray Inman (Ret.) reasonably assesses the risks. Other political issues can wait for a rainy day... It was gracious of the Admiral to talk with me and to allow me a chance to keep up. Total runtime thirty eight minutes. Lupum auribus tenēre.

Codebreaker

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 06:00:00 -0500

In celebration of Veterans Day, here's a question: What if the U.S. had lost the battle of Midway? Mercifully, we'll never know. But the U.S. victory could not have happened without the codebreaking skill and the unflinching courage — a relentless determination to be heard — of Joe Rochefort, then head of "Station Hypo" at Pearl Harbor. Elliot Carlson tells the story of this complex, extraordinary man in Joe Rochefort's War. WWII may now seem like ancient history but there's still a lot we can learn from it. Thanks, Elliot! Total runtime forty five minutes. Bis peccāre in bellō nōn licet.

Made in America

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 06:00:00 -0500

Since elected officials don't seem so interested, around the country local groups are organizing to promote the reindustrialization of America. One of these is SFMade. Robin McRoskey Azevedo is on the board of SFMade and is also President and owner of the McRoskey Mattress Company of San Francisco (established in 1899). It was very kind of Robin to take time to explain some of what goes into making things in America — and, incidentally, I'm sure that having a high quality mattress is much more important than most people think. Total runtime forty minutes. Enjoy!

The Illusion of Free Markets

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 06:00:00 -0500

Let's take the long view. We're unconsciously mired in unexamined 18th century beliefs that color our perceptions in unexpected — and exceedingly harmful — ways. Take one, for example: as Dr. Bernard Harcourt suggests, our notion of a "free market" is the direct intellectual descendant of a despotic belief in the natural order of things. The flip side is that those who challenge the supremacy of the "free market" are, by common consent, left to face the tender mercy of the criminal justice system. Thus we discover the logic of 18th century economists precisely replicated in modern form. Bernard's book, The Illusion of Free Markets: Punishment and the Myth of Natural Order (Harvard, 2011), explores a brilliant insight destined to become a fundamental metric for American reform. Thanks very much! Total runtime forty nine minutes. Aureo hamo piscari.

The Art of Non-Violent Civil Disobedience

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 06:00:00 -0500

John Stewart, voted the most influential environmental activist in Britain in 2008, who led the successful movement to block a third runway at London's Heathrow airport, was scheduled to be on a speaking tour around America just about now. U.S. immigration authorities, however, had other plans. On September 29th he was denied entry at New York City's JFK. What is the U.S. national security state so afraid of? It was kind of John to take time to explain about effective non-violent civil disobedience, and a real pleasure to talk with him. Total runtime thirty two minutes. Longum iter est per precepta, breve et efficāx per exempla.

The Art of Writing

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 06:00:00 -0500

If you want to understand the Zeitgeist you could do worse than to read a mystery novel. But not all mystery novels are the same. A few being extraordinarily carefully crafted — every word, seemingly, playing its intended role. Every missing word a puzzle. A joy to read! Such are the international best-selling Inspector Chen novels by Dr. Xiaolong Qiu. It was a great pleasure to talk with Xiaolong and exceptionally generous of him to agree. Total runtime fifty one minutes. Verbum sat sapientī.

Wake Up, Earth!

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 06:00:00 -0500

It wasn't that long ago that "We may be alone in the universe" was a respectable scientific position to take. Now we know, however, that there are plenty of other earthlike planets, that the probability of intelligent life out there is overwhelming, and that the only question left is how do we get from here to there, or vice versa. Stanton T. Friedman has spent decades thinking about interstellar travel and researching reports of ET visitations, never mind the silly skeptics. Kudos to Stan! It's an awesome subject. Total runtime an hour and six minutes. Spectātum veniunt, veniunt spectentur ut ipsae.

Fighting the Lobby

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 06:00:00 -0500

To be honest, the Lobby probably cannot be defanged until Israel ceases to be an apartheid state. That may take a while. Nevertheless, caring, ethical, smart Americans have a responsibility to try to block the Lobby from using Washington as its enforcer. A difficult job, but who said life was easy? To talk about what good-hearted people can do I turned to Alison Weir, a very courageous lady. Thanks, Alison! Total runtime forty three minutes. Tantum rēligiō potuit suādēre malōrum.

Money & Politics

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 06:00:00 -0500

This one is something of a walkabout. Dr. Thomas Ferguson has kept his eye on a critical part of our problem — money buying political power — something that far too many (indeed most) political scientists discount in favor of public opinion, or forget entirely when assessing the historical record. Every thoughtful critique helps. Thanks, Tom! Total runtime fifty five minutes. Ovem lupō committere.

The Professional

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 06:00:00 -0500

For twenty years Bill Schneider was CNN's senior political analyst. Always cheerful, he helped to keep them in the reality-based community. Bill readily acknowledges that the U.S. political system is dysfunctional but he doesn't see any viable (structural) fix. About the latter point we cordially agree to disagree, but regarding how Americans think — especially in the divisive stew of religion and politics — I pay close attention to his views. Total runtime forty five minutes. Sine īrā et studiō.

Praxis

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 06:00:00 -0500

I've admired David Swanson for a number of years. He's one of the most active progressive activists I know — indeed, both astonishingly productive and absolutely on message. Since he gets out and about all the time, and I don't, it was a real treat to hear his sense of where things stand politically, and his advice regarding what people should be doing. (Think getting arrested.) Thanks, David!! Total runtime thirty six minutes. Āctum est dē rēpūblicā.

The Lie

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 06:00:00 -0500

We're lucky to have Dr. John J. Mearsheimer to apply his original powers of observation to the practice of lying in international politics. John develops a theoretical typology, finding five sorts of strategic lies — from lies governments tell their own people to lies governments tell each other. It's interesting, heuristically most helpful, and commonsensically cautious. Bravo, John! And thanks for talking with me again. Total runtime fifty three minutes. Magna (est) vēritās, et praevalet.

Where's the Strategy?

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 06:00:00 -0500

It's disappointing, to say the least, that after ten years in Afghanistan we seem not to have a strategy, or at least a strategy people can easily discern, one that's related to known U.S. national security interests. Whatever U.S. policy is, if it can't be put into a single, simple, declarative sentence then its pursuit must be reassessed. To try to get at the truth of Afghanistan I turned to a recent U.S. Ambassador to Kabul, Ronald E. Neumann (2005-2007), who very graciously explained a few of the complexities. Total runtime fifty four minutes. Bellum nec timendum nec prōvocandum.

Permanent Aridification Transforms the American Southwest

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 06:00:00 -0500

It's happening now but we won't be able to say with absolute certainty that it's happened for probably another couple of decades. Thanks to anthropogenic climate change the American Southwest is entering a new, and permanent, condition of increased aridity. It's not a "drought," it's the new normal. To talk about the change I turned to Dr. Richard Seager, a leading climate scientist with special expertise regarding the Southwest's rainfall history. It was kind of Richard to take the time to talk with me and I was glad (if that's the right word) to learn how robust these scientific findings are. Total runtime thirty eight minutes. Ubi sunt?

Debt Doldrums

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 06:00:00 -0500

Barack Obama and John Boehner probably worked out most of it over golf. What political theater! And why is it you never hear of Nancy Pelosi on the links? To talk about the so-called "debt ceiling" crisis I turned to Charles Tiefer, a former General Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives, who has a gift for effortlessly putting the legal issues into perspective. Thank you, Charles! Total runtime fifty four minutes. Omnia mūtantur, nōs et mūtāmur in illīs.

The Art of Courage

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 06:00:00 -0500

A little voice in your conscience tells you something. You listen. You start to think maybe you're right and everybody else is wrong. You do something about it. Next thing you know you're in a life and death struggle against evil forces bent on world domination. Well, maybe that's a slight exaggeration but I'm not kidding, either. Real courage isn't ever easy. To tell his story about courage within the CIA I turned to Glenn L. Carle, author of The Interrogator: An Education, just published this week by Nation Books. Buy it, thank me later. Total runtime an hour and three minutes. Ignis aurum probat, miseria fortēs virōs.

The Wild Dollar

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 06:00:00 -0500

Because the public hasn't had what's happening properly reported, the Republicans think that, in the debt ceiling standoff, they can trample democratic norms and perhaps even go so far as to trigger another collapse of the world economy. What a bizarre strategy to pursue (supposedly) on behalf of the government that issues the world's reserve currency! But this is a straightforward disturbance that only seems improbably complicated because so few really understand what U.S. debt means. To explain, I turned once again to Marshall Auerback, who sees simplicity in things. Total runtime forty two minutes. Facilis dēscēnsus Avernī.

Göbekli Tepe

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 06:00:00 -0500

At what point does an original idea engender action? And to what extent does that action set a lasting course? We can examine the social history of an idea, written, as it were, in stone, at Göbekli Tepe, an archeological site approximately 11,500 years old (or perhaps even older) in southern Turkey. Before the invention of agriculture, before pottery, hunter-gatherers in a collective effort raised enormous, spectacularly carved megaliths for mysterious ceremonial purposes. What an incredible story! To tell it I turned to Charles C. Mann, whose essay in this month's National Geographic is a must read. Thanks so much, Charles. Total runtime thirty nine minutes. Enjoy!

The Athenian Zephyr

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 06:00:00 -0500

Neoliberal bankers wants to turn the Greek public into chattel. The Greek public objects. It's a theoretically long-predicted fork in the road for the European Union: either Greece defaults (it could have been any one of certain member states) and the European debt crisis spreads — possibly/probably leading to the collapse of the Euro — or the EU moves toward closer political integration. Nobody knows what will happen but it's clear that procrastination won't solve the dilemma, not for Greece, nor for those next on the menu at the bankers' banquet. To talk about the Greek crisis from a neo-Marxist perspective I turned to Dr. Richard Wolff, who very sensibly observes that neoliberal theories won't cut the mustard. Total runtime forty eight minutes. Ça suffit comme ça...

Forgetting Vietnam

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 06:00:00 -0500

America's final retreat from Vietnam could have been a whole lot worse. Ambassador Graham Martin, mistakenly thought to be on the last chopper out, didn't follow through on the fact that he left a final contingent of Marine Security Guards on the Embassy's rooftop. Higher-ups in the military chain of command didn't realize, either, when they were supposed to, that any Marines remained in Saigon. Those Marines got lucky — very lucky — and were evacuated in the nick of time. To hear about their story I turned to Bob Drury, co-author with Tom Clavin of Last Men Out. A year or so before America's hasty retreat probably nobody in Washington could have imagined how the fall of Saigon would unfold. Today, having utterly failed to learn from Vietnam, that same lack of foresight may well strike again... Total runtime forty three minutes. Dabit Deus hīs quoque finem.

Constitutional Chains

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 06:00:00 -0500

The U.S. Constitution has not led to a more perfect union. In some ways — see the Civil War — it was a suicide pact. So must it, indeed, be the only legitimate political expression of who we are as Americans? To think about some of the flaws at the creation I turned to Dr. Mark A. Graber, author of Dred Scott and the Problem of Constitutional Evil (Cambridge, 2006), who may well have done more than anyone to raise general awareness of the problems we face. Mark, a pacifist, sees three options: persuasion, coercion, or acceptance. To that I would add that non-violent resistance is not the same thing as pacifism and that political coercion can usefully take other forms than violent internecine struggle. Total runtime forty five minutes. Enjoy!