Electric Politics Podcast

Economic Snapshots

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:00:00 -0500

The U.S. economy doesn't appear (anymore) to be falling off a cliff. On the other hand, bottoming out doesn't equal a recovery and we're still losing an awful lot of jobs. Jolly times with record bonuses for the bankers, but not so good for most people. For an economic update I turned again to James K. Galbraith, who's much more sensible than most economists. So sensible that he's less concerned with theory than with what works. It's always great to talk with James and I always manage to learn something new. Total runtime thirty nine minutes. Be pragmatical!

Of Words and Warfare

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:00:00 -0500

Not many newsrooms anymore have staff reporters who had covered Vietnam. George Wilson did, in 1968 and 1972, and he also covered the Second Gulf War in 2003. After over fifty years as a print reporter George is still working, now with the National Journal's CongressDaily... having that much experience, when George makes comparisons between Vietnam and Afghanistan we should pay attention. This conversation starts with Afghanistan and moves on to include a wide range of military topics. It was extremely kind of George to take time to talk with me, for which I'm very grateful. Total runtime an hour and five minutes.

The Great Terror Bazaar

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:00:00 -0500

"We're fighting in Afghanistan so that the Taliban don't attack New York." Well, no, I don't believe that. In fact, I have yet to hear a succinct explanation for why the U.S. is in Afghanistan. If staying in Afghanistan were to help stabilize Pakistan that might make some sense, but things don't seem to be working that way. Instead, we're seeing pretty much the opposite effect. So, why? To try to sift through some of the issues and to get a sense of the larger picture I turned to Graham E. Fuller, a former CIA Chief of Station in Kabul and, later in his career, a very senior analyst. It was extremely kind of Graham to take the time and I very much appreciate having had the opportunity to talk with him. It's always a pleasure to hear from a real professional. Total runtime an hour and thirteen minutes (transcript here). Stop the War. Now.

Unmaking Modern Foreign Policy

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 06:00:00 -0500

One might not suspect that the sociology of knowledge has much to do with foreign policy, or how government works, but it does. Except that it takes somebody quite brilliant, learned, experienced, and reasonably idealistic to understand the connections. For an intense tutorial in policy failures (and hints for success), I turned again to Roger Morris. It was very kind of Roger to take the time and I always enjoy his company. Total runtime an hour and twenty one minutes. Live for the future!

A Single Minded Interlocutor

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:00:00 -0500

The North Koreans don't want a war. It's not entirely clear whether Washington feels the same way. Following Pyongyang's second test of a nuclear device, and new missiles, rhetoric from both sides is reaching dangerous levels. To get some perspective on what's happening I turned once again to Dr. Bruce Cumings, perhaps the top U.S. expert on Korea, certainly one of the most sensible. It's always great to talk with Bruce and to get a reassuring dose of sanity. Total runtime one hour. Don't be fooled again!

Preventing Nuclear Terrorism

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 29 May 2009 06:00:00 -0500

If, heuristically, we ask what the world would be like if an additional one or two dozen state actors possessed nuclear weapons, the answer is obvious: terrorists would have exponentially greater opportunities to steal a nuclear device or the materials with which to make one. Conversely, if the current crowd of nuclear weapons states were to make significant cuts in inventories, with the goal of zero, and pursue with greatly increased urgency international controls over explosive nuclear material, everyone on the planet would be much safer. Obviously, again, the latter course is to be preferred. To get at these critical problems I turned to Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, until this January the U.S. government's top anti-nuclear terrorism official. Rolf, a veteran CIA operator, has a solid — and subtle — understanding of what's happening and what needs to be done. It was very kind of him to talk with me, though somehow I feel less reassured that things are under control. Total runtime an hour and four minutes. Make nuclear disarmament a top priority!

A Question of Conscience

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 22 May 2009 06:00:00 -0500

Israel could not do what's it's doing to the Palestinians if it were not for unconditional American support. So when the Israelis practice Apartheid, when they commit war crimes in Gaza, when they oppress the Palestinians at every turn... America is directly responsible. Most Americans (if and when they think about it) think that the Palestinian struggle is far away and not their problem. But that's wrong. The ideas and the behavior that we underwrite are profoundly malignant and they boomerang, insidiously, to distort American politics. We must not make fatal compromises on basic principles. To get at some of these questions I turned to George Bisharat, a real champion of the rule of law, and advocate of a non-violent path toward a single state solution for Israel, with equal rights and equal justice for all its citizens. A most worthy goal. Total runtime an hour and eleven minutes. Think long-term.

Remembering JFK

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 15 May 2009 06:00:00 -0500

One might suppose that with all that's been written about JFK there's little new to add. One would be wrong. Not exactly the cold warrior of conventional history, Jack Kennedy was turning, in a radical way, toward peace. It was too much for certain secret American power-brokers, who killed him. James W. Douglass does us a tremendous service with his revisionist history, JFK and the Unspeakable, which offers the most dramatic reminder that we can choose — indeed, that we must choose — not to have a militarized, warlike society. It was very kind of Jim to talk with me and I learned a great deal. I cannot recommend his book highly enough. Total runtime an hour and ten minutes. Dulce bellum inexpertis. ☮

Breaking Rank

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 08 May 2009 06:00:00 -0500

It takes a great deal of courage to admit a mistake on a controversial decision, even years after the fact. Virtually nobody gives you credit. You may even feel stupid. But history appreciates candor and that should afford some solace. Norm Stamper is probably most remembered, at the moment, for his being Chief of Police in Seattle during the 1999 WTO "Battle in Seattle." OK, he didn't handle it too well. Case closed. On many issues, nevertheless, Norm is a veritable beacon of enlightenment, to whom we should pay close attention. Legalize all drugs, he says. End the death penalty, he says. Don't imprison as many people, he says. Control police at a local level, he says. So much sense no wonder The Nation press published his book, Breaking Rank. It was a great pleasure to talk with Norm and he's pretty much convinced me that he's right on the issue of drug legalization. Total runtime an hour and sixteen minutes. Listen twice!

Shadow Politics

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 01 May 2009 06:00:00 -0500

The assassination of President John F. Kennedy is the Rosetta Stone of American politics. Was it a conspiracy and if so who, or what, was behind it? From a completely new direction Russ Baker has taken a thoughtful, massively researched look at the Bush family's involvement, as part of his larger study of Bush family political intrigue. As Russ puts it, an alternative title might be "Everything You Think You Know About American Politics Is Wrong." More suggestive than conclusive, Family of Secrets proves, nevertheless, that the gatekeepers aren't giving us the straight story. It was kind of Russ to talk with me and I hope we can do it again. Total runtime an hour and ten minutes. Think deeply.

Raising Sand

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 06:00:00 -0500

It takes courage to oppose our national obsession with war, particularly when one makes their opposition a vocation. And it's doubly rare to find such determination combined with a subtle intelligence and the experience to keep cultural differences in perspective. Susan Galleymore, born in South Africa and a naturalized American, has much to teach us about following our conscience. And please don't miss her outstanding program, Raising Sand Radio. Total runtime an hour and fourteen minutes. Happy Mother's Day a couple weeks early!

A Progressive for All Seasons

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 06:00:00 -0500

Unusual for a denizen of Washington D.C., Sam Smith was born here. Now that he's pulling up stakes for small town life in Maine it'll be interesting to see whether, and how, his perspective on national issues changes. At any rate, thank goodness, he'll keep on producing his marvelous and unique Progressive Review. It's a national treasure, as is he. This one is a bit of a ramble — for which I take full responsibility. Total runtime an hour and twelve minutes. Enjoy!

The Poppy Palace

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 06:00:00 -0500

Connect the dots. According to the UN's latest report, under U.S. occupation 92% of the world's opium production comes from Afghan poppies. Most of the heroin going to Europe is manufactured in or transits Turkey. The exact value to Turkey of its heroin exports is unknown but experts estimate a range in the tens of billions of dollars per year. The neocons helped establish and remain closely associated with Turkish lobbying efforts in the U.S. The question is, then: does the seamy side of Turkish influence peddling involve, among other things, money laundering, narcotics trafficking, espionage, bribery of U.S. officials, nuclear proliferation, and aid to terrorist front groups (not to mention whatever motivated the previous administration to invade Afghanistan)? Put differently, how and to what extent has the Turkish "deep state" joined forces with the American "deep state"? To consider some of these questions, and others, I turned to Sibel Edmonds, the renowned whistleblower. It was great to talk with Sibel and I have the highest regard for her courage and principled stand. Total runtime an hour and sixteen minutes. A cover-up is not the answer!

Rising Seas Concentrate the Mind

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:00:00 -0500

All too many members of the American intelligentsia dismiss concerns about global warming, all too often in collusion with the mainstream media. Freeman Dyson, for example, got extensive, sympathetic coverage of his skepticism in last Sunday's New York Times Magazine. As near as I can tell, critics confuse deficiencies in modeling with deficiencies in measurement, arguing models where measurements clearly show a warming planet. Unfortunate, because there's not a moment to lose. In Europe, however, climate experts have taken the lead, moving the debate on to pragmatic questions. To get a sense of what's happening at the cutting edge of science I turned to Dr. Katherine Richardson, an optimist from the University of Copenhagen. It was kind of Katherine to take the time, I enjoyed talking with her, and I learned a lot. Total runtime fifty one minutes. Stand your ground!

Independent Alternatives

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 06:00:00 -0500

There should be no doubt in anybody's mind: America's political problems are structural. How one slices and dices that may vary but without structural solutions — call them "reforms" — the system inexorably, increasingly will drain the life from ordinary people for the benefit of the very rich. To talk around today's politics from a longer-term, weathered perspective I turned to John R. MacArthur, of Harper's. It was great to talk with Rick, both for the substance and as an example of how much more thoughtful independent, as opposed to conglomerate, journalism can be. Total runtime fifty minutes. Enjoy!

The Great Game (Twenty First Century Version)

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 06:00:00 -0500

It's not for nothing that Afghanistan has been called 'the graveyard of empire.' And the U.S. would be far, far better off had we never invaded. Now we're there, however, it's not quite so easy to get out, nor are the repercussions limited to Afghanistan — there's nuclear Pakistan to worry about, along with India, Iran, and the general neighborhood. An incredibly vexing situation. To get some thoughtful perspective I turned to Jonathan Landay, of McClatchy, who's been reporting regularly from that part of the world for over twenty years and has just gotten back from a month in country. It was a real pleasure to talk with Jonathan and his points are very well taken. Total runtime an hour and ten minutes. Let's hope for the best.

World Fellowship

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 06:00:00 -0500

Foreign intelligence requires putting oneself into the skin of someone from another culture. Not always an easy thing to do. Nor are the realistic conclusions drawn from such experience always easy to accept. Which is why it's so critical for intelligence to be independent of politics — otherwise, it's pretty much useless flummery. Here's an eclectic conversation with Ray McGovern, a seasoned intelligence practitioner, where we think about some of the problems Mr. Obama has to deal with. It's always a great pleasure to talk with Ray, and an education. Total runtime an hour and thirty four minutes. Enjoy!

Upon Nature's Altar

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 06:00:00 -0500

Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett — if he wasn't the inspiration for Indiana Jones, he should have been. I've always like adventure yarns, and this one has the benefit of being true. More than that, science is busy revising our understanding of pre-Columbian society in the Amazon. Far from being a "false paradise" pocked with primitive tribes it appears increasingly that the Amazon once was home to a sophisticated, relatively numerous people, capable of tremendous feats of civil engineering. For a quick explanation I turned to David Grann, author of The Lost City of Z, who very kindly took time from a hectic book tour to talk with me. Fascinating stuff! Total runtime thirty nine minutes. Enjoy. ☀

Presiding Over a Systemic Melt-Down

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:00:00 -0500

It's worth repeating as often as possible: we're experiencing a systemic failure, a structural failure, one that can't be resolved without structural changes. What are the economic relations in our country? What should they be? Those are the right kinds of questions, and to help me sort through them I turned to the brilliant writer Mike Davis, who — I think — elevates common sense to a high art form. It was most kind of Mike to take the time and I hope we can talk again. Total runtime an hour and forty one minutes. Consider action, craft.

More Skullduggery

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 06:00:00 -0500

Vague allegations of assassination have figured in General George S. Patton's death for years, but nobody managed to pull together all the threads until now. Robert K. Wilcox, in Target Patton, presents a very compelling case that not all is as it seemed. I'm not 100% convinced — maybe 85% — but there's just too much weirdness for the official story to hold up. For those, like me, who enjoy procedurals and tradecraft it's a terrific read, very highly recommended. It was kind of Bob to talk with me, he graciously handled my grilling, and I hope he keeps digging. Total runtime an hour and fourteen minutes. Don't overlook the shadows!

Land of Torture Reparations

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:00:00 -0500

Nobody is above the law. But maybe, just maybe, the prudent thing is to find out the exact details of what's happened, first, before rushing into criminal indictments of George W. Bush and his former senior staff. In that light, for example, it doesn't make much sense to glibly disparage ideas of a "truth commission" that are being kicked about: anything that brings greater transparency is to be encouraged. To get a sense of how things stand I turned once again to Manfred Nowak, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. It was very kind of Professor Nowak to talk with me and again I find myself persuaded by his logic. Total runtime twenty five minutes.

Goodbye "Old Normal," Hello "New Normal"

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 06:00:00 -0500

The Obama administration, with the possible exception of President Obama himself, doesn't yet seem to have people able to think outside the economic box. It's not so much a question of their good faith, but whether their mental maps suffice. To get a sense of where we are and where we should be going I turned to Dr. James K. Galbraith, the brilliant and original political economist. His latest book, The Predator State, is a must-read and, however unorthodox his ideas, they belong in the foundation of new, progressive economic paradigms. It was very kind of James to talk with me and I learned a lot. Total runtime an hour and twenty minutes. Listen twice.

Daring To Disarm

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:00:00 -0500

The thing about nuclear weapons is, nobody can easily afford to make a mistake. Odds are, the more nuclear weapons people have, the more likely a mistake, and the more likely that a warhead, equipment, or know-how goes astray. On the other side of it, arguments about how to "win" a nuclear war remain implausible. So it's hard to see how these particular weapons are good for anything. Frankly, they're too dangerous to keep. But having built them, how do we get rid of them? For some deep insight I turned to Lt. General Robert G. Gard, Jr. (USA, ret.), Chairman of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. He's got a lot of sensible suggestions that should be relatively easy to implement, provided, of course, that some Republican Senators can agree to new, and renewed, nuclear arms control treaties. We also talk about NATO, Afghanistan, the General's early combat experience in Korea and Vietnam, and several other topics. It was very gracious of General Gard to take the time and I much appreciate it. Total runtime an hour and ten minutes. It's an honor to serve.

The Art of Plain Speaking

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:00:00 -0500

In the UK press one frequently finds tough criticism of Israel. See, for example, this recent essay by Mark Steel in the Independent, a thoroughly mainstream UK paper [proving me wrong the paper pulled the article sometime in the last 24 hours, but you can still find it at Mark's site]. One cannot imagine a similar essay appearing in the New York Times, or the Washington Post, or the Los Angeles Times, or the Wall Street Journal, or USA Today, or indeed any other major American newspaper. Why not? Perhaps more taboo than mentioning the 'Israel Lobby,' is asking what's behind it, what makes it different than the tobacco lobby, the NRA, or the AARP? To get at this vexing issue I turned to an extraordinarily distinguished leftist academic, Dr. James Petras. Jim is one of the very, very few people that I know of who reasons sensibly about the problem of Zionist influence and who isn't afraid to speak out. And he's an amazing conversationalist. It was kind of Jim to talk with me and I'll try to live up to his example. Total runtime fifty six minutes. Seek justice without fear or favor.

Barbarism in Gaza (and Zimbabwe)

george@electricpolitics.com — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:00:00 -0500

One wonders whether, if it weren't for the excessive delay between election and inauguration, Israel would still have attacked Gaza. In any case, Israel's assault being less a war than a hunt for naked prey, it's difficult, particularly here in the U.S., to get a feeling for what's happening. So I was fortunate in being able to turn to Martin Walker of The Times, who spoke to me from Jerusalem. We also talk about Zimbabwe, where Martin has spent much of the past year. And Somalia. I highly value Martin's insights and experience and I'm grateful for his making himself available. Hopefully we can talk again. Total runtime an hour and seven minutes. Where's the humanitarian intervention for Gaza?