The Washington Post’s Jeff Stein stops by to discuss his extensive new piece investigating the ever-ballooning U.S. international sanctions regime. Despite Biden recently bragging he’s leaving office with the U.S. not involved in any foreign conflicts, the U.S. now has sanctions in place in over a third of all nations around the world, including more than 60% of “developing” nations. Jeff walks us through this increasingly central policy of worldwide economic coercion, how it shapes American imperial aims, and some intended & unintended consequences of the exponential expansion of sanctions in the 21st century. Then, we take a quick look at the state of the Veepstakes, Josh Shapiro’s whole deal, and of course, RFK Jr. and the road-kill bear.

Check out Jeff’s sanctions investigation here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2024/us-sanction-countries-work/

Chapo Trap House

856 - Bear Market feat. Jeff Stein (8/5/24)

We’re joined by video doc king Jon Bois to discuss some of his recent projects with Secret Base, specifically REFORM!, a history of Ross Perot and the Reform party. Jon shares his fascination and research into this bizarre eddy of American electoral politics, the various cranks and characters that populated it, and how the Reform Party prefigured a swath of our current political landscape. We also touch on James Rebhorn’s character in Independence Day, slipping on banana peels, and the best and worst of Olympic sports.

Part 1 of the REFORM! Series is on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqqaW1LrMTY

Subscribe to Secret Base on Patreon for all of their premium content: https://www.patreon.com/SecretBase

Rick Perlstein's POW/MIA piece Amber recommended: https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/enduring-cult-vietnam-missing-action/

858 - That’s Not Entirely Accurate feat. Jon Bois (8/12/24)

Dan Boeckner recounts the saga of Canadian journalist being “elicited” by a nice Chinese man and his wife.

Subscribe today for access to the full episode and all premium episodes!
www.patreon.com/chapotraphouse

859 Teaser - Elicitations

Alex back on the pod today as we touch briefly on cranks from the past and Ye’s nitrous fixation. Then, Biden and his team continue to seethe about being kicked off the ticket, while Tim Waltz’s midwestern diet sends the right into some sort of race-based rage. Then, despite his possible PTSD, Trump is still able to toss off some casual insults to cherished American institutions that would get any other politicians run out of town and Bolsonaro attacked by bees.

860 - Super Taco Tuesday feat. Alex Nichols (8/19/24)

The Chapo 2024 Elections team returns to the pod to look at the state of the presidential race post-Democratic National Convention. Kamala’s positioning in the election remains strong, but what does her convention performance tell us about a potential Harris administration? Is the Trump GOP really bungling this? Exactly how shitty is JD Vance as a VP pick, and is Tim Walz committing Dog Fraud? And just how much can the Democrats cover their ears and pretend Gaza doesn’t exist after the convention? All this and more discussed in today’s ‘sode.

Find Dave’s reporting at Semafor here: https://www.semafor.com/author/david-weigel
Find the Ettingermentum newsletter here: https://www.ettingermentum.news/

862 - The Donkey Show feat. Dave Weigel & Ettingermentum (8/26/24)

Long time friend of the show James Adomian stops by to catch up on some news, including the conservative rumor of bikers traveling to Colorado to fight Venezuelan gangs, the North Carolina GOP gubernatorial candidate who was a five-night-a-week customer at a porn store, and the Swifties for Kamala Zoom call. We also check in with some of our old friends Elon Musk & Sebastian Gorka.

James’ new stand-up special Path of Most Resistance  is available now for purchase at 800 Pound Gorilla: https://800poundgorillamedia.com/products/james-adomian-path-of-most-resistance

And will be streaming on YouTube starting September 19th!

864 - Gent’s Video feat. James Adomian (9/3/24)

Derek & Danny of the American Prestige podcast join us to review the new film Reagan. Can a film that accurately depicts the 40th president of the United States as a vacuous himbo who eagerly repeats the last thing told to him also portray him as a righteous colossus who single-handedly defeated the scourge of Soviet Russia. Sure! Why not? We consider the dim boomer hagiography presented to us by the director of other timeless classics such as Casper: A Spirited Beginning.

American Prestige is moving to Supporting Cast, keep an eye out for how to find them on their new platform: https://www.americanprestigepod.com/p/important-announcement-american-prestige

866 - Ronnie, Talk to Russia feat. American Prestige (9/9/24)

Will, Felix & David Roth review Trump’s masterful rhetorica gambits from Tuesday night’s debate with Kamala Harris.

Subscribe today for access to the full episode and all premium episodes!
www.patreon.com/chapotraphouse

867 Teaser - Trump Debate Genious

Ben & Matt of the JUSTICE WARRIORS comic series join us this week. We look at the SECOND Trump assassination attempt in about as many months, Trump’s increasingly intimate relationship with Laura Loomer, and just his insane personal and political arc over the last few months. Then, more seriously, the continued blatant demagoguery around immigration stirred up by Republicans that Democrats and the Harris campaign seems unequipped to respond to. Finally, a few stories that seem to have crossed from the pages of Justice Warriors into reality.

Find Justice Wariors Vol. 2: VOTE HARDER here, out now: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Justice-Warriors-Vol-2/Matt-Bors/JUSTICE-WARRIORS/9781952090325
Watch Ben’s kick ass trailer for the book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPClsOwhPuE&ab_channel=BenClarkson

868 - Caddy-Shook feat. Ben Clarkson & Matt Bors (9/16/24)

Journalists Christopher Robbins & Katie Way from the independent outlet Hellgate return to the show to help update us on NYC Mayor Eric Adams' chaotic administration. We look at the scandal and indictments surrounding a number of top Adams officials, including multiple sets of siblings, all embroiled in bribes, extortions, and various other forms of graft. We also discuss NYPD scandal in light of the recent subway shooting which left multiple people injured and one bystander braindead.

Follow Hellgate’s New York City coverage here: https://hellgatenyc.com/

BONUS: House of Crumbs feat. Hellgate

After Tim introduces us all to Calvin the Deplorable, we dive into an overlong Beer of the Week dedicated to the memory of Tim's sweet, smelly dog Olive. Dan and Sara cop to drinking Miller 64, then Ben and Tim attempt to set "Clear Parameters for the Beer Scale'' before we get down to the topic at hand - drugs. Sara discusses the Ancient Drugs - alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, marijuana - their progression through history, and gives a salute to the beer dorks (and other drug nerds) who have refined these classic intoxicants. Everyone chooses their desert island drug from the four, then after a brief discussion about how kids don't know about regs in this golden age of weed selection, we get down to the real shit. After deciding cocaine is asshole fuel, but also the "most drug" of the drugs, Tim recalls eating a quarter of mushrooms in the back of a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Ben talks about his "custom" Beets shirt claimed by drug shits. Dan inadvertently convinced Sara not to do LSD again, but she recalls her first time trying it and how much fun it was. We end with the unifying ego death of salvia trips (in a soccer field in Wheaton) and tales from the Blue Island drug hole where Dan and Sara's romance was forged. The moral is, drugs are fun, but not really the point, and shouldn't become the point - and maybe everybody got a little too high for this one, man.

Tim: Long Live Beerworks Heart of a Champion 4.75
Ben: Revolution Brewing Stratasphero 4.0
Dan & Sara: Miller 64 5.0 (on the non-alcoholic beer scale) 2.0 (on the light beer scale)

Fear and Loathing in the Southwest Suburbs

8. Fear and Loathing in the Southwest Suburbs (Drugs)

Four friends share laughs after the kids fall asleep. We talk a lot about beer, a little about politics, then turn to our topic of the week - sprinkled liberally with clips from punk rock songs, cult movies, and classic Simpsons episodes.

8. Fear and Loathing in the Southwest Suburbs (Drugs)

The Kids Are Asleep

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