Sam and Emma host&nbsp;, Professor of History at Vanderbilt University, to discuss his recent book&nbsp;&nbsp;First, Sam and Emma run through updates on the GOP acting as the House majority, Ronna McDaniels winning the election for RNC Chair, and the murder of Tyre Nichols by the Memphis Police “Scorpion Squad,” before parsing through the lackluster response from the right to yet another example of the overwhelming violence of the US police state. Professor Jefferson Cowie then joins as he dives right into how he came to focus so specifically on the evolution of ideas of “freedom” in Barbour County, Alabama, looking to the southern US’ particular anti-statist and anti-federal view of freedom that favors the freedom to dominate over the freedom from domination. Expanding on this lens, Professor Cowie explores various conceptions of freedom, including personal freedoms (as enshrined in the Bill of Rights), civil freedoms, and sovereign freedom – the freedom to control and dominate – and how the settler-colonial nature of the inception of the US aligns strongly with this latter idea. Beginning in this era, Jefferson walks Sam and Emma through “freedom” as a central political idea in the development of Barbour County, originating with the displacement of the people of the Muscogee Creek nations to clear land for slave labor, isolating them into a New Jersey-sized lock of land under supposed “protection,” and continuing through the white invaders’ insistence on overcoming the tyranny of the government protecting this land, igniting a full war with the Creek peoples, and even forcing the government to step in to fully put down the indigenous rebellion. Moving forwards, Professor Cowie then walks through the reconstruction era and the white supremacist reaction to the election of various Black and freed members of society, launching a full coup on election day 1874 with an attempted massacre of enfranchised free folks, and an establishment of a local regime led by J.W. Comer that exemplified this white freedom to dominate, institutionalizing hardcore prison labor within a system that brought the imprisoned population from 8% African American to over 90%, and launching the county into the modern era of white supremacist institutions. Wrapping up the story portion, Jefferson Cowie dives into the emergence of Alabama Governor George Wallace from Barbour County as the final stage in the development of the southern philosophy of freedom, ingraining his white supremacist attitude within arguments against federal tyranny and faux-populist rhetoric for liberty, before they conclude the interview by assessing how to balance differing conceptions of freedom, and the importance of the federal government in ensuring the greatest freedom for the greatest number of people. Fun Half: Sam and Emma discuss the Right dismissal of the Tyre Nichols footage and the mass influx in anti-LGBTQ bills across the US, the GOP debates how to trim the woke from the budget, and Ben Shapiro blows the whistle on POLITICO’s puppetry of the American public’s opinion of the debt ceiling. Matt from Denver discusses his relationship to the Republican Party and their agenda, Amir from VA dives into his experiences in Brazil in the leadup to January 8th, Donald Trump’s 2024 strategy begins to unfold from the sky, and Dennis Prager explores the nuances of bullying children, plus, your calls and IMs! Check out Jefferson's book here:&nbsp;https://www.basicbooks.com/titles/jefferson-cowie/freedoms-dominion/9781541672819/ Become a member at&nbsp;:&nbsp; Subscribe to the ESVN YouTube channel here:&nbsp;https://www.youtube.com/esvnshow  Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here:&nbsp;https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord!&nbsp; Get all your MR merch at our store:&nbsp; Get the free Majority Report App!:&nbsp;http://majority.fm/app Check out today’s sponsors: ZipRecruiter: Some things in life we like to pick out for...

3015 - When Freedom Means Oppression: A Saga Of White Resistance To Federal Power w/ Jefferson Cowie

Happy Monday! Emma speaks with , English professor and founder of the  at the City University of New York (CUNY), to discuss his recent book  Then she’s joined by  of the  to discuss the recent  by workers at the Volkswagen Chattanooga plant in Tennessee to unionize with the United Auto Workers (UAW). Check out Ashley's book here:&nbsp;https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2101-environmentalism-from-below Check out the Payday Report here:&nbsp;https://paydayreport.com/ Become a member at&nbsp;JoinTheMajorityReport.com:&nbsp;https://fans.fm/majority/join Check out Seder's Seeds here!:&nbsp;&nbsp;ALSO, if you have pictures of your Seder's Seeds, send them here!:&nbsp;hello@sedersseeds.com Check out this GoFundMe in support of Mohammad Aldaghma's niece in Gaza, who has Down Syndrome:&nbsp; Check out the "Repair Gaza" campaign courtesy of the Glia Project here:&nbsp;https://www.launchgood.com/campaign/rebuild_gaza_help_repair_and_rebuild_the_lives_and_work_of_our_glia_team#!/ Get emails on the IRS pilot program for tax filing here!:&nbsp;https://service.govdelivery.com/accounts/USIRS/subscriber/new Check out StrikeAid here!;&nbsp;https://strikeaid.com/ Gift a Majority Report subscription here:&nbsp;https://fans.fm/majority/gift  Subscribe to the ESVN YouTube channel here:&nbsp;https://www.youtube.com/esvnshow Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here:&nbsp;https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord!&nbsp;http://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store:&nbsp;https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!:&nbsp;http://majority.fm/app Check out today’s sponsors: Cozy Earth: This Mother’s Day, treat mom to the luxury she deserves with Cozy Earth bedding and sleepwear, and prioritize her self-care and sleep health.&nbsp; SHE DESERVES IT!&nbsp; Don’t forget to use our promo code MAJORITYREPORT at checkout for 35% off at https://cozyearth.com.&nbsp; After placing your order, select "podcast" in the survey and select our show in the dropdown menu that follows. Fast Growing Trees: This Spring Fast Growing Trees has the best deals online, up to half off on select plants and other deals. And listeners to our show get an ADDITIONAL 15% OFF their first purchase when using the code MAJORITY at checkout. That’s an ADDITIONAL 15% OFF at https://FastGrowingTrees.com using the code MAJORITY at checkout.  code MAJORITY. Offer is valid for a limited time, terms and conditions may apply. Aura Frames: Right now, Aura has a great deal for Mother’s Day. Listeners can save on the perfect gift by visiting https://AuraFrames.com/MAJORITY to get $30-off plus free shipping on their best-selling frame. That’s https://AuraFrames.com/MAJORITY. Use code MAJORITY &nbsp;at checkout to save.   Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter:    @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech @BradKAlsop   Check out Matt’s show, Left Reckoning, on Youtube, and subscribe on Patreon!&nbsp; Check out Matt Binder’s&nbsp;YouTube&nbsp;channel:&nbsp; Subscribe to Brandon’s show The Discourse on Patreon!&nbsp;https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here!&nbsp;https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com/ The Majority Report with Sam Seder -&nbsp;

3322 - Environmentalism From Below; Tennessee VW Workers Make History w/ Ashley Dawson, Mike Elk

Kate Manne returns to talk about her book, “Unshrinking: How to Face Fatphobia.”

Check out Kate's book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/722318/unshrinking-by-kate-manne/

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Taking Down Fatphobia / Kate Manne

Loretta Napoleoni returns to discuss her new book, “Technocapitalism: The Rise of the New Robber Barons and the Fight for the Common Good.” "Rotten History" follows the interview.

Check out Loretta's book here: https://www.sevenstories.com/books/4601-technocapitalism

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New Robber Barons Prevent Using Tech for the Common Good / Loretta Napoleoni

Loretta Napoleoni returns to discuss her new book, “Technocapitalism: The Rise of the New Robber Barons and the Fight for the Common Good.” 

Check out Loretta's book here: https://www.sevenstories.com/books/4601-technocapitalism

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It's News Day Tuesday! But first, Emma speaks with , white collar crime professor at George Washington University Law School and author of the  newsletter, to discuss the recent developments in all of Trump's criminal cases.&nbsp;First, Emma runs through updates on today’s Pennsylvania primaries, Trump’s ongoing hush money case, primary polling, growing backlash to Zionist repression on college campuses, Israel’s bombardment on Rafah, Senate legislation, solar subsidies, FTC policy, Starbucks v. NLRB, Tennessee’s charter voucher bill, and the UK’s new migrant deportation program, before parsing through the Supreme Court’s ongoing case likely to uphold Grants Pass, Oregon’s effective ban on homelessness. Professor Randal Eliason then joins, first reminding us of the general tally of Trump’s myriad civil and criminal legal cases, before diving deeper into the ongoing trial surrounding his hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, including the state’s attempt to spin the genuine falsification of legal and business records into an attempt to interfere in the development of the 2016 election. After assessing what he sees as the weak points in the state’s arguments, and quickly running through the role of the already-convicted Michael Cohen in these payments, Professor Eliason explores the extreme stance being taken by Trump’s legal team, not just arguing against the election interference claims but attempting to claim that the records themselves are legitimate. Next, Emma and Randall look to the civil cases facing Trump, including the massive bond he currently owes New York, and parse a little deeper through the major cases out of Florida – surrounding his mishandling of classified documents – and D.C. – on the role he played in the January 6th insurrection attempt. Wrapping up, they tackle the role of Trump’s Supreme Court immunity hearings in preventing either of these cases from impacting his candidacy, and explore what a second Trump presidency would mean for the future of any of these cases. Emma also touches on the ongoing anti-war and anti-genocide protests coming out of Columbia University, and the powerful display by faculty to stand with the students. And in the Fun Half: Emma gets some primary previews from John from San Antonio, Jesse Watters is astonished the criminal justice system is treating Trump like a criminal, and the State Department has an unsurprising need to know more before commenting on the mass grave revelations out of Gaza. Raz from Ojai asks for some pointers on debating universal healthcare, the MR Team unpacks the absurd conversation around crime (from all sides of the political spectrum), and Tucker Carlson and Joe Rogan ponder the legitimacy of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, plus, your calls and IMs! Check out Randall's Sidebars newsletter here:&nbsp;https://www.sidebarsblog.com/ Become a member at&nbsp;JoinTheMajorityReport.com:&nbsp;https://fans.fm/majority/join Check out Seder's Seeds here!:&nbsp;&nbsp;ALSO, if you have pictures of your Seder's Seeds, send them here!:&nbsp;hello@sedersseeds.com Check out this GoFundMe in support of Mohammad Aldaghma's niece in Gaza, who has Down Syndrome:&nbsp; Check out the "Repair Gaza" campaign courtesy of the Glia Project here:&nbsp;https://www.launchgood.com/campaign/rebuild_gaza_help_repair_and_rebuild_the_lives_and_work_of_our_glia_team#!/ Get emails on the IRS pilot program for tax filing here!:&nbsp;https://service.govdelivery.com/accounts/USIRS/subscriber/new Check out StrikeAid here!;&nbsp;https://strikeaid.com/ Gift a Majority Report subscription here:&nbsp;https://fans.fm/majority/gift  Subscribe to the ESVN YouTube channel here:&nbsp;https://www.youtube.com/esvnshow Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here:&nbsp;https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord!&nbsp;http://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store:&nbsp;https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report...

3323 - Trump’s Ongoing Trial & Other Legal Quagmires, Explained w/ Randall D. Eliason

Laura Robson on her article at The Baffler Magazine, "Assistance as Containment; A historical take on defunding the UNRWA." Plus a Moment of Truth from Jeffrey Dorchen.

Check out Laura's article here: https://thebaffler.com/latest/assistance-as-containment-robson

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Defunding UNRWA: From Containment to Destruction / Laura Robson

Laura Robson on her article at The Baffler Magazine, "Assistance as Containment; A historical take on defunding the UNRWA." 

Check out Laura's article here: https://thebaffler.com/latest/assistance-as-containment-robson

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It's Hump Day! Emma speaks with , contributing editor at , to discuss the recent unionization efforts at Trader Joe's. Then, she speaks with , Commissioner on the New York City Planning Commission and former member of the New York City Rent Guidelines Board, to discuss efforts to support rent stabilization in the city.&nbsp;First, Emma runs through updates on the incumbent victories in yesterday’s PA primaries, Trump’s legal woes, the Senate’s Ukraine-Taiwan-Israel aid package, new mass grave reports coming out of Gaza, Biden’s new labor regulations, Elon Musk’s desperate Tesla promises, a DOJ settlement, the Supreme Court’s anti-labor agenda, and fascist legislation coming out of Idaho, Tennessee, and North Carolina, before watching Summer Lee’s phenomenal speech in the wake of her massive victory against a Pro-Israel challenger. Jeremy Gantz then joins, diving right into the major recent developments in the bargaining process between Starbucks and Starbucks Workers United, with Atlanta hosting the first genuine sit-down bargaining session in almost a year, before stepping back to walk through the two years of hardline union-busting, despite consistent pushback from both the NLRB and the general public, with only the negative change to their public image pushing them back to the table. Next, Gantz expands to the greater context of the retail industry, with major companies like Trader Joe’s and REI operating their own en-masse union-busting campaigns, exploring why the decentralized nature of the industry, as well as the high employee turnover rates, make these particularly difficult organizing efforts. Wrapping up, Jeremey walks Emma through the role of the ongoing suit sponsored by SpaceX and joined by Starbucks attempting to undermine the NLRB, and what the future of these unionization drives will likely entail. Leah Goodridge then joins, first bringing Emma through her own experiences working with New York’s housing industry, and the major issues facing the affordable housing sector, both in its policy and access, and in the greater construction and maintenance it requires. Expanding on this, Goodridge explores the ever-present power struggle with developers and landlords on one side, and tenants and homeowners on the other, tackling how the former group can both manufacture the public rhetoric and villainize their opponents, often presenting their domination over the industry as heroic or necessary for a functioning of society. After touching on some of the major issues in what makes up the affordable housing market (unaffordable, single-bedroom units), Leah and Emma look to the role of the Faircloth Amendment in killing federal investment in the expansion of the affordable housing market, and pushing the responsibility for constructing and maintaining the infrastructure almost entirely onto the private sphere. Next, Goodridge touches on the major factors of the broker system and the epidemic of vacant units (often used as speculative assets) in driving up housing costs, before she and Emma dive deep into the topics of rent control and Tenant’s Rights, unpacking what these terms entail and how the media completely misrepresents the role they play in equalizing the power dynamic between landlords and renters, before wrapping up with a brief assessment of Squatter’s Right’s minor (yet unsurprisingly overblown) role in the conversation. And in the Fun Half: Emma covers Elon Musk’s unsurprising response to Tesla’s cratering profits and stock price (make unachievable and absurd promises), Garrett from VA on the growing extraction of profits from medical clinics by insurance companies, Rick from Baltimore explores how he came to MR, and Kowalski from Nebraska gives his takes on the rent control and Big Tech conversations from the day. The MR Team also watches the harrowing footage of (content warning) a Zionist counter-protester getting bonked by a flag, listens to some powerful reflections from...

3324 - “Liberal” Companies Union Bust; Saving Rent Stabilization w/ Jeremy Gantz, Leah Goodridge

It’s an EmMajority Report Thursday! She speaks with , sociologist at the University of California, San Francisco, to discuss her recent book . Then, she speaks with , law professor at Harvard University, to discuss his recent piece in Dissent Magazine entitled , co-authored with .&nbsp;First, Emma runs through updates on Trump’s immunity and hush money cases, the US’ new foreign aid package, Israel’s impending invasion of Rafah, continuing crackdowns on anti-war student protests in the US, Arizona politics, Harvey Weinstein, the TikTok ban, the resignation of Ariel Henry, and repression of dissent in Iran, before expanding on the conversation about activism on campuses, and the GOP’s insistence on maintaining the parallels with the 1960s anti-war movement. Gretchen Sisson then joins, first walking through extensive research she conducted with women who have relinquished children to the private adoption system, exploring how and why they make the decision, and how they reflect on the process some years later. Next, Sisson walks Emma through the myth of the relationship between abortion and adoption, and the reality of a distinct divide between those who seek the two options, alongside the myth of a “high supply” in the adoption market, with (once again) the inverse seeing many adoption clinics closing due to a lack of available children for adoption. Expanding on this, Gretchen explores how the “market” influence of the adoption industry shapes a largely coercive and exploitative relationship between adoption agencies and women who would often prefer to keep their children, a relationship that is largely reflective of the industry’s roots in the family separation projects practiced against Indigenous and Black communities in the US. After touching on the major role that major Christian religious institutions have played throughout the history of the private adoption industry, and the relationship between private adoption and the foster care system, Emma and Gretchen wrap up the interview with an exploration of how many mothers come to feel very critical of the adoption system and how it failed both them and their child. Professor Ryan Doerfler and Emma then look to the long history of non-compliance – and even outright defiance – in the face of Supreme Court rulings considered unjust, with Professor Doerfler walking us through the more extreme precedents set by the presidencies of Abraham Lincoln and FDR to issue direct challenges to the court, alongside the much more recent tradition of administrative non-compliance or policy loopholes as seen in the fights for affirmative action, student loan forgiveness, and more. After stepping back to look at the myth of Marbury v. Madison’s role in legitimizing judicial activism – a tactic that the Supreme Court would not truly take on until the Civil War era, Professor Doerfler explores how the conversation around the ever-changing scope of the Supreme Court became isolated from the public to solely and intra-governmental affair over the second half of the 20th Century, in a weird conflation of the rule of law and the rule of the courts. Ryan and Emma look at the current era of backlash to the Supreme Court, from the Hobbs decision to attacks on the administrative state, and what we can do to get Democrats to start fighting back, before wrapping up with a brief conversation on the stunning bravery of anti-war student activists at Harvard and across the US. And in the Fun Half: Emma is joined by Matt Binder as they watch Channel 4’s interview with an anonymous IDF member on the prevailing perspectives within Israel’s military, also diving into the continuing wave of student protests against Israel’s genocide in Gaza, and the violent police repression seen at UT Austin, USC, and Emory that has continued the parallels with the 1960s anti-war movement on campuses like Kent State. They also dive into the continuing smears against students from both...

3325 - Power Dynamics Of Adoption; Defying The Supreme Court w/ Gretchen Sisson, Ryan Doerfler

Finally, American politics for the non-brain dead or knuckle draggers. The Majority Report is a smart political podcast hosted by Sam Seder. This daily show features long form interviews of authors, economists, journalists, comedians and politicians. If you want thoughtful and entertaining analysis of policy and politics, you have found it. Winner Best Political Podcast 2014, 2013, 2012 & 2011. Live show daily at www.majority.fm

3015 - When Freedom Means Oppression: A Saga Of White Resistance To Federal Power w/ Jefferson Cowie

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