This week, to celebrate Alex Goldman’s return from paternity leave, a Yes Yes No extravaganza. Alex takes PJ and Alex Blumberg through the internet’s most encompassing conspiracy theory to date, and then Gene Demby joins us to help unpack a very different kind of conspiracy.

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#122 The QAnon Code ⚡️⚡️

Amber, Will and Chris talk to A. Savage, vocalist and guitarist for the rock and roll band Parquet Courts. 

Pick up their new album, Wide Awake!, here: https://www.roughtrade.com/us/music/parquet-courts-wide-awake

Chapo Trap House

Bonus: Interview with Parquet Courts' A. Savage

Eli Valley stops by to talk Ilhan Omar, Meghan McCain, Chelsea Clinton, and the latest act of fascist mass murder in Christchurch, NZ.

Also Virgil solves the Israel-Palestine conflict.

https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/christchurch-shooting-victims-fund

298 - The Israel Nerd feat. Eli Valley (3/18/19)

Subscribe today for access to all premium episodes!

www.patreon.com/chapotraphouse

311 Teaser - Toon Bullets

As COVID-19 continues to endanger the health of people throughout the world, it also magnifies a long-existent global humanitarian crisis: The use of sanctions by the United States and other powers as a weapon of war. In Iran, one of the countries most devastated by the contagion, sanctions have strangulated the supply of medical equipment crucial to testing the population and treating those who are infected, inspiring some members of the political establishment to call for sanctions to be eased.

While these pleas are necessary, they’re woefully inadequate and long overdue. Sanctions aren’t just a problem when there’s a pandemic. Iran had been subjected to U.S. and UN-imposed sanctions long before the appearance of the contagion—as had Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea, Iraq, and far too many other countries deemed Official Enemies of the United States and its allies, resulting in economic destabilization, vulnerability to U.S. militarism, starvation, illness, and mass deaths. 
Amid these life-or-death stakes, media and think tanks’ responses to sanctions range from mere handwringing to outright bloodlust. Rather than decisively condemning sanctions as ruthless acts of economic warfare, American media largely perpetuates the narrative that sanctions are a necessity, and often a force for good, in the effort to punish and “change the behavior” of some perceived “rogue” government. Meanwhile, little criticism is offered outside of tepid suggestions that those sanctions should be tweaked. 

On today’s show, we’ll examine how the U.S. levies sanctions to undermine countries opposed to U.S. hegemony, how sanctions are laundered as benign in the media, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the preexisting, decades-long barbarism of U.S. foreign policy. 

We are joined by guests Keyvan Shafiei and Hoda Katebi.

Episode 106: The Sanitization of Sanctions

“Woman Sues TripAdvisor After Falling off Runaway Camel,” reports the Associated Press. “Red Bull Paying Out to Customers Who Thought Energy Drink Would Actually Give Them Wings,” eyerolls Newsweek. “Tennessee man sues Popeyes for running out of chicken sandwiches,” scoffs NBC News.

We see “frivolous lawsuit” stories all the time and have for decades. Seemingly absurd cases of get rich quick schemes often with catchy headlines, a caricature of a plaintiff friendly legal system run amok. These stories play into faux-populist tropes of a country full of lazy poor people looking to cash in and a sleazy legal system that leeches off hard-working Americans.

But how organic are these “pop torts”––or popular stories of frivolous lawsuits––and more importantly, how true even are they? What organizations are behind cherry-picking and teeing up these shameful tales of greed for uncritical writers, editors and producers? Who’s backing them, and what, perhaps, may be their ulterior motives?
Moreover, what are the human stakes to so called “tort reform” and how did it come to be that the vast majority of Americans came to accept the premise that, at some point in the 1980s, we all became amoral lawsuit happy scumbags out to shutdown mom and pop stores and grab a quick buck?

We are joined by the Center for Justice & Democracy's Joanna Doroshow.

Episode 107: Pop Torts and the Ready-Made Virality of ‘Frivolous Lawsuit’ Stories

Another Summer

This week, PJ looks into a theory circling the internet about who might be behind QAnon. The investigation takes him back to the beginning of the QAnon scam, and to the message board trolls who started it.

#166 Country of Liars

The election is finally over I think? We talk about it and make some predictions about the future. Me and Anders get into an argument. Alex does a Strong Bad impression. America listens.

FULL EPISODE AT
PATREON.COM/PODDAMNAMERICA

PREVIEW: Contradiction Time

Z 044 - The Todd Glass Situation Out Now On Paperback For $62.74

Alex Goldman tackles his newest job: prophet of doom.

#170 A Song of Impotent Rage

A show about the internet, hosted by PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman.  From Gimlet.