Lever Time

Will The Strait Of Hormuz Sink The American Empire? (With Daniel Bessner & Derek Davison)

Thu, 14 May 2026 08:00:00 -0000

Despite recent claims from President Donald Trump that the war in Iran has “terminated,” hundreds of ships are still stranded in the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and the ceasefire has never fully taken hold. Meanwhile, gas prices keep climbing, shortages are spreading, and economic uncertainty is growing. Is this really Trump’s “best plan ever?”

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison, hosts of the foreign policy and global affairs podcast American Prestige. They examine the deeper meaning and long-term consequences of Trump’s war in Iran — including the Republican Party’s internal divisions over U.S. foreign policy, the role of Israel and China in the conflict, whether high gas prices are the new normal, and why, despite everything, they’re hopeful about our future.

You can check out the American Prestige podcast here.

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Graham Platner’s Revolution Hits The Road

Fri, 08 May 2026 08:00:00 -0000

David Sirota buckles up for a drive through rural Maine with the Senate candidate that the Democratic establishment doesn’t want — but can't afford to lose.

Just two days after Gov. Janet Mills dropped out of Maine’s U.S. Senate race, David Sirota hopped in a car with Graham Platner — the long-shot candidate who is now the presumptive Democratic nominee — for an unfiltered, on-the-road interview.

In today’s episode of Lever Time, you’ll hear Platner on where he thinks the Democratic Party went wrong, why he thinks the United States went from President Barack Obama to President Donald Trump, how he feels about combat and war, his latest views on gun policy, and, if he wins, what kind of senator he intends to be.

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The Untouched Power That Could Stop The Iran War

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000

Congress has the power to stop Trump’s unpopular war in Iran — but lawmakers have never used it before. Their excuse? An obscure immigration case from 1983. In this special episode, David Sirota tells the wild story of how a Kenyan-born immigrant and a Ralph Nader-aligned lawyer unwittingly expanded the powers of the president — and left Congress believing that it’s powerless to stop unauthorized wars.

Listen to the rest of Master Plan: The Kingmakers.

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Tom Steyer Opposed Single-Payer Health Care. Now He’s Running On It.

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000

Last week, California Democrats killed CalCare, a proposed single-payer health care bill. Will the state ever achieve its dream of universal health care?

Tom Steyer — a gubernatorial candidate who ran ads against single-payer health care in 2020 — says he is now the Golden State’s best bet. He also wants higher taxes for the rich, stronger environmental protections, and the abolition of ICE. The catch? He’s a billionaire running a self-financed campaign.

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Tom Steyer, a former hedge fund manager turned philanthropist, to discuss the collapse of Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-Calif.) campaign, whether billionaires are a policy failure, and the chaotic governor’s race that has left Republicans leading in the polls.

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Tax Day Could Be Easy. They’re Fighting To Make It Hard.

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000

Tax Day sucks — confusing forms, piles of receipts, and expensive tax prep software. But it doesn’t have to be this way. A simple fix called return-free filing, proposed by Ronald Reagan decades ago, could save Americans millions of hours and billions of dollars. So who keeps shooting it down?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota traces the 40-year dogfight over your tax return.

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Why Is The AI Industry Afraid Of Alex Bores?

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000

Right now, Big Tech is mobilizing a network of super PACs with more than $100 million in the bank to influence the 2026 midterm elections. Their number-one target? One of their own: a former Palantir engineer who's running for Congress in New York’s 12th District.

On this week's episode of Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with New York Assemblymember Alex Bores to find out exactly what he did to land on the AI industry's most-wanted list.

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Why Congress Won't Stop Hijacking Air Travel

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000

Hours-long TSA lines, air traffic controller shortages, and skyrocketing flight prices. Deadly crashes, failing safety regulations, and international threats. There’s no doubt about it: U.S. air travel has been a hot mess in 2026. How did we hit such turbulence? And how does the current crisis tie into a decades-long master plan to hold airplane safety hostage for political gain?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Bill McGee, senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economic Liberties Project, to answer the question everyone is asking: Is it still safe to fly?

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Why Is The FBI Buying Your Location Data? (With Sen. Ron Wyden And Sean Vitka)

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0000

Earlier this month, FBI Director Kash Patel admitted under oath that the FBI has been buying Americans’ location information from data brokers, sidestepping traditional warrant requirements.

Lawmakers like Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) have been on the front lines trying to ban this practice, but that requires reforming FISA Section 702, one of the country’s most powerful — and least understood — surveillance laws.

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Wyden and Sean Vitka, executive director of Demand Progress, to ask some big questions about the executive branch’s abuse of spy powers: How has a post-9/11 loophole quietly allowed federal agencies to access Americans’ phone calls, texts, and emails? Why have efforts to rein in these executive powers repeatedly stalled? And what happens as AI gives the government new tools to conduct warrantless surveillance?

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How Did The President Gain The Powers Of A King?

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0000

This week on Lever Time, we’re sharing an excerpt from our investigative series Master Plan: The Kingmakers. In this new season of our award-winning podcast, David Sirota and our team of journalists expose the decades-long plot to turn the president into a king.

Visit MasterPlanPodcast.com to hear the full episode and subscribe to Master Plan: The Kingmakers.

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Did Iran Just Launch A Shadow War On American Soil? (With Shane Harris)

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0000

When American bombs dropped on Iran, a mysterious shortwave radio station began broadcasting a list of numbers in Farsi across the globe. Reminiscent of Cold War spy communications, the broadcast raises serious questions: Where is the broadcast coming from, and who is listening to it? Is Iran sending messages to terrorist sleeper cells in the United States? And how is the Trump administration addressing these concerns, if at all?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Shane Harris from The Atlantic to get some answers.

For a transcript of this episode, click here.

Read Shane's original story in The Atlantic.⁠

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Who Sold America On The Iran War? (With Hooman Majd & Ryan Grim)

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0000

On February 28, the United States and Israel began bombing Iran — with no congressional declaration, public debate, or clear endgame. For those who grew up watching the Ayatollah cast as America’s original supervillain on the nightly news, it wasn’t exactly a surprise. Donald Trump pitched the idea 46 years ago. We’ve been expecting this for decades. But why?

On today’s episode of Lever Time, Iranian-born journalist Hooman Majd and Drop Site News founder Ryan Grim help us grapple with some big questions: Why has the United States long been unable — or unwilling — to make peace with Iran? Who bankrolled the push for this new war, and what do they hope to gain? And now that bombs are falling, does Congress have the power to stop it?
Click here to read more of The Lever’s reporting about Iran.

Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

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The Court Disarmed Trump’s Tariff Weapon. Who Will Pay? (With Lori Wallach)

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000

On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump’s tariffs were illegal, striking a blow to his favorite geopolitical strategy. The decision could make it far harder for any president to wield tariffs as a weapon, but how will the ruling affect your wallet?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with trade expert Lori Wallach, director of the Rethink Trade program at the American Economic Liberties Project. Lori and David unpack the weaponization of trade policy, the messy reality of tariff refunds, and who will pay — or get paid — following the court’s decision.

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He Sent One Email. Then Federal Agents Came To His Door.

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000

In October, a Philadelphia man emailed an attorney for the Department of Homeland Security, criticizing a government policy. Hours later, federal agents and local police were banging on his door to interrogate him without a warrant. It feels like something out of a movie, but it's real.

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with ACLU attorney Steve Loney to ask some big questions: How are federal agencies obtaining your private data without a warrant? How are tech giants like Google enabling them? And what should you do if this happens to you?

For a full transcript of the episode, click here.

Click here to read more about this story in The Washington Post.

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A Message From David Sirota About The Lever's Master Plan

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0000

An important message about the future of The Lever's Master Plan podcast, from our host, David Sirota.

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When Disaster, Inc. Comes To Town (With Katya Schwenk)

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000

In February 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, setting off a chemical disaster. Politicians and lawyers promised justice, and the railroad company swiftly settled for a historic $600 million.

Three years later, many victims haven’t seen a dime. Where did all that money go?

Today on Lever Time, producer Natalie Bettendorf is joined by Lever reporter Katya Schwenk, who scoured court documents and traveled to East Palestine to uncover the toxic secrets behind one of the largest disaster settlements in history.

Click here to read Katya's in-depth investigation.

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What Tech Wants: God In The Machine

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000

While one tech CEO warns that artificial intelligence could “destroy all life on Earth,” other industry giants have declared war on rules that could limit AI’s power. Their battlefield? The 2026 midterm elections.

In Part Three of What Tech Wants, Lever Time’s investigation into why Silicon Valley is buying our democracy, producer Ariella Markowitz explores Big Tech’s latest obsession — artificial intelligence — and its crusade against anyone who stands in its way.

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

To listen to the first two episodes of this series, click here.

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What Tech Wants: Crypto Reign Of Terror (with Jacob Silverman and Molly White)

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000

In 2024, the cryptocurrency industry spent more than $130 million to influence elections nationwide. Their campaign donations and lobbying efforts turned the tables for their risky boom-and-bust business, which is now poised to overtake our entire financial system.

In Part Two of What Tech Wants, Lever Time’s investigation into why Silicon Valley is buying our democracy, producer Ariella Markowitz reveals how crypto companies aligned with President Donald Trump to advance their agenda.

To listen to Part One of our series, click here.

Click here to subscribe to Molly White’s newsletter Citation Needed.

Click here to read Jacob Silverman’s book, Gilded Rage: Elon Musk and the Radicalization of Silicon Valley.

Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

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What Tech Wants: The San Francisco Experiment

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000

In 2022, nonprofit neighborhood groups, backed by Silicon Valley billionaires, helped recall a progressive district attorney in San Francisco. What happened next would change the country.

In Part One of What Tech Wants, Lever Time’s investigation into why Silicon Valley is buying our democracy, producer Ariella Markowitz uncovers how a local experiment unlocked a new formula for political power.

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They Banned Parents From Recording Their Kids' Games. We Changed That.

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000

As private investment companies encroach upon youth sports, how does that hurt the players — and their families? As Lever reporter Luke Goldstein discovered, there’s more at stake than just higher prices.

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota tells the story of how a Lever investigation into a shocking claim prompted a national outcry, one that led to a small but mighty victory against Black Bear Sports Group, one of the youth sports kingpins calling the shots.

Read Luke Goldstein’s reporting mentioned in the episode here and here.

Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

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Are We Trapped In Meaningless Jobs? (With Rutger Bregman)

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 08:30:00 -0000

Are we wasting our talents on meaningless jobs? Should our career choices reflect our morals? Author and historian Rutger Bregman thinks so. He argues that the most talented people in America are stuck in a real-life version of the movie Office Space — and that we should be trying to solve the world’s biggest problems instead.

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Bregman to ask: When did we lose our moral ambition? Are we greedy, cynical, or are we just trying to escape an ever-increasing affordability crisis?

Click here to learn about Bregman’s book, Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent And Start Making A Difference.

For a transcript of this episode, click here.

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It’s Not An AI Bubble. It’s A Black Hole.

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0000

2025 has been a tremendous year for the artificial intelligence industry. Stock prices for AI companies skyrocketed, soaring beyond expectations and propping up an otherwise stagnant U.S. economy. But everywhere, there’s talk of an AI bubble — one even bigger and more threatening than the 2008 housing bubble or the dot-com bubble of the early 2000s.

What makes this bubble so different? When is it likely to pop? And if it does, what does that mean for the rest of us?

In this episode of Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Ed Zitron and Sruthi Pinnamaneni, journalists covering the AI frenzy, to recap the year of the AI Bubble — and predict what will happen next.

To read Ed Zitron's blog, Where's Your Ed At, click here.

Click here to check out Sruthi Pinnamaneni's two part series on AI data centers.

Got three minutes? Please take our end-of-year survey!

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Parenting Advice From The World’s Worst Mom (With Lenore Skenazy)

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0000

As parents, we’re told homicidal maniacs, drug peddlers, and creeps are lurking in every shadow, waiting to grab your children. But is that true? Is our obsession with keeping our kids safe doing more harm than good?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota investigates the difference between good parenting and overparenting — and the political history behind our fear that kidnappers are roaming the streets. David enlists the help of author and advocate Lenore Skenazy, a champion for “free-range parenting,” who was once labeled the World’s Worst Mom when she let her child ride the New York City subway alone.

Want to hear more? As an exclusive bonus to our paid subscribers, click here for David’s full conversation with Lenore Skenazy. Lenore explains how to protect kids on social media, how she developed her parenting philosophy, and so much more. Not yet a paid subscriber? Click here for a special membership offer exclusive to Lever Time listeners.

Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

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Enshittification Nation (With Cory Doctorow)

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0000

From flying to online shopping to using social media, everything seems to be getting worse. It’s all — pardon our language here — shittier.

According to today’s Lever Time guest, that’s no accident. Cory Doctorow is the author of Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It. In this episode, Doctorow explains how enshittification works, how it’s infected our online spaces, and what we can do to stop it.

Plus, as an exclusive bonus to our paid subscribers, click here for the rest of David’s conversation with Cory Doctorow. They talk about why Americans are trapped on Facebook or Microsoft Office and how Donald Trump is using tech companies as weapons in his trade war. Doctorow also offers a few simple solutions to stop our world from going to shit.

Not yet a paid subscriber? Click here for a special membership offer exclusive to Lever Time listeners.

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⁠Click here⁠⁠ for a transcript of this episode.

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Can Trump Still Hide The Epstein Files? (With Julie K. Brown & Rep. Ro Khanna)

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 19:30:00 -0000

The U.S. House just voted to force the Trump administration to release every document it has on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his powerful associates. The move comes after Congress released 23,000 pages of Epstein emails and text messages, a data dump that references Donald Trump more than 1,500 times and has so thoroughly tarnished former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers that he’s stepped back from public commitments. Now, many more revelations are likely to come.

In this special episode of Lever Time, David Sirota sits down for a live interview with two people who’ve led the long and brutal fight to expose the Epstein scandal.

First, investigative journalist Julie K. Brown, whose reporting originally broke open the Epstein scandal, joins the podcast to explore the revelations from the newly released documents. Then, David speaks with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who has been leading the bipartisan fight to force the government to release the Epstein files.

Click here for a transcript of this episode

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MONEYBOMB, Part 6: Did A Federal Judge Sink Super PACs? (With Larry Lessig)

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 08:15:00 -0000

Maine overwhelmingly voted last year to end Super PACs. A federal judge blocked the ballot measure — but left a kill switch inside the ruling. Larry Lessig, a professor at Harvard Law School and head of the nonprofit Equal Citizens, is ready to flip that switch and take his case to the Supreme Court.

In our final episode of Lever Time’s MONEYBOMB series, David Sirota speaks with Lessig about the legal battle against Super PACs and why he believes that we can stop Citizens United without touching it.

To read more about Larry Lessig’s case against Super PACs, click here.

⁠Click here⁠ to order our new book, MASTER PLAN: The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America.

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MONEYBOMB, Part 5: Why Populism Is Now Centrism (With Adam Bonica)

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0000

For the first time in the Citizens United era of billionaires and corporate money buying U.S. elections, change may be afoot. This week, Democrats campaigning on a populist message won resounding victories in the face of big-money opposition.

An aging party establishment is still calling for Democrats to be more moderate and centrist, but what if the center has moved? What if populism is the new centrism?

On this new episode of Lever Time’s MONEYBOMB series, David Sirota sits down with Stanford political scientist Adam Bonica, author of the newsletter On Data and Democracy, to discover how the labels that we use in our political system are changing — and how this week’s election results could shift the Democratic Party’s battle against corporate power and the oligarchy.

For a full transcript of the episode, click here.

Want to hear more of this conversation? Click here for a bonus episode.

Click here to order our new book, MASTER PLAN: The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America.

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MONEYBOMB, Part 4: How Zohran Mamdani Beat Citizens United

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Ahead of the closely watched New York City mayoral race, everyone is looking for a lesson from progressive Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani’s rise to political stardom. The real answer may be a vastly undervalued political strategy: public money. Could public financing of elections overcome Citizens United and the flood of corporate cash and corruption in American politics?

In the latest episode of Lever Time’s MONEYBOMB series, we explore the importance of publicly funded campaigns. David Sirota speaks with two people who have had front-row seats to how public financing is combating election corruption — Karen Wharton, democracy coalition coordinator for Citizen Action of New York, and Jillian Gilchrest, a Connecticut state representative now running for Congress.

For a full transcript of the episode, ⁠click here⁠.

Click here to order our new book, MASTER PLAN: The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America.

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BONUS: An Exclusive Interview With Graham Platner

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 07:00:00 -0000

This week, in a special live interview, David Sirota sat down with Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner.

Platner is a military veteran and oyster farmer who is a first-time political candidate running in the Democratic primary in the race to challenge Republican Senate incumbent Susan Collins. His rough-around-the-edges campaign has resonated with Maine’s working-class voters, sending him surging in the polls. But his past social media comments have surfaced in the last few weeks, thrusting him into controversy and pushing voters to ask: does Platner still have a shot at winning the Senate seat, and should he?

As a special bonus episode, we’re releasing the unedited audio of that interview. Click here to watch the video on YouTube.

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MONEYBOMB, Part 3: The Montana Plan To Kill Citizens United

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0000

A group of Montana activists is pushing a ballot initiative attacking Citizens United, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that granted corporations the right to spend unlimited money in politics. While Montana’s Republican Attorney General attempted to block the ballot initiative this week, the fight is far from over.

In the third episode of Lever Time’s MONEYBOMB series, David Sirota sits down with political strategist Tom Moore from The Center for American Progress. That nonprofit is spearheading the Transparent Election Initiative, Montana’s new plan to purge dark money from the state, which could potentially rewrite national politics. Could this effort deal a blow to the corporate takeover of politics? And could it blaze a path for other states to follow?

Click here to order our book, MASTER PLAN: The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America.

To read more of Tom Moore’s writing about The Montana Plan, click here.

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MONEYBOMB, Part 2: The 28th Amendment (With Rep. Joe Neguse)

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0000

For 15 years, lawmakers have been trying — and failing — to overturn Citizens United, the landmark Supreme Court decision that allows corporations and billionaires to overrun our political system with money. Now, some Congressional Democrats are going big — by trying to enshrine campaign finance protections in the Constitution.

In the second episode of Lever Time’s MONEYBOMB series, David Sirota sits down with Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), cosponsor of the new Citizens Over Corporations Act, which would introduce a Constitutional amendment to overturn the Citizens United ruling. Does the effort have a real shot at fixing our democracy crisis?

Click here to order our book, MASTER PLAN: The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America.

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MONEYBOMB, Part 1: JD Vance’s Supreme Court Plot

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 20:40:00 -0000

Most Americans want to overturn Citizens United v. FEC, the landmark 2010 Supreme Court decision that unleashed unlimited corporate spending on U.S. elections. But two new cases before the high court — including one spearheaded by now-Vice President JD Vance — are instead set to expand that ruling and turn America into a kleptocracy.

For the next several episodes of Lever Time, we’re taking a deep dive into Citizens United and how it’s transformed our lives. In this first episode, David Sirota uncovers conservatives’ plan to deregulate the campaign finance system, their efforts to legalize bribery, and what options we have to stop them.

Click here to pre-order our new book, MASTER PLAN: The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America.

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How Ticketmaster Made It Impossible To Sue Them

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation Entertainment have drawn the ire of consumers — and the Federal Trade Commission — for exorbitant ticket prices, misleading hidden fees, and shady resale tactics.

But losing your right to sue Ticketmaster or join a class action lawsuit is now just a click away. Hiding in the company’s new terms-of-use agreement, The Lever found a clause that forces ticket buyers into arbitration, a private judicial system rigged in favor of the company.

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with The Lever’s Luke Goldstein and anti-monopoly attorney David Seligman to reveal how the ticketing company has monopolized the live entertainment market, kept ticket prices high, and is now stripping away your legal rights.

Click here to read Luke’s story about TicketMaster’s new terms of use.
To learn more about David Seligman’s organization, Towards Justice, click here.
Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

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Bari Weiss, CBS News, And The Conservative Media Takeover

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0000

While media giants cave to frivolous Trump libel lawsuits and muzzle late-night hosts who step out of line, CBS News’ parent company has announced that the billionaire-backed conservative provocateur Bari Weiss will be the network’s new editor-in-chief.

Today on Lever Time, we’re going back in time to understand how we arrived at this present-day media hellscape. Who set this plan into motion, and how do we fight back?

Click here to pre-order our new book, MASTER PLAN: The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America.

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The Zillow And Redfin Convenience Trap

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Getting a home mortgage used to take weeks of phone calls and paperwork. Now, real estate search platforms like Zillow and Redfin offer comprehensive, nearly one-click homebuying. What are the hidden costs of trusting these industry giants with every step of the process?

Today on Lever Time, producer Natalie Bettendorf speaks with Lever reporter Helen Santoro about her investigation into how these one-stop real estate shops may actually be hurting homebuyers — and the U.S. economy.

You can read Helen’s story here, and a follow-up story here.

Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

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Are You On The FBI’s New Watch List? (With Ken Klippenstein)

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 07:30:00 -0000

Last week, President Donald Trump dramatically altered the U.S. government’s approach to domestic terrorism. NSPM-7, a little-noticed national security directive, expands the list of terrorism indicators to include any behavior that is deemed anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-capitalist, extreme on gender, hostile towards “traditional American views” on family, and more.

Today on Lever Time, producer Ariella Markowitz sits down with independent investigative journalist Ken Klippenstein, who first sounded the alarm about the memorandum’s ability to suppress free speech and target Trump’s political opponents.

To check out Ken Klippenstein’s reporting on the new directive, click here.

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Executive Disorder (With Keith Ellison)

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0000

In the first nine months of his second term, President Donald Trump has filed more than 200 executive orders. State attorneys general are filing lawsuits to block the Trump administration’s blatant power grabs, but will our legal system prove strong enough to save American democracy?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota speaks with Minnesota’s Attorney General Keith Ellison (D), who has sued the Trump administration dozens of times, for an on-the-ground look at the battle to stop the Trump agenda.

Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

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The Crime Crackdown Cop Out (With Alec Karakatsanis)

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0000

President Donald Trump says that U.S. violent crime has spiraled so far out of control that he needs to send troops into Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Memphis. But is that really true?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota speaks with Alec Karakatsanis, award-winning civil rights lawyer and author of the book Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News, about how government officials are manufacturing fear to justify authoritarian rule.

Click here to watch the full interview on our YouTube channel.
To check out Alec Karakatsanis’s book, click here.
Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

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The Giant Fireball That Could Save Us (With Bill McKibben)

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 07:01:00 -0000

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota talks with bestselling author Bill McKibben, who says the solar energy revolution has reached a tipping point and is now poised to reshape our world.

Click here to learn about Sun Day, a nationwide action this Sunday, Sept. 21, to celebrate and advocate for solar power.

To check out McKibben’s new book, Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization, click here.

Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

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The Real Reason Jimmy Kimmel Was Pulled From Late-Night

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 10:40:00 -0000

First, they cancelled Stephen Colbert; now they’ve pulled Jimmy Kimmel off the air. The common denominator? Corporate power.

On today’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota talks with media-consolidation expert Craig Aaron and monopoly authority Matt Stoller about how media corporations are transforming the news and information environment to curry favor with the Trump administration. Where is this all heading? Are our most basic freedoms going to survive?

Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

The kind of accountability journalism that The Lever does every single day is under assault in a way it has never been in our lifetimes. Help us fight back. Click here for a 30% discount on a Lever subscription right now.

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Robert Reich Saw This Coming

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 07:11:00 -0000

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota speaks with Robert Reich, former Labor Secretary and economics professor, about what he’s learned from working in multiple presidential administrations, where he believes that American politics went wrong, and what the Democratic Party needs to do to save itself — and the country.

Click here for more of this interview, in which Reich explains how the Baby Boomer generation failed America.

You can check out Reich’s new memoir, Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America, here.

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We Must Stop This Civil War Before It’s Unstoppable

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 07:30:00 -0000

A message from David Sirota about recent violence and what we must do to stop it.

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Meet The Democratic Insurgents Fighting To Save Their Party

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0000

The Democratic Party is in a rut. Democratic voter registration has been steadily declining since 2018, and the party’s approval rating in some polls has dropped even lower than President Donald Trump’s.

Feeling pessimistic? We have some good news. On this episode of Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with three Democratic candidates — Michigan’s Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, California’s Saikat Chakrabarti, and New York Lieutenant Gov. Antonio Delgado — who are challenging the gerontocracy and forging a new direction for a party that has lost its way.

Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

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Comrade Trump Seizes The Means Of Production

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0000

The United States government is taking a 10 percent stake in Intel, blurring the lines between capitalism and state ownership. While critics say it’s a dangerous power grab, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is praising President Donald Trump’s move.

On this episode of Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with The American Prospect’s Harold Meyerson and Cornell University law professor Bob Hockett to tackle the deeper question: Should the U.S. government own pieces of big corporations?

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The Grotesque Fruits Of Your Labor (With Evan Osnos)

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0000

As American workers are fighting for their basic needs, the country’s richest are getting richer — while inventing perverse new ways to spend and hoard their money. Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with “greed beat” journalist Evan Osnos, who explains why ultrarich oligarchs are running away from the rest of us on luxurious gigayachts, decadent doomsday bunkers, and ill-advised spaceships.

Get Evan’s book, The Haves and Have-Yachts: Dispatches on the Ultrarich, here.

Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

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Trump’s Gerrymandering Plot To Steal The Election (With Rep. Lloyd Doggett)

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0000

As Trump presses states to redraw their district maps to favor Republicans, David Sirota gets the inside scoop from Texas Democratic Congressman Lloyd Doggett, who is on the frontlines of the gerrymandering war. Doggett this week announced a shocking act of self-sacrifice, jeopardizing his own career for the battle against Trump.

Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

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Ed Helms Exposes America’s Scariest Screw-Ups

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0000

On today's episode of Lever Time, comedian and writer Ed Helms (The Daily Show, The Office) takes David Sirota on a wild journey through some of history’s greatest screw-ups — from nuclear war near-misses to secret ice tunnels in Greenland to attempts to blow up the moon.

Helms, who hosts the podcast SNAFU, explores the risks of putting our trust in leaders who could do things that put us on the brink of extinction. What do America’s biggest blunders teach us about our lack of control, our resilience, and what the future holds?

Click here to learn more about Ed Helm's book, SNAFU: The Definitive Guide to History's Greatest Screwups.

Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

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Why Your Health Insurance Could Explode Next Year

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Health insurance premiums for some Americans could increase by a whopping 66 percent next year. Why are insurers jacking up their rates? And why are Republicans killing off Biden-era subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, despite their overwhelming, bipartisan popularity? Could such efforts backfire and make Medicare for All inevitable? And how can individuals and small businesses prepare for insurance hikes?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with two of America’s leading experts on the health care system, Larry Levitt and Miranda Yaver, who are sounding the alarm about insurance rate increases. We explore the reasons why the Trump administration is making it harder for Americans to pay for their health insurance — and how the coming perfect storm threatens to sink the Affordable Care Act.

To read the KFF study referenced in this episode, click here.

Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

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Scene On Radio: Capitalism

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Today, we’re sharing an episode from our friends over at Scene On Radio, the Peabody-nominated documentary podcast that asks big questions about who we are and how we got this way. This is the premiere episode of its season seven series, “Capitalism,” which explores the rise of the world’s dominant economic system — and examines why the concept is now being questioned in ways it hasn’t been in decades.

If you’d like to keep listening to Scene On Radio, visit sceneonradio.org.

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The Male Friendship Collapse (With Sam Graham-Felsen)

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Men are struggling with friendships and feeling lonelier than ever. The male loneliness epidemic is seeping into many facets of life — including mental health, the economy, and American politics — but why are guys having such a hard time making and keeping friends?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with journalist Sam Graham-Felsen to explore the collapse of male friendship — and why this quiet crisis has deeper political and social ramifications than anyone wants to admit.

You can read Sam Graham-Felsen’s New York Times article referenced in this episode here.

A transcript of the episode is available here.

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Ari Aster Thinks You’re Being Manipulated

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0000

You might recognize director Ari Aster from his groundbreaking horror films like Hereditary and Midsommar. But Aster just dropped the scariest film of his career: Eddington, a dark COVID-19 comedy starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, and Emma Stone, about social media-driven polarization, gun violence, and the looming tech takeover.

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota speaks with Aster about the inspiration behind his all-too-prescient film. Did the coronavirus pandemic break our brains, leaving our communities with no commonly accepted set of facts? How do we navigate today’s AI slop-driven informational hellscape? And is it possible to avoid the twisted fate of Eddington, Aster’s fictional New Mexico town?

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Are Corporations Spying On You To Raise Your Prices? (With Lee Hepner)

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Delta Air Lines recently came under fire for announcing that artificial intelligence will be setting 20 percent of its ticket prices for its domestic flights by 2026. While Delta subsequently denied using the tech to engage in “personalized” price gouging, many airlines, big businesses, and data brokers have allegedly been dabbling in “surveillance pricing,” the growing corporate practice that exploits personal data to charge customers the most they’re willing to pay.

In this episode of Lever Time, David Sirota talks to Lee Hepner, antitrust expert at the American Economic Liberties Project, to learn how companies are tracking our online and offline behavior to deliver personalized (and potentially higher) price tags. As Hepner reveals, corporate entities have been quietly fine-tuning the practice for decades — and we’re now entering an era of one person, one price.

Click here to read The Lever’s investigation into how airlines pioneered "personalized pricing."

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Your 401(k) Is Billionaires’ Next Bailout Scheme

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0000

The Trump administration appears ready to sign an executive order that would allow private equity firms to prey on Americans’ retirement savings. What happens if Wall Street can suddenly tap into the trillions of dollars tucked away in 401(k) accounts?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota speaks with former federal regulator Ted Siedle and economist Eileen Appelbaum to understand what private equity could do to Americans’ hard-earned retirement funds — and how you can protect your money.

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Trump’s New Merger Scandal Is Swampier Than Watergate

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0000

In a stunning reversal, the Trump administration just gave the green light to a major tech merger — and then fired two Justice Department lawyers who opposed it. Was corruption at play in the merger decision?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with The Lever’s Luke Goldstein and UnHerd Magazine’s Sohrab Ahmari, who first exposed the “mergers over martinis” story behind the reversal. They dive into the MAGA power struggle inside the Justice Department and tackle the big questions: What triggered the reversal? Could a Watergate-era anti-corruption law bring the truth to light? And if Trump is now opening the floodgates to corporate mergers, what will that mean for your wallet?

To check out Sohrab Ahmari’s reporting, as referenced in this episode, click here.

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How AI Is Taking Over The U.S. Government

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0000

The Trump administration just unveiled a sweeping AI Action Plan that aims to achieve global dominance in the industry. Hiding deep within the document? A previously rejected scheme to ban oversight of tech oligarchs and let artificial intelligence run wild.

Today on Lever Time, producer Natalie Bettendorf investigates the challenges and political realities of reining in AI — and why Congress and the president seem determined to terminate AI regulations.

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The Fight For Control Of Your Money (with Matt Stoller and Nathan Tankus)

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0000

President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell are dueling over interest rates set by America’s secretive central bank, the Federal Reserve. Is the Fed’s secrecy and independence good for the economy? Who should control the institution — the people, the president, or Wall Street? And why are so many experts in media, politics and business afraid to even consider challenging the status quo?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota speaks with two provocative economic thinkers about what is really at stake in this battle between Trump and Powell, and how this clash over the Federal Reserve affects millions of Americans.

Check out Matt Stoller’s newsletter “Big” here.
Check out Nathan Tankus’s newsletter “Notes on the Crisis” here.

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Trump, Colbert, And The War On Truth (with David Enrich)

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Why did CBS cancel Stephen Colbert’s show mere days after the company settled a lawsuit with Donald Trump? Are Trump’s lawsuits part of a larger movement to crush dissent? And which other billionaires, corporations, and politicians are trying to bully critics into silence?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota speaks with New York Times journalist David Enrich, the author of the book Murder The Truth: Fear, the First Amendment, and a Secret Campaign to Protect the Powerful. Enrich brings listeners inside the legal movement to end Americans’ first-amendment right to express opposition to what’s happening in this country.

You can read an unedited transcript of this episode here.

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Why They’re Protecting Jeffrey Epstein’s Secrets (with Julie K. Brown)

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 19:00:00 -0000

Why is President Donald Trump’s right-wing voter base up in arms over Jeffrey Epstein? Which of the many conspiracy theories are based in truth? And what is Trump’s Department of Justice now trying to cover up?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota speaks with the award-winning investigative journalist Julie K. Brown, who first broke the story of Epstein’s legal cover-up, to find out why we should keep pushing the Trump administration for answers.

To read more of Julie K. Brown’s groundbreaking reporting about the Epstein case, check out her book “Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story.”

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8 Absurd Handouts Hiding In Trump’s Tax Bill (With David Dayen)

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0000

You’ve likely heard about the slashed health care for millions of Americans. Hospitals defunded. Massive tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. But guess what? Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" is even more absurd (and devious) than you think.

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with David Dayen of The American Prospect and The Lever’s Luke Goldstein to dig into the hidden details: How did these crazy handouts make it into the Big Beautiful Bill? What’s the larger agenda? And how is this going to affect you?

Read Luke Goldstein’s reporting here. Read David Dayen's article here.

As an exclusive bonus, click here to listen to an additional 35 minutes of this interview.

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Why America Isn't Prepared For The Next Big Flood

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:00:00 -0000

Even before the deadly July 4th floods in Texas, the United States had a problem. Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Lever reporter Freddy Brewster to discuss a technology that could help alert communities about flooding disasters — and the underlying political battle that's leaving 99% of America's waterways unmonitored.

You can read The Lever's exclusive reporting on streamgage technology here.

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The Case For Calling Gaza A Genocide (With Shadi Hamid)

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Since Israel launched its war in Gaza a year and a half ago in response to Hamas’s October 7 attack, Israeli armed forces have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in their quest to destroy Hamas. But more and more experts say what’s happening in Gaza isn’t just a war — it’s genocide.

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Washington Post columnist Shadi Hamid to talk about why so many have trouble using the word “genocide” to describe Israel’s mass violence, why that word must be in the discourse, and why linguistic choices can have lasting consequences.

You can read Shadi Hamid’s op-ed here.

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Why Did Trump Rush To Pass The Tax Cut Bill? (With Josh Shapiro)

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 16:40:00 -0000

Why did Republicans rush their massive tax cut bill through Congress? What are they hiding? As the media focuses on specific provisions, David Sirota digs into the bill’s far-reaching consequences, warning it could reshape society for generations.

He calls up an old friend, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who explains how the bill will hurt working-class voters and why its rationale is, in his words, “total bullshit.” They also talk political fear, arson, and whether lawmakers will be held accountable.

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Are We Closer Than Ever To Nuclear War?

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 16:34:43 -0000

Seventy-two minutes. That’s how long it could take from a country launching a nuclear weapon to global nuclear winter and the end of human civilization.

If that’s not scary enough, the United States is right now involved in two proxy wars involving nuclear powers — one in Ukraine, and the other in the Middle East.

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota asks acclaimed investigative journalist Annie Jacobsen, author of Nuclear War: A Scenario, the big bombshell questions: What scenarios are most likely to trigger a nuclear conflict? What can be done to pull us back from the brink? And just how close are we to the worst-case scenario?

As a bonus to our paid subscribers, we're also releasing our full interview with Annie Jacobsen, exclusively on Lever Time Premium. Click here to access that interview.

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Can Trump’s War Be Stopped?

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 18:29:58 -0000

Donald Trump just launched America into a war with Iran, and he’s done so without any authorization from Congress. A growing group of lawmakers says this is illegal and unconstitutional, and they are calling for an emergency session of Congress to force a vote to stop him.

Sirota talks to U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who is currently leading the fight to stop Trump’s escalation and pressure his fellow Democrats to follow his lead. The big question: Will there be enough votes from Democrats and MAGA Republicans to halt a conflict that could escalate into World War III?

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New York City Is About To Decide Democrats’ Future

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Early voting in New York City’s mayoral primary race is well underway, and the rest of the country is watching. That’s because this year’s publicly funded city election is a battle for the future of the Democratic party, and the two frontrunners — a disgraced, corporate-backed Democrat and an upstart, young progressive — reveal a political schism that stretches far beyond the Big Apple.

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota speaks with one of the race’s surprising front-runners, democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, to explore how he’s using campaign finance reforms and other innovative approaches to take on New York’s former governor, Andrew Cuomo. David also talks with former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to understand what’s truly at stake in the election

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How Trump Launched His Own War In The Middle East

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 16:00:00 -0000

Just when it seemed the geopolitical horrors in the Middle East couldn’t get worse, Israel went from leveling Gaza to launching a war against Iran. The offensive started while President Donald Trump was pressing for an Iran nuclear deal that would limit the country’s capacity to build nuclear weapons — and yet still Trump reportedly greenlit Israel’s attack.

Today on Lever Time, editor-in-chief David Sirota speaks with Matt Duss, former Senate foreign policy aide for Bernie Sanders and current executive vice president at the Center for International Policy, to explore what triggered this new offensive and what role the U.S. government is playing. Is the endgame here World War III?

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Everything You Think About The Deficit Is Wrong

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 10:00:00 -0000

The national deficit usually feels like an abstract talking point: America’s permanent credit card bill that just keeps getting bigger, without ever coming due.

But suddenly, our national debt has a real cost. As President Donald Trump’s proposed tax cuts threaten to add trillions to the deficit, every major credit rating agency has now downgraded the United States’ credit rating, suggesting that the U.S. is no longer a reliable borrower — a move with potentially disastrous, far-reaching consequences for the global economy.

To unpack what’s at stake, David Sirota sits down with Stephanie Kelton, a world-renowned economist and pioneer in Modern Monetary Theory, to ask her big questions: What does a credit downgrade mean? Should we really be thinking about America’s spending and debt like it’s a household budget? And how exactly could too much national debt bankrupt the country?

The answers, argues Kelton, necessitate transforming our perception of money itself.

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Big Tech’s Monopoly Money

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 22:01:45 -0000

There’s a new evil genius on Capitol Hill, one that privacy experts warn could empower tech billionaires like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg to issue their own private currencies. The Senate is poised to pass the GENIUS Act, which would give so much free rein to such “stablecoins” that it could destabilize the rest of the economy.

Today on Lever Time, Arjun Singh sits down with Lever reporter Luke Goldstein to understand the GENIUS Act, how it could turn Big Tech companies into unregulated banks, and why this should be a concern for the rest of us.

You can read Luke’s full story on the GENIUS Act and the future of “ZuckBucks” here.

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Is This the End of DOGE?

Wed, 28 May 2025 22:00:00 -0000

He came in with a bang but is going out with a whimper. After his 24/7 role on Trump’s election stage and his high-profile rampage through the federal government, billionaire Elon Musk says he’s scaling back his work for the administration and ramping down his political spending. With his image tarnished and businesses facing turbulence, is Musk down for the count — or planning his return as America’s most infamous oligarch?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota talks to Michael Scherer, a reporter for The Atlantic who has the inside scoop on what happened to Musk and what kinds of ticking time bombs he and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency may have left inside the federal government.

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Tax Revolt: The Pledgemaster

Fri, 09 May 2025 10:00:00 -0000

One of the most powerful Republicans in the country has been called a teddy bear. Grover Norquist, the head of the activist group Americans for Tax Reform, certainly doesn’t come across as an anarcho-capitalist power player.

Recently, Norquist has waged a vendetta against “traitors” in the White House — staffers who are reportedly considering raising taxes on the rich, which may include Vice President J.D. Vance, and the architect of Trump’s first presidential campaign, Steve Bannon.

On the finale of “Tax Revolt,” senior podcast producer Arjun Singh sits down with Norquist to understand: Is the antitax movement’s grip on the Republican party as strong as ever?

Want more? Become a paid subscriber to get ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content, like an exclusive interview we conducted with the godfather of trickle-down economics. By doing so, you’ll be supporting independent journalism: levernews.com/subscribe

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Tax Revolt: Voodoo Economics

Fri, 02 May 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Former President George H.W. Bush once thought supply-side economics was so ludicrous he deemed it “voodoo economics.” But that was before Ronald Reagan transformed the Republican Party into a trickle-down, tax-cutting cult.

To follow in Reagan’s footsteps, Bush promised conservatives that he would never raise taxes — but then did something nobody expected. That decision would seal his fate, with the anti-tax movement making sure no Republican ever dared cross them again — and that included Bush’s son.

This is Part 3 of Tax Revolt, a new miniseries from Lever Time revealing how free-market radicals hijacked American politics and set the stage for Elon Musk, DOGE, and Donald Trump’s presidency.

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Tax Revolt: Supply Side Santa Claus

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0000

How a small group of economists shaped Reagan’s tax policy and the future of the Republican party.

This is Part 2 of Tax Revolt, a new miniseries from Lever Time revealing how free-market radicals hijacked American politics and set the stage for Elon Musk, DOGE, and Donald Trump’s presidency.

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Tax Revolt: The Man Who Started the War on Taxes

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0000

In the 1970s, an eccentric anti-tax crusader launched a radical campaign to dismantle California’s tax system — a movement that still defines American politics today.

This is Part 1 of Tax Revolt, a new mini-series from Lever Time revealing how free-market radicals hijacked American politics and set the stage for Elon Musk, DOGE and Donald Trump’s presidency.

Want more? Become a paid subscriber to get ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content — and support independent journalism: levernews.com/subscribe

Plus, read a bonus companion article about the anti-tax zealot behind Proposition 13, written by producer Ariella Markowitz.

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Trailer: Tax Revolt. Begins April 18

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Listen to the 3-min trailer for Tax Revolt, a new limited series from Lever Time. Part 1 of 4 premieres April 18.

Learn more at LeverNews.com/TaxRevolt

Get ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content — and support independent journalism — by becoming a paid subscriber to The Lever:
levernews.com/subscribe

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UAW’s Shawn Fain On Trump’s Tariff-pocalypse

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 22:39:58 -0000

The president of one of America’s largest industrial unions made headlines last month when he declared that some of Trump’s tariffs are the beginning of the end of a trade policy that has harmed America’s working class. On this episode of Lever Time, David Sirota speaks to United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain about blue-collar workers’ experience with 30 years of existing free trade policies.

They discuss whether Trump’s new tariffs will end up doing more harm than good. They also discuss Fain’s assertion that Democrats have too often taken the labor movement for granted — especially when it comes to championing corporate-written trade policies, which he says have ended up alienating Democrats from the working class.

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The Lost History of Trump’s Tariff War

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 08:30:00 -0000

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump unveiled his plans for far-reaching new tariffs on almost all imported goods entering the United States. The move has plunged the global economy into turmoil amid fears of a wider trade war and higher consumer prices.

The tariffs are the culmination of a populist backlash simmering since NAFTA and the 2000 China trade deal. The elimination of trade barriers at the time hammered America’s industrial heartland amid warnings of a “giant sucking sound” of jobs and factories leaving the United States. But will Trump’s new tariffs do more harm than good? And will they open the floodgates to another deluge of corruption?

To answer those questions and understand what the tariffs mean for you, David Sirota sits down with veteran New York Times reporter Peter Goodman to discuss the real-world effects of what Trump is calling “Liberation Day."

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This State Is For Sale

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 18:20:00 -0000

If you own a Fortune 500 business, you probably incorporated it in Delaware. The state has long been favored by corporate America, offering tax benefits and a bespoke, pre-Revolutionary War court system tailored to business needs. But now Delaware’s standing as the country’s top corporate haven is under attack.

This week on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh sits down with The Lever’s Katya Schwenk and Luke Goldstein to learn why the tiny East Coast state has been the United States’ corporate haven for decades. But there’s more to the story. Why are other states now battling to seize its title — and how does it impact the rest of us? And finally, how is Elon Musk making everything worse?

Lever reporting explains why Delaware is ground zero in the national oligarch takeover and why what happens in Delaware doesn’t stay in Delaware. It means corporate deregulation from coast to coast.

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Trump’s Tuesday Night Massacre

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 11:53:11 -0000

In a special interview recorded just hours after his illegal firing, FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya speaks with David Sirota about Donald Trump’s unprecedented move to purge the Federal Trade Commission.

Echoing Nixon’s infamous Saturday Night Massacre, Trump has fired both Democratic commissioners at the FTC—an agency that by law is supposed to operate independently from the White House. The FTC had been investigating several of Trump’s biggest corporate allies.

Bedoya explains why this isn’t just about one agency, but about whether the presidency is becoming a corrupt monarchy—where only those who “kiss the king’s ring” are safe. He’s now taking Trump to court in a case that could land at the Supreme Court.

This is the free version of an episode originally released to Lever Premium subscribers. To hear exclusive bonus content like this regularly, become a subscriber at www.levernews.com/subscribe/.

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Big Tech’s Forever War

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 17:10:13 -0000

Does Donald Trump have what it takes to challenge Big Tech? Despite the elevation of Silicon Valley billionaires and insiders within his administration, the Department of Justice is still pursuing antitrust cases against Google and Microsoft. But some worry these efforts may be too little, too late. Today, technologies owned and operated by Alphabet, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft are so deeply embedded in society that it’s hard to imagine life without them.

It’s a situation that has caught the eyes of regulators and politicians, sometimes resulting in unexpected political alliances. Today on Lever Time, Senior Podcast Producer Arjun Singh sits down with several current and former regulators, including recently dismissed Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Chair Rohit Chopra, to learn how the tech sector is rapidly changing society at the expense of the working class — and what the government can do to stop it.

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Do Democrats Have A Game Plan?

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:06:35 -0000

Chris Deluzio, a young Democratic representative from western Pennsylvania, just penned an unorthodox op-ed in The New York Times urging Democrats to embrace Trump’s contentious tariffs. Could he be on to something? Deluzio, who outperformed his party in a working-class swing district last November, says Democrats’ failure to address the economic concerns of everyday Americans is the reason they lost the 2024 election — and why they’re still struggling under Trump.

Today on Lever Time, Senior Podcast Producer Arjun Singh sits down with Deluzio and reporter Amos Barshad to explore the history of the Democratic Party prioritizing unregulated free markets over the American worker — and how that’s now left them unable to conceive a winning economic agenda.

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The Planet is Heating Up Whether You Care or Not

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 17:00:00 -0000

Are extreme weather events becoming normalized? Over the past few months, devastating wildfires have scorched Los Angeles, and Hurricane Helene left a trail of carnage across the Southeast. The science is clear: The planet is heating up, and it’s because of us.

But then why does it feel like nobody is taking the problem seriously? Despite the growing threat, climate change still struggles to capture people’s attention. Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with a group of environmental writers and journalists to hear their experiences covering climate and what mainstream discourse around climate change is missing.

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Is It Still Safe To Fly?

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 23:40:20 -0000

A Delta flight flipping over while landing in Toronto. A missing commuter plane in Alaska. A medical transport jet crash in Philadelphia. A catastrophic midair collision over Washington, D.C. Plane accidents seem to be happening at a greater frequency than ever before. But is that actually the case? And what, if anything, do these disasters tell us about the state of aviation safety?

Today on Lever Time, Senior podcast producer Arjun Singh sits down with Bill McGee, senior fellow for aviation at the American Economic Liberties Project and one of the country’s foremost experts on the airline industry, to discuss the recent crashes and the state of airline safety regulations.

The backbone of aviation safety in the United States of America is The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), an organization that oversees aerospace safety and efficiency and is being targeted by President Donald Trump’s federal layoffs. But McGee says the FAA has been understaffed for years and has long been called “The Tombstone Agency” around Washington due to the organization’s tendency to only respond with a full investigation when a tragedy occurs.

To read an unedited transcript of the episode, click here.

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RFK’s Beef With Big Food

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:07:58 -0000

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was just confirmed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, overseeing the nation’s food and health standards. He’s drawn controversy for opposing many positions of the medical establishment — except when it comes to junk food. Kennedy has repeatedly said ultraprocessed foods are harmful to public health, a position shared widely among medical professionals and nutritionists.

Food companies reportedly tried to thwart Kennedy’s confirmation, in part because they’ve known for decades just how unhealthy and addictive their products can be. Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh unpacks the food industry’s colossal influence over the American food system — and how they’re using the same playbook as Big Tobacco.

To learn more about Andrew Gallegos' nonprofit Cultivating Community head here.

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Trump’s Tariff War Explained

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 22:59:47 -0000

President Donald Trump is implementing sweeping tariffs to ostensibly tighten border security and crack down on the fentanyl trade. The moves include a 25 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, blanket 10 percent tariffs on Chinese imports, and potentially steep tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods. These actions could have monumental consequences for the global economy.

Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh sits down with economist Brad Setser to discuss the history of tariffs, the complexity of the United States' trade relationships with Canada, Mexico, and China, and how the effects of these tariffs could potentially make the illegal drug trade worse. Setser was a senior adviser to the U.S. Trade Representative and writes about China’s export economy in his newsletter Follow the Money.

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Elon Musk’s Hostile Takeover

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 18:28:53 -0000

Elon Musk has bought his way into the Trump administration and is now busy muscling his way into every federal agency. But the unelected billionaire who’s been forcibly installing his allies while purging career civil servants throughout the federal government just faced his first roadblock when a judge prevented him from accessing the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, a move that would have given him an unprecedented amount of leverage over trillions of public dollars.

Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh sits down with journalist Nathan Tankus to discuss the depth of Musk’s control and how the tycoon’s recent actions could imperil the nation. Tankus is the author of the newsletter Notes on a Crisis and one of lead reporters covering Musk’s takeover.

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American Chaos Is Trump’s Plan

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 23:40:42 -0000

Donald Trump has been president for less than two weeks, and the government is already in chaos. Amidst a flurry of executive orders, Trump suspended all federal spending earlier this week. The move sent panic throughout the federal government and upended critical services like Medicare and school funding. Is there an ideology behind the chaos? Or was the chaos the point? And what should the country make of it?

Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh recaps how Trump’s orders reverberated throughout the country — and explores what could come next.

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The Supreme Court Case That Got Us Here

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 11:05:00 -0000

Fifteen years ago this week, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a ruling that fundamentally changed American politics — In a 5-4 judgment in Citizens United v FEC, the court struck down restrictions on corporate spending in elections and paved the way for the mountains of dark money in our politics today. But there’s more.

In The Lever’s recent series Master Plan, David Sirota and a team of journalists dove deep into the litigious roots of the Citizens United case, starting with the nearly-forgotten story of a small-town Indiana lawyer, as well as the vast political consequences of the high court’s landmark decision. Today on Lever Time, we’re sharing that episode with listeners to mark the anniversary of the ruling.

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Oligarchy Now

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 11:05:00 -0000

Donald Trump is back — and this time, he’s bringing corporate America. Trump’s decisive victory in November sent a shockwave through corporate C-suites. Now, Trump is preparing to outsource much of his governing to a small cabal of the nation’s wealthiest people. In anticipation, many of the nation’s most powerful CEOs have pledged loyalty to Trump. That includes Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who are funding his inauguration festivities and reportedly sitting with Trump’s cabinet during his inauguration.

To make sense of it all, David Sirota and senior podcast producer Arjun Singh sit down with David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect, and Ryan Grim, co-founder of Drop Site News, discuss the power players in Trump’s orbit and the state of the nation he’s about to inherit on a special Inauguration Day episode of Lever Time.

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How America Created Cities Built To Burn (Part 2)

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 12:05:00 -0000

Los Angeles is infamous for its sprawling urban landscape that has prioritized low-density housing, often at the behest of the state’s powerful real estate industry. Despite the known risks of building in fire zones, developers continued to do so with the approval and encouragement of government regulators. But in the wake of the devastating fires in L.A., some are questioning the wisdom of urban sprawl, particularly in California.

Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh unpacks how California’s housing policies contributed to the devastation of L.A.’s recent wildfires, and how the city can rebuild in an era when climate disaster is becoming ever more common.

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The L.A. Fires And The Uninsurable Earth (Part 1)

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 19:58:25 -0000

The Los Angeles fires pose huge questions about the future of life in America: Where is it safe to live? How can you protect yourself from such disasters? Is home insurance even obtainable anymore? And will our society finally respond in a serious way to the climate emergency?

In the first of a two-part Lever Time series, David Sirota speaks with New York Times writer David Wallace-Wells, New Yorker staff writer Elizabeth Kolbert, and former California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones about what makes this blaze different from past fires — and how we prepare for the next one.

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MAGA’s Civil War Over Immigration

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:37:10 -0000

Over the holidays, when President-elect Donald Trump said he would appoint an Indian-American immigrant to serve in the White House, key members of Trump’s base were apoplectic. On X, formerly Twitter, prominent Trump supporters like Steve Bannon and Laura Loomer argued the move was antithetical to Trump’s pledge to scale back immigration. That put them at odds with billionaire advisor Elon Musk and other tech executives who are leaning on Trump to embrace the use of H-1B visas, which allow highly skilled foreign workers to work in the U.S. and have proven to be a boon for the tech industry.

Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh unpacks the history of high-skilled immigration to the United States and why the matter has become a flash point within Trump’s coalition.

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Editor's Choice: The NBA Is Monetizing A Public Health Crisis

Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:05:00 -0000

Lever Time is taking a break this week, but we'll be back next week with a brand new episode. Today, we wanted to re-air one of our favorite episodes from 2024.

--
The National Basketball Association wants you to gamble. Since 2014, the league has championed the legalization of sports betting nationwide, partially due to its own business interests in gambling. But the emergence of online gambling has coincided with a rise in troubling health outcomes like increased rates of depression and substance abuse. Today on Lever Time, we explore the recent growth of online gambling, sitting down with sports writers and an addiction expert to learn how it’s impacted society and changed the very nature of sports and fandom.

Sports fans are familiar with the companies DraftKings and FanDuel. In the NBA, their commercials are now as synonymous with the game as slam dunks — and both have transformed how viewers watch the game. In 2018, the Supreme Court struck down a federal law prohibiting gambling in most states — within the same year several states swiftly moved to legalize sports gambling, leading to more widespread usage of online sportsbooks.

Today, millions of fans include betting as part of their viewing experience, but it’s a trend that worries public health experts, athletes, and longtime fans, who believe the NBA’s promotion of gambling will have long-term negative consequences.

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How Marvel Helped Sell Us Forever Wars

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 11:05:00 -0000

When Iron Man hit theaters in 2008, it didn’t just launch the wildly successful Marvel Cinematic Universe — it also, with the Pentagon’s help, became a bombastic symbol of modern military might in the digital age. Now, can the same comic book character be used to critique the military-industrial complex and the War on Terror?

When Marvel wanted to make an Iron Man film in the early aughts, executives turned to a longstanding relationship between Hollywood and the Pentagon, allowing the Defense Department to approve the movie’s storyline in exchange for access to military equipment. The U.S. military was able to alter significant parts of Iron Man’s script, allowing the film to also serve as a marketing device for the military.

Now, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Spencer Ackerman is flipping the script. A veteran war reporter, Ackerman is writing a new Marvel comic book series of Iron Man, in which he’s applying the lessons he learned over two decades of covering the War on Terror. Decidedly more critical of the military-industrial complex that the movies championed, the books are reshaping the iconic hero into a parable about the impact of excessive wealth concentrated in the hands of one billionaire,

Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh sits down with Ackerman and Dave Gonzales, co-author of the book MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios and the host of the podcast Trial By Content, to discuss how the Pentagon pushed Marvel to use Iron Man as a piece of propaganda, and how events like 9/11 and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars influenced the way superhero is seen today.

Read Spencer Ackerman's newsletter Forever Wars by clicking here.

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Sirota: The Health Care Crisis Is The Democracy Crisis

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0000

David Sirota reflects on the shocking murder of United Health CEO Brian Thompson and the surge of public anger it unleashed against America’s broken health insurance system. Why hasn’t this longstanding outrage translated into universal health care — a system every other wealthy nation already has?

Tracing decades of broken promises and corporate influence — from the Clinton and Obama administrations to today — Sirota looks at how political corruption has trapped Americans in a system that profits from their suffering. Drawing on JFK’s 1960s warnings about social stability and justice, this audio essay explores the health care crisis as a symptom of a deeper democracy crisis — and asks what it will take for Americans to finally demand change.

Click here to read the written version of David Sirota’s essay, "Murder By Spreadsheet".

This episode was made possible by Lever Premium subscribers. Consider becoming a paid member to get more content like this, early and ad-free. www.levernews.com/subscribe/

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Why America Is Mad As Hell About Health Care

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 18:52:18 -0000

Amid the shocking assassination of a health insurance executive and an upswell of anger towards the country’s fragile health care safety net, the health insurance industry is suddenly facing a reckoning. Among the best experts to make sense of it all is Wendell Potter.

When Wendell Potter left his job as a public relations executive for a health insurance company he was sure of one thing: his former employer was harming people every day. Potter, a former vice president of the insurance giant Cigna, became a whistleblower over a decade ago, and though he does not condone the recent murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, he understands the fury many in the country feel towards the insurance industry.

Today on Lever Time, Potter shares what he learned about how insurance companies hurt patients and more than a decade as an insurance industry insider. Journalist Jonathan Cohn, a veteran health care reporter and the author of the book The Ten Year War: Obamacare and the Unfinished Crusade for Universal Coverage, also joins the show to unpack the decades-long political battle to reform the health care industry.

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Trump, Magic, and Misdirection

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 11:05:00 -0000

President-elect Donald Trump’s penchant for exaggeration has pushed the boundaries of how elected officials communicate with the public. Trump’s conspiracy theories and shock-and-awe approach to campaigning propelled him back into the White House — leaving millions wondering how he was able to pull it off.

Recent studies into the science of magic, examining how magicians utilize deception to manipulate their audiences, may provide an answer. Today on Lever Time, Lois Parshley, a senior investigative reporter at The Lever, explains why a recent groundbreaking magic contest holds the keys to understanding how people can be manipulated in a post-truth world.

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The Democrat Who Warned Us (w/ Rep. Dean Phillips)

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 11:05:00 -0000

In a special Lever Time post-election bonus episode, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) details how he was nearly excommunicated from the Democratic Party after he raised early concerns about the party's electability in 2023.

The group discusses how Democrats’ culture of blind loyalty to the party elite and extreme deference to wealthy donors leave them hopelessly out of touch with voters — and what can be done to change that.

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The Secret Recordings Netanyahu Wants Censored

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 11:05:00 -0000

Arjun Singh interviews Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney about The Bibi Files, a new documentary he produced that uncovers explosive new police footage from the corruption trial of increasingly besieged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The podcast comes the same week the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu — and the U.S. Senate voted down a measure to block military aid to Netanyahu’s government.

The conversation touches on the broader implications of Netanyahu’s actions, his role in the Gaza conflict, and how his leadership has contributed to widespread division within Israel. Gibney draws comparisons to other corrupt leaders he’s documented, exploring the psychology behind political misconduct, right-wing authoritarianism, and the lengths some will go to stay in power.

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Welcome To The United States of Crypto

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 11:05:00 -0000

No matter what, the cryptocurrency industry was going to win the election. After spending hundreds of millions to influence politicians in both parties, the industry defeated some of its fiercest critics and scored bipartisan support, particularly from President-elect Donald Trump, despite crypto’s potential risks for consumers and the financial system. Today on Lever Time, Lever reporter Freddy Brewster discusses crypto’s emergence as a political power broker and what industry insiders are hoping for in return for their massive donations. Then, Senior Podcast Producer Arjun Singh sits down with documentarian Cullen Hoback to discuss his new film Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, in which Hoback alleges to have discovered the identity of the enigmatic inventor of the groundbreaking cryptocurrency Bitcoin.

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How Democrats Can Win Back The Working Class

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 21:24:13 -0000

Donald Trump easily won reelection with the help of voters who were once considered bedrocks of the Democratic base. In this election, the former president managed to win over more working-class voters than in his 2016 campaign and made historic inroads with nonwhite voters. Why did this happen — and how can Democrats win them back?

Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh sits down with political analyst Krystal Ball, host of the show Breaking Points, to discuss why Trump’s authoritarian, populist rhetoric may have struck a chord with voters. Then David Sirota speaks with Jeff Weaver, architect of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) two presidential runs, to hear how Sanders built a similar multiracial coalition of working class voters during his campaigns and why those voters may have now migrated to Trump.

Have a comment or a pitch about the show? Reach out to Arjun directly at asingh@levernews.com or follow him on X and Instagram at lever_singh.

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Project 2025 Is Even More Radical Than You Think

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 08:00:00 -0000

If elected, former president Donald Trump has promised to implement mass deportations, target journalists, and carry out other unprecedented actions. How could he pull it off? Project 2025, a radical plan to reshape the government under Trump, highlights the key to his sweeping agenda: Schedule F, a policy that would expose federal workers to political interference and give the president broad leeway to govern through fear.

Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh unpacks this radical strategy for Trump’s second term — and explores the religious fundamentalism and free-market ideology driving the creators of Project 2025, the right-wing think tank called The Heritage Foundation.

In the early 1980s, the Heritage Foundation became the intellectual backbone of the conservative movement and today wields huge influence over the Republican party. Unlike other conservative think tanks, the Heritage Foundation was unique in blending the principles of free market capitalism with Christian nationalism, creating a blueprint for conservative politics that has now become the status quo. Over the past four years, a brain trust within the foundation has been drawing up Project 2025, laying the groundwork for how Trump could warp the tools of government and deliver ineradicable changes.

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The New Movie Trump Doesn’t Want You To See

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 10:05:00 -0000

A biopic of former president Donald Trump released right before the election seems ripe for box office success. But when screenwriter Gabriel Sherman looked for a distributor for his new film The Apprentice, Trump threatened legal action, and major studios got cold feet. Today on Lever Time, Sherman sits down with David Sirota and Arjun Singh to discuss the battle to release The Apprentice and how Wall Street’s Hollywood takeover is making it more difficult for political films to get made.

In the early 2000s, a seismic shift happened in Hollywood. After decades of movie-studio dominance, media deregulation and favorable market conditions opened the doors for Wall Street to move in and consolidate the industry. the balance of power shifted from filmmakers to bankers. Now, with a potential Trump presidency looming, some filmmakers are concerned it could cast a chill over the industry and frighten studios from backing films that could be seen as critical of Trump or his allies.

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Did Elon Musk Just Buy The Presidency? (PREMIUM PREVIEW)

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 19:22:29 -0000

This is a preview of a bonus episode exclusive for premium subscribers. To become a premium subscriber go here.

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Why The Working Class Could Deliver A Trump Victory

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 10:05:00 -0000

For decades, major labor unions like the Teamsters have endorsed the Democratic ticket in presidential elections — but not this year. In a surprise move, the Teamsters declined to endorse either former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris. The development — and Trump’s surprising levels of support from blue-collar and union voters — suggests something’s changing in the world of working-class politics.

Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh unpacks the cultural and economic trends that have turned working-class voters away from the Democratic Party and explores how the Republican Party is now working to win them over.

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The Real Reason Trump Is Demonizing Immigrants

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Donald Trump is heading to Aurora, Colorado, on Friday — a city that Trump has repeatedly portrayed as crime-ridden and taken over by Venezuelan gangs, despite the refutations of city officials and police. Ahead of Trump’s Colorado rally on Friday, David Sirota joined the podcast City Cast Denver to explain why Trump has focused on Aurora and the signal he’s sending with his rally in the Denver suburb.

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The Corporate Corruption Behind Hurricane Helene

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 21:58:48 -0000

Millions in the Southeastern United States recently endured one cataclysm after another. First, Hurricane Helene left chaos and destruction across a trail of states. Then, in Georgia, a catastrophic chemical plant fire released plumes of toxic chlorine gas, forcing thousands to evacuate or shelter in place. Both disasters share a troubling backstory: regulatory failures fueled in part by corporate greed made the crises worse.

On Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh sits down with reporter Katya Schwenk and news editor Lucy Dean Stockton to hear how government inaction and corporate meddling led to weakened climate adaptation infrastructure and lax oversight of dangerous chemical facilities.

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Is Harris’ Big Tent About To Burst?

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Vice President Kamala Harris has built a broad coalition that stretches from climate activists to a former oil company CEO, all of them aligned against former President Donald Trump. But if Harris wins in November and Trump’s out of the picture, what happens to this band of strange bedfellows, who frequently find themselves split on core issues like taxation and corporate power? What kind of a mandate will Harris have to lead? And is this arrangement setting her up for a rudderless administration?

Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh sits down with journalist Ben Bradford, host of the podcast series Landslide, to discuss what happened when Jimmy Carter built a similarly broad coalition in 1976 and ask if the Democrats’ big tent is about to burst.

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The Secret Plot To Buy American Democracy

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 10:05:00 -0000

In 1971, Lewis Powell, a tobacco industry lawyer and future Supreme Court justice, penned a memo calling on conservatives and business interests to make the nation’s legal system far more friendly to corporate power. A few years later, a lawyer named Michael Horowitz penned a follow-up memo calling for conservatives to indoctrinate generations of lawyers as the right’s foot soldiers on the ground.

Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh talks to David Sirota and Jared Jacang Maher about their deep-dive investigation into this 50-year plan in the hit new Lever podcast Master Plan. Then, he sits down with journalist David Daley to discuss his latest book, Antidemocratic: Inside the Far Right's 50-Year Plot to Control American Elections.

Daley’s book centers around Chief Justice John Roberts, whose ascent to the high court — and the conservative rulings he’s handed down — was the culmination of decades of work that began with Powell and Horowitz’s memos.

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Will The Real Kamala Harris Please Stand Up? (Part 2)

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 10:05:00 -0000

When Kamala Harris first ran for president in 2019, she promised to deliver Medicare for All to the people — but that changed. Early in her campaign, she frequently referred to a 2017 bill she co-sponsored with Sen. Bernie Sanders that would have effectively abolished private health insurance. But when political winds didn’t look good, Harris changed course, and ultimately released her own, very different version of the bill, which sought to bolster and support private insurance companies by expanding their role in Medicare.

It wouldn’t be the only time Harris bucked a campaign pledge for political gain. Today on Lever Time, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh looks at two defining moments in Harris’ career to understand how the presidential hopeful acts when forced to choose between the values she campaigned on and political gain.

In her current campaign, Harris has tried to play it safe. She’s consistently pushed the Biden administration’s agenda while remaining vague on how she’d respond to key issues. One of those issues has been how to handle Israel’s invasion of Gaza, a disaster that Harris will likely inherit if she wins the presidency. If so, the Gaza crisis will present one of the first tests of what a President Harris would do in office, but even close observers are unsure what the vice president ultimately believes is the best course of action on the matter.

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Will The Real Kamala Harris Please Stand Up? (Part 1)

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 10:05:00 -0000

In television commercials, at speeches, and on the campaign trail, Vice President Kamala Harris frequently boasts that she stood up to big banks as California's attorney general. But her sloganeering obscures a sometimes-ugly record. Today on Lever Time, Arjun Singh looks back at Harris' early years as a district attorney and then state attorney general to see what they show us about the president she may soon become.

When Harris first ran for District Attorney of San Francisco in 2003 — a time when prosecutors rarely described themselves as “progressive” — she campaigned as a crime fighter with few qualms about putting criminals behind bars.

Later, as California’s attorney general, Harris continued to lean on her role as a tough prosecutor, vowing to go after mortgage lenders who utilized abusive tactics to strong arm Californians. But when it came time to fight the banks, did Harris let them off easy? Harris’ actions in that moment have left some observers with a pressing question: What does Kamala Harris actually believe?

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Fear And Corporate Loathing At The DNC

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 22:54:41 -0000

The Lever’s David Sirota reports on his adventures at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, sharing his on-the-ground reporting on Democrats’ fear of another Trump presidency and their rhetoric loathing the corporate takeover of politics. Sirota spotlights the tension between the convention’s populist framing and its corporate sponsors footing the bill. Sirota also talked to Democratic senators about whether any of Vice President Kamala Harris’ policy promises can become reality without the Senate first ending the filibuster.

In her convention address, Harris pledged that as president, she will center her agenda around workers — not the corporations whose executives and lobbyists sponsored and monitored the party’s convention from the arena’s luxury suites. The big unanswered question: Will Harris deliver her agenda when those corporate forces inevitably push back?

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Are We Allowed To Ask What President Harris Would Do?

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 21:46:44 -0000

Vice President Kamala Harris’ ascent to presumptive Democratic nominee has upended the presidential contest and energized Democratic voters — but what’s the policy behind the vibes?

On Friday, Harris unveiled a series of economic policies, including a proposed federal ban on grocery price gouging and plans to lower prescription drug and housing costs. It was a good step, but one that came after Harris faced pressure and criticism for not having a more robust policy platform.

But amid viral trends like “coconut tree summer” and Harris’ “brat” era, do voters really care about what Harris actually wants to accomplish in office? Today on Lever Time, David Sirota and Arjun Singh sit down with Semafor’s Max Tani and The New Yorker’s Jay Caspian Kang to unpack why Harris’ great-taste-less-filling campaign has garnered the traction it has.

Despite her twenty years as an elected official, it’s been surprisingly difficult for journalists to know what Harris wants to do with the presidency. In her 2019 presidential bid, Harris ran as a supporter of Medicare for All and an opponent of fracking — two positions her campaign has now renounced. And her approach to foreign policy and antitrust enforcement, cornerstones of the Biden administration, remains a mystery.

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The American Roots Of The World’s Right-Wing Nationalism

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 10:05:00 -0000

For more than a decade, global politics have been rocked by the rise of right-wing nationalist governments. Similar to Donald Trump’s rise in the United States, countries like India, Hungary, Brazil, and Italy have seen the emergence of far-right governments who’ve channeled popular anger into support for nativist and anti-immigrant platforms. It turns out we’re largely to blame for it.

Today on Lever Time, Arjun Singh sits down with Vox senior correspondent Zack Beauchamp to discuss his new book The Reactionary Spirit: How America's Most Insidious Political Tradition Swept The World, in which Beauchamp traces the roots of modern right-wing regimes to an antidemocratic tradition that began in the United States.

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Is Tim Walz the Real Deal?

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 00:24:42 -0000

On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, a move that drew praise from a wide swath of the party, from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Sen. Joe Manchin.

Though Walz was relatively unknown until recently, his stock within Democratic politics skyrocketed in the last few weeks. As governor, Walz passed legislation Democrats have long championed, including increasing taxes on corporations, providing free breakfast and lunch to all school students, and creating a paid family and medical leave program.

On Lever Time, Arjun Singh sits down with Ryan Grim, co-founder of Drop Site, to dig deeper into Walz’s record — the good and the bad — and explore what Walz’s selection signals to voters.

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When Will The Climate Killers See Their Day In Court?

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Floods, heat waves, wildfires and other climate extremes are becoming a way of life for millions around the world — and tragically a way of death. After a historic, record-breaking flood in France killed her mother, a daughter wants to hold oil companies criminally responsible for her death, joining seven other plaintiffs in a lawsuit. Today on Lever Time, senior investigative reporter Lois Parshley examines a growing global movement of advocates and legal scholars trying to convince courts that fossil fuel companies should be charged with homicide after they knowingly caused climate change.

Read the companion article to this episode exclusively on The Lever by clicking here.

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Can Harris Fight – And Win?

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 10:05:00 -0000

As Vice President Kamala Harris becomes the presumptive Democratic nominee, her party is facing an uphill battle to defeat Donald Trump and his attempt to frame his corporate agenda as populism. In a wide-ranging interview on The Brian Lehrer Show on New York’s largest public radio station, David Sirota discusses his recent essay in The Lever about how Democrats must do a better job making clear the party is serious about fighting for America’s working class.

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Will Democrats Decide To Lose The Election?

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 10:05:00 -0000

With Trump last night becoming the GOP nominee and now having his largest polling lead — and with Biden reportedly on the verge of dropping out — David Sirota, Arjun Singh, and The Atlantic’s Tyler Austin Harper review what is one of the wildest moments in American political history. The biggest question of all: Will the Democrats decide to lose the election, or will they actually fight to win?

It's been an extraordinary three weeks in American politics. Biden's disastrous debate performance brought the questions about his age and mental fitness center stage, a gunman nearly assassinated former President Donald Trump, and Republicans went full MAGA by announcing former never-Trumper J.D. Vance as Trump's runningmate at the Republican National Convention. All while the Democrats squabble over Biden’s future.

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How DNC Delegates Could Oust Biden

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Should he stay or should he go? President Joe Biden’s decision to remain in the presidential race has consequences for hundreds of millions of people — and it has at least one Democratic National Committee member and convention delegate inquiring whether the party can force him off the ticket. But if Biden’s out, corporate lobbyists who’ve embedded themselves into the party could help select the new nominee.

Today on Lever Time, Arjun Singh speaks withThe American Prospect’s Executive Editor David Dayen, Jacobin staff writer Branko Marcetic, and Sludge co-founder David Moore to unpack the divide fracturing the Democratic Party and look at how corporate power is woven into the fabric of the party’s convention, to be held in Chicago from August 19 to 22.

Biden’s road to the 2024 presidential nomination has been anything but democratic. Team Biden crushed all attempts to have him prove his mettle against primary challengers. After his disastrous debate performance against Trump triggered a revolt within his own party, Biden didn’t hold a town hall to meet with the public — he hopped on the phone with his top donors.

Now, those same donors could portend Biden’s downfall, with wealthy backers like George Clooney urging the president to step down, and others yanking their donations. Will the new alliance between a majority of Democratic voters and the party’s elite insiders all be on the same page regarding Biden’s potential replacement?

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Who Broke The Economy?

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Today on Lever Time, we unpack how corporations built and then broke the supply chain — and more importantly, how they took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to price gouge everybody else.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it felt like we ran out of everything: toilet paper, hand sanitizer, microchips, exercise bikes, and more. High demand and supply shortages rocked the economy. Now we know that it was the corporations that did it to themselves.

In his new book How the World Ran out of Everything: Inside the Global Supply Chain, veteran New York Times reporter Peter Goodman who covers the global economy unspools the long and sordid history of how the supply chain went global, then consolidated, and ultimately ended up in the hands of just three companies — creating a complicated and surprising crisis that has unfolded around the world.

Then, as inflation began to set into the economy, corporations saw a huge opportunity to raise prices as consumers grew desperate — and they took it, giving us “greedflation.” In this episode of Lever Time, Goodman and Lindsay Owens, the executive director of The Groundwork Collaborative, sit down with senior podcast producer Arjun Singh to unpack how that gave us inflation.

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The Democrat Banished For Warning Us About Biden

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 21:59:38 -0000

How is it that the Democrats’ main bulwark between America and a Trump regime is an impaired president whose White House reportedly tried to hide his decline? On this episode of Lever Time, we talk to the Democratic operative who first tried to sound the alarm to avert this disaster — and who then faced a “quiet throat-slitting” by party bosses.

We also explore how Democrats are trying to blackmail voters with an impossible choice: vote for a struggling Biden or get Trump and the potential end of democracy.

Democratic strategist Jeff Weaver ran the presidential primary campaign of U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, the only elected Democrat who tried to challenge Joe Biden for the party’s 2024 nomination. Weaver also ran Bernie Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns.

On this episode, Weaver details his and Phillips’ experience when they tried to make sure voters knew about Biden’s decline. Weaver also explains exactly how the party could select a new nominee if Biden decides to halt his campaign — and how Democratic powerbrokers might try to tilt the process at the Democratic convention.

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Why Hasn’t Biden Stepped Down?

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Last night’s debacle of a presidential debate raised a huge question: Why did Democratic Party powerbrokers prevent a serious, contested presidential primary against Joe Biden?

It’s a question that our podcast Lever Time dared to explore a while ago when it was a taboo topic. At the time, we were criticized for even discussing it — even though this morning, it seems everyone in America is now finally asking the question we had the temerity to ask.

So today we’re re-releasing that original episode of Lever Time here — but with a new updated discussion about what happened at last night’s debate, and why it’s so important.

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The World After Billionaire Media

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Semafor co-founder and editor-in-chief Ben Smith to grapple with journalism’s industry-wide reckoning — and explore why independent news might come out on top.

There’s a crisis in journalism. Major media outlets like The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, NPR, and NBC News have laid off hundreds of staff this year, while other publications like Vice and Pitchfork have shut down their flagship websites.

In January alone, one report estimated that more than 500 journalists lost their jobs — with local news outlets especially hard hit. One study found that more than half of U.S. counties have limited or no access to reporting about their communities.

And yet amid the destruction, independent news outlets are emerging from the rubble. Can these digital media start-ups, subscriber-funded newsletters, and independent journalists fill the hole left behind by corporate media?

In an in-depth, no-holds-barred conversation, Sirota and Smith seek to answer these questions, among other media matters. Smith is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the digital start-up Semafor, and co-host of the podcast Mixed Signals. He also worked as the editor-in-chief of Buzzfeed News and covered the media industry for The New York Times.

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The NBA Is Monetizing A Public Health Crisis

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 10:05:00 -0000

The National Basketball Association wants you to gamble. Since 2014, the league has championed the legalization of sports betting nationwide, partially due to its own business interests in gambling. But the emergence of online gambling has coincided with a rise in troubling health outcomes like increased rates of depression and substance abuse. Today on Lever Time, we explore the recent growth of online gambling, sitting down with sports writers and an addiction expert to learn how it’s impacted society and changed the very nature of sports and fandom.

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The $220 Billion Medical Debt Problem (With Rep. Ro Khanna)

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 21:13:15 -0000

Yesterday, the government introduced a new rule to remove $49 billion in medical debt that’s currently listed on Americans’ credit reports. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) wants to go even further by establishing a grant program to actually cancel the $220 billion in medical debt that Americans owe. If signed into law, the program could relieve the debt burden for more than 100 million people.

Today on Lever Time, Khanna sits down with senior podcast producer Arjun Singh to discuss the bill he’s cosponsoring with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the chances of the legislation making it through the Republican-controlled House, and his thoughts on the upcoming presidential election.

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"Lauren Boebert Can't Lose" from City Cast Denver

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Today, we're excited to share the first episode of a new series from our friends over at the podcast City Cast Denver. City Cast Denver is a daily news podcast that connects listeners with what's happening in and around Denver. In their first spinoff series, "Lauren Boebert Can't Lose," the team at City Cast Denver look at key moments from Congresswoman Lauren Boebert's life just ahead of Colorado's June 25th Republican primary, where Boebert's congressional career could come to an end.

You can find the rest of the series here.

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America’s Biggest Tax Scam May Finally End

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Is the TurboTax era over? Recently, the IRS announced they plan to roll out a free program that will let Americans directly file their taxes online without using expensive tax-assistance programs. The move could have happened more than two decades ago, if not for corporate lobbyists. Today on Lever Time, we look at the 20-year war waged by tax-prep companies like Intuit and H&R Block to stop the government from letting people file online for free.

In the early 2000s, alarmed by calls from the George W. Bush White House to create a public tax filing platform, Intuit, the parent company of TurboTax, went on a lobbying blitz. The government agreed to back down, but only if tax-prep companies allowed low-income taxpayers to file for free. On paper, the tax-prep firms agreed — but in reality, they used deceptive tactics to manipulate taxpayers into paying for their software.

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The Lunch-Meat Mafia

Fri, 31 May 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Behind nearly every hamburger or chicken nugget handed out in a school cafeteria is JBS Foods, a multi-billion dollar conglomerate run by a billionaire butcher family who bribed their way to become the world’s largest meat processor. Today on Lever Time, we look at how JBS captured the meat market, harmed workers, pulverized the environment, and generally tainted all your lunch meats with a hefty dose of corporate corruption.

Every year, the U.S. government gives JBS Foods millions of dollars in subsidies, on top of the millions more it pays the company to supply meat for school lunches and the military. Despite JBS’ long history of illegal behavior, its market dominance has made it impossible for the government to avoid working with them, according to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. JBS isn’t an outlier; today, a handful of companies control most of the country’s agricultural supply.

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What Will It Take to Defeat Ticketmaster?

Wed, 29 May 2024 19:57:33 -0000

Is Ticketmaster too big to fail? It’s the question some musicians and small venue owners are asking in the wake of the Justice Department’s decision to sue Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation Entertainment over its alleged monopoly in the music industry. Today on Lever Time, Morgan Harper, an antitrust expert, and Greg Saunier, founder of the indie band Deerhoof, debate the strength of the Justice Department’s case, and whether a win in court would meaningfully benefit musicians, independent music venues, and fans themselves.

Ticketmaster has drawn the ire of musicians for decades. In 1994, members of the rock band Pearl Jam went to Congress alleging Ticketmaster was engaged in price gouging — but nothing happened. Instead, the government allowed Ticketmaster to grow even bigger, giving it massive influence over most of the music industry, gouging customers, and strong-arming musicians into signing away the rights for their tours.

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Credit Card Companies Want To Keep You In Debt Forever

Fri, 24 May 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Today on Lever Time, we dive into the heart of Capital One and hear from a former employee about the credit card titan’s tactics to keep customers forever submerged in debt.

When President Joe Biden moved to cap credit card late fees in March, the financial industry revolted — filing multiple lawsuits against the administration of a man once dubbed one of the banking industry’s favorite senators.

Why are the credit card giants so threatened by losing their junk fees? How exactly have they assumed so much control of our financial lives?

In today’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota and Arjun Singh go deep into the heart of the credit card industry and its lobbying army to hear how the industry has muscled its way into people’s wallets.

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What Will It Take For Israel To End Its War?

Fri, 17 May 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Jerusalem-based journalist Nathan Thrall to discuss what life has been like in both Gaza and the West Bank since the Oct. 7 attack in Israel. The pair also explores what is motivating Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to continue the war, and why Netanyahu’s iron-fisted approach to the Palestinian territories may be the norm, not an outlier, in Israeli politics.

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Why Does America Provide So Much Support To Israel?

Fri, 10 May 2024 10:05:00 -0000

For months, Joe Biden has struck a defiant tone in his support of Israel despite the concerns of allies and nationwide protests. Biden has been a fervent supporter of Israel throughout his political career, but his current moves appear to be driven by three close advisors who have consolidated control over the administration’s Israel policy.

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota and Arjun Singh look at the people shaping Biden’s Israel decisions and get an on-the-ground report on how the war has played out in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank.

The Lever is subscriber supported. To become a subscriber, and get access to exclusive bonus content, head here: https://www.levernews.com/

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What A Fracking CEO’s Text Messages Tell Us About Inflation

Thu, 09 May 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Since 2021, economists and pundits have tried to blame inflation on workers and rising wages. But a new bombshell exposé spotlights a different cause: oil companies engaging in an alleged price-fixing scheme with Saudi Arabia and other countries that may have fueled roughly one-third of all U.S. inflation in 2021.

A recent Federal Trade Commission case uncovered text messages and documents suggesting the founder of a big oil company colluded with the Saudi government and other oil-producing countries to keep energy prices high. Another lawsuit alleges multiple American oil companies were engaged in a price-fixing scheme.

Today on Lever Time, Matt Stoller of the American Economic Liberties Project discusses his groundbreaking reporting on the matter — and explains how this alleged collusion could have played a major role in the country’s inflation crisis.

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Big Brother Is Watching The Protesters, Sponsored By Corporate America

Fri, 03 May 2024 10:05:00 -0000

As colleges and police departments crack down on campus protests, law enforcement are using tools borrowed from corporate America’s ballooning surveillance regime to spy on students — and anyone else they deem a threat.

When New York City police raided Columbia University on Tuesday to remove student protesters from a building they’d occupied, Mayor Eric Adams justified the move by claiming “outside agitators” had infiltrated the group. If the claim was even true, how did authorities get that information? What sort of technologies are authorities using to monitor the protesters — and where did these spy tools come from?

This week on Lever Time, David Sirota and producer Arjun Singh look at college protests in the age of total surveillance. They talk with Alistair Kitchen, a student journalist who’s been reporting from Columbia’s campus, and explore how corporate America has taught the intelligence community new ways to use consumer data to spy on people everywhere

If you’d like to follow Alistair Kitchen’s reporting, subscribe to his newsletter here: https://substack.com/@alistair

Our work is subscriber supported. If you want to support us, and hear exclusive podcast content, head to levernews.com

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Congress Wants To Make Sure Flying Still Sucks

Wed, 01 May 2024 20:27:40 -0000

After years of pressure, the Department of Transportation announced it would require airlines to automatically refund flyers the cost of canceled or significantly delayed flights. Days later, a bipartisan group of senators — who also happen to be some of the largest recipients of campaign cash from the airline industry — unveiled new legislation that could undermine that rule.

In this episode of Lever Time, Lever reporter Katya Schwenk unpacks how a small line in a massive bill could quietly kill a consumer protection rule that was years in the making.

Our work is subscriber supported. If you want to become a subscriber, and get access to exclusive podcast content and articles, sign up here at levernews.com

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Amazon is Eating the Economy

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Thirty years ago, Amazon was a quirky internet bookseller. But even back then, founder Jeff Bezos wanted to build an empire. Today, Amazon has inserted itself into almost every facet of daily life, and it’s done so by ruthlessly muscling out competition — likely using illegal market tactics.

For years, regulators watched Amazon’s growth and failed to investigate claims that the company violated federal law by engaging in predatory pricing. That changed last year when Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan announced she and 17 state attorneys general were suing Amazon and charging it with being an illegal monopoly. The thing is, Amazon probably could have been sued a long time ago.

On this week’s Lever Time, David Sirota and Arjun Singh unpack how an ideological movement successfully suppressed efforts to challenge corporate monopolies in the United States for nearly half a century and enabled Amazon’s unprecedented rise.

To become a Lever premium member and get access to exclusive bonus podcast content and more, head to levernews.com to subscribe.

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Dissent Will Not Be Tolerated in the Democratic Party

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Today, we’re excited to announce the relaunch of The Lever’s flagship podcast Lever Time. In this week’s episode, David Sirota and Senior Podcast Producer Arjun Singh discuss the 2024 presidential election and the Democratic Party’s efforts to prevent a real primary challenge to President Joe Biden.

Since 2008, the Democratic Party leadership has worked to suppress primary challengers and support incumbent politicians. That approach was on full display during the 2024 Democratic primaries, where the DNC worked with state affiliates to ensure that, in some cases, Biden’s two primary challengers didn’t even appear on the ballot.

Given Biden’s consistently low approval ratings and palpable anger over his handling of the war on Gaza, the matter raises troubling questions: Did the party prevent a proper primary because they were afraid of what it could do to Biden? And if so, could their plan to suppress a primary contest backfire and end up hurting Biden in November?

This week on Lever Time, David Sirota and Senior Podcast Producer Arjun Singh unpack Biden’s popularity and look to the 1980 Democratic primary, when Democratic senator Ted Kennedy challenged incumbent president Jimmy Carter.

Our work is subscriber supported. If you'd like to become a Lever subscriber, and get access to our original reporting and bonus podcast episodes, head here: https://www.levernews.com/

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Amazon Is Afraid Of Its New Union Organizers

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, producer Frank Cappello and reporter Amos Barshad are joined by union organizers Griffin Ritze and Fatou Souare, who are both involved in a current union drive at an Amazon warehouse in Kentucky. Griffin, an Amazon employee who was recently fired as alleged retaliation, and Fatou, a local community leader with the Kentucky African Women’s Association, speak to The Lever about the unique challenges of organizing a large, diverse workforce in one of Amazon’s largest locations — and what their efforts mean for the larger fight ahead against Amazon.

In 2022, workers at Amazon’s KCVG air hub kicked off their union drive, seeking increased pay, inclusionary policies for non-Native English speakers, and stronger workplace protections. Due to the size and diversity of KCVG’s workforce, local community groups have also gotten involved. In response, Amazon is apparently doing everything in their power to crush the union effort, including hiring union-busting law firms to hold “captive audience” meetings.

In today’s interview, Frank and Amos speak with Griffin and Fatou about the unique challenges of organizing the Amazon hub, the different union-busting tactics the company employs, and how groups like the Kentucky African Women’s Association are working to educate and empower the community.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

Amazon Labor Union, Northern Kentucky KCVG

BONUS: Last week’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, featured David Sirota’s conversation with media strategist Jason Kint about how Facebook’s parent company Meta is trying to protect the money it makes from harvesting kids’ user data.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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The Anxious Generation, Brought To You By Smartphones

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by scientist Zach Rausch, lead researcher for social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of the new book The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.

According to new research, children in the U.S. are producing lower test scores, becoming more easily distracted, growing less sociable, and are generally feeling more anxious than they were several years ago. Now, researchers are drawing a connection between these detrimental effects on childhood development and modern technology like smartphones.

In today’s interview, David and Zach discuss the modern trend of parents “overprotecting kids in the real world, while under-protecting them online.” Zach also explains the unique technological challenges facing young girls in particular, as well as what schools and parents can do to mitigate some of the damage.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness (Penguin Press, 2024)

If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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The Wonk Attempting To Change Republican Economics

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by Oren Cass, executive director of the conservative economics think tank American Compass, for a long-form discussion about Oren’s new brand of conservative economic policy — one that calls for empowering workers and labor unions, rather than crushing them into dust. According to American Compass’ website, their work focuses on “developing the conservative economic agenda to supplant blind faith in free markets with a focus on workers.”

In today’s episode, David interviews Oren about his new vision for Republican economics, which includes the idea that the labor movement is one of the best mechanisms for delivering material gains to working families. They also get into a friendly debate over the effectiveness of the social safety net, the best policy prescriptions to combat climate change, and the culture war around identity politics.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

American Compass

BONUS: On Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we shared David Sirota’s conversation with media strategist Jason Kint about how Facebook’s parent company Meta is trying to protect the money it makes from harvesting kids’ user data.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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The State That Could Cost Biden The Election

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Hill Harper, a Democratic candidate for Michigan’s open senate seat, to discuss how the state could swing the 2024 presidential election.

Michigan, which proved to be a key battleground in 2016 and 2020, is currently heavily leaning towards Donald Trump. That could spell trouble for President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign — not to mention down-ballot races in a state that, until recently, appeared to be increasingly shifting blue.

In today’s interview, David and Hill discuss the political stakes in Michigan, and how issues in the state such as the auto strikes, the Israel-Hamas War, the Enbridge pipeline, and abortion rights are influencing the electorate.

Hill, a well-known actor, also talks about the challenges of running as a progressive candidate against the Democratic establishment’s chosen candidate, Rep. Elissa Slotkin, and the influence of big money in American politics. The two discuss the phone call Hill received last November from a wealthy donor who offered him $20 million to drop out of the senate race and instead mount a primary challenge against Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American member of Congress.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

BONUS: On Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we’ll be sharing David Sirota’s conversation with media strategist Jason Kint about Facebook’s parent company Meta, which is currently suing the Federal Trade Commission to prevent regulators from reinforcing a 2020 privacy settlement regarding the company’s monetization of user data from children.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Trump Won Iowa – Can He Beat The Supreme Court?

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota speaks with Denver Post columnist and longtime Republican Krista Kafer, one of the plaintiffs in the landmark Colorado lawsuit that resulted in the state’s Supreme Court removing Donald Trump from the presidential ballot.

On Dec. 19, the Colorado Supreme Court decided in a 4-to-3 ruling that former president Donald Trump would not be allowed to appear on the state’s primary ballot because of the Constitution’s “Insurrection Clause,” which bars anyone from running for public office if they’ve engaged in insurrection against the United States. The lawsuit alleged that Trump had engaged in insurrection during the lead-up to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take up the case, which will determine whether Trump can be disqualified in Colorado. Now that Trump has won the Iowa caucus with a record 51 percent of the vote, it’s looking increasingly likely that Trump will become the Republican nominee for president, making the Supreme Court’s decision even more pivotal for the 2024 election, as it could have far-reaching implications for lawsuits in other states seeking to prevent Trump from appearing on the ballot. The high court is expected to reach a decision shortly after arguments are heard on February 8th.

In today’s interview, David speaks with Krista about why she decided to join the Colorado lawsuit and why she believes a Trump re-election needs to be stopped. They also question if legal challenges against Trump may have the unintentional side effect of empowering him within his base and whether defeating him legally is enough to defeat Trumpism for the long term.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

BONUS: Last week’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, features our interview with journalist and sports writer Matt Brown, about how the private equity industry could soon be getting its claws into college football. If you’re a fan of college football who cares about the integrity of your favorite team, this interview goes into detail about how Wall Street could fundamentally change how college football works, for both players and fans.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Amid Boeing Crisis, Is It Still Safe To Fly?

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 20:28:33 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by Bill McGee, a Senior Fellow for Aviation and Travel at the American Economic Liberties Project, and investigative journalist Maureen “Moe” Tkacik to discuss how the air travel industry has been transformed from the paragon of engineering and innovation into cost-cutting, regulation-dodging piggy banks for Wall Street investors.

Last Friday, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 experienced what could have been a deadly disaster when a plug door was ripped from the plane mid-flight. Luckily, no one was killed and there were only a few minor injuries. But this incident spotlights what critics say is a systemic problem in airline manufacturing and oversight: years of cutting costs, spurred by the Wall Street-ification of companies like aircraft manufacturer Boeing.

This past week, The Lever reported that employees at Spirit AeroSystems, Boeing’s main subcontractor for plug doors and other parts of the frame, allegedly warned the company about safety issues but were instructed to falsify documents instead. Incidents like these may have resulted from companies like Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems chasing higher profit margins at the expense of quality manufacturing and service.

In today’s interview, David, Bill, and Moe discuss how airlines' demands to cram passengers into planes may have resulted in this past week’s Alaska Airlines technical malfunction. Bill and Moe also explain how the airline regulators at the Federal Aviation Administration have been asleep at the wheel for decades when it comes to oversight, and how the profit-driven corporate governance at companies like Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems has contributed to this sprawling crisis.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

Boeing Supplier Ignored Warnings Of “Excessive Amount Of Defects,” Former Employees Allege (The Lever, 2023)

BONUS: This past Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, features our interview with journalist and sports writer Matt Brown, about how the private equity industry could soon be getting its claws into college football. If you’re a fan of college football who cares about the integrity of your favorite team, this interview goes into detail about how Wall Street could fundamentally change how college football works, for both players and fans.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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DECONSTRUCTED: “The Squad,” Part 2: From Obama to Bernie, a Crisis and a Crossroads

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 11:05:00 -0000

Today, we’re sharing another episode of the podcast Deconstructed, from our friends over at The Intercept, an award-winning investigative news organization.

The 2008 economic crisis changed the world. In the United States, the meager response by Barack Obama and the Democratic Party produced a recovery that was far too slow, drove an eviction crisis, and fueled a populist backlash.

On the left, that backlash took the form of Occupy Wall Street, which put the problem of wealth and income inequality — the 99 percent versus the 1 percent — into the national political conversation for the first time since the Great Depression. Followed a few years later by the Movement for Black Lives and an upsurge of climate activism, the new radical energy among young people prepped the ground for the first Bernie Sanders campaign.

In 2016, the Vermont senator came shockingly close to the presidential nomination. In the wake of Sanders’ campaign, a chunk of his staff that focused on organizing grassroots supporters decided to quit and try something new: They would recruit and support Bernie-style populists and take over the House.

On this episode of Deconstructed, Ryan Grim brings us another audio documentary, adapted from an excerpt of his newest book, The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution. This episode chronicles the 2008 economic crisis, Obama’s election, and zeroes in on how individual members of the Squad became politicized.

If you like Lever Time, be sure to check out Deconstructed on all podcast platforms and subscribe.

Links:

The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution (Macmillan, 2023)

A transcript of this episode is available here.

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DECONSTRUCTED: “The Squad,” Part 1: The Rise and (First) Fall of Bernie

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 11:05:00 -0000

Today, we’re sharing an episode of the podcast Deconstructed, from our friends over at The Intercept, an award-winning investigative news organization.

When Bernie Sanders launched his first presidential campaign in 2015, the political world could not have been more different than how it is today. His run set in motion a movement — or, really, a series of movements that clashed and blended over the ensuing years, reshaping both the Democratic Party and the country.

In this episode of Deconstructed, host Ryan Grim narrates an excerpt of his new book, The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution. Throughout the narrative, the team at Deconstructed has spliced in with interviews, speeches, and newscasts, turning it into an audio documentary.

The first episode takes you inside the first Sanders campaign, and explores the tension between the right wing of the Democratic Party and Sanders’s “political revolution.”

Part two, which will be published next week, looks back at the historical forces that pushed members of the Squad into politics — and the spotlight.

If you like Lever Time, be sure to check out Deconstructed on all podcast platforms and subscribe.

Links:

The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution (Macmillan, 2023)

A transcript of this episode is available here.

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We Need To Talk About Zionism

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by Vox senior correspondent Zack Beauchamp, who recently authored a provocative article about how Israel’s mass violence against Palestinians in Gaza could prompt a backlash to right-wing Zionism and a resurgence of the “Liberal Zionist” political tradition.

The modern debate surrounding Zionism tends to be fraught, accompanied by decades of historical baggage and confusion over the term’s many meanings. In a literal sense, Zionism is defined as, “the belief that there should be an independent Jewish state.” Today, the dominant concept of Zionism is embodied by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is using the term to justify the mass murder and displacement of Palestinians.

But historically, Zionism also encapsulated the concept of liberal Zionism, which imagines an independent, democratic Jewish state that could offer equal rights to all of its citizens, including Palestinians.

In today’s discussion, David and Zack explore whether the war in Gaza will ultimately result in the return of the liberal Zionist tradition. They also break down the definition of liberal Zionism and how it’s differentiated from other forms of Zionism. And they discuss the collapse of the liberal Zionist movement within Israel, and the inherent tension between liberal Zionists’ desire for a Jewish homeland and their stated support for creating a real democracy.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

The Return Of Liberal Zionism? (Vox, 2023)

BONUS: This past Monday’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, features David Sirota’s interview with Princeton history professor D. Graham Burnett, who recently co-authored an op-ed in The New York Times about the detrimental effects of our ever-diminishing attention spans. This is due to what Graham and his co-authors have dubbed “attention fracking” — Big Tech’s profit-driven strategy to keep your eyes glued to the screen for as long as possible.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Big Oil Buys The News

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by award-winning climate journalist Amy Westervelt to discuss her recent bombshell report on how news outlets are raking in millions from the fossil fuel industry to produce greenwashed sponsored content.

Amy’s report reveals how outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Reuters, and Politico work directly with the oil and gas industry to produce branded “advertorials,” which straddle the line between advertisements and editorial content. While this financial arrangement raises questions about journalistic biases and conflicts of interest, what’s more troubling is that the majority of readers can’t tell the difference between sponsored content and genuine reporting.

In today’s interview, David speaks with Amy about the history of branded partnerships between fossil fuel interests and the media industry, how actual climate journalists feel about this type of sponsored content, and how advertorials promoting carbon capture and clean hydrogen technology provide a smoke screen for expanding oil production.

The two also discussed the annual United Nations climate summit, the latest being COP28, which has been slowly infiltrated and co-opted by the oil and gas industry in order to hamper any meaningful organization against climate change.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

Leading News Outlets Are Doing The Fossil Fuel Industry’s Greenwashing (The Intercept, 2023)
Drilled Media

BONUS: On Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we’ll be sharing David Sirota’s interview with Princeton professor D. Graham Burnett, who recently co-authored an op-ed for The New York Times about our ever-diminishing attention spans. Graham calls this the “attention fracking” economy, when social media giants use manipulative algorithms to keep users’ eyes glued to the screen.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sound And Fury Over Israel-Palestine

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 18:12:35 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by author and Washington Post Editorial board member Shadi Hamid to discuss the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza, specifically how this current iteration of the decades-long hostilities is being debated, protested, perceived, and exacerbated by people in America and across the globe.

In what has already been a bitterly polarizing decade in American history, the deadly conflict unfolding in Israel and Gaza has somehow managed to intensify that division. While there has been some progress, like the growing number of elected officials who support a permanent ceasefire agreement, the majority of our public discourse surrounding this crisis is heated and unconstructive. But an issue like this requires patience, humility, and a lot of listening. That’s true from the holiday dinner table to the White House.

In today’s discussion, David speaks with Shadi about why this particular conflict has drawn more global attention and instigated more public debate than other global conflicts. They also discuss reconciling the right to exist for both Israelis and Palestinians, how to construct a practical path forward that can meaningfully address genuine grievances, and what the changing politics of Israel-Palestine inside the Democratic Party might mean for the 2024 election.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

The Problem Of Democracy: America, The Middle East, And The Rise And Fall Of An Idea (Brookings, 2022)

BONUS: Last week’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, featured our interview with journalist and author Cole Stangler about his new book Paris Is Not Dead: Surviving Hypergentrification in the City of Light. Cole’s book explores how gentrification has affected the cultural makeup of Paris, and the public housing policies that have helped maintain the city’s diverse, working-class character.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artificial Intelligence Is Denying Americans Health Care

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, producer Frank Cappello and senior editor and reporter Andrew Perez are joined by health care journalist Bob Herman, who recently co-authored a report for health care industry news organization STAT detailing how the country’s largest health insurer has used artificial intelligence to deny rehabilitation services for older and disabled Americans.

The insurer, UnitedHealth Group, has claimed that its algorithm, which predicts how long patients will require rehab services, is used solely as a recommendation. But its subsidiary’s case managers allege the company pressures them to adhere to the algorithm’s suggestions in order to cut off payments as quickly as possible. This issue is affecting Americans enrolled in Medicare Advantage health insurance plans — the privatized version of Medicare operated by private insurers as an alternative to traditional Medicare.

In today’s interview, Frank and Andrew speak with Bob about the growing use of artificial intelligence in the health care industry, how insurance companies like UnitedHealth are effectively being run like automobile assembly lines, and how the federal government has largely failed to ensure that the private insurers operating Medicare Advantage plans follow Medicare coverage rules.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

UnitedHealth Pushed Employees To Follow An Algorithm To Cut Off Medicare Patients’ Rehab Care (STAT, 2023)

BONUS: This past Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, featured our interview with journalist and author Cole Stangler about his new book Paris Is Not Dead: Surviving Hypergentrification in the City of Light. Cole’s book explores how gentrification has affected the cultural makeup of Paris, and the public housing policies that have helped maintain the city’s diverse, working-class character.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Shareholder Advocates Transform Corporations

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 20:55:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, news editor Lucy Dean Stockton is joined by researcher Rosanna Landis Weaver and Andrew Behar, CEO of the non-profit shareholder advocacy organization As You Sow, to discuss how they’re using stock ownership in publicly-traded companies to promote corporate change from within.

50 years ago, economist Milton Friedman argued that a corporation’s “greatest responsibility lies in the satisfaction of the shareholders.” In other words, the primary goal of every business is to increase its profits and maximize returns to investors. But in hindsight, even Fortune magazine acknowledges that the ideology of “shareholder primacy” has extensively damaged society.

That’s where shareholder advocates come in, since they use their ownership in publicly traded companies to influence company decision-making. Whether it's pushing for transparency, addressing ethical concerns, advocating for sustainable practices, or curtailing CEO pay, shareholders have the ability to shape the companies in which they own stock.

In today’s interview, Rosanna and Andrew explain how their organization As You Sow practices shareholder advocacy, including a recent win at Starbucks to reduce their plastic waste. They break down their annual list of “The 100 Most Overpaid CEOs,” which details how some of the highest paid CEOs actually underperform for their companies. And they discuss how the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee recently opened an investigation into As You Sow along with other organizations, as part of their culture war against ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) investments.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

As You Sow
The 100 Most Overpaid CEOs (As You Sow, 2023)

BONUS: On Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we’ll be publishing our interview with journalist and author Cole Stangler about his new book Paris Is Not Dead: Surviving Hypergentrification in the City of Light, which explores how gentrification has affected the cultural makeup of Paris, and the public housing policies that have helped maintain the city’s diverse, working-class character.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What The Sam Bankman-Fried Verdict Means For Crypto

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, producer Frank Cappello is joined by researcher, software engineer, and cryptocurrency critic Molly White, who helps break down everything you need to know about the trial of former crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried.

On Nov. 2, a New York federal jury found Bankman-Fried guilty of seven counts of fraud and conspiracy related to the Nov. 2022 collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Bankman-Fried stole as much as $10 billion from its customers and investors, according to prosecutors. One prominent cryptocurrency proponent described the verdict as a “new beginning” for the industry — though critics are skeptical that anything has fundamentally changed.

In today’s interview, Molly unpacks Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial and verdict, as well as the implications for the broader crypto industry. Molly also explains how the crypto market, despite being decentralized, is more or less tethered to traditional financial markets, and why regulating the “Wild West” of cryptocurrency is more crucial than ever.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

BONUS: The Lever’s supporting subscribers get access to Lever Premium Podcasts, a private podcast feed which includes bonus episodes of Lever Time.

If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Pennsylvania Matters In 2024 (w/ Gov. Josh Shapiro)

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 19:25:20 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) to examine his first year in office as well as President Joe Biden’s poor poll numbers in the state.

According to a recent poll, former president Donald Trump leads Biden in five of six swing states, including Pennsylvania. Yet even with Biden’s waning popularity, Josh Shapiro remains one of the most popular Democratic governors in the country right now. With the second most electoral votes among the swing states, what happens in Pennsylvania could end up spelling victory or defeat for Biden’s re-election campaign in 2024.

In today’s interview, Sirota and Shapiro discuss this unique dynamic and what Biden can do to reverse course. They also unpack the election results from this past week’s race for a Pennsylvania Supreme Court seat and what it means for key issues like abortion access and union protections.

Shapiro also responds to questions about his new initiative to clean up his state’s natural gas industry, and the effects of those initiatives in the fight against climate change.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

BONUS: On Monday’s bonus episode we published David Sirota’s interview with Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) about the House’s Israel-Palestine ceasefire resolution as well as American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the pro-Israel lobbying group that has been lambasting the ceasefire effort as well as some progressive House members.

If you’d like regular access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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BONUS: The Lobbyists Who Don’t Want A Ceasefire

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) to discuss the House’s Israel-Palestine ceasefire resolution as well as the public pushback from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which has been lambasting the ceasefire resolution as well as some progressive House members.

Recent polling shows a majority of Americans support a ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict, and yet only 18 members of the U.S. House of Representatives officially support a ceasefire resolution. This is explained in part because America’s political discourse has been dominated by conservative groups such as AIPAC that equate opposition to Israel’s right-wing government to rising anti-semitism.

In today’s interview, David speaks with Pocan, who has been publicly calling for a ceasefire. Pocan was recently criticized by AIPAC after he called out the organization for polarizing the national conversation and demonizing Democrats who question Israel’s policies.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

BONUS: Last week’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium featured an interview with music writer Robin James and musician Greg Saunier about the the state of the music industry after the online music platform Bandcamp, which was recently sold to the licensing company Songtradr, laid off 50 percent of Bandcamp’s employees amid union contract negotiations.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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How Conservatives Won The Courts

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by lawyer Caroline Fredrickson, who recently penned an op-ed for The Atlantic titled, “What I Most Regret About My Decades of Legal Activism.” As the former head of the American Constitution Society — the liberal counterweight to the conservative legal network The Federalist Society — Caroline speaks with David about the strengths and weaknesses of liberal legal activism over the last two decades.

Caroline’s piece explores the past errors of the liberal legal movement, specifically how focusing on social issues like abortion rights ultimately stacked federal courts with judges who are lax on antitrust enforcement and corporate power. The result gave the conservative legal movement more money and power to pursue their own goals on social issues, such as the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated federal abortion rights.

In today’s interview, David and Caroline discuss how this dynamic created a negative feedback loop that bolstered the conservative legal movement, how think tanks like the Federalist Society have indoctrinated a generation of law students, and how the Democratic Party’s focus on identity politics have obscured the federal judiciary’s expansion of corporate power.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

What I Most Regret About My Decades of Legal Activism (The Atlantic, 2023)

BONUS: This past Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium featured an interview with music writer Robin James and musician Greg Saunier about the the state of the music industry after the online music platform Bandcamp, which was recently sold to the licensing company Songtradr, laid off fifty percent of Bandcamp’s employees amid union contract negotiations.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BONUS: The Corporate Takeover of Music (Lessons From Bandcamp)

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, The Lever’s Nick Campbell speaks with music writer Robin James and drummer Greg Saunier from the band Deerhoof to discuss the shifting corporate landscape of the music industry, and the larger dynamics of our economy.

The three zero in on a worrisome development: The online music platform Bandcamp was recently sold to the multinational music conglomerate Songtradr, leading to layoffs of 50 percent of Bandcamp’s employees amid union contract negotiations, an ominous sign for the future of the last major independent music sales platform.

In today’s discussion, Nick, Robin, and Greg explore the exploitative practices making the industry harder for working-class musicians — and what an equitable music industry could actually look like.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

The Future of Rock and Roll: 97X WOXY and the Fight for True Independence by Robin James (The University of North Carolina Press, 2023)
Miracle–Level by Deerhoof (Joyful Noise Recordings, 2023)
What 90s Alt Rock Radio, Woodstock 99, And The Telecome Act Have To Do With Contemporary Right-Wing Media (Robin James, 2022)

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How To Talk About Gaza (w/ Naomi Klein & Omar Baddar)

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On Wednesday, October 18, The Lever’s David Sirota hosted a live event with Canadian journalist and activist Naomi Klein and Palestinian-American political analyst Omar Baddar to discuss the ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas and the mounting humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

David, Naomi, and Omar spoke about the historical and political context that led to this moment, the double standard being applied by corporate media outlets in their coverage of Israel and Palestine, and recent responses from members of Congress. They also took questions live on-air from the audience.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

BONUS: On Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we’ll be sharing our interview with music writer Robin James and musician Greg Saunier about the the state of the music industry after the online music platform Bandcamp, which was recently sold to the licensing company Songtradr, laid off fifty percent of its employees amid unionization efforts.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The King Of The ‘Self-Help’ Grift

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by journalist and Citations Needed podcast co-host Adam H. Johnson to discuss the contradictions and hypocrisies of the multibillion-dollar self-help industry — an industry that has long convinced people that unhappiness is an attitude problem, and not a societal issue that needs to be addressed at a systemic level.

Adam’s recent story for The Lever exposed how one of the industry’s leading authors, Arthur Brooks, spent decades advocating for economic policies that have immiserated working Americans. As the former head of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), one of the country’s most prominent conservative think tanks, Brooks was paid nearly $3 million a year to help lead campaigns against Medicaid expansion, free college, rent control, and universal health care.

In today’s interview, David and Adam unpack how large parts of the self-help industry grifts its customers, the history of AEI and its toxic influence on American politics, and Brooks’ career transition from sower of despair to peddler of happiness.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

The Happiness Guru Who Immiserated America (The Lever, 2023)

BONUS: This past Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, featured David’s interview with Media Matters’ Allison Fisher about Rupert Murdoch’s lasting impact on climate change, since the recently retired media mogul used his control of Fox News and hundreds of other media outlets to spread misinformation and climate denialism.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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The Fog Of War In Israel And Palestine

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by Matt Duss, executive vice president at the Center for International Policy think tank, and Daniel Bessner, an international studies professor at the University of Washington, both of whom served as foreign policy advisors to U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, to discuss the deadly conflict unfolding in Israel-Palestine.

In today’s media landscape, discourse surrounding war often falls along disparate ideological lines, polluted with instantaneous reactions and hot takes. More often than not, these practices often dehumanize the extraordinary destruction and loss of human life these conflicts produce, as well as those with personal connections to the people and places experiencing that conflict. At their core, wars are terrible and devastating events that shake the foundations of civilization and should always be treated as such.

During today’s interview, David, Matt, and Daniel provide a thoughtful discussion of the events of the past week, including Hamas’ surprise attack on Israeli citizens and the Israeli government's violent response. They also discuss the historical rise of Hamas in the wake of failing peace negotiations, the internal dynamics within the Israeli government and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ideological framework, and the response from the U.S. government.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

BONUS: Next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, will feature David’s interview with Allison Fisher from the watchdog group Media Matters about Rupert Murdoch’s lasting impact on climate change, since the recently retired media mogul used his control of Fox News and hundreds of other media outlets to spread misinformation and climate denialism.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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The Hidden Flaws Of ‘Bidenomics’

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by Matt Stoller, the director of research at the American Economic Liberties Project, who explains the failures and successes of President Joe Biden’s economic policies, also known as “Bidenomics.”

In the past several months, unemployment has dropped and the rate of inflation has begun to slow, while consumer spending and manufacturing is on the rise. In a macro sense, the economy is doing well. But according to a recent NBC poll, 59 percent of Americans disapprove of President Biden’s handling of the economy.

During today’s interview, Stoller explains the disparity between the economic numbers and how working people are feeling, citing missing inflation data and a host of counteracting economic policies.

The two also dig into the current antitrust case against tech giant Google — the biggest antitrust lawsuit in several decades — and what it portends for the future of the tech industry and the economy as a whole.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

The Missing Inflation Data (The Lever, 2023)
BIG by Matt Stoller

BONUS: Next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, will feature our interview with former Senior Advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders, Nikhil Goyal, about his new book Live to See the Day: Coming Of Age In American Poverty, which chronicles the lives of three Puerto Rican teenagers growing up in one of Philadelphia’s poorest neighborhoods as they navigate America’s broken education and welfare system.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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American Intervention And Its Blowback

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by Brendan James and Noah Kulwin, producers and hosts of the wildly popular historical narrative podcast Blowback. Their new season covers the history of foreign intervention in Afghanistan and both the intentional and unintentional blowback from those efforts.

“Blowback” refers to an old CIA term meaning, “the unforeseen and unwanted effects, or repercussions to one’s actions.” In Blowback, Brendan and Noah report on the history of America’s foreign policy and interventions — including its efforts related to the various wars in Iraq, the Cuban Revolution, and the Korean War.

David speaks with Brendan and Noah about their new season, which goes into painstaking detail about Afghanistan, a country that has arguably suffered more modern foreign interventions than any other place on Earth. They cover Soviet interventions in the country in the 1970s and ’80s, the U.S.-backed rise of the Mujahideen, the September 11 World Trade Center attacks, and the subsequent U.S. invasion and war, which lasted over two decades.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

Blowback

BONUS: On this past Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we shared our interview with attorney Jeffrey Simon, who is part of the legal team suing 17 fossil fuel companies for their contribution to a 2021 heatwave that killed 69 people in Oregon’s Multnomah County.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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The Serious Science Of Extraterrestrial Research

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s Lever Time, David Sirota and journalist Laura Krantz are joined by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb to discuss his research into extraterrestrial life.

In 2017, a Maui telescope discovered an interstellar object that astronomers named Oumuamua (Hawaiian for “scout” or “messenger”) that had an elongated shape and an unusual acceleration not explained by gravity alone.

That’s when Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb suggested a controversial hypothesis: The object might be an extraterrestrial “light sail” — a thin metallic sheet that could harness sunlight for propulsion. Loeb continued to advocate for scientists to investigate astronomical anomalies, and in 2021, he co-founded the Galileo Project, which seeks to apply scientific rigor to eyewitness testimonies and other evidence related to potential alien technology on Earth.

Loeb's outspoken views have made him a prominent and controversial figure. Some people champion his approach, while others accuse him of distracting from legitimate astronomical discoveries and misleading the public.

In today’s interview, David and Laura speak with Avi about his scientific approach. They also discuss the recent alien hearings in Mexico’s Congress, how NASA’s own technology for space monitoring and exploration hasn’t been modernized, and how the stigma attached to extraterrestrial study hampers meaningful progress.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

The Galileo Project
How A Harvard Professor Became The World’s Leading Alien Hunter (New York Times Magazine, 2023)
Mexican Congress Shown ‘Non-Human’ Corpses In UFO Hearing (The Hill, 2023)
Is There Anybody Out There? (A Wild Thing Book) by Laura Krantz

BONUS: On Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we’ll be sharing our interview with attorney Jeffrey Simon, who is part of the legal team suing 17 fossil fuel companies for their contribution to a 2021 heatwave that killed 69 people in Oregon’s Multnomah County.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Inside The U.S.-China War Over Clean Energy

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 10:04:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota and Peter Goodman, The New York Times’ global economics correspondent, explore the pivotal role of Indonesia’s vast nickel reserve in the global electric vehicle (EV) revolution and the high-stakes geopolitical chess game the mineral has ignited.

The strategic tug-of-war between the U.S. and China over nickel — a crucial component for electric vehicle batteries — has implications for global trade dynamics and international alliances. If China dominates the EV supply chain, what does that mean for the U.S.’ electric vehicle ambitions? The conversation serves as a reminder of how formerly mundane resources like nickel will become embroiled in increasingly complicated geopolitical issues as part of a future reliant on clean energy.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

Peter Goodman’s article on the subject, “How Geopolitics Is Complicating the Move to Clean Energy.”

BONUS EPISODE RECOMMENDATION: From July 2023, “LEVER TIME PREMIUM: Norman Solomon On America’s Invisible Wars.”

If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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The American Masculinity Crisis

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota talks with author Richard Reeves about the growing evidence that men are struggling in modern America. In his latest book, Reeves delves into recent economic and social shifts that have negatively impacted men's lives. They discuss empirical data showing that men are falling behind in both college attendance and graduation rates, and how they are three times more likely than women to perish from “deaths of despair” related to suicide, alcohol, or drugs.

The two also explore how the shifting nature of masculinity is being manipulated by the likes of Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz and used as a recruiting tool for alt-right groups. Through it all, Reeves emphasizes the importance of addressing these issues without sidelining marginalized groups. “Problems that are not addressed become grievances,” says Reeves. “And grievances are exploited.”

Links

Reeves’ book: Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It

A transcript of this episode is available here.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Autoworkers Are Ready To Strike

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, producer Frank Cappello speaks with Labor Notes staff writer Luis Feliz Leon about why a potential autoworkers strike could be transformational for younger union members struggling under depressed wages and limited benefits.

Luis has been reporting on the ground about the ongoing contract negotiations between the United Auto Workers union and the “Big Three” automakers — Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis (formerly known as Chrysler). Last Friday, 150,000 autoworkers voted overwhelmingly to strike if a deal isn’t reached by the time their current contract expires on September 14. Under the new leadership of reformist president Shawn Fain, the union is ready to take action if their bold demands aren’t met.

In today’s interview, Frank and Luis break down everything you need to know about the ongoing negotiations. Luis offers his perspective on the union’s current strategy for exacting the best possible deal, and what a potential strike would mean for workers and the auto industry. He also breaks down how the union’s former leadership gave away major concessions during the Great Recession, and why a new union dynamic is long overdue.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

Fired-Up Auto Workers Are Ready to Battle the Big 3 (Labor Notes, 2023)
UAW Reformers Just Won Control of the Union. They Want to Turn It Into A Fighting Union. (Jacobin, 2023)
Will The Clean Energy Auto Economy Be Built On Factory Floors Riddled With Toxic Chemicals And Safety Hazards? (In These Times, 2023)

BONUS: On Monday’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we’ll be sharing David Sirota’s interview with economist Isabella Weber about monetary policy, inflation, and how we can use strategic price controls to rein in corporate profiteering.

If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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The Deadliest Wildfire In 100 Years

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, Lever news editor Lucy Dean Stockton speaks with former Hawaii state representative and national director of the Green New Deal Network Kaniela Ing about the recent wildfires in Maui.

On August 8th, a wildfire swept through the historic city of Lahaina, reducing almost every building to ash and killing more than 100 people. Scores of Lahaina residents have lost their homes, and more than 800 people are still missing as emergency responders address the crisis. As the community reels from the tragedy, people are examining the complicated roles that colonialism, climate change, and private equity played in the disaster.

In today’s interview, Lucy speaks with Kaniela, a seventh-generation indigenous Hawaiian, about current conditions in Maui, how the island’s underserviced electrical infrastructure contributed to the disaster, and how the Lahaina community is looking to rebuild. They also discuss Maui County’s landmark climate lawsuit against Big Oil, which alleges that oil companies knowingly made the climate crisis worse by selling and burning fossil fuels.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

BONUS: On Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we’ll be sharing our interview with historian Harvey Kaye and progressive activist Alan Minsky about the unfinished business of FDR’s Economic Bill of Rights.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Montana’s Monumental Climate Win

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, Julia Rock and Frank Cappello speak with environmental lawyer Julia Olson to discuss a recent historic win for young climate activists who she represents in Montana.

This past Monday, a judge in Montana ruled that young people are entitled to a “clean and healthful” environment. The case, known as Held v. Montana, included 16 plaintiffs ages 5 to 22, who testified that the state government’s pro-fossil fuel policies were unconstitutional. Held v. Montana was the first of several youth-led U.S. climate lawsuits to make it to trial.

Olson is the executive director and lead counsel for Our Children’s Trust, a nonprofit public interest law firm that represents plaintiffs in a number of these youth-led state climate cases as well as in a federal lawsuit, Juliana v. United States. Julia and Frank spoke with Julia Olson about this historic win, how the case’s legal strategy can be applied across the country, and why the Biden administration is attempting to prevent other youth-led climate lawsuits from going to trial.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

Our Children’s Trust
‘Gamechanger’: Judge Rules In Favor Of Young Activists In US Climate Trial (The Guardian, 2023)
Biden DOJ: “No Constitutional Right To A Stable Climate” (The Lever, 2023)

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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How PragerU’s Propaganda Machine Infiltrated Florida’s Schools

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s Lever Time, Audit hosts and friends of the show Josh Olson and Dave Anthony are joined by journalist and media expert John Knefel to discuss how the conservative propaganda operation PragerU landed a major new partnership with Florida’s public schools.

PragerU produces short-form video content on politics, social issues, and history. The media organization’s stated goal is to “promote American values through the creative use of educational videos” and “[offer] a free alternative to the dominant left-wing ideology in culture, media, and education.”

In 2021 PragerU launched PragerU Kids, focused on “educational content for children.” Now PragerU has raised the stakes, as it was recently announced that PragerU Kids content has been approved as supplemental teaching material in Florida public schools — even though PragerU is not an accredited educational institution. Prager isn’t planning to stop there: They recently published an online petition to get their content into schools across the country.

Hosts Josh and Dave, who examined the rise of PragerU in the latest season of The Audit, sit down with John to discuss PragerU’s official entry into the American education system. They break down how PragerU managed to get approved in Florida, how their work plays into the larger conservative movement to capture public education and siphon taxpayer money to fund charter schools, and what parents can do to stop PragerU from indoctrinating children.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

The lessons Florida public school students will learn from PragerU Kids (Media Matters, 2023)
Florida’s conservative PragerU teaching texts labeled ‘indoctrination’ (Tampa Bay Times, 2023)
What It Means That Florida Will Allow Conservative PragerU Content in Schools (Time, 2023)

BONUS: On Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we published our recent live chat with Yale law professor Samuel Moyn where we examined whether or not Congress has the authority to regulate the Supreme Court and the troubling legacy of Chief Justice John Roberts.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Heat Is The Deadliest Type Of Weather

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by Jeff Goodell, author of the new book The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet, to discuss recent deadly heat waves and how they’re a prelude to dangers to come.

This past July was the hottest single month in recorded history. In the United States, temperatures rose above 120 degrees in several regions of the country, and ocean temperatures in parts of Florida reached 101 degrees, potentially shattering the world record for ocean heat.

It’s not just the temperature that’s rising. Over the past few months, there has also been an increase in heat-related deaths and hospitalizations, including for life-threatening burns people have suffered from falling onto scorching concrete.

Heat is the deadliest type of weather, each year killing on average more than twice as many people as tornadoes and hurricanes combined. Of course, the groups that most acutely suffer from extreme heat events tend to be the most vulnerable, like unhoused people, the elderly, and those with pre-existing medical conditions.

To examine these problems, Sirota sits down with Goodell, a climate journalist and bestselling author. Together they break down which regions of the country will experience the most severe heat in the future, the limitations of air conditioning as a potential solution, our new geologic era, and how our concept of summer is set to drastically change from fun to survival.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet (Hachette Books, 2023)
The Anthropocene began in 1950s, scientists say (NPR, 2023)

BONUS: This past Monday’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, featured David’s interview with political economist and economic geographer Brett Christophers, author of the new book Our Lives In Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own The World.

If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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The Great Bank Robbery Of 2023

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On today’s Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with law professor and policy advocate Robert Hockett and former FDIC attorney Todd Phillips, to explain “The Great Bank Robbery of 2023” — a financial grift that very well could be impacting you. The three explore how this complicated bank swindle has become so prevalent, what federal regulators could do to stop it, and how consumers like you can protect yourself from the scam.

The grift goes like this: When you deposit your money at a bank, they should pay you interest for your money. That’s because they make money off of it: Banks lend out your deposits for mortgages and small business loans, or deposit money with the Federal Reserve — all of which generate a much higher interest rate return for the banks. The difference is profit.

Until recently, banks would pass along increased interest on these efforts to its customers. But over the last two years, as the Federal Reserve has hiked interest rates to combat inflation, banks haven’t been sharing the wealth.

Today, the gap between the profit banks generate by lending out those deposits and what they pay their customers is the largest it’s ever been: On average, banks are paying its depositors 0.4% interest, while reaping anywhere from 5 to 7 percent interest via lending. This has resulted in one of the largest upward wealth transfers in the modern economy, from customers to bank executives.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

The Great Bank Robbery of 2023 (The Lever, 2023)
BofA profit surges on interest income, surprise investment banking gain (Reuters, 2023)
TreasuryDirect.gov

BONUS: Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, featured our interview with climate scientist Dr. Andrew Pershing about “attribution science” — a new technique that can pinpoint how manmade climate change influences extreme weather events.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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The Do-Or-Die Stakes Of The Hollywood Strikes

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by The Bear writer and Writers Guild of America (WGA) union member Alex O’Keefe to discuss the stakes of the current Hollywood strike. The WGA has been on strike since early May after failing to secure a contract with the country’s major film and television producers. This past week, SAG-AFTRA, the union representing film and TV actors, joined the strike after failing to secure their own contract, putting Hollywood on standstill for the first time since 1960.

Over the last decade, the economy of Hollywood has been completely upended by the advent of streaming services like Netflix, as well as the consolidation of major entertainment companies such as the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery. This has led to a “content arms race” as companies have competed to amass their own libraries of movies and TV shows. The result has been a shift to faster and cheaper film productions, which have adversely affected almost all of Hollywood’s workers.

In the face of such rapid changes, David speaks with Alex about what the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are demanding from the studios. This includes increased pay for shorter production schedules, residual payments for content on streaming platforms, and protections against AI programs taking over their jobs. The two discuss what’s at stake if workers’ demands aren’t met, and whether or not the unions are being “unrealistic,” as Disney CEO Bob Iger recently put it.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

LEVER WEEKLY: What Workers Are Up Against (The Lever, 2023)
SAG actors', writers' strikes bring revolution to Hollywood (LA Times, 2023)
Hollywood Studios’ WGA Strike Endgame Is To Let Writers Go Broke Before Resuming Talks In Fall (Deadline, 2023)

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Deconstructed Podcast: An Inflation Solution That Doesn’t Screw Workers

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 10:05:00 -0000

Today, we’re sharing an episode of the podcast Deconstructed from our friends over at The Intercept, an award-winning investigative news organization.

Centrist and right-wing economists continue to advocate for laying off workers and engineering a recession to address inflation. But why not set price controls instead? This week on Deconstructed, host Ryan Grim is joined by James K. Galbraith, a professor of government and business relations at the University of Texas at Austin. Galbraith has an extensive history of working in government, including as executive director of the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress and an economist for the House Banking Committee.

Galbraith and Grim discuss the implementation of price controls by the U.S. government and how such measures bring down prices. They also explore how the Biden administration could expand its price control efforts, and how Galbraith’s father — economist and politician John Kenneth Galbraith — was instrumental in setting price controls during World War II.

If you like Lever Time with David Sirota, be sure to check out Deconstructed on all podcast platforms and subscribe.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

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The Stealth Supreme Court Rulings No One Is Talking About

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by law professor Stephen Vladeck, author of the new book, The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic.

The Supreme Court has received a lot of attention in the last several years for its extreme rulings on matters such as abortion rights, environmental regulations, and affirmative action. But there’s another very important court procedure that doesn’t receive nearly as much attention: the aptly named “shadow docket.”

These are the cases that occur outside of the court’s regular docket and usually involve urgent matters, such as requests for emergency stays, injunctions, and other types of temporary relief. These cases are often decided through brief orders, meaning without oral arguments, full written opinions, or even disclosing how the justices voted. But in recent years, the court has increasingly used the shadow docket to effectively leapfrog over the appeals court system on major decisions, sometimes with devastating effects.

David and Stephen dive deep into the shadow docket’s history, how it continues to undermine the Supreme Court’s credibility, and how most of these decisions are not based on any kind of legal rationale or precedent.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic (Hachette Book Group, 2023)
Supreme Court “Shadow Docket” Under Review by U.S. House of Representatives (American Bar Association, 2021)

BONUS: This past Monday’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, featured David’s interview with media critic Norman Solomon about his new book, War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its Military Machine.

If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Deconstructed Podcast: Inside Joe Manchin's Rise, Alliances, and Potential Presidential Ambitions

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 04:48:44 -0000

Today, we’re sharing an episode of the podcast Deconstructed from our friends over at The Intercept, an award-winning investigative news organization.

In this episode, Daniel Boguslaw, a politics reporter for The Intercept, interviews Senator Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) former political advisor Scott Sears. Boguslaw tells the story of Manchin’s rise in West Virginia politics, his strategic alliance with powerful business interests, and explains how the Senator ended up with such power over the Democratic legislative agenda.

In recent months, Manchin has been noncommittal when asked about a presidential run. Meanwhile, No Labels, a centrist political organization funded by dark money donors, is looking to run a split ticket featuring one Republican and one Democrat — and Manchin is considered one of the likely candidates. Sears helped Manchin secure political wins across the state before switching parties and throwing his support behind Donald Trump.

If you like Lever Time with David Sirota, be sure to check out Deconstructed on all podcast platforms and subscribe.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

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The Supreme Court Has A Billionaire Problem

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota and Andrew Perez are joined by ProPublica’s Justin Elliott, who recently co-authored an exposédetailing how Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito failed to disclose luxury gifts provided by billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Singer.

This story follows ProPublica’s reporting from earlier this year about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who also failed to disclose gifts he received from his own billionaire benefactor, Harlan Crow.

David, Andrew and Justin discuss how these new revelations raise questions about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, why a lack of judicial oversight contributes to the problem, and how powerful GOP operative Leonard Leo ties all of these stories together.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court (ProPublica, 2023)
Alito Could Deliver Another Ruling For Billionaire Benefactor (The Lever, 2023)
Clarence Thomas And The Billionaire (ProPublica, 2023)

BONUS: This past Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, featured our interview with Brandon Tizol, a New York-based organizer who was part of the campaign that helped pass a transformative renewable energy bill in the state.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Deconstructed Podcast: Why Dems Must Play “Chess, Not Checkers” With Political Messaging

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 10:05:00 -0000

Today, we’re sharing an episode of the podcast Deconstructed with Ryan Grim, D.C. bureau chief of The Intercept, an award-winning investigative news organization.

In this episode, Grim, speaks with communications consultant Anat Shenker-Osorio, host of the podcast Words to Win, and whose company ASO Communications works with progressive think tanks like the Voting Rights Lab. Grim and Shenker-Osorio discuss why progressive messages often succeed while moderate messages typically fail, and how strategists can meaningfully reframe an ideological conversation to craft a message that resonates and wins.

They also revisit Ryan’s conversation with tech executive and political strategist Dmitri Mehlhorn, who made news last May for helping finance E. Jean Carroll’s defamation lawsuit against former president Donald Trump. Grim and Shenker-Osorio unpack why messaging that gravitates toward the center is less effective than messages that challenge entrenched power.

Links:

The May 6, 2023 Deconstructed episode with Dmitri Mehlhorn

If you like Lever Time with David Sirota, be sure to check out Deconstructed on all podcast platforms and subscribe.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

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Boots Riley On The Writers Strike, Organized Labor, And His New TV Show

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 10:05:00 -0000

As the Writers Guild of America strike enters its eighth week, David Sirota sits down with writer, director, musician, and activist Boots Riley to discuss the ongoing labor struggle, as well as his radical new TV show.

In all of Boots’ work runs a deep commitment to social justice and organized labor. In 2018, Boots released the celebrated film Sorry to Bother You, an absurdist dark comedy about race and class politics set in the world of telemarketing. Now, Boots speaks with David about his fantastical new TV series I’m A Virgo, which is garnering rave reviews.

Boots also discusses his roots in political activism and the importance of the writers strike and how its visibility is crucial to the resurgent U.S. labor movement.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

‘Sorry To Bother You’ Director Boots Riley On WGA Strike, Struggle, Solidarity, Sacrifice & AI – Guest Column (Deadline, 2023)
I’m A Virgo (Prime Video, 2023)

BONUS: On next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, we’ll be sharing our interview with Brandon Tizol, a New York-based organizer who was part of the campaign to pass the Build Public Renewables Act in the state.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Pentagon Whistleblower: The Government Is Hiding “Non-Human” Technology

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 10:05:00 -0000

David sits down with prominent investigative journalist Leslie Kean, who earlier this month published a blockbuster report about a potential secret government UFO effort. According to Kean and her co-author, a former U.S. intelligence official-turned-whistleblower recently gave Congress classified information about covert programs that he says possess intact and partially intact aircraft of non-human origin.

Kean has become known for her diligent reporting on UFOs (they’re now officially called “unidentified anomalous phenomena,” or UAP) and how the government is hiding information about them from the public. David and Leslie dig into her new story as well as the long history of UFO sightings and official obfuscation: What does the government know? How long have they known it? And why aren’t they telling us?

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

Intelligence Officials Say U.S. Has Retrieved Craft Of Non-Human Origin (The Debrief, 2023)
Why The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Politico Didn’t Publish a Seemingly Bombshell Report About UFOs (Vanity Fair, 2023)
Glowing Auras and ‘Black Money’: The Pentagon’s Mysterious U.F.O. Program (The New York Times, 2017)

BONUS: Next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, will explore the Build Public Renewables Act — a landmark piece of climate legislation recently passed in New York state — and include an interview with one of the organizers involved in the campaign.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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The Fix Was In With Biden’s Debt Ceiling Deal

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 10:05:00 -0000

The country may have narrowly avoided a debt default catastrophe by passing a debt ceiling deal on June 3, but that doesn’t mean we should allow the fiasco to fall into the memory hole. David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect, joins host David Sirota to dissect the event, discuss the political misuse of the debt limit, and explore what was traded away in this crisis.

While the Biden administration is literally advertising the deal as a bipartisan triumph, the two scrutinize its controversial implications: slashed budgets, renewed student debt payments, and major fossil fuel concessions. Dayen, who covers the intersection of politics and economics, questions the acceptance of such outcomes by the Democrats: Are these political tradeoffs, or do they represent the party’s true goals?

Links:

A transcript of this episode is available here.

BONUS: Next Monday’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, is a deep dive on the climate crisis in the American West, and how new fights over climate legislation there could determine climate policy for years to come.

If you’d like access to this and other episodes of Lever Time Premium, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Social Media Is Killing Our Kids — Sen. Chris Murphy Has a Plan

Wed, 31 May 2023 10:05:00 -0000

David Sirota sits down with U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) for a wide-ranging interview. They discuss the proposed debt ceiling deal and whether Democrats could have done more to stop Republicans from holding the U.S. economy hostage.

They also discuss Murphy’s key legislative focus: social media’s harmful effects on Americans, particularly children, and what can be done to stop it.

According to a survey by Common Sense Media, teenagers report spending nearly nine hours every day in front of screens, 38 percent of kids ages eight to twelve say they use social media, and more than 60 percent report trying and failing to quit social media. All of these findings are possible signs of dependency and addiction. Social media companies won’t address this problem on their own, since their business model is predicated on keeping users scrolling as long as possible.

That’s why Sen. Murphy, along with a bipartisan group of lawmakers, recently proposed the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act, legislation that would limit some of the most harmful aspects of social media from endangering America’s children. David speaks with Sen. Murphy about his proposal, and the larger issues of social isolation and depression plaguing Americans.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

We are senators from both parties. It’s time to protect kids on social media. (Washington Post, 2023)
This Democratic Senator Is Making an Unusual Enemy (The New Republic, 2023)

BONUS: Last Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, included David’s interview with political theorist Adolph Reed Jr. about his new book No Politics But Class Politics. To get access to Lever Time Premium, click here.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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What Succession Taught Us About Corporate Media (w/ Frank Rich)

Thu, 25 May 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota sits down with writer and executive producer Frank Rich to discuss the series finale of HBO’s Succession.

As the award-winning series comes to an end this Sunday, David and Frank take a look at Succession’s role in popular culture over the last five years, particularly its satire of the media industrial-complex and the American political system. Frank explains how the show offers a larger commentary on power and influence but above all, tells a story about a broken family. David also asks whether it’s plausible for an “intellectual fascist” like the character Jeryd Mencken to succeed in the Republican primary system.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

Frank Rich Bids Farewell to Succession (Vanity Fair 2023)

BONUS: Next Monday’s bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, will include David’s interview with political theorist Adolph Reed Jr. about his new book No Politics But Class Politics. To get access to Lever Time Premium, click here.

If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Meet The Pundits Who Falsely Blamed Inflation on Workers

Thu, 18 May 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: After corporate pundits spent the last year gaslighting the American public into believing that rising corporate profits were definitely not driving inflation, now economists and financial institutions are arriving at consensus that rising corporate profits are in fact driving inflation.

David Sirota sits down with Lindsay Owens, the Executive Director of the Groundwork Collaborative, and Hal Singer, the Managing Director of Econ One, who have both been sounding the alarm for over a year about corporate price gouging and profiteering which have been driving inflation. The group digs into the origins of the false inflation narrative, which corporate pundits and beltway economists are most responsible, and how policymakers can push back.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

How Pundits’ Inflation Myth Crushed The Working Class (The Lever, 2023)
The Real Inflation Problem: Corporate Profiteering (Groundwork Collaborative, 2022)
With the New Consensus on How Profits Are Driving Inflation, We Must Pivot to New Policies (The Sling, 2023)

BONUS: Next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, will include our interview with Tara Raghuveer, the campaign director for the People’s Action Home Guarantee campaign, to discuss the skyrocketing rent prices across the U.S. Tara explains who’s profiting off rising rents and what policies can be put in place to help renters.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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This Right-Wing “University” Is Coming For Your Kids

Thu, 11 May 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by Josh Olson and Dave Anthony, hosts of The Audit podcast, to discuss the dangerous influence of the conservative media network Prager University (also known as PragerU).

PragerU has become one of the most successful peddlers of right-wing propaganda, as their professionally produced short-form videos often go viral on YouTube and Facebook. Though they originally made videos for adults, PragerU’s “educational content” has pivoted towards children and their parents in recent years. Now, shockingly, PragerU videos are finding their way into the American education system, as teachers across the country use PragerU content in their classrooms, with or without the consent of students and their parents.

This season of The Audit focuses specifically on PragerU, digging into how this propaganda organization got its start, where it gets its money from, and how it's attempting to indoctrinate America’s children.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Links:

The Right Curriculum? How PragerU Infiltrates Schools. (The American Prospect, 2021)
Right-wing propaganda organization PragerU begins targeting children (The Hawk Talk, 2022)
Inside the Right-Wing YouTube Empire That’s Quietly Turning Millennials Into Conservatives (Mother Jones, 2018)

BONUS: Next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, will include David’s dual interviews with with Brendan Ballou, author of the new book Plunder: Private Equity's Plan to Pillage America, and Josh Rosner, co-author of These Are the Plunderers: How Private Equity Runs – And Wrecks – America. Brendan and Josh break down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the private equity industry, which is arguably one of the most destructive industries within the American economy.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Will Artificial Intelligence Destroy Us or Set Us Free?

Thu, 04 May 2023 10:05:00 -0000

David Sirota sits down with Dr. Max Tegmark, president of the Future of Life Institute and one of the world’s leading experts in artificial intelligence, to dive into the growing debate around AI. In this deep-dive conversation, Dr. Tegmark breaks down recent breakthroughs in generative AI technology like ChatGPT and explains how it could replace most forms of human labor — for better or worse. They unpack why private interests are barreling forward with commercial AI development and why the Future of Life Institute has publicly called for an immediate pause on all AI experimentation. Dr. Tegmark also explains how AI could be the most transformative technology in human history — and the (small!) probability it becomes the Terminator.

Next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever’s supporting subscribers, will include David’s extended conversation with Dr. Tegmark. In this special bonus segment, Dr. Tegmark describes the safety measures that could prevent the emergence of the most dangerous forms of AI. If those precautions are put in place, he argues, AI could cure disease, stop climate change, end poverty, and just maybe set us free.

Links:

Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter (Future of Life Institute, 2023)
EU lawmakers' challenge to rein in ChatGPT and generative AI (Reuters, 2023)

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A transcript of this episode is available here.

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Did AstroTurf's "Forever Chemicals" Cause The Deaths Of Pro Athletes?

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota speaks with Philadelphia Inquirer journalists Barbara Laker and David Gambacorta about their recent blockbuster investigation, which details how chemicals found in the AstroTurf at Veterans Stadium may be linked to the deaths of six Philadelphia Phillies baseball players. The three discuss how hazardous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” are now being discovered in a variety of different products. They also unpack why the conditions at Veterans Stadium may have been uniquely hazardous — and what, if anything, is being done to regulate PFAS.

Links:

Field Of Dread (The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 2023)
Toxic PFAS Chemicals Found In Artificial Turf (The Intercept, October 2019)

If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A transcript of this episode is available here.

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The Clarence Thomas Secret Money Trail

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 10:05:00 -0000

In this week’s episode of Lever Time, David Sirota and Andrew Perez talk with ProPublica reporter Justin Elliott, who helped break open the explosive story about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas failing to disclose luxury gifts and business deals with billionaire real estate magnate Harlan Crow. The three discuss how Propublica uncovered these groundbreaking details, the ethical questions emerging from the revelations, and what we know about Crow's interest in the Supreme Court.

Links:

Billionaire Harlan Crow Bought Property From Clarence Thomas. (ProPublica, April 6)
Thomas Pushed To Kill Disclosure Laws While Getting Secret Billionaire Gifts (The Lever, April 12)

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A transcript of this episode is available here.

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Biden’s First Primary Challenger (w/ Marianne Williamson)

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota talks with author and political activist Marianne Williamson. They discuss her repeat candidacy for the Democratic party’s nomination in the 2024 presidential election, the political media industrial complex, universal healthcare, economic reform, science denialism, and facing down neo fascists.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A transcript of this episode is available here.

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AOC Sounds the Alarm About Biden 2024

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s special episode of Lever Time, progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) sits down for an extended interview with David Sirota.

The two discuss the breaking news of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas accepting luxury trips from a billionaire Republican donor, which AOC says is grounds for impeachment (00:00), as well as the Biden administration’s "extremely risky and very perilous" swing to the right. They also tackle the railroad labor dispute, President Joe Biden’s support for a disastrous fossil fuel project in Alaska, how to pass Medicare for All, and the recent indictment of former President Donald Trump. What’s more, Sirota presses AOC on why she and other progressives haven’t withheld their votes more often to pressure Democratic leaders.

Finally, in a special Lever Time Premium bonus segment for paid Lever subscribers, AOC reveals what it’s like trying to function in Washington amid the culture of money, power and pressure of massive corporate spending.

If you'd like access to this bonus content and other Lever Time Premium episodes, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A transcript of this episode is available here.

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Who Created America’s Free Market Mythology?

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 10:05:00 -0000

This week, David Sirota speaks with Naomi Oreskes about the mythology of “market fundamentalism” that exists deep within the American psyche. A Harvard Professor of history, Oreskes explains how the total belief in the wisdom of the free-markets (in opposition to the ‘evil’ big government), went from being on the fringes of public debate to a dogmatic ideology that is unique to the United States. It’s a fascinating history involving key figures of the 20th century, including Herbert Hoover, industry groups, and a massively popular show called “General Electric Theater that starred a Hollywood actor named Ronald Reagan. (02:49)

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

Read a transcript of this episode here.

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The Bank Regulator Who Was Blocked for Being Right

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 10:05:00 -0000

This week, David Sirota delves into the bank panic of 2023 with Saule Omarova, a Cornell Law School professor whose nomination to be one of the government's top bank regulators was blocked due to her opposition to deregulation. She was right about everything, as it turns out. Also, Matt Stoller joins David to explore alternative methods for securing deposits and advocate for policy-makers to rethink their relationship to the Federal Reserve. (09:12)

Links:

Brian Stelter’s profile of David Sirota and The Lever in Airmail.
Last Friday’s live discussion with U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on the SVB collapse.
Sign The Lever’s open letter to fire Jay Powell right now www.firepowell.com.

Find a transcript of this episode here.

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

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Regulatory Rollbacks and The Bank Panic of 2023

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 10:05:00 -0000

This week’s episode of Lever Time explores the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and its impact on the U.S. financial system.

Lever reporter Julia Rock joins David Sirota to discuss banking CEOs’ lobbying efforts to roll back key regulations in the lead-up to the implosion, and Cornell University Law Professor Robert C. Hockett provides expert insight on whether uninsured deposits should be protected from such disasters. (08:25)

Also discussed: The recent conviction of former Ohio House speaker Larry Householder, a Republican, on racketeering conspiracy charges in connection with a bribery scheme involving FirstEnergy Corp.

If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which features international whistleblower expert Stephen Kohn on how to blow the whistle on corporate and government malfeasance while protecting yourself, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A transcript of this episode is available here.

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Why Have Dems Lost Working Class Voters? (w/ Nina Turner)

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 11:05:00 -0000

David Sirota is joined by progressive icon Nina Turner to talk about Ohio politics and why Democrats like Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg completely fumbled the political response to the train derailment in East Palestine. A former Ohio State Senator, Nina has a keen sense of why Trump’s messaging appeals so much more to working-class residents and why Democrats must avoid the “neo-liberal cult of self-righteousness” if they want to win back voters. Also discussed: recent organizing efforts by Starbucks and Amazon workers and the 2024 presidential election.(16:42)

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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How to Derail the Anti-Safety Train Lobby

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 11:04:00 -0000

David Sirota talks with U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Penn.) about the fear, anger, and mistrust felt by many of his constituents in the aftermath of the Norfolk Southern train derailment disaster. The freshman congressman talks about the latest efforts to hold these giant railroad companies accountable, the runaway deregulation that has put communities at risk, and his hopes for bipartisan movement toward fixing the real problems. In fact, just after taping this interview, Deluzio and Congressman Ro Khanna introduced a bill to tighten safety regulations for “high-hazard” flammable materials on trains (09:11).

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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INSIDE THE STORY: Private Equity’s Senator Gets Big Payout

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 18:51:35 -0000

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Andrew Perez who details their new story published by The Lever:

“For years, Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) led the fight to protect one of the most controversial provisions in the entire tax code — a loophole criticized by presidents of both parties that allows a handful of private equity executives to pay a lower tax rate than other high earners.

Now, Toomey is being rewarded with a seat on the board of a private equity giant that has lobbied to preserve that tax loophole.”

To read the full story, click here.

If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter.

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How The Lever Forced Buttigieg To Do His Job

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: Producer Frank sits down with journalists Julia Rock, Rebecca Burns, and Matthew Cunningham-Cook for an in-depth conversation about The Lever’s groundbreaking reporting on the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The group explores how an environmental disaster like this can occur, including examining the influence of the railroad and chemical lobbies, as well as detailing the regulatory capture of three separate presidential administrations. The group also details how The Lever’s reporting gained national coverage, triggered a public pressure campaign, and helped lead to a response from Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (1:50).

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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The JFK Files And The CIA

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by investigative journalist Jefferson Morley, one of the foremost experts on the assassination of president John F. Kennedy. David and Jeff discuss the trove of classified documents pertaining to the assassination that were recently released by the Biden administration, what we learned from the materials, and the potential reasons why the CIA is still withholding an estimated 4,000 additional documents (8:49).

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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INSIDE THE STORY: Rail Companies Blocked Safety Rules Before Ohio Derailment

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 21:08:59 -0000

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Julia Rock and Rebecca Burns who detail their new story published by The Lever:

“Before this weekend’s fiery Norfolk Southern train derailment prompted emergency evacuations in Ohio, the company helped kill a federal safety rule aimed at upgrading the rail industry’s Civil War-era braking systems, according to documents reviewed by The Lever.

Though the company’s 150-car train in Ohio reportedly burst into 100-foot flames upon derailing — and was transporting materials that triggered a fireball when they were released and incinerated — it was not being regulated as a “high-hazard flammable train,” federal officials told The Lever.”

To read the full story, click here.

If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter.

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Meet Alaska’s First Democratic Rep. In Almost 50 Years (w/ Rep. Mary Peltola)

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota sits down with freshman Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska), who recently made history as the first woman elected to represent Alaska in the House of Representatives, and the first Democrat to represent the state in the lower chamber in almost 50 years. David speaks with Mary about how she pulled off her historic win, why she opposed forcing the railroad unions to accept the contract brokered by the Biden administration, and Alaska’s economic dependency on the oil and gas industry in the face of climate change (12:40).

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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INSIDE THE STORY: Fear And Loathing Among The Union Busters

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 20:24:33 -0000

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Julia Rock who details their new story published by The Lever:

“The restaurant industry has long coordinated efforts to suppress labor costs through the NRA, a multimillion-dollar lobbying machine funded both by its restaurant members and by the fees workers pay for required food-safety classes. The group has spent its war chest on lobbying campaigns to preserve a subminimum wage for tipped workers — who are disproportionately young, women, and people of color, and far more likely to live in poverty than regular minimum wage workers — and to help block state and federal sick leave proposals and minimum wage increases.”

To read the full story, click here.

If you enjoyed this story and want to support independent journalism, you can go to LeverNews.com to subscribe to our free newsletter or become a paid supporter.

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Why Republicans Want To Defund The IRS

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: A few weeks ago, House Republicans passed a bill to cancel new Internal Revenue Service funding. David Sirota sits down with journalist and tax policy expert Jesse Eisinger, who provides much-needed context on the GOP’s push to defund one of our most integral government agencies. (Yes, the IRS really is necessary.) Jesse explains how the modest investments passed by Democrats would help the beleaguered IRS hold accountable our worst tax cheats and create billions of dollars in new revenue, and how Republican efforts to defund the agency would lead to even more of its chronically lax oversight (12:08).

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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INSIDE THE STORY: The Lawsuit That Could Freeze Speech Against Billionaires

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 22:08:41 -0000

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Jordan Uhl who details their new story published by The Lever:

“Since Elon Musk took over Twitter, the national debate over free speech has narrowly focused on tech companies’ social media censorship. But offline in a Texas court, a lawsuit could send an intimidating message to political candidates across the country: If you suggest billionaire donors buy political influence, you could face severe punishment.”

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INSIDE THE STORY: Pfizer Pays To Change The Story

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 21:35:13 -0000

“Pfizer recently made headlines for hiking prices on roughly 100 drugs in the United States, shortly after the company announced plans to quadruple the price of its COVID-19 vaccine. Now, the pharmaceutical giant is paying news outlets to tell a different story — a fawning tale about how the company has been altruistically working to expand access to its products overseas.”

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The State Of Congress (w/ Rep. Ro Khanna)

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time Premium: David Sirota sits down with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) for a substantive conversation on the latest congressional developments. First, they discuss Ro’s ongoing House Oversight Committee investigation into fossil-fueled disinformation campaigns. The two also cover the U.S. airline industry debacle, the debate around banning gas stoves, and the recent votes for House Speaker — and why progressives have yet to wield the same power as right-wing Republicans (9:16).

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INSIDE THE STORY: Insurers Are Fighting To Protect Their Medicare Fraud

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 19:19:09 -0000

"This year, for the first time, a majority of seniors eligible for Medicare will be on privatized Medicare Advantage plans. Now, the insurance companies raking in giant profits from these for-profit plans are mounting a pressure campaign and planning to sue the government to protect years of overpayments they’ve extracted from Medicare."

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The Corporate Merger No One’s Talking About

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: Last October, grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons announced they planned to merge and become one of the largest grocery monopolies in the country. To learn what’s at stake, David Sirota is joined by journalist Moe Tkacik, who has been covering the story for months, and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, who recently launched a multistate antitrust investigation into the potential merger (10:00).

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A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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INSIDE THE STORY: How Big Pharma Actually Spends Its Massive Profits

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 23:06:50 -0000

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Julia Rock, who details their new story published by The Lever:

Pharmaceutical giants rang in the new year by quietly announcing price hikes in the United States on more than 350 drugs — and they continue to insist these price hikes are necessary for innovation. But new research shows that the business model of America’s largest pharmaceutical companies involves far more spending on enriching shareholders and executives than on research and development.

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How The Airline Industry Became A Living Nightmare

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: After the Southwest Airlines debacle that saw over 2,500 flights canceled and up to a million travelers stranded over the holidays, David Sirota explores how the U.S. airline industry became one of the most concentrated and despised industries in the country with the help of William J. McGee, a senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economic Liberties Project. William explains to David the history of airline deregulation and the federal preemption that left oversight of the industry solely in the questionable hands of the Secretary of Transportation (10:50).

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INSIDE THE STORY: The Battle Over The Side-Letter Scam

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 20:20:26 -0000

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Matthew Cunningham-Cook who details their new story published by The Lever:

For years, the retirement savings of teachers, firefighters, and other government workers have been funneled by public officials to secretive Wall Street firms that charge high fees in exchange for the false promise of outsized returns. But as the stock market plummets and asset values drop, there are new fears that pensioners will be unable to access their cash, while insiders will be allowed to pull their money out before things get worse.

Now, Wall Street firms and their political allies — including a U.S. Senator with substantial private equity holdings — are trying to stop federal regulators from intervening to protect retirees by banning firms from giving some investors preferential treatment. And there are no rules requiring lawmakers with investments in private equity to disclose whether they are being given special investment preferences while they lobby to protect those asset managers.

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INSIDE THE STORY: Banks’ Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free Card

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 18:05:49 -0000

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Rebecca Burns who details their new story published by The Lever:

Amid a financial crime spree and spate of corporate convictions, federal regulators recently floated a proposed fix: strengthening an existing rule designed to bar criminal banks from managing — and profiting off — trillions of dollars of retirement funds.

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Elon Musk’s Twitter Is The Opposite Of Free Speech

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: In light of Elon Musk’s Twitter flippantly banning journalists last week, David Sirota chats with Producer Frank and Jordan Uhl about the broader implications. Is this just another culture war sideshow, or is it the most forward-facing example of what happens when oligarchs control the public discourse (1:50)?

Then, David is joined by Evan Greer, the director of the digital rights advocacy group Fight For The Future, who helps unpack the significance of Twitter’s implosion. Unlike other social media websites, Twitter is both a news source and a town square, which makes Elon’s unilateral control of the company all the more concerning. They also dig into the practicalities of content moderation and why freedom of expression is so crucial in the digital age (21:02).

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A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

https://www.fightforthefuture.org/

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INSIDE THE STORY: BlackRock’s Stealth Anti-Climate Agenda

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 19:57:23 -0000

This mini-episode is part of our Inside The Story series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Rebecca Burns who details her new story published by The Lever:

BlackRock, the world’s largest investment company, has become a top target of the right’s crusade against so-called “woke capitalism” because of its rhetoric around climate change and sustainable investing. But when it comes to climate action, the giant asset manager isn’t presently all that far apart from its GOP detractors. Both BlackRock and congressional Republicans are fighting — albeit through different strategies — to defang a forthcoming regulation that would force companies to disclose their carbon emissions and the risks that climate change pose to their business models.

To read the full story, click here.

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INSIDE THE STORY: Leonard Leo’s Latest Supreme Court Play

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 17:28:00 -0000

This mini-episode is part of our Lever News series, where we highlight some of The Lever’s original reporting and speak with the journalists who wrote the story. Frank Cappello speaks with Andrew Perez who details his new story published by The Lever.

Flush with money after receiving the largest-known political advocacy donation in U.S. history, conservative activist Leonard Leo and his associates are spending millions of dollars to influence some of the Supreme Court’s most consequential recent cases, newly released tax documents obtained by ProPublica and The Lever show. (This story was reported in partnership between The Lever and ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power.)

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The Scientific Breakthrough That Could End Climate Change

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: In light of the recent breakthrough in nuclear fusion technology, David Sirota sits down with UK plasma physicist Dr. Arthur Turrell to learn about this “holy grail” of scientific research. Could nuclear fusion be deployed to combat the climate crisis, and how long would it take to do so (8:37)?

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A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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Why Biden Betrayed Railroad Workers

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by New York Times global economics correspondent Peter S. Goodman to explore why President Biden and the Democrats chose to side with railroad barons by forcing rail workers to accept a contract they had already rejected. They also dig into why the rail workers’ demand for additional paid sick days became such a sticking point in negotiations, and what a potential rail strike could mean for the U.S. economy (6:24).

Then, The Lever’s Julia Rock sits down with journalist and filmmaker Blake Zeff to discuss his new documentary Loan Wolves, which details the history of America’s student debt crisis, which politicians are to blame, and how student debt has impacted Americans across the country (30:24).

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A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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How To Be Funny In 2022 (w/ David Cross)

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: Andrew Perez sits down with Lindsay Owens, executive director of the progressive think tank Groundwork Collaborative, to talk about why the upcoming fight in Congress over the debt ceiling is so pivotal. Owens explains how inflation will play a role in the negotiations, and discusses whether or not President Joe Biden will allow the conflict to be used as an excuse to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits (7:32).

Then, David Sirota is joined by comedy legend David Cross, known for his roles in Mr. Show and Arrested Development and one of the most subversive comedians of the modern era. The two Davids discuss the state of modern comedy, the debate around cancel culture and free speech, and what is the most constructive way to make fun of people you disagree with (25:46).

Finally, for this week’s bonus segment, David speaks with journalist and author Geoff Dembicki about his new book The Petroleum Papers: Inside the Far-Right Conspiracy to Cover Up Climate Change, which details the how the fossil fuel industry has spent the last several decades spreading disinformation about climate science (1:05:09).

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A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

groundworkcollaborative.org

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Ticketmaster’s Monopoly vs. Taylor Swift Fans

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota discusses one of the country’s first-ever dark money disclosure laws passed during the recent midterms — Arizona Proposition 211 — and speaks with former Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, who has spent the better part of the last decade fighting to get the law passed (4:37).

Then, David is joined by Jordan Uhl, who has been covering last week’s Ticketmaster debacle in which thousands of Taylor Swift fans learned the hard way what happens when antitrust law isn’t enforced. The two were also joined by Max Collins, frontman for the rock band Eve 6, who has firsthand experience with the abusive practices of the giant corporations that now control the music industry (25:46).

Finally, for this week’s bonus segment, David sits down with former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Gary Hart for a long-form conversation about the evolution of American politics since the late 1980s, and his new book about saving American democracy (52:11).

A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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Tales From The Crypto

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: Progressive candidates win big! First, Producer Frank chats with The Lever’s Jordan Uhl about his takeaways from attending a recent Congressional Progressive Caucus event welcoming eleven new members of the House Democrats’ progressive wing (6:49). Then, David Sirota discusses the recent implosion of the cryptocurrency market following the collapse of the FTX exchange and resignation of its CEO. David is joined by journalist and crypto policy expert Jacob Silverman, as well as director of research at the American Economic Liberties Project Matt Stoller, who explain the crypto debacle, why regulators were asleep at the wheel, and what should be done to fix the problem (26:09).

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A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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The Midterm Shellacking That Never Was (w/ Krystal Ball)

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 11:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: It’s the day after the midterm elections! David Sirota and The Lever’s entire reporting staff break down all the key takeaways, including the big progressive wins, the stunning MAGA losses, the victories for abortion rights, the surprising exit poll data, and the important ballot measures that passed (4:57). Then, David is joined by Krystal Ball, co-host of Breaking Points, for a big-picture conversation about the election results. David and Krystal discuss shifting electoral trends, what the next two years of Biden’s presidency might look like, and what it all could mean for the 2024 presidential election (34:24).

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BONUS: Live From Pennsylvania — It’s The 2022 Midterms!

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 19:44:03 -0000

On this bonus episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is on the campaign trail tracking key Pennsylvania races in the lead-up to next week’s midterms. First, David interviews Summer Lee, the Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania’s 12th congressional district. David speaks with Summer about the flood of money that has been spent against her, first in the Democratic primary and now in the general election (:47).

Then, David sits down with Josh Shapiro, the Democratic nominee for governor of Pennsylvania. David asks Josh about the future of fracking in the state, his running mate Austin Davis, his history as corporate prosecutor, and the pressure he feels running against Republican Doug Mastriano, who is a full-blown election denier (11:21).

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A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

https://summerforpa.com/

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The Battle To End Dark Money (w/ Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse)

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, who also serves as the chair of the Democratic Secretaries of State Association. David and Jena discuss the slate of election-denying Republican candidates who are running to oversee their state’s elections, and why the results of this year’s secretaries of state races are so vital (7:46). Then, David and Andrew Perez sit down with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) to talk about his new book, The Scheme: How the Right Wing Used Dark Money to Capture the Supreme Court, and what’s next in the battle to end dark money — like the $1.6 billion secret donation we exposed — in politics (30:10).

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A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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Midterm Breakdown (w/ Chris Hayes)

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by MSNBC host Chris Hayes for a deep-dive discussion on this year’s midterm elections, the responsibility of the media in covering unprecedented threats to democracy, and what it’s like being the lead anchor of one of the country’s largest cable news networks (6:27). Then, David sits down with journalist and author Anand Giridharadas to talk about his new book, The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy, and how the art of persuasion is one of the most powerful — yet neglected — tools for overcoming the extreme polarization of modern politics (50:57).

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Meet Wall Street’s Most Corrupt Senate Candidate

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by The Lever’s reporters Julia Rock and Rebecca Burns to discuss recent news, including a climate protest that made international headlines for dousing a Van Gogh painting in tomato soup (4:38), and a sketchy financial bait-and-switch by Microchip giant Intel (9:00). Julia and Rebecca also break down their massive stories on Republican Senate candidate Ted Budd, who during his terms as a Congressman has helped his donors bypass predatory lending laws, and helped facilitate the merger of two giant banks, all while collecting mountains of cash from the financial industry (12:56). Then, David sits down with Melissa Jacoby, one of the foremost experts on bankruptcy law, for a deep dive on how corporations abuse the bankruptcy system to shield themselves from liability, while real people are afforded none of the same protections (27:41).

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Biden's Marijuana Plan: The Good, The Bad, And The Corporate Interests

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: On this week’s episode of Lever Time Premium: Joel Warner speaks with attorney and drug policy expert Shaleen Title about Joe Biden’s recent announcement on marijuana decriminalization and reform. Joel and Shaleen break down every aspect of Biden’s plan, as well as the corporate interests hoping to turn a profit from marijuana legalization (6:03). Then, David Sirota interviews Gary Chambers, a progressive Democrat running for a U.S. Senate seat in Louisiana. David talks with Gary about his roots as a community organizer, the resistance he’s met from the Democratic establishment, and how he hopes to become the state’s first Black senator (34:06).

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A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

ParabolaCenter.com

ChambersForLouisiana.com

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Billionaires Are Preparing For The Apocalypse — And You’re Not Invited (w/ Douglas Rushkoff)

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David is joined by comedian Dave Anthony and screenwriter Josh Olson, hosts of the Lever’s new “educational” podcast, The Audit. David, Dave, and Josh break down the news of the week, including shocking revelations about Herschel Walker and Dr. Oz, new GOP Facebook ads attempting to monetize their cruelty towards migrants, and the new slate of high-profile Supreme Court cases this session (3:58). Then, David is joined by media theorist Douglas Rushkoff to discuss his new book, Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires, which details how the ultra-wealthy are currently preparing for a “world-ending” event (33:08).

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Dems' Broken Pipe(line) Dreams (w/ Sen. Brian Schatz)

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by Andrew Perez and Jacobin staff writer Luke Savage to analyze a moment of open corruption during a House committee meeting (1:57), discuss how Joe Manchin’s dirty pipeline bill is getting “greenwashed” (12:46), and score an inside look at Savage’s new book, The Dead Center, about the failures of modern Liberalism (23:03). Then, David and Julia Rock press Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) on his support for Manchin’s permitting reform deal (30:54).

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Ron DeSantis' Worst Nightmare (w/ Charlie Crist)

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David is joined by New York Times’ global economics correspondent Peter S. Goodman and Labor Notes reporter Jonah Furman to break down the looming railroad workers strike, which could potentially bring the U.S. economy to a screeching halt (7:03). Then, David interviews Charlie Crist, the Democratic nominee running for governor of Florida against Ron DeSantis. David and Charlie discuss DeSantis’ recent horrible political stunt, plus what it would take to unseat him this November (35:24).

https://charliecrist.com/

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The NFL Is A Political Weapon (w/ Dave Zirin)

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by The Lever’s Andrew Perez and ProPublica’s Andy Kroll, who break down their follow-up reporting on Barre Seid, the secretive Chicago billionaire responsible for the single largest political advocacy donation in U.S. history (3:25). Then, David sits down with political sportswriter Dave Zirin to discuss his new documentary about the history of the NFL’s political influence on American culture (24:16).

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A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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Amazon And Starbucks Finally Feel The Heat

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time Premium: David Sirota discusses Joe Biden’s recent comments on what he considers the biggest threat to American democracy (2:35); Julia Rock breaks down her reporting on the dark side of Biden’s student debt policy, including how his Justice Department is fighting debtors in bankruptcy court (9:38); and Matthew Cunningham-Cook updates us on how a corporate Democrat’s big bet on pumping workers’ retirement funds into private equity is now paying off in his Rhode Island congressional race (17:00). Then, Producer Frank and Julia share their on-the-ground coverage from this past Monday’s Labor Day march which was co-organized by the Amazon Labor Union and Starbucks Workers United, including their interview with ALU President Chris Smalls (24:15).

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“Let Them Eat Student Debt” (w/ Astra Taylor & Marshall Steinbaum)

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota is joined by The Lever’s Andrew Perez and Matthew Cunningham-Cook to discuss Joe Biden’s student debt relief plan and dissect the internet’s obsession with ‘Dark Brandon' (3:15). Then, David sits down with author, filmmaker, and co-founder of the Debt Collective, Astra Taylor, and Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Utah, Marshall Steinbaum, for an in-depth analysis of Biden’s student debt relief plan (37:55).

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Exposing The Biggest Political Donation In U.S. History

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota breaks down The Lever’s blockbuster story detailing the largest political donation in U.S. history — $1.6 billion — and how that money found its way into the hands of Leonard Leo, the man responsible for packing the Supreme Court with right-wing extremists. David is joined by The Lever’s Andrew Perez, who uncovered the donation, as well as ProPublica’s Andy Kroll and Justin Elliott, who co-wrote the resulting story with Andrew (3:34). Then, David interviews Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Elizabeth Kolbert about how Republicans became the party of climate denial and obstruction (47:47).

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A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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Who Fact Checks The Fact Checkers?

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David Sirota and Andrew Perez discuss Andrew’s recent investigative reporting on the Washington Post’s fact checker, which led WaPo to issue a correction (2:10). Then, Julia Rock interviews technology procurement expert Hassan Khan about the recently passed CHIPS Act and what it means for domestic semiconductor manufacturing and the tech giants who will benefit from it (17:25). Finally, David sits down with Stacey Walker, the first African-American elected to the Linn County Board of Supervisors in Iowa, to discuss Walker’s experience governing as a progressive Democrat in a red state during the Trump era (40:45).

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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Who Do Democrats Actually Work For?

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time Premium: The Lever’s staff discuss the Democratic party’s favorite constituents: the Private Equity industry (3:16). Then, Julia Rock and Producer Frank sit down with journalist Alex Pareene to explore the history of centrist Democrats’ “Never-Ending War on the Woke” (24:13). Finally, Matthew Cunningham-Cook and Julia Rock interview economist Jason Furman, who was one of the top economic advisers for President Obama and one of the biggest proponents of The Federal Reserve’s controversial interest rate hikes (48:41).

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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This One Election Could End Democracy (also, Susan Sarandon On Being Liberals' Scapegoat)

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David speaks with New York Times columnist David Wallace-Wells about the strengths and weaknesses of Democrats’ surprise climate deal (10:20). He then talks to Josh Shapiro, the Democratic nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, who’s running against a right-wing extremist in arguably the most important race of 2022 (42:15). Finally, David sits down with actor and activist Susan Sarandon to discuss how she became liberals’ favorite scapegoat to blame for the Democratic Party’s glaring failures (1:10:54).

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

JoshShapiro.org

SheetsGiggles.com/Lever

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How Corporations Can Put You In Jail (w/ Steven Donziger)

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time Premium: In the midst of a global heatwave, David discusses Biden’s pattern of inaction (2:20). Next, David speaks with journalist Laura Krantz about her new narrative podcast series, Wild Thing: Going Nuclear, which explores the history and potential future of nuclear energy (14:00). Then, David interviews human rights attorney Steven Donziger, the man who successfully sued Chevron for polluting the Ecuadorian rainforest, and as a result was placed under house arrest for nearly 1,000 days (34:58).

If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism: levernews.com/tipjar

A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

freedonziger.com

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Chris Smalls Is Having A #HotLaborSummer (w/ Chris Smalls)

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David speaks with historian Harvey Kaye and journalist Robert Kuttner about how Joe Biden will need to “go big” with his policy proposals in order to salvage his presidency and stave off rising fascism in the United States, in the same way as FDR (9:10). Next, David sits down with Lucas Kunce, who’s running in a Democratic primary for Senate in Missouri, and whose working class politics are the driving force behind his campaign (29:53). Then, The Lever interviews Amazon Labor Union (ALU) president Chris Smalls, who helped organize the first-ever union at an Amazon warehouse in the U.S. David and the team spoke to Chris about his experience testifying before Congress, his #HotLaborSummer tour, and the future of the ALU (52:51).

LucasKunce.com

AmazonLaborUnion.org

If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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How America Legalized Corruption

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David speaks with Democratic strategist Mark Longabaugh about what a potential Biden 2024 presidential run could mean for the future of the Democratic Party (7:46). Then, he’s joined by the hosts of 5-4 Pod for an in-depth conversation about how the Supreme Court methodically legalized corruption, culminating in the recent decision in FEC v. Ted Cruz For Senate (32:24). Finally, David chats with president of Planned Parenthood, Alexis McGill Johnson, to discuss the overturning of Roe and the organization’s plan for dealing with the fallout (1:02:25).

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

PlannedParenthood.org

AbortionFinder.org

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The Man Who Bought The Supreme Court

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 10:05:00 -0000

After this past week’s barrage of devastating Supreme Court decisions, we’re doing a SCOTUS deep-dive. First, David is joined by The Lever’s Andrew Perez to discuss his recent piece about the conservative dark money network that has been bankrolling judicial nominees for the past twenty years. Then, David speaks with Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Colorado State Senator Julie Gonzales about what the Dobbs ruling means for millions of women in the country, and what authority cities and states have to protect abortion access. Finally, David interviews award-winning journalist Amy Westervelt about the upcoming Supreme Court case West Virginia v. EPA, in which a group of Republican Attorneys General are suing the EPA over its ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. We really appreciate your support :) levernews.com/tipjar

A rough transcript of this episode is available here.

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The Social Security Chopping Block

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 10:05:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David speaks with Alex Lawson, the executive director of Social Security Works, to discuss Lindsey Graham’s recent comments on entitlement reform and whether the Biden administration will capitulate to Republicans (5:07). He’s then joined by Andrew Perez, whose recent Lever story explored a free medical clinic filling critical health care gaps in Sen. Manchin’s home state of West Virginia, after the corporate Democrat blocked Medicare expansion (27:40). Finally, Julia Rock interviews climate organizer Pete Sikora, a campaign director for New York Communities for Change, about New York Dems’ recent efforts to kill a renewable energy bill (45:50).

If you'd like to support the independent journalism we're doing, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

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The Fed Hates You

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 10:03:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David exposes the major problem with the January 6 hearings and how they may result in a better outcome for Republicans than Democrats (2:42). Then he’s joined by economics professor Joshua William Mason and The Lever’s Julia Rock to discuss Julia’s recent piece about how the Federal Reserve is planning to curb inflation… by lowering workers’ wages (16:10). After that, due to the cataclysmic failures of the two-party system, David discusses the reality of third parties in the US. To do so, he interviews Philadelphia City Councilmember Kendra Brooks (40:15) and former Vermont Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (1:00:35), both of whom have run successful campaigns as third party candidates.

kendraforphilly.com

zuckermanforvt.com

If you’d like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

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America’s Top Gun Problem

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 09:35:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of Lever Time: David is joined by author and professor Roger Stahl to discuss the “military-entertainment complex” as it relates to the recent success of Top Gun: Maverick (3:10). Then The Lever’s Matthew Cunningham-Cook stops by to talk through his recent piece about how the Biden administration is hiking the price of Medicare premiums and funneling the money to private insurers (35:58). Finally, in light of the national trend of corporate interests flooding Democratic primaries with campaign cash, David sits down with Elisabeth Epps — a progressive candidate running for a house seat in the Colorado state legislature — to talk about the monied interests attempting to crush her campaign (50:58).

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

If you’d like to leave a tip for The Lever click the following link. We really appreciate your support :) levernews.com/tipjar

Elisabeth Epps’ campaign website: https://www.elisabethepps.com/

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There's No Duty To Protect (also, Judd Apatow on George Carlin)

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 11:03:14 -0000

On the inaugural episode of Lever Time, David speaks with civil rights lawyer and founder of Civil Rights Corps, Alec Karakatsanis, about how police in the US are not legally obligated to protect its citizens (10:10). Next, The Lever's Julia Rock discusses her reporting on the landmark climate justice lawsuit Juliana v. United States in which a group of teenagers are suing the federal government for the right to a livable planet (35:40). Then, renowned comedian and filmmaker Judd Apatow joins us to talk about his new HBO documentary, George Carlin's American Dream (55.40).

If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.

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Trailer: Lever Time with David Sirota

Fri, 13 May 2022 20:56:39 -0000

Coming soon — it's Lever Time! Hosted by award-winning journalist David Sirota, Lever Time is the flagship podcast from the investigative news outlet The Lever. This is the trailer for that podcast.

Just listen to it. It'll explain everything.

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