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In his first significant foreign policy announcement since taking office, President Biden broke with both former presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama and declared an end to U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. But it will take more than U.S. withdrawal to end the violence there. Rep. Ro Khanna, activist Shireen Al-Adeimi, and reporter Akbar Ahmed join Ryan Grim to discuss.
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If President Joe Biden is going to be able to pass any part of his agenda, he'll need to get it past the Senate filibuster. That's likely impossible given the chamber's 50-50 split. Is it time to finally change the Senate rules and allow the body to operate on a simple majority basis? Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and author Adam Jentleson join Ryan Grim to discuss.
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H.R.1, also known as the For The People Act, is a sweeping reform bill that aims to make voting easier, gerrymandering harder, and to generally rein in the out-of-control minoritarianism that has come to characterize American democracy. Does it have a chance of becoming law? Congressman John Sarbanes, political scientist Jacob Hacker, and the Intercept’s Jon Schwarz join Ryan Grim to discuss.
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In February, House Democrats will be re-introducing legislation to create a universal, single-payer healthcare system in the United States. Leading the effort will be Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington. Ryan Grim talks to Jayapal about her strategy and, to Jasmine Ruddy of National Nurses United about the organizing taking place outside of congress.
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On January 13th, the Cambridge Democratic City Committee met to discuss a resolution calling for the resignation of Massachusetts state party chair Gus Bickford. The resolution was an attempt to reckon with the party’s complicity last summer in the release of allegations against Holyoke mayor and congressional candidate Alex Morse pertaining to his time as an adjunct professor at UMass Amherst. The allegations were vague and did not include any behavior that violated the law or UMass policy, merely suggesting that Morse had had consensual relationships with adult students. The proposed resolution charged Bickford with “aiding and abetting an attack on a LGBTQ candidate.” But the vote turned ugly as one member, forgetting his live mic, used an anti-gay slur against Dan Totten, one of the members arguing for the resolution. Totten joins Ryan Grim to discuss.
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When a mob attacked the Capitol building on January 6th in an attempt to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, found herself like many other lawmakers forced to flee the chamber and take cover. While congress was locked down, several Republicans refused to wear masks. Three Democratic lawmakers, Jayapal among them, later tested positive for Covid-19. Ryan Grim talks to the Congresswoman about her ordeal and her hopeful recovery.
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On Wednesday afternoon supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol building, overwhelming police and forcing the representatives inside into hiding just as they prepared to certify Joe Biden's election victory. Matt Fuller of Huffpost and Jon Farina of Status Coup, who were at the capitol as events unfolded, join Ryan Grim to discuss.
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One year ago, the U.S. government assassinated Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani by drone strike near the Baghdad International Airport. Is it possible that Donald Trump, now entering the final weeks of his presidency, might have further plans for Iran before he leaves office? Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft joins Ryan Grim to discuss.
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On election day last month, 52% of Puerto Rican voters answered “yes” to the following question: Should Puerto Rico be admitted immediately into the Union as a State? But the result of the non-binding referendum has gotten little attention in Washington since then. After all, it’s hardly the first time a statehood vote on the island has been answered in the affirmative. Is this time any different? On this week’s show, guest host Vanessa A. Bee talks to Julio Ricardo Varela, the founder of LatinoRebels.com, and to Angelo Guisado, a civil rights lawyer at the Center for Constitutional Rights. They examine the past and present of Puerto Rico as a colony and U.S. territory, and how that history should inform our understanding on votes like this one.
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On Tuesday Joe Biden held a zoom call with civil rights leaders from across the country to discuss matters of policy and his cabinet selections. The call was private, but Deconstructed obtained the audio.
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