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Grifty — Government
Grifty

Grifty is a late-stage capitalism podcast by and about false idols. Hosted by Azadeh Ghafari, Aaron McCall, Dr. Inna Kanevsky, and Julian Walker, Grifty dives into the strange, seductive overlap of politics, media, pop psychology, conspiracy culture, technology, celebrity, branding, and disinformation.

We unpack how charismatic personalities, political movements, corporations, influencers, and institutions hijack the language of truth, freedom, justice, identity, and community to build audiences, sell certainty, and gain power. What starts as culture becomes content. What starts as belonging becomes a business model. And eventually, everything becomes something to monetize.

Welcome to Grifty: a little snarky, a little scholarly, deeply historical, definitely political, and always asking the bigger questions.

Follow us on all socials @Griftypod
Join us on Substack for exclusive content & show notes: https://griftypodcast.substack.com/
For more info: www.grifty.org
Email us: griftypod@gmail.com

HOSTS
Azadeh Ghafari @the.wellness.therapist
Julian Walker @realityandmeaning
Aaron McCall @mrneuropolitan
Dr. Inna Kanevsky @_dr_inna

Copyright: © 2023

Latest Episodes:

Episode 19: MAHA HAHA Jan 24, 2025

Show notes

Episode 18: Anything Could Happen Jan 19, 2025

Show notes

It's a new year! Anything could happen 🤗… Anything could happen 🤔… Anything could happen 😨

We kick off our third season discussing post-election coping strategies, the New Right Tech Bro Overlords who are thrashing democracy to make their Optimized new world order happen, and the items got us through the liminal period before Inauguration.

Episode 17: Weird Science Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

The Grifty crew was joined by Dr. Nini Munoz to talk about all things grifty.

Dr. Nini is an electrical engineer and data scientist specializing in sensor design and integration. Her expertise ranges from inertial navigation systems to biosensors, and she integrates AI for pattern recognition and systems risk analysis. She completed her doctorate at Cornell University, where her research at the intersection of electrical engineering and microbiology focused on designing neural interfaces.

Nini is passionate about teaching and science communication. She has built a social media platform, @niniandthebrain, to make complex topics more accessible and understandable for a broad audience. Nini offers a data-driven approach. She teaches people how to critically appraise data by examining flawed studies, providing datasets, and demonstrating how data can be analyzed and manipulated to fit a predetermined conclusion, often going as far as replicating study findings.

Given the amount of health misinformation out there, Nini also hones on tackling some aspects of pseudoscience in the wellness world, particularly those pertaining to the use of technology to add legitimacy and credibility to their claims.

You can find her on social platforms by visiting @niniandthebrain or by visiting https://www.niniandthebrain.com

Episode 16: Grifty Tribune: Fascist Sleeping Beauty May 27, 2024

Show notes

Episode 15: Grifty Tribune: Puppy killers, brain worms, and faux dictators, oh my! May 16, 2024

Show notes

GENERAL ELECTION–STATE OF PLAY

The 2024 presidential debates have been unveiled
1. "The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Monday that the three 2024 presidential debates will be held next year on Sept. 16, Oct. 1 and Oct. 9. "(https://www.axios.com/2023/11/20/2024-election-debates-biden-trump-republicans )
Swing states that are expected to decide the 2024 presidential election
1. "The titanic Biden-Trump election likely will be decided by roughly 6% of voters in just six states, top strategists in both parties tell us." (https://www.axios.com/2024/05/06/biden-trump-election-swing-states )

POTUS CANDIDATE: BIDEN

Biden's historic marijuana shift is his latest election year move for young voters
1. PHOENIX (AP) — President Joe Biden may eventually ban TikTok, but he's moving to give something back to the young people who dominate the popular social media app — a looser federal grip on marijuana." (https://apnews.com/article/biden-young-voters-marijuana-reclassification-dea-193e97fc2dd7b32b7d7ad50b4ea80aa0 )
Biden touts new $3.3 billion Microsoft data center at failed Foxconn site Trump backed
1. "U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday unveiled plans by Microsoft Corp to build a $3.3 billion data center in southeastern Wisconsin, drawing a sharp contrast to his Republican predecessor who had backed a previous $10 billion project at the same site that was significantly scaled back." (https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-unveil-33-billion-microsoft-ai-investment-battleground-wisconsin-2024-05-08/ )
Axios Poll of College Voters - Next Gen America (https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.axios.com/2024/05/07/poll-students-israel-hamas-protests&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1715304228880446&usg=AOvVaw2gVrmRZ0q-sgs2JekbcTPA )

POTUS CANDIDATE: TRUMP

Trump reportedly solicited $1 billion from oil executives to support his campaign, offering them concessions related to climate policies in return. This development underscores the high stakes of the upcoming 2024 election, particularly in the realm of climate policy. While President Biden has implemented numerous regulations aimed at addressing climate change, Trump, who has a history of rolling back such regulations and dismissing climate change as a hoax, presents a starkly different approach. The intersection of Trump's skepticism towards climate science and penchant for corruption poses a significant challenge and opportunity for the Biden campaign. This recent revelation highlights the critical importance of the election in shaping the future direction of environmental policy.
Recent polls indicate that a significant portion of voters lack awareness of President Biden's major domestic accomplishments, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, which featured substantial climate investments and green incentives for both businesses and individuals. Furthermore, there is a lack of understanding among voters regarding Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan, with some mistakenly attributing similar achievements to former President Trump, despite his failure to deliver on infrastructure promises during his tenure. This highlights the urgent need for the Biden campaign to educate the public on how his policies positively impact their communities. In contrast, Trump's apparent willingness to prioritize personal gain by making promises to oil companies further underscores the contrasting approaches of the two leaders on critical issues like climate and infrastructure.
How Far Trump Would Go
1. "Donald Trump thinks he's identified a crucial mistake of his first term: He was too nice." (https://time.com/6972021/donald-trump-2024-election-interview/ )
Every Awful Thing Trump Has Promised to Do in a Second Term
1. The former president has pushed a slew of terrifying proposals, both publicly and privately, that he plans to unleash on America should he take down Biden" (https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-second-term-plans-wildest-proposals-1234947327/))
R.F.K. Jr. Says Doctors Found a Dead Worm in His Brain
1. "The presidential candidate has faced previously undisclosed health issues, including a parasite that he said ate part of his brain." (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/rfk-jr-brain-health-memory-loss.html )
Here's Who's On Trump's Most Likely VP Shortlist—And What He's Saying About The Contenders
1. "Former President Donald Trump spoke highly of nearly a dozen potential running mate picks over the weekend as they gathered at donor event at Mar-a-Lago for what was widely viewed as a pseudo-tryout, as Trump has reportedly begun to narrow down his list." (https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/05/06/heres-whos-on-trumps-most-likely-vp-shortlist-and-what-hes-saying-about-the-contenders/?sh=60cf1d11c3a8 )
Barron Trump makes political debut as Florida delegate for GOP convention
1. "Donald Trump's son Barron, 18 and about to graduate high school, was named as a delegate at large for the GOP national convention in Milwaukee. " (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/09/barron-trump-florida-delegate-gop-convention/ )

TRUMP'S TRIALS

Trump threatened with jail after violating hush money gag order again
1. "A New York judge on Monday threatened to jail former President Trump after his latest violation of the gag order in his hush money criminal case." (https://www.axios.com/2024/05/06/trump-fined-gag-order-hush-money-trial )
Trump's N.Y. criminal trial: Who has testified and who hasn't
1. "Former President Trump's first criminal trial in New York has so far featured witness testimony from a former top White House aide, a veteran tabloid publisher, a former longtime Trump assistant and a former director at a bank." (https://www.axios.com/2024/04/30/trump-trial-hush-money-witnesses-testimony-updates)

CONGRESS

Mike Johnson signals House power play in 2025
1. "Ahead of a potential motion to vacate vote this week, Speaker Mike Johnson is tipping his hand for how he or a successor should rebuild the power of the House speakership." (https://www.axios.com/2024/05/06/mike-johnson-house-rules-republicans-congress-2025 )
Bernie Sanders will run for re-election
1. "Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the 82-year-old progressive icon, announced on Monday that he will run for re-election." (https://www.axios.com/2024/05/06/bernie-sanders-re-election-us-senator-vermont )
Money isn't enough to smooth the path for Republican candidates hoping to retake the Senate
1. WASHINGTON (AP) — Frustrated by the seemingly endless cash flowing to Democrats, Republicans aiming to retake the Senate have rallied around candidates with plenty of their own money. (https://apnews.com/article/gop-campaign-rich-candidates-senate-majority-68a8eb884c96ec53f13e1472d225cb21 )

MISCELLANEOUS executive about agencies view soq

Recent data from the Association of American Medical Colleges indicates that medical school graduates are increasingly opting to avoid states with abortion bans or newly imposed restrictions following the Dobbs case when selecting their residency programs. In states with near-total abortion bans, the number of new residencies has declined by 4.2%, a significant contrast to the overall decrease of 0.6% across all states. This trend is even more pronounced among graduates entering OB/GYN residencies, suggesting a notable impact on specialty choices as a result of these restrictive regulations.
Section 241 of Title 18 is MAGA Law's New Shiny Object

"The Project 2025 plan for the Department of Justice recommends using 18 U.S.C. § 241, an 1870 civil rights law, to prosecute state officials (maybe even judges) if DOJ disagrees with how they apply state election law." (https://randomlysecured.substack.com/p/section-241-of-title-18-is-maga-laws?utm_medium=ios )

Episode 14: Psychology Says No Such Thing! May 09, 2024

Show notes

On this episode, the gang is joined by the one and only Dr. Inna Kanevsky to discuss all types of grifty misinformation floating around online about pop psychology and science.

Dr. Inna Kanevsky has over 1.1m followers on TikTok (@dr_inna) and her videos have garnered over 36 million views, which according to some estimates places her in the 99.75% percentile of U.S. Tiktokers. When she's not being a social media influencer, Dr. Inna is a Psychology Professor at San Diego Mesa College with her doctorate in experimental psychology.

Be sure to follow Dr. Inna on TikTok @dr_inna and on Instagram @_dr_inna.

Episode 13: Grifty Tribune: The Trump Dump Apr 17, 2024

Show notes

GENERAL ELECTION–STATE OF PLAY

States where abortion is on the ballot in the 2024 election
1. "Voters in about a dozen states could decide the fate of abortion rights in November with constitutional amendments on the ballot in a pivotal election year — including in several battleground states that will be key to deciding the presidential race and which party controls Congress."

(https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/abortion-ballot-measures/ )

RFK Jr. rules out Libertarian presidential run
1. "Independent presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Saturday ruled out running as a Libertarian." (https://apple.news/AOtthZk48RtOWffIxyUgfLg )
THE RFK JR. STRATEGY CLICKS INTO FOCUS
1. As the race between Trump and Biden gets uglier, Kennedy is focusing on ballot access. (https://apple.news/A0Fa-JwuMSnKaKTtMZ8_qPA )

SCOTUS

The Supreme Court effectively abolishes the right to mass protest in three US states
1. "It is no longer safe to organize a protest in Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas." (https://apple.news/AgbB_Hz0_SZSvZeRPJdMzOw )
Supreme Court Takes Up Jan. 6 Case That Could Affect Hundreds of Prosecutions
1. "Justices to decide whether Enron-era obstruction law applies to rioters' disruption of Congress" (https://apple.news/APSrlh_7GSJ-Z5fQigCaUXQ )

CONGRESS

'I am not resigning': Johnson at risk as he forges ahead on Ukraine, Israel aid
1. Another GOP lawmaker said Tuesday they'd join a motion to remove Johnson. (https://apple.news/A_qwNqRUCQcS5BWEL_vyXTw )
House Republicans Ridiculed into Dropping "Appliance Week"
1. "Republican representatives hastily scrapped plans for bills opposing regulations on household appliances." (https://newrepublic.com/post/180697/republicans-woke-appliances-israel-iran )

POTUS CANDIDATE: BIDEN

POTUS CANDIDATE: TRUMP

TRUMP'S PRESIDENTIAL-IMMUNITY THEORY IS A THREAT TO THE CHAIN OF COMMAND
1. "Subordinates need to know that the commander in chief is bound by the same laws as everyone else." (https://apple.news/AT8wtGOezQySmUvJqdCe3fA )
Trump Media shares tank after company reveals plan to sell more stock
1. "Shares of Truth Social parent company have fallen 60% since March market debut as ex-president under financial pressure." (https://apple.news/A450bN4_3QHOAgrxmAWZtuw )

TRUMP'S TRIALS

Defendant is not above the law": N.Y. prosecutors urge judge to hold Trump in contempt
1. "Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed a motion Tuesday seeking to hold former President Trump in contempt for alleged violations of his partial gag order in the New York criminal case" (https://apple.news/A6i4MtqOJQB2v8BBw5QCCVg )
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MISCELLANEOUS

What Liberals Get Wrong About 'White Rural Rage' — Almost Everything
1. "The 'White Rural Rage' narrative gets the research wrong. I know, because some of it is mine." https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/04/05/white-rural-rage-myth-00150395 )
An Honest Assessment of Rural White Resentment Is Long Overdue
1. "We say very clearly that rural America is hurting. But we refuse to justify attitudes that some scholars try to underplay." (https://newrepublic.com/article/180570/trump-rural-white-resentment-honest-assessment )

Episode 12: I'm Just A Grift: An Interview with Caroline Calloway Feb 27, 2024

Show notes

She's just a girl, a girl in the world. Join Azi as she has a fun two part chat with Caroline Calloway about everything and nothing. Tune in for the second part of this interview next week.

Find us on all social media platforms @griftypod or visit www.grifty.org for more

Episode 11: King Caucus Jan 23, 2024

Show notes

KING CAUCUS - On this episode of the Grifty Tribune, Azi, Sari and Taryn discuss the outcome of the Iowa Caucus where Trump won (with a lower turnout than previous years), reviewed the tick tock of Trump's busy 2024 trial schedule, and discussed how they'd characterize the 2024 electorate.and what exactly will motivate them to vote and save our democracy from the man who wants to be King.

History behind Caucus System

History Behind the Iowa Caucus

The Caucus System in the U.S. Presidential Nominating Process

Trump's big Iowa win included some signs of trouble with moderates, younger voters

Polling of Republicans at Iowa Caucus

Trump also continued his pattern of racist dog whistles against Nikki Haley (who is slightly gaining on him in the polls), referring to her by her first name, Nimarata, in a Truth Social post.

A judge in Maine decided to hold off on ruling on the case of Trump's ballot eligibility until the Supreme Court issues a decision on the Colorado case.

DeSantis's super PAC, Never Back Down, began laying off staff and it looks like he's going to drop out.

TRUMP LEGAL ISSUES

Rundown: The Trump legal cases to watch in 2024

Trump's lawyer argues that a president can order SEAL Team Six to assassinate his political rival if Congress is cool with it:

https://www.threads.net/@esqueer_/post/C17WNW0uSoc/

Episode 10: Extremely Online Jan 15, 2024

Show notes

Episode 1 of Season 2 features Taylor Lorenz discussing influencers and

Taylor Lorenz is a prominent journalist who has made a name for herself covering topics related to technology, internet culture, and social media. She has worked for major publications such as The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Her work covers the intersection of technology and society. Lorenz is known for her in-depth reporting on issues such as online harassment, influencer culture, and the impact of social media on various aspects of society, including politics, mental health, and interpersonal relationships. Her work often delves into the ways in which technology shapes contemporary life and the challenges and opportunities that come with it. Amanda, Sari Beth & Kea sat down with Taylor Lorenz author of Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet to discuss the grifty origin story of the World Wide Web and discussed how it forever shapes our daily lives today. Follow us on all social media platforms @griftypod and visit us at www.grifty.org

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