Lever Time

Latest Episodes:

How Conservatives Won The Courts Nov 02, 2023

Show notes

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

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BONUS: The Corporate Takeover of Music (Lessons From Bandcamp) Oct 30, 2023

Show notes

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

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How To Talk About Gaza (w/ Naomi Klein & Omar Baddar) Oct 26, 2023

Show notes

On Wednesday, October 18, The Lever’s David Sirotahosted 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 Oct 19, 2023

Show notes

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

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

The Fog Of War In Israel And Palestine Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

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

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

The Hidden Flaws Of ‘Bidenomics’ Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

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 Sep 28, 2023

Show notes

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

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

The Serious Science Of Extraterrestrial Research Sep 21, 2023

Show notes

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

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

Inside The U.S.-China War Over Clean Energy Sep 14, 2023

Show notes

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

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

The American Masculinity Crisis Sep 07, 2023

Show notes

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

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

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