No, seriously, Sean and Paul spend the better part of half an hour waxing lyrical about the technical marvels and liberatory potential of frozen, TV dinners. But first they discuss the recent brouhaha over the World Socialist Web Site’s interviews with prominent early American and Civil War historians about the New York Times‘s 1619 project. Sean also brings an update from a recent labor conference, “Bargaining for the Common Good,” surprising Paul with yet another area of political overlap.
Author: Paul Matzko
Paul is a graduate student at Pennsylvania State University and a historian of modern America, religion, and politics.
If it Ain’t Baumol, Don’t Fix It – Episode 65
In which Sean realizes he’s part of the Koch-topus, reviews the movie Angel Has Fallen, and discusses car refueling etiquette. Meanwhile, Paul tries to get Sean as obsessed with the Baumol Effect as he is.
Links:
Paul’s interview with Alex Tabarrok about the Baumol Effect.
PDF of Tabarrok’s booklet, Why Are the Prices So Damn High?
Angel Has Fallen trailer.
I Know What Nigel Farage Did Last Summer
This week, Paul describes his encounter with nativist blowhard Nigel Farage at a libertarian conference. Then Sean and Paul discuss the idiocy of blaming the El Paso shooting on video games and the possible use of the ICE raids in Mississippi to retaliate against a labor union organization drive.
Sean Pulls a Reverse Tocqueville & a Judeo-Christian Explainer – Episode 61
Sean is back from France and Italy and has THOUGHTS. (He also cheers for France over team USA in the World Cup, so take with a grain of salt.) The guys also discuss the uninspiring first Democratic debate and additional ways Twitter sucks before ending with Paul exploring the origins of the term “Judeo-Christian.”
The Green New Deal; is it actually green, new, or much of a deal?
This week, after a short discussion of the Mueller Report, Paul and Sean do a little more arguing than usual as they debate the Green New Deal’s vision of a carbon neutral future. It’s a must listen if you love either salt mines, ducks, or cement. (As you can tell, Impolitic specializes in giving the people what they want, as long as what they want involves heavy industry or quacking.)
Betomania or Bae O’Rourke
Paul declares his affection for Beto O’Rourke and becomes the object of Sean’s ribbing. Then Paul argues that Andrew Yang is, surprisingly, the most significant candidate in the 2020 race. Finally the guys discuss the rest of the Chinese propaganda anime “The Leader” about the life of Karl Marx. (We can only imagine that the title of the inevitable Hollywood remake will be “Jenny’s Deathbed.”)
Young Karl Marx Joins Impolitic – Episode 56
Impolitic gives the people want they want, which in this case meant watching the first episodes of The Leader, a Chinese Communist Party produced anime about the life of young Karl Marx, his love of Jenny Westphalen, and turgid philosophical one liners. Then Sean and Paul discuss Simon van Zuylen-Wood’s article (29:45) about socialist hipsters in fair Brooklyn before Paul describes (58:30) his idealized health insurance system in the magical land of Libertopia. Finally, the guys wish (1:32:05) Bill Weld well in his Presidential aspirations.
