Out D'coup Podcast

More than 22,000 people have been killed by the devastating earthquakes that ravaged Turkey and Syria this week and the death toll keeps rising. There is a desperate need for humanitarian and medical assistance. You can help by donating to Doctors Without Borders (DoctorsWithoutBorders.org) or UNICEF (UNICEFusa.org).  Biden does some effective political theater of his own, by saying some Republicans wanted to cut Social Security. On the spot, Biden got all the Republicans to stand and cheer that they do not want to gut Social Security or Medicare. Well done sir.  And, AR-15 lapel pins accompanied American flag pins on Republican members of Congress at the State of the Union this week.  And, do we need to talk about that balloon? Senator John Fetterman was admitted to the hospital after feeling light-headed during a Senate retreat on Wednesday. Tests found that Fetterman did not have another stroke, and were running additional tests.  PA Democrats swept the three special elections, giving them the outright maj

This week I welcome Hannah Leffingwell to the show. We'll be talking about her recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education, "The Academic Career is Broken" and the need for fundamental change in higher education. She argues, "We are in the midst of a crisis in academe, to be sure, but it’s not an economic crisis. It’s a crisis of faith. The question is not just whether our institutions pay faculty fairly, but whether any wage is worth the subservience and sacrifice that modern higher ed requires." No longer will hopeful stories about "revision" do the job. "We need a revolution, not a revision."  Hannah is a writer, historian, and PhD Candidate at NYU. Her dissertation in progress, “Becoming Lesbian: Sex, Politics, and Culture in Transatlantic Circulation, 1970-1998,” chronicles the spread of lesbian culture in the United States and Europe in the wake of Women’s Liberation. Her research has been published in Gender & History, and her writing has been featured in Jacobin, The Chronicle of Higher Ed

Raging Chicken's Friday Politics Roundup for February 3, 2023. We're here to break down the good, the bad, and the ugly in state and national politics. Today I'm joined once again by Amy Knecht! We'll take a look at the politics of the week and ongoing school board craziness. Then we'll dig into our takes on the The Rings of Power and House of the Dragon (and, who knows, maybe we'll even sneak in a little of The Wheel of Time). You can support this show by becoming a patron for as little as $5/month at https://www.patreon.com/rcpress.  Don’t Let Paul Martino & Friends Buy Our Schools and push extremist politics in our community. Raging Chicken has teamed up with LevelField to launch a truly community rooted PAC to invest in organizing, support local and state-wide progressive candidates, and unmask the toxic organizations injecting our communities with right-wing extremism. We’re putting small-dollar donations to work to beat back the power of Big Money.  You can get more information and drop your donati

Welcome to this week's Out d'Coup LIVE. It's MLK Day. We've got an open show tonight. Taking a look at the headlines, your thoughts, and more. You can support this show by becoming a patron for as little as $5/month at https://www.patreon.com/rcpress.  Don’t Let Paul Martino & Friends Buy Our Schools and push extremist politics in our community. Raging Chicken has teamed up with LevelField to launch a truly community-rooted PAC to invest in organizing, support local and state-wide progressive candidates, and unmask the toxic organizations injecting our communities with right-wing extremism. We’re putting small-dollar donations to work to beat back the power of Big Money.  You can get more information and drop your donation at  https://ragingchicken.levelfield.net/. Join our Discord to continue the conversation all week long: https://discord.gg/BnjRNz3u

The U.S. and Germany are sending a whole bunch of tanks to Ukraine as the war continues into its second year.  Later today the Memphis, TN police will release video of the brutal and fatal police beating of 27-year-old Tyre Nichols. The five police officers who fatally beat Nichols have been fired and are facing second-degree murder charges.  PA-based libertarian billionaire, Jeffrey Yass, is funding a new poliitcal action committee called “The Moderate PAC” that will target progressive primary challengers in favor of centrist and corporate Democrats.  Colleges and Universities are starting to hire “Chief Experience Officers” to “ensure that consumers are having satisfying interactions” with the institutions - a practices imported from the corporate world.  We’re seeing the new censorship policy in the Central Bucks School District in action. A librarian at Central Bucks South high school was told by his principal to take down a quote from Elie Wiesel, the Nobel laureate Holocaust survivor, because it violate

The battle over voting rights has not let up. Republicans in several key states have kept up their agenda to restrict access to voting.  New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, announced that she’ll step down in a few weeks.  A new Pew Research Center survey found that only about half of Americans think that colleges and universities are “having a positive effect on the way things are going in the country these days. About 38% say they are having a negative effect. And, as I bet you are already thinking, yes, there is a big partisan divide on the issue.  Florida is banning a new Advanced Placement test on African American Studies that was to be offered in its high schools. The Florida Department of Education said “the content of this course is inexplicitly contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value. That law is the new law passed last year and signed by Gov. DeSantis restricting discussions of racism in schools.  Anti-Abortion activists gather in DC to demand a federal ban on abor

Welcome to this week's Out d'Coup LIVE. It's MLK Day. We've got an open show tonight. Taking a look at the headlines, your thoughts, and more. You can support this show by becoming a patron for as little as $5/month at https://www.patreon.com/rcpress Don’t Let Paul Martino & Friends Buy Our Schools and push extremist politics in our community. Raging Chicken has teamed up with LevelField to launch a truly community-rooted PAC to invest in organizing, support local and state-wide progressive candidates, and unmask the toxic organizations injecting our communities with right-wing extremism. We’re putting small-dollar donations to work to beat back the power of Big Money.  You can get more information and drop your donation at  https://ragingchicken.levelfield.net/. Join our Discord to continue the conversation all week long: https://discord.gg/BnjRNz3u  

Both-sider-ism prevails in DC as Merrick Garland appoints a special counsel to look into the confidential documents that turned up at Biden’s old office space and garage. Are you ready for non-stop investigations from now until the presidential elections in 2024?  Catastrophic weather continues. In California at least 18 people are dead following climate change-charged “atmospheric rivers” that led to widespread flooding, mudslides, and power outages. The National Weather Service reports that Central California received more than half of its average yearly precipitation in just two weeks. In Alabama, at least 7 people were killed as a series of tornados and extreme weather rolled across the state.  Meanwhile, researchers released findings from Exxon internal documents that Exxon scientists were strikingly accurate in their climate change modeling as early as the 1970s. The researchers call the documents a “smoking gun” that Exxon knew the devastating consequences of burning fossil fuels even as it invested he

Happy New Year!?!? Here we are crawling into the New Year. What's going on? You can support this show by becoming a patron for as little as $5/month at https://www.patreon.com/rcpress.  Don’t Let Paul Martino & Friends Buy Our Schools and push extremist politics in our community. Raging Chicken has teamed up with LevelField to launch a truly community-rooted PAC to invest in organizing, support local and state-wide progressive candidates, and unmask the toxic organizations injecting our communities with right-wing extremism. We’re putting small-dollar donations to work to beat back the power of Big Money.  You can get more information and drop your donation at  https://ragingchicken.levelfield.net/. Join our Discord to continue the conversation all week long: https://discord.gg/BnjRNz3u

Raging Chicken's Friday Politics Roundup for December 23, 2022. We're here to break down the good, the bad, and the ugly in state and national politics. We'll check in for a quick end-of-the-year wrap-up and see what's on your mind for 2023! You can support this show by becoming a patron for as little as $5/month at https://www.patreon.com/rcpress.  Don’t Let Paul Martino & Friends Buy Our Schools and push extremist politics in our community. Raging Chicken has teamed up with LevelField to launch a truly community rooted PAC to invest in organizing, support local and state-wide progressive candidates, and unmask the toxic organizations injecting our communities with right-wing extremism. We’re putting small-dollar donations to work to beat back the power of Big Money. You can get more information and drop your donation at  https://ragingchicken.levelfield.net/.

On this week's show, I welcome Cyril Mychalejko back to the show. Cyril is the Editor-in-Chief of the Bucks County Beacon - that independent publication that has been at the cutting edge of reporting on people-powered movements in the region. Cyril will join me to reflect on the year that was and look forward to the challenges and possibilities in 2023.  LINKS: Bucks County Beacon | https://buckscountybeacon.com/ Support the Beacon | https://buckscountybeacon.com/support-the-beacon/ Follow Cyril on Twitter | https://twitter.com/cmychalejko Bucks County Beacon on Twitter | https://twitter.com/BucksCoBeacon You can support this show by becoming a patron for as little as $5/month at https://www.patreon.com/rcpress/.  You can also help out the show by heading over to our YouTube channel if you are not there already and smash that subscribe button, like the stream for this show, and hit that notification bell so you’ll know every time we go live.  Welcome to our new Mastodon community. Yes, as part of the Twitter

Biden signs bill protecting same-sex and interracial marriage right. The new law codifies into law the right to marry for same-sex and interracial marriage. The move became a priority after Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas put targets on the rights in his concurring opinion in the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade. White nationalists, Euro ultranationalists, and right-wing Republicans met up in NYC for the New York Young Republican Clubs gala calling for “total war” against their designated enemies.  The group’s president, Gavin Wax said: “We want to cross the Rubicon. We want total war. We must be prepared to do battle in every arena. In the media. In the courtroom. At the ballot box. And in the streets…This is the only language the left understands. The language of pure and unadulterated power.” Marjorie Taylor Green reflected on the January 6 insurrection saying, “I will tell you something, if Steve Bannon and I organized that, we would have won. Not to mention, it would’ve been armed.” New

On this week's show, I welcome Garen Meguerian back to the show. We'll be digging into Moore v. Harper, the Supreme Court case that could upend American democracy as we know it. In the Bucks County Beacon, Meguerian warned that the fringe constitutional argument at the heart of this case known as the independent state legislature theory paves the way for single-party rule and disenfranchisement of voters. Meguerian is an experienced litigator and trial lawyer licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey. He has represented clients in both state and federal courts. He is AV peer review rated from Martindale-Hubbell reflecting achievement at the height of professional excellence and integrity. Meguerian received his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1995, where he served as an Associate Editor of the American Criminal Law Review. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Honors Philosophy from Villanova University in 1992, where he was awarded the University's Valedicto

  This week the Supreme Court heard arguments in Moore v. Harper. The case will test the Court’s willingness to embrace a fringe Constitutional theory - the so-called “independent state legislature” theory - which would give power to state legislatures to override the results of democratic elections.  Raphael Warnock wins the Georgia runoff.  U.S. colleges and universities are facing a “crisis.” The shock doctrine “sky-is-falling” narrative tells a tale of natural disaster while political choices and destructive managerial policies and trends are largely excused.  Kyrsten Sinema announced that she is changing her party affiliation to “independent.”  WNBA star Brittney Griner returns to the U.S. after spending months in a Russian prison. Pennsylvania’s Department of Education has released standards for “culturally relevant and sustaining education” that seeks to integrate policies similar to DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives that drove right-wing extremists to flood school board meetings with

On this week's show, I welcome Raelyn Roberson to the show. Raelyn is the Field Coordinator of Stopping Cyber Suppression at Common Cause. On the eve of the Georgia Senate run-off, we'll be talking about the challenge of mis- and disinformation that has been infecting U.S. and global elections.   Raelyn and her team work to fight back against the spread of online election disinformation and hold social media platforms accountable for their role in the spread of election lies. Raelyn provides trainings that encourage anyone and everyone to stop cyber suppression. During monitoring shifts, she leads volunteers in recognizing, searching for, and reporting bad actors who threaten democracy by spreading election lies. If you want to read more about Raelyn and Common Cause’s work, check out Jenny Stephen’s article in the Bucks County Beacon, "Social Media Disinformation Is a Threat To Democracy, and You Can Help Fight It."   LINKS: Raelyn Roberson on Twitter: @RaelynR3 - https://twitter.com/RaelynR3 Common Cause: h

Raging Chicken's Friday Politics Roundup for December 2, 2022. Amy Knecht is back! We're here to break down the good, the bad, and the ugly in state and national politics.  Today: Railway workers & Democrats' debacle; UC #highered strike; Twitter in tatters; Magnolia Mothers; Dimock win; Palisades teachers contract; & much more! You can support this show by becoming a patron for as little as $5/month at https://www.patreon.com/rcpress.  Don’t Let Paul Martino & Friends Buy Our Schools and push extremist politics in our community. Raging Chicken has teamed up with LevelField to launch a truly community rooted PAC to invest in organizing, support local and state-wide progressive candidates, and unmask the toxic organizations injecting our communities with right-wing extremism. We’re putting small-dollar donations to work to beat back the power of Big Money.  You can get more information and drop your donation at  https://ragingchicken.levelfield.net/. Join our Discord to continue the conversation

On this week's show, I welcome Sean Crampsie to the show. Sean is the director of Government Relations for APSCUF - the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University faculties. APSCUF represents the faculty and coaches of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education. We'll be taking a look at the results of last week's midterm elections and unpack what it means for PA and public higher education in the Commonwealth. Sean Crampsie has been the director of Government Relations for APSCUF since 2017 where he advocates for the faculty, coaches, and students, Pennsylvania's state owned universities. Sean lobbies for state funding for public higher education, tuition affordability, and protection of workers’ rights. Prior to joining APSCUF, Sean spent four years with the PA School Boards Association working on K-12 education issues. Sean is also serving his second term as a Councilman for the Borough of Carlisle. During his time on Council Sean has advocated for his community and has helped pass an

Raging Chicken's Friday Politics Roundup for November 11, 2022. Did you see that coming? Woah! Counter to all the "Red Tsunami" predictions, Democrats showed up in BIG numbers this election and scored huge victories in PA and across the country. We're here to break down the good, the bad, and the ugly in state and national politics. You can support this show by becoming a patron for as little as $5/month at https://www.patreon.com/rcpress.  Don’t Let Paul Martino & Friends Buy Our Schools and push extremist politics in our community. Raging Chicken has teamed up with LevelField to launch a truly community rooted PAC to invest in organizing, support local and state-wide progressive candidates, and unmask the toxic organizations injecting our communities with right-wing extremism. We’re putting small-dollar donations to work to beat back the power of Big Money.  You can get more information and drop your donation at  https://ragingchicken.levelfield.net/. Join our Discord to continue the conversation all we

It's Election Day Eve in one of the most consequential midterm elections in recent history. Democracy hangs in the balance, women's rights and autonomy are being attacked, white supremacy is on the ascent, and our schools are being turned into right-wing laboratories. Tomorrow, we get to see if we can turn back the extremists and reclaim our communities. How are you doing tonight? We're here for your thoughts, hopes, concerns, and plans of action. You can support this show by becoming a patron for as little as $5/month at https://www.patreon.com/rcpress.  Don’t Let Paul Martino & Friends Buy Our Schools and push extremist politics in our community. Raging Chicken has teamed up with LevelField to launch a truly community-rooted PAC to invest in organizing, support local and state-wide progressive candidates, and unmask the toxic organizations injecting our communities with right-wing extremism. We’re putting small-dollar donations to work to beat back the power of Big Money.  You can get more information

The United Nations environment agency issued its Emissions Gap Report ahead of this years COP 27 Climate Summit in Egypt. The report states that there is “no credible pathway to 1.5 degrees Celsius in place” - the target agreed upon in the Paris Climate Agreement. They now say that the only way to limit the most catastrophic effects of climate change is a “rapid transformation of societies.” Given current policies and commitments, the world is on track to reach a minimum of 2.8 degrees Celsius of warming by 2100 - which means significant portions of the planet will become uninhabitable.  The UN climate report also find that the world is on pace to INCREASE emissions 10.6% by 2030.  Elon Musk finalizes his takeover of Twitter. On day one he tweeted that the “bird is free,” and marked the occasion with the firing of several key executives at the company. Musk says he’ll remove lifetime bans which will pave the way for the return of Donald Trump, QAnon, and science denying conspiracy theorists to the platform.