Ep. 143: What's The Matter With Populism? (feat. Thomas Frank)

Thomas Frank is a historian and author behind classic books such as "What's that Matter With Kansas?" and "Listen, Liberal." His work has exposed the cynicism and corruption behind the conservative movement and Republican party, the cataclysmic failures of the liberal establishment and the Democratic party, along with the corporate elite that they all serve. He joins Michael to discuss the necessary defeat of Trump, what to expect from the Democrats, and how our only hope for real, positive change is through mass, democratic, citizen-led movements and not through the current political system or the Democratic party. The people must lead the politicians, not the other way around.


Recent Thomas Frank articles:

Ding-dong, the jerk is gone. But read this before you sing the Hallelujah Chorus
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/nov/07/trump-defeat-election

We need to reclaim populism from the right. It has a long, proud leftwing history
‘Populist’ has become shorthand for racist authoritarianism. But the first populists were progressive labor activists who fought for democracy
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/12/we-need-to-reclaim-populism-from-the-right-it-has-a-long-proud-leftwing-history

Read his books!

The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism
https://bookshop.org/a/1381/9781250798480

Listen, Liberal: Or, What Ever Happened to the Party of the People?
https://bookshop.org/a/1381/9781250118134

What's the Matter with Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America
https://bookshop.org/a/1381/9780805077742

Music in the episode:

"This Land Is Your Land" - Woody Guthrie
https://open.spotify.com/track/3ZjrfGcb3A2PMGA1vRNgSk

"This Land Is Your Land" @OccupyLA - Tom Morello (The Nightwatchman)
https://youtu.be/E1ImQ7Ylvdo