Happy Friday! Today on the Majority Report Michael Brooks is joined by Bhaskar Sunkara, editor of the Jacobin and author of the new book The Socialist Manifesto, and comedian David Feldman, host of The David Feldman Show, to recap the week’s biggest stories. Bhaskar Sunkara calls in from his book tour to discuss his road to becoming one of the country’s leading socialist thinkers and why he believes Americans are waking up to democratic socialist thinking in 2019. Brooks and Sunkara explain Marx and Engels efforts to expand the democratic franchise through unionization and organized workers parties which helped paved the way for what we now understand as democratic socialism. For all its successes, however, Sunkara concedes that socialist governing systems have suffered bureaucratic mismanagement, racism, and civil unrest; understanding the missteps of social democratic governing can help informs progressive Americans before capital mounts its inevitable arguments and fight against it. Moving to 2020, Brooks and Sunkara consider how Sanders can channel the anger of voters in a productive way that Trump cannot, but also wonder if Sanders’ economic populism could engage more voters than Biden’s voting-out-of-fear campaign.
David Feldman then joins the program to discuss his “principles” and why in 2020 it’s all about defeating Trump. While providing healthcare, food security, and government oversight are important things, the most important thing “in principle” is that we unit behind the candidate most likely to defeat Trump. Feldman says the threats of a inter-party circular firing squad and democrats staying home on election day are real and must be avoided at all cost. Additionally, Bernie is not reaching out to the middle class white males like Biden and cannot match Middle Class Joe because the former VP is just that, a middle class white male. While half the country doesn’t have $500 for an emergency, Feldman understands, as a middle class man, who has experienced tragedy, that we start reaching out to the middle class and and then reach out to others from there. Feldman ends his interview explaining why it’s important to take the advice of Rob Reiner in every aspect of your life.
And in the Fun Half: Ben Shapiro gets triggered by UK conservative Andrew Neil, Lula’s first interview from prison, TP USA has to remove another white nationalist from its leadership ranks, and a trip to the Bernie archives from his first House election, plus your calls and IMs!
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