Episode

8/17 Trump Era Opportunists; Maui Fends Off Disaster Capitalists w/ Ben Terris, Kaniela Ing

August 17, 2023

It’s another EmMajority Report Thursday! She speaks with Ben Terris, writer in the Washington Post‘s Style section, to discuss his recent book The Big Break: The Gamblers, Party Animals, and True Believers Trying to Win in Washington While America Loses Its Mind. Then, she’s joined by Kaniela Ing, National Director of the Green New Deal Network and former member of the Hawaii House of Representatives, to discuss the ongoing recovery efforts from the Maui wildfires, and how the aftereffects of colonialism are still affecting Hawaii to this day. First, Emma runs through updates on the Maui wildfires’ climbing death toll, another wildfire in Canada, Trump’s legal cases, Rudy’s legal bills, the upcoming UAW strike vote, abortion rights in the US, action from far-right legislatures in the US, and a potential Lula-Biden meeting, before diving into recent revelations on Roger Stone’s most unsurprising role in Trump’s conspiracy. Ben Terris then joins, diving right into his project studying the impact of Trump’s “shock” to the DC system, and how his victory inflamed all of the worst elements of the Capitol, making it somehow even more grifty, shifty, and power-hungry. Terris dives into his work profiling Matt Schlapp, Robert Stryk, and Sean McElwee, to explore how they capitalized on a shifting power structure in DC by clinging firmly to Trump, knowing the right people, and betting their way to the top, respectively. Kaniela Ing then joins as he first provides background on the devastating impact of the recent wildfires in Maui, burning through the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Lahaina, with thousands missing alongside the over 100 declared dead. After walking through the response from the Hawaiian community, as well as the best way to help from the outside, Ing and Emma tackle the ongoing invasion of disaster capitalists in the wake, attempting to extort devastated Hawaiians for their land, and coming in under the guise of aid solely to exploit. Wrapping up, Kaniela walks through Hawaii’s history with colonial capitalism (particularly in the wake of disasters), and what the major challenges of the rebuilding process will be.

And in the Fun Half: Emma is joined by Brandon Sutton and Matt Binder as they discuss the outrageous second attempt at canceling Richard Hanania for doing race science again, watch Bill Maher expertly interrupt Marianne Williamson to explain that poor people don’t matter because he can’t see them, and a caller from Baltimore poorly starts a conversation on law and marginalized rights. Nick from Houston Food Not Bombs calls in to explore Houston’s criminalization of feeding the homeless as a part of the US’ greater fascistic attack on the unhoused, and Kristi Noem makes Hillary Clinton look good. Rudy Giuliani continues his pathetic little downfall, and Guy from Charlotte calls in about the Right’s love for ahistory, plus, your calls and IMs!

Check out the Lahaina Ohana VenMo Instagram account here: https://www.instagram.com/lahaina_ohana_venmo/

Check out the Maui Fire Relief + Recovery Fundraiser here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mauilonghaul

Check Houston’s “Food Not Bombs” here: https://www.hpjc.org/fnb/

Check out Ben’s book here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/ben-terris/the-big-break/9781538708057/?lens=twelve

Follow Kaniela on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/KanielaIng

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