We talk with Marcela Gaviria, producer of the new Frontline documentary “The Gang Crackdown.” Also, we catch up on listener mail for real this time.   

Frontline

00:00 – Welcome to Radio Dispatch
00:30 – Happy Mardi Gras!
06:09 – Marcela Gaviria on Frontline’s “The Gang Crackdown”
27:34 – Listener mail catch up
57:13 – Credits, “The Soft Season” by Hookworms
58:48 – Finish

A great piece by Katherine Cross looks at the pressure put on Chelsea Manning after her release from prison, the Democrats need to start figuring out more specific messaging as the elections get closer, and listener mail.

photo by Tim Travers Hawkins courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

00:00 – Welcome to Radio Dispatch
00:30 – John and Molly write a rom com about the government shutdown
15:41 – Democrats need to get better at messaging, ASAP
49:00 – The humanity of Chelsea Manning
58:18 – Credits, “Survive” by Hollie Cook
59:37 – Finish

Jesse Myerson is here to talk about the shortcomings of how we talk about racist systems, and the White House knew Rob Porter had been accused of domestic abuse, and Nancy Pelosi does a symbolic gesture for DACA.

Jesse Myerson, via Twitter.

00:00 – Welcome to Radio Dispatch
00:30 – Is Serafina like other cats?
08:03 – The allegations against Rob Porter
16:25 – The Senate deal and missing DACA protections
23:18 – Jesse Myerson on solidarity, not altruism
57:21 – Credits, “What I Want” by Anna Burch
58:42 – Finish

The stock market seems to have bounced back but we discuss how an economic crash could facilitate the rise of fascism in the US, and we actually catch up on listener mail.

photo by Jebulon courtesy of Wikimedia

00:00 – Welcome to Radio Dispatch
00:30 – The case for phoning it in
16:35 – Trump’s military parade and the GOP march toward fascism
29:49 – What an economic downturn could mean for fascist organizing
48:06 – Listener mail
58:46 – Credits, “In Your Dreams” by Anna Burch
59:58 – Finish

John explains the stock market crash, and we catch up on listener mail.

Photo by ProducerMatthew courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

00:00 – Welcome to Radio Dispatch
00:30 – Not eating meat seems more normal now
16:00 – This week’s stock market plunge, explained
48:55 – How policy impacts the stock market
59:09 – Credits, “Quit the Curse” by Anna Burch
60:23 – Finish

There was much ado about nothing after Trump “released the memo” last Friday, JT performing without Janet Jackson at the Super Bowl was trash, and a bit of personal news.   

Photo courtesy of US Congress via Wikimedia Commons

00:00 – Welcome to Radio Dispatch
00:30 – How do we feel about the Winter Olympics
09:02 – Some personal news
15:30 – The Super Bowl was woke capitalism and black appropriation
35:25 – The Memo was Released
56:57 – Credits, “Not My Kinda Movie” by Nadine
58:14 – Finish

Jesse Myerson is here to talk about why the stock market is a terrible indicator for people’s economic well being, and David Brooks falls for the conservative logic around 20 week abortion bans.

Jesse Myerson, via Twitter

00:00 – Welcome to Radio Dispatch
00:30 – Is 4 years old the new 5 years old
18:28 – Jesse Myerson on the stock market and unemployment numbers
36:37 – David Brooks and the 20 week abortion ban
57:43 – Credits, “Calm Down” by Kid Trails
58:56 – Finish

Melissa Gira Grant is back to give us the latest on the police targeting sex workers in New Orleans, and we go over the Hope Hicks, Nunes, and Rosenstein Russia developments.

Melissa Gira Grant, via Twitter

00:00 – Welcome to Radio Dispatch
00:30 – Still working on our ideal Mr. Rogers movie
13:06 – Melissa Gira Grant on strip club raids in NOA
31:20 – Hope Hicks, Nunes and Rosenstein
59:06 – Credits, “Maybe Baby” by Bark Bark Disco
60:21 – Finish

We spend the show looking at the implications of Trump’s State of the Union speech.

00:00 – Welcome to Radio Dispatch
00:30 – Sobriety and the SOTU
12:27 – Trump using brown people to advance his agenda
25:17 – The horrifying story of the cop who took a drug user’s baby
49:26 – Trump defends Guantanamo
58:38 – Credits, “Never Let You Down” by Bark Bark Disco
59:47 – Finish

Andrew McCabe abruptly leaves the FBI, Republicans vote to release a memo claiming the FBI O’bungled the Russia investigation, and more thoughts on Ross Douthat’s white nationalist sympathies.   

Andrew G. McCabe

photo courtesy of U. S. Federal Bureau of Investigation via Wikimedia Commons

00:00 – Welcome to Radio Dispatch
00:30 – Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers
20:45 – #ReleasetheMemo, explained
50:10 – Andrew McCabe, explained
58:57 – Credits, “Goodbye” by Porches
60:01 – Finish

Jeff Abbott joins us to discuss the protests in Venezuela, Ross Douthat goes full white nationalist, and a Grammys roundup.

Jeff Abbott, via Twitter

00:00 – Welcome to Radio Dispatch
00:30 – Remembering pop music throughout our lives
12:59 – The Grammys were political and also still institutionally terrible
37:19 – Jeff Abbott on El Salvador and Venezuela
60:30 – Credits, “Find Me” by Porches
61:22 – Finish

Jesse Myerson joins us to catch up on the Democrats and the DREAMers, and we catch up on the huge news about Trump trying to fire Mueller.

Jesse Myerson, via Twitter

00:00 – Welcome to Radio Dispatch
00:30 – Why does the Times keep profiling bigots
14:15 – Trump tried to fire Mueller
38:23 – JAM on the Democrats caving
60:10 – Credits, “Always” by Fovea
60:56 – Finish

Nick Pinto joins us to discuss his Intercept story on ICE following and deporting immigration leaders in New York City, and we catch up on the Philly supervised injection facility and listener mail.

Nick Pinto, via Twitter

00:00 – Welcome to Radio Dispatch
00:30 – At what age does Valentines Day get complicated
17:44 – Nick Pinto on ICE crackdowns on immigration leaders
41:10 – Listener mail on Me Too, white women and white supremacy
58:08 – Credits, “Don’t Play” by Fovea
59:20 – Finish

Melissa Gira Grant joins us to discuss the annual Super Bowl sex panic and a crackdown targeting New Orleans sex workers, Philly approves a safe injection facility, and a Russia roundup.

Melissa Gira Grant, via Twitter

00:00 – Welcome to Radio Dispatch
00:30 – Ursula le Guin and gender neutral pronouns
20:50 – Melissa Gira Grant on task forces targeting strip clubs in NOLA
43:03 – Russia roundup
58:21 – Credits, “Different” by Bova
59:22 – Finish