Boondoggle

Playing Possum

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 09:00:00 +0100

In an episode recorded before Trump raised the stakes in LA, and before Israel kidnapped the crew of the Madleen, Jim and Chris discuss the recommendations by some Democratic strategists to play possum and not react to Trump's outrages. We explain why we think that is a terrible idea. We also discuss whether socialists in the UK should join the Green party, where leadership candidate Zack Polanski is adopting some very encouraging policies.

One Ring To Rule Them All

Thu, 29 May 2025 13:00:00 +0100

After a brief introductory foray into fashion, Jim and Chris return to the topic of artificial intelligence. What is the situation with the regulation of AI systems? How transformative is the technology going to be? Will AI save humanity or condemn us to oblivion?

Dissent

Sat, 24 May 2025 12:00:00 +0100

In a busy news week (is there any other kind these days?), in this episode, recorded on Tuesday evening, Jim and Chris discuss first the terrible ongoing situation in Gaza, and the shamefully belated way in which the genocide is finally being acknowledged by political leaders. They then move on to talk about a chilling article equating protest and dissent in the UK with subversion, and the frightening repercussions that could have.

May Day Delay

Mon, 12 May 2025 22:00:00 +0100

Where was the episode last week? Jim confesses to participating rather too enthusiastically in Oxford's May Day celebrations and him and Chris swap musical stories before getting into criticisms of Labour's approach to immigration in the UK.

How To Avoid A War

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 21:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Jim and Chris discuss whether the Russia-Ukraine war could have been avoided, in the course of which they cover the history of NATO expansion and the wrong turn taken in relations between Russia and the West in the early years of this century.

It's Always Been Here And Still It Arrives

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 21:00:00 +0100

Has the much anticipated constitutional crisis finally arrived? Chris puts this question into a historical context by remembering some of the egregious actions of the Bush administration, which was, let us not forget, basically installed in a judicial coup that bypassed the will of the people. Still, even against that dreadful standard, there is something extraordinary about the Trump regime, currently encouraging a confrontation with the judicial branch over the question of whether it can send people to lifetime incarceration in a foreign country without any due process.

Tariff-ology

Sun, 13 Apr 2025 20:00:00 +0100

Talking just a few hours after Trump had announced a 90-day pause of tariffs, Jim and Chris discuss the purpose of his roller coaster tariff policy, which has very little to do with economic policy.

The Collapse of the Institutions

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Jim and Chris discuss the woeful response of Columbia University to Trump's aggressive attempt at control and crackdown on academic freedom and free speech. They discuss the letter organised by friend of the podcast and journalist for The Nation, Sasha Abramsky, recently published in the Guardian and available here. (Incidentally, the question was raised in the episode as to the level of Columbia's endowment. It is $14 billion.)

Other institutions are also crumbling, with major law firms and media organisations also bowing down before the Trump administration's threats. Where are the much vaunted guardrails of democracy now?

Jim and Chris also discuss the seeming incompetence of the Trump administration. Whilst they are incompetent at governing, they are proving very competent at bending the federal government to their will, which is of course what their actual job is. As a thought experiment, think about what circumstances you can imagine Attorney General Pam Bondi resigning under. Weaponising the federal government to go after political opponents? Of course not! Failing to express sufficient loyalty to Trump? Failing to go after Trump's political opponents? That's the ticket! Now you know what her job is.

Jim and Chris finish by noting how, throughout the whole Signal scandal, very few people, including amongst the Democratic opposition in Congress, have pointed out the fact that the US bombed an entire residential building in order to take out one Houthi leader, expressly waiting until he entered his home. This might indicate what the jobs of Democratic members of Congress are too of course.

Warning: Contains Trigger Warnings, part 2

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Freedom of speech is a fundamental right, but it is not unrestricted. There are things that you do not have a right to say, even when a broad free speech right is in place, as in the US. The classic example is shouting 'fire' in a crowded theatre when there is no fire. But how is this restriction to be understood in a democratic society? Jim and Chris discuss a possible answer to this, that speech that seeks to prevent others from participating in the discourse, from speaking, should not be permitted. They also discuss the recent depredations of the Trump administration with respect to free speech.

Warning: Contains Trigger Warnings, part 1

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Free speech is, supposedly, a right-wing issue and yet the Trump administration is engaging in the most severe crackdown on political speech since McCarthy, and they may shortly surpass even that dismal nadir.

Jim and Chris discuss freedom of speech, and how the right, even when they are nbot cracking down on it, often misunderstand what it is. They enjoyed their discussion so much that we've had to split it into two parts. In this first part, the strange story of when the Heterodox Academy came to Birmingham, and why trigger warnings and racial epithets have nothing to do with free speech. In part two, a left-wing view of free speech and its limits, plus a discussion of the recent shocking detention of Mahmoud Khalil in New York.

The Norms They Are A-Changing

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Chris describes watching Mississippi Burning with his son, how that brought back memories of his time as a local reporter in Mississippi in the 1980s, and how the themes of the film resonate with today. The social norms that have been in place since the 90s that have, piecemeal and to an incomplete degree, made overt expressions of racism and sexism unacceptable are in the process of being swept away for a far darker set of norms. In the second half of the episode, Chris and Jim discuss the fast-moving situation with respect to Ukraine. Whilst Trump has succeeded in slamming his fist down on the board, knocking all the pieces over, a genuine peace deal requires them to be placed back in a stable position and it is far from clear, to put it mildly, that Trump has the insight or the patience to do that. Whilst it is encouraging to hear talk of peace, we might instead be seeing a great power carve-up of Ukraine's mineral wealth. In the meantime the Europeans talk about peace whilst increasing spending on weapons, Russia watches as the US advocates for all its favoured positions, and the war grinds on. Nevertheless, and despite its non-standard nature, a diplomatic process involving Russia, Ukraine, the US, and the EU is beginning to assert itself.

Details on the resource issue discussed by Chris and Jim are available here -

https://warontherocks.com/2025/02/trump-needs-a-plan-on-ukraines-buried-treasure/

Putting It Back Together Again

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Trump and Musk and their enablers and acolytes are busy dismantling the entire American system of government. As the US hurtles towards a constitutional crisis, with the Trump administration preparing the ground to ignore the rulings of courts (which they are already doing in certain cases), what can be done to resist? Jim and Chris discuss this question. It is not surprising that they find the Democratic Party wanting in the face of this crisis. It is not only that they seem to be unable to adopt the kind of 'throw sand in the gears' tactics honed by Mitch McConnell, even though the Democrats are not merely facing a policy agenda they don't like but the dismantling of democracy, but that their whole platform of 'let's put the system back together again' fails to resonate because the system is so broken that it led to Trump being elected twice. Jim and Chris discuss the idea of using this moment to advocate for a new settlement between government and people, a radical response adequate to the magnitude of the moment.

Controlling the Line

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Jim and Chris welcome back Guido Haefli to hear about his time working at the Swiss Embassy in India. We hear some details of the Swiss relationship with India, before discussing the history of the situation in Kashmir, where it currently stands, and prospects for the future. We also discuss current relations between India and Pakistan, and India and China, all three of them nuclear-armed powers who have border disputes of varying intensity. We talk about India's role in global affairs, which is even now quite distinctive, given that it is a member, with Russia, of the BRICS group of countries, and a member, with the US, of the 'Quad' group. Finally, we discuss the rise of China, and whether there is currently or on the near horizon a new Cold War between China and the US.

Autogolpe (or, Dude Where's My Lectern?)

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Is what is happening in the US a coup? The short answer is yes. By rummaging around in the digital plumbing of various government departments and shutting down funding to those he disapproves of, private citizen, I beg your pardon, 'special government employee' Elon Musk is subverting Congress' power of the purse and acting in violation of the constitution (as well as breaking a whole bunch of other laws). And yet (regular Boondoggle theme alert) the response of the Democratic opposition and the media is utterly inadequate to the emergency. The situation is so serious, we have to resort to Spanish to describe it properly.

As Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries so stirringly reminds us, 'God is still on His throne'. And in the rest of the palace, the courtiers are burning the furniture.

Keeping The Peace

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 09:00:00 +0000

What is it like to be a military peacekeeper? What do military peacekeeping missions actually do, and do they make any difference?
Jim and Chris are joined by Swiss national Guido Haefeli, who prior to studying in Birmingham was a peacekeeper in Kosovo and Western Sahara. He talks about the relevant histories of both places, what it is like to work as a military peacekeeper (whether as part of KFOR or under the auspices of the UN), his personal views on the future prospects of both places, and what the role of the peacekeeper is and ought to be in the contemporary world. A fascinating chance to hear in detail about what it means to keep the peace in conflict situations from someone who has direct experience.

Darkness Visible

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 09:00:00 +0000

After marking the death of The Band's Garth Hudson, Chris and Jim get in to the dark spectacle of the Trump inauguration. Unconstitutional policies, barely veiled threats of invasion and territorial expansion, plans for economic terrorism, baseless calumnies against political opponents, and of course blatant lies, all normalised by the media commentary. 'A remarkably policy heavy speech', as described by the BBC. What political alchemy is this that seemingly spellbinds the very institutions that are meant to provide the much-vaunted guardrails of democracy?

Boondoggle hasn't stopped this descent into the darkness but we have been talking about it since 2020. Please do like and subscribe, both this podcast and our brand spanking new Substack.

Fire and Fury

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Chris and Jim are joined in this first episode of 2025 by old friend of the podcast, author and journalist Sasha Abramsky. Sasha talks a little bit about the situation in LA which he visited at the weekend (see his photo essay for The Nation here). We then move on to think about the state of the Democratic Party and the US in general in the last few days before the inauguration of Trump.
Me and Chris plan to talk again on Tuesday night, in the aftermath of the inauguration. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to like and subscribe to catch our episodes as soon as they are uploaded.

And Then There Were Three, Part 3

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Our final instalment with Luke Doherty, where we cash a couple of cheques that were issued in the past two episodes - the role of AI in politics, and the prospects of a 'new cold war' between the US and China.
We're going to take a break for Christmas and be back in the new year. If you enjoyed this episode, then do subscribe to be notified as soon as a new episode is uploaded.

And Then There Were Three, Part 2

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The second part of what is now going to be a trilogy of episodes featuring Jim, Chris, and Luke Doherty.
In this wide-ranging discussion, the trio begin by considering the US role in international politics in the run-up to and immediate aftermath of the end of the Cold War. They also consider the role of morality and populism in politics, before ending on a bombshell question of the role of AI in politics.
Next week, in Part 3 the trio will discuss that question about AI and other disruptive technologies on the political space, and make sure to have the discussion they have been threatening over the first two parts about prospects for a Trumpian foreign policy.

And Then There Were Three, Part 1

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Jim and Chris are joined by Luke Doherty, a fellow student with Jim in Birmingham. After talking for a little bit about what Luke was doing before he came to Birmingham, and what brought him back to studying, they consider the reasons for and possible lessons of the Trump victory. We had intended to discuss many more topics, but thought that since we had been going for an hour and a quarter, it might be sensible to postpone those to next week.
There is much agreement between Jim, Chris, and Luke, but also hints of disagreements as well, which we will be sure to explore in Part 2 next week, so be sure to subscribe to hear the rest of the conversation as soon as we upload it next week.

Under The Weather

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

With the UK hit by unseasonal snow, Jim and Chris spend a little bit of time discussing the shall we say unusual political approach of the Starmer government in the UK, which seems to involve annoying as many people as possible as quickly as they can whilst telling everyone things are not going to get better for years. They then move on to the main topic of the episode, a consideration of the foreign policy implications of Trump's election win. Whilst resiling not one iota from the likely dire domestic impacts (only made worse by Trump's picks for major government jobs), is there a possibility of a Trump administration bringing peace to an increasingly conlficted world? Given a distinction between US grand strategies of 'deep engagement' and 'restraint', might we see restraint under Trump? Or is his talk of peace just more Trumpian bluster and cover for ever more dangerous deep engagement? Do the answers to these questions depend on whether we are talking about Europe, the Middle East, or East Asia? Given Trump's brutally transactional nature and the lack of evidence of any kind of strategic thinking whatsoever, does it even make sense to talk of foreign policy prospects in these terms at all? We might not have the answers to these questions, but we chew them over for a little while that's for sure.

Under Conditions Of Anarchy

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Jim talks with Chris about the course that he is doing on Global Conflict and Cooperation. Jim outlines the various theories of international relations that he has come across so far, realism, liberalism, and constructivism, and discusses with Chris the barriers to and possibilities for peace-building under these theories.

Series 4 Episode 7: The Property Party

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 11:00:00 +0000

In this episode, recorded on Thursday 7th November, Jim Driscoll and Chris Floyd discuss the comprehensive Trump victory in the recent US election. Using Gore Vidal's idea that there is only one party in America, the Property Party, as a prompt, they discuss the extent to which so many elements of the US establishment have acquiesced in the dismantling of American institutions, and whether Trump represents a genuine repudiation of the tenets of the Property Party, as his followers in effect believe, or whether we are witnessing the Property Party realising that it no longer needs democracy in order to achieve its aims. (No surprise, we favour the latter.) We also moan a bit about the extraordinary tone-deafness of the Harris campaign (which we have discussed before) and extraordinary way in which some pundits are arguing she failed because she went 'too far left'.

Series 4 Episode 6: What Is Happening Is Not happening

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

After catching up with respect to Chris' Greek odyssey, and discussing his brief career as a cricket correspondent for the Moscow Times, Jim and Chris discuss the impact of the shock doctrine on Russia in the 90s before considering the extent to which it is proposed to be applied to the US if Trump wins the election and appoints Elon Musk to government.
The election is on a knife-edge and any predictions will be little more than guesses, but either way, US democracy will continue to be under pressure and increasingly hollowed out, in various ways outlined by both Chris and Jim. Happy Hallowe'en!
The next episode of Boondoggle will be recorded on Wednesday 6th November, the day after the US election, when there will be at least preliminary indications of how things will pan out.

Series 4 Episode 5: Misperceiving the Danger

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0100

In this episode Jim and Chris discuss the upcoming US election. Bypassing the usual horserace commentary, they talk about the unprecedented nature of the contest, the 'sane-washing' of Trump, possible futures after the election, and one possible reason why the Democrats seem to constantly misunderstand the strategy required to win against MAGA.

Series 4 Episode 4: Realignment

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0100

In this episode, recorded on the evening of the 8th October when there were still three candidates in the Tory leadership race and everyone expected James Cleverly to make the final two, Jim and Chris discuss the degree to which the British political system may be showing signs of realigning. With Reform functioning as an apparently irresistible magnet dragging the Tories ever further to the right and Labour seemingly moving into the centre right ground being abandoned by the Conservatives, do we just have a shift rightwards of the two party system or a fracturing of that system? And does this open up space for a new party or grouping of the left? To what degree does the situation in the UK mirror that happening in Europe? And could a similar thing happen in the US? Questions, questions. We might not have the answers, but we sure can fill an hour talking about them.

Series 4 Episode 3: Two Things About Birmingham

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 17:00:00 +0100

Chris talks to Jim about his recent relocation to Birmingham to start an MA in Global Conflict and Cooperation, and his fifteen-and-a-half day journey from Oxford to Birmingham by narrowboat. What does taking so long to travel such a small distance do to your conception of time? How do you steer the thing anyway? And will Chris ever learn how to pronounce the name of the city properly?

Series 4 Episode 2: Beyond the convention

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 21:00:00 +0100

Jim and Chris discuss themes arising from the recent Democratic Convention in Chicago - how, beyond the schmaltz, nothing much changes; how the centrist project leads to the triumph of the right; and how we are living in a decadent democratic culture. Also, Chris sings a number made familiar (but not written) by Woody Guthrie, The Hobo's Lullaby.

Series 4 Episode 1: Which Way Are The Sunflowers Pointing?

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 18:00:00 +0100

With Chris back from his secret mission for the mysterious figure known only as 'Toolmaker', and in an episode recorded in the hours before Kamala Harris gave her speech, Jim and Chris briefly discuss the strange experience of watching a Democratic convention full of hope and energy at the same time as US-funded atrocities continue in Gaza.
They then move on to assess the performance of the Labour government in the UK after its first seven weeks. During the course of this discussion, Chris makes a brave and foolhardy attempt at a Scottish accent. It is fair to say, of both accent and government, that it is remarkable how quickly something can go so utterly wrong.
This episode is brought to you by Crab Tut Beer - it'll keep you going all night long!

Series 4 pilot: The Boondoggle Promise

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0100

Following the restructuring of our corporate sponsor, Crab Tut Beer (the best beer you've ever seen), Boondoggle is amending its offer by incorporating various modalities of speech-based content into a new magazine-style format designed to appeal across various demographics that engage with the podcast space. That's what the brief said, anyway, but who reads that crap? Forced to present the podcast alone due to co-host Chris Floyd being stranded on the South coast engaged in a secret mission detecting small boats on behalf of a mysterious individual known only as 'Toolmaker', and with the planned launch show in front of thousands of paying subscribers at a secret venue somewhere in the Home Counties consequently redesigned as a five-hour banjo concert, Jim is forced instead to interview Sasha Abramsky, the Boondoggle North America correspondent, about recent developments in US politics ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. (Apologies for the background noise in this segment of the show - on reflection, the choice of a cutlery factory as the venue to record the interview was not an entirely sensible one. Oh well, you live and learn.)

For anyone who listens to the end, there are no details in the description.

Series 3 Episode 10: Our Fragile State

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Chris and Jim begin by discussing recent developments in the Middle East, with tensions running high and fears of escalation after Israel reserves the right to respond to Iran's launching of drones and missiles at Israel (itself a retaliation for Israel's attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus).
The bulk of the episode consists of a discussion of the notion of fragility, introduced in the previous episode, but developed here in relation to the climate emergency. Chris and Jim explore how political and cultural fragility, exemplified by the unresponsiveness of political systems to reality and the wishes of the population and the prevalence of disinformation in the public sphere, prevent productive debate around specific responses to the climate emergency, using the polarised debate around the introduction of LTNs (low traffic neighbourhoods) in their hometown of Oxford and the absurd misrepresentation of the notion of a 15-minute city as examples. The discussion then broadens out into a consideration of the way the climate movement has begun to engage with wider political and social justice issues, and the magnitude of the task of achieving the kind of profound social change required in a non-violent fashion.

Series 3 Episode 9: Following the Wrong Star

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 17:00:00 +0100

Political discussion with Jim Driscoll and Chris Floyd.
In this episode, Jim begins by asking Chris about his experiences growing up in rural Tennessee during the Civil Rights era. They then use these experiences to explore the relationship between cultural anxiety and economic stability, and to begin to develop a notion of 'fragility', a feature that societies can have that renders them more liable to conflict and vulnerable to shocks. They then discuss ways in which society has become more fragile in recent years and think about why that may be the case.

Series 3 Episode 8: Easter Madness

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 17:00:00 +0100

Chris and Jim discuss the several concerning developments in Gaza over the Easter weekend and ask why it is that the West sees fit to continue arming Israel even as its actions are condemned in ever stronger terms.

Series 3 Episode 7: The Way Forward

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 20:00:00 +0000

After catching up on some of the recent developments with respect to Gaza, Jim and Chris discuss possible ways in which those on the left can deal with the political situation as it confronts us. The focus in this episode is mainly on the UK, with discussion of a campaign for a hung parliament and the idea of a progressive alliance, before getting on to the topic of the importance of a new political party to occupy the large space to the left of Labour and the requirement to reconnect politics with the people via grassroots organising.

Series 3 Episode 6: Lessons From History

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 23:00:00 +0000

Jim and Chris discuss parallels between the current moment and the post-9/11 situation, and what the Iraq War can teach us about now.

Series 3 Episode 5: Dangerous Extremism

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 15:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Chris and Jim discuss the increasing extremism of the political establishments of the US and the UK in relation to the continuing horrors in Gaza. They talk about the Uncommitted movement in Michigan and the degree to which it might have influenced Biden's 'ice-cream' ceasefire announcement; the continuing fallout of the chaotic ceasefire vote in the UK, most recently exemplified by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's hijacking of the airwaves on 1st March to blether on about dangers to democracy (ie people marching in support of a ceasefire); and the election of a Communist MP to the House of Commons.

Series 3 Episode 4 - Travelling Towards The Event Horizon

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 16:00:00 +0000

In this epsode, Chris and Jim discuss the absurd weakness of the Labour Party in the UK in the face of criticism, before moving on to the way in which democracy has been hollowed out by the adoption by the political class of a narrow consensus which seems to move ever rightwards . Chris introduces his idea that we are living in the 'Age of the Unsayable' as a way of explaining how this has happened.

Series 3 Episode 3

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 16:00:00 +0000

What is artificial intelligence? Is it going to take over the world, or is it just coming for our jobs? Chris and Jim discuss the political issues raised by AI and how they relate to the crisis of Western democracy.

Series 3 Episode 2

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:00:00 +0000

Chris and Jim discuss the situation at the Texas border and the UK government's Rwanda scheme, and what the dire state of the immigration debate in the two countries says about the crisis of democracy.

Series 3 Episode 1

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 20:00:00 +0000

Political discussion with Chris Floyd and Jim Driscoll.
This series of Boondoggle will be providing commentary on the run-up to the 2024 US and UK elections.
In this first episode, we provide a broad prospectus of how we see the political scene in both countries at the current time.

0.00-3.15 introduction
3.15-6.25 the situation in Gaza
6.25-52.25 the US
52.25-1.17.50 the UK
1.17.50-1.18.05 outro

Chris Floyd has been a journalist and columnist for nearly forty years and has written for the Nation, the Moscow Times, and Il Manifesto (Italy), amongst others. He has a long-running political blog, Empire Burlesque, and writes a regular column for Counterpunch. He is also a musician and song-writer and is the singer for The Holy Fools. His twitter handle is @empireburlesque.
Jim Driscoll is a musician and recovering philosopher, currently working on his third unpublished novel. He plays guitar for The Holy Fools and folk duo The Hex Collective.

Series 2 Episode 3

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 23:00:00 +0000

Jim and Chris talk about Chris's time in Moscow in the mid-90s working as a journalist for the Moscow Times and his experiences of the new post-Soviet society. They then look at the similarities and differences between the situation in the USSR in the mid- to late-80s and the situation in the US today.
This discussion is prompted partly by the rash of articles discussing Barbara Walter's book How Civil Wars Start, see for example the review in the New York Times here, and this more sceptical piece in the same paper.
Second-hand Time by Svetlana Alexievich (available here) is a remarkable window into what it was like to live through the collapse of the Soviet Union. I can't recommend it enough.

Series 2 Episode 2

Sun, 12 Dec 2021 17:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Jim and Chris discuss the recent hearing in the Supreme Court on the Mississippi abortion case, and what it might mean for the future of abortion provision and more in the United States.
The article by David Gans mentioned by Chris is here - https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/10/mississippi-abortion-birth-control-lgbtq-scotus.html
You might also find the following interesting -
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/09/what-can-be-done-protect-womens-abortion-rights-if-roe-falls/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/07/supreme-court-abortion-rights-constitution/

Series 2 Episode 1

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 23:00:00 +0000

In this first episode of the new series of Boondoggle, Jim Driscoll and Chris Floyd discuss the recent verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, what it says about American politics in this moment, and how we got into this mess.
The discussion proceeds from consideration of Patrick Blanchard's article on Gawker, 'Kyle Rittenhouse is an American' (available at https://www.gawker.com/news/kyle-rittenhouse-is-american).
In the next episode, we will be discussing the impact on politics of the climate catastrophe, and will be starting by discussing this excellent (and slightly less than despairing) article by Alex Steffen, 'The Transapocalyptic Now' (https://alexsteffen.substack.com/p/the-transapocalyptic-now).

Episode 20

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 23:00:00 +0000

In this episode, recorded on 17th February 2021, Sasha Abramsky (The Nation), Chris Floyd (Counterpunch), and Jim Driscoll discuss the difficulties of democratic discourse in America given that one party has gone off the authoritarian deep-end, and possible ways in which the Democrats might seek to get politics back on an even keel.

Episode 19

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 15:00:00 +0000

In this episode, recorded on 30th January, Chris Floyd (Counterpunch) and Jim Driscoll discuss the first ten days of the Biden administration and the future of the Republican Party as it binds itself ever tighter to Trumpist Q-Anon lunacy.

Episode 18

Sat, 16 Jan 2021 13:00:00 +0000

What does the future hold for Trump, the Republican Party, and the American Republic? With Sasha Abramsky (The Nation), Chris Floyd (CounterPunch) and Jim Driscoll.
Read Sasha's most recent article for The Nation is here.
The article by Timothy Snyder from which we derive the terminology of 'breakers' and 'gamers' that structures much of our discussion is here.

Episode 17

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode, recorded 24 hours after the events of Wednesday 6th January, Sasha Abramsky (The Nation), Chris Floyd (Counterpunch) and Jim Driscoll discuss what should happen next, the prospects for Trumpism and the Republican Party going forward, and their thoughts on the way forward for the incoming administration.

Episode 15

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 16:00:00 +0000

In this episode, with Trump's legal challenges grinding on under the tender care of court jester Rudy Gulliani (see this helpful video for a good discussion of their slender prospects), Chris, Sasha, and Jim discuss what the future might hold for Trump, Trumpism, and the GOP, with reference to Sasha's latest article in the Nation (here). They also discuss the prospects for the senate run-offs in Georgia, with the whole team expressing cautious optimism regarding the Democrats' chances.

Episode 14

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 15:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Chris, Jim, and Sasha discuss the post-election situation, unprecedented in modern times, with Trump and increasing numbers of Republican officials refusing to accept the results of the election and crying fraud. Is this a mark of desperation or a serious escalation of anti-democratic strategising? Or perhaps both? All three of us are more pessimistic than a lot of the media seem to be. (See for example this headline in the Washington Post.) But Trump has been signalling his intentions for months and so far it is all unfolding as he said it would. The only question is whether the Republican party will go along with the charade, and so far the signs are not good. Is the Democrat's current strategy adequate for the moment we find ourselves in? Will they be able to step up to the plate if the Republicans' anti-democratic intransigence continues? If you too feel a resurgence of that familiar anxiety as Trump and his enablers trash America's democratic norms, I'm afraid this episode will not make you feel any better.
Nor will these commentators -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jJrmPQf4NQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jco8c6nCUo
On the other hand, there is this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAyh2xPrFvo

Episode 13

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 23:00:00 +0000

In this episode, recorded on Tuesday 27th October, Chris, jim, and Sasha discuss the recent confirmation to the US Supreme Court of Amy Coney Barrett and its implications for the election. In the second half of the episode, Chris and Jim talk about their hopes and fears for a possible Biden administration.
Earlier in the day, Sasha discussed many of the same topics on act.tv - you can watch that interview here.
There is an interesting article from the Washington Post discussing in some detail Brett Kavanaugh's opinion in the Wisconsin election case, issued ust as Amy Coney Barrett was being confirmed, which you can read here.

Episode 12

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 09:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Chris, Sasha, and Jim explore the limits of their optimism regarding the election, discussing the significance of the high levels of early voting, the gratifying spectacle of Republicans beginning to distance themselves from Trump, and the prospects for the Senate.

Episode 11

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 23:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Chris and Jim discuss some more general trends in US politics and culture that are feeding into the election cycle, and wonder how optimistic we should be about the deep cultural changes that societies around the world appear to be going through. They also spend a little bit of time talking about the impact of the Covid's sudden appearance at the White House.
For a video that lays out as clearly as possible the various rules, regulations, and constitutional procedures that govern the death or incapacitation of a candidate or president elect at various points in the electoral process, see here.

Episode 10

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 12:00:00 +0100

Recorded slightly later in the week than normal in order to allow for discussion of the first debate between Trump and Biden, this episode looks at the impact, if any, of that debate, the revelations from the New York Times about Trump's tax affairs (see the original article here) and whether the imminent appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court will have the impact Trump appears to want on any election litigation that ends up there. Discussion of the impact on the election of Trump's Covid diagnosis is just going to have to wait until next week!

Episode 9

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 22:00:00 +0100

With Sasha unable to make the recording (since he was busy writing this article), Chris and Jim have a wide ranging discussion. The supreme court is on their minds, of course, with comparisons made to previous nomination battles and potential reforms of the court canvassed (many of which mirrored in this interesting leader from the Washington Post), but they also talk about Trump's unhinged rally in Minnesota and the DoJ designation of New York, Seattle, and Portland as 'anarchist jurisdictions'. Chris also speaks movingly of the fate of his hometown in Tennessee, ravaged by the economic storms of the 70s and 80s.
For a view of one possible future for America, and a powerful and compelling take on the place the country finds itself in, which interacts with many of the themes discussed in this podcast, check out Chris Hedges on Act TV here. If you subscribe to Act TV, then you may well soon get to see Sasha, who is a regular contributor to the channel.

Episode 8

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 23:00:00 +0100

In this episode, we begin by discussing the latest depredation or the post office, before moving on to the crazy week that has just transpired, culminating in Trump's illegal rally in Nevada. We finish with a slightly more abstract discussion about why people fall for conspiracy theories.
Sasha's piece in the Nation this week can be found here -
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/trump-coronavirus-wildfires-elections/
You can watch Pomerantsev discuss his book Nothing is True and Everything is Possible here -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Au332OG-M4
And for a terrifying discussion of Q-Anon, you need look no further than this fine article by Adrienne LaFrance published in the Atlantic in June 2020
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/06/qanon-nothing-can-stop-what-is-coming/610567/

Episode 7

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 23:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Sasha, Chris, and Jim discuss Sasha's latest article for the Nation, which explains how activists are organising in response to prospective election chaos. They also discuss Trump's call for his followers to vote twice. Chris remembers what happened when they first proposed flouride in the water and Sasha thinks back to the late 80s rave scene.
You can read Sasha's article here -
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/trump-coup-elections-gop/

Episode 6

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0100

In this episode, with Sasha unable to make the recording, Chris and Jim discuss Watergate, the 1980 election, and other events from US political history with a view to their parallels to today's situation.
Much of the discussion is prompted by Jim's reading Rick Perlstein's book The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan (available as an e-book here - https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Rick-Perlstein/The-Invisible-Bridge--The-Fall-of-Nixon-and-the-Rise-of-Reagan/16166184)
Perlstein, a historian of the American right, has unsurprisingly intervened in the current debate, for example at the links below -
https://www.democracynow.org/2020/8/28/rick_perlstein_rnc_trump_fascism
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/15/rick-perlstein-reaganland-donald-trump-nixon-republicans
https://www.thenation.com/podcast/politics/rick-perlstein-on-the-republican-party-from-reagan-to-trump/

Episode 5

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 19:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Sasha, Chris, and Jim try their level best to avoid discussing the Republican National Convention, before moving on to discuss how the recent shenanigans at the USPS reveal the insidious role of big money interests in US politics. and the way in which American democracy is on a knife-edge. As Chris says at the end, 'We may already be living in the bardo'. (I had to look it up too - according to Professor Google, 'bardo' is the Tibetan term for the stage between death and rebirth.)
The issue of Vanity Fair guest edited by Ta-Nehisi Coates is available here https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2020/08/september-2020-issue-the-great-fire
His collection of writings up to 2016, We Were Eight Years In Power is also a fantastic read.
For more information on the Hard Hat Riot mentioned by Sasha, see
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Hat_Riot
Alternatively, you may be interested in this video from the late Michael Brooks discussing whether there was a Hard Hat Rebellion for Trump (the video is from June 2020).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-Ijs2ZAZR4

Episode 4

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 18:00:00 +0100

In this episode, recorded during and ongoing heatwave in Sacramento, Sasha, Chris, and Jim discuss media reactions in the UK and the US to Trump's attacks on the USPS, and their possible impact on the election. They then go on to discuss Republicans at the Democratic National Convention, and the chances of Biden implementing what is shaping up to be a surprisingly progressive platform.
You can follow the Democratic Convention at https://www.demconvention.com/.

Episode 3

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 23:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Chris, Jim, and Sasha discuss Trump's recent Covid-related executive orders, an analogy from the end of the Soviet Union, and some breaking news (from Tuesday!). There is also some brief discussion of Slavoj Zizek (not a sentence I ever expected to write) regarding his 2016 views on the electoral contest between Trump and Clinton. See this recent article in the Irish Times for his views on the Trump-Biden match-up - https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/slavoj-%C5%BEi%C5%BEek-joe-biden-is-long-term-the-same-catastrophe-as-trump-1.4312913

Episode 2

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 09:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Sasha, Chris and Jim discuss what the 2020 election might look like, the role of power in politics, and several colourful metaphors for the current moment.
You can find the Steven Lukes book discussed by Sasha at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Power-Radical-View-Steven-Lukes/dp/0333420926, and Lukes himself discuss these ideas at https://philosophybites.libsyn.com/steven-lukes-on-power. Chris referenced this article in the Guardian by Lawrence Douglas - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jul/27/trump-loses-election-what-happens-possibilities.

Episode 1

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 08:00:00 +0100

The first in a series running weekly until November, Jim Driscoll, Sasha Abramsky, and Chris Floyd discuss the overlapping crises facing America in 2020 and the importance of the upcoming election.

Chris Floyd has been a journalist and columnist for nearly forty years and has written for the Nation, the Moscow Times, and Il Manifesto (Italy), amongst others. He currently writes a monthly column for CounterPunch and pieces for his long-running political blog, Empire Burlesque.

Sasha Abramsky is a prolific author and journalist who has written for a wide range of publications in the US and the UK, including the Village Voice, Rolling Stone, and the Independent. He currently writes the regular Signal:Noise column for the Nation, and maintains an archive of his work at The Abramsky Report.

Jim Driscoll is a musician and recovering philosopher, currently working on his second unpublished novel.