Political Misfits

Resistance Journalism, Stuck in Question-tine, Red Tape Red Herring

Instead of actual resistance, we settle for petty spectacle, whether it’s name-calling, fat jokes or task forces. How does that help us?
Sputnik

Dr. Wilmer Leon, a political scientist and host of The Critical Hour on Radio Sputnik, helped hosts Bob Schlehuber and Jamarl Thomas work through the backlash directed at Ronan Farrow and how genuine it is. Are Ben Smith and the New York Times really concerned about Farrow’s reporting, or is this an attack on investigative journalism itself? And why this dance around the concept of “resistance journalism” without ever addressing the reality of propaganda? As Farrow defends his reporting and independent journalists are smeared daily, Rachel Maddow continues to be broadcast every night, and proven liars like Brian Williams and John Brennan are allowed to shape and deliver narratives that affect far more people. We also need to reckon with the power of social media to drive stories and hide others.

John Feffer, author, actor, and director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies was a test subject for the Misfits’ new game of Question-tine! He and the fellows worked through historical parallels to today’s plague, what work of art most accurately reflects our current predicament and the future of hands-free romance. They also made some predictions about pandemic political disruptions, praised the leaders who have handled things well.  

The Misfits also got into Trump’s latest executive order; a new poll showing huge support for a single-payer healthcare system to respond to the pandemic and for more government relief; the deathbed confession of Norma McCorvey, who said she was paid by anti-abortion activists to do an about-face on this issue; the catastrophic flooding in Michigan; and, of course, some very spooky questions about the nature of time.

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