Political Misfits

Defense Department Shake-Up; Biden's Climate Plan

US President Donald Trump's Defense Department shake-up resembles a game of musical chairs; will projected President-elect Joe Biden change the tune?
Sputnik

Dan Kovalik, lawyer, professor and author of “No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using ‘Humanitarian Intervention’ to Advance Economic and Strategic Interests"; and Ted Rall, award-winning political cartoonist and columnist, join us to discuss what’s happening at the Defense Department. Trump recently fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper; Esper’s chief of staff resigned and was followed by top Pentagon policy official James Anderson and top intelligence official Joseph Kernan. Sliding over as acting defense secretary is Christopher Miller, who had been director of the National Counterterrorism Center. And replacing Anderson is someone who has raised a lot of hackles - Gen. Anthony Tata, who was forced out of consideration for that job originally because of a bunch of pretty vicious, Islamophobic statements. What could do these changes mean for the potential Biden administration?

Guy McPherson, scientist, professor emeritus of natural resources and ecology at the University of Arizona, joins us to discuss energy and the environment and what it would mean for the US to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement. Biden can have the US rejoin the accord and has promised to do so as he takes office. What does the deal bind us to? Under Trump, how far have we shifted from the emissions limits and funding promises to which we were supposed to adhere, and what is it going to take to pull us back in line?

David Schultz, Distinguished University Professor of Political Science and Legal Studies at Hamline University and author of "Presidential Swing States: Why Only Ten Matter," joins us to discuss Trump’s ongoing legal efforts to change what appears to be a victory for Biden in the presidential election, and also get into what’s happening in our education systems as COVID-19 tears unhindered through the US.

Chris Garaffa, web developer and technologist, joins us to examine the trend of tech executives being invited to weigh in on what seems like every single aspect of our government! There are a few employees from Amazon joining Biden's transition agency review teams, as well as a LinkedIn representative. There's someone who previously worked for Google and the Obama administration who is back to oversee the National Security Council review team. There are also staff from Airbnb, Uber, Lyft and Stripe. What should we make of all these tech employees being involved with the State Department and aspects of national security?

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