Background Briefing

Background Briefing – January 21, 2026

After Piling on About Biden’s Mental Acuity, the Press is Mostly Silent on Trump’s Obvious Madness We begin with Trump’s demented rambling yesterday on the first anniversary of his second term which was followed by his incoherent, slurred and embarrassing speech today a Davos before a deathly silent audience as he railed against windmills, repeated … Continued


Ancient Greece and Rome are venerated throughout our society — including on the far right. Is this a misappropriation and misuse of the ideals of Greco-Roman antiquity? Classical scholar Curtis Dozier argues that when white nationalists appeal to ancient thinkers to justify their reactionary ideas, there is surprisingly much to draw from. Curtis Dozier, The … Continued


Law & Disorder

Reclaiming MLK w/ Kali Akuno

On this episode, we speak with Kali Akuno, organizer, educator, and writer at the forefront of movements for Black self-determination, economic democracy, and ecological justice. He is co-founder and co-director of Cooperation Jackson, a visionary solidarity economy project anchored in Jackson, Mississippi, that builds networks of worker cooperatives, community land trusts, and democratic institutions. See … Continued