UNFTR Weekly Roundup

Max Notes

This week has been a content whirlwind. Two newsletters, two interviews, tons of research and our first “Monthly Hang” for UNFTR members. I had a great time preparing for our conversation with Briahna Joy Gray and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her on the pod. As expected, she came loaded for bear and ready to poke holes in my “take over the establishment” argument. 

After I regained my composure it was onto the interview with George Laws García to discuss statehood for Puerto Rico. This is somewhat of an opening salvo into the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) stories we’re going to tell over the next several weeks. The PR discussion (dedicated to our very own Maria from PR!!) is a good LAC primer but is an outlier in the broader discussion over immigration, LAC/U.S. trade and economic policies and political movements. 

Forgive the inconsistent drop schedule over the next few weeks. Because we’re leaning more into current events with the border crisis series, I’m going to be more opportunistic when it comes to snagging interviews. We might also play around with the format a bit and switch between narration and interviews. 

On the personal side of things, I’m always glad to see February pass. It’s just the worst. At least it is here in New York. Everything is drab. It’s dark and cold. Everyone gets a little chippy. And this year had a little extra insult with an extra day. 

(If you were born on Leap Day would you celebrate your birthday on the 28th or the 1st?)

Other things I’m obsessing over…

• The Tourist from the BBC. I’m into Season 2 already.
  
  
• Dave Letterman fist fight challenge to Tucker Carlson.
  
  
• “Uncommitted.”
  
  
• The Bogmen are playing Irving Plaza in NYC in May. Last time I saw them at Irving Plaza I wound up running shirtless through Union Square where I was tackled and briefly detained by NYPD. Long story.
  
  
• So long, Mitch. You turtle-face fuck. Just pray it’s not frying pan into the fire. (Rick Scott anyone?)

-Max

Chart of the Week

Source: New York Federal Reserve

Part of the discussion with Laws García addressed the outflow of population from Puerto Rico and the effect it has had on the economy and society. These two charts from the NY Fed show how dramatic the population loss has been over the last decade and how unemployment remains stubbornly high despite the loss of population.

Headlines

The Abortion Chess Match Continues

Multiple court cases and question marks abound in the ongoing effort to prevent abortion access in the nation. The private sector took an important step forward this week with the announcement that CVS and Walgreens are to begin distributing abortion pills in certain states where it is legal. This will obviously set up new fights and arguments, but it’s an effective short-term solution given the effort to crack down on mailing pills. It’s hard to predict where the courts are going to wind up on the myriad challenges that exist. Not perfect…but at least this buys a little time.

From the article:

“It is uncertain how much initial demand there will be for the service at brick-and-mortar pharmacies. In the states where the chains will begin dispensing, abortion pills are already available in clinics or easily prescribed through telemedicine and sent through the mail. But some women prefer to visit doctors, many of whom do not have the medication on hand. The new development will allow doctors and other eligible providers to send a prescription to a pharmacy for the patient to pick up.”

New York Times: CVS and Walgreens Will Begin Selling Abortion Pills This Month

We’re Not the Only Ones Having This Discussion

Dissent published a roundtable discussion among its writers Sheri Berman, Andre Pagliarini, Zachariah Mampilly and Nick Serpe. From the introduction:

“This conversation, held in October, brings together scholars who focus on different regions in order to help us understand the challenges that left political formations and popular movements face around the world. What do they hold in common? Where do their perspectives diverge? What brought them to this point—and where are they headed?”

From the article:

“That parties can be clientelistic and corrupt, that they can be vehicles for individuals without any ties to or desire to represent the grassroots—those criticisms are valid, and they hold in Europe as well, which has a longer history of parties and electoral democracy. But the question is: do we want to throw the baby out with the bath water? It’s true that parties can have a negative impact on democracy, but can we imagine well-functioning democracy without something resembling political parties? That question does not have a clear answer to me. Parties have historically provided the link between citizens and the government; they aggregate interests, mobilize voters, provide information flows back and forth, and come up with multifaceted political agendas. Social movements—which tend to focus on a single interest or single group—don’t have the same structure or function.”

Dissent Magazine: Parties and Movements: A roundtable discussion on the challenges that left-wing political formations face around the world.

Itamar Ben-Gvir Called Them “Heroes”

Not that we need more evidence of the depravity that exists in Israel’s halls of power. But here it is. After the slaughter of more than 100 Palestinian civilians lining up for flour, Israel’s national security minister called the IDF soldiers who shot women and children in the heads and chests “heroes.”

From the article:

“Israeli tanks ran over dead and wounded bodies. Many victims were brought to hospitals in donkey carts, as ambulances could not reach the scene to collect all the dead and wounded.

“The scene resembled a slaughterhouse. Most of the victims were children. A heartbroken mother was heard screaming through the crowds: ‘My girl is gone; she’s been starving for seven days.’ A woman at Kamal Adwan hospital was pleading with the world: ‘We are under siege. Take pity on us. Ramadan is coming soon. People should look at us. Pity us.’”

The Jacobin: Israel’s Flour Massacre in Gaza Is a Horrific War Crime

This Week on the Pod

Phone A Friend: George Laws García.

Our guest this week is George Laws García, the Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Statehood Council. A longtime policy advocate and consultant and native of San Juan, Laws García was tapped to be the organization’s first executive director to increase the engagement of Puerto Rico statehood supporters. George and I have a great conversation about the hows and whys of statehood, roadblocks and resistance the movement faces and the tension between advocates for statehood versus full independence. He is a wealth of information and an extremely thoughtful approach that I know you’ll appreciate. He doesn’t shy away from the dark side of the imperial and colonial relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico and some of the atrocities that those we are unfamiliar with our past might find surprising.

Here’s a snippet from the pod:

Laws García: “Puerto Rico is not independent in any way. Puerto Rico has always, for the past 125 years, since 1898… been a territory. And a territory is subject to the plenary powers of Congress, which is the capacity of Congress to make all meaningful rules and regulations… We are completely subject to the jurisdiction of the federal government, Congress, the U.S. Treasury, the Federal Reserve Board… the whole shebang.”

Progressive Corner

Progressive Spotlight: Naomi Klein.

The influential political thinker and journalist has helped expose how capitalists weaponize disasters for financial benefit and to completely hollow out democracy.

Progressive Organization of the Week: Red Wine & Blue.

“We are a sisterhood working to change the world together, one suburb at a time. Red Wine & Blue provides everything women need to successfully organize in their communities and beyond. Want to get stuff done and have fun along the way? Join us.”

This one is a referral from Unf*cker Cynthia G. who wrote:

“If Unf*ckers want to join in on something, this is a good place to start. They have other sub-groups that focus on single issues like fighting book bans. These are more nationally focused. The Troublemakers Training is hyper focused on four states because frankly we can't afford to lose these at this point. There is no cost for joining these groups but donations are asked for. I didn't feel any undue pressure to join in, or make a donation. For the people in deep red states this might be an option. If you can't make a change in your state, perhaps you can help out others in a purple state. Offer what skills you have to other groups. The goal is to get more progressives into the senate and state legislatures.”

Resources

Pod Love

“AI-generated deepfakes, entirely fabricated audio and video of recognizable people, are here. They have been on the horizon for years but they have finally arrived during the biggest global election year in history which may prove to be a make-or-break year for democracy itself as we struggle to separate fact from fiction and autocracy is on the rise around the world.” 

Best of the Left - #1614 Deep-Fakery and Deep Consequences for Democracy

Book Love

“This book explores the impact of Chinese growth on Latin America since the early 2000s. Some twenty years ago, Chinese entrepreneurs headed to the Western Hemisphere in search of profits and commodities, specifically those that China lacked and that some Latin American countries held in abundance--copper, iron ore, crude oil, and soybeans. Focusing largely on Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Peru, Carol Wise traces the evolution of political and economic ties between China and these countries and analyzes how success has varied by sector, project, and country. She also assesses the costs and benefits of Latin America’s recent pivot toward Asia. Wise argues that while opportunities for closer economic integration with China are seemingly infinite, so are the risks. She contends that the best outcomes have stemmed from endeavors where the rule of law, regulatory oversight, and a clear strategy exist on the Latin American side.”

Dragonomics: How Latin America Is Maximizing (or Missing Out On) China’s International Development Strategy by Carol Wise

Unf*cker Comment of the Week

Steve S.:

“I really appreciated the interview with Briahna. I felt like you were having the debate that has been going on in my head. Particularly your comments about that feeling that we’re running out of time to get anything done.”

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