Pod Damn America

Jake breaks down Cesar Chavez's connection to the Synanon Cult to help us process the awful revelations about him. But first, we talk about some Illinois primary results and Afroman's legal battle with the Adams County Ohio police department. For the full ep and the rest of our eps subscribe to our bonus feed at Patreon.com/poddamnamerica

We're joined by actor, comedian, activist, & Anders lookalike NATE SMITH! The two mog each other as we discuss the roots of his two action groups Climate Defiance & Extinction Rebellion, the recent interest both have received from the state, tips on dealing with FBI knocks from Ron Kuby, the use of humor in disruptive actions, anti-ginger racism, & much more! https://www.foxnews.com/politics/left-wing-activists-storming-synagogue-use-knee-pads-adult-diaper-mock-dem-congressman-ice-vote https://theintercept.com/2026/02/12/fbi-counterterror-extinction-rebellion/ https://dissentmagazine.org/article/can-extinction-rebellion-survive/ Subscribe to our bonus feed: Patreon.com/poddamnamerica

Hello it's Jake in this episode I discuss restaurants, Iran, Israel, nazis, false consciousness, and the internet and then I kind of fall apart COME TO LA SHOW https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pure-chaos-comedy-tickets-1982701558735 MERCH poddamnamerica.bigcartel.com PATREON + DISCORD patreon.com/poddamnamerica

We talk to San Francisco tenant lawyer, organizer and returning guest Shanti Singh about California Governor and all but certain 2028 Presidential candidate, Gavin Newsom. We discuss Newsom's penchant for exaggerating his hardscrabble background, war on the homeless as SF Mayor and CA Governor, his love of the camera, habit of fighting progressive policy until he can take credit, 2028 ambitions and more! Get involved in passing the California billionaire tax: https://billionairetaxnow.org/ Follow Shanti @uhshanti For the full episode and more subscribe to our bonus feed at Patreon.com/poddamnamerica

Anders talks with socialist NY Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha about the Hudson Valley Power Authority Act, which would make a significant amount of NY state's energy publicly owned. But first, we talk about Jesse Jackson's funeral, the Oscars, the definition of "shorty" and more! Get involved with HVPA: https://hudsonvalleypowerauthority.com/ Paid Protest events: Oscars Night: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ttr-oscars26 Immigration WG Show: https://qedastoria.com/products/paid-protest?event=2026-03-19T21%3A00%3A00 NYC vs. The Rich: bit.ly/nycvsrich Subscribe to our bonus feed for extra episodes: Patreon.com/poddamnamerica

Were back in Mexico to discuss the Dirty War era, the cartels it wrought, and the practice of "gun walking" which is where you traffic guns into Mexico and then later get shot by them. FULL EP AT PATREON.COM/PODDAMNAMERICA

We chat about Operation Epic Fury's latest developments and the Clintons' Epstein testimony. Then, Anders talks to Kim Kelly about her reporting on Trump's unhinged Labor Secretary, the Department's reichslop content and the oft overlooked history of Frances Perkins, who used DOL's authority to dismantle the Great Depression version of ICE. Kim's articles: https://thebaffler.com/latest/a-piece-of-work-kelly https://www.thenation.com/article/economy/sheris-ranch-union-united-brothel-workers/ Subscribe to our bonus feed for extra episodes at Patreon.com/poddamnamerica

We talk the UK Greens recent victory, a very plausible scenario where Jean-Luc Mélenchon becomes France's next President, Olympics, scarecrows, snowballs, and more. FULL EP AT PATREON.COM/PODDAMNAMERICA

Anders talks to historian Paul Heideman about his new book “Rogue Elephant: How Republicans Went from the Party of Business to the Party of Chaos.” But first, Jake gives a rundown of the situation in Mexico and we attend to a couple very important Twitter controversies. Get Paul's book: https://www.versobooks.com/products/3071-rogue-elephant?srsltid=AfmBOopEIyArIgv6KjYRQlaKrbFoi7KAxJ7tmThgKQvsF0SXiKGpmsi7 Check out our bonus feed for extra episodes: Patreon.com/poddamnamerica

We talk Jesse Jackson, jury duty, AOC, Z, etc.

We are joined by eviction defense lawyer Arturo Gomez to talk about the class struggle in Los Angeles. ARTURO GOMEZ @ArturoFGomez MERCH poddamnamerica.bigcartel.com PATREON + DISCORD patreon.com/poddamnamerica

We discuss the 1919 Seattle General Strike and also a movie from the 90's about a magic bald man. FULL EP AT PATREON.COM/PODDAMNAMERICA

Alex stops back in to help us recap the Superbowl and Bad Bunny's halftime show--the big game's most Greg Grandin coded performance to date. Then we chat about NYC politics and some upcoming must-watch races. Tickets for PAID PROTEST PRESENTS: NYC VS. THE RICH: bit.ly/nycvsrich Subscribe to our bonus feed for extra episodes: Patreon.com/poddamnamerica

We talk about the impact of the Epstein files on U.K. politics which Anders uses as an excuse to dive into "A Very British Coup", the 1982 Chris Mullin novel and 1988 BBC miniseries about the U.K. electing a Socialist Prime Minister, who the transatlantic deep state then tries to overthrow. As revelations since the 80's have proven "A Very British Coup" was even more prescient than its author thought. Check out the full episode on our bonus feed at Patreon.com/poddamnamerica

Nurses strikes, senate races, and who Epstein's guys were. LA SHOW 2/7 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-woke-mob-tickets-1980730835248?aff=oddtdtcreator HUDSON VALLEY POWER AUTHORITY PETITION https://actionnetwork.org/letters/hvpa/ MERCH poddamnamerica.bigcartel.com PATREON + DISCORD patreon.com/poddamnamerica

We discuss the Vietnam War era program where they lowered the IQ floor for new recruits to 80 and how ICE has a bunch of new dumb guys. FULL EP AT PATREON.COM/PODDAMNAMERICA

BONUS cross pod w/ our pals at Tender Subject This week on Tender Subject, we are joined by comedian Jake Flores and writer J †Johnson to talk Frankenstein. We dissect the book and the 2025 film through queer and Marxist theory and get into why the film often let us down. Media referenced: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Skin Shows: Gothic Horror and the Technology of Monsters by J Halberstam Capitalism: A Horror Story by Jon Greenaway J †Johnson is the co-editor of Cul de Sac of Blood, a horror poetics journal and the author of two books with Punctum Books. Their fort...

Anders talks to Racket MN's Jay Boller and Minneapolis Unite Here organizer, Sheigh Freeberg about Alex Pretti's murder and how Minnesotans are resisting ICE's occupation. UNITE Here mutual aid fund: https://workingpartnerships.betterworld.org/campaigns/uniteherelocal17 Racket: https://racketmn.com/

I talk about monster trucks, Anders talks about Mother Theresa. FULL EP AT PATREON.COM/PODDAMNAMERICA

NYU History professor Nikhil Pal Singh joins us to talk about his new piece on Trump's whole nativist neo imperialist era thing he's doing right now. NIHKIL PAL SINGH @nikhil_palsingh https://www.equator.org/articles/homeland-empire-trump-ICE LA SHOW https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-woke-mob-tickets-1980730835248?aff=oddtdtcreator MERCH poddamnamerica.bigcartel.com PATREON + DISCORD patreon.com/poddamnamerica