The 2016 general election changed the way we think about information online and its power to sway results. Four years later, Americans will vote amid a surge of misinformation, collected and distorted to fit political narratives.
What can people and platforms do to protect the truth in this most consequential election?
Guests:
Renee DiResta, Research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory
This year, there will be a "blue moon" for Halloween. So for today's show, we're asking: What IS a blue moon? Is the moon ever blue? And are they as rare as the phrase "once in a blue moon" implies?
Follow Maddie and Rebecca on Twitter for more science nuggets. Maddie's @maddie_sofia and Rebecca's @rebeccalramirez. Email the show your celestial musings and inquiries. We're at shortwave@npr.org.
Francis Buckley, who is Foundation Professor at the Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University, has written a fast-moving and provocative new book about the opportunities and possibilities of a second American secession. The publication of this book couldn't be more timely, as the conclusion of an election cycle highlights both the diversity and the tribalisation of American voters. What holds the nation together? To what extent is the Constitution the source of the nation's historic and current difficulties? If small is beautiful, and smaller nations tend to be happier, why shouldn't a state like California secede and put its savings from national defence into a scheme for national health? Tune in to hear how Professor Buckley explores these and other ideas in his new book, American Secession: The Looming Threat of a National Break-Up (Encounter Books, 2020)
Another 5 million people cast ballots yesterday, bringing the vote total to over 80 million so far. We explain two recent Supreme Court decisions over voting rights in Pennsylvania and North Carolina… and what they could mean for the post-election count.
The GDP went up by 7.4 percent in the third quarter, but the economy is still 3.5 percent smaller than it was pre-pandemic. Plus, we check in on the chances for a new relief bill after the election.
And in headlines: Trump HHS can’t find one celebrity to make a PSA with, Jerry Falwell Jr. sues Liberty University, and Taiwan hasn’t had a domestic COVID case for 200 days. Plus, Phillip Picardi joins us as a special guest!
Law enforcement continues to face unprecedented attacks as police forces are being defunded or are otherwise under intense scrutiny.
What are some of the biggest challenges law enforcement is currently facing?
Brenda Tillett, the president and founder of Bolster the Blue, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to talk about what her organization is doing to support the men and women of law enforcement.
We also cover these stories:
Third-quarter numbers are in, and America's economy grew at an annualized rate of more than 33%, according to a Department of Commerce report released Thursday.
The president of France says the country is “under attack” after a pair of beheadings committed by Islamic radicals in the past two weeks.
On Wednesday afternoon, Twitter temporarily suspended Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan’s account over a tweet touting the success of the southern border wall in keeping out "murderers" and "sexual predators."
You can find a more in depth discussion of these topics on our blog. Prashanth shares his ideas about the importance of community and what it means to be a product led company.
Kavanaugh, in a disgrace of an opinion, just signaled that he and enough of his fellow hack justices are willing and able to hand a disputed election to Trump. Andrew has the full breakdown, and what we can do to stop it. But that last part is very obvious: vote vote vote vote vote vote vote vote.
IT IS NOW TOO LATE TO MAIL IN YOUR BALLOT. So in the first segment, we go over every which way you still are able to vote even if you've got a mail-in ballot you have yet to drop in the mailbox.
OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
00:00 – Introduction
07:46 – Eddie Van Halen
15:26 – Leonard Cohen
23:22 – Battle between ego and humility
28:38 – Darkness and beauty
35:20 – Jimi Hendrix
38:08 – Good Will Hunting
42:16 – Revolutionary minds
53:49 – Next Elon Musk should come from MIT
58:14 – Love with save the world
1:03:30 – Are we headed toward a civil war?
1:15:04 – Joe Rogan
1:28:52 – Our political leaders
1:34:11 – Younger people should have more power
1:44:30 – The Portal
2:09:20 – Money
2:11:26 – Roger Penrose
2:19:06 – Jeffrey Epstein
2:37:44 – We need to get off this planet
2:40:41 – An update on Geometric Unity
2:46:33 – Gratitude
We’re joined by Dave Anthony and Josh Olson of The West Wing Thing podcast to discuss Aarons Sorkin’s latest attempt to recontextualize American politics as people getting epically owned by logic in court rooms: The Trial of the Chicago 7.
Check out The West Wing Thing here: https://westwingthing.libsyn.com/
And check out their West Wing Reunion special, featuring many Chapos, on their patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheWestWingThing
