Category: 3-SometimeCommentary

A lot has changed in the United States since the last presidential inauguration in January of 2021.

Four years ago, the world was managing a global pandemic, the U.S. was coming to terms with an insurrection on our democracy, and Donald Trump was on his way out of the White House.

In just a few hours, he'll be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on the steps of the Capitol building.

We discuss the first items on his agenda and hear your thoughts on his upcoming presidency.

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Music as Medicine is the latest work by the neuroscientist and best-selling author Daniel Levitin. In it he explores the healing power of music, and the cutting edge research which examines how sound affects the brain. The dance critic Sara Veale is interested in movement. In Wild Grace she tells the untold history of the extraordinary women who were the pioneers of modern dance. While Nwando Ebizie is a practitioner of both music and movement, and is interested in using the latest neurological studies in her art. She will perform the works, Solve et Coagula (arr. Mark Knoop) and All the Calm of a Distant Sea at the Southbank Centre, London (23rd January) as part of the BBC Radio 3 Unclassified concert.

Producer: Katy Hickman

Being the Republican House leader is a little like marrying Henry VIII. At some point, you’re getting your head cut off. 

But for now, Mike Johnson remains not just physically intact—but in a position of incredible power.

Two weeks ago, Johnson was reelected Speaker of the House on the first ballot. Despite having only the narrowest of House majorities—the Republicans control the House by four votes, 219 vs. 215 Democrats—Mike Johnson was able to unite the Republican Party’s warring factions—moderates, the Freedom Caucus, the Raw Milk caucus, libertarians, hawks, doves, and whatever Lauren Boebert is—behind him. 

It was tough to pull off, as it would’ve taken only a couple of No votes to send him off to that Republican Valhalla where John Boehner chain-smokes and chugs merlot, Paul Ryan does push-ups, and Kevin McCarthy throws darts at a photo of Matt Gaetz.

Now, Donald Trump will become president of the United States and Mike Johnson will have the task of shepherding his agenda through Congress. And because the Republicans control the House by only four seats, the Speaker might have to get very close to some moderate Democrats—particularly those with constituents itching for a tax cut. 

Today on Honestly, Speaker Johnson breaks down this challenge. He talks about how the party moves forward with two different visions for America; why he thinks Biden was “the worst president ever”; he recalls an eerie experience with Biden in the Oval Office; and he even gives us a taste of his uncanny Trump impression.

If you liked what you heard from Honestly, the best way to support us is to go to TheFP.com and become a Free Press subscriber today.

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Our Data Vampires series may be over, but Paris interviewed a bunch of experts on data centers and AI whose insights shouldn’t go to waste. We’re releasing those interviews as bonus episodes for Patreon supporters. Here’s a preview of this week’s premium episode with Dan McQuillan, author of Resisting AI and a lecturer at Goldsmiths University of London. For the full interview, support the show on Patreon.

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Each weekend on Best of The Gist, we revisit an archival segment from the past and replay something from the past week. 

 

This weekend, two selections from the near vault, inspired by the devastating fires in and around Los Angeles over the last week or more. First, Mike’s June 12, 2023, Spiel about the Canadian wildfires that many thought would change minds on climate change—even if we’re not certain they were entirely the result of climate change. 

 

Then, we revisit the intro to our Aug. 18, 2023, episode, in which Mike discusses Herman Andaya, Maui’s emergency chief, who decided not to sound sirens before the fires scorched Lahaina. It seems like an obvious mistake, but all the officials agreed that doing so would have contradicted policy—and perhaps even posed a danger. 

 

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In this episode, Mary Katharine speaks with Matt Van Swol, who’s been working on the ground in western North Carolina. Together, they discuss the region’s ongoing recovery efforts and the widespread damage, from devastated infrastructure to displaced communities, four months after Hurricane Helene.

You can follow Matt on X here: @matt_vanswol