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In this episode, we cover a flurry of headlines—from the latest economic numbers and the President’s plan to slap tariffs on movies, to the Pulitzer Prizes and Dave Portnoy. Plus, Mike Waltz has a new gig, and Tim Walz thinks the most qualified person to run for president is... who? Also: The New Yorker takes us inside the living rooms of notable New Yorkers. Don’t miss this loaded episode!
Today, and for the past several years, many people both here and abroad have been trying to make sense of the radical right and its financial and ideological grip on the Republican party. Why is it that so many Americans have turned against democracy? What explains the authoritarian reaction of so many American citizens, even when that reaction works so directly against their basic interests? How is it that this anti-democratic trend has escaped the explanatory frameworks of pundits and scholars alike? Perhaps we need to re-frame the narrative about the MAGA movement and the various constituencies that have somehow conspired to undermine democratic values and replace them with radical libertarian principles joined by theocratic, White nationalist, and anti-intellectual ideals.
Casting a light on the religious right’s “Funders, Thinkers, Sergeants, Infantry, and Power Players,” Stewart recounts her effort “to record what I have seen and heard from the leaders and supporters of the antidemocratic movement in the auditoriums and breakout rooms at national conferences, around the table at informal gatherings of activists, in the living rooms of the rank and file, and in the pews of hard-line churches. The story features a rowdy mix of personalities: ‘apostles’ of Jesus, atheist billionaires, reactionary Catholic theologians, pseudo-Platonic intellectuals, woman-hating opponents of ‘the gynocracy,’ high-powered evangelical networkers, Jewish devotees of Ayn Rand, pronatalists preoccupied with a dearth of (White) babies, COVID truthers, and battalions of ‘spirit warriors’ who appear to be inventing a new style of religion even as they set about undermining democracy at its foundations.” Over and against the idea that religion is a relatively insignificant factor in the rise of the radical political right, Stewart makes plain how Christian nationalism is “front and center” in the effort to solidify the power of the MAGA movement and Donald Trump’s presidency.
Richard B. Miller is the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Emeritus Professor of Religion, Politics and Ethics at the University of Chicago. He previously taught in the Department of Religious Studies at Indiana University where he also served as Director of the Poynter Center for the Study of Ethics and American Institutions. The author of numerous articles and books, the most of which is Why Study Religion? (NY: Oxford University Press, 2021). Bluesky.
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and, depending on whom you ask, the perceived head of the Department of Government Efficiency, is taking a big step back from his role in the federal government. He’s doing so amid sinking international popularity, both as a political figure and as a businessman. But let’s be real here: Musk is still a billionaire many times over, and the Department of Government Efficiency really did put multiple government agencies — and the careers of tens of thousands of government employees — into a metaphorical wood chipper. Brian Barrett, executive editor of news at Wired Magazine, explains what Musk’s time in power has meant for average Americans.
And in headlines: The Supreme Court let President Donald Trump’s ban on trans troops in the military take effect for now, Trump had an awkward Oval Office sit down with Canada’s prime minister, and the Department of Justice asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to limit access to the abortion drug mifepristone.
We’re talking about another conflict escalating — this time between two nuclear-armed countries.
Also, what the U.S. Supreme Court decided about a ban on transgender troops, and what to know about the process to pick a new pope that begins today.
Plus, a new caveat to today’s Real ID deadline at American airports, why Energy Star labels could soon disappear, and how a big superhero movie just rebranded itself.
Those stories and even more news to know in about 10 minutes!
Join us every Mon-Fri for more daily news roundups!
Some Le Pain Quiotidien’s bakeries are turning into night clubs… The hottest pivot in biz history.
How is China handling the Trade War?... It’s making its data disappear.
DoorDash, Uber, Instacart stocks are surging this year… It’s proof of a vibe-cession.
Plus, “Nerd-Sniping” is the new hiring trend in tech… Solve math on the street? Get a job.
$DASH $UBER $CART
Want more business storytelling from us? Check out the latest episode of our new weekly deepdive show: The untold origin story of 🍑 Juicy Couture Tracksuit: How Cozy-Core Went Viral
“The Best Idea Yet”: The untold origin stories of the products you’re obsessed with — From the McDonald’s Happy Meal to Birkenstock’s sandal to Nintendo’s Susper Mario Brothers to Sriracha. New 45-minute episodes drop weekly.
By 2028, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory forecasts that U.S. data centers could use as much as 12% of the nation's electricity. The reason: generative AI. Since 2022, AI innovation by four leading tech companies — Google, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon — has led to annual increases in both energy and water consumption. So, in this episode, Short Wave co-host Emily Kwong probes huge water footprint of AI. We begin with the rise of data centers, then look at how computers came to need so much water and, finally, what tech companies are doing to try to turn the ship around.
P.S. Part 2 talks about the leading solutions in the green AI movement. So don't miss our Friday episode!
Curious about tech and the environment? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave
Many businesses are scared of what President Trump's tariffs will mean for their industry. However, the shrimping industry is one that doesn't seem to be worried. In fact, shrimpers say they welcome them. On today's episode, why shrimpers are embracing the tariffs and whether economists agree that this tariff is good for Americans.
Related episodes: Tariffied! We check in on businesses (Apple / Spotify) Go ask ALICE about grocery prices (Apple / Spotify) What the cluck is happening with egg prices? (Apple / Spotify)
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
In the new novel Fair Play, Abigail is hosting a murder mystery party at an Irish country house on New Year's Eve. She's also in deep mourning for her brother. The story's opening reads as a typical setup for a crime novel. But Irish author Louise Hegarty's debut novel honors the golden age of detective fiction while simultaneously turning the genre on its head. In today's episode, Hegarty joins NPR's Ayesha Rascoe for a conversation that touches on Fair Play's meta elements, as well as its atypical relationship to grief.
To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
