On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, J. Peder Zane and James Varney speak with Joel Kotkin about his recent article for RCI exploring how and why fascism has become a buzzword of American politics. On the news round-up, Zane and Varney use a City Journal piece suggesting why fraud in Medicaid and Medicare seems an unsolvable problem to discuss a Wall Street Journal article detailing how autism therapy has become a hotbed of billing abuse and a Daily Caller story on rampant fraud in Obamacare. They also discuss John R. Lott Jr.’s recent RCI article on data showing that violent crime is declining even as more Americans – especially women, blacks and Hispanics – are carrying firearms and an article in the Free Press reporting on policies that have helped significantly lower the murder rate in Baltimore. 00:00 Introduction and News Roundup 07:04 Fraud in Government Spending 12:07 Rising Gun Ownership and Crime Rates 18:27 Understanding Fascism: A Historical Perspective with Joel Kotkin 25:53 The Role of Religion in Fascism 26:22 The Fascism Debate: Trump and Historical Context 30:04 Nationalism and Patriotism: A Shift in Perception 32:44 Weaponization of Language in Political Discourse 36:24 Democratic Socialism: Ideals vs. Reality 41:19 The Ascendancy of the Left in the Democratic Party 48:53 Anti-Semitism and Political Extremism: A Dual Concern
On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, J. Peder Zane and James Varney speak with Joel Kotkin about his recent article for RCI exploring how and why fascism has become a buzzword of American politics.
On the news round-up, Zane and Varney use a City Journal piece suggesting why fraud in Medicaid and Medicare seems an unsolvable problem to discuss a Wall Street Journal article detailing how autism therapy has become a hotbed of billing abuse and a Daily Caller story on rampant fraud in Obamacare. They also discuss John R. Lott Jr.’s recent RCI article on data showing that violent crime is declining even as more Americans – especially women, blacks and Hispanics – are carrying firearms and an article in the Free Press reporting on policies that have helped significantly lower the murder rate in Baltimore.
00:00 Introduction and News Roundup
07:04 Fraud in Government Spending
12:07 Rising Gun Ownership and Crime Rates
18:27 Understanding Fascism: A Historical Perspective with Joel Kotkin
25:53 The Role of Religion in Fascism
26:22 The Fascism Debate: Trump and Historical Context
30:04 Nationalism and Patriotism: A Shift in Perception
32:44 Weaponization of Language in Political Discourse
36:24 Democratic Socialism: Ideals vs. Reality
41:19 The Ascendancy of the Left in the Democratic Party
48:53 Anti-Semitism and Political Extremism: A Dual Concern
Articles Discussed in This Podcast: