Living in the USA

Talking about politics, thinking about the Left. Hosted by Jon Wiener, co-author of "Set the Night on Fire: L.A. in the Sixties," contributing editor at The Nation, and broadcast live at KPFK 90.7FM in LA Thursdays at 4.

Living in the USA is a history podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 500 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Living in the USA, a history show with 500 episodes published.

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  Living in the USA

  That Republican convention: Harold Meyerson; Data Center Politics: David Wallace-Wells; 'Ordinary People': Skye Perryman

  Sep 11, 202658 min

  The Republicans held their midterm convention in Dallas, TX on Wednesday and Thursday, which, featured Trump talking for two hours about the "increasingly fictitious" achievements of the GOP – Harold Meyerson comments. Also: Is the resistance to data centers a new kind of mass politics? David Wallace-Wells explains why the answer is “yes.” He’s a writer for The New York Times Opinion pages and author of the unforgettable book “The Uninhabitable Earth.” Plus: Skye Perryman discusses her New York Times Bestselling "Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times" – now available in paperback just in time for the midterms. The book is recommended by Dolores Huerta, Stacey Abrams, Hillary Clinton and Willy Nelson – and there is a website full of resources for everyone: https://ordinarypeopleaction.com/

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  Living in the USA

  Unions and Data Centers: Harold Meyerson; The Supremes and the Ballroom: Rob Weissman; The Dems' Senate Candidates: John Nichols

  Sep 4, 202659 min

  The political surprise of 2026: the movement to block AI data centers – it's popular among both Democrats and Republicans at the grassroots. But, in many places the building trade unions are opposing that movement – they want to build those data centers – and in some places, Democratic political candidates are standing with those unions. Harold Meyerson comments on this "trans-partisan" issue. The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that Trump could proceed with construction of his ballroom—they explicitly did not rule on the merits of the case, but on the issue of standing for the plaintiff. Robert Weisman has our analysis – he’s co-president of Public Citizen. Also: The Democrats are now favored to win not only the House but also the Senate in November – they need to flip four seats, and their candidates are ahead in five. John Nichols explains.

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  Living in the USA

  From the Iran War to the Reflecting Pool: Harold Meyerson; The Supremes, the Postal Service, and Voting: David Cole; 'The Sympathizer': Viet Nguyen.

  Aug 28, 202659 min

  On Monday, the Postal Service announced that it would follow Trump's executive order, which attempts to block voting by mail in states that do not provide its voter rolls for scrutiny by the Trump administration. As of today, Friday – 67 days away from the midterm elections: November 3, 2026 – the Postal Service is prohibited from following Trump's unconstitutional order. Next: Tariffs on Canada, the Iran war and the reflecting pool – Harold Meyerson comments. Also: The Supreme Court is not a Trump court – at least not on several issues – but where do they stand on voting rights? And what exactly did the court say on Monday about the postal service cooperating with Trump in his effort to restrict voting by mail? David Cole explains – he’s the former National Legal Director of the ACLU, and The Nation's legal affairs correspondent. Plus: From the archives: Viet Nguyen talks about his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “The Sympathizer" – it opens in Saigon on the last day of the Vietnam war and follows a nameless spy who has infiltrated the South Vietnamese army and then flees with its remnants to America​ (originally recorded April 2016)​.

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  Living in the USA

  Wisconsin and Minnesota Dems: Harold Meyerson; ACLU Election Protection; Dave Zirin on Howard Zinn

  Aug 14, 202659 min

  News from Wisconsin, one of the most gerrymandered states and a key to the national Democratic strategy; and from my home state of Minnesota, where Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan triumphed over opponent in the primary for state senate, Angie Craig, who out-spent her by 4 to 1 – Harold Meyerson comments. Also: The ACLU is organizing thousands of volunteers, preparing to respond to 25 different ways Trump could try to subvert or sabotage the midterms. Deirdre Schifeling explains—she’s the ACLU’s Chief Political and Advocacy Officer. More info at https://www.aclu.org/campaigns-initiatives/people-power. Plus: Howard Zinn’s book A People’s History of the US has sold four million copies—and now we have a biography of the author, written by Dave Zirin, The Nation’s longtime sports editor - his new book is The People’s Historian: The Outsized Life of Howard Zinn.

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  Living in the USA

  Abdul El-Sayed's Tasks: Harold Meyerson; A GOP Ballot Seizure: Zach Roth; Jurassic Museum: David Wilson

  Aug 7, 202656 min

  Abdul El-Sayed's first task is winning Black Detroit; next is making inroads in working class white Michigan. Harold Meyerson comments. Also: A rehearsal for the election protection groups: the California sheriff who seized 650,000 ballots from November’s referendum, claiming he needed to recount them. Zach Roth of Democracy Docket will explain how the Chad Bianco case provides a test of one key Republican strategy for holding on to the House after the midterms. Plus: From the archives: The Museum of Jurassic Technology is one of Culver City's hidden treasures - David Wilson explains (originally broadcast 6-19-2001).

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