300 - Richard Wolff, Cornel West, & Norman Finkelstein: America Is in DENIAL | On Mamdani, Tucker, & Trump
Summary
In this episode, Cornel West, Norman Finkelstein, and Richard Wolff discuss the structural decay of American capitalism and the lack of organized working-class power. They critique New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for failing to hold accountable to his campaign promises, arguing that the absence of strong labor institutions prevents effective democratic accountability. The panel also explores the historical legacy of US imperialism and the potential for a new left-populist movement to emerge after the right-wing's failure to deliver economic prosperity.
Topics discussed
Apple Watch Series 12 and heart health
Critique of Trump and political despair
Who rules America and power dynamics
Marx, political forces, and accountability
Retail, Amazon, and institutional leverage
Zohran Mamdani's broken promises
The pervasive culture of denial
Cornell University scandal and cover-ups
Why denial is so successful
The end of guaranteed jobs and New Deal
Anti-colonial era and US empire
Rise of right-wing leaders in Europe
US denial and the 'Make America Great' slogan
Working class shift and religious affairs
Left populism vs. class struggle
Immigration history and 'nation of immigrants' myth
DSA, gentrification, and Black perspectives
Reconstruction, military occupation, and the Klan
What the left offers and dashed hopes
Bernie Sanders and the socialist label
Holistic project and Green Party issues
Jill Stein, Green Party, and personal politics
Bernie's campaign lessons and money
Identity, charisma, and political resonance
Trump's decline and right-wing defections
Tucker Carlson's transformation and religion
Mass deportation as state terrorism
Guaranteed jobs and immigration policy
German economy and Russian energy
Moral duty to welcome the stranger
Grievances over food stamps and spending
Red lines in political collaboration
Abolitionists and Native American history
Defining the left and free bus politics
Prosperity, labor unions, and gig work
Union power and the Taylor Law
Loss of union solidarity and Motown
China's hybrid economy model
Du Bois, denial, and American identity
US empire, military bases, and hegemony
Personal education and family history
Studying Marx and academic influences
Harvard's 'Dream Team' and backlash
Academic freedom and university complicity
University priorities and Noam Chomsky
Podcast wrap-up and sponsor reads
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