Covfefe was 2 weeks ago?

Can't be.

BB is very bitter. He has looked at liberals all his life and felt that they thought he was dumb. In that he has a kinship with Trump.

So, the answer to your question is "shut up you liberal cuck! Trump Trump Trump!"

Are the Chapo Trap House folks what are considered Bernie Bros? I listened to them a couple of times (because of references here), and man are they terribly annoying. Like, it seems like they pretend to dislike Trump but instead prefer to mock #TheResistance (TM)? But they offer nothing constructive, as far as I can tell. So (from someone who's overseas and never understood it to begin with), is that what is meant by the BernieBro tag?

No, chapo aren't Bernie bros lol

They offer plenty of constructive stuff. Like, so much more than any other political podcast I can even think of.

OK, well I've never really understood that term (obviously), so I was just curious. And I guess I've missed their constructive pods. The last one I had to turn off as it seemed to be an hour of them congratulating themselves on finding a superhero movie to be dumb.

The pop culture episodes are hit-and-miss, that one wasn't great. A lot hinges on whether you find them funny or not. The high-content episodes are mostly about the quality of the guests. The episodes with PissPigGrandad and Angela Nagle have been really great (though Nagle's book was wildly disappointing). And one of them did a solo spot about the history of socialism in Wisconsin which was fascinating, though IIRC that's behind a paywall.

I do find them funny sometimes, and very smart (to be honest I don't fully get all of their references, and not (just) the pop culture ones). I guess I find them to be a little too self-satisfied, which is also probably to be expected where politics and humor merge. But in the few I've listened to I guess I find myself left a little disheartened and that kind of disappoints me. Not that it's their job to pretend things are about to get better, but I guess I don't see the constructive path they're laying out.

What if he told you Donald Trump would be President?

Basically agree with this take. The Weeds is pretty good for constructive stuff regarding policy. Trumpcast is good for Trumpian info and analysis. Pod Save America is ok, better than Chappo, which is basically guys who've read a few books sniping from the sidelines. They could be AC-ists without too much change in content.

Absolutely and completely incorrect. Chapo's trilogy of In The Zone Now, the Adam Curtis ep, and the Corbyn ep contain more meaningful advice for progress than every ****ing lanyard dick West Wing fanfic podcast combined.

However, with regard to policy, I feel like the hard-earned expertise of basically anyone about anything is nearly pointless in the current Trumpian/GOP world. Policy proposals can basically be pants-on-head stupid and it does not reduce the chance they will be taken seriously as Trump/GOP agenda items.

Rick Perry is Energy Sec, Besty DeVos is Education Secretary, Ben Carson leads HUD, knowing nothing about anything is not a problem. This is a continuation of the Newt Gingrich/GOP vision for government, where they fired 3000 congressional staffers after taking over so that they could control the policy agenda without the meddlesome interference of people who actually know things.

I'll give them another shot.

I, for one, have never even watched an episode of the West Wing. When it came on it seemed like good government fantasy porn in a world that was actually run by malignant idiots. I also don't watch House of Cards, because while complex strategic machinations is a nice theory to account for the output of Washington and basically the natural default view, a realistic depiction would be much closer to a black comedy than a thriller. Think Veep, but with an agenda driven by ignorance and will. Something like In the Loop. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Loop

OK, well I'm pretty sure I listened to the Corbyn ep at least. What's the advice? Drop the focus group-tested slogans? Cuz even the lanyard bros offer that advice. Have a coherent message that focuses on improving the lives of the working class? Again, that's not new or all that meaningful. I'm not being willfully obtuse here. Seriously, I listened. But it does sound like sideline-sniping to me more than strategizing, so I'd love to be schooled on what I missed.

You want to talk about long-term major loss? The median age of a FoxNews viewer is 70.5, over 80% of their viewers are 55+. And they aren't attracting anyone new to replace the older ones who are dying off; do you know any people in their 20's and 30's who just started tuning into the network?

To be honest, probably would have shrugged. All I would have known about him at the time is that he was some rich, white dude. However, early 90s were some peak times for SNL and I never missed an episode.

A tangent, but I don't think House of Cards is striving for realism. This is like complaining that The Godfather is an unrealistic depiction of the Mafia.

British House of Cards > American House of Cards

Yes Minister > British House of Cards

They literally had an episode about union organizing, had Matt Bruenig on to talk about his crowdfunded think tank scheme, had the guy who joined YPG to fight ISIS on.

What do you want here? You know you're just listening to a podcast at the gym or on the train right, you're not actually DOING anything. (Which, again, is a point Menaker has made repeatedly)

Fundamentally, the lanyard bros absolutely do not understand the need to appeal to the material condition of the electorate. They might say they do, but then ask them about Medicare for All.

Their health care episodes with @crulge get into health care policy at an Ezra Klein-approved level, but without the ****ing moral stain of Klein's Paul Ryan superwonk puff-pieces.

I raise I, Claudius?

Fly, he thought he was getting 24/7 up to date wonkness with a VIVA LA RESISTANCE with a side of mensch and instead he got too many MGS references and waluigi jokes in between the serious ****.

I love Pod Save America, but Chapo is so much better it isn't a contest.

Doesn't cover. Maybe Tinker Tailor?

Adaptations are cheating imo.

No such thing. Personally I think it'd be worth Trump being President if he'd get into the Solidus octo-suit and fight the 2020 Dem contender on the roof of Federal Hall.

A list of names..... OF THE PATRIOTS!!!

<3