Stephen Pimpare|Lincoln Mitchell|Aaron Rosenthal|Beth Gazley

[image: image.png] thought for the day: Bill Curry on Biden’s Farewell address: Joe Biden gave what may have been the best speech of his life tonight. It was also the first I can recall in which he wasn’t looking back over his shoulder at his donors the whole time. Watching him, I couldn’t help imagining what might have been had he renounced a second term in the spring of 2023 and spent the last two years giving speeches like this. Biden’s a decent man, but I’d bet the farm this was the first time he ever used the word ‘oligarch’ in public. He still doesn’t get it. For four years he chastised the American people for not respecting our institutions instead of chastising the institutions for squandering their respect. Trump said the system was rigged, which is true, but then lied endlessly about how. Instead of telling people how it’s really rigged, Democrats became the party of ‘the system is not rigged’. It’s hard to imagine a bigger mistake. It meant we couldn’t tell voters it’s the economy that’s rigged by oligarchs who use government to rig it, and that democracy is the only way to stop them, but we’d better act fast because the oligarchs are bent on rigging it too and if they succeed no honest business person or worker will ever again stand a chance of a fair shake. It’s what the word ‘oligarchy’ means. We’re half way there and Trump isn’t even sworn in. It’s democracy versus oligarchy and fascism all across the world and we’d better be ready to fight like it’s the Battle of the Five Armies because, truth be told, we’re not ahead. rethink the week talkers: *Stephen Pimpare *is Professor of Public Policy at Vermont Law and Graduate School. Professor Beth Gazley specializes in U.S. nonprofit management and civil society policy and teaches at Indiana U. *Lincoln Mitchell* teaches political science and public policy at Columbia University. *Aaron Rosenthal* is the research director for North Star Policy Action topics: *hold on to this thought by Professor Stephen Pimpare:* *we have been witnessing a “class war disguised as culture war*”
How Biden Destroyed His Legacy The president’s accomplishments are considerable, but on his signature issue of preserving democracy, he failed spectacularly.
How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy in 53 DaysHe used the constitution to shatter the constitution.
Tech billionaires expose MAGA’s “populism” con job MAGA “populism” was always an inch deep — Trump’s billionaire-palooza proves it.
Meet The Billionaires Attending Trump’s Inauguration: Musk, Zuckerberg, Bezos And More
TikTok users flock to China-based “RedNote” as ban looms Xiaohongshu, or RedNote in English, has picked up tens of thousands of TikTok users looking for an alternative
Democratic senator on Biden’s farewell plea: ‘Now he tells us’ thehill.com/homenews/senate/5090419-sheldon-whitehouse-joe-biden-farewell-address/
Trump nominee for budget chief says president can withhold funding approved by Congress
Johnson’s Intel Committee shake-up fuels worries about panel under Trump <thehill.com/homenews/house/5090584-mike-johnson-intelligence-committee-turner-trump/>
An All-Too-Late Cease-Fire <prospect.org/blogs-and-newsletters/tap/2025-01-16-all-too-late-cease-fire-gaza-israel/>
Where the Wildfire Ends The widespread conflagration in residential Los Angeles should redefine how we think about wildfires.
Listen online at www.wnhnfm.org/live. Listen anytime to the podcast at www.podomatic.com/podcasts/staff74238 <www.podomatic.com/podcasts/staff74238> podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/attitude-with-arnie-arnesen/id1634055179 tunein.com/podcasts/News–Politics-Podcasts/Attitude-with-Arnie- <tunein.com/podcasts/News–Politics-Podcasts/Attitude-with-Arnie-Arnesen-p1711842/> Arnesen-p1711842/ <tunein.com/podcasts/News–Politics-Podcasts/Attitude-with-Arnie-Arnesen-p1711842/> Attitude with Arnie Arnesen, Bill Curry, Biden Farewell Address, Stephen Pimpare, Lincoln Mitchell, Aaron Rosenthal, Beth Gazley, Trump, billionaires, cabinet, Bibi, Gaza, cease fire, TikTok, oligarchs