2200 – Is This the Future Liberals Want? w/ Matt Karp

Good morning, on today’s Majority Report Michael Brooks hosts Matt Karp, professor of History at Princeton University, for his latest piece in the Jacobin, “Is This the Future Liberals Want?” Join as Karp and Brooks discuss the prospects of Trump in 2020 and the potential pitfalls of “progressive technocracy” defining the future of the Democratic party. Brooks and Karp begin their conversation exploring the broader course of the Democratic party’s New Deal coalition politics transition away from working people. In losing this class configuration, Karp believes voters have put the individual politician above the policy platform, leaving the foundation of any movement unstable at best. Additionally, the restructuring of the global economy and left political parties moving away from class alignment have accelerated the political realignment underway across western democracies. Shifting gears, Brooks and Karp take on the political media discourse surrounding the “professional-managerial class” identity that the Democratic Party now upholds. Karp argues that this breed of Democrats does not have the fight that a material class-based party would in struggling for things like Medicare for All and Card Check. It’s impossible to ignore the rate at which inequality is growing, which is why the professional class Democrats see Warren as a crucial candidate. But still, Karp and Brooks believe, given the track record of recent Democratic presidents, only a working class-driven candidate from the grassroots arm of the party can push through progressive legislation that produces material benefits for workers. The two conclude their conversation considering the challenges that a Bernie Sanders administration would face and how his grassroots movement would confront and mobilize against the capitalist class. 

And in the Fun Half: Bernie’s debate performance and the Squad endorsement, recalling Bernie’s defense of Ilhan Omar amidst anti-semitism attacks, remembering Elijah Cummings, assessing the Democratic primary field, the Serfs call in and share their charity drive stream, Kamala Harris can’t stop talking about Twitter mods, updates on the Chicago Teachers’ Strike, Warren’s stance on Israel/Palestine, libertarians who like Bernie, Bullprog’s story from the Minneapolis  Trump rally, Warren supporter tells Fox News the billionaires class bitches too much about taxes, plus your calls and IMs!

Become a member at JoinTheMajorityReport.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to Majority.FM’s new morning podcast the AM Quickie!

Check out today’s sponsor: 

Babble: Choose from 14 different languages – including Spanish, French, and Italian – and speak your new language within weeks. Once you try it for free and are ready to sign up, select the three-month option and Babbel will give you 3 additional months for FREE with promo code MAJORITY. Go to Babbel.com, promo code Majority

Cariuma marries old school designs with new-school ethics. For a limited time, our listeners can get an exclusive 15% off your first pair of Cariuma sneakers! Go to cariuma.com/majority to get 15% off.

BetterHelp gives you access to your own fully licensed and accredited therapist via phone, chat, or video. They’re giving everyone in our audience 10% off your first month when you go to https://betterhelp.com/majorityreport

Get your tickets to the Michael Brooks live show in Philadelphia on Saturday, November 23rd (the weekend before Thanksgiving) with special guests Krystal Ball and Emma Vigeland! Get your tickets here.

Check out The Michael Brooks Show at patreon.com/tmbs, and the new TMBS YouTube channel for all short TMBS clips

Check out Matt’s podcast, Literary Hangover, at Patreon.com/LiteraryHangover, or on iTunes.

Check out Jamie’s podcast, The Antifada, at patreon.com/theantifada, on iTunes, or the new Antifada Youtube channel

Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter:

@SamSeder

@_michaelbrooks

@MattLech

@jamie_elizabeth

@Bf1nn

2200 - Is This the Future Liberals Want? w/ Matt Karp 1