The Progress Pondcast Episode 23: (Almost) Everything Is Awful

Marty and Brendan go all conspiracy-minded on you, with explorations into the new JFK assassination revelations and—of course—the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.For more on the Kennedy assassination, Marty recommends "What Jane Roman Said."For more on Whitey Bulger, Brendan recommends both "Black Mass," by Dick Lehr and the first season of the "Crimetown" podcast.Please support us on Patreon.Find us online at Facebook and at the Progress Pond.Music provided by The Royal Hounds, go see 'em! Get full access to Martin Longman at martinlongman.substack.com/subscribe

This episode: Trump's unhappy birthday; Re-renaming military bases; Both-sidesing the political assassination in Minnesota; blind squirrel Joe Rogan finds a nut; and how Israel's attack on Iran may be Trump's Bay of Pigs.Please support us on Patreon.Find us online at Facebook and at the Progress Pond.Produced and edited by Brendan Skwire.Music by permission of The Royal Hounds and Rick Fink. Get full access to Martin Longman at martinlongman.substack.com/subscribe

As the economy teeters, the GOP follows Trump into the threshing blades. Is it a good idea to cut FEMA? The civilized world rejects MAGA, as Texas doubles down. And, a plea to John Fetterman. Get full access to Martin Longman at martinlongman.substack.com/subscribe

Today's episode is chockful of topics!Jesse Welles Sings About Tarrifs;Tarrifs Eating Faces;A Weimar-style Collapse in DC;WTAF John Fetterman;Free Kilmar Garcia; Are We STILL going after DEI?; andHands Off Protests.Tune in! Share with your friends! Share on social media! Subscribe! And please support us on Patreon! Get full access to Martin Longman at martinlongman.substack.com/subscribe

Friend of the pod, Hall Monitor's Bill Hangley—who you may remember from last seaon—spent the mid-1990s reporting from eastern Europe. He's back to discuss how DOGE could affect Philly parks—and ultimately make it impossible to get anything done. Plus, Trump and Putin move to partition Ukraine. Marty has thoughts. It's two hours of fun!Please support us on Patreon.Produced and edited by Brendan Skwire. Get full access to Martin Longman at martinlongman.substack.com/subscribe

The hosts of the Professional Left podcast, BlueGal and Driftglass, drop by to talk a whole lotta politics, from the golden-olden days of blogging, to Never Trumpers, to organizing and nurturing a progressive media ecosytem to counter the stumbling legacy media. Also knitting, and corn. Delicious, delicious corn.Find us and support us on Patreon! The Progress PondcastThe Professional LeftWe need a new external hard drive, and those things cost money! Get full access to Martin Longman at martinlongman.substack.com/subscribe

The Pennsylvania Policy Center's executive director Marc Stier drops by to chat with the guys about how the GOP is coming for Medicaid and more—and what we can do to stop them. Also, a special holiday post script! Have a listen, like and subscribe, and please support us on Patreon. Get full access to Martin Longman at martinlongman.substack.com/subscribe

We have a great one for you this episode, folks. Philip Longman, Senior Editor at the Washington Monthly and the Policy Director at the Open Markets Institute drops by to discuss how 50 years of weak antitrust policies has hurt the Democrats with working class voters—and what they should do to win them back.If you like what we do at the Progress Pondcast, please support us on Patreon for as little as $5.00 a month. Thanks, and make sure to like and share our show! Get full access to Martin Longman at martinlongman.substack.com/subscribe

Rudy Giuliani keeps digging that hole, while his hero Trump doesn't lift a finger to help him. Maybe that's because Trump is too busy picking through the trash for cabinet members, because they're such garbage even Maggie Haberman can't keep up. The fellas also have a good laugh at the MAGA morons who think Trump is gonna lower prices—boy do they have a surprise coming! Finally, Brendan gets dragged back onto social media kicking and screaming, and finds it's not THAT bad at BlueSky. Get full access to Martin Longman at martinlongman.substack.com/subscribe

Rudy Giuliani faces a reckoning and loses all his stuff. Meanwhile, right wing gasbags bluster about married women voting! And the big story: Marty speculates on the secret plan hatched by Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson to steal the 2024 election. Please support our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/progresspondcastAnd as always, please like, follow, subscribe, and share with friends and family on social media. Get full access to Martin Longman at martinlongman.substack.com/subscribe