Best David Richman Podcasts (2025)

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Dr. Tom Frieden and Brandy Zadrozny on RFK Jr. and the CDC 45:55

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1d ago45:55

45:55

Trump picked RFK Jr. to take over the Department of Health and Human Services, and chaos has ensued. So far, RFK Jr. is ignoring the advice of experts and bringing along his cronies to push vaccine skepticism. It could have a devastating impact on the health of Americans for years to come. We're joined by Former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden, who cu…

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BBC's The Global Story 6:16

6d ago6:16

6:16

Hear a teaser for The Global Story, the daily BBC news podcast that covers the intersection where the world and America meet. Find The Global Story on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.By The Al Franken Podcast

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EP 117 - The Culprit of the Unknown 17:42

6d ago17:42

17:42

As I mentioned in the previous episode, we are going to be looking into the foundations of the NeuroHarmonic Method, which we are continuing to prepare for its upcoming release. Again, a lot of personal growth insights are going to be presented to you, practical and uplifting ideas that you may find to be deeply valuable. In that light, let me take…

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Randi Weingarten on Defending Our Public Education 44:30

8d ago44:30

44:30

We are joined by Randi Weingarten, the President of the American Federation of Teachers, to discuss her new book, “Why Fascists Fear Teachers: Public Education and the Future of Democracy.” In the book, Weingarten details how there has been a systematic demonization of teachers and public education in America. She argues that one of the pillars of …

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EP 116 - Real or Replicant 16:42

13d ago16:42

16:42

Introduction If you’re returning to the series after our break, let me extend a warm welcome back as we begin this new season. As you may remember, we’re preparing to launch the multi-pronged release of our next project, The NeuroHarmonic Method: Harmonize Your Intelligence – Transform Your Life. This work represents several years of focused effort…

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Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott on Reducing Violent Crime 41:31

15d ago41:31

41:31

Baltimore, Maryland is one of Donald Trump's most frequent targets when talking about crime in America. As the President continues to threaten to send troops into American cities, we wanted to hear from Baltimore's mayor, Brandon Scott. Since Mayor Scott took office, the city has seen a dramatic drop in violent crime. He explains his policies and h…

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455: Live from Scum & Villainy Cantina! - 9/8/25 1:42:08

18d ago1:42:08

1:42:08

Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin return to the Scum & Villainy Cantina to talk about Peacemaker, Weapons, find how much it costs to get down at the Scum & Villainy Cantina, and the latest and greatest in entertainment news!►► Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with MANDO and get 20% off + free shipping with promo code FATMAN at https://shopmando.com! #mandop…

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War Correspondent Tim Mak on the War in Ukraine 46:13

22d ago46:13

46:13

Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for Vladimir Putin in Alaska last month and came up empty handed... No ceasefire, no concessions, nothing. So what does the future of the war in Ukraine look like? We turn to journalist Tim Mak who has been based in Kiev since the start of the war. Tim is the founder of The Counteroffensive, a Substack that ch…

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454: Fat Man Beyond LIVE from Smodcastle Cinemas! 1:44:28

28d ago1:44:28

1:44:28

Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin take over Smodcastle Cinemas in Atlantic Highlands, NJ on Sunday, August 31st to talk about the latest and greatest in pop culture and take questions from the live audience. ►► Check out THAT KEVIN SMITH CLUB! ►►https://thatkevinsmithclub.com/By Marc Bernardin, Kevin Smith

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BEST OF: Bob Odenkirk on Comedy (and Drama)! 53:46

29d ago53:46

53:46

In this Best Of episode, we revisit our 2022 conversation with comedian and actor Bob Odenkirk! We got to hear from him about his memoir “Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama” and his early beginnings writing comedy in grade school. We reminisce about our days together at Saturday Night Live and discuss some of our favorite sketches. We also talk about hi…

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Peacemaker Season 2! Alien Earth! KPop Demon Hunters! - FMB #453 3:12:48

1M ago3:12:48

3:12:48

Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin want to DC YOU in the virtual Scum & Villainy Cantina to talk about the premiere of Peacemaker Season 2, what's going on in Alien Earth, discuss KPOP Demon Hunters, reflect on Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back releasing on this day in 2001, and maybe A some Qs from the audience. ALSO: Go to https://seesmod.com for the next…

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Barbara McQuade and Daniel Richman on Trump’s Politicization of the DOJ 54:53

1M ago54:53

54:53

In his second term, Donald Trump has upended many American institutions, but perhaps none more than the Department of Justice. He's filled the DOJ with lackeys, like AG Pam Bondi, who are corrupting our system of justice in ways never seen before. We're joined by two veterans of the DOJ: Barbara McQuade, professor at University of Michigan Law Scho…

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Ari Berman on the GOP’s Gerrymandering Plot 49:20

1M ago49:20

49:20

With Donald Trump and the Republican Party low in the polls, Texas is resorting to one of their favorite ways to win voters: cheating. They’ve drawn new maps to implement unprecedented gerrymandering, taking away five Democratic-held seats - all done at Trump’s insistence, of course. We're joined by Ari Berman, national voting rights correspondent …

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Season 7 Episode 25: Jake Departure/Season Finale/Fun Shit 1:54:47

1M ago1:54:47

1:54:47

After a four-year run on the show, Producer Jake is saying goodbye. (Although presumably he'll be saying "hello" again on some future episodes as a guest.) One of his predecessors, Producer Cale, joins us to see the lad off. Jay Zeroni, who's never been a GTAA producer but is still a good guy, joins us in the postgame for patrons. We're having some…

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Franklin Foer on the Famine in Gaza 50:15

2M ago50:15

50:15

Gaza faces mass starvation as Israel blocks critical food and aid to the region. We're joined by The Atlantic's Franklin Foer to discuss his recent piece, “Israel's Last Chance,” and how the only answer to this atrocity is for Israel to flood Gaza with food. Foer also discusses the legitimate criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu, while acknowledging tha…

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Season 7 Episode 24: Meagan Day vs. the Tradwives 1:23:27

2M ago1:23:27

1:23:27

Jacobin writer and editor Meagan Day joins us to talk about what reactionary "tradwife" influencers are latching onto, and how social democracy can actually help families in a way that ugly anti-feminist culture war can't. Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument on what the Epstein scandal says about our late capitalist hellscape. (No postgame to…

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Jonathan Alter on Trump’s Authoritarian Police State 45:44

2M ago45:44

45:44

We're joined by journalist and best-selling author, Jonathan Alter, to dig deeper into the latest in Trump’s America. Jonathan’s most recent piece in Washington Monthly explains how the BBB’s enormous funding for ICE will turn America into a police state. With over 75 billion dollars, ICE will now be bigger than all American law enforcement agencie…

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Season 7 Episode 23: Norm Finkelstein & Matt McManus on John Stuart Mill 2:24:28

2M ago2:24:28

2:24:28

The crossover event the world has eagerly awaited is here (OK, well, some of us are excited)--Matt McManus and Stormin' Norman Finkelstein on the same podcast episode. As it turns out, they share an interest in John Stuart Mill, so we thought it might be interesting to explore that. Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument on Bret Stephens's absur…

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452: Fantastic Four Reactions! SDCC 2025 Wrap Up 1:49:36

2M ago1:49:36

1:49:36

Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin fly the Excelsior faster than light into the Scum & Villainy Cantina to provide their hot takes on San Diego Comic-Con 2025 and their reactions to the latest MCU installment, FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS! That's right, kids, they're BACK IN THE CANTINA for this and audience Q&A LIVE!Check out THAT KEVIN SMITH CLUB: htt…

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Kevin Nealon on His Career in Comedy! 1:03:02

2M ago1:03:02

1:03:02

We're thrilled to welcome an old friend from Al’s SNL days, comedian Kevin Nealon! Kevin and Al trade stories from working together on Saturday Night Live and discuss how the show has changed over the years. Kevin shares how he created several trademark bits, including Mr. Subliminal and Hans and Franz. Plus, we get backstories on some sketches tha…

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Season 7 Episode 22: Exploitation and Analytical Marxism (ft. Nicholas Vrousalis) 1:59:35

2M ago1:59:35

1:59:35

Nicholas Vrousalis, author of "Exploitation as Domination: What Makes Capitalism Unjust" joins Ben Burgis to talk about his book, how to rigorously think about capitalist exploitation, what it was like to work with G.A. Cohen in grad school, and more. Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument about the bizarro arguments of pro-Trump libertarians. I…

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Season 7 Episode 21: How Capitalism Ends (Bastille Day Special w/Steve Paxton) 1:49:48

2M ago1:49:48

1:49:48

Steve Paxton studied with the great Marxist philosopher G.A. Cohen as a graduate student at Oxford. Since then, he's had blue-collar jobs, white collar jobs, and been unemployed, but he's never stopped writing and thinking about socialism and Marxism. For this special Bastille Day episode, Ben Burgis talks with Steve about his book "How Capitalism …

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Catherine Rampell on Trump’s Economic Policies 39:49

2M ago39:49

39:49

We’re joined by Washington Post columnist and co-host of MSNBC's The Weekend, Catherine Rampell! Catherine breaks down what the Big, Beautiful Bill means for Americans and why it's been so important for Trump and the Republicans to get it done. It will balloon our deficit and gut the social safety net. And for what? Tax breaks for the richest Ameri…

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Season 7 Episode 20: We Have Always Had a Union (ft. Shaun Richman) 2:06:11

2M ago2:06:11

2:06:11

Labor scholar Shaun Richman joins us to talk to Ben Burgis about his book "We Always Had a Union: The New York Hotel Workers’ Union, 1912-1953." Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument on the absurd attacks on Zohran that have been made everywhere from National Review to Reason to...Matt Taibbi's Substack. (Goddamnit, Matt.) In the postgame for p…

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Season 7 Episode 19: Flowers for Marx 2:02:04

2M ago2:02:04

2:02:04

Two authors from the new anthology "Flowers for Marx" (returning guests Matt McManus & Conrad Hamilton) join Ben Burgis to chat about the book. Before that, Ben and the crew debunk more smears of Zohran. In the postgame for patrons, Matt puts in a shift joining us on our long march through Jordan Peterson vs. 20 atheists. Order Flowers for Marx: ht…

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451: Look Up! Kevin Smith & Marc Bernardin Superman Reactions! 2:47:21

3M ago2:47:21

2:47:21

Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin fly faster than a speeding bullet into the Virtual Scum & Villainy Cantina to share their thoughts on the latest cinematic offering from James Gunn and the latest version of Big Blue to hit the silver screen, SUPERMAN. They also discuss IRON HEART, JAWS 2, and maybe A some Qs from the audience.►► Control Body Odor ANY…

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Season 7 Episode 18: Michael O'Neill Burns & Matt McManus on Marx & Ideology 1:50:41

3M ago1:50:41

1:50:41

Philosophical and comedic YouTube person Michael O'Neill Burns comes on GTAA for the first time and political science professor Matt McManus comes on for the billionth time (rough approximation) so they can discuss Marx and ideology. Before that, Ben and the crew break down some of the worst pro-war talking points wrt Iran. In the postgame, we cont…

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Dahlia Lithwick on The Godawful SCOTUS Term 48:54

3M ago48:54

48:54

Another devastating term of Trump's Supreme Court has come to a close. There's a lot to be angry about, so we're joined by Dahlia Lithwick, our authority on all things SCOTUS and host of Slate’s podcast, Amicus. Dahlia explains how this Supreme Court is using the "shadow docket" to advance bad policy without full briefings or arguments and how the …

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Marc Elias on Trump’s Authoritarian Second Term 46:24

3M ago46:24

46:24

One of Donald Trump's priorities when he returned to the White House was to target law firms that he felt had wronged him. While some immediately caved to his demands, others fought back... and won. We're joined by Marc Elias, preeminent election lawyer and founder of Democracy Docket, to discuss Trump using his second term to settle personal score…

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CNN’s Kasie Hunt on Her Career & Trump II 50:48

3M ago50:48

50:48

We are joined by CNN Anchor and Chief National Affairs Analyst Kasie Hunt for her first time on the podcast! It's a very fun conversation covering her work and what inspired her to follow her passion for journalism. She discusses the early days of her career covering Obama, Congress, and the passage of the Affordable Care Act. We also talk about ho…

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EP 115 - The Upside of Downtime 13:43

3M ago13:43

13:43

Before I begin this episode, which covers quite a bit of diverse territory, I’d like to mention once again, the purpose of this podcast. Essentially, it is based on personal growth and everything that I share here serves the same purpose – to present some information for you to consider and see if it rings true. These aren’t teachings, for I don’t …

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Molly Jong-Fast on her Bestselling Memoir! 47:15

3M ago47:15

47:15

We are joined by Molly Jong-Fast this week to discuss her new book, “How to Lose Your Mother: A Daughter's Memoir.” We've had Molly on the podcast many times, but you've never heard her like this! She discusses growing up in the shadow of her mother, feminist icon Erica Jong, and their relationship over the years. Molly shares stories of her mother…

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Season 7 Episode 17: Another World is Possible (ft. Natasha Zapata) 2:18:10

3M ago2:18:10

2:18:10

Natasha Hakimi Zapata joins us to chat w/Ben about her important new book "Another World is Possible: Lessons for America from Around the Globe." From Britain's NHS to Singapore's publicly-leased housing system to New Zealand's egalitarian pensions to Norway's family policies, her book documents the way that countries around the world have proven t…

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EP 114 - You Bet Your Life 15:55

3M ago15:55

15:55

In the past couple of episodes, we’ve explored some of the basics of our new program—The NeuroHarmonic Method, which blends timeless wisdom with discoveries in modern neuroscience to offer a unique approach to personal growth. It’s simple to understand, easy to practice, and available to everyone. No special knowledge or background required. But be…

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450: Spaceballs 2, New Wonder Woman Movie, Defoe as Scrooge? 3:13:44

3M ago3:13:44

3:13:44

Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin gather in the Virtual Scum & Villainy Cantina to discuss the Spaceballs 2 announcement, the new Wonder Woman announcement, and other entertainment news before answering some viewer questions.SPONSOR►► Your new wardrobe awaits! Get 20% off Chubbies with the code beyond at https://www.chubbiesshorts.com/beyond…

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Season 7 Episode 16: Citizen Marx 2:05:30

4M ago2:05:30

2:05:30

Bruno Leipold joins Ben Burgis to talk about his excellent book "Citizen Marx: Republicanism and the Formation of Karl Marx's Social and Political Thought." Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument responding to Jodi Dean on "neofeudalism." In the postgame for patrons, RM Brown joins Ben and the crew to break down some more of Jordan Peterson's bi…

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Heather McGhee on Trump’s Wars on DEI and Immigration 47:59

4M ago47:59

47:59

The Trump administration is waging war on DEI. But what does that mean? We ask one of our favorite guests, Heather McGhee, to break down how and why DEI has become such a focus for Trump and his allies. Heather wrote the groundbreaking book “The Sum of Us” and is an expert in economic and social policy. She explains that diversity is the backbone o…

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Season 7 Episode 15: Nathan Robinson on His Book w/Noam Chomsky (+ Jordan Peterson's Jubilee) 2:17:33

4M ago2:17:33

2:17:33

Current Affairs editor Nathan J. Robinson joins Ben Burgis to talk about his and Noam Chomsky's new book "The Myth of American Idealism: How U.S. Foreign Policy Endangers the World." In the postgame for patrons, Ben and the cre watch some of Jordan Peterson's Jubilee debate, in which Peterson realizes he can brilliantly defend his position by the 5…

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EP 113 - A Simple Alignment Issue 18:30

4M ago18:30

18:30

In our last episode, we took an overview of what’s often called the Wisdom of the Ages—that deep current of higher understanding that human beings have accessed in every culture, across every era, since the beginning of recorded history. Whether through the teachings of sages, mystics, philosophers, or poets, there has always been a thread of knowl…

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YouTube Sensation David Pakman on The Big, Beautiful Bill and More! 40:06

4M ago40:06

40:06

First time guest David Pakman joins us for this week's show! David is a political commentator and hosts one of the most watched independent progressive programs in the country. With over 3 million YouTube subscribers, David spreads truth and commentary on the devastating impact Donald Trump is having on our country. Al and David kick around news ou…

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449: Dogma, Final Reckoning, R-Rated Star Wars 2:42:46

4M ago2:42:46

2:42:46

It's the Return of the Smith as Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin reunite in the Virtual Scum & Villainy Cantina to catch up and talk about the Dogma Resurrection tour, the Final Reckoning of Mission Impossible, and what exactly is an R-Rated Star Wars.Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with MANDO and get 20% off sitewide + free shipping with promo code FATMA…

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Episode 112 - All Ways Homes 18:17

4M ago18:17

18:17

There is a river of wisdom that’s been flowing through human history in every culture since the beginning of civilization. It’s the wise understandings of those rare individuals who were able to remember something we so often forget: who we really are as human beings. In this episode, we’ll dip into that timeless stream, that many have called the W…

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George Packer on Vice President JD Vance 33:17

4M ago33:17

33:17

JD Vance has had an unorthodox rise to power. After a troubled childhood, he joined the Marines, graduated from Yale Law School, became a best-selling author, and then won a seat in the U.S. Senate. And now, at only 40, he is Vice President to Donald Trump, a man who Vance once described as "America's Hitler" and "cultural heroin." We’re joined by …

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Episode 111 - Spears and Switchblades: One Stubborn Species 17:43

4M ago17:43

17:43

Welcome back to our Podcast. and in this episode, we are going to explore the mysterious junction between human potential and the human predicament. Today, we’re diving into an idea that may sting a little at first, but, if we look closely, it might also open a hidden door to hope. It involves the unfortunate observation that while human technology…

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225: BEST OF: Ed Shelleby on Being My Senate Communications Director 49:30

4M ago49:30

49:30

In this Best Of episode, we revisit our conversation with Al’s former Senate Communications Director, Ed Shelleby, to relive their time working together. Ed tells tales of him TRYING to manage Al's comedic impulses in serious situations, but also talks about the great work they accomplished together. Ed shares several behind-the-scenes stories incl…

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Episode 110 - Symphony in a Second 17:14

4M ago17:14

17:14

In the next two episodes we’re going to look at certain sets of facts that are designed to do just one thing – to help us to stop taking things for granted so that we can begin to see how incredibly special this life is for us, and how truly amazing our actual potential is as human beings. When we begin to grasp and understand this viewpoint, so ma…

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224: Michael Lewis on Amazing Government Workers 32:10

4M ago32:10

32:10

From the start of Donald Trump's second term, he's been eager to cut the federal workforce. So, Elon Musk headed the newly minted DOGE to begin slashing tens of thousands of jobs. Our friend, Michael Lewis, author of "The Big Short" and, most recently, "Who is Government?," joins us to share stories of public servants who not only improved this cou…

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448: Andor Finale! Thunderbolts*! Trailer Talk! 1:53:50

5M ago1:53:50

1:53:50

Marc Bernardin and BAMF Man J.C. Reifenberg enter the Virtual Scum & Villainy Cantina to talk about the Star Wars Disney+ series ANDOR, Marvel's THUNDERBOLTS*, the official SUPERMAN trailer, the Disney+ show IRON HEART trailer, and maybe a bit of news.SPONSOR ►► Your summer wardrobe awaits! Get 20% off @chubbies with the code BEYOND at https://www.…

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Season 7 Episode 14: Karl Marx in America (ft. Andrew Hartman) 1:57:26

5M ago1:57:26

1:57:26

Andrew Hartman joins Ben Burgis to talk about his fascinating book "Karl Marx in America," where he traces interest in Marx's ideas by American commentators from the Gilded Age to the Great Depression to the Vietnam-era New Left to the present. Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument responding to Ro Khanna on socialism. In the postgame for patro…

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Episode 109 - Science Meets The Soul 15:30

5M ago15:30

15:30

As you may recall, we began the last episode by saying that we are deeply involved with preparations for the release of our next project, “The NeuroHaronic Method.” As a short introduction to it, I discussed two critical times in my life that helped lay the foundations for my lifelong study of personal growth. These were the metaphysical events tha…