Reconsider

Richard Hanania returns to speculate with Erik about how Congress, Silicon Valley, the Republican Party, and the nation as a whole will change after the Capitol Riots. Will our DNA change in the same way that it changed after 9/11?As usual, prepare for Erik and Richard to disagree fiercely :) Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Historian Mike Duncan makes a compelling case that a breakdown of the political rules of the game--mos maiorum--drove the downfall of the Roman Republic. How much is America's breakdown of political norms and cohesion like that of the Roman Republic? How do we avoid our own Civil Wars and Rubicon? Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This Christmas is like no other. Millions of Americans traveled and unsafely visited family during Thanksgiving, leading to countless super spreader events that are killing thousands, needlessly, right now. Tomorrow, Christmas, is a critical day, and we all have an important ethical decision to make. Stay home, save other people's lives, and try to encourage as many others to do the same in whatever language they're familiar with. Acting in a way that conforms with our own moral principles will be ensure that we do not take actions that will haunt us for the rest of our lives. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If 2020 has demonstrated anything, it is that geopolitical services are no longer a luxury. Like legal or accounting services, geopolitical services are crucial for businesses with global exposure in the unstable years ahead. You wouldn’t do your own accounting...why would you do your political risk?Perch Perspectives was built to serve clients with international exposure, whether agribusiness, energy, financial, technology, or supply chain. Perch's mission is simple: give clients the geopolitical perspective they need to understand their operating environments and the power to influence their global business.   Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There is an astounding amount of BS surrounding COVID-19. In part because of that, we have nearly 300k Americans dead, and more to come. In this episode, Xander and Erik arm you with what you need to convince anti-maskers to get with the program. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

OK so Biden won, taking back PA, WI, MI, and flipping AZ blue for the first time since 1996 and GA blue for the first time since 1992. So this is a slightly different map than we’ve seen in a long time. FL and OH used to be THE states (remember 2000 and 2004?), and they both went solidly red this year and it just didn’t matter at all. In the 2000’s and 2010’s we also talked about CO, NM, and VA being at least in play, and those days are over. US voting patterns are changing and we’re going to talk a bit about why. There were some big surprises, and we're going to talk about them! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are at war, over a strip of land with fewer than 150,000 people in it. This seems like the tiniest of conflicts... but it has real risk of erupting into a massive regional conflict. When does spilled blood get worked out, and when does it spiral out of control? We discuss this key question using history and geopolitics through the lens of this conflict in the Caucuses. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

You just heard Roifield and Erik talk about the 2020 election, which will change US history forever. You might not know that in addition to MidAtlantic, Roifield hosts 10 American Presidents, an audio documentary on leaders who changed the country and the world. This quick trailer introduces Roifield's series on Ronald Reagan, as the 40th anniversary of his election approaches. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The American political bubbles are now made of steel; we share fake news that reinforces our beliefs, and reject realities that don't conform with them. Is there any hope? We dive into the history of media technology for a glimmer of hope. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We talk about the President’s suggestions that he might not respect the outcome of the election, and his team’s efforts to prepare some states to award him delegates, even if he loses the state... and how that could play out.We’ll discuss what the endgame could look like between Nov 3 and January, and try not to speculate too much on what the outcome is likely to be. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What happens after Trump (almost certainly) loses the election? How does the US begin to heal its divides? How do the Republicans bounce back from a (likely) thrashing?Roifield Brown, host of the MidAtlantic podcast, joins Erik to talk about changes in American attitudes and demographics, as well as the ongoing challenges the US will face as confidence in our democratic institutions sits at a historic low. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today, the Fed spends money buying bonds and setting interest rates to stimulate the economy. Econ Prof. Lawrence Marsh shares a radically different way of using the Fed: putting money directly into Americans' bank accounts. He argues the Fed needs to move from supply-side to demand-side stimulation in order to not only ease inequality but also lead to a much more efficient economy. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sheriffs have a frankly _weird_ job... and a very important one. Robert Greene, editorial writer for the LA Times focusing on criminal justice, shares with us how to educate yourself to vote well for your Sheriff. We cover the history of Sherifffing in California, how elections have gone in the past, how that's changing nation-wide, and how you can do the research yourself to really understand who you're voting for. Sheriffs have a massive impact on policing policy in your county, so this year is an incredible opportunity for most of us to use the ballot box at the local level to make a difference! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Xander and Erik are bigtime Realists--we assume international relations are fairly rational. What if this model is flawed, and even biased? Richard Hanania, of Columbia University's Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, makes his case that international relations are more like politics than we Realists would like to admit. Watch Erik actively ReConsider (with considerable anguish) his entire model of global politics makes sense! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Since the killing of George Floyd, Americans have used the soap box to demand reform to policing and the criminal justice system. In November, we will use the ballot box. But you may not even _know_ that your Sheriff is up for election, and they have a massive impact on policing in your county! On this episode of ReConsider, Xander and Erik break down why voting for your Sheriff is important in shaping law enforcement policy in the United States, how you can have an outsized impact in those elections, and why most of us don't know much about this option. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mail-in voting will lead to massive fraud and allow the Democrats to steal the election.Er, I mean: DeJoy's elimination of USPS sorting machines will disrupt voting this year so much to let Trump steal the election.Which conspiracy is your favorite?Do either of them hold water? Xander and Erik explore in GREAT depth:-Historical voter fraud in the United States-The risk of voter fraud with larger-scale mail-in voting-What DeJoy is actually doing at the USPS-How that compares to past Postmasters General-Whether anyone is actually in a serious position to steal the election Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Xander recently appeared on the Perch Perspectives podcast, with Jacob Shapiro. Xander and Jacob have worked together as geopolitical analysts and consultants for a number of years, and recently Xander joined Jacob's new company, Perch Perspectives, as the vice president of analysis. Perch consults business on geopolitical risk that, as we're seeing, is increasingly impacting the global economy in ways that we haven't seen at least for the last 30 years. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Paramilitary troops in Portland, Oregon, threw protesters in unmarked vans and tear-gassed so aggressively that they hit the Mayor of the city. "Operation Legend" is set to roll out to many other cities in the US--possibly whether they like it or not. Is Portland going to be repeated in Chicago and Detroit? We give you the full story and the context to be able to rise above the (very) aggressively partisan portrayals of Portland. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A lot of peoples' perspectives about Coronavirus risks center around the Case Fatality Rate (CFR). Pretty low for young folks, so you're safe, right? For both individuals and society, there are risks beyond the CFR we should know. It could save lives. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/reconsiderpodcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Has Hong Kong been "lost?" Are their civil rights obliterated? What the heck just happened with the National Security Law? Lots of context needed, and provided in this episode.Xander and Erik go deep into the history of Hong Kong from the very beginning, and unfold HK's laws and relationship with Beijing since the 80's, to understand what led up to this seminal moment.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.