Weekly Roundup: This Is An Invasion – Pritzker, Trump, and the Union Coming Apart + Venezuelan Boat Attack (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast)

Brad and Dan tackle a whirlwind of pressing issues shaping the American landscape. 

They break down Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s bold stand against Trump’s threats to deploy the military in Chicago, explore the deeper implications of masculinity and political power through viral moments and media narratives, and discuss the targeting of marginalized groups in current policy debates. 

The hosts connect these events to broader themes of authoritarianism, the myth of the “Lost Cause,” and the ongoing struggle over American identity, all while offering sharp analysis, historical context, and a dose of hope for resistance and community.

Interview: 

https://www.straightwhiteamericanjesus.com/episodes/weekly-roundup-this-is-an-invasion-pritzker-trump-and-the-union-coming-apart-venezuelan-boat-attack/

Joe Biden says US is facing ‘existential’ fight with marginalized groups ‘dramatically under attack’

In sporadic public appearances since leaving the White House, Biden has hit back against new reporting that alleges a "cover up" by the then-president's closest aides to hide his frailty and decline from an American public who polls showed believed he was too old to serve another four years… 

The White House and congressional Republicans have amplified the claims, opening investigations into whether Biden was in control when he made a series of notable clemency decisions at the end of his presidency. In an interview with the New York Times this month, Biden said he orally authorized every pardon and commutation issued during his term and called Republicans who said his staff abused the presidential autopen "liars"…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/01/joe-biden-national-bar-association-awards-speech

 

How poverty and racism 'weather' the body, accelerating aging and disease (Dave Davies; Fresh Air podcast)

In 2020, the overall life expectancy in the U.S. dropped by 1.5 years, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the reduction wasn't shared equally among the general population; Native American people lost an average of 4.5 years of life expectancy; Black and Hispanic people lost, on average, 3 years, while white people lost only 1.2 years.

This figure tracks with other health trends: In general, Black and Hispanic people and those living in poverty in the U.S. have worse health outcomes — more high blood pressure, higher rates of diabetes and increased maternal and infant mortality — than the overall population.

Public health researcher Arline Geronimus from the University of Michigan says the traditional belief that the disparities are due to genetics, diet and exercise don't explain data that's accumulated over the years. Instead, she makes the case that marginalized people suffer nearly constant stress from living with poverty and discrimination, which damages their bodies at the cellular level and leads to increasingly serious health problems over time.
Interview: 

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/03/28/1166404485/weathering-arline-geronimus-poverty-racism-stress-health