Ep. 143: What's The Matter With Populism? (feat. Thomas Frank)
The Michael Moore Podcast
Michael Moore
4.8 • 9.2K Ratings
🗓️ 3 December 2020
⏱️ 72 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Thomas Frank is a historian and author behind classic books such as "What's that Matter With Kansas?" and "Listen, Liberal." His work has exposed the cynicism and corruption behind the conservative movement and Republican party, the cataclysmic failures of the liberal establishment and the Democratic party, along with the corporate elite that they all serve. He joins Michael to discuss the necessary defeat of Trump, what to expect from the Democrats, and how our only hope for real, positive change is through mass, democratic, citizen-led movements and not through the current political system or the Democratic party. The people must lead the politicians, not the other way around.
Recent Thomas Frank articles:
Ding-dong, the jerk is gone. But read this before you sing the Hallelujah Chorus
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/nov/07/trump-defeat-election
We need to reclaim populism from the right. It has a long, proud leftwing history
‘Populist’ has become shorthand for racist authoritarianism. But the first populists were progressive labor activists who fought for democracy
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/12/we-need-to-reclaim-populism-from-the-right-it-has-a-long-proud-leftwing-history
Read his books!
The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism
https://bookshop.org/a/1381/9781250798480
Listen, Liberal: Or, What Ever Happened to the Party of the People?
https://bookshop.org/a/1381/9781250118134
What's the Matter with Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America
https://bookshop.org/a/1381/9780805077742
Music in the episode:
"This Land Is Your Land" - Woody Guthrie
https://open.spotify.com/track/3ZjrfGcb3A2PMGA1vRNgSk
"This Land Is Your Land" @OccupyLA - Tom Morello (The Nightwatchman)
https://youtu.be/E1ImQ7Ylvdo
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | My podcast here was created using the anchor app. |
| 0:05.0 | Anchor is the free podcast platform that allows me and you and anyone to set up and start their own podcast free of charge |
| 0:14.0 | so that your voice is heard. |
| 0:16.0 | Anchor will distribute your podcast for you. |
| 0:19.0 | Again, free of charge. |
| 0:20.0 | So you can be on Spotify, you can be on Apple podcasts, many more. |
| 0:25.0 | Now, why are they doing this? |
| 0:26.0 | Simply, it's because they believe in the democratization of audio. |
| 0:30.0 | That's why I use this platform. |
| 0:32.0 | And I encourage you to download the free anchor app or go to anchor dot FM and get started. |
| 0:40.0 | I can't tell you how many people I've heard from from you. |
| 0:43.0 | People listen to this podcast. |
| 0:44.0 | We've gone on to create their own podcast. |
| 0:48.0 | I'm so happy to hear this. |
| 0:50.0 | Now more than ever, our voices need to be heard. |
| 0:57.0 | This land is your land and this land is my land from California to the New York Island. |
| 1:13.0 | And the redwood forest and the Gulf Stream waters, this land was made for you and me. |
| 1:24.0 | This is Rumble and I am Michael Moore and welcome everyone to my podcast today. |
| 1:30.0 | And I am very honored to have as my guest the incredible author, thinker and activist Thomas Frank. |
| 1:42.0 | I don't know if he would agree with the word activist, we'll find out. |
| 1:45.0 | But I think anybody who writes the truth these days, his performing the Lord's work. |
| 1:52.0 | So for that, I'm very grateful. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Michael Moore, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Michael Moore and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.