Hello and welcome to Background Briefing, available 24-7 at backgroundbriefing.org.

I'm Ian Masters, and today we'll examine a number of stories and issues in the news.

We'll begin with Trump's open declaration of war against the rule of law as he attacks judges, district attorneys, juries, witnesses, the FBI, election workers,

government whistleblowers, Republican lawmakers who have criticized him,

and media figures and journalists who have reported the many damning facts about him.

Trump's inflammatory rhetoric inspires his base, many of whom are unhinged and heavily armed,

forcing those with a target on their back to seek law enforcement protection and private security.

Joining us to compare the volatile present with the tumultuous past is Corey Brecht

Schneider, a professor of political science at Brown University where he teaches

constitutional law and politics, as well as visiting professor of law at Fordham Law School.

He's the author of The Oath and the Office, a guide to the Constitution for future presidents,

and decisions and dissents of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a selection.

His forthcoming book out on July 2nd is The Presidents and the People,

Five Leaders Who Threatened Democracy and the Citizens Who Fought to Defend It,

and he has an article at The Guardian, Trump's dangerous attacks on the rule of law have U.S. historical

precedents. Then we'll look into why the U.S. is running out of ammunition while spending the

bulk of its treasure on the Pentagon and military contractors producing trillion-dollar gold-plated

turkeys like the F-35 and the Zumbul class destroyers, counterpart of which enemies and allies produce

for a fraction of the cost which work while having plenty of ammunition stockpiled.

Joining us is Mike Lofgren, who has spent 28 years working in Congress, the last 16 as a senior

analyst on the House and Senate Budget Committees, and is the author of the New York Times bestseller.

The party is over how Republicans went crazy, Democrats became useless, and the middle class got shafted.

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