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

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

We'll begin with Trump's address last night to a joint session of Congress,

in which he made a partisan campaign speech full of lies and culture wars incitement,

which animated his Republican cult followers who sprang to their feet at every punchline,

while the Democrats sat in silent opposition,

exposing the divide that Trump has contrived in the country.

Joining us to discuss the Blitzkrieg plutocratic coup underway is Dr. Alan Francis,

a professor emeritus and former chair of psychiatry and behavioral science at Duke University.

He is the author of the award-winning international bestseller, Saving Normal, and the reference work

essentials of psychiatric diagnosis. And his latest book is Twilight of American Sanity.

A psychiatrist analyzes the age of Trump, now out in an updated paperback version.

Then we'll look into the obvious preparation underway to have Musk gut Social Security

as Trump laid the groundwork of lies last night to demonize the popular program

that hacks and hirelings of right-wing plutocrats have long dreamed of destroying since it was

created under FDR. Joining us is Alex Lawson, the executive director of Social Security Works,

where his work focuses on protecting and expanding Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid,

and lowering prescription drug price.

Then finally we'll speak with Karen Greenberg,

director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law School,

an International Studies Fellow at the New America Foundation,

a permanent member of the Council on Foreign Relations,

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