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It's the Brian Laira Show on WNYC. Good morning, everyone. And before we dive into our show for today,

let me just reinforce for one minute what you've been hearing from Michael Hill and Jessica

Gould this morning. And Jess is going to be back on to talk about some of her actual reporting

later this hour as our education reporter. She's got some

really interesting stuff today. But today we begin our annual winter membership drive. And,

you know, rarely has there been a more important one to support the continued existence of a free

independent press, period, or at least this corner of it, for our area and for the

world. So I'll say in advance and only one time right now that we are so grateful for your

monthly sustaining membership. We need your participation to reach the goal and make the

statement we're trying to make. And the cherry on top is we have fun and useful thank you gifts at any membership level.

So please go to WNYC.org or call 888376 WNYC if you can and if you care.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

And that's that for now.

And for this Monday after the Friday, Trump and Vance

versus Zelenskyy showdown, we return to the overarching question of our times. Is this what

democracy looks like? Beyond the good and bad of specific policy changes, are they establishing

an authoritarian state?

Our series, is this what democracy looks like, is asking the question explicitly to not

lose the forest for the trees, right?

So in this segment, we'll ask that question with the reaction to Trump and Vance versus

Zelensky and on the way they are punishing the associated

...