Hello and welcome to Background Briefing, available 24-7 at Background Briefing.org, I'm Ian Masters,

and today we'll look into a number of stories and issues in the news. We'll begin with the

most divisive American presidents since the Civil War, deliberately waging and today we'll look into a number of stories and issues in the news. We'll begin with the most

divisive American presidents since the Civil War, deliberately waging war on blue states

who did not vote for him and punishing them by canceling government projects while invading

and intimidating them with ice thugs and armed military in flagrant disregard of the Posse Comitatis Act.

We will get an assessment of what strategies, the more successful blue states like California,

with an economy the fifth largest in the world, might employ to stop subsidizing red states,

weaponizing maga partisanship.

Joining us is David Farris, a professor in political science

at Roosevelt University in Chicago, and a regular contributor to Slate, The Week, and Newsweek.

He's the author of Time to Fight Dirty, How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American

Politics, and most recently, the kids are all left, how young voters will

unite America. We will discuss his latest article at the nation, how blue states can fight the

MAGA backlash. Then, with much of America waking up to the desecration of the people's house,

the White House, which Trump is destroying and distorting by bulldozing the East Wing to build a

monument to himself twice as big as the rest of the White House that will be gilded with gold

and glitz forever reminding us of the wretched legacy of the worst president in our nation's history.

Joining us to discuss the plutocratic financing of this Palace of Pretension is Richard Bruffaut,

a professor of legislation at Columbia Law School, where he previously served as vice dean

at three different times during his career.

His research interests include campaign finance reform, government ethics, gerrymandering,

...