Day: November 19, 2023

Background Briefing: November 19, 2023

The US Priority of Helping Israel Over Ukraine Which is Repelling the Russian Invader While Israel Turns a Tiny Strip of Land Into Rubble

We begin with the extent to which the war in Gaza has been detrimental to Ukraine as it tries to repel the Russian invader while Israel turns a tiny strip of land into rubble. Joining us to discuss the US priority of helping Israel over Ukraine as artillery shells are diverted to Israel while Ukraine’s stockpile is dangerously low is Simon Shuster. He was with President Zelensky when Hamas first attacked Israel and when Netanyahu told Ukraine’s Jewish leader not to visit Israel. A reporter for Time Magazine based in New York City, by way of Moscow, Kyiv and Berlin, Simon has previously covered Russia and the former Soviet Union for Reuters, The Associated Press, The Moscow Times and Foreign Policy. His forthcoming book is The Showman: Inside the Invasion That Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky. We discuss his latest article at Time Magazine, “Volodymyr Zelensky’s Struggle to Keep Ukraine in the Fight.”

 

Will the House Finally Show George Santos the Door?

Then, having dodged two attempts to expel him from congress, it now appears that George Santos may finally be shown the door following a damning report from the House Ethics Committee. Joining us is Mark Chiusano, who has covered George Santos as a columnist and editorial writer at New York Newsday, Long Island’s paper of record. He is the youngest editorial writer in the paper’s history and a New York City native and fiction writer whose story collection Marine Park received a PEN/Hemingway Award honorable mention. His new book, just out, is The Fabulist: The Lying, Hustling, Grifting, Stealing, and Very American Legend of George Santos.

 

Most of Us Are Against Inequality, But Few Have Explored What Equality Is

Then finally, with increasing concerns expressed about growing inequality, which most people oppose except the billionaire class, we examine equality which everyone agrees is a good thing but few have explored what equality means. Joining us is Darrin McMahon, a Professor of History at Dartmouth College. The author of Happiness: A History and Divine Fury: A History of Genius, his latest book, just out, is Equality: The History of an Elusive Idea.