American Fever Dream Betches

Did you know that the chemicals in your brain might determine what political party you feel aligned with? Guest Keegan Tatum, an expert in political psychology, is here to explain the psychological differences between liberals and conservatives, as well as how religion and emotional biases factor into our political ideology. He also explains how having an overly active disgust mechanism can create anti-trans and anti-gay sentiments. V and Keegan also debate if conservatives have a humiliation kink, and if we can change our brain chemistry.

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After weeks of speculation, President Biden announced that he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race -- leaving all eyes on Vice President Kamala Harris, the new likely democratic presidential nominee. Sami & V discuss Biden’s selfless decision, as well as the flood of endorsements and donations she received in the hours after the news broke, including their theory on why the Obamas have not endorsed her yet, as of recording time. They also talk about Trump’s reaction (or lack thereof) to the news and run through the pros and cons of the most likely VP picks. Finally, what’s with all the coconuts and what do brats have to do with the election? Find out in the episode.
AMERICAN'T
56:00 - If you don't like Kamala...start planning for 2028. Attacking her at this point only hurts our chance to beat Trump in 2024. We can do this, but it will take all of us. And as Jess Craven says, we are excited AF for Kamala Harris.

Want to learn more about VP Harris? Listen to our episode, The Case For Kamala.
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Sami & V take a look at the history of assassination attempts on US presidents and how these attempts, successful or not, shaped American politics. They also talk about the shared motives that many of these men have, like their desire for attention and recognition. This episode also touches on the history of the electric chair...and how masturbation might have played a role in one of these attempts.
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V and Sami break down the shooting at Trump's rally in Pennsylvania, and talk about what could have gone wrong, security failures, and odd choices that were made by the Secret Service. They also share what we know about the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, and his background. Then they move on to the RNC and the unceremonious way JD Vance was introduced as Trump's VP pick, and end the episode on debunking the term Blue MAGA. 
MAIN NEWS
13:00 It's impossible to not talk about the shooting at Trump's rally in Butler, PA that happened Saturday evening.... so let's talk about it. Sami & V break it down -- what happened, how did it happen, and could it have been prevented? We'll also talk about the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, and what the FBI has learned about his motives.33:00 JD Vance was announced as the Republican vice president pick at the RNC, and it seemed like Trump was both surprised and confused (as were we!) V & Sami discuss what a Trump/Vance ticket for 2024 means for Americans, as well as how this could play out in future elections.
IN OUR DOWN BALLOT ERA
47:00 Money plays a significant role in elections, but it doesn't guarantee victory. Despite the fact Republican state leadership has raised a record breaking second quarter haul for their down ballot races, six Democrats have raised over $46 million in the second quarter for their down ballot races too. And where there are donations, there are voters!
AND FINALLY...
50:00 Have you heard the term Blue MAGA? Sami & V talk about the difference between Biden critics and "stans," and how the later can actually cause more harm to the Democratic party.
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This week Sami is in Philadelphia promoting her new book, Democracy in Retrograde, with her co-author Emily Amick. (Out now!) While in town, she spoke with Pennsylvania's Governor Josh Shapiro about the importance of democracy and the steps being taken to ensure free and fair elections, including creating a task force led by Republican Al Schmidt, to protect local poll workers and stop the spread of misinformation. Governor Shapiro also emphasizes the importance of increasing voter participation by creating policies like automatic voter registration, and encourages people to vote out politicians who suppress the vote. (We're looking at you, DeSantis.)

This episode was recorded live at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, visit www.theweitzman.org to learn more.
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Project 2025 is officially in the mainstream news, and Sami and V compare its ideologies to that of Agenda 47, and the 7 Mountains Mandate. They also discuss Nazis marching in Tennessee and how the US could follow the UK's elections last week and pull a "Taccy V."

MAIN NEWS
5:00 Project 2025, tied to the Heritage Foundation, is gaining mainstream attention, and both the Vice President and Taraji P. Henson are warning American's to start paying attention. Sami & V also dive into the 7 Mountains Mandate and their strategy to turn America into a Christian nation by capturing the 7 pillars of society that they’ve identified: family, religion, education, media, entertainment, business, and government. And last but not least, V tells us about the British voting trend affectionately called the "Taccy V' or the tactical vote, and how this might be the key for Democrats in 2024.

IN OUR DOWN BALLOT ERA
48:15 Voter suppression via the ADA. Sami & V talk about how many Republicans misuse the Americans with Disabilities Act to force the closure of polling places that are not entirely ADA accessible, and what we can do about it.
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