Unf*cking The Republic

UNFTR Media
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Unf*cking The Republic

Unf*cking The Republic® (UNFTR) is a series of audio essays on the grand American experiment lovingly curated and presented by a quasi-anonymous political writer.  Each essay reflects on a singular topic that is generally misunderstood or purposely obfuscated by the so-called “powers that be.” As we know, history is written by the victors and can be perilously manufactured to favor destructive world views. These views become intractably ingrained in the public consciousness and pervert public policy, oftentimes with horrific results.  As of this podcast’s founding, we find ourselves living in a true kakistocracy. The disconnect between what we believe and what is actually happening below the surface or in plain sight is where this podcast lives.  Together we’ll upend conventional wisdom, blow up narratives on the left, right and center and use magical devices like facts, logic and reason to explain how exactly we arrived in bizarro America, the funhouse mirror version of what was originally intended. #UNFTR

  1. 3D AGO

    The SALT Deduction: How “Tax Relief for Homeowners” Became Another Giveaway to the Rich.

    Today we’re diving into one of the most contentious tax battles happening in Washington right now—the State and Local Tax deduction (SALT). Now, if you’ve been hearing politicians talk about “tax relief for hard-working homeowners” or “supporting middle-class families,” you might think this sounds pretty good, right? But here’s the thing— like so many tax policies that sound great on the surface, the SALT deduction is actually one of the most regressive tax breaks in our entire system. We’re talking about a policy that overwhelmingly benefits wealthy households while doing absolutely nothing for the majority of Americans. And right now, Congress is debating whether to make this tax break even more generous. Resources Brookings: The SALT tax deduction is a handout to the rich. It should be eliminated not expanded CNBC: Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ passes SALT deduction limit of $40,000. Here’s who benefits Forvis Mazars: Be Wary of Pre-Emptive Tax Planning on Itemized Deductions & SALT TIME: A Wonky Tax Break for the Well-Off Is a Bigger Problem for Democrats Than You'd Think Gottheimer: RELEASE: SALT Caucus Co-Chairs, Members Meet & Discuss Fight to Restore State and Local Tax Deduction Tax Foundation: A More Generous SALT Deduction Cap in the Big, Beautiful Bill Would Cost Revenue and Primarily Benefit High Earners RSM US: Bill limits SALT deductions for some financial and professional services firms -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    16 min

  2. JUN 26

    BONUS: 2025 Manny + 99 Takeover.

    Manny and 99 jumped into the studio to have some fun and connect while Max was away. They covered headlines, some music recommendations and general UNFTR business. Enjoy! Access episode resources. Chapters Intro: 00:00:00 Housekeeping: 00:02:13 Headlines: 00:09:01 Recommendations: 00:46:00 Memberships: 01:00:26 Outro: 01:00:50 Outro pt. 2: 01:16:26 Resources FMF Day sale through June 30 UNFTR’s 5NN POLITICO: MAGA right attacks Zohran Mamdani’s religion following his win News Beat Podcast Free The Press Substack Hip Hop Can Save America! Substack Rolling Stone: People Are Discovering NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s Rap Past UNFTR Discord AP News: Fed’s Powell repeats warning about tariffs as some GOP senators accuse him of bias Contraband Camp: How the Growth of AI is Endangering the Health of Black People Manny Faces Book HHCSA Discord Silent Knight SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) Tunde Adebimpe: Thee Black Boltz Goose: Everything Must Go Matt Berninger: Get Sunk Max for MTN Buy UNFTR Coffee NPR: Chew On This: Is It Chomping Or Champing? UNFTR Resources Zohran Mamdani Has Already Won. Video: Zohran Mamdani Already Won: Leading the Race & the Way Max for MTN: Why Zohran Won the NYC Primary Mamdani’s Mayoral Bid Exposes the Real Threat to NYC The Economics of Racism. Video: The Economics of Racism. -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 18m

  3. JUN 23

    Zohran Mamdani Has Already Won: Leading the Race and Leading the Way.

    We’re only a day away from the New York City Democratic Primary for mayor and early voting turnout is the largest in years. No matter what happens, Zohran Kwame Mamdani has already won the race. Mamdani’s candidacy has galvanized the national media in a way that a local primary race has rarely ever done. CNN, MSNBC, Zeteo, Hasan Piker, MeidasTouch, Pod Save America, The Breakfast Club, Bulwark Podcast and, of course, UNFTR (ahem) have all featured Mamdani. In some ways, he might be even more popular as a national political figure among leftists than he is among New York City voters. We’ll find out in a matter of days. There are those, however, who see this race as an isolated case and in no way a bellwether in a broader political sense. They would be wrong.  Chapters Intro: 00:40 Post Show Musings: 00:19:10 Outro: 00:46:37 Resources The City: Who Votes the Most in New York? West Siders, Older People and College Grads POLITICO: Mario Cuomo was disappointed, 'homo' signs or not Zohran For NYC  Emerson Polling: New York City 2025 Mayoral Poll: Mamdani Surges into Second, Cuomo Holding Lead One Month Out Emerson Polling: New York City Mayoral Poll: Mamdani Catches Cuomo In Rank Choice Voting FairVote: Ranked Choice Voting UNFTR Resources Phone A Friend: Zohran Mamdani. Video: Zohran for NYC Mayor: The Democratic Socialist Taking Over Gotham Video: Zohran Mamdani Already Won: Leading the Race & the Way FMF Day Sale through June 30 -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    52 min

  4. JUN 19

    Trump Accounts: A Drop in the Leaky Bucket.

    Trump is touting his new “Trump Accounts” plan as part of the Big Beautiful Bill Act. The plan would provide $1,000 to every baby born in America between 2025 and 2029 in a tax deferred account that allows matching each year of up to $5,000. It’s a way to encourage savings at a young age and works similar to the successful 529 education funds, but there are key differences. Today we dissect the plan and reveal how it’s mostly political theater. It’s another giveaway to Wall Street that increases inequality because of the way it’s structured. But there’s another reason why the GOP is so keen to pass this plan that has nothing to do with making babies rich, and everything to do with erasing entitlements. Access the episode resources. Resources Congress: H.R.1 - One Big Beautiful Bill Act MarketWatch Guides: How Much Is the Average American Saving? UNFTR Resources Pulling Apart the GOP Budget. Video: Why is Trump Giving Babies $1000 Just For Being Born? -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    16 min

  5. JUN 17

    Show Notes.

    Max and 99 return to answer Unf*cker emails, talk Discord episode topic suggestions, and cover current events. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Headlines: 00:09:10 Discord: 00:24:09 Emails: 00:59:40 Memberships: 01:36:38 Outro: 01:37:59 Resources FMF Day Deals Politico: Mamdani surges in new poll, leading Cuomo for first time in New York mayor’s race Video: Zohran for NYC Mayor: The Democratic Socialist Taking Over Gotham Maintenance Phase: The Bulletproof Diet AP: RFK Jr. is targeting ultraprocessed foods. What are they, and are they bad for you? Bryant Research: A Drop in the Bucket: Comparing the Water Footprint of AI and The Cattle Industry -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 45m

  6. JUN 14

    Protests in LA: Posse Comitatus is Long Over.

    Donald Trump overrode Governor Gavin Newsom to federalize the California National Guard to police the streets of Los Angeles. Protests over ICE’s deportation tactics are growing, prompting the Trump administration to leverage extreme authority over the protests, with Pentagon head Pete Hegseth warning that he will call in the Marines if necessary. All of this calls into question the limits of presidential authority in domestic civil disturbances and whether Posse Comitatus is still the law of the land. While it’s still on the books, it has been effectively gutted over the past 30 years by multiple administrations through procedural changes to the U.S. Code that have gone largely unnoticed.  Access the episode resources. Chapters Intro: 00:00:52 Chapter One: Defining Presidential Authority. 00:03:15 Chapter Two: Timeline to Total Authority. 00:09:45 Chapter Three: Handing the Keys to the “Fascist in Chief.” 00:16:08 Epilogue: De Facto Nullification of Posse Comitatus. 00:18:48 Post Show Musings: 00:21:01  Resources Public Intelligence: DoD Directive 3025.12 Military Assistance for Civil Disturbances (MACDIS) Department of Defense: DoDI 3025.21, February 27, 2013, Incorporating Change 1 on February 8, 2019 Gov Info: Federal Register, Volume 78 Issue 71 (Friday, April 12, 2013) Department of Defense: DoD Directive 3025.12  AP News: What to know about the protests over Trump's immigration crackdown in LA and other cities POLITICO: Newsom blasts deployment of National Guard to LA as ‘purposefully inflammatory’ TIME: Trump Sparks Backlash Ordering National Guard to LA Protests U.S. Code: Positive Law Codification Legal Information Institute: 19 U.S. Code § 1677 - Definitions; special rules U.S. Code: uscode.house.gov The New York Times: Newsom Criticizes Hegseth for Saying Marines Could be Mobilized in California Legal Information Institute: 18 U.S. Code § 1385 - Use of Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force as posse comitatus Bonnie Baker: The Origins of the Posse Comitatus NPR: Trump expands military use at the southern border. Are there legal limits? UNFTR Resources Video: LA Protests: Is this the END OF POSSE COMITATUS? -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    25 min

  7. JUN 12

    The Job Report Is a Lie: The Labor Market Is Falling Apart.

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the United States added 139,000 “non-farm payroll jobs” in the month of May, 2025. These figures came in close to what experts projected and depending upon one’s ideological perspective, it was either evidence of economic strength and resilience under Trump or a sign of a slowing job market as a result of Trump’s tariff policies and economic uncertainty. What the mainstream media didn’t cover as much were the prior month revisions, or how the demographic shifts are artificially boosting labor participation numbers. With an economic slowdown on the horizon, AI already taking entry-level jobs, recent graduates having trouble finding employment, a quarter of the population participating in the gig economy and an aging population, there is trouble brewing. And some of it is already here. Access the episode resources. Resources Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Situation Summary - 2025 M05 Results Tulane: Importance of Data Collection in Public Health Common Dreams: Hitler’s First 100 Days — And Trump’s St. Louis Fed: Labor Force Participation Rate (CIVPART) St. Louis Fed: Labor Force Participation Rate - 25-54 Yrs. (LNU01300060) St. Louis Fed: Labor Force Participation Rate - 55 Yrs. & over (LNS11324230) AARP: Are the Last Boomers Ready for Retirement? CNN: AI company’s CEO issues warning about mass unemployment Gig Economy Data Hub: How many gig workers are there? US Census Bureau: Demographic Turning Points for the United States: Population Projections for 2020 to 2060 UNFTR Resources Iceberg. Dead Ahead. Building a Civilian Labor Corps: Bracing for the AI Job Apocalypse. 5NN Video: 2025 Jobs Data is Total BULLSH*T -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    16 min

  8. JUN 7

    Pulling Apart the GOP Budget: Red States and Deficits.

    We’re experimenting with something. As we work toward a complete breakdown of the federal budget in a comprehensive essay and companion episode, we’re bringing our audience into the content creation process. We have a feeling this is going to be one of our behemoth entries into the canon (and potentially a two-parter.) So rather than overwhelm everyone with information in one shot, we thought it would be useful to break it apart as we go. The first two entries made it to YouTube already but I’m packaging them up in a single episode today. The first is how the GOP budget disproportionately impacts red states. And not in a good way. The second brings us back to our Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) discussions and reframes the way we think about the national debt. Both are crucial building blocks in our understanding of the federal budget. Access the episode resources. Chapters Intro: 00:00:36 Red State: F****d. 00:01:30 We Solved the Debt Crisis: 00:06:39 Post Show Musings: 00:21:49 Outro: 00:25:05 Resources Congress: H.R.1 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): One Big Beautiful Bill Act Bipartisan Policy Center: Federal Balancing Act White House: Fiscal Year 2026 Discretionary Budget Request Jacobin: Trump’s Budget: Starving Everything Except the Military Bloomberg Television: Millstein on US Downgrade, Tariffs, Trump Tax Bill PBS News: What’s inside the House GOP’s budget bill? Here’s a look Congress: H.Con.Res.14 PGPF: Chart Pack: The U.S. Budget PGPF: What Is Budget Reconciliation? The Conference Board: Reforming the Broken Federal Budget Process  NACO: U.S. House passes reconciliation bill: What it means for counties  Bipartisan Policy Center: What’s in the FY2025 Senate Budget Resolution Georgetown CCF: Medicaid and CHIP Cuts in the House-Passed Reconciliation Bill Explained  Reuters: US Treasuries: Who owns US debt? UNFTR Resources Modern Monetary Theory. Stock Buybacks Surge. Updated Tax Evasion Figures. Video: GOP Spending Bill is a Red State Bloodbath Video: Big Bullsh*t Bill adds $2.4 trillion to National Debt 5NN -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    26 min
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About

Unf*cking The Republic® (UNFTR) is a series of audio essays on the grand American experiment lovingly curated and presented by a quasi-anonymous political writer.  Each essay reflects on a singular topic that is generally misunderstood or purposely obfuscated by the so-called “powers that be.” As we know, history is written by the victors and can be perilously manufactured to favor destructive world views. These views become intractably ingrained in the public consciousness and pervert public policy, oftentimes with horrific results.  As of this podcast’s founding, we find ourselves living in a true kakistocracy. The disconnect between what we believe and what is actually happening below the surface or in plain sight is where this podcast lives.  Together we’ll upend conventional wisdom, blow up narratives on the left, right and center and use magical devices like facts, logic and reason to explain how exactly we arrived in bizarro America, the funhouse mirror version of what was originally intended. #UNFTR

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