Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael

On this edition of Parallax Views, 2016 Green Party Presidential Candidate Jill Stein is trending on social media after Ruth Bader Ginsberg's passing as many claim she acted as a "spoiler" against Hillary Clinton. As a result, they argue, Donald Trump will now be able to nominate another conservative Justice into the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the Green Party continues to run the own Presidential campaign with Howie Hawkins and his Vice Presidential candidate Angela Walker. Walker joins us on this edition of the program to address criticisms of the Green Party and explain the policies she and Howie are pushing for, including an Ecosocialist New Deal, an end to the nuclear arms race, and a federal jobs guarantee.

This Episode Brought to You By:

The War State:
The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963
by
Michael Swanson
of
The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, we revisit the subject of Steve Bannon, who was recently arrested along with his business partners Andrew Badolato, Brian Kolfage, and Timothy Shea were arrested on charges related to fraudulent skullduggery in relation to their "We Build the Wall" campaign. In this conversation we turn away from the legal controversies to discuss the ideas that undergird Bannon's thinking. Many journalists, including previous Parallax Views guest Jean Guerrero, believe that Bannon is a bit of an empty shell intellectually. Which is to say that he is less an ideologue than a conman or a grifter. Our guest on this edition of the program, however, Prof. Benjamin R. Teiltelbaum, author of War for Eternity: Inside Bannon's Far-Right Circle of Global Power Brokers, argues otherwise. Teitelbaum makes the case that Bannon, who he conducted 21 hours of interviews with for the book, is influenced by a radical right-wing spiritual/political ideology known as Traditionalism. This would put Bannon in line with such strange thinkers today as Brazil's Olavo de Carvalho and Russia's Alexander Dugin, as well as past thinkers like the Perennialism Rene Guenon and the self-described "Super-Fascist" Julius Evola (who, during the WWII era criticized the Nazis from the RIGHT; in other words, he didn't see them as going far enough in their aims). These thinkers, says Teitelbaum, believe in a cyclical vision of history and time. They believe, he argues, that the Progressive vision of history has led us to a Dark Age, or what the Hindu faith knows as the Kali Yuga, and that, eventually, this age will overturned... either naturally or by force. Put country simple, the radical Traditionalists in War for Eternity are seeking a rollback of modernity.

In addition to covering how all these thinkers connect with Bannon we also cover, briefly, how War for Eternity led Teitelbaum down a strange path investigating a private intelligence firm known as Jellyfish. One of the company's leaders, Michael Bagley, was interested in a project of building micro-cities for refugees, but was busted by the FBI after allegedly seeking to work with Mexican drug cartels like the Sinaloa cartel. Bagley and Jellyfish, which it should be noted was co-founded by a number of figures involved with Blackwater, it turns out had tie into the story of the "Alt Right" and attempts to start something called "Alt Right Corporation" with far-right personalities Richard Spencer, Daniel Frieberg, Henrik Palmgren of Red Ice, and Jason Reza Jorjani. Jorjani, who was seeking to influence the Trump administration to form alliances with Iranian ultra-nationalists, came to believe that Jellyfish was part of an intelligence operation. One of Teitelbaum's anti-fascist sources, it turns out, was also spooked by some things he found out about Jellyfish. With that in mind is there more to this story than Jorjani potentially having sour grapes? Teitelbaum weighs in on this matter later on in the conversation.

This Episode Brought to You By:

The War State:
The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963
by
Michael Swanson
of
The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, much has been made of the scandal-ridden Presidency of Donald Trump. But how deep does the rabbit hole go and do the sordid saga of Donald Trump have a prequel in the form of his time as celebrity businessman? For 30 years, Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist David Cay Johnston of the DCReport (and author of the books The Making of Donald Trump and It's Even Worse Than You Think has been on what could be called the "Trump Beat". He joins us on this edition of the show to discuss the whole saga of Donald Trump including:

- David's penchant for covering stories that challenge the powerful; from exposing tax cheaters to taking on the LAPD
- How David first met Donald Trump while covering casinos in Atlantic City and his impression that Donald was a "P.T. Barnum" character
- Trump's relationship to Iran/Contra arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi
- Trump's ties to organized crime families, including the Gambino Crime Family and Genovese Crime family, and dealings with the mob
- A story that indicates Trump protected a drug trafficker, Joseph Weichselbaum, who worked at Trump's Atlantic City casinos. Johnston maintains that this story connects Trump to the international cocaine trade
- Trump's "Outsider" status among elites in terms of cultural and social practices
- The financial chicanery of Donald Trump
- Donald Trump's awkwardness and how it has repelled people over the years including women he took on dates; his inappropriate comments about his daughter Ivanka Trump and Tiffany Trump
- Trump as a "cash extractor" rather than a businessman
- Trump's forebears, including his grandfather Frederick Trump and
his father Fred Trump, and the skeletons in their closet
- David's thoughts on Trump supporters and how Trump takes advantage of them; David argues Trump took the economic ideas of his campaign from his work.
- David's thoughts on tax issues and rising economic inequality in this country

This Episode Brought to You By:

The War State:
The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963
by
Michael Swanson
of
The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, Playboy's White House correspondent Brian Karem recently pressed President Trump at a White House briefing if he'd accept a peaceful transition of power on the chance that he is defeated by his Democratic Party challenger Joe Biden. Trump, refused to give a clear answer as concerns grows that sitting President in the White House will not accept the results of the November election if they are not in his favor. Hence why voices like the Transition Integrity Team, composed of both Republicans and Democrats, have arose with concerns that Trump will not leave office peaceful. Such concerns have grown louder thanks to the passing of Superem Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Trump has already made controversial appointments to the federal appellates courts during his time in office and Trump, with the help of Mitch McConnell, is seeking to nominate a new judge to the Supreme Court before the election. Meanwhile, Attorney General Bill Barr is accusing protesters of "sedition" and Trump supporters like Steve Bannon are arguing that mail-in ballots during the coronavirus crisis are a voter fraud plot designed by the "deep state" to steal the election from Trump. But is it the other way around: Is Trump planning a "legal coup d'état" to steal the election?

Dr. Jack Rasmus, political economist, author of The Neoliberal Scourge: U.S. Economic Policy from Reagan to Trump, and host of the Alternative Visions radio show on the Progressive Radio Network, joins us to assess the current situation. Dr. Jack's most recent articles, cover in this conversation, are "A Most Dire Warning" and "Ginsburg’s Death & Trump’s Emerging Legal Coup D’état".

This Episode Brought to You By:

The War State:
The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963
by
Michael Swanson
of
The Wall Street Window

From Today's Double Feature Episode - Charles Hugh Smith on Deutsche Bank's "Age of Disorder" Report
(Request Was Made to Break the Episode Into Two Parts; I'm Happy to Oblige)

Charles Hugh Smith of the Of Two Minds blog, which ranked at #7 on CNBC's list of the top alternative financial websites, and author of A Hacker's Teleology: Sharing the Wealth of Our Shrinking Planet joins us to discuss a Deutsche Bank report by Jim Reid warning of a forthcoming "Age of Disorder" that will disrupt and reverse the trends of globalization over the past few decades. For the unfamiliar, Deutsche Bank, which has come under scrutiny in recent years due to it's relationship with President Donald Trump, is the #17th largest bank in the entire world. As such it is important to understand this report and what it is saying. Charles fills us in and also discusses how this report ties into the generational cycles theory of historian Peter Turchen and Nicholas Nassim Taleb's thinking about fragility and anti-fragility. Charles believes we are living in what could more accurately, in his estimation, be called an "Age of Uncertainty" and details how we reached this point of grotesque economic inequality where the top 0.01% own more than the bottom 80%. Can we move in a different direction? Charles thinks so, but not through past ideologies that were popular in the 20th century.

From Today's Double Feature Episode - Scott Stedman and Sophie Pierce on OnlyFans Skullduggery
(Request Was Made to Break the Episode Into Two Parts; I'm Happy to Oblige)

Journalists Scott Stedman and Sophie Pierce of Forensic News join us to discuss their recent work detailing allegations of fraud, theft, and other corruption by the newly popular modeling website OnlyFans and its mysterious owner Leonid Radvinsky. Sophie and Scott wrote a collaborative article "OnlyFans Faces Allegations of Fraud, Theft" that was published at Forensic News last month. Sophie, who is completing her Senior year at Seattle University while writing for Forensic News, explains how popular OnlyFans is amongst Generation Z and relates her experiences of interviewing OnlyFans models and users. Additionally, she shares a fascinating story about the strange data insecurity she expierenced courtesy of OnlyFans when she created a profile on the website as part of her investigation of it. Scott fills us in the OnlyFans enigmatic owner, Leonid Radvinsky, and the multiple lawsuits and scandals he has been embroiled in over the years. In fact, one OnlyFans content creators has argued that Radvinsky has been involved in shady activities involving drugs and Scott, although not jumping to conclusions, believe there is much more to Radvinsky, who has deftly avoided media attention, than meets the eye.

 

Time Stamps for the Interviews:

Scott Stedman and Sophie Pierce Interview - 04:28

Charles Hugh Smith Interview - 53:30

Part 1: Sophie Pierce and Scott Steadman on OnlyFans fraud allegations
-
https://parallaxviews.podbean.com/e/scottsophie/
Part 2: Charles Hugh Smith on Deutsche Bank's "Age of Disorder" report
-
https://parallaxviews.podbean.com/e/chsmith/
A Parallax Views Two-for-One Double Feature...
First Up,

Journalists Scott Stedman and Sophie Pierce of Forensic News join us to discuss their recent work detailing allegations of fraud, theft, and other corruption by the newly popular modeling website OnlyFans and its mysterious owner Leonid Radvinsky. Sophie and Scott wrote a collaborative article "OnlyFans Faces Allegations of Fraud, Theft" that was published at Forensic News last month. Sophie, who is completing her Senior year at Seattle University while writing for Forensic News, explains how popular OnlyFans is amongst Generation Z and relates her experiences of interviewing OnlyFans models and users. Additionally, she shares a fascinating story about the strange data insecurity she expierenced courtesy of OnlyFans when she created a profile on the website as part of her investigation of it. Scott fills us in the OnlyFans enigmatic owner, Leonid Radvinsky, and the multiple lawsuits and scandals he has been embroiled in over the years. In fact, one OnlyFans content creators has argued that Radvinsky has been involved in shady activities involving drugs and Scott, although not jumping to conclusions, believe there is much more to Radvinsky, who has deftly avoided media attention, than meets the eye.

Then...

Charles Hugh Smith of the Of Two Minds blog, which ranked at #7 on CNBC's list of the top alternative financial websites, and author of A Hacker's Teleology: Sharing the Wealth of Our Shrinking Planet joins us to discuss a Deutsche Bank report by Jim Reid warning of a forthcoming "Age of Disorder" that will disrupt and reverse the trends of globalization over the past few decades. For the unfamiliar, Deutsche Bank, which has come under scrutiny in recent years due to it's relationship with President Donald Trump, is the #17th largest bank in the entire world. As such it is important to understand this report and what it is saying. Charles fills us in and also discusses how this report ties into the generational cycles theory of historian Peter Turchen and Nicholas Nassim Taleb's thinking about fragility and anti-fragility. Charles believes we are living in what could more accurately, in his estimation, be called an "Age of Uncertainty" and details how we reached this point of grotesque economic inequality where the top 0.01% own more than the bottom 80%. Can we move in a different direction? Charles thinks so, but not through past ideologies that were popular in the 20th century.

This Episode Brought to You By:

The War State:
The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963
by
Michael Swanson
of
The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax VIews, Wade Davis is one of the world's foremost anthropologists and ethnobotanists. He's traversed the globe covering topics like Haitian Voodoo in The Serpent and the Rainbow, the wisdom of ancient in The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters to the Modern World, the World War I era British expedition to Mount Everest in Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest, and most recently the culture and beauty of Columbia in Magdalena: River of Dreams: A Story of Colombia.

Recently, in a piece for the Rolling Stone, Davis turned his attention towards understanding the dire moment the U.S. has been facing in light of political turmoil and polarization coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic or coronavirus crisis. The piece is entitled "The Unraveling of America: How Covid-19 Signals the End of the American Era", but should not be mistaken as a celebration. Rather, Davis laments what he believes could be the end of the American century if the U.S. doesn't choose to look in the mirror and reflect about the need for social democratic reforms. From his purview, the U.S. has become ensconced in a dangerous form of thinking that has led to greed being heralded, citizens becoming atomized, and stark polarization creating a divide amongst the American people. On this edition of the program we discuss his thoughts on this further as well as delving into the idea of conservatism, how his anthropological work informs his values and thinking, and much, much more.

This Episode Brought to You By:

The War State:
The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963
by
Michael Swanson
of
The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, much attention has been given to the issue of fake news and its permeation of the United States and Western Europe. However, it is worth keeping in mind that the infodemic is not a uniquely U.S. or even Western European dilemma. In fact, the problem exists in Eastern Europe as well. Academic and journalist Maria Cernat of The Barricade joins us to discuss the rise of COVID-19 conspiracy theories and fake news in Romania, and the political situation in Europe, on this fascinating edition of Parallax Views. Maria, who specializes in media and communications research, offers an insight into how the highly religious country of Romania faces similar issues to the U.S. in regards to fake news. At the same time, there are some unique aspects to the pandemic conspiracy theories arising in Romania, specifically the role elements of the Orthodox Church, whose clergy are paid by the Romanian state, play in spreading such paranoia. Maria believes that the problems facing Romania in regards to fake news have to do with structural issues such as economic inequality and the failures of the education system. It is not enough, she argues, to just say "people are stupid". Rather, she points, to deeper seated issues as leading the the current infodemic.

In addition, we discuss the political situation in Romania, Romania's relationship with Russia, the extreme poverty facing many Romanians (including children), and a news story about Romania's recent purchase of U.S. Patriot missiles.

From Maria (Minor Correction She Wanted to Make):

I listened to the conversation again. I made a mistake: I said the there is no way for the premises to be false and the conclusion true, the correct formulation is : there is no way for the premises to be true and the conclusion false. Slip of the tongue...

This Episode Brought to You By:

The War State:
The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963
by
Michael Swanson
of
The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, we get a "State of the Media" address from the veteran muckraking journalist Ken Silverstein of Washington Babylon. Ken has a lot of criticism for the approach of the press in the era of Trump, even though he himself has a great deal of contempt for Donald Trump and the way the current sitting President has attacked journalists over the course of the past four years. Before getting into that, however, Ken gives a background on how he became involved in journalism and his mentor Alexander Cockburn of Counterpunch fame (although it should be noted that Ken founded Counterpunch prior to Cockburn's involvement).

From there we delve into:

- Ken's thoughts on social media; the uproars over Matt Taibbi's recent op-eds; thoughts on what's been called "cancel culture"

- Is there a lack of accountability in journalism?; the strange story of an Iranian who was asked to become a spy for the U.S.; the Democratic Party's movem right especially since the Bill Clinton Presidency and Rahm Emanuel's comments about 2020 being the "Year of the Biden Republican"; Ken's thoughts on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and "The Squad"

- "The Trouble With Jeffrey: On Trump, The Atlantic, Goldberg and Cannon Fodder", Ken's recent piece on Jeffrey Goldberg's Atlantic piece alleging, vis-à-vis anonymous sources, alleging Trump's disrespect of troops at a cemetery; Ken's issues with Goldberg's piece and that fact that John Bolton did not corroborate the story; Goldberg's argument for why the sources needed to be anonymous; Goldberg's history of neocon warmongering during the Bush Administration and the Iraq War

- The Donald Trump/Stormy Daniel affair and the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky; the focus should be on power imbalances and hush money not the sex with porn stars

- Trump's fights with the media and vice versa; Trump being seen as "authentic"; the media's strange focus on matters such as Trump's eating habits

- Has the press coverage of Trump been reckless at times?; Ken's thoughts on the Russiagate story

- Ken's controversial take on the death of Jeffrey Epstein as outlined in his piece "The Jeffrey Epstein Non-Conspiracy Theory"; Ken clarifies that he does think there's questions about the Epstein case but questions the conspiracy narrative around his death

This Episode Brought to You By:

The War State:
The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963
by
Michael Swanson
of
The Wall Street Window