Episode 138: Democratic Socialists, Court Packing, and Audiobooks

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia debate the rise of Democratic Socialists, plans for packing the Supreme Court, and the increasing popularity of audiobooks.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Thanks to the recent upset victory of Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez in a New York Democratic primary, socialism appears to be having a new moment in American politics.
• Justice Anthony Kennedy has stepped down, prompting a conversation about whether “packing” the Supreme Court is an advisable strategy for progressives. Natalia cited historian William Leuchtenberg’s Smithsonian Magazine article on Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s attempt to pack the Supreme Court.
• The popularity of the audiobook is challenging publishers to think differently about how people consume literature.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia recommended Judith Newman’s New York Times essay, “He’s Going Back to His Former Wife. Sort Of.”
• Neil discussed the cultural significance of the “Trumpy Bear” toy.
• Niki recommended Jessica Gingrich’s Gastro Obscura article, “The Ornate Ice Cream Saloons That Served Unchaperoned Women.”