Episode 162: The Green New Deal, Marie Kondo, and National Emergencies

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the Green New Deal, the KonMari craze, and the history of national emergencies.

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

• Twitter has been abuzz with talk of a “Green New Deal.” Neil referred to Thomas Friedman’s first use of the term. Niki and Natalia recommended two books by environmental historians: Sarah Phillips’ This Land, This Nation: Conservation, Rural America, and the New Deal and Benjamin Alexander’s The New Deal’s Forest Army: How the Civilian Conservation Corps Worked.
• Japanese organizer Marie Kondo became an American sensation with her 2014 bestseller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. A new Netflix series based on the book has catapulted the KonMari craze to new heights. Natalia recommended Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s New York Times profile of Kondo.
• Donald Trump threatened to declare a national emergency in order to build the wall with Mexico he promised voters. Niki recommended this Pacific Standard article on the context for this threat.

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

• Natalia recommended The Dream podcast about multi-level marketing schemes.
• Neil discussed Jana Reiss’ Religion News article, “Major Changes to Mormon Temple Ceremony, Especially for Women.”
• Niki shared Ibram X. Kendi’s Atlantic article, “What I Learned From Cancer.”