3 chapters across the catalog
The historical roots of American power are linked to the global opium trade, citing the wealth of families like the Delanos (FDR's ancestors) and institutions like Harvard and Yale. The hosts argue that the CIA continues this legacy by protecting poppy fields in Afghanistan and managing the domestic drug market for profit and power. They suggest that the "swamp" Trump aimed to drain is actually this deeply entrenched, multi-generational criminal organization.
The hosts point out the irony of Ronald Reagan's role in gun control and Oliver North's tenure as NRA president despite his involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal. They characterize the NRA's selective advocacy as a form of systemic bigotry or classism that ignores the needs of poor and minority gun owners.
The hosts discuss the immense psychological stress faced by police officers, particularly in hostile environments like New York City. Mo notes the historical irony that Black politicians originally called for heavy policing during the War on Drugs. This led to over-policing and the infamous sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine, which Mo links to government-sanctioned drug trafficking.
