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In June, Trump sent more than 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to occupy Los Angeles and terrorize the immigrant population. But by the end of July, almost all the Guard and the Marines were gone. Bill Gallegos explains how that happened and what other cities can learn from it.

Also: From the archives: The Romans captured and killed Jesus because the revolutionary movement he launched challenged the most powerful empire the world had ever known: That’s what Reza Aslan says – his New York Times bestselling book ZEALOT: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth shot to #1 on Amazon when a Fox News interviewer asked him ‘why a Muslim would write a book about Jesus?’ (originally broadcast July 2013)

Plus: It’s time to listen again to BOB DYLAN’s 2009 Christmas album! Is this a joke — or a tragedy? Sean Wilentz explains. PLAYLIST: “Here Comes Santa Claus”; “I’ll Be Home for Xmas”; “Must Be Santa,” “Winter Wonderland”; “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (originally broadcast November 11, 2009).  12-26-2025

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Last week, the Indiana state legislature voted down Trump’s redistricting demands that would’ve created more Republican seats in the House; now, four Republicans have joined the Democrats in forcing a vote on extending Obamacare subsidies, AND, 20 House Republicans are supporting the federal workers union — Trump’s grip on the Republican party is slipping — Harold Meyerson comments.

Also: Today, Friday, is the deadline for the Justice Department to turn over the Epstein files to Congress. But we already know the key fact about Epstein’s famous friends—they didn’t care that he had hired a 14-year-old girl for sex—and gone to jail for it. But why was that? Katha Pollitt comments.  12-19-2025

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In this week’s special elections, a Democrat got elected mayor of Miami for the first time in almost 30 years — by a 19-point margin; and, even Trump country in Georgia is not safe from Democratic wins – Harold Meyerson comments.

Also: How did we end up with Trump back in the White House? We got here in part because Republicans built a movement over several decades centered on what are called “the culture wars.” But there’s a long history behind the culture wars, going back at least a century to the Scopes Trial, in 1925, about teaching evolution. It’s still an issue today. Adam Hochschild is on the show to explain. (First recorded February 18, 2025)  12-12-2025

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Trump on Wednesday declared that Democrats who say we are in an affordability crisis are “pulling a con job” – he said prices are “falling across the country, just about everything is down.” But the statistics show the opposite, prices have NOT been falling; another key factor of affordability is stagnation of wages – Harold Meyerson comments.

On Bob Dylan’s earliest recordings “Through the Open Window: A Bootleg Series vol. 18” – they start in 1956 when he was 15 years old and go up through 1963, his historic performance in Carnegie Hall – “Bob Dylan in America” author Sean Wilentz comments.  12-5-2025

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Last Friday Marjorie Taylor Greene announced she was quitting after Trump excommunicated her from MAGA, while the same day Trump welcomed Zohran Mamdani to the White House with open arms and high praise. What’s going on with Trump? Harold Meyerson comments – he’s editor at large of The American Prospect.

Also: Alice Waters, the legendary founder of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, winner of the National Humanities Medal, awarded by Obama, talks about how to make school lunch delicious, affordable, organic, and beautiful – and locally sourced from regenerative farmers. Her new book is A School Lunch Revolution.

Plus: The Republicans call it ‘illegal immigration’: Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Sonia Nazario recounts the journey of a 16-year-old Honduran boy who fought immense obstacles and dangers to reach his mother in the US, who he hadn’t seen since he was five. Sonia’s book is Enrique’s Journey.   (Originally broadcast in March, 2006)  11-28-2025