Unf*cking The Republic
UNFTR Media
<p>Unf*cking The Republic (UNFTR) is a series of audio essays on the grand American experiment lovingly curated and presented by a quasi-anonymous political writer. </p> <p>Each essay reflects on a singular topic that is generally misunderstood or purposely obfuscated by the so-called “powers that be.” As we know, history is written by the victors and can be perilously manufactured to favor destructive world views. These views become intractably ingrained in the public consciousness and pervert public policy, oftentimes with horrific results. </p> <p>As of this podcast’s founding, we find ourselves living in a true kakistocracy. The disconnect between what we believe and what is actually happening below the surface or in plain sight is where this podcast lives. </p> <p>Together we’ll upend conventional wisdom, blow up narratives on the left, right and center and use magical devices like facts, logic and reason to explain how exactly we arrived in bizarro America, the funhouse mirror version of what was originally intended. #UNFTR</p>
- 1 hour 24 minutesOmnibus (3-6-26).
Welcome to the first-ever Omnibus—the show finally has a name! Max and 99 open with the weight of the moment, addressing the U.S.-backed strikes on Iran before diving into the AI-military pipeline. Off-topic headlines hit on small business closures in NYC and fighter pay in the streaming era. Listener emails cover everything from financial anxiety to the mechanics of shadow banking, and Trump finding time to pump crypto mid-war. They rank their Top 5 everyday products they can’t live without, plus fit in some movie talk and member shoutouts to close it out. Enjoy!
Chapters
Intro: 00:00:19
Housekeeping: 00:10:06
Headlines: 00:14:33
Top 5: 00:58:28
Beyond the Bullshit: 01:12:18
Memberships: 01:23:32
Outro: 01:24:07
Resources
Fast Company: Bitcoin, XRP, and other crypto prices are rising today. What Trump said on Truth Social to boost digital assets
The Verge: How OpenAI caved to the Pentagon on AI surveillance
The Hill: OpenAI goes on defense as Anthropic surges after Pentagon fallout
The Baffler: A Fighting Chance: Going up against the UFC
Brooklyn Vegan: Long-running NYC vegan restaurant Red Bamboo is closing
Acquired: Google Part III: The AI Company
UNFTR Resources
Video: Iran War, US Empire and What The Media is Hiding
Episode: War in Iran and the Decline of the U.S. Empire.
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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.
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Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.
Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.
Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships
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7 March 2026, 3:01 am - 11 minutes 16 secondsJohn Goober Kennedy: The Louisiana Senator Thinks Poor People Are Faking It.
Senator John Kennedy is a bad caricature of a southern gentleman and he masquerades around Capitol Hill as a folksy “just asking questions” kind of fella. In reality, he’s a wealthy, elite, fraud with a $20 million net worth who attended Oxford. Despite representing the poorest state in America, this Louisiana senator took his allotted time at a hearing with the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to review how poverty is calculated and take issue with it. So this is our response.
Resources
Senator John Kennedy: Kennedy questions Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on poverty data in Senate Banking Committee
USAFacts: What is the poverty rate in Louisiana?
World Population Review: Poorest U.S. States 2026
The Data Center: Health as resilience capacity in New Orleans: The critical role of community-based collaborations
Prison Gerrymandering Project: Federal Census policy harms Louisiana’s democracy — but state lawmakers can fix it
Wikipedia: John Kennedy (Louisiana politician)
Buzzfeed News: John Kennedy Is America’s Folksiest Senator. Some People Who Know Him Say It’s An Act.
Quiver Quantitative: Senator John Kennedy has filed a new financial disclosure - here’s what we see
UNFTR Resources
Video: Senator Questions Poverty Calculations | Here's Why That's INSANE
Essay: John Goober Kennedy: The Louisiana Senator Thinks Poor People Are Faking It.
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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.
Become a member at unftr.com/memberships.
Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.
Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.
Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.
Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5 March 2026, 4:09 pm - 20 minutes 10 secondsWar in Iran and the Decline of the U.S. Empire.
The U.S. and Israel have declared war on the Islamic Republic of Iran, despite indications from Omani negotiators that the parties were close to agreement as late as the night before the bombing of Tehran and other Iranian cities began. Mainstream media have already cranked up the propaganda machine to frame this as everything from a necessary and just maneuver to an unfortunate turn of events. The anglo-centric framing is undeniable and we risk losing the plot. There’s also a stunning lack of historical perspective in any current analyses. Make no mistake, this is an illegal move conducted by a waning empire that put a madman in charge. And it threatens us all.
Apologies for any mispronunciations! -Max
Resources
UNFTR Resources
Video: Iran War, US Empire and What The Media is Hiding
Essay: War in Iran and the Decline of the U.S. Empire.
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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.
Become a member at unftr.com/memberships.
Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.
Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.
Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.
Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4 March 2026, 12:30 pm - 12 minutes 25 secondsPam Bondi and the Dow: Bondi Screamed the Loud Part, Loudly.
Attorney General Pam Bondi took to Capitol Hill with her burn book in hand and a message to Congress, the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and the American people: Shut up, the Dow hit 50,000. She was right about the Dow Jones Industrial performance until the next day, when stocks dumped out on news that AI might be real and that the economy added 400,000 fewer jobs last year than we originally thought. That’s the thing about building an entire narrative around the stock market. The stock market is not the economy. And the victims of Epstein’s crimes deserve better.
Resources
MS Now: FULL HOUSE HEARING: AG Pam Bondi testifies over handling of release of Epstein files
Business Insider: Anthropic and OpenAI release dueling AI models on the same day in an escalating rivalry
Fortune: Anthropic’s Claude triggered a trillion-dollar selloff. A new upgrade could make things worse
Matt Shumer: Something Big Is Happening
U.S. Department of the Treasury: Monthly Treasury Statement: Receipts and Outlays of the United States Government For Fiscal Year 2026 Through January 31, 2026, and Other Periods
UNFTR Resources
Video: Epstein Victims Deserve Better Than Bondi's Economic Theater
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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.
Become a member at unftr.com/memberships.
Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.
Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.
Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.
Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3 March 2026, 12:30 pm - 9 minutes 57 secondsSo…About Chomsky. (Noam Chomsky’s Tragic Coda.)
Noam Chomsky’s superpower is his intellect and ability to communicate complicated subjects with clarity. He made politics accessible for multiple generations. Chomsky is the gateway drug to leftist ideology. He’s also close friends with the most prolific child abuser and sex trafficker of the modern era. It’s okay to acknowledge Chomsky’s contributions and even more okay to let them go and bury his legacy.
Resources
Wall Street Journal: Epstein’s Private Calendar Reveals Prominent Names, Including CIA Chief, Goldman’s Top Lawyer
The Harvard Crimson: Jeffrey Epstein Met With Harvard Professor Martin Nowak and Noam Chomsky in 2015 in Harvard Office
Manufacturing Intellect: Noam Chomsky interview on Dissent (1988)
UNFTR Resources
Video: Genius Doesn’t Excuse What Chomsky Did. Goodbye, Noam.
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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.
Become a member at unftr.com/memberships.
Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.
Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.
Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.
Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2 March 2026, 10:03 pm - 1 hour 12 minutesTo Be Named UNFTR Show (2-28-26).
It’s the last episode of To Be Determined (next time the show gets an actual name)! Max and 99 run through headlines on Bill Gates’s Epstein apology and the humanitarian crisis in Cuba. The listener emails include an econ 101 starter pack, a great idea for a “remember this” segment, and more. They rank their Top 5 TV show finales, sound the alarm on private credit, and give takes on the Democratic Party’s obsession with empty centrist candidates over actual policy. Enjoy!
Chapters
Intro: 00:00:31
Housekeeping: 00:03:38
Headlines: 00:04:47
Emails: 00:17:57
Top 5: 00:38:37
Beyond the Bullshit: 00:56:39
Memberships 01:11:27
Outro: 01:11:46
Resources
Wall Street Journal: Bill Gates Apologizes to Foundation Staff Over Epstein Ties
WSWS: Cuban worker describes hellish conditions, appeals to US workers to force an end to embargo
Rolling Stone Magazine: Bob Weir’s Beautiful Second Act
New York Times: The Anguish of a Tourette’s Outburst
Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff
Econoclasts (Yanis Varoufakis + Wolfgang Munchau)
Instagram: @showtoolsai
The Atlantic: ‘I Genuinely Am Upset That Your Kids Are Vaccinated’
Unf*cker Recommendations
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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.
Become a member at unftr.com/memberships.
Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.
Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.
Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.
Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99. The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.
Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
28 February 2026, 7:58 pm - 1 hour 23 minutesTo Be Named UNFTR Show (2-21-26).
Max and 99 kick off another episode of their still-unnamed weekly show, diving into everything from grocery inflation and RFK’s bizarre workout videos to the future of progressive organizing through the Working Families Party and DSA. They workshop show name suggestions from listeners, tackle emails on how to influence the Democratic Party, and debate their Top Five movie villains.
Chapters
Intro: 00:00:15
Housekeeping: 00:02:30
Headlines: 00:16:14
Emails: 00:36:35
Top 5: 01:03:59
Beyond the Bullshit: 01:20:33
Memberships: 01:22:53
Outro: 01:23:26
Resources
Vengaboys: Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!
In These Times: Read This If You're New and Trying to Find Your Way
Business Insider: I followed an RFK-approved, $15-a-day diet
Philosophy for the People w/Ben Burgis: Losing Lucy
The Block: Polymarket investor Vitalik Buterin says prediction markets need to stop catering to 'dumb opinions'
Bruce Springsteen: Streets Of Minneapolis
Democratic Socialists of America
UNFTR Resources
Chester A. Arthur and Julia Sand: Strange Bedfellows.
Video: On The Record (Cuba Libre | AOC Stumbles Abroad | Racist Caught at Senate Hearing)
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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.
Become a member at unftr.com/memberships.
Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.
Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.
Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.
Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.
Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
21 February 2026, 7:27 pm - 36 minutes 42 secondsStupid Is as Stupid Does: Will the real Scott Bessent please stand up?
Trump’s economic policies overseen by Scott Bessent are torching the U.S. dollar and tanking the economy. In this episode, Max does a deep dive into the decline of the dollar, U.S. fiscal mismanagement, and bizarre monetary policy that has many questioning whether we’re witnessing the decline of U.S. economic hegemony in real time. The episode examines U.S. policy through the actions of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent whose erratic behavior belies his moderate past.
Access the corresponding graphs.
Resources
Conference Board: US Consumer Confidence Fell Sharply in January
Money Maze Podcast: Who is Scott Bessent? Meet Trump's New US Treasury Secretary
Census Bureau: Monthly Construction Spending
MacroMicro: U.S. Dollar Index
MacroMicro: Japan - US/Japan 10Y Bond Yield Spread vs. USD/JPY
MacroMicro: Gold / US Dollar / 10Y Yield
UNFTR Resources
Video: Scott Bessent's DERANGED plan to destroy the dollar and economy
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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.
Become a member at unftr.com/memberships.
Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.
Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.
Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.
Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
19 February 2026, 8:53 pm - 1 hour 46 minutesTo Be Named UNFTR Show (2-14-26).
Max and 99 are back this week to debut an experimental new format for the podcast—that is yet to be named—which mixes Show Notes vibes with a little more structure. The two dive into a mix of on-topic and off-topic headlines before heading into listener feedback and emails. They wrap up the episode with their Top 5 lists focused on formative protest songs, and of course some member shout outs. Enjoy!
Chapters
Intro: 00:00:34
Headlines: 00:13:35
Emails: 00:42:47
"Carve Outs": 01:16:31
Top 5: 01:24:32
Memberships: 01:44:15
Outro: 01:46:00
Resources
The Verge: Discord says ‘vast majority’ of users won’t see its new age verification setup
BIG by Matt Stoller: The Beginning of the End for Big Corporate Medicine
Politico: MAHA and Mike Tyson want you to ‘eat real food’ during the Super Bowl
Super Bowl Ad: Processed Food Kills, Eat Real Food
The Ringer: How Hannibal Lecter Made His Film Debut in ‘Manhunter’
Yahoo News: JD Vance says U.S. Olympic athletes are 'not there to pop off about politics.' Here's what they've said.
Democratic Socialists of America
Top 5s (And Beyond)
Nina Simone: Mississippi Goddam
John Lennon: Working Class Hero
Sting: Russians
XTC: Dear God
Simple Minds: Belfast Child
Green Day: American Idiot
Joni Mitchell: Big Yellow Taxi
Marvin Gaye: What's Going On
Sly & The Family Stone: Everyday People
Childish Gambino: This Is America
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Fortunate Son
Johnny Paycheck: Take This Job And Shove It
Buffalo Springfield: For What It's Worth
4 Non Blondes: What's Up
Brandi Carlile: The Joke
The Chicks: Travelin' Soldier
The Chicks: Not Ready To Make Nice
Bob Dylan: Masters of War
T-Pain: War Pigs
Gil Scott-Heron: Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Kendrick Lamar: Alright
NWA: Fuck Tha Police
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five: The Message
Public Enemy: Fight The Power
Sam Cooke: A Change Is Gonna Come
UNFTR Resources
Pharmacy Benefit Managers: The American Drug Cartel.
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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.
Become a member at unftr.com/memberships.
Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.
Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.
Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.
Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.
Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
14 February 2026, 5:00 am - 23 minutes 44 secondsWhy the Stock Market Keeps Going Up: (While Everything Else Goes Down.)
Why does the stock market keep going up when the economy feels so bad? It’s the question we probably get the most and, quite frankly, it’s not a bad one. The primary reason equities seem invincible is because of the dramatic increase in the money supply over the past four decades. That explains the supply side of the equation at least. But a lot had to happen behind the scenes to allow for the money supply to be absorbed into the financial system and ultimately benefit a fraction of the population.
Resources
MacroMicro: US - M1 & M2 Money Supply
Wikipedia: Buffett indicator
CFI: Shiller P/E
Civiqs: Donald Trump: Job Approval, Second Term
Wall Street Journal: More Americans Than Ever Own Stocks
Brookings: Rising inequality: A major issue of our time
The Review of Economic Studies: Stock Market Participation, Inequality, and Monetary Policy
Roosevelt Institute: Our New Report: Defining Financialization
Levy Economics Institute: Have We Been Here Before? Phases of Financialization within the 20th Century in the United States
The Fed: 3. Leverage in the Financial Sector
UNFTR Resources
Stock Buybacks Surge: Another Red Flag for the U.S. Economy.
Video: Why is the stock market so good when the economy is so bad?
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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.
Become a member at unftr.com/memberships.
Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.
Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.
Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.
Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.
Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9 February 2026, 8:20 pm - 27 minutes 52 secondsThe Unstoppable Donald John.
Is Donald Trump unstoppable? He has defied laws and norms, thumbed his nose at Congress and foreign allies alike. He has displayed open hostility toward immigrants and American citizens, threatened extreme force against protestors, recently going so far as to mention the Insurrection Act. His ICE thugs roam the streets and are committing atrocities with impunity. We kidnapped the leader of a sovereign nation and are positioning troops for a potential invasion of an allied nation and NATO member. Donald Trump has been one step ahead of the law at every turn and with the courts and Congress in his pocket, many are beginning to wonder if he truly intends to suspend upcoming elections and destroy our democracy once and for all. So let’s talk about it.
UNFTR Resources
Little Marco’s Coup D’Etat: Kidnapping Maduro.
“Project 2025.” Republicans With Time.
The BRICS Unit: The Beginning of the End for Dollar Dominance?
Video: This is What a Trump Dictatorship Looks Like
Book Love
James Rickards: Currency Wars: The Making of the Next Global Crisis
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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com.
Become a member at unftr.com/memberships.
Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com.
Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations.
Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility.
Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.
Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/memberships
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2 February 2026, 8:26 pm - More Episodes? Get the App