On this episode of Start Making Sense, Anthony Flaccavento talks about a Rural New Deal, and Katha Pollitt critiques Judith Butler’s new book.
President Joe Biden speaking at the Dutch Creek Farms as he kicked off his Rural Investment Tour on November 1, 2023.(Christopher Mark Juhn / Anadolu via Getty Images)
EDITOR’S NOTE: 
The views expressed in this podcast do not reflect the editorial views of The Nation.
Rural America is Trump country. In 2016, Hillary got barely 30 percent of the rural vote. Biden did only a little better in 2020. But he can do a lot better than that this year—and he needs to, if he’s going to carry some of the swing states. Anthony Flaccavento will explain—he’s a cofounder and the executive director of the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative.
Also: Judith Butler may be the most famous feminist theorist in the world today. Now, Butler has a new book out, with the provocative title, Who’s Afraid of Gender? Katha Pollitt provides a critique.
The views expressed in this podcast do not reflect the editorial views of The Nation.
Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.
The year in politics: Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect comments on Trump’s collapsing support in 2025, and the rise of the resistance—in both the unprecendented national mobilizations culminating in the second No Kings Day, and the Democratic triumph in virtually all elections in 2025.
Also: the year in court: David Cole, who stepped down this year as national legal director of the ACLU, reviews the 149 rulings against Trump in federal courts this past year, and the 21 times the Supreme Court has supported his attacks on democracy.
Our Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Jon WienerTwitterJon Wiener is a contributing editor of The Nation and co-author (with Mike Davis) of Set the Night on Fire: L.A. in the Sixties.