Recent Episodes
-
Universities Resisting Trump, and the President Who Was Worse than Trump | Start Making Sense
Apr 23, 2025 – 38:07 -
Israel Ramps Up its Campaigns in Gaza and the West Bank w/ Mohammad Alsaafin | American Prestige
Apr 22, 2025 – 58:56 -
John Ganz on The Books of Donald Trump | The Nation Podcast
Apr 21, 2025 – 33:11 -
Trump Upturns Canadian Politics w/ Luke Savage | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Apr 20, 2025 – 50:36 -
Sudan Rival Government, US Pushing Ukraine-Russia Deal, US-Saudi Nuclear Tech Talks | American Prestige
Apr 18, 2025 – 01:07:44 -
Digital Sovereignty in a Time of Rising Fascism | Tech Won't Save Us
Apr 17, 2025 – 41:12 -
Harvard Takes a Stand; plus Musk and the Technocrats | Start Making Sense
Apr 16, 2025 – 38:44 -
The Sino-Soviet Split, Pt. 1 w/ Jeremy Friedman | American Prestige
Apr 15, 2025 – 55:32 -
Bryce Covert on Empty Promises From McDonald’s | The Nation Podcast
Apr 14, 2025 – 24:05 -
Tariff Chaos, US-Iran Talks, Trump Considering Drones Against Cartels | American Prestige
Apr 11, 2025 – 01:02:26 -
Can Europe End Its Dependence on US Tech? w/ Aline Blankertz | Tech Won't Save Us
Apr 10, 2025 – 47:53 -
The Tariffs We Want, plus Blocking Student Deportations | Start Making Sense
Apr 9, 2025 – 42:46 -
Alternative Media, Trump 2.0, and the Moment in Politics w/ Katrina vanden Heuvel | American Prestige
Apr 8, 2025 – 51:16 -
Vincent Bevins on The Brazilian Marxists Occupying Land and Taking on Rural Elites | The Nation Podcast
Apr 7, 2025 – 43:05 -
The Making of Chuck Schumer w/ David Klion | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Apr 6, 2025 – 56:15 -
US and Iran Inch Toward Conflict, Myanmar Earthquake, Trump Tariffs | American Prestige
Apr 4, 2025 – 38:47 -
The Dirty Alliance Between Tech and the Oil Industry w/ JS Tan | Tech Won't Save Us
Apr 3, 2025 – 53:06 -
Winning in Wisconsin, and in the Courts | Start Making Sense
Apr 2, 2025 – 36:48 -
Mobility in America's Past, Present, and Future w/ Yoni Appelbaum | American Prestige
Apr 1, 2025 – 01:02:50 -
The Real Scandal is Bombing Yemen, Not the Group Chat | Time of Monsters
Mar 30, 2025 – 30:52 -
Turkey Protests, Sudan Military Gains, Israel Takes More of Gaza | American Prestige
Mar 28, 2025 – 38:05 -
DOGE Is Gutting the US Digital Service w/ Kate Green and Milo | Tech Won't Save Us
Mar 27, 2025 – 52:43 -
An Amazing Week for Resistance Rallies, plus Bad Voter Registration Laws | Start Making Sense
Mar 26, 2025 – 38:36 -
The CIA’s Imperial History, Pt 1 w/ Hugh Wilford | American Prestige
Mar 25, 2025 – 57:25 -
Trump’s New Middle Eastern Wars w/ Yousef Munayyer | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Mar 23, 2025 – 44:46 -
Israel Breaks Ceasefire, US Bombs Yemen, DRC Fighting Continues | American Prestige
Mar 21, 2025 – 36:14 -
Canada’s Tech Leaders Want Their Own DOGE w/ Jen St. Denis | Tech Won't Save Us
Mar 20, 2025 – 51:41 -
Trump and the Universities: Submission and Resistance | Start Making Sense
Mar 19, 2025 – 42:55 -
The End of Resistance History w/ Charlotte Rosen | American Prestige
Mar 18, 2025 – 01:01:39 -
US-Ukraine Ceasefire Proposal, Duterte Arrested on ICC Warrant, Sea Ice at Lowest Recorded Level | American Prestige
Mar 14, 2025 – 41:12 -
AI Hype Enters Its Geopolitics Era w/ Timnit Gebru | Tech Won't Save Us
Mar 13, 2025 – 55:19 -
Trump, the Universities, and the Courts; plus the Case of Stephen Miller | Start Making Sense
Mar 12, 2025 – 43:07 -
Sheriffs as Members of the Security State w/ Jessica Pishko | American Prestige
Mar 11, 2025 – 59:14 -
Noam Chomsky and the Fight Against Empire | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Mar 9, 2025 – 42:20 -
PKK Ceasefire, Ukraine Aid in Question, Blackrock Targets Panama Canal | American Prestige
Mar 7, 2025 – 39:12 -
The UK’s Misguided Embrace of AI Hype w/ James Meadway | Tech Won't Save Us
Mar 6, 2025 – 45:22 -
The Supremes’ First Trump Case of 2025, plus This Week’s Protest Roundup | Start Making Sense
Mar 5, 2025 – 32:43 -
The End of the PKK w/ Gönül Tol and Djene Bajalan | American Prestige
Mar 4, 2025 – 01:08:10 -
Trump Upturns American Foreign Policy w/ Stephen Wertheim | Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Mar 2, 2025 – 29:16 -
PKK Disarmament, US/Ukraine Mineral Deal, German Election | American Prestige
Feb 28, 2025 – 51:13 -
Protesting Tesla Can Hurt Elon Musk w/ Ed Niedermeyer | Tech Won't Save Us
Feb 27, 2025 – 53:44 -
Ro Khanna and Thomas Geoghegan on What Is To Be Done | Start Making Sense
Feb 26, 2025 – 28:13 -
MAGA Defense Cuts? w/ William Hartung | American Prestige
Feb 25, 2025 – 53:12 -
US-Ukraine Tension, RSF in Sudan, and Trump's Proposed Defense Budget Cuts | American Prestige
Feb 21, 2025 – 42:57 -
How DOGE is Remaking the US Government w/ Makena Kelly | Tech Won't Save Us
Feb 20, 2025 – 53:00 -
Elon Musk’s First Political Contributions of 2025; plus The History of Culture Wars | Start Making Sense
Feb 19, 2025 – 38:35 -
A Stable, Post-Unipolar World w/ Trita Parsi and Aslı Bâli | American Prestige
Feb 18, 2025 – 56:10 -
Trump and Putin Talk Ukraine Ceasefire, M23 Continues DRC Advance, Sudan's Military Makes Gains | American Prestige
Feb 14, 2025 – 44:34 -
The Tech Oligarchy’s Campaign Against the Media | Tech Won't Save Us
Feb 13, 2025 – 53:24 -
The Courts v. Trump and Musk | Start Making Sense
Feb 12, 2025 – 39:24
Recent Reviews
-
JMJWDDon’t bother with this oidcastIncreasingly disappointing. Generally, an oh well, let’s laugh at the Trump regime and move along.
-
SucyvtddtPitifulIt’s still a man’s world. What a bashing session! Classic misogynistic discussion. No one can define woke & yet the guys keep talking about it. Include a woman next time.
-
hawkhandlerStop talkingMost of the shows are good but could someone please ask Jeet Herr to let his guests speak? He’s constantly interrupting them and he probably talks more in an episode than they do. If you just want to show off your own thoughts then don’t invite guests maybe?
-
Reg884603Good show in generalThe episode about the creation of Trump had so much background noise, clanking and exhaling .
-
C0urtSupremePlease upgrade Jeet’s recording equipment and how to use itPlease upgrade Jeet’s recording equipment and how to use it so he doesn’t sound like he’s recording from a closet.
-
Auntie Caryl’s Art and HerbsTech won’t save us is what brings me to your platformI don’t understand why you delay each week the release of the show It’s frustrating to be kept from listening to one of my favorite podcasts
-
no legalistic autocratsTime of Monsters 5/4/24Towards the end of that interview the interviewer and the interviewee finally, in my opinion, got to a critical part of the problem which personally I don’t hear spoken of very often today. I refer to what in my mind is Biden sacrificing the future of American democracy for the sake of almost uncritical support of the Zionist governmental expression in Israel. If these students who are deeply moral and idealistic do not vote for Biden towards the end of this year, there becomes an even more real chance that Trump will be the next president. This outcome would be very, very dangerous. And I feel like we don’t focus our public discussions on this tragic flaw in Biden’s position as well as in his character enough.
-
Matt's Tie (e, b)Incredibly rude to Judith ButlerYou had Katha pollit—an on the record Zionist apologist—repeatedly misgender Judith butler while providing a facile, transphobic misreading of their book. Why not have a trans person on to criticize, there’s plenty to criticize validly, but this is nothing short of a rude dismissal.
-
nurse activistNaomi KleinThere is problem with your view of Taibi. He is a journalist and a muckraker. He tries not to have a political view. He does not support Tucker or Rachel. He is a searcher for the truth with no censorship or bias. You do his very serious work a disservice to paint him with such a broad brush
-
midwestBlue7.23walker current head of a misnamed group/young americans for freedom fits right into his MO. we in WI had to suffer through too many years of the walker regime in example right to work. that actually means cutting the strength of unions. that lie title has stuck, my co-worker at a union shop never even knew what that meant! this is what those slime ball walker/gop evil wannabe rulers do, they always come up with a title of what they are, do or are going to do that sounds benign but is actually malignant. HATE Walker and his ilk.
-
blink-meisterDon't pay attention to the bad reviews!!!A while ago The Nation Magazine combined ALL of their podcasts into a single stream. A bad review for one of the podcasts should not have to have an effect on all of the good ones! The different podcasts vary in terms of topics covered and overall listenability. I was a regular fan of the Start Making Sense podcast ("political talk without the boring parts" hosted by Jon Wiener) and the iTunes podcast stream for Start Making Sense just disappeared one day, replaced by this combined stream. GREAT NEWS! If you search Apple Podcasts for 'Start Making Sense' you can now resubscribe and only receive that podcast - all of The Nation podcasts now have their individual feeds.
-
JCPnKCContent is a 5 but it rates a 2 due to…The HOST and his sound engineering. There so many pauses and unnecessary stops and starts along with the fact that it sounds like he is either leaning into the mic, or away from the mic all within the same sentence! The inconsistencies make it very difficult to listen to! He also sometimes speaks so fast that he miss pronounces words and proper names such as “Alexandria Ocasio Cortez”! Surely there is someone at the nation who is more suited to the podcast medium!
-
1BLensThe host has a terrible voiceThe consistent ums and pauses that the host keeps doing makes these podcasts extremely difficult to listen to. Also, this host sounds like everything is a joke to him because he sounds like he’s about to laugh which is very annoying. Also, listening at a faster, playback speed, the host sounds Erratic and rushed. May have to Unfollow if it doesn’t change.
-
Lucy2001Jon is painful to listen to.The topics are usually great but whenever Jon is speaking I want to shut it off. His Ahhs, Aaas, etc. make it seem like amateur hour. He is obviously smart & knowledgeable but maybe he needs to go to Toastmasters to improve his presentation skills.
-
5446my#All done...with this one after the April 26 show. Neoliberal navel gazing.
-
BernaghThe Supercilious, Vicious LeftWild. No tackling of issues, just impugning of motives and character assassination of political opponents. A nice illustration of why today’s left is wicked in practice.
-
GTM1.Slow the talking down so you can be understoodI hate to say this but I find this host next to impossible to listen to. His sentences run into each other, his faltering speech throughout is frustrating and he has an irritating ability to sound like he finds himself more humorous than he actually is. Slow down! I honestly can’t understand many of the words you are saying. The topic may be very interesting but the delivery is lacking.
-
trying2BrationalGreat discussionsImpossible to listen to for the ‘uhm’ ‘uh’ preponderance throughout episodes.
-
RECurleyTulsi?Why are you running Tulsi Gabbard ads?
-
rsorganizeThe show is great, but…The show is consistently interesting and informative.. Jon is a terrific host. BUT…. Why are you running those awful ads??!! They ruin the flow of the show an are, largely, unpleasant and uninteresting. My sense is that The Nation has enjoyed a substantial increase in subscriptions and internet traffic over the last decade or more. Can these ads be generating enough revenue to justify the compromise in show quality and messages they represent - at least for this decades-time subscriber, reader and, now, listener?
-
epg- bookish3 blatant lies in first 30 sec of last episode.3 blatant lies in first 30 sec of last episode.Said the judges ring tone (didn’t mention it was the song god bless America) is a trump rally song. Lying about something so meaningless is pathetic. Was really hoping for honest/balanced left of center podcast but very disappointed.
-
TN MormorAmazon is sponsoring this podcast?I’ve been listening to this podcast for at least two years and always find it to be enlightening. I was surprised and dismayed to hear an ad for Amazon as an employer. WTH? Amazon used unethical and possibly illegal tactics to fight the effort to unionize the Bessemer, AL distribution center. How does a magazine with such a long history of supporting workers take money from Jeff Bezos?
-
Booji999The Nation Sells OutAmazon adverts???
-
😉💙🙃TalibanRegardless whom is POTUS we need out of Afghanistan, 20 years is too long. The Taliban will soon be in control of everything but they have chosen Nationalism and will not fight their countrymen.
-
Ken’s 3155Political Talk Without The Boring PartThe tag line for this podcast couldn’t be more apt. One of the political podcasts that I turn to first each week.
-
3rReviewerLove the new entertainment reviewsI enjoy this podcast (for me, still a long time Nation subscriber, it’s easier to listen than to read the magazine) but it got even better (especially for these sheltering at home times) when the movie/TV/book reviews were added. I had no idea the The Good Fight was still in production, and ended up (in my 60’s) binge watching for the first time!
-
dkinphxLots of inaccuraciesJust listened to Amy Willenz on the children’s hour, and was quite dismayed to hear how many basic facts she and the host glossed over. She didn’t seem to know that the VP visited the Mayo Clinic, not Sloan Kettering, without a mask. Neither of them knew the name ascribed to the desk in the Oval Office. It’s the Resolute. This kind of sloppy, breezy, inaccurate reportage only feeds the beast! I am an unabashed progressive democrat, but this podcast has descended to the equivalent of Fox News style infotainment, with a leftish spin. I expect so much more from the nation. Accurate and carefully researched information will be critical if we are to save our republic and our planet. The stakes couldn’t be more important.
-
mijo_noStart Making SenseThis news podcast is one of my favorites. It’s smart and thorough. I enjoy the varying topics.
-
nocojtSometimes goodBiggest complaint is the poor audio quality of your guests calling in by phone...Gary’s calls are the worst. I cancelled my Nation subscription because it was too New York-centric. Need to cover the West, Colorado just really went blue with first gay governor. But work on the audio quality of your phone-in guests.
-
bnicklas88Great podcast/terrible taglineI love the podcast usually, but the tagline "political talk without the boring parts" is really awful and makes me cringe every time Jon Wiener says it. It wasn't being targeted at nine year olds last time I checked.
-
gcdem1GreatCan’t wait for each episode.
-
Travis Ba.Needs a better race analysisI’m so tired of episodes on this podcast about 1) the White working class 2) Bernie Sanders. This podcast is overlearning lessons from 2016, at the expense covering a much broader, inclusive pulse of the progressive movement.
-
ND#33Much Needed!Love this podcast. Informative guests and topics. Thank you!
-
RuralmoonBreath of fresh airFun, intelligent, and relevant analysis that is not only interesting, but helpful to our organizing.
-
druehohnMakes sense to meThought provoking, informative and enjoyable.
-
NandotunesConcise and InformativeThe podcast gets to the meat of its subject. The podcast uses its time wisely and it's never boring. It's an oasis from mainstream circuses that pose as political talk shows.
-
seluchavalNot a fan of the hostThe guests are pretty good, but Jon Weiner's mic presence is just awkward, at least to my ears... It sounds far too rehearsed and monotone, lacking any energy, excitement, or spontaneity. His questions to guests have this pandering faux-objectivity quality to them that I find really annoying... Just say what you think, man. It's definitely oriented toward people who like the dull drum of public radio, but I am not one of those people. I listen sometimes for good guests anyway.
-
mjbinazBrilliant.Dessert for the progressive brain.
-
Eliza73987Excellent podcastThis podcast is excellent. It’s thoughtful and informative, and doesn’t shy away from difficult questions.
-
Emilys1987So good!Really great guests and fascinating interviews. "Start Making Sense" fills the hole in my podcast universe for substantive, lively progressive political/cultural conversation.
-
Max Bialystockan excellent, thoughtful listenThis is an outstanding podcast, informative, thoughtful, well-edited, and the guests always surprise me with an argument I hadn't considered before. Thanks for making it.
-
NJ DaisyStart Making SenseGreat interviewer and fascinating guests. More, please!
-
JoannaKDReally ImpressedSo glad I found this, the guests are great. The variety is wonderful too. Highly recommend!
-
Kyle46895Keep Making SenseExcellent guests, interesting discussions, fantastic host! I’m going to keep listening. Please, make the podcasts longer.
-
haveatomatoGreat progressive podcastShow covers very interesting topics with interesting guests, and is a good counterweight to the mainstream media. If you like it, I would also recommend Democracy Now and the Ralph Nader Radio Hour.
-
kikki de montparnasseI'm hookedSmart and fun--well worth a listen.
-
Sasha from WestchesterMakes SenseBoth smart and accessible. Great guests. Highly recommended.
-
JH Ft LauderdaleA Top-Notch Radio ProgramWith all of the misinformation in the media today, it is very refreshing listening to Start Making Sense. The interviews are highly engaging, informative, and provide perspectives you will not find anywhere else. I am very happy to have subscribed to this excellent podcast and look forward to hearing more!
-
salitreekstart making sensehighly recommended: beyond smart. insightful. quick.always interesting. funny. great guests. great host.
Similar Podcasts

The Dig

Scheer Intelligence

Intercepted

Know Your Enemy

The Ezra Klein Show

Lever Time with David Sirota

The Political Scene | The New Yorker

On the Media

Behind the News with Doug Henwood

Democracy Now! Audio

CounterSpin

Jacobin Radio

Ralph Nader Radio Hour

Background Briefing with Ian Masters

Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork on this page are property of the podcast owner, and not endorsed by UP.audio.