Beneath the Cypress and Star

A look into the biggest headlines from the U.S. and around the world, breaking down complex issues with expert insights and thoughtful analysis. Each episode examines the political, social, and economic forces shaping our world, enabling listeners to understand the deeper context behind the news. This podcast connects the dots from Washington to world capitals, giving you the whole picture.

Understanding Free Market Economics Through Milton Friedman’s Lens 11/15/2025

Understanding Free Market Economics Through Milton Friedman’s Lens Monetarism and the doctrine of shareholder-value maximization pushed U.S. companies toward an extract-at-all-costs model, which offshored jobs, hollowed out the domestic workforce, expanded the labor pool at home, and steadily eroded people’s ability to earn a livable wage. This model treats the economy like an infinite reservoir rather than a closed system with limits, so each demand for “more value” becomes another round of resource extraction, social, economic, and environmental, much like a malignancy growing without regard for its host. Before the rise of shareholder primacy in the late 20th century, the free-market philosophy didn’t revolve around perpetual extraction. The shift has been devastating to employment, wages, manufacturing, communities, and the ecosystems that sustain them. The embrace of shareholder primacy after the 1970s rewired corporate incentives around a single metric, ever-increasing returns to equity owners. In a closed economic system, where labor power, natural resources, and community wellbeing are finite, this kind of relentless extraction behaves like cancer: it prioritizes growth for its own sake even when that growth destroys the host environment. Friedman’s doctrine, that a firm’s chief social responsibility is to increase its profits, became the philosophical spark that justified decades of corporate behavior focused on cutting costs, offloading risk, and externalizing harm. As corporations rushed to reduce labor costs, the offshoring of manufacturing accelerated dramatically. Empirical research finds that significantly contributed to domestic manufacturing job losses. Larger labor pools abroad, combined with weakened bargaining power at home, pushed down wages for non-college-educated workers in particular. Inside a closed system, where communities depend on stable jobs and economic roots, this extraction of livelihood behaves exactly like a tumor metastasizing: it draws nourishment from the body while weakening every structure required for long-term survival. The consequences are visible in every de-industrialized region of the country. Wage stagnation, the decline of mid-skill jobs, and characterize the period following . Productivity rose, but the income gains were siphoned upward rather than shared. In a healthy system, value circulates. In a cancerous one, value accumulates in one node at the expense of the organism. Vulture capitalism, leveraged buyouts, asset stripping, stock buybacks instead of workforce investment, thrives precisely because the shareholder-value doctrine rewards extraction, not regeneration. Environmental damage completes the picture. A closed biosphere cannot sustain the unlimited externalization of pollution; yet, offshoring has relocated many of the most polluting industries to places with weaker environmental regulations. Research shows that a substantial portion of the “decline” in U.S. manufacturing emissions came not from cleaner technology but from relocating dirty production elsewhere. This is the ecological parallel to financial extraction: the ensures that damage continues, just out of sight. In biological terms, a malignancy doesn’t stop spreading just because you stop looking at it; it simply finds a new tissue to invade. The Heritage Foundation adopts a strongly pro-shareholder-rights, anti-corporate "wokeness" stance, though it does not explicitly champion the excesses of shareholder-value maximization as practiced in many corporations. For example, in its report "ESG, DEI, and What to Do About Them," Heritage argues that corporations should “maximize their return on investment or minimize their risk," and that “non-pecuniary factors" (such as ESG considerations) may not be subordinated to pecuniary factors unless investors give informed consent. Related Capitalism and Exploitation: The Engine Beneath the System Elite Theory and the Drift of Democracy Wage Stagnation and the Purpose of the Corporation Sources /episode/index/show/86e8f924-d5c1-4746-aad2-23899dc27e34/id/39045175

The Cost of Living Crisis and the 2026 Midterm Elections: America on the Brink 11/04/2025

The Cost of Living Crisis and the 2026 Midterm Elections: America on the Brink The United States is entering a volatile period as the deepens and the 2026 midterm elections approach. The dismantling of the social safety net under the One Big Beautiful Bill has left millions of Americans without essential support, sparking unrest and uncertainty across all fifty states. Food insecurity, inflation, and rising unemployment are converging into what economists warn could be a sustained national emergency. As the Trump administration's policies prioritize symbolic displays of power over practical governance, citizens are finding themselves trapped between economic instability and political spectacle. Under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, preparations are reportedly underway to deploy special to all 50 states by April of 2026 in anticipation of unrest tied to the midterm elections. Sources report that many administration officials are relocating to military bases, a sign of growing concern within federal ranks. Such moves raise questions about governance transparency and whether these actions serve national security or internal control. The tension highlights the fragility of public trust amid escalating costs and a declining quality of life. At the core of this crisis is a broken . Cuts to have effectively gutted the social contract that has long underpinned American democracy. Red states, already facing greater poverty rates, are expected to experience the harshest effects of these cuts. Economic experts attribute this policy direction to the widening economic inequality, as wealth continues to concentrate in elite circles while millions struggle to meet their basic needs. As Americans brace for the 2026 elections, the country faces an unprecedented crossroads. Inflation and unemployment are rising in tandem, testing both the resilience of working families and the patience of an increasingly divided electorate. Without intervention, the in the US may mark not just an economic downturn but a profound shift in the nation’s social fabric, one that will determine how, and for whom, the future of the republic is written. Related Capitalism and Exploitation: The Engine Beneath the System Elite Theory and the Drift of Democracy National Guard Deployment: How Far Can Presidential Power Go? No Kings: America’s 3.5% Moment Sources /episode/index/show/86e8f924-d5c1-4746-aad2-23899dc27e34/id/38911780

Building Fair Governance Through Participatory Budgeting 11/01/2025

Capitalism and Exploitation: The Engine Beneath the System 10/27/2025

Capitalism and Exploitation: The Engine Beneath the System In this episode, we unpack the complex relationship between capitalism and exploitation, tracing how thinkers from Marx to modern critics have argued that the system’s survival depends on surplus extraction. Drawing on , we explore how profit emerges when workers create more value than they receive in wages. We also confront the uneasy question: can capitalism exist without exploitation? — a question that continues to haunt economic and moral debate. Exploitation isn’t just an unfortunate side effect of capitalism; it’s the very mechanism that keeps it running. The conversation turns to neoliberalism and self-exploitation, examining how the old coercion of factory work has been replaced by the soft tyranny of “freedom.” Under neoliberal capitalism and worker self-exploitation, individuals become brands, managing themselves as if they were small companies. The illusion of autonomy conceals deeper dependence, as people voluntarily submit to endless self-optimization. We link this modern condition to , in which the boundaries between worker and boss dissolve within a single exhausted mind. Finally, the episode expands the lens to , illustrating how global inequality sustains prosperity in wealthy nations. By outsourcing labor to the global South, the core economies externalize exploitation, a process that makes fair wages in one part of the world possible only through suffering in another. Through examples from fast fashion to tech supply chains, we reveal how capitalism relies on exploitation not just within nations but across them. The result is a sobering yet necessary exploration of the hidden gears driving our modern world, a world still built, as Marx foresaw, on capitalism and exploitation. Related Elite Theory and the Drift of Democracy Ray Dalio Warns of Economic Crisis Beyond Recession Amid Global Market Shifts Wage Stagnation and the Purpose of the Corporation Sources /episode/index/show/86e8f924-d5c1-4746-aad2-23899dc27e34/id/38801685

Trump Boat Bombings: How U.S. Strikes Are Shaping the War on Drugs in Latin America 10/25/2025

Trump Boat Bombings: How U.S. Strikes Are Shaping the War on Drugs in Latin America In today's episode, we dive into the controversial Trump boat bombings, exploring the recent escalation in U.S. military strikes on suspected drug traffickers. The Trump boat bombings are shaking the foundations of how the U.S. combats illegal narcotics operations. We break down the objectives of these attacks and the strategic reasons behind them, particularly in Latin American waters. The most recent drug boat strike in Venezuela is a critical focal point. This targeted bombing not only destroys suspected drug-laden vessels but also sends a strong message to drug cartels operating in the region. We’ll discuss the broader implications of these military actions and the role of the U.S. military in drug trafficking efforts across the Caribbean and South America. “We’re going to kill them,” while defending the latest boat strike campaign targeting suspected drug traffickers near Venezuela’s coast. These Trump drug boat campaign strikes are seen by some as a necessary evil, but are they effective in dismantling the drug trade? In this episode, we also explore the consequences of Trump boat bombings impact on drug trafficking, highlighting how these bombings may disrupt cartel operations. However, questions remain about their and U.S. relations with Latin American governments. We also look at the to the in Venezuela, where these operations have raised alarm among both local populations and international leaders. The Trump military operations in Latin America are reshaping the dynamics of the drug war, and we analyze how this drug trafficking boat destruction fits into the . Related Elite Theory and the Drift of Democracy Global Instability: Russia Threats, Trump Scandals, and Starbucks Layoffs National Guard Deployment: How Far Can Presidential Power Go? Sources /episode/index/show/86e8f924-d5c1-4746-aad2-23899dc27e34/id/38780335

National Guard Deployment: How Far Can Presidential Power Go? 10/24/2025

National Guard Deployment: How Far Can Presidential Power Go? In this in-depth episode, we confront one of the most pressing and misunderstood questions in American governance: national guard deployment and its evolving role in maintaining internal security. With headlines dominated by discussions of possible troop movements, the use of force in U.S. cities, and questions about the limits of executive power, our conversation dives into the complex interplay between law, politics, and national defense. We begin by examining the mechanics of how the National Guard deployment process works in U.S. cities, shedding light on how governors and the federal government share and sometimes clash over control of the Guard. Through case studies and expert interviews, we explore the balance between local autonomy and federal oversight, especially when civil unrest or emergencies stretch local capacities. The discussion then turns to the , a set of presidential authorities that allow the federal government to deploy the military domestically under certain conditions. We unpack how these powers have been interpreted historically, from their use during the Civil Rights era to the controversial debates surrounding their potential activation in modern crises. Legal scholars weigh in on the legal limits on National Guard deployment under the Insurrection Act, analyzing how ambiguous language and executive precedent have left room for vastly different interpretations of presidential power. We also examine recent reports suggesting a push toward — training programs and coordination efforts designed to ensure rapid deployment capability across states. This raises profound questions about the and whether the Guard’s increasingly centralized posture risks undermining the traditional separation between state militias and federal troops. Our experts discuss the operational realities of civil disturbance operations, the protocols governing crowd control, use of force, and coordination with civilian law enforcement. We unpack the technologies and logistical frameworks being developed under these readiness programs — from surveillance and communication systems to the controversial stockpiling of riot-control munitions. By the episode’s end, listeners will gain a nuanced understanding of how the debate over the national guard deployment encapsulates the tension between security and civil liberty. We confront the practical challenges of , question the democratic safeguards surrounding , and examine how the could reshape civil-military relations in the United States. This episode doesn't just analyze the news; it connects the dots between policy, power, and the people caught in the middle. Related Portland ICE Protest 2025: Timeline, Ruling & What’s Next Trump Unbound: Power Grabs, Paranoia, and Global Backlash Trump Chicago War Zone: Fallout from Trump’s “Apocalypse Now” Post Sources /episode/index/show/86e8f924-d5c1-4746-aad2-23899dc27e34/id/38765645