Out d’Coup | Trump Hearts Putin; Collusion Arrest; Dem Voters Want Progressives; EU Fines Google; Treasury Protects Dark Money; Wagner Visits Moon; Labor Notes Guide; Mars Discovery; Shore Beer

Trump throws the love to Putin. First real collusion arrest takes place as 29-year-old Russian, Maria Butina, is rounded up for operating as a spy and operative for the Russian Federation. All I know is that things are getting real. 

Shocking poll reveals that 57 percent of Dems want Democrats to be more like Bernie Sanders. Dianne Feinstein loses California Democratic Party endorsement to Kevin de Leon, signalling a shift to the left by the countries largest Democratic party. Maybe “Russia, Russia, Russia” isn’t the best campaign strategy DNC?

European Union fines Google for nearly $5 billion for using its Android monopoly to force companies to install all its apps. Meanwhile, here in the States, the U.S. Treasury moves to protect identities of “dark money” political groups. And, surprise, surprise... the rich are throwing up their hands on climate change and are actively planning to just leave us all behind. Not such a surprise, actually, We’ve been talking about this on the podcast for years.

A PhD student at the University of Houston leaves teaching position after being outed as a white supremacist. No, Sean did not have anything to do with it this time.

Nothing but joy here in Pennsylvania as Scott Wagner lands on the Moon. No, we’re not talking about that space rock orbiting the Earth. While we were away, Scott Wagner visited the Tommy Gun Warehouse that is owned by Justin Moon, brother of the the crazy, anti-lgbtq, pro-gun cult leader Sean Moon.  You remember Moon’s church, right? You know, the one that became famous for blessing AR 15’s two weeks after the Florida school shooting. But it gets better.  Sean Moon gave the invocation at Tommy Gun Warehouse and Scott Wagner in return said that he and Moon agrees on 98 percent of the issues. As might be expected, Scott Wagner then got confronted in a townhall about why he’s hanging out with cult leaders.

The revolving door is alive and well in Harrisburg. Outgoing State Rep. Stephen Bloom becomes the latest swamp monster by taking a job with the Commonwealth Foundation. Sean looks into how the Pennsylvania GOP is creating their own fake news for the Governor’s race through Townhall.com. And, that white nationalist is still working for state of Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Just saying. Tick-Tock.

I am feeling like a paperboy after receiving my package from Labor Notes. 50 copies of Rebuilding Power in Open Shop America. Distribution and organizing coming soon!

In today’s Last Call, Elon Musk proves himself a spoiled asshat of a man-child when Thai Navy Seals reject his submarine. Calls British diver a “pedo.” That happened just as Musk was unmasked as a leading donor to a Republican PAC aimed at keeping control of Congress.

NASA’s Curiosity rover finds ancient building blocks of life on Mars. Turns out that NASA may have accidentally destroyed evidence of these same building blocks during a 1976 mission.

Sean sells his first print! And, Kevin gets final proofs for his article “We Are Not All in this Together: A Case for Advocacy, Factionalism, and Making the Political Personal.” Unruly Rhetorics: Protest, Persuasion, and Publics,” edited Jonathan Alexander, Susan Jarratt, and Nancy Welch. I’m in the section on “Civility Wars.”

Kevin got a chance to sample some good NJ beers while family vactioning. Cape May Brewing and Double Nickel Brewing topped the list.