Covid-1984 Authoritarianism in Hawaii and Michigan with Pete Koeneman

Wassup to all my Barbarianx Philosopher-Ruffians!

Pop! Pop! Pop! You hear that? It’s the sound of cactus blossoms bursting forth like popcorn on a hot pan, creating a kaleidoscopic cascade of color and elegant form along the Phoenix canals, on the Rio Salado riverside trail, and even amidst the corporate desert xeriscaping in eerily quiet strip mall parking lots.

Nature has the reigns right now, and the air is crisp and clean even in the middle of the S. Phx industrial district. So go outside and take a deep breath: the fresh Spring air is guaranteed to invigorate. We at the BNP are so sure you’ll be invigorated by taking a deep breath outside, we’ll even refund your breath free of charge if you are unsatisfied for any reason. Now, that’s breathing easy!

This episode we welcome back to the BNP friend of show Pete Koeneman, who calls in from jungle side Maui to talk about Hawaii going full fascist and instituting straight up martial law as a response to the threat of Covid-19. The draconian and excessively punitive measures being implemented in Hawaii right now left me speechless and disturbed.

During this time of intense economic precarity and major legitimate concerns about the efficacy of our delicate supply chain, folks in Hawaii are being fined $5,000 for daring to walk along the beach. This is absolutely insane policy, with real-life ruinous consequences for working people simply trying to survive and manage their mental health during this stressful time. 

Pete also sheds light on the similarly authoritarian and disturbing goings on in his native state of Michigan, including folks being fined $500 for buying seeds and mulch for home gardens.

We also discuss the monstrous corporate giveaways in the first Coronavirus bailout bill (CARES), the two distinct government-run novel coronavirus pandemic simulations carried out in 2019 (and their chilling resemblance to the real life goings on today), the record number of CEO’s stepping down in Jan. 2020, and the wholesale asset dump in early February by well-connected financiers and politicians, weeks before the public was made aware of the severity of the pandemic.

Finally, we end the ep on an upbeat and optimistic tip as we explore what’s next for working class movement politics in the U.S. and around the world, specifically in terms of harnessing the momentum generated from the Bernie 2020 campaign and carrying the torch forward for a more just, sane and egalitarian world.

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“The good things of prosperity are to be wished; but the good things that belong to adversity are to be admired.”

– Lucius Annaeus Seneca

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Barbarian Noetics Podcast