Extra Credit: How to Argue Against Disinformation; Trump Trials Update

In "Rachel Maddow Presents: Déjà News," experts Andrew Weissmann and Mary McCord dissect the complex legal landscape surrounding former President Donald Trump's claims of presidential immunity, particularly in relation to the January 6th Capitol riot. This riveting episode peels back the legal veil, offering an enlightening exploration of the judiciary's stance against traditional presidential protections, and the historical precedents that support accountability for ex-presidents. The conversation delves into the implications of key judicial opinions, including a significant ruling by Judge Chutkan, while also examining the boundary between official presidential duties and campaign activities in the legal sphere.

Weissmann and McCord provide an insightful analysis of Trump’s defensive strategy in the face of ongoing litigation, as seen in his lawyers' immunity claims in Georgia, and the consequential lawsuits brought by Capitol Police and lawmakers. The blurring lines between political actions and legal processes are skillfully illustrated, with the episode shedding light on procedural integrity and the importance of the Brady rule in ensuring justice. Furthermore, McCord and Weissmann discuss the strategic legal demands made by Trump's team, analyzing their legitimacy and impact on the progression of cases. The episode encapsulates a thorough look at the dynamic tensions between law and former presidential power, setting the stage for further discussions about the critical legal issues America faces today.

In the latest episode of "Rachel Maddow Presents: Déjà News," experts Andrew Weissmann and Mary McCord delve deep into the complex web of legal challenges post the 2020 election, and the ramifications they may have for former President Donald Trump. This intricate discussion touches upon the guilty pleas of Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesbrough, former affiliates of Trump's legal team, and questions their forthcoming cooperation with Georgia prosecutors, potentially affecting Trump's own legal exposure.

Weissmann and McCord also engage in a thought-provoking analysis of presidential immunity, with references to historical cases like Nixon v. Fitzgerald, dissecting their implications on current events. As they weigh the credibility of testimonies from controversial figures such as Sidney Powell, this episode offers a captivating exploration of witness reliability and its critical role in the ongoing legal narratives. Listeners are invited to grapple with the nuances of legal strategy and the ever-evolving argument of presidential protection from prosecution in "Rachel Maddow Presents: Déjà News."

To understand the pressures on democracy in the 21st century, it’s important to understand what modern democracy is and where it came from. In The Origins of Political Order, political economist Francis Fukuyama explores the development of political systems from prehistory to the eve of the American and French revolutions in order to show how and why modern democracies evolved.

Fukuyama argues that a stable democratic society requires three components: a strong state, the rule of law, and accountability. In this guide, we’ll explore each of these components in detail and show, for example, how Chinese bureaucracy created the first modern state and how local English legal disputes eventually led to democracy. Along the way, we’ll build on, update, and sometimes challenge Fukuyama’s claims by referring to other works of political theory such as Sapiens, Humankind, and How Democracies Die.

From Russia’s Vladimir Putin to India’s Narendra Modi, the strongman leader has gained widespread appeal and is increasingly shaping global politics. What makes citizens vote for these apparent autocrats? And what does this mean for democracy?

According to Gen. H.R. McMaster, the United States views the world through a self-centered lens, assuming that its policy decisions are the main driving force behind global events. Because of this distorted perspective, the US has lost influence on the global stage at a time when authoritarian aggression is on the rise. In Battlegrounds, McMaster, who was US national security adviser in 2017-18, contends that American leaders must learn to see the world through the eyes of the US's adversaries in order to defend against foreign threats and compete in the modern global landscape.

In this guide, we’ll explore McMaster’s criticism of the assumptions driving US foreign policy, his assessment of the threats America faces, and the steps he believes the US must take. We’ll compare McMaster’s views with those of other experts on diplomacy, while placing his assessments in their larger context and updating some of his information based on events since the book’s publication.