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Trump and the Auto Strike—Plus, the Politics of Insecurity

On this episode of Start Making Sense, Nelson Lichtenstein analyzes the politics of the UAW strike, and Astra Taylor talks about “manufactured insecurity.”

Jon Wiener

September 21, 2023

Supporters and workers cheer as United Auto Workers members go on strike at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant on September 15, 2023, in Wayne, Mich.(Bill Pugliano / Getty Images)

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Trump and the Auto Strike, plus 'Manufactured Insecurity' | Start Making Sense
byThe Nation Magazine

The UAW strike against Detroit’s Big Three is rapidly becoming a major political battle as Donald Trump speaks to auto workers in Detroit, challenging Biden’s massive initiatives for America’s transition to electric vehicles. Nelson Lichtenstein provides historical perspective on what’s at stake.

Also: We face two kinds of insecurity in our lives today, Astra Taylor argues: existential insecurity, the unavoidable issues of life and death, and manufactured insecurity—intended to make workers more submissive to authority. Communal action can do a lot to reduce the second kind. Astra's new book is “The Age of Insecurity: Coming Together As Things Fall Apart.”

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The UAW strike against Detroit’s Big Three is rapidly becoming a major political battle as Donald Trump speaks to autoworkers in Detroit, challenging Biden’s massive initiatives for America’s transition to electric vehicles. On this episode of the podcast, Nelson Lichtenstein provides historical perspective on what’s at stake.

Also on this episode, Astra Taylor argues that we face two kinds of insecurity in our lives today: existential insecurity, the unavoidable issues of life and death; and manufactured insecurity, intended to make workers more submissive to authority. Communal action can do a lot to reduce that. Taylor’s new book is The Age of Insecurity: Coming Together As Things Fall Apart. She’s on the show to discuss.

The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

Rebecca Solnit on Hope in the Dark; plus the Trump-Musk Bromance | Start Making Sense
byThe Nation Magazine

Hope does not mean saying ‘this is not bad,’ Rebecca Solnit argues; it just means we will not give up—because we know that what we do matters, and we also know we’ve been surprised by good things we never expected.

Also: The bromance between Elon Musk and Donald Trump cannot last – historian David Nasaw will explain why.

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Jon WienerTwitterJon Wiener is a contributing editor of The Nation and co-author (with Mike Davis) of Set the Night on Fire: L.A. in the Sixties.


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