264. Every Dealership a Fiefdom, Every Middleman a Lord (ft. Alex Sammon) (Patreon)

We are joined by Alex Sammon – politics reporter at Slate – to discuss one of the best pieces of gonzo reporting in recent memory. Alex journeyed into the heart of darkness at the center of American capitalism: the National Automobile Dealers Association. We discuss why a critical analysis of car dealers is necessary for understanding the real composition of class power and wealth in society. The politics of how car dealerships became a network of deeply entrenched fiefdoms with the power of king makers is absolutely stunning. Plus, we talk about the debauchery and decadence on display at the NADA conference.

• Alex’s car dealers article: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/05/rich-republicans-party-car-dealers-2024-desantis.html
• Alex’s Trump streamers article: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/06/trump-miami-courthouse-indictment-desantis.html
• Alex’s twitter: https://twitter.com/alex_sammon
• American Gentry | Patrick Wyman https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/trump-american-gentry-wyman-elites/620151/

Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (www.twitter.com/jathansadowski) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (www.twitter.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (www.twitter.com/braunestahl)