Latest / Systemic Error Podcast

Pope Leo is using a Cold War playbook to fight MAGA
What happened
AlterNet reports that writer Christopher Hale casts Pope Leo XIV’s defense of immigrants as a modern version of Pope John Paul II’s resistance to communist rule. Hale argues that Leo, the first American pope, is using the papacy’s moral authority to oppose President Donald Trump’s treatment of migrants and MAGA politics more broadly.
The contrast rests on specific public choices. In a June letter, Leo said defending life includes “welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants.” While Trump used a Mount Rushmore speech to allege a communist resurgence involving newcomers, Leo…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.