Unmuted's Political Pulse
Hi there! The Political Pulse is a newsletter on events across the spectrum and occasional thoughts on America.
Ed Manzi here - I run Unmuted, an offline hub for intelligent people to discuss the issues of our time without judgment. In our newsletter, I highlight one upcoming Unmuted event a week, and we also highlight a number of other organization events that I find interesting across the political spectrum. In addition, every month we will publish one piece of thoughtful, Founding Member content. We’re open to feedback, so let us know what you like and want to improve!
That’s How You Do Unmuted
Tiffany Cabán is not everyone’s cup of tea. Certainly on the far left, or Radical left, or whatever name you’d like -she literally calls herself a “socialist abolitionist”. But one thing you can’t say about her is that she isn’t willing to play ball. What started as a fairly straight forward talk got heated when our more right-leaning audience members shot her some hard questions around prison, the non-reformable population, taxes that seems to go nowhere, and Mamdani, of course.
But Tiffany Cabán gets Unmuted. She engaged respectfully, she answered questions honestly, and she didn’t gaslight the audience members who asked her those questions. She even conceded some points. Did people change minds in the room? Probably not. Would they be open to changing minds later because they now see a human now and not an enemy? Maybe.
Ed Manzi, our most attractive moderator, and our guest Tiffany Cabán
Upcoming Unmuted Events
Thursday, 12/4: A Debate on H1Bs: Good for American Innovation or Bad for Labor? featuring Rutgers Professor Hal Salzman (Link)
Tuesday, 12/9: A Debate on AI Regulation: Will NY be a leader in safe AI regulation, move AI innovation out of state? Featuring Congressional candidate Alex Bores (Link)
Thursday, 12/11 Unmuted Holiday Party (Link)
This Week
Events of the Week
The events I’ve got my eye on this week across the spectrum. There isn’t too much going on, what with the holiday coming up and all. But will try to keep you entertained!
🗓 Monday, November 26
• 6:30 PM Shut It Down for Palestine: Volunteer Meeting (link)
Where: The People’s Forum, 320 W 37th Street
Who: Shut It Down 4 Palestine Coalition
What: An interesting philosophical question I’ve been thinking about - what happens to movements like this when a major event (like the end of the Israel-Hamas war) occurs? I know it’s not really “over”, but press coverage has gone down, and so ostensibly there needs to be a new goal, no? Or does the movement mutate into sub-movements? Anyways, just food for thought.
• 7:00 PM Arts Caucus Writers & Actors Creative Workshop Series (link)
(Workshop, Arts)
Where: New York Young Republicans
Who: New York Young Republicans
What: You can only go if you’re a member, but I had to highlight because I really don’t know what goes on here. I guess Republican writers share manuscripts and then workshop them and act them out with other actors and writers? IDK what the subject matter could be though - so let me try some titles. Animal Farm but the pigs are the protagonists. A Farewell to Entitlements. Of Mice and Middle-Class Job Creators. Brave New Border Wall. Atlas Shivered, a fan fiction sequel.
🗓 Tuesday, November 25
•1:15 PM – Setting AI Policy: Left to the States (link)
(Law, AI)
Where: 40 Washington Square South New York, NY ,10012
Who: NYU Law
What: I usually don’t push weekday day events, but it’s a very slim week lol. Lot of lawyers talking about AI policy at the state level. An excellent primer for our debate December 9! I will be attending - shoot me a message at 978 302 5849 if you want to come with.
•7:00 PM – “This Non-Violent Stuff Will Get You Killed” (link)
(Book group, Civil Rights, Second Amendment)
Where: Hollow Nickel, 494 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Who: The Radical Non-Fiction Book Group
What: Book group discussing the above book by Charles E. Cobb Jr. - which has a central thesis that the right to bear arms actually made the civil rights movement possible. If it wasn’t in Brooklyn, I’d go! :P
🗓 Wednesday, November 26
NADA
🗓 Thursday, November 27
NADA
🗓 Friday, November 28
NADA
🗓 Saturday, November 29
NADA
🗓 Sunday, November 30
NADA
That’s it for this week. Let us know if there are events to highlight in upcoming weeks!
Show up, think deeper, and as always, stay Unmuted!
The Unmuted Team