Beware of the Gazpacho, STEM in West Virginia & Crucial Elections in India

In this episode, Alex talks about how Marjorie Taylor Greene’s fear of the mighty Gazpacho means that she has learned nothing from her required trips to the Holocaust museum. Then he discusses how Biden’s popularity has dropped below 40% and many states are (finally) removing mask mandates. Later in the episode, Alex discusses how California’s Congressman, Ro Khanna, may have a way to alleviate the digital divide in the US that has intensified the culture war and may have led to Trumpism. Congressman Khanna basically wants to expand the tech industry into areas that have missed out on the economic boom of the digital age (imagine tech manufacturing in West Virginia or microchips being produced in Iowa). He discusses how this could help make America more independent from China and help alleviate issues in our supply chain. Finally, Alex goes into the local elections in Uttar Pradesh, India, which are the largest in the world. Currently, Prime Minister Modi’s  BJP party has flourished on Hindu nationalism, ethnic division, and law and order. The party is slowly devolving into illiberal policies. This election seems to show some weakening of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. If the BJP can lose enough seats, it may stop the divisive rhetoric of the BJP.