The Fifth Column

The Fifth Gets a Substitute Teacher (w/ Jesse Singal) #568

The Fifth Column

Summary

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announces plans to open city-run grocery stores aimed at combating food insecurity, offering essential items at a 30% discount. This initiative, however, has drawn skepticism regarding its feasibility and potential consequences. Critics argue that the move may inadvertently harm local bodegas and small businesses, as the government-run stores could create unfair competition.

The discussion highlights broader concerns about economic policies that oversimplify complex issues, such as rising grocery prices, attributing them solely to price gouging rather than a confluence of market forces. Observers note that the grocery store initiative reflects a tendency among some leftist circles to overlook the potential negative impacts of government intervention.

Adams' approach raises questions about the effectiveness of such policies in genuinely addressing food insecurity, with some suggesting that targeted subsidies for low-income residents might be a more effective solution. The conversation underscores the need for thoughtful consideration of the second-order effects of government actions in the marketplace.

Show Notes

Jesse Singal of Blocked and Reported and Singal-Minded fills Michael Moynihan’s special diabetic chair to discuss Fauci’s diaries, broken institutions, runaway AI, LeBron and Mamdani Mart. -Moynihan out, Jesse Singal in -Bari Weiss hired everyone except Jesse -The Prince of Science re-enrages everyone (or at least Rand Paul) -Gell-Mann amnesia and the collapse of institutional trust -The media needed a COVID daddy -An OpenAI model escaped the sandbox -The analogy of the paperclip machine and how it consumed the universe -Cambridge protected alleged plagiarist Jason Arday -Midterm Madness, Ohio governor race version -Kmele feels that LeBron will never love him but he doesn’t want to talk about it -Three grown men relived their greatest pickup games -Kmele wanted the gods back in The Odyssey -Mamdani Mart promised groceries at 30 percent off -Billy Bob Thornton returns from hell in White Knight (a Kmele Foster joint) -Nazi dinosaurs stalked Jews through Schindler’s Park -Jesse discovered second-order effects -Not every strange obsession with Israel was antisemitism -Rent stabilization has worked great for millionaires -No French goodbye for Kmele Prefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST. The Fifth Column (A Podcast) is a listener-viewer supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Follow The Fifth Column YouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: @wethefifthTikTok: @wethefifthFacebook: @thefifthcolumn

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe

More from The Fifth Column

Oct 30, 2026

-we found someone from the DSA brave enough to come on this show -The Cajun French of Indians -If you’re pro-abundance, why are you a socialist? -DSA and the midterms -Biden’s heart was in the right place, but his body was...not -AOC, DAC, and Zohran -The Left’s remarkable talent for self-sabotage -Cuba, the embargo, and the pesky issue of free elections -Socialism and its rather unfortunate historical baggage -Bhaskar’s three camps of socialism and capitalism -Worker-owned companies, public banks, and making socialism work in practice -Hasan Piker, good or bad for the DSA -Somehow we are talking about Sweden again -Midterm Madness: California’s billionaire tax -AI, data centers, and the politics of saying no -Socialism is gaining popularity. Just don’t run as a socialist. -Bhaskar’s most right-wing position -Moynihan’s unsolicited advice to the DSA Read The Blueprint: How Socialism Can Work in the Real World by Bhaskar Sunkara, Ben Burgis, and Mike Beggs Bookshop | Amazon Prefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST. JOIN US: https://quickcenter.fairfield.edu/2026-27-season-calendar/lectures/the-fifth-column-podcast.html

Oct 28, 2026

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com

Oct 22, 2026

-Fairfield, CT. Nov 12th. Get tickets while you can -We will have an Election Night livestream. Booze, guests, and probable disaster -Our mystery guest didn’t couldn’t make it today. We won’t name names, but we’ll give you some subtle clues. -Steve Witkoff discovered Vladimir Putin’s humanitarian side. -Trump has some thoughts about Zelenskyy. andPutin gets a pass. -Americans ranked their favorite countries. Where does Russia rank? -A very stiff competition for the Senate’s biggest idiot and the “Not One Inch” myth -the dumbest man in the Senate meets the dumbest man in media -Donald Trump and his love of men -Midterm Madness -Vivek vs. Amy Acton, and the attack ad from hell. -The tone and tenor of American politics is somehow worse than ever -Alina Habba, Ric Grenell, and the alleged $50 million pardon racket. -JD Vance answered a question about corruption. Ten thousand weasels applauded. Prefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST. JOIN US: https://quickcenter.fairfield.edu/2026-27-season-calendar/lectures/the-fifth-column-podcast.html Follow The Fifth Column YouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: @wethefifthTikTok: @wethefifthFacebook: @thefifthcolumn

Oct 21, 2026

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com

Oct 16, 2026

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com

See all episodes →