S3 E13: Primaries & Caucuses, Chechnya & Venezuela: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Venezuela's Economic Crisis

• Venezuela is facing an economic crisis due to low oil prices, leading to inflation and shortages of essential goods like food and medicine.
• President Nicolás Maduro's handling of the crisis has been criticized, including suggestions to punish business owners and asking women to conserve energy by not drying their hair.

Controversy in Canada and the US

• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced criticism for elbowing a Canadian MP during a House of Commons altercation, leading to multiple apologies.
• The Democratic primary process in the US has caused frustration due to the delegate allocation system, with Bernie Sanders winning the popular vote in some states but losing in delegate count.
• Donald Trump also expressed annoyance at the delegate allocation system after winning Louisiana but potentially getting fewer delegates than Ted Cruz.

Complexities of the US Primary and Caucus System

• The current primary and caucus system evolved after the chaotic 1968 Democratic National Convention, but many details were left to state leaders, resulting in inconsistencies in the process.
• The primary and caucus systems for selecting presidential candidates in the United States are complex and often confusing.
• In Washington state, Democrats have a presidential primary, but it does not count as all the delegates are decided at caucuses months before.
• The process of selecting delegates is often opaque and can lead to disputes and allegations of rigging.
• Both Democrats and Republicans have mechanisms for potentially overriding the will of primary voters, such as superdelegates and unbound delegates.
• The system is in need of reform, but there is little incentive for the parties to change it when they benefit from it.
• The author proposes that people should contact the chairs of each party on February 2nd (Groundhog Day) to remind them to fix the primary process.

Ramzan Kadyrov's Lost Cat

• Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of the Chechen Republic, announced on Instagram that his Bengal cat is missing and asked the public for help in finding it.
• Kadyrov is known for his brutal and corrupt rule, with accusations of kidnappings, torture, and human rights abuses.
• Despite his reputation, Kadyrov loves animals and has posted pictures of himself with various animals, including lions, tigers, horses, and chicks.
• When Kadyrov loses something, he goes to extreme lengths to find it, such as questioning over a thousand guests at a wedding when he lost his phone.
• A YouTuber is launching a campaign to help find Kadyrov's cat, urging viewers to contact Kadyrov on social media with information about the cat.