Americasdemocrats.org

Confronting the threat of right-wing extremism.   Alexandra Minna Stern on the changing face of America’s far right. Michael Koncewicz on why Trump’s impeachment was a different kind of challenge for Republicans than Nixon’s. Plus Metropolitan Police officer Michael Fanone tells Bill Press why He is speaking out against political violence and those who foment it. Alexandra Minna Stern Alexandra Minna Stern’s research takes her deep into the dark matter of America’s far right. She says it’s a movement in transition, and an ever growing threat to our democracy. Michael Koncewicz Michael Koncewicz’s most recent book on Republicans who defied Richard Nixon carries new relevance to the present day with Trump’s impeachment. Koncewicz says what makes today different is a greater fear among Republicans that challenging this President will be at their political expense. Jim Hightower How Money is Suffocating American Democracy   America exists today as a bizarre anomaly – we profess to be an electoral democracy, yet w

The origins and legacy of the New Deal   Terry Golway tells us how the Irish political machine known as Tammany Hall became the forerunner of the New Deal. Historian Harvey Kaye reminds us of FDR’s Four Freedoms speech and the legacy that remains unfulfilled.  Terry Golway Tammany Hall no longer exists, but when it did, the New York political machine created a social safety net at the neighborhood level long before government programs came along. Author Terry Golway thinks we still need strong political organizations like that. Harvey Kaye New Deal historian Harvey Kaye says President Reagan turned FDR upside down and inside out and progressives have to reclaim his legacy. Jim Hightower Shhh, The Governor Is Listening   Although we haven’t even gotten through this year’s midterm congressional elections, it’s still not too early to start examining some of the characters who hope you’ll make them president in 2024.   I know, you don’t want to… but we must. That’s because corporate elites have already chosen the

Former Cleveland mayor Dennis Kucinich on his battle to save the city’s public electric utility. Julie Kohn on lessons learned from the Texas power grid failure. Dennis Kucinich In his new memoir, Dennis Kucinich writes about how he took on powerful interests to save a public utility. That happened over forty years ago, but the story still carries critical relevance today. Julie Kohn After a historic winter storm left millions of Texans in the dark and without heat, energy experts are looking for ways to stop it from happening again.  Julie Kohn says that means rethinking the state’s isolation from the nation’s power grid. Jim Hightower Beware: The GOP Has Chosen to Embrace The Crazy   Perhaps you remember Sen. Barry Goldwater, the GOP’s fringy, far-right-wing 1964 presidential nominee who famously said, “Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.” Today, however, the core of the Republicans Party has gone so far beyond the fringe that they would boo Goldwater’s right-wingism as insufficiently rabid. Ins

Can unions save democracy?     Author and organizer Jane McAlevey on her new book,  A Collective Bargain: Unions, Organizing, and the Fight for Democracy.  Plus, the millionaires who want to pay more taxes, not less.    Jane McAlevey Pt. 1 At a time when workers are under attack at historic levels, strikes are making a comeback. In that, Jane McAlevey sees an opportunity to reset power and politics in America, and clear a path to progressive change.    Jane McAlevey Pt. 2 Jane McAlevey about her powerful new book, A Collective Bargain: Unions, Organizing, and the Fight for Democracy. She makes the case that unions are central to challenging the corporate class and restoring democracy in America. But what about the millions of workers who don’t have a union?  For Jane McAlevey, that translates into even more opportunities to build the power of organized labor.   Jim Hightower My Newspaper Died   My newspaper died.   Well, technically it still appears, but it has no life, no news, and barely a pulse. It’s a mer

The complicated relationship between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and LBJ   Two historians of the civil rights movement assess the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Julian Zelizer Julian Zelizer is a Princeton scholar of Lyndon Johnson as well as the civil rights movement. He says civil rights activism is no longer as organized or coherent as it was when it sought, and won, passage of the Voting Rights Act. David Chappell Historian David Chappell explains the post-Martin Luther King Jr. trajectory of the civil rights movement, which he says may have been only a historical artifact with King as the central figure. Jim Hightower The Inflation Blame Game   Today, CEOs of big corporations are playing the tricky “Inflation Blame Game!” Publicly, they moan that the pandemic is slamming their poor corporations with factory shutdowns, supply chain delays, wage hikes, and other increased costs. But wait – inside their board rooms, executives are high-fiving each other and pocketing bonuses. What’s going on?   The tri

How Democrats forgot about state politics   Professor Theda Skocpol explains how the Democrats ceded control of state government to Republicans. Theda Skocpol Government professor Theda Skocpol says Democrats think the presidency is the biggest political prize and, unfortunately, ignore politics at the state level. Jim Hightower The Virginia Model   Last year’s gubernatorial race in Virginia was narrowly won by Republican Glenn Youngkin. An elite Wall Street multimillionaire, he was going to lose – until he discovered a right-wing racist bugaboo called Critical Race Theory. Glenn suddenly turned into an anti-CRT attack dog, fomenting parental fear and promising to sweep all teaching of the theory out of Virginia classrooms.   But, golly, CRT was not actually taught in any of the state’s public schools. Bill Press The GOP's Long-time Descent into Crazy.    It did not start with Donald Trump. In Mother Jones’ Washington Bureau Chief David Corn's new book, he details the long history of Republican Party condonin

The powerful influence of Lady Bird Johnson.   Julia Sweig on her book Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight. Her political acumen was key in guiding the Johnson administration through the turbulent times after John F Kennedy’s assasination. Julia Sweig In her biography of Lady Bird Johnson, Julia Sweig reveals the unappreciated impact of a remarkable first lady during a historic turning point in American politics.  Jim Hightower ASSORTED NUTS   Let me say one word to you: Nuts. Now, let me say one name to you: Ted Cruz.   They’ve become synonymous, with the Texas lawmaker perennially topping national lists of goofy, right-wing political goobers. Only, Ted can’t rightly be called a lawmaker, for he’s not a serious participant in that process, instead devoting his senatorship to political stunts and picking silly PR fights with a growing list of enemies. Bill Press `The Imperfect Union of Joe Biden and Barack Obama."   How did Barack Obama and Joe Biden meet? What did they think of each other? Was there rea

Jim Tankersley on the untold story of America’s middle class and why it matters now.  Jim Tankersley Jim Tankersley’s newest book reveals the crucial role women and minorities played in building the post-war middle class. He says it’s an untold story that offers an essential roadmap to reviving the Golden Era of America’s middle class by making it possible again for all workers to reach their full potential. Jim Hightower Welcome To Our Future of “Digital Productivity Monitoring”   For generations, workers have been punished by corporate bosses for watching the clock. But now, the corporate clock is watching workers!   Called “digital productivity monitoring,” this surveillance is done by an integrated computer system including a real-time clock, camera, keyboard tracker, and algorithms to provide a second-by-second record of what each employee is doing.   Bill Press Midterms: Red Wave or Blue Save?   Two months to the midterms. Bill talks to Steven Shepard, the Senior campaigns and elections editor and chief

Keeping up the fight against voter suppression.    Jorge Vasquez, Jr. on why he will continue to fight against voter suppression.  Jorge L. Vasquez, Jr. Jorge L. Vasquez, Jr. is a long-time advocate for voting rights. He says that even with record turnout in the November election, there is still a long way to go before voter suppression is a thing of the past.  Jim Hightower The Embarrassment of Modern Corporate Managers   What makes a newspaper great? Many say it’s having street-savvy reporters and editors with the integrity to shine the light of investigative journalism on the power structure’s abuses.   But, no, says Fred Ryan, top executive of the Washington Post – the secret is attendance.   Bill Press Laboratories of Autocracy   We say it all the time. Down ballot races are very important. Lauren Baer is someone doing something about it. She is the Managing Partner at Arena, an organization convening training and supporting the next generation of candidates and campaign staff. With an emphasis on divers

Professor Gordon Lafer says issues like the minimum wage, a living wage and paid sick days are winning issues politically and progressive candidates should call out big business – and win. Service Employees International Union leader David Rolf takes us through the increasingly successful fight for a 15-dollar an hour minimum wage. Gordon Lafer As we commemorate another Labor Day, professor Gordon Lafer reminds us that unions gave us the minimum wage, the 8-hour day, and child labor laws – all of which were opposed by the Chamber of Commerce, which continues to oppose what most working Americans demand.   David Rolf The “Fight for 15,” organized labor’s move to raise the minimum wage, is having success, state by state, reports Service Employees union leader David Rolf.   Jim Hightower Clueless CEOs Confused By Workers Quitting   For more than a year, America’s corporate chieftains have been moaning about “The Great Resignation” – the recent phenomena of workers just up and quitting their jobs. And now comes “

Sam Berger of the Center for American Progress draws the parallels between Richard Nixon and Donald Trump, and asks us to take a lesson from how the nation recovered from Watergate. Karen Hobert Flynn, the President of Common Cause, explains why a national popular vote is a better way to pick the next president.  Sam Berger In the wake of Watergate, a wave of reforms were ushered in to repair a dysfunctional government and regain the public’s  trust in its leaders. Sam Berger is a policy analyst who says that moment in history has much to offer in the modern day.   Karen Hobert Flynn Karen Hobert Flynn leads one of the nation’s leading organizations dedicated to strengthening democracy. That’s why she says it’s time for the nation to change the way we elect our President.    Jim Hightower Where’s the “Dignity of Work” When Work Kills Workers?   Corporate acolytes and right-wing moralists constantly preach to laboring stiffs about the uplifting dignity of work.   Of course, that’s “dignity” as defined and cont

The destructive influence of “dark money” in campaign finance.   The truth on how American elections are bought and sold. Plus, Fred Wertheimer and the movement to restore ethics and integrity to government. Kimberly Reed Kimberly Reed’s film, “Dark Money”, is a powerful expose of the influence of anonymous donors in political campaigns.  She says growing up in Montana gave her a front-row seat to the corrupting influence of money in politics and the perfect setting to tell that story. Fred Wertheimer Fred Wertheimer has played a key role in every major campaign finance reform and ethics battle in Congress since the post-Watergate reforms in the 1970s. He continues that career as President of Democracy 21, where he calls on Congress to restore integrity to governing. Jim Hightower A Tear-Jerker About the Housing Saga of Some Rich Jerks   The “old homeplace” is a classic theme of Americana, expressed in everything from Norman Rockwell paintings to Woody Guthrie’s powerful folk lament, “I Ain’t Got No Home In T

It’s a new day in the climate battle that can only be fought by believing we can still make a difference. Michael Mann Climate scientist Michael Mann has achieved fame for his work in proving climate change is happening. He says that even as we move past climate denialism, the battle over how to take action against global warming is as urgent as ever. Dan Glickman There’s a growing acknowledgment that even as agriculture feels some of the worst impacts of climate change, it also contributes to the crisis. Former Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman says farmers can be part of the solution and public policy can help them do that. Jim Hightower Good News: Small Groups Can Defeat Corporate Giants   From corporate polluters to political bosses, power elites try to create a myth of inevitability, trying to make workaday people feel helpless, too small to change the injustices of the system. Don’t bother is their message.   But the feisty residents of Boxtown, Tennessee, definitely did bother when they learned tha

Lessons we learned from the Kennedys, and what they can teach us about today’s political climate. Richard Kahlenberg Robert Kennedy ran an economically populist campaign that reached across America’s deep racial divide. Richard Kahlenberg says his legacy matters now more than ever. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend In one of our first interviews recorded for this show, we interviewed Kathleen Kennedy Townsend about an article she wrote for the Washington Post about how her uncle, John F Kennedy, reconciled his public service and his Catholic faith without compromising either. Jim Hightower Should Making a Living Mean Selling Your Life?   “Work your fingers to the bone – whadda ya get? Boney Fingers.”   This 1960s song mocking the vaunted virtue of working hard is being sung today with new meaning by all kinds of employees – from factory workers to teachers… and even a few upper-floor executives. Bill Press "Rage" Against the "Pro-life" Machine   When Bill talked to Jacqueline Ayers, the Senior Vice president at Plann

The past, present and future of progressives in the Senate. Senator Sherrod Brown on his book Desk 88: Eight Progressive Senators Who Changed America. Sherrod Brown Senator Sherrod Brown’s most recent book offers a timely history of 20th-century American progressivism. Along the way he makes a compelling case to believe in the future of the Progressive idea in American politics. Todd Gitlin Columbia University professor Todd Gitlin, a long-time chronicler of progressive politics, urges the left to nail down a simple program that appeals to the general public. Jim Hightower   A Rube Goldberg Inflationary Spiral   Last July, several GOP senators combined their 5-watt intellects to charge that inflation was rising because of the “insane tax and spending spree of President Biden and the Democrats.”   Never mind that the “insane” spending is for such sensible, productive, and enormously popular national needs as childcare and jobless benefits, Mitch McConnell’s rabidly partisan flock saw the chance to politicize t

Raise the minimum wage.   Revisiting some of the conversations we have had about raising the minimum wage. David Cooper Progressive Democrats have made raising the minimum wage a priority for the new administration. And for a good reason.  David Cooper says a $15 minimum wage would lift pay for tens of millions of workers and help reverse decades of growing pay inequality. Janelle Jones Economic analyst Janelle Jones says a higher minimum wage is a crucial tool in bridging our nation’s widening income inequality gap  And in the face of federal inaction, cities and states are setting up to the plate. Jim Hightower   Whip Inflation Now!   Republican politicos are all over Joe Biden for failing to stop inflation. Perhaps you wonder, though, what these squawkers would do if they were in charge?   No need to wonder – just look back to 1974, when Americans were being pummeled by price spikes that topped 12%, nearly double what we’re enduring today. But by Gollies, President Gerald Ford and his Republican contingent

The religious right’s rise to political power   We take a look back at how the religious right and the white nationalist movement took over the Republican party. Katherine Stewart Katherine Stewart’s explores the rise of the religious right in America and its vast reach into American politics. She warns that the end result is fundamentally anti-democratic, and it is dangerously anti-science. Damon Berry Religion professor Damon Berry says real Christians want nothing to do with the white nationalist movement, which he says is growing. Jim Hightower   The Sunshine State’s Dark Bully   How about Ron DeSantis? The Florida governor is the new darling of the right-wing media, funders, and other establishment powers who’re pushing him to be your next president.   “Ron DeSantis is the new Republican Party,” gushed one arch-conservative media maven. That’s odd, since what characterizes Ron’s tenure (and is causing a collective swoon for him within the rightist hierarchy) is his Big Government authoritarianism.   Bill

The one thing Trump manufactured successfully… “Former Republicans”   Revisiting our interview with Author Rick WIlson on his book “Everything Trump Touches Dies: A Republican Strategist Gets Real About the Worst President Ever.”   Rick Wilson The presidency of Donald Trump has brought discord to a party known for its political discipline as critics within the GOP take aim at a President they feel is destroying their party. Among them is Rick Wilson.  Never one to mince words, his book is a scathing critique of Donald Trump. Jim Hightower   Beware: The GOP Has Chosen to Embrace The Crazy   Perhaps you remember Sen. Barry Goldwater, the GOP’s fringy, far-right-wing 1964 presidential nominee who famously said, “Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.” Today, however, the core of the Republicans Party has gone so far beyond the fringe that they would boo Goldwater’s right-wingism as insufficiently rabid. Instead, their new rallying cry is: “Nuttiness in the defense of extremism is no vice.” Bill Press SC

The legacy of Woody Guthrie   Ten years later, we revisit a show celebrating the Centennial of the birth of Woody Guthrie with interviews from Pete Seeger and former Senator Fred Harris. Pete Seeger Our first guest today was a truly great American, perhaps the leading progressive icon of our times. In honor of the centennial of the birth of Woody Guthrie, Pete had some fun telling stories on Woody, and revealing the history of the anthem “This Land is Your Land.”  http://www.peteseegermusic.com/  http://www.woodyguthrie.org/   Fred Harris Fred Harris was a populist when he was the U.S. senator from Oklahoma. He talked with us about the legacy of Woody Guthrie and the lessons we learned from the Dust Bowl Era of American history. Jim Hightower   An Angry Public Will Overcome Arrogant Officials   Donald Trump’s criminal attempt to steal the 2020 election failed, but it’s not the only recent coup attack on our democracy. In the last few years, a cabal of right-wing zealots have plotted to seize control of the US

Environmental initiatives are often smeared as being anti-labor, while unions are often painted as anti-clean energy. Neither is necessarily true—in fact, the fights for climate and economic justice are deeply intertwined. Wallace Mazon Activist Wallace Mazon says the fight for good jobs has to go hand in hand with the fight against climate change. Joseph B. Uehlein Joseph B. Uehlein works at the forefront of building union support for the effort to confront climate change.  He says the Green New Deal has the potential to rebuild the labor movement and unite the working class.   Jim Hightower   The Curse of Medical Debt   What’s the most damning thing about America’s healthcare system? The system.   While our doctors, nurses, and technicians are among the best in the world, the system itself is not even designed for care, but for the constant expansion of profits for insurance giants, drugmakers, hospital chains, system managers, financiers, and other voracious components of the medical industry. For starters