Claim OwnershipKeeping Democracy Alive
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Copyright © 2011 Gary Null. All rights reserved.
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Critics see Trump as an abomination, but he is also one of us.” So says Andrew Bacevich scholar and author of the forthcoming book “Twilight of the American Century.” He explains in this podcast that Trump is one of a nation of narcissists (selfies anyone?). Sixty plus million voted to repudiate the long standing policy consensus but got more of the same. Economic inequality, globalization for the benefit of the few, permanent wars: these are the real issues and the obsession with Trump is basically a shiny object serving to distract us from what needs to be done. All these problems predate Trump and our fixation with Trump impedes solutions. A surprising and thoughtful analysis from this widely respected history scholar.
Blood in the streets. Chaos at the convention. The establishment Democrats won and then they lost. From the vantage point of 50 years later, it may surprise some how less has changed and been learned than we might have thought. With thoughts from Yippie leader Abbie Hoffman as the convention was about to begin and relevant music with the spirit of 1968, what can we learn? Bobby Seale and Black Lives Matter. Insurgents taking on the establishment.Going along or challenging entrenched power. How to re-engage working people. Today’s politics and protest began that year. Listen in!
They used to be on top of the world. Remember the mighty OPEC countries?
With the fall of the price of oil, countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia,
and Venezuela are reeling. Professor Michael Klare looks at the
nightmares unfolding and how we’ll be affected. And on party two, Doctor
Andy Lazris talks about his new book Curing Medicare. As is so often the
case, bringing democracy to the process would be a needed shot in the
arm.
It might be all over for democracy when it comes to citizens’ right to know what they’re about to eat. Chemical companies are spending many millions to pass a bill to ensure GMOs can not be labeled. Not sure it can be stopped in the House, but maybe the Senate. And on the second half we look at the significance of Obama’s Iran deal and how it could have more profound historic impact than Nixon’s opening to China.
Standing up to economic bullies; that’s what the people of Greece voted to do. The creditor cartel, led by Germany, was determined to keep the screws tight, allowing for no restructuring of their unaffordable debt. But though the rejection of imposed-from-above austerity ventures into uncharted territory, the people, by a wide margin, voted to restore democracy in economic decision making. Just Foreign Policy’s Robert Naiman explains how this may relate to restoration of democracy in the US, and what this all may mean as an issue on the 2016 presidential election.
There are big jets and big media, but there’s also a one person gyrocopter and local media. Former postal worker Doug Hughes on April 15 flew his ultralight on to Capitol grounds with the goal of drawing attention to the revolving door of money and politics. Did it work? He’s about to go on trial on felony charges, see what he’s got planned next! It just might work.
Bernie Sanders campaign is on fire at the moment. But it’s been said that when Americans hear the word Socialism, they stop thinking. Yet a clear majority actually agree with socialist positions on issues. Have we come far enough away from the fear used in the 1950s to actually elect a Democratic Socialist? History professor Lawrence Wittner analyzes where socialism has been in America and how it may impact who wins in 2016.
Though Iraq is less than 100 years old, it’s just about finished. Twenty Four year State Department veteran Peter Van Buren talks about what he sees as the last throes of what was never a real nation, with optimism for the future. And on part two, in addition to the push for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, there’s a movement to push Obama to issue an executive order to require disclosure of political spending by government contractors. It may yet happen.
WHAT YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT UKRAINE
Did you know the US has some 300 troops on the ground there? That makes Moscow very nervous. Did you know about waves of political assassinations by the government we support? And that the European Union is not happy with our policy there either? Veteran international reporter Patrick L. Smith reveals what is behind the official, and of course misleading, narrative.
In the face of many wars, the big powers are trying to steer small nations to create their own version of peace. That was the Congress of Vienna 200 years ago and there’s a lot of deja vu, and still a great deal to learn. The Austrian aristocrats threw an incredibly lavish, nearly year long party and peace deals were worked out. Many similar dynamics are at work today, including Ukraine and ISIS. Historian Mark Jarrett fills us in.
Generally it seems that people’s eyes glaze over when the subject is the federal budget. This years it’s different. The Republicans are now in control of both the House and the Senate. Their PR machine is calling it "A balanced budget for a stronger America" but the truth is, as discussed herein, it has the potential to hurt a lot of Americans and our economy in general. But we are hardly powerless, as they want us to believe. OurFuture.org's Isaiah J. Poole provides useful clarification for us all.
At the depths of the first world war in 1915, about 1200 women from around the world met at The Hague to try to bring an end to that blood drenched disaster. As they celebrate their centennial, there's much to learn from the past that remains in today's news, many crucial topics needing attention. Guest on this Keeping Democracy Alive is Robin Lloyd who created a play about her grandmother in 1915 and who remains active on WILPF. Can the inclusion of women in peace negotiations make a unique and crucial difference? Listen in.
It used to be that when the word "Extremist" came up, the John Birch Society was the first thing you'd think of. Claire Conner was raised by two national leaders of the Birch Society. Her new book is "Wrapped in the Flag," and she is a dedicated fighter for her country, trying desperately to make Americans realize that the John Birch Society is alive and well, and as she puts it, extremely dangerous. More so now than ever because today it's called the Republican Party.
It's very difficult and painful to let go of a dream. For many decades, American Jews have based their identity as Jews on the State of Israel. On this show, Alice Rothchild bravely explores the difficulties Jewish Americans are having with the stark realities of so much injustice and racism in the State of Israel. And rabbis are in the difficult position of either standing by Israel and protecting one's job, or speaking out for traditional Jewish ethics and justice. But knowledge is powerful and can set you free, as challenging as it often is to face reality.
it was an earthquake in Greece. On January 25th, fed up Greek citizens took a leap into the unknown electing the radical-left Syriza to power to take on the anti-democratic forces of centralized capital. The European financial powers have threatened non-specific "consequences" if Greece fails to fully repay it's staggering debts. The upheaval in Greece may be a contagion spreading to other debtor nations, of course. Here to explain it is Mark Weisbrot of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. And along similar lines, in the second part, we discuss what must be done to protect what's left of democracy here in the USA. Victor Tiffany, of the Syracuse Examiner, maps out a strategy for defeating the profoundly anti-democratic TrasnPacific Partnership, often called "NAFTA on steroids." It would grant tremendous new power to supra-national corporations and make America'as founders spin in their graves. Citizen action is needed to stop it.
If you want to be inspired, give this a good listen. The people of Spain, now in desperate economic straits thanks to northern European-imposed austerity, are organizing themselves to really take on the powers-that-be and create genuine self-government. It's called Podemos, meaning "We Can" and it's brand new. Guest Sebastiaan Faber, Professor of Hispanic Studies at Oberlin College fills us in on the exciting new politics, neither traditional left nor right, but something new and democratic.
In her new book of essays, author Janet Cheatham Bell shares her unique insights into lessons learned from growing up black in America. Henry Louis Gates Jr. called her a "pioneer." She talks about how much progress has, or hasn't, been made in race relations, given the events of 2014. Her subjects range from spirituality and family history, to "too big to fail," and to mass transit. A very informative and entertaining discussion, with lessons to be learned.
Preserving democracy is even more important than ice cream. On this show, Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben and Jerry's, talks about his new effort to literally stamp money out of politics. As he describes, the Stamp Stampede is a campaign to stamp messages on America's currency in support of overturning the Citizens United court decision which enables money to own politics and what used to be our government. Author Elias Isquith wrote "future scholars may view Ben Cohen's work in politics as more important to American history than his co-creation of the company that brought us Cherry Garcia." Is stamping money silly, is it legal, can it really make a difference? Listen in!
Potential presidential candidate VT Senator Bernie Sanders talks about his just released 12 point Economic Agenda for America. He believes Americans are at last hungry for real solutions to our challenges. People need work, and there is a lot of work to do fixing our badly worn infrastructure. And he is determined that America remain a republic and not a plutocracy. This guy is the real thing. And on part two, law professor Marjorie Cohn, former president of the National Lawyers Guild, dissects the legal improprieties of the recent Ferguson grand jury ruling letting officer Darrren Wilson off the hook for the killing of Michael Brown. It is not over, she says justice is not done, not yet.
With multiple opportunities to learn and make a course correction, it seems national Democrats remain committed to a course which has proven to be political suicide. On this show, Michael Brenner, senior fellow at the Center for Transatlantic relations and professor of International Affairs talks about how President Obama and so many others seem determined to drink the Kool-Aid of Republican-Lite, me-too "centrism."
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