America's Democrats

This week, former FCC Commissioner Michael Copps on how losing net neutrality will be a loss for democracy. Nan Aron, founder and President of the Alliance for Justice on what she calls the “Corporate Court” under Chief Justice John Roberts. And Bill Press with Ben & Jerry’s Ben Cohen on who will benefit  the most from  the GOP tax plan.

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Had enough of Fox News, the House Freedom Caucus, and Donald Trump? If you want the facts that you won’t get from them or from the fake news sites of the alt-right … then stay tuned!
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Michael J. Copps served as  an FCC commissioner from 2001 to 2011 where he was a tireless advocate for the “public interest” in our nation’s media … and for fighting to stem the tide of excessive consolidation in the telecommunications industries.  He continues that work as head of the Media and Democracy Reform Initiative at Common Cause where he has been sounding the alarm about a pending FCC decision that could be the end of “net neutrality”.

Nan Aron is the founder and President of the Alliance for Justice.  She is a leading progressive voice on matters related to our nation’s judiciary.  

Bill Press talks with  Ben & Jerry’s Ben Cohen about the GOP tax plan and what it means for Americans across the income spectrum, plus the launch of a new “Poor People’s Campaign”.

The virtues of the egalitarian internet

This week, Georgetown law professor Peter Edelman on his new book about  the criminalization of poverty in America. Author and Harvard political scientist Danielle Allen tells a tragic story of how the “war on drugs”   is failing our nation’s young people. And Bill Press interviews journalist Emma Roller about a radical idea to reform America’s prisons.

Are you tired of Tea Party Republicans and Rush Limbaugh dominating the airwaves? Do you want the facts you won't get on Fox -- or even on CNN? Then stay tuned.

Peter Edelman is a law professor at Georgetown University Law Center. He served as an assistant secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services in the Clinton administration. In 1996 he resigned because he opposed a welfare reform bill signed by President Clinton.  His latest book is  “Not a Crime to be Poor: The Criminalization of Poverty in America”.

Danielle Allen is  the director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University.   She was  awarded a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” in 2001.

In her most recent book, “Cuz: The Life and Times of Michael A.,” she tells the story of her cousin, a young man who was tried as an adult at age 15 for attempted carjacking.  After 13 years in prison, he was released and died violently at the age of 29. It is a story she says, about a failed “war on drugs” that has given up on our nation’s youth.

Bill Press interviews journalist about Emma Roller about the “prison abolition movement”  that seeks a more humane response to incarceration.

Donald Trump's strange bromance with Rodrigo Duterte

This week, Dan Mauer of the Communications Workers of America outlines a progressive agenda for renegotiating NAFTA. Kenneth Andrews of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on the disruptive power of protest in the era of Donald Trump And Bill Press interviews Michigan Congressman Dan Kildee  on what he calls the Republicans “terrible tax bill.”

Are you tired of Tea Party Republicans and Rush Limbaugh dominating the airwaves? Do you want the facts you won't get on Fox -- or even on CNN? Then stay tuned.

Communications Workers of America’s Dan Mauer says trade policy under NAFTA benefits multinational corporations at the expense of American workers and calls for a new framework that puts workers’ rights first.

Protest historian Kenneth Andrews says it takes enormous work to turn “movement power” into “political power” and that progressive organizers could learn something from the Tea Party.

Bill Press interviews Congressman Dan Kildee about the Republican tax bill and trading out America’s social contract for the corporate bottom line.

Avoid Amazon's "Cyber Monday," and buy local

This week we have two Democrats, one a centrist, one more progressive, on the lessons of the smashing victory in the Virginia gubernatorial race. Jim Kessler of Third Way says Democrats found a candidate who fit his state, not some litmus test. Steve Phillips of Democracy in Color says winner Ralph Northam got no more white working class voters than did Hillary Clinton and that the winning difference was black turnout. And Bill Press interviews Vermont Congressman Peter Welch on what the Republicans are up to on taxes.

Are you tired of Tea Party Republicans and Rush Limbaugh dominating the airwaves? Do you want the facts you won't get on Fox -- or even on CNN? Then stay tuned.

Political think tank executive Jim Kessler says Democrats need to tread a broader path and that Virginia was an example of finding candidates who fit their state, rather than an ideology.

Progressive activist Steve Phillips says with just a little more spending on voter turnout, especially among African Americans, Democrats have a chance to take back the Senate by winning states like Texas, Nevada, and Arizona.

Bill Press interviews Congressman Peter Welch about the looming fight over tax cuts for the rich.

Why would you let Jeff Bezos inside your home?

A year ago, the progressive world was turned upside down. Today we hear from two critics about why Democrats never saw it coming. Professor Mark Lilla says liberals need to take a “big humility pill.” Longtime progressive editor Charlie Peters, in an encore presentation, says Democrats don’t have to change positions – they have to explain them better to blue-collar America. And Bill Press interviews Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal about the Republicans new tax plan.

Are you tired of Tea Party Republicans and Rush Limbaugh dominating the airwaves? Do you want the facts you won't get on Fox -- or even on CNN? Then stay tuned.

Professor and essayist Mark Lilla says that when the economy is doing well, class politics doesn’t work, and neither does identity politics.

Charlie Peters, founder of the influential Washington Monthly, blames progressives for not understanding the views of “the other side.” An encore presentation from earlier this year.

Coming up, Bill Press interviews Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal of Washington State about tax cuts for the rich.

Why would you let Jeff Bezos inside your home?

Journalist and civil liberties watchdog Emily Bazelon says Trump’s war against the press is designed to undermine America’s faith in independent media. As I.R.A’s may come under attack in a new Republican tax bill, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend advocates for a pension system that will replace the retirement accounts and get seniors better returns on their investments. And Bill Press interviews Congressman Don Beyer of Virginia.

Are you tired of Tea Party Republicans and Rush Limbaugh dominating the airwaves? Do you want the facts you won't get on Fox -- or even on CNN? Then stay tuned.

Journalist Emily Bazelon talks with us about various aspects of free speech and the Trump administration.

Instead of relying on IRA’s, which can fluctuate with the market, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend is looking at a system under which a nationwide pool of savings could reap much greater rewards than current Wall Street investments yield. An encore presentation from one year ago, and still relevant.

Coming up, Bill Press Virginia Congressman Don Beyer.

Trump's War

Long-time CIA watcher John Prados answers the question of why so much information is classified, when everyone knows it already. Richard Clarke was the Bush administration official who foresaw 9-11 but was not heeded. We have an encore presentation about his new book about the Cassandra Syndrome. And Joe Cirincione of the Ploughshares Fund, talks with Bill Press about Trump’s potential to start new wars.

Are you tired of Tea Party Republicans and Rush Limbaugh dominating the airwaves? Do you want the facts you won't get on Fox -- or even on CNN? Then stay tuned.

Intelligence watcher John Prados says the CIA is in danger of failing the country unless it becomes accountable for its product.

9-11 was just one instance of leaders ignoring solid evidence of impending disaster. Richard Clarke, who foresaw the tragedy, joins us in an encore segment to talk about this “Cassandra Syndrome.”

Bill Press interviews Joe Cirincione of the Ploughshares Fund on Trump’s foreign policy.

Does Trump even know where Niger is?

Columbia University Professor Mark Lilla has opened a wound among Democrats, arguing that the party must stop emphasizing identity politics. Religion professor Damon Berry delves into the origin of the white nationalist movement. And Congressman Ro Khanna tells Bill Press that Senator Dianne Feinstein needs a primary challenge.

Are you tired of Tea Party Republicans and Rush Limbaugh dominating the airwaves? Do you want the facts you won't get on Fox -- or even on CNN? Then stay tuned.

Political scientist Mark Lilla urges Democrats to stop obsessing over Donald Trump and start working to change local and state governments, where most of the issues are decided.

Religion professor Damon Berry says real Christians want nothing to do with the white nationalist movement, which he says is growing.

Bill Press interviews California Congressman Ro Khanna, who says some Democrat should challenge Senator Dianne Feinstein in a primary.

Are you ready for corporate America's robot economy?

The Supreme Court takes up the outrageous gerrymandering of the Wisconsin legislature. Professor Emily Bazelon explains the issue for us. Political strategist Jim Zogby says Democrats must recapture the votes of the age-old coalition that used to vote for them. And Jason Dick of Roll Call discusses the prospects for gun safety legislation.

Are you tired of Tea Party Republicans and Rush Limbaugh dominating the airwaves? Do you want the facts you won't get on Fox -- or even on CNN? Then stay tuned.

Legal analyst Emily Bazelon says Republican gerrymandering is so bad it would require a Democratic voting margin of 7 percent nationwide to break even in House races.

Nuts and bolts organizing is the key for progressives to turn the country around, says campaign operative Jim Zogby.

Bill Press interviews Roll Call’s Jason Dick about the Las Vegas shootings.

When will Wall Street quit being stupid?

How are the nation’s intelligence professionals going to react to Trump’s condemnation of them? CIA expert John Prados says the agency is headed for trouble. Seattle has raised the minimum wage to 15 dollars an hour, and labor economist Sylvia Allegretto says it is working. And Salon editor David Daley discusses gerrymandering with Bill Press.

Are you tired of Tea Party Republicans and Rush Limbaugh dominating the airwaves? Do you want the facts you won't get on Fox -- or even on CNN? Then stay tuned.

National security author John Prados says the CIA is discrediting itself by failing to be accountable for its actions.

Sylvia Allegretto, a labor economist, studied the effect of raising the minimum wage in Seattle and says it is working there, without causing job losses.

Bill Press interviews David Daley of Salon.

Should churches become Unholy Temples of Dark Money?