America's Democrats

This week we hear from a couple of prominent professors who have the guts to say what few people want to admit. Princeton historian Sean Wilentz says partisanship is actually good for democracy, and Harvard law professor Joseph William Singer speaks up in defense of government regulation, AND how conservatives benefit from it. And Congresswoman Nita Lowey of  New York tells Bill Press about efforts to fight the Zika virus, despite Republican penny-pinching.

A lot of political observers are decrying all the partisanship in Washington. But historian Sean Wilentz reminds us that it is political parties that historically have BEEN the force that has done the MOST to convert public anger into new laws and institutions.

Harvard professor William Joseph Singer explains just how important government regulation is to the free market system. And he says progressives are all in favor of private property – “we just want people to have some.”

Website: http://www.amazon.com/No-Freedom-without-Regulation-Subprime/dp/0300211678

New York Congresswoman Nita Lowey tells Bill Press about the congressional effort to fight the Zika virus.

Who says crime doesn't pay?

Prominent author Thomas Frank, who wrote, “What’s the Matter With Kansas,” turns his fire on class-conscious Democrats – the upper class. D.C. journalist Chuck McCutcheon has co-authored a dictionary of political doubletalk. Or, as he puts it, everything is “just all politics.” Wall Street investor Morris Pearl argues against the interest of his former colleagues in calling for repeal of the “carried interest” deduction.

Thomas Frank, who a lot of people listen to, has a new book called “Listen, LIBERAL,” and he is not kind about the affluent Democrats who look down upon the party’s working class roots.

Website: http://www.tcfrank.com/

What does it mean when a candidate says, “let’s put politics aside?” Journalist and author Chuck McCutcheon explains it means, “shut up and do what I want.”

Website: www.dogwhistlebook.com

Next, former Wall Street investor Morris Pearl speaks up on behalf of taxing the rich, like himself, and doing away with the tax break for hedge fund managers.

How Uber goobered and Lyft slipped down.

Now that it looks like a Clinton-Trump presidential campaign, journalist Jonathan Allen, who wrote a book about Hillary, says the contest could be about who is more unlikeable. Political prognosticator Alan Abramowitz says an election without an incumbent is hard to predict but he thinks a Clinton victory is the more likely. And Bill Press interviews Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokeswoman Sadie Weiner.

Jonathan Allen

Jonathan Allen wrote a book about Hillary Clinton’s tenure at the State Department, and although her service may be a big campaign issue, he says the real contest will be about which candidate can paint the other one as more unlikeable.

Website: www.sidewire.com

Alan Abramowitz

Professor Alan Abramowitz has a good record of predicting presidential elections, and he says Hillary Clinton is the most likely winner, but he also says don’t expect a landslide.

Website: http://news.emory.edu/tags/expert/alan_abramowitz/

Sadie Weiner

Bill Press interviews Sadie Weiner of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Jim Hightower

How Donnie Trump saved America.

On May Day, union lawyer Tom

Labor lawyer Tom Geoghegan says

Website:

Middle East expert and former

Bill Press interviews USA

Guess who is the biggest player

Union executive David Rolf celebrates “The Fight for Fifteen” … law professor Nancy Maveety talks about partisanship in the history of Supreme Court nominations. And Bill Press interviews Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley.

Hillary Clinton has come out for a fifteen-dollar minimum wage, and the story behind the “Fight For Fifteen” is told by West Coast union executive David Rolf. President Obama continues to stand firm on his Supreme Court nominee, and professor Nancy Maveety, an expert on the process, says partisanship SHOULD be taken into account up to a point. And Bill Press talks with Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley.

A prominent union leader, David Rolf, has written a book on the history of “The Fight For Fifteen” – raising the minimum wage to at least that level. He says there is little hope that Congress will do it, but that states and localities are acting.

Website: http://seiu775.org/leadership/david-rolf/

Nancy Maveety, a law professor at Tulane, says, historically, the Supreme Court has not always been pro-business and reminds us that Citizens United was, in fact, only a 5-4 decision.

Website: http://www.transactionpub.com/title/Picking-Judges-978-1-4128-6330-8.html

Bill Press interviews Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley.

Who says crime doesn't pay?

This week, we talk about elections – turnout, dirty tricks, and voting from home. Journalist Andrew Gumbel, of The Guardian, says there is a solemnity in going to your local polling place, but former Oregon Secretary of State Phil Keisling says having to do so is the biggest form of voter suppression. And Bill Press talks with Oregon Congressman Earl Bluemenauer on a wide range of issues, from pot legalization to raising the gasoline tax.

Journalist Andrew Gumbel has written a book about the history of dirty elections in America. He says low turnout is caused by the two-party system, but he is skeptical of proposals to let people vote from home.

Website: www.andrewgumbel.com

Phil Keisling is one of the leading advocates for voting from home, and he says the requirement to show up at an individual polling place is the single most effective voter suppression device.

Website: https://www.pdx.edu/cps/phil-keisling

Bill Press covers a wide range of topics – from pot to gas taxes -- with Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer

Guess where the King of Coal is headed?

Professor Alan Abramowitz predicts the presidential election … Todd Gitlin compares Donald Trump to George Wallace … and Bill Press interviews Amanda Terkel about DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Political scientist Alan Abramowitz, who has developed a model that has successfully predicted past presidential elections, says the numbers look good for the Democrats. Social and political historian Todd Gitlin compares the Trump campaign to the George Wallace campaigns of the 1960s. And Bill Press talks with the Huffington Post’s Amanda Terkel about the job Debbie Wasserman Schultz is doing as chair of the DNC.

Political science professor Alan Abramowitz says President Obama’s legacy is at stake in this election, but he does have a statistical model showing that, as of now, Hillary Clinton is the most likely to become the 45th president.

http://news.emory.edu/tags/expert/alan_abramowitz/

Professor Todd Gitlin was an activist in the 1960s, and he sees parallels between George Wallace and Donald Trump, whom he characterizes as “a demagogue in search of a story.”

http://www.journalism.columbia.edu/profile/38-todd-gitlin/10

Is Debbie Wasserman Schultz in trouble at the DNC? Journalist Amanda Terkel answers that question in an interview with Bill Press.

What happened to America's train system?

Author Steven Hill explains how the new economy is reshaping what we think of as work. Former ambassador AND Republican Mike Ussery has some thoughts about Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and foreign policy. And Bill Press talks with University of Virginia political expert Kyle Kondik, who says the electoral vote map is, as of now, a lock for the Democrats

Economic analyst Steven Hill documents how the growing economy is putting more money in fewer pockets and how workers are having a difficult time. He has some suggestions for a safety net for everyone.

http://www.americanacademy.de/home/person/steven-hill

Republican foreign policy expert Mike Ussery sees his party possibly splitting up after the election, and he says it maybe both necessary AND refreshing.

Coming up, electoral college expert Kyle Kondik tells Bill Press that recent events have made the presidential contest, at this moment at least, noncompetitive.

What is fueling "Hurricane Donnie" Trump

The head of the Latino Victory Fund says the road to the White House will go through the Latino community. Pediatrician Nina Agrawal exposes the Republican Congress’s refusal to fund research on one major epidemic affecting children – gun violence. And Bill Press talks with New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries about the terrorist attacks in Brussels.

Cristóbal Alex is the President of the Latino Victory Project and the Latino Victory Foundation, an effort to build Latino political power. He says the Hispanic presidential candidates, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, threw their people under the bus.

http://latinovictory.us/

Pediatrician Dr. Nina Agrawal says public health research focused on gun violence could save lives – especially children’s lives – but Congress won’t allow it.

http://www.drsforamerica.org/

Congressman Hakeem Jeffries talks with Bill Press about the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Brussels.

Who should pay Mitch McConnell's salary?

Jere Glover has been studying national economic data for years, and, once again, the latest figures show that the economy thrives under Democrats and flops under Republicans. Robert Paarlberg is an expert on food, and he has some ideas about how to combat obesity by improving public policy. Progressive author Thomas Frank talks with Bill Press about his new book on liberal setbacks under President Obama.

If you only listened to Republicans, you would have no idea that for the last 60 years or so, almost every measure of the economy does much better when a Democrat is president. Jere Glover runs down the evidence for us.

How do we get a handle on obesity … and poverty? Harvard professor Robert Paarlberg says sound public policy can help … including exempting sugary products from food stamp eligibility.

Thomas Frank talks with Bill Press. They both have books out about disappointments for progressives under a Democratic president.

Will GOP lawmakers say "yes" to any Obama proposal?