America's Democrats

Fifty years after the Watts riot, we talk about race and power, with anthropologist Richard Perry and community organizing expert Aaron Schutz. In addition, Bill Press interview Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.

Fifty years after the Watts riots, we talk today about race as a cultural, not a genetic, artifact and about the history of community organizing to achieve power. Anthropologist Richard Perry tells us there is an upsurge in discredited theories that genes determine how we act. And professor Aaron Schutz reminds us how both President Obama and Hillary Clinton were disciples of the father of community organizing, Saul Alinsky. And Bill Press interviews Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz about the Iran nuclear deal.

Anthropologist Richard Perry won’t even use the word “race” without quotation marks because it is not a biologically valid category. We are who we are, he says, because of what we have learned.

https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/content/killer-apes-naked-apes-and-just-plain-nasty-people

Professor Aaron Schutz explains the history of community organizing, from its founding father Saul Alinsky through Barack Obama, whom he suggests wanted people to be engaged but then got annoyed when they did.

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/university-press/book/9780826520425

Bill Press and his guest, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.

You, too, can be part of Scott Walker's inner circle

Climate change -- historian David Kennedy says it is is the biggest national security threat, and energy guru Michael Levi says it could be eased by judicious use of fracking.

Seventy years after the first and only military use of atomic bombs, historian David Kennedy says they proved not to be a useful weapon. And, he says, today’s biggest threat is not nuclear war but climate change! Climate change is on the mind of energy expert Michael Levi, who says that the benefits of President Obama’s new plan to restrict carbon emissions will exceed the costs. And Bill Press interviews North Carolina Congressman David Price on the Iran nuclear agreement.

Historian David Kennedy says the biggest threat to national security is not terrorism, cyberwarfare or nuclear weapons … but climate change.

http://west.stanford.edu/people/kennedy

Michael Levi, an expert on the effects of carbon emissions on climate change, says he doesn’t think the use of renewable energy will solve the whole problem.

http://www.cfr.org/experts/energy-geoeconomics/michael-a-levi/b11890

Bill Press and his guest, North Carolina Congressman David Price.

"Non-candidate" campaigns dominate 2016 presidential race.

Isaac Martin on rich peoples’ movements, Caroline Lee on “do-it-yourself democracy” and Bill Press with Congressman Jim Clyburn.

With Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders railing against privilege in America, sociologist Isaac Martin reviews how the rich have organized themselves into a powerful lobby. Another sociologist, Caroline Lee, explains the concept of “do-it-yourself democracy” and how it might help with relations between police and civilians. And Bill Press interviews Assistant House Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn.

Professor Isaac Martin has studied one particular economic trend in American history and tells us about that, and the topic of his book “The Rich People’s Movements.”

http://anthroweb.ucsd.edu/~iwmartin/

Sociologist Caroline Lee thinks that the idea of public engagement, or do-it-yourself democracy, can bring people together to transform basic relationships, such as between police and the community.

http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199987269.do

Coming up … Bill Press and his guest, Assistant House Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn.

Don't TPP on me.

Fred Rotondaro talks about urban policing … author Richard Heinberg says fracking may be doomed by economics alone. And Bill Press chats with Peter Kornbluh of “The Nation.”

Another police encounter with an African-American results in death, and regular commentator Fred Rotondaro examines “the nothingness” that leads to somebody dying. Author Richard Heinberg says fracking may become less of an issue because its cost to energy companies is more than the return. And Bill Press interviews Peter Kornbluh about relations with Cuba.

Fred Rotondaro looks at the outbreak of police-citizen violence and suggests that it is more about class than race.

http://www.catholicsinalliance.org/

Author Richard Heinberg says public acceptance of the global warming crisis is growing and that we are running out of time before an economic and ecological disaster.

www.postcarbon.org

Coming up … Bill Press and his guest, Peter Kornbluh of “The Nation”

Democratic senators say “Nuts to you.”

Stephen Miles says Republicans want war with Iran … voting analyst Daniel McGraw says Republicans are dying off faster than they are being replaced … and Bill Press talks with Congressman Dan Kildee of Michigan.

Defense policy expert Stephen Miles says that if the Iran nuclear deal is blocked by Congress, it will lead to war – and many Republicans want that to happen. Maybe Donald Trump’s anti-Hispanic rhetoric will make no difference, because voting analyst Daniel McGraw says the Latino vote won’t make a difference in any states other than Florida and possibly Colorado. And Bill Press interviews Congressman Dan Kildee, about Iran, Hillary Clinton and the TPP.

Stephen Miles, an anti-war advocate and defense policy expert, says if Congress kills the Iran nuclear deal, it will lead to war, and that’s what many Republicans want.

http://winwithoutwar.org/

Despite the nasty rhetoric from Donald Trump, the Hispanic vote won’t make much of a difference in 2016, says voter analyst Daniel McGraw. Why? Because the Hispanic vote simply is already a lock for Democrats in all but possibly Florida and Colorado.

Bill Press and his guest, Congressman Dan Kildee of Michigan.

You, too, can be part of Scott Walker's inner circle.

Ira Shapiro in favor of the Trans-Pacific Partnership … Richard Perry on racism as a social disease … and Bill Press with humorist Stephanie Miller.

With President Obama’s Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement still showing signs of life in Congress, a former Clinton Administration trade official says an agreement will let the United States, not China, set labor and environmental regulations. Anthropologist Richard Perry denounces the pseudo-science of biological determinism – the idea that genes determine the outcomes of your life. And Bill Press interviews fellow radio host, and humorist, Stephanie Miller.

Ira Shapiro was a trade official in the Clinton Administration, and he says the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a good deal for America and that failure would be great for China.

www.shapiroglobal.com

Anthropologist Richard Perry looks at the political motives of those who think that genes, and race, determine how humans behave. If you think people can’t change, he says, it’s a good argument for opposing change.

https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/content/killer-apes-naked-apes-and-just-plain-nasty-people

Bill Press and his guest, progressive radio host Stephanie Miller.

Chris Christie: A constantly-lying "truth teller".

David Madland says America was founded as a middle-class country. John Halpin says Hillary looks pretty solid … and Bill Press celebrates 10 years on the air with Senator Amy Klobuchar.

America celebrated its 239th birthday, and David Madland of the Center for American Progress reminds us that the United States was founded as a middle-class country. Bernie Sanders is pulling big crowds and wowing progressives, but political scientist John Halpin says that while progressivism IS the defining element of the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton still looks pretty solid. And Bill Press celebrates the 10th anniversary of his radio and TV show by interviewing Senator Amy Klobuchar.

Author David Madland has just written a book about “the hollowing out of the middle class.” Yet he reminds us that America was founded 239 years ago AS a middle-class country.

davidmadland.com

Political scientist John Halpin says that while Bernie Sanders is wowing the masses, and that while progressivism IS the defining element of the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton remains a pretty solid favorite to win the presidential nomination.

americanprogress.org

Bill Press and his 10th anniversary program guest Senator Amy Klobuchar.

What moved marriage equality from taboo to justice?

David Shipler on the state of the First Amendment, Lee Drutman on corporate influence peddling, and Bill Press interviews New York Congressman Paul Tonko on TPP.

On the anniversary of American independence, journalist and First Amendment expert David Shipler says there is a mixed picture of free speech. Legally, you can say anything you want, but there are sometimes invisible cultural limits. Political reform advocate Lee Drutman says the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision is not helping corporations run Congress as much as old-fashioned lobbying is. And Bill Press interviews New York Congressman Paul Tonko, an opponent of TPP.

Free speech expert David Shipler gives us an Independence Day review of free speech, a free press in the Internet era, and the merits of whistle-blowing by Edward Snowden.

http://www.randomhouse.com/book/215359/freedom-of-speech-by-david-k-shipler

Lee Drutman studies the role of influence-peddling in government and says that corporations spend 34 times as much as issue advocacy groups. And that, he concludes, is just not a fair fight.

www.newamerica.org/

Bill Press and his guest. TPP opponent Congressman Paul Tonko.

"The Donald Show"

Maryland attorney general Frosh on fracking … peace advocate Stephen Miles on U.S. policy toward Iran … and Bill Press interviews Congressman John Yarmuth.

Maryland’s new attorney general, Brian Frosh, talks about fracking, offshore drilling and gun control. Peace advocate Stephen Miles says if Republicans scuttle an agreement, the U.S. and Iran will be on a collision course to war. And Bill Press interviews Kentucky Congressman John Yarmuth

Maryland’s new Democratic attorney general, Brian Frosh, says he plans to be active on issues facing his and many states – fighting fracking, offshore drilling and guns.

http://www.oag.state.md.us/

Peace advocate and arms expert Stephen Miles says an agreement between the U.S. and Iran is the greatest opportunity to solve one of America’s biggest national security threats.

http://winwithoutwar.org/

Bill Press and his guest, Congressman John Yarmuth.

Jeb launches "Pickett's Charge" campaign

Barney Frank with a message for progressives … Fred Rotondaro on TPP and the 2016 campaign … and Bill Press with Sister Simone Campbell, of Nuns on the Bus.

Some tough words for progressives from former Congressman Barney Frank – don’t just march -- start doing the dirty work of getting Democrats elected. Regular commentator Fred Rotondaro says the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement is doomed. And Bill Press interviews Sister Simone Campbell about the Pope’s upcoming encyclical on climate change

Barney Frank says progressives have to do more dirty work, and less shouting, to get people voting, and voting Democratic.

Fred Rotondaro take a dim view of the Trans Pacific Partnership and has some predictions about the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations.

Bill Press and his guest, Sister Simone Campbell.

Stop Postal executives from destroying our Postal Service.