America's Democrats

Barnes says Obama’s moves will hasten democracy in Cuba … human rights expert Eric Posner names free speech as the number one right … and Bill Press talks with LBJ archivist Kent Germany.

With President Obama easing travel and other restrictions against Cuba, former Congressman Mike Barnes, an expert on Latin America, says his actions will speed the island’s move toward democracy. In the wake of the Charlie Hebdo massacre, human rights expert Eric Posner explains the importance of freedom of expression. And Bill Press talks about LBJ and MLK with historian Kent Germany.

Latin America expert Mike Barnes says the opening to Cuba will be on history’s list of President Obama’s Top 10 hits.

http://www.ciponline.org/about-us/experts-staff/michael_barnes

Much is being debated about freedom of expression. Human rights expert Eric Posner says it is the most important right because it underpins all other rights.

http://ericposner.com/

Bill Press and his guest, LBJ archivist Kent Germany.

Inaugural galas for governors become influences-buying bazaars.

Fred Rotonadaro on the Cuomo legacy … historian David Chapell on the MLK-LBJ legacy … and Bill press interviews Poltico’s Burgess Everett on the new Congress.

Regular commentator Fred Rotondaro says Mario Cuomo was a legend, and you might be surprised at who he thinks is a worthy successor to him as “a no apologies progressive.” With controversy bubbling about the portrayal of LBJ in the movie, “Selma,” civil rights historian David Chapell offers a nuanced view of both the president and Martin Luther King. And Bill Press talks 2016 politics with Burgess Everett of Politico.

Regular commentator Fred Rotondaro memorialized Mario Cuomo, as a giant, a legend. And says the closest person we have to him … a no apologies progressive  -- is Elizabeth Warren.

www.americanprogress.org

What was the relationship between Lyndon Johnson and Martin Luther King? Historian David Chappell said there was friction, that both alienated a lot of people, but that they did work together to get the landmark Voting Rights Act passed.

http://history.ou.edu/david-chappell

Bill Press and his guest, Politico’s Burgess Everett.

A corporate power grab is underway, so where's the media?

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake on Democratic strategy … Gary Donaldson on LBJ and Ike … and Nancy Altman on the future of Social Security.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the secretary of the Democratic National Committee, says the party needs to talk to voters about issues they care about. Professor Gary Donaldson recalls an era when the two titans of their parties – Lyndon Johnson and President Eisenhower – worked together for the good of the country. And one of the country’s top experts on Social Security says the program can and should be expanded.

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is the mayor of Baltimore and an up-and-coming force in the Democratic Party. She says the party’s dismal showing in 2014 resulted from not talking about issues Democrats are strong on.

http://mayor.baltimorecity.gov/

There was once a time when Republicans and Democrats could compromise and get legislation passed for the good of the country. Historian Gary Donaldson recalls how President Eisenhower and Senate Democratic Leader Lyndon Johnson needed each other to accomplish their partisan aims.

http://www.skyhorsepublishing.com/book/?GCOI=60239101661790

Nancy Altman, a leading expert on Social Security, says expanding benefits is affordable and is, ultimately, a political, not an economic, issue.

www.socialsecurityworks.org

The corporate hustle of college bowl games.

Food exert Courtney Thomas on GMOs … academic freedom expert Cary Nelson on the BDS movement … and Bill Press with Politico’s Steven Shepard.

A food safety expert talks about peanut butter, GMOs and the connection between chocolate and genocide. A prominent professor denounces the movement to boycott, divest and sanction Israeli universities. And Bill Press talks 2016 politics with Steven Shepard of Politico.

Our food safety system is 100 years old and broken, says Professor Courtney Thomas. And, she says, it’s crazy because selling salmonella-infected peanut butter is not against the law.

http://www.courtneyipthomas.com/

The move by certain academics to boycott Israeli universities is really about opposing Israel as a Jewish state, says prominent professor Cary Nelson.

http://wsupress.wayne.edu/books/detail/case-against-academic-boycotts-israel

Bill Press and his guest, Politico’s Steven Shepard.

Pity the poor stressed-out rich.

Posner on human rights … Lake on the midterm elections… and Bill Press with former Congressman Dennis Kucinich.

A human rights expert talks about torture. A political analyst says Republicans now have to show they can govern. And Bill Press talks with former Congressman Dennis Kucinich.

Professor Eric Posner has written a book basically saying that human rights interventions usually don’t work. And he explains when torture and other extreme measures work, and when they don’t.

http://ericposner.com/

Political strategist Celinda Lake says 2014 was a wave election, and now it is the Republicans who have to prove they can govern.

www.lakeresearch.com

Bill Press and his guest, former Congressman Dennis Kucinich.

Wall Street And Congress perform legislative acrobatics.

Joel Kotkin on the issue of class in America … Chad Broughton  on the loss of middle class jobs … and Bill Press with political strategist Brad Woodhouse.

What has happened to the middle class? Author Joel Kotkin says the issue of class itself eats at the fabric of America. Sociologist Chad Broughton offers a case study of how NAFTA helped destroy middle class jobs in manufacturing. And Bill Press talks with progressive strategist Brad Woodhouse about 2016.

Joel Kotkin is an internationally recognized authority on global, economic, political and social trends. He says the issue of class – and the widening income gap – is destroying the American economy.

http://www.joelkotkin.com/

How did America lose one-third of its manufacturing jobs in just 10 years? Sociologist Chad Broughton uses the move of a huge Maytag plant to Mexico as an example of NAFTA helping to wreck the lower middle class.

https://global.oup.com/academic/product/boom-bust-exodus-9780199765614?cc=us&lang=en&

Bill Press and his guest, political strategist Brad Woodhouse.

Why won't the CIA even say the word "torture"?

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake on police-community relations… Fred Rotondaro on Democrats needing a new brand … and Bill Press with Congressman Charlie Rangel.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake talks about bridging the gap between police and minority communities. Commentator Fred Rotondaro says Democrats need to create a brand … one that contrasts with the Republicans. And Bill Press talks with Congressman Charlie Rangel and the Washington Post’s  Clinton Yates about the Eric Garner case.

With much of the country in an uproar over police brutality, Baltimore’s Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake says law enforcement must be sensitive to the demographics of its community.

http://mayor.baltimorecity.gov/

Fred Rotondaro, one of our regular commentators, has some harsh words for Democrats who ran away from President Obama and says the party needs to establish a new brand.

http://www.americanprogress.org

Bill Press and his guest, veteran congressman and civil right advocate Charlie Rangel of New York.

The Benghazi investigation – a zombie that won't die.

Altman says Social Security should be expanded, Skillen reflects on faith and politics, and Forbath talks about the liberal foundations of Constitutional originalism.

Social Security expert Nancy Altman argues that the program is not only solvent but ought to be expanded. In this holiday season, religious philosopher James Skillen reflects on the connection between faith and politics in America. And law professor William Forbath says the Constitution is not only a legal charter but a political AND economic document, as well.

Nancy Altman is an expert on Social Security, and she argues in a new book that not only is the system solvent, it can and should be expanded.

www.socialsecurityworks.org

Not many people these days have a high opinion of politics, but religious philosopher James Skillen says there is a strong link in American history between faith and the higher principles of governing.

http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/the-good-of-politics/342640

When we think of constitutional “originalism,” we tend to think of the Scalia wing of the Supreme Court. But law professor William Forbath tells us that the first originalists were liberals.

http://www.utexas.edu/law/faculty/wef58/

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

Thanksgiving – a time for eating and drinking. But professor Courtney Thomas says our food is not safe enough and professor Karen Piper says we are facing a water shortage. And Bill Press interviews Senator Patrick Leahy.

‘Tis the season to eat, drink, and be merry. But what is in our food? Who controls our water? This week, professor Courtney Thomas says our food safety system is woefully antiquated. Professor Karen Piper warns that the world is on the brink of water wars – and that can affect our food supply. And Bill Press talks with Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy about Republican obstruction on protecting Americans’ privacy.

As we sit down to holiday meals, professor Courtney Thomas tells us about the corporate power and governmental inefficiency that has rendered our food safety programs a century behind the times.

Website: http://www.courtneyipthomas.com/

Three quarters of the earth’s surface is water, but why are there shortages in the U.S. and around the world? Professor Karen Piper tells us – and describes  looming water wars and “the price of thirst.”

Website: https://english.missouri.edu/graduate-and-doctoral-faculty/131-karen-piper.html

Bill Press and his guest, Senator Patrick Leahy on the Senate’s refusal to take up a bipartisan bill to protect against government snooping.

Wall Street speculators are walling off young farmers

Kotkin on the liberal elites that run America but lose elections, Wedel on the unseen institutional elites that run America. And Bill Press talks with climate expert Joe Romm.

Who runs America? This week’s guests – author Joel Kotkin and Professor Janine Wedel --  say it is an elite that is sometimes progressive and sometimes corporate, but in either case unaccountable to the public. And Bill Press talks with Joe Romm, a climate expert about the U.S.-China agreement to cut carbon emissions.

Author Joel Kotkin describes the growing power of a Democratic Party elite composed of bureaucrats, professors and media whose ideology thrills people in Manhattan and Malibu but is out of touch with the rest of America.

http://www.joelkotkin.com/

All those talking heads on TV? Who are they? Anthropologist Janine Wedel tells us. They are elitists in politics, the military, academia and nonprofits who have hidden agendas and are unaccountable to the public.

http://ineteconomics.org/people/janine-wedel

Bill Press and his guest, climate expert Joe Romm of the Center for American Progress.

Wall Street sodbusters reap farm profits.