America's Democrats

Income inequality: It destabilizes the economy, says James K. Galbraith, and it affects election outcomes, says political scientist Jan Leighley. And Bill Press interviews  South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn

It’s income tax time, and the inequality of income in America has never been a bigger issue. Economist James K. Galbraith says it is a sign of economic instability. Economic inequality also manifests itself at the ballot box, where the rich vote more than the poor -- and vote their self-interest, says political scientist Jan Leighley. And Bill Press interviews Rep. Jim Clyburn about the 50th anniv of the civil rights act of 1964

James K. Galbraith is one of America’s foremost progressive economists. He tells us that rising income inequality is a sign of the country’s overall economic instability.

http://utip.gov.utexas.edu/JG/

Political scientist Jan Leighley has studied the effect of income on voter turnout. And, not surprisingly, poor people are less likely to vote – partly because they don’t see any point to it, since the rich vote more frequently in their own economic interest than do the poor.

http://www.american.edu/spa/faculty/leighley.cfm

Bill Press and his guest  South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn.

http://clyburn.house.gov/

Fast food chains stealing from low-wage workers

Activist Madison Paige says fighting big money in politics requires micropolitics.  Former Ambassador Michael Ussery says things could get nasty in relations between the U.S. and Russia. And Bill Press talks with Bernie Sanders.

Now that the Supreme Court has opened the political money floodgates, progressive activist Madison Paige says we can fight it by organizing at the extremely local level. Things could get nasty between the United States and Russia, according to former Ambassador Michael Ussery. And Bill Press interviews Senator Bernie Sanders and Mark Pocan about the Supreme Court and unemployment insurance.

Madison Paige is an advocate of what she calls micropolitics – winning progressive battles at the state, local and neighborhood levels. And that, she says, may be how to fight big money.

http://boldbluemedia.com/

Former Ambassador Michael Ussery says the United States has a strong interest in what happens in Russia and that relations could get nasty and dangerous.

http://www.mongoliafund.com/Who_We_Are.html

Bill Press and his guests, Senator Bernie Sanders and Congressman Mark Pocan.

https://www.sanders.senate.gov/

Freaky Stories from April Fool's Day.

Ed Kilgore on the Ryan budget … Phil Longman on the challenges facing Obamacare … and Stephen Griffin on the role of Congress in deciding when to go to war.

The Paul Ryan budget – the one that believes black men don’t have the culture to work – comes under attack from Democratic strategist Ed Kilgore. With Obamacare once again under fire at the Supreme Court and another sign-up deadline passing, health care analyst Phillip Longman talks about the policy challenges facing the Affordable Care Act. And law professor Stephen Griffin asks … and answers … how Congress can take a bigger role in decisions to go to war.

While Paul Ryan rants about lazy black men, Democratic analyst Ed Kilgore says the congressman’s budget is a no-compromise holding pattern meant to kill, not just slow down, social programs.

http://www.thedemocraticstrategist.org

Phillip Longman has studies the U.S. health care system and recommends it be treated as a “common carrier,” like a utility, in which prices are openly set for specific procedures.

http://newamerica.net

When Russia annexed Crimea, it once again raised questions about the role of Congress and the White House in establishing foreign and national defense policy. Law professor Stephen Griffin says Congress should centralize its own decision-making.

http://www.law.tulane.edu/tlsfaculty/profiles.aspx?id=422

School lunches vs. fat cat dinners

Provocative ideas about the growing income gap from journalist David Cay Johnston and social justice activist, and former officeholder, Valerie Ervin. And the 2014 Senate election outlook from Jennifer Duffy.

The ever-provocative economics writer David Cay Johnston predicts riots and revolution if income inequality continues on its present course. Activist Valerie Ervin talks about her organization for working families and how building coalitions can actually move the needle toward more social justice. And Bill Press interviews political prognosticator Jennifer Duffy about the 2014 election outlook in the Senate, a “jump ball” situation.

Pulitzer Prize winning author David Cay Johnston says if the current income inequality trend continues we are going to see riots and revolutions. Trickle-down doesn’t work, he says. Instead, we have “Amazon up” economics.

http://www.davidcayjohnston.com/

The plight of minimum wage workers and the growing gap between rich and poor “is not the America we signed up for,” says former officeholder and now social activist Valerie Ervin.

www.workingfamilies.org

Bill Press and his guest,  Jennifer Duffy of the Cook Political Report.

http://cookpolitical.com/

The symbolism of one adjunct professor's death.

How would Hillary Clinton run the White House? Author Jonathan Allen says clues can be found in her Secretary of Stateship. Professor Dante Chinni says the political map can be defined by Starbucks and Whole Foods. And Bill Press interviews the ACLU’s Chris Anders

Jonathan Allen, co-author of a best-selling book about Hillary Clinton says there is no evidence she denied security protection in Benghazi. Political scientist Dante Chinni tells us where the new swing states are. They’re in   the suburbs. And Bill Press interviews ACLU lawyer Chris Anders about the Senate battle with the CIA.

How did Hillary Clinton manage her tenure as Secretary of State?  Jonathan Allen, a journalist and co-author of a best-selling book about her, says how she ran State could be a precursor as to how she might run a White House.

http://www.hrcbook.com

Where is the political fault line in American politics today? Professor Dante Chinni pinpoints it at the place where suburbs meet the exurbs.

http://americancommunities.org

Bill Press interviews ACLU lawyer Chris Anders about the Senate battle with the CIA.

http://www.aclu.org

The millionaires' Congress vs. the people

Terry Golway reconsiders Tammany Hall … Fred Rotondaro says Obama’s foreign policy is strong … and Bill Press interviews Congressman John Sarbanes.

St. Patrick’s Day is coming up and historian Terry Golway tells us how the Irish political machine known as Tammany Hall became the forerunner of the New Deal. Regular commentator Fred Rotondaro compares President Obama to a couple of Republicans – Teddy Roosevelt and George H.W. Bush. And Bill Press interviews Maryland Congressman John Sarbanes about big money in Washington.

Tammany Hall no longer exists, but when it did, the New York political machine created a social safety net at the neighborhood level long before government programs came along. Author Terry Golway thinks we still need strong political organizations like that.

http://books.wwnorton.com/books/Machine-Made/

Analyst Fred Rotondaro says Republicans blame President Obama for everything that goes wrong in the world, but his foreign policy is actually strong – speaking softly and carrying a big stick.

http://www.americanprogress.org

Bill Press and his guest, Congressman John Sarbanes of Maryland.

http://sarbanes.house.gov/‎

California's Water Crisis is Becoming a Beer Crisis.

Professor Ed Caudill on creationism … professor Stephen Griffin on war powers … and Bill Press interviews Thomas Reese about Pope Francis.

The controversy over Arizona’s anti-gay legislation and an HBO documentary on Darwin has put religion right back into the political discussion.  Professor Edward Caudill explains how only 60 percent of Americans believe in evolution – and more than half of Republicans don’t. With America on the verge of withdrawing from Afghanistan, Professor Stephen Griffin argues that the Constitution may not be adequate for keeping the country out of wars. And Bill Press interviews Father Thomas Reese of the National Catholic Reporter about the impact of Pope Francis.

Journalism professor Ed Caudill says the media are promoting ignorance of science when they feel obliged to give the nonexistent “other side” of evolution.

http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/53emm4mg9780252038013.html

Is the Constitution adequate when it comes to deciding when the nation should go to war? Tulane law professor Stephen Griffin suggests it is not and that Congress ought to take back some power from the White House.

http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/53emm4mg9780252038013.html

Bill Press and his guest, Vatican expert Father Thomas Reese.

http://ncronline.org/authors/thomas-reese

Ted Nugent brings bigotry & misogyny to Texas governors race.

Internet expert Peter Singer talks about internet security – and cute cats. Poverty researcher Chris Wimer calls for a “trickle UP” economy. And Bill Press talks climate change with Zoe Carpenter of  “The Nation”

Peter Singer is one of the country’s leading experts on the Internet and the riveting gripping issues of cybersecurity, cyberterrorism -- and cute cat videos. With the CBO weighing on both sides of the minimum wage debate, poverty expert Chris Wimer foresees a future of a “trickle UP” economy. And Bill Press interviews Zoe Carpenter, of “The Nation” on the subject of climate change.

The Internet is undergoing huge changes, says expert Peter Singer, and while President Obama was ELECTED by the Internet, he might go down in history as the president who LOST the Internet.

http://www.cybersecuritybook.com/

Now that the CBO has weighed in on the minimum wage – providing ammunition for both progressives and conservatives – poverty research Chris Wimer calls for a balanced approach based on a “trickle up” economy.

http://cupop.columbia.edu/people/christopher-wimer

Bill Press and his guest, “The Nation’s” Zoe Carpenter on climate change.

http://www.thenation.com/authors/zoe-carpenter

Tom Perkins speaks. Again.

Jonathan Allen talks about his blockbuster book about Hillary Clinton … Professor Alan Abramowitz maintains that Tea Party influence may be waning … and Bill Press talks with The Nation’s George Zornick about Afghanistan.

Journalist and author Jonathan Allen talks about Hillary Clinton’s political “hit list” … and her tenure as Secretary of State. With extreme conservatives losing a key House vote on the debt ceiling, and Senator John Cornyn cruising to likely victory in the March 4 Texas primary … political science professor Alan Abramowitz says the Tea Party may be on the wane. And Bill Press interviews The Nation’s George Zornick about Afghanistan

Jonathan Allen is an award-winning journalist and author of a new political biography of Hillary Clinton. He tells us about her tenure as secretary of state, about her political hit list, and what they mean for her likely presidential run.

http://www.hrcbook.com

How much farther can the Tea Party go in dominating the GOP? Professor Alan Abramowitz thinks their influence is on the downswing, and maybe the recent House vote for a clean debt limit increase proves him right.

http://www.democracyjournal.org/31/republican-leaders-two-choices.php

Bill Press and his guest, George Zornick of the Nation, on the continuing war in Afghanistan.

http://www.thenation.com/authors/george-zornick

Sen. Pat Roberts puts on his crazy pants.

David Cay Johnston on corporate socialism, Professor Dan Zuberi on the shocking cost of outsourcing hospital support staff, and Bill press with liberal lion Congressman George Miller.

Journalist and commentator David Cay Johnston says it is the government that is largely responsible for the income inequality plaguing the economy. Health professor Dan Zuberi reveals the shocking cost in both money and lives  caused by hospitals outsourcing their non-medical jobs. And Bill Press interviews retiring Congressman George Miller of California.

Award-winning journalist and author David Cay Johnston reveals how Republicans don’t support market capitalism but engage in corporate socialism instead by redistributing wealth from the many to the few.

http://www.davidcayjohnston.com/

If hospitals would spend a little more money paying their own employees, instead of outsourcing for the cheapest support workers, they would save money by cutting down on costly hospital infections. That’s the analysis from health professor Dan Zuberi.

http://www.amazon.com/Dan-Zuberi/e/B00E6OC5VI

Bill Press and his guest, George Miller, one of the most progressive Democrats in Congress.

http://georgemiller.house.gov/

Rick Perry struts his stuff in Davos.