America's Democrats

Thanksgiving reflections on America’s food supply and the theocracy that one author says governs the “land of our pilgrims’ pride.”

As the nation celebrates Thanksgiving, professor Robert Paarlberg summarizes the politics of food in a country where obesity may be more of a problem than hunger. This year, Thanksgiving coincides with Hanukkah -- and the role of God and religion in our civic life is the subject of a provocative interview with Sean Faircloth, a former legislator from Maine and an advocate of strict separation of church and state. And Bill Press interviews California Congressman Sam Farr.

Robert Paarlberg is an expert on food. In addition to summarizing the science and  politics of food production, he notes that the biggest health threat from American agriculture is not on the farm or in the labs of Monsanto but in our own kitchens.

http://robertpaarlberg.net

Church and state expert Sean Faircloth – he wants to separate them – reminds us on Thanksgiving that despite the prayers we might offer privately, the only reference to religion in the Constitution is its exclusion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWIrK-Fv6M8

Bill Press and his guest,  Congressman Sam Farr, who represents California’s Central Coast.

http://www.farr.house.gov/

Billionaires reap a cornucopia of farm subsidy cash.

As a political animal, the Republican Party’s moderate wing is extinct. Interviews with political experts Geoffrey Kabaservice and Erica Seifert about the future of the GOP. And Bill Press interviews a leader of EMILY’s List.

Today we talk about a fascinating species of political animal – the Republican Party. Professor Geoffrey Kabaservice has written a history of the GOP since Eisenhower and says its moderate wing is pretty much extinct. Democratic political analyst Erica Seifert has conducted focus groups of Republicans and predicts that their takeover by extremists marginalizes the party’s national appeal. And Bill Press, along with Chris Moody of Yahoo News, interviews Jess McIntosh, communications director of EMILY’s List about Project Madam President.

Historian Geoffrey Kabaservice has studied Republican moderates of the past – and they include people named Cheney and Rumsfeld – and traces the party’s history to its present state. And, he says, the moderate wing of the Republican party is dead and gone.

http://global.oup.com/academic/product/rule-and-ruin-9780199975518;jsessionid=C06457AE919A9DBEED933E0CF59CAB31?cc=us&lang=en&

After a series of focus groups, Erica Seifert finds that while the Tea Party and the evangelicals of the party are, indeed, extremists, they are not the Republican fringe. They are the majority of the party, and that bodes ill for the GOP’s future.

http://www.democracycorps.com/Republican-Party-Project/inside-the-gop-report-on-focus-groups-with-evangelical-tea-party-and-moderate-republicans/

Bill Press and his guest, Jess McIntosh, spokeswoman for EMILY’s List.

http://emilyslist.org/

Big lies win pyrrhic GMO victory for Big Food

Democratic Party Chair on Obamacare and the Virginia election. A Veterans Week reflection on the state of warfare, and a peace activist says U.S. intelligence apparatus is out of control..

Democratic Party Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz has a lot to say about Obamacare and the Tea Party’s extremism, and she advises members of both parties in Congress -- just try to be “normal human beings.” A Veterans Week reflection by law professor Mary Dudziak on how America has come to be in a permanent state of war. And Bill Press interviews Joe Cirincione, president of the Ploughshares Fund, about the NSA and, also, Syria.

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, chair of the Democratic Party and a congresswoman from Florida says if you don’t like the way your kitchen was remodeled, don’t burn down the house – take the counter out and re-do the cabinet knobs. Her point? The Affordable Care Act needs minor revisions, not arson.

http://us.macmillan.com/forthenextgeneration/DebbieWassermanSchultz

If you just look at all the campaign ribbons and medals handed out by the U.S. military, you can see that this nation has been in pretty much a permanent state of war for a long time. Author Mary Dudziak says Americans are not called upon for any real sacrifice to support wars, such as public engagement about foreign policy.

http://www.law.emory.edu/faculty/faculty-profiles/mary-l-dudziak.html

Bill Press and his guest, Joe Cirincione, president of the Ploughshares Fund.

http://www.ploughshares.org/

Congress critters kiss Wall Street butt for cash

Is it time for a woman president? Feminist author Marianne Schnall thinks so. How permanent is the House GOP majority? Not very, says Democratic strategist Elaine Kamarck. And Ellie Smeal talks about women’s issues at the state level.

It is three years until the next presidential election, but not too early to start handicapping it. Could it be the year for a woman president? Author Marianne Schnall thinks so. Democratic analyst Elaine Kamarck has some advice for Republicans – start speaking to a majority of the American people! And Bill Press interviews Eleanor Smeal, president of the Fund for a Feminist Majority.

A feminist author, Marianne Schnall, interviewed hundreds of women to find out what obstacles stand in the way of a female becoming president. The answer? Nothing!

http://womanpresidentbook.com

A year from the midterm congressional elections, Democratic analyst Elaine Kamarck notes that there is nothing permanent about a majority in the House in the face of large demographic trends.

http://www.democracyjournal.org/30/the-new-politics-of-evasion.php?page=all

Bill Press and his guest, Eleanor Smeal  president of the Fund for a Feminist Majority.

http://www.feminist.org

Jim Hightower

Cruzing the White House?

The rise of a theocratic America … the decline of the American economy … and a preview of the 2014 gubernatorial races.

Sean Faircloth is a former state legislator and now an advocate for separation of church and state. He says that the intrusion of religion into government can have deadly consequences. Economist George Tyler tells us what went wrong with the American economy. One short answer, he says, is “stock options.” And Bill Press interviews Danny Kanner of the Democratic Governors Association about how the Virginia race could be a bellwether for Democratic gains next year.

Washington, Adams and Jefferson could not be elected president today because they didn’t profess a belief in God, says secularist Sean Faircloth. And, says the former state legislator, religion intrusion into policy can cause the death of children.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWIrK-Fv6M8

What caused the Great Recession? Former World Bank economist George Tyler has a few answers for us, but mainly he says it was the development of stock options for management – making the goal a spike in quarterly profits.

http://www.georgertyler.com/

Bill Press and his guest, Danny Kanner of the Democratic Governors Association.

https://twitter.com/DannyKanner

The Ignoble Prize For Agriculture.

Food expert Robert Paarlberg says the biggest danger from contaminated food comes from your own kitchen. Historian Richard Moe says Obama can take lessons from FDR. And Larry Sabato talks with Bill Press about the JFK legacy.

The role of government in regulating food safety came up recently when the FDA and Agriculture Department were shut down. But food expert Robert Paarlberg says the biggest health danger lies in your own kitchen. Historian Richard Moe tells us that FDR never wanted to run for a third term, until World War II made him. He also says Obama can take a lesson from FDR by using executive power when Congress won’t cooperate. And Bill Press talks about the legacy of JFK with political scientist Larry Sabato.

Professor Robert  Paarlberg is an expert on American agriculture and food production. He says there is no evidence of risk from genetically modified organisms, BUT what’s most likely to make you sick is how you prepare food in your own kitchen!

http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/experts/934/robert_paarlberg.html

Historian and author Richard Moe says FDR ran for a third term only because he couldn’t find another Democrat who would follow his policies and could win the election. He also says President Obama has something to learn from FDR’s second term blues.

http://www.amazon.com/Richard-Moe/e/B001KIR590

Bill Press and his guest, political scientist Larry Sabato about the legacy of JFK.

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/

Wall Street magicians make reform disappear.

Music historian Sheryl Kaskowitz explains why we are singing “God Bless America” so much. Economist James K. Galbraith assesses the country’s economic mess. Bill Press interviews Congressman Bruce Braley.

With the baseball playoffs in full swing, fans and viewers will hear “God Bless America” during every 7th inning stretch. A music scholar tells us how it has become such a powerful national song. With a new head of the Fed and the fear of national default in the air, progressive economist James K. Galbraith reviews the meaning of government shutdowns, budget sequesters and the debt ceiling. And Bill Press talks with Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley.

Everyone knows the song “God Bless America.” It will be sung during every post-season baseball game. But it has a powerful and controversial history and, says author Sheryl Kaskowitz, communal singing of it can have “a coercive element.”

http://gba.sherylkaskowitz.com/

Economist James K. Galbraith offers his view on the way out of America’s politically-driven economic mess, with an emphasis on the environment, infrastructure repair and an aging population.

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

Bill Press and his guest, Congressman Bruce Braley of Iowa.

http://braley.house.gov/‎

Monsanto buys a food prize.

Budget expert Michael Linden asks whether Congress can walk and chew gum at the same time? Analyst Elaine Kamarack on the Democrats lock on the electoral college. And Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa talks with Bill Press.

Michael Linden is managing director for economic policy at the Center for American Progress who argues that focusing on the deficit hurts economic growth. Centrist Democrat Elaine Kamarck applies old lessons from her party to the current Republican Party; namely, party unity gets in the way of figuring out the best policies for winning moderate voters. And Bill Press talks with Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa of Hawaii.

Progressive budget expert Michael Linden tells us something obvious – that Congress can’t walk and chew gum at the same time. He urges lawmakers  to stop letting budget issues get in the way of programs that would help the economy.

http://www.americanprogress.org

Centrist Democratic political analyst Elaine Kamarck says Democrats may have an electoral lock on the presidency, and she thanks a Republican -- former California Governor Pete Wilson -- for that.

http://www.democracyjournal.org/30/the-new-politics-of-evasion.php?page=all

Bill Press and his guest, Representative Colleen Hanabusa of Hawaii.

http://hanabusa.house.gov/

Getting ahead on the backs of others.

Public opinion analyst Erica Seifert proposes a new economic agenda for women, and author Eric Liu proposes building the economy from the middle class out. And some union history from Jim Hoffa.

Erica Seifert is a public opinion analyst who helped draws up a “women’s economic agenda” and it’s based primarily on economics. Progressive scholar and author Eric Liu wants to build the economy from the middle class out  and explains how to do it. And Bill Press talks with Jim Hoffa, president of the Teamsters Union.

Public opinion analyst Erica Seifert says the key political issues for women are pay, education and reproductive freedom. And those issues may pave the way for congressional gains next year – IF women turn out at the polls.

http://gqrr.com/articles/2013/07/24/the-women-s-economic-agenda/

Author Eric Liu says restoring the ideal of opportunity for all Americans can be accomplished by adopting “middle out economics.” The result would be more money in the hands of consumers to buy more products.

http://www.truepat.org

Bill Press and his guest, Teamsters Union president Jim Hoffa.

http://www.teamster.org/

Ryan rants, and a new voice of morality responds.

Pollster Celinda Lake says Democrats need to be more aggressive in their messaging. Economist George Tyler says corporate greed crashed the American economy, and Congressman Steve Israel on House Republicans.

Democratic pollster Celinda Lake says the top issue on the political horizon isn’t the economy or education, but rather which crazy thing Republicans will do next.

Former World Bank executive and author George Tyler answers the question, “What Went Wrong” with the U.S. economy. And Bill Press talks with Congressman Steve Israel of New York.

Pollster Celinda Lake thinks Democrats are too responsible and cooperative when it comes to talking policy. She says we need to concentrate more on messaging and fighting whatever crazy thing Republicans think of next.

http://www.lakeresearch.com

The American economy has experienced considerable growth in the last 30 years. But virtually none of this growth has trickled down to the average American. Economist and author George Tyler explains why.

http://www.georgetyler.com

Bill Press and his guest, Congressman Steve Israel, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

http://israel.house.gov/

Fracking adds an extra danger to flooding