Keeping Democracy Alive with Burt Cohen

There’s been no coverage in America of the extended turmoil engulfing France since early December. But it is huge, and it is a major intensification of a worldwide struggle against neoliberal globalism. As Macron’s government and so many others aim at privatization of public services protestors are shutting down the French economy. On this show France expert Professor Gabriel Rockhill explains how the current labor action arises from the context of the Yellow Vest movements. And how established labor leaders are being overpowered by the rank and file who demand a genuinely democratic government instead of top down austerity. And how have the police reacted? According to Rockhill, France has greatly increased its police budget and they are now at the cutting edge of advanced militarized police technology. The police regularly attack peaceful crowds, a lot of injuries have occurred. And he explains that this economic and political struggle is part of the global fight against climate change, protecting the bioshphere for humans and other species.

As our guest author Rebecca Gordon explains the term “deep state” is from Turkey, where they have government by a criminal gang. And though Trump clearly enjoys accusing others of what he displays, the legitimate government, the one filled with non-political civil servants carrying out the public’s business in a republic, is not a “deep state.”  He is trying to manipulate fears by creation of an imagined sinister government. But he hates that some don’t just cater to the executive. These are the other co-equal branches: legislative and judicial. Gordon argues that a shadow government, one that conducts foreign policy with unaccountable cronies is the real deep state. And it is dangerous.  But like Joe McCarthy and Nixon and Reagan, Trump intentionally conjures up a fake monster for us to focus on while his actual shadow forces are the real threat to democracy.

According to our guest historian James Banner, “The first instance of executive branch malfeasance occurred in 1792, during Washington’s first term in office.”  So since instituting a new government designed to be of, by, and for all the citizens, it was natural that gradually, steps be taken to prevent political corruption.  But that effort has been slow and uneven.  Today as we face the senate impeachment trial of President Trump, a look into history can be instructive, and even offer hope for justice. Banner was one of the authors in 1974 of the report to the Impeachment Inquiry of the House Committee on the Judiciary occasioned by the illegal acts of President Nixon, and he has recently managed a revised version of that original report, titled Presidential Misconduct: From George Washington to Today (New York: The New Press, 2019).  Most other presidents, he says did not personally participate in crimes, but were merely incompetent. Nixon was the first to personally orchestrate misconduct from the White House. What’s remarkable about Trump is that he has combined Nixon’s subversion of existing law with Reagan’s creation and control of a shadow government acting outside legal channels. Banner sees this as “very grave.” Most of our presidents have not been corrupt and even if Trump is acquitted in the senate, it’s not necessarily all over. We are anything but powerless.

Did you know the United States had open borders for 100 years? Building walls and caging children as families are separated certainly won’t stop the flow of refugees. People only flee their homes from truly extreme threats and can not be stopped when they truly need to move.On this show border and immigration journalist Rebecca Centeno looks at the roots of the current refugee issue. She argues borders were created as a way to divide the working class. Nationalism today is used to get working people to identify with the ruling class and mistrust those “Others.” In the first world war, the aristocrats were terrified of the men of all sides realizing they are all of the working class. Borders are intended to divide, and in this new digital age, borders have far less meaning. Often people like to feel a part of a tribe, and such entities existed well prior to modern states. A stimulating discussion!

Populism is defined as “a political approach that strives to appeal to ordinary people who feel that their concerns are disregarded by established elite groups.” We never hear of the grassroots Tea Party any more because they won. The took over the Republican Party. And on the side of restoring democracy one group calls itself “The Bad Ass Grandmothers of North Dakota.” It too is effective. On part one, journalist Hedrick Smith talks about his new documentary: “The Democracy Rebellion,” airing on PBS stations nationally. In the face of what he calls the  “Niagara of money” from the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, 2018  was the best year yet for grassroots groups successfully restoring democracy. And on part two, Professor Steve Hochstadt looks back to 2010 when the then-outsider Tea Party entered politics with a splash, catching the party establishment off guard. Their economic agenda may have been a cover for their real agenda of while male domination now embraced by the new Trumpist Republican Party. Listen in and see how grassroots effort takes time, but it does produce results.

Hundreds of thousands of lives are suddenly at great risk. As former national security advisor Susan Rice writes “Full-scale conflict is not a certainty, but the probability is higher than at any point in decades.” With us to discuss the historical context and likely effects of  Trump’s impulsive assassination of Iran’s Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani is William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Project at Center for International Policy. He talks of Trump’s “RT Barnum strategy.” And though the Saudis are fierce enemies of Iran, their interests are not helped at all by this brash move. On a hopeful note, this crisis presents a rare opportunity for democracy to reassert itself.

Often called the father of scientific or objective history, the ancient Greek philosopher Thucydides did not see himself that way. According to our guest, history can never be a blueprint. We just can’t make sense of it. There are no immutable iron laws. Professor of Humanities and author Robert Zaretsky penned an op-ed in the New York times titled “The Lesson History Teaches is Tragic; The idea that we can avoid the mistakes of the past is misguided.” He asks, “Why bother studying the past, then, if it cannot help us navigating the present?” Many good reasons. He says early historians were entertainers and that all humans are interested in meaning, and the theatrical genre of tragedy is a good model from which we can learn. The fact that people–like the Chinese kid versus the tank– resist, they may break but they do not bend, is a worthy lesson to learn and emulate. And he argues that prudence and humility, for nations as with individuals, is of most value.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has been president of Mexico just over a year and he is already had success bringing great change. Much to the distress of the oligarchy which has ruled for decades. His new left party MORENA now holds a majority of the legislature. Before AMLO, most food had to be imported despite so many farms. People fled as refugees to escape drug related violence. He’s enacted a new approach to drugs, legalizing marijuana and creating alternatives for youths. He calls his work a Moral Campaign. On the first part of this show journalist Rick Sterling sheds light into the good news out of Mexico. And then he talks about what’s really going on in Syria. It is not the stage managed images projected onto our TVs. The regional oligarchs ganged up on Syria, but Syria has won. What we Americans see as rebels are regarded by many there as terrorists. And the “white helmets” are also not as pictured. Truth is powerful. And necessary.

You’ve heard of the famous Christmas Truce of 1914 between the trenches of the British and German soldiers. These were indeed brave men. But that was not the only such event: there were desertions, mutinies, and fraternizations. Today it seems anyone with a uniform is dubbed a hero, but what about the peacemakers? On this show Adam Hochschild, author of King Leopold’s Ghost, To End All Wars, and Spain in Our Hearts talks about those heroes who risked all to oppose that insane first world war, and the relevance to today’s acceptance of permanent war and near silence of calls for peace.

It’s more than the similar time of year. According to guest Rabbi Michael Lerner, of Tikkun Magazine and chair of the Network of Spiritual Progressives, both holidays mark times in which people without power successfully took on the powers of tyranny and economic injustice. He argues that America is a spiritually underdeveloped country and that we remain “addicted to domination consciousness:” fear of The Other. He argues the real spirit of the holidays can be found in resistance movements. Listen in!