LA Progressive

Stephen Rohde offers a review of Corey Brettschneider’s engaging new book The Presidents and the People: Five Leaders Who Threatened Democracy and the Citizens Who Fought to Defend It. Brettschneider offers lucid and revealing profiles of five presidents - John Adams, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Woodrow Wilson, and Richard Nixon - who “stoked the fire of a constitutional crisis” and “wielded the nation’s most powerful office to undermine a core aspect of democracy.” Given the “fragile pillars of American democracy,” Brettschneider believes each of these presidents stands “as a conspicuous example of the damage a single president can do.”

Fortunately, Brettschneider doesn’t leave it there. He also explains in vivid detail how, in each of these fraught moments, “democratic constitutional constituencies” - or, one might say, activists - fought back to ensure a “democratic recovery.” Here we can learn important lessons that make the threat posed by Trump “a time ripe for constitutional recovery.” Brettschneider sees hope for democracy in the “cycle of constitutional reckoning and recovery.”

In this conversation with Dick Price and Sharon Kyle of the LA Progressive, Constitutional scholar Stephen Rohde explains where we are headed as a nation by also discussing Mahmoud Khalil

Author and longtime journalist, Desi Cortez, joins Dick Price and Sharon Kyle of the LA Progressive to discuss the role of Black professional athletes in the fight for civil liberties and civil rights, particularly when the Black community is under fire. Speaking of recent actions taken by the Trump administration, Cortez says, “The alarms are blaring. The sirens are wailing. The enemy isn’t just at the gate—it has the keys to the kingdom.

And yet, Black America’s most powerful, most visible athletes—the ones who have built empires from the very culture this country tries to erase—are silent.

It’s so quiet… You can hear a rat piss on cotton….” Then Desi asks, why?

Why, in this moment of rising fascism, open white nationalism, and judicial rollbacks on civil rights, are our biggest Black sports figures still playing it safe?

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https://www.laprogressive.com/racism/trump-is-waging-war-against-black-people

Thought leader, writer, lecturer and political activist, Stephen Rohde joins Sharon Kyle and Dick Price of the LA Progressive to discuss the perils we find ourselves facing with the current supremem court. Rohde maintains that throughout his rise to power, Trump has recruited obedient enablers to do his bidding. He says that Trump’s henchmen have compliantly cleared the way for him to lie, steal, and conspire to get whatever he wants.

The three, Stephen, Dick and Sharon discuss whether there is evidence to suggest that Trump has enlisted the six conservative Republican justices on the United States Supreme Court to grant him the freedom to brazenly break the law with absolute impunity. Rohde, who practiced law for almost 50 years and is a former president of the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, says while Trump is rolling out his authoritarian Executive Orders and dangerous new policies, it is important to understand exactly what the Court did and how Trump 2.0 will unfold without one of the traditional guardrails on which our democracy depends – the deterrent threat of criminal prosecution. This interview was triggered by an article written by Stephen Rohde. To read the article, go to: Consiglieres in Black Robes

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Dr. Butch Ware, Dr. Jill Stein's 2024 running mate on the Green Party presidential ticket, has announced his candidacy for another office. With a rich background in academia and community organizing, Dr. Ware brings a unique perspective to the campaign. Sharon Kyle of the LA Progressive spent time with Dr. Ware discussing his vision.

https://butchware4gov.com/

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The LA Progressive can be found on all social media platforms. You’ll find them here: https://linktr.ee/laprogressive

Georgetown Law Professor and thought leader Michele Goodwin joined Dick and Sharon of the LA Progressive to discuss the impact of Donald Trump's immunity case and its impact on his accountability as president of the United States. In a piece Ms. Goodwin penned for Ms. Magazine titled "Reflecting on Trump’s Immunity Win Before the Supreme Court as He Strips Security Details From Former Government Officials Under Threat," she discusses the Supreme Court Case, Trump v. United States, and specifically the dissent offered by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who, along with Justice Elena Kagan, opposed the majority opinion.

You can read more on the LA Progressive

Colonel (Ret.) Lawrence Wilkerson, a seasoned military officer and former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell, has long been known for his candid and often critical views on U.S. foreign policy. His analysis of the Trump administration and his concerns about the leadership in the Department of Defense, particularly regarding Pete Hegseth’s role, provides a crucial perspective on the direction of U.S. military strategy. Wilkerson’s experience, wisdom, and deep understanding of military operations make his insights both trustworthy and necessary for evaluating current defense policy.

With decades of service in the U.S. Army and a key role in shaping U.S. foreign policy during the Bush administration, Wilkerson’s authority on military and defense matters is unquestionable.

To read the full article, go to: https://www.laprogressive.com/defense/col-ret-larry-wilkerson-on-trumps-administration

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The Grammy Awards are more than a music event; they’re a cultural touchstone with the power to challenge the status quo, promote equity, and redefine who gets to be celebrated in the global music industry. By embracing DEI, the Grammys can help shift cultural attitudes toward greater inclusivity and fairness—not just in music but across society at large. With that in mind, Mario Solis-Marich, a Latino opinion leader with an extensive background in political and community relations, radio, television, and social media joins Sharon Kyle, publisher of the LA Progressive to discuss DEI and the Grammy Awards 2025.

To be alive spiritually means that one is concerned with more than personal survival. Unlike a beast of the wild whose daily concerns are limited only to what can be foraged or killed for consumption to survive to repeat the cycle. A type of survival of the fittest existence. But a person who has spiritual life is in relationship with God or at least appreciates that there is something bigger and better beyond the individual and what can be experienced with the senses. There is a realization that physical life presents opportunities to connect with unseen positive forces that affirm goodness and enhance life experience. Tapping into that energy can manifest in the building of community, expressions of love, recognizing the value of empathy,

and the eradication of injustice and suffering.

As President Biden greenlights another $8 billion in weapons to Israel in his last days in office and Secretary Blinken gives a parting New York Times interview in which he denies that a genocide is taking place in Gaza, many pro-Palestine activists are anxiously counting down the days until “Genocide Joe” and his crew exit the White House. But what will Pro-Palestine Activists have to contend with under the Trump presidency?

To read Medea Benjamin’s full article click here:

https://www.laprogressive.com/foreign-policy/threats-face-pro-palestine-activists

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We open this podcast acknowledging the tragic wildfires in Southern California. The LA Progressive operates just a few short miles away from Pasadena, CA. Our thoughts and prayers (yes, we pray) are with all of the members of our community who have been impacted by the tragedy.

On January 14 at 9:30 a.m., the Fox News commentator and Army National Guard Major Pete Hegseth is scheduled to be questioned by the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee in a confirmation hearing on President-elect Trump’s nomination for him to be Secretary of Defense.

Former U.S. Army Colonel Ann Wright opposes the confirmation of Pete Hegseth. This podcast gives voice to Ms. Wright’s concerns.

We hope you find it more than informative. We hope it leads you to take action.

To read the full article written by Ann Wright, go to https://www.laprogressive.com/defense/oppose-pete-hegseth