Make It Plain MIP with Rev. Mark Thompson

It’s #ThursdayKos and we’re back to strategizing for H.R. 40, the midterms, and democracy at large.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

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Dr. Sherice Janaye Nelson is an Assistant Professor at Southern University and A&M College. She’s from Oakland California and has only been educated at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Her research interests include Black political leadership, women as political agents, and the Black experience throughout the Diaspora. In her latest book, “The Congressional Black Caucus: 50 Years of Fighting for Equality,” she aims to make a clear statement on what the Congressional Black Caucus is, what it does, and correct the misinformation fueled by mainstream media that does not accurately convey how critical the Black Caucus is for democracy.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

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Mike Elk was illegally fired from Politico for union organizing, and won a settlement in the aftermath. He used that money to invest in his labor news organization, Payday Report, where they cover the angle of labor unions and workers’ rights that traditional news organizations cannot. It’s through this lens that he examines the MLB owner lockout; Mike helps us understand what, exactly, is a lockout versus a strike, and how the owners are essentially manipulating players by shutting them out--and how a lockout makes the union a “hostage,” because owners get to decide when this charade will end.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

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We learned last week that the United States Department of Justice is closing the case on the murder of Emmett Till, and will no longer pursue an investigation into his horrific death, which sparked the modern Civil Rights Movement. Deborah Watts is Emmett’s cousin and Founder of the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation, and despite the DOJ’s disappointing decision, she is continuing to fight for justice and uphold the memory of Emmett Till. In today’s episode Deborah and Mark discuss the 2017 book by author Timothy Tyson, where he wrote about Carolyn Bryant (the accuser) confessing to lying about Emmett whistling at her--a claim that has since been debated, as her family stepped in to retract the statement. But after all this time, and the murky accusation and retraction, why hasn’t there been a closer investigation of Carolyn Bryant, who, as Deborah argues, is the original Karen?

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

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Gun violence activists, survivors, organizers and advocates rallied in front of the White House yesterday, demanding President Biden finally take a different approach to the public health crisis that is gun violence. Igor Volsky is the Executive Director of Guns Down America, and in today’s episode, he tells us there's not a single staffer in the White House whose full-time job is to address this crisis, as gun violence continues to take lives. And since Biden pledged from the campaign trail, where’s the action to his proposed plan now? Guns Down America is also asking the White House to conduct a federal review of laws across the country, like open carry and stand-your-ground, to consider how they empower vigilantism like that of Kyle Rittenhouse.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

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A Politico headline went viral that read “Democrats fall flat with ‘Latinx’ language.” Markos Moulitsas, founder of DailyKos, Civiqs, and Host of “The Brief,” is weighing in with the consideration of his Latino roots (he is from El Salvador), as well as some polling data from within the Latino community, to consider what the best-used term might be, and how President Biden might want to be careful about who he trusts when it comes to the language he should be using. Mark and Markos discuss all angles of the situation, and how, ultimately, it should not be used to make a political point through language.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

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We know Donald Trump is corrupt, but how deep does it go? David Cay Johnston’s latest book “The Big Cheat: How Donald Trump Fleeced America and Enriched Himself and His Family” answers that question, detailing just how far the Trump family will go with their schemes to steal. David has been chronicling Donald Trump and his family for more than 33 years and dubs him a master con-artist, laying out in his book the ways Donald was America’s “beggar-in-chief.” Will he be indicted for the deeds he’s done? In today’s episode, David explains that it’s only a matter of time.

BUY “The Big Cheat” here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Big-Cheat/David-Cay-Johnston/9781982178031

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

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Senator Rand Paul’s days in the U.S. Senate are numbered, as far as Charles Booker is concerned: he’s running against Senator Paul in the 2022 midterm elections. Charles wants to make moves on the Hill that will serve ALL Kentuckians, as opposed to the wealthy few that Senator Paul is most concerned with. Charles comes from one of the poorest zip codes in Kentucky, and he realizes that the struggle cuts across party lines. That’s why he plans to build a sustainable future that gives access to prosperity, not just survival. And aside from his plans for prosperity, Charles shows us how Senator Paul is not just an “unserious politician,” but a literal danger to the people of Kentucky.

MORE INFO: https://charlesbooker.org/meet-charles/

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

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This month is special for our jobs report recap, as we have two experts on the subject. First up is Angela Hanks, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training at the Department of Labor. She details the work her department is doing to develop more efficient pathways to jobs for those who are looking. Next up is MIP’s resident economist, Chad Stone, Chief Economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, who helps us understand how the jobs report is so much more than just jobs gained or lost, and he breaks it down in a way that is easily understood. This month is no different, as Chad explains why the November jobs number could potentially be revised substantially (did you know all the jobs reports get revised, anyway?). He also shows us how the virus is still driving our economy--but there is good news, if you’re someone who is still hunting for a job: this is your market, not the employers’.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

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Why do Mark and Danielle believe that December do-or-die for Democrats? We’re fighting to save Roe v. Wade, prevent gerrymandering, stop the disintegration of voting rights, and so much more. But that’s exactly why this is NOT the time to get jaded, and Danielle and Mark break down the realities of the moment in order to ignite the fight within each of us.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

For additional content: makeitplain.com

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