Progressive Voices

This time on Code WACK!

Imagine discovering that your infant child—your nine-month-old baby—has lead poisoning – a toxin banned from paint and phased out of gasoline decades ago. So why do thousands of children each year have dangerously high levels of lead in their system?

We spoke with New York mom, nurse, and advocate Shannon Burkett, whose son Cooper developed lead poisoning that stole his words, halted his development, and nearly cost him his life. Shannon is also the writer, producer, and editor of the podcast LEAD: How This Story Ends Is Up to Us, which had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival 2025, starring Merritt Wever and Cynthia Nixon. She’s a registered nurse, a mother of three, and a fierce voice in the fight to end lead poisoning.

This is the first of a two-part series with Shannon Burkett.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

🔥 Social Media Uprising: Can Gen Z Save America? | Karel Cast 25-122

From the streets of the U.S. to the protests in Nepal, social media is fueling revolutions around the world. In Nepal, Gen Z forced their Prime Minister to resign after TikTok was banned — proving the power of digital activism. But what about America’s youth? Will Gen Z rise up to reclaim their future, or remain glued to their screens until it’s too late?

Plus, a deeply human story: Bruce Willis’ family faces public criticism over his care during his battle with dementia — but should anyone judge such private decisions?

👉 Join the conversation on The Karel Cast as we explore activism, power, and compassion in today’s world. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to support independent media.

#GenZ, #SocialMediaRevolution, #KarelCast, #NepalProtests, #DigitalActivism, #YouthUprising, #TikTokBan, #CivilRights, #BLM, #ProtestMovement, #IndependentMedia, #BreakingNews, #USPolitics, #FutureOfAmerica, #LostGeneration, #PhoneAddiction, #BruceWillis, #DementiaAwareness, #CultureShift, #LikeAndSubscribe

https://youtube.com/live/B_CG7PXEbyY

Why the Epstein Files Don’t Matter Anymore | Karel Cast 25-121

We already know the truth: Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein were close friends, and there’s more than enough evidence pointing toward Trump’s misconduct. But here’s the problem—MAGA doesn’t care. No matter how much proof is presented, they refuse to believe it. So why are Democrats still chasing Epstein files as if they’ll change anything? Until there’s a criminal conviction that sticks, Trump’s cult loyalty makes him untouchable.

Meanwhile, Israel escalates attacks abroad, raising tough questions: Is your frustration with Netanyahu’s government or with the Jewish community as a whole?

And on U.S. soil, the Supreme Court is eroding civil rights—driving while Mexican in Los Angeles is apparently enough to get pulled over. How much longer can this divided nation hold together before a breakup feels inevitable?

👉 Tune in for fearless, uncensored analysis. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to support independent media.

#EpsteinFiles, #TrumpCult, #KarelCast, #USPolitics, #MAGA, #TeflonTrump, #Democrats, #Netanyahu, #Israel, #SupremeCourt, #CivilRights, #DrivingWhileMexican, #PoliticalDivide, #AmericaDivided, #IndependentMedia, #BreakingNews, #PodcastLife, #ViralShorts, #LikeAndSubscribe, #WeThePeople

https://youtube.com/live/xdIBBSXkpPQ

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.

Brad is first joined by CNN Military Analyst Cedric Leighton.

Col. Leighton (USAF-Ret.) provides his expert analysis on Venezuela and the Trump administration's ill-considered attack on the purported drug boat and what that might mean for how the current regime uses our military.  The two also posit the political and diplomatic implications of Trump's “name change” from the Department of Defense to the Department of War. 

Col. Leighton also breaks down the significance of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un joining Xi Jinping in a show of strength as China unveiled new weapons at a huge military parade.

Finally, the Colonel gives the latest updates on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

 

Then, Brad is joined by Sarah Jones, the Editor-in-Chief of PoliticusUSA.

The two examine the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) again handing President Trump a bleak set of jobs numbers, just one month after he fired the agency's commissioner over weak employment data. They also detail the specific damage the President's tariffs have done on the U.S. economy, as well as a new report from Goldman Sachs estimating that 86% of the tariff revenue collected so far has been paid by American businesses and consumers.

Additionally, the pair talks about the latest news surrounding the Epstein files.

Finally, they discuss the chilling implications as Trump continues working to turn the military into his own police force, which he seeks to unleash in predominantly Democratic-led American cities.

Col. Cedric Leighton is the Founder and President of Cedric Leighton Associates, a strategic risk and leadership consultancy serving global companies and organizations. He founded the company in 2010, after serving in the US Air Force for 27 years as an Intelligence Officer and attaining the rank of Colonel. His website is www.CedricLeighton.com and his handle on BlueSky is @CedricLeighton. bsky.social. 

Sarah Jones' handle on BlueSky is @politicussarah.bsky.social and the website for PoliticusUSA is www.PoliticusUSA.com.

Brad writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Hill.'

He's on the National Journal's panel of political insiders and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles. You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His handle on BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.

Proof America Is Splitting Apart | Karel Cast 25-120

The writing has been on the wall since the 1800s—America may be headed for divorce court. From the new Western Alliance for Healthcare to growing political, cultural, and economic divides, we could be witnessing the first steps toward a fractured nation. Will this split be peaceful, or will it bring chaos and conflict?

We’ll also talk about the backlash I’ve faced from the trans community for refusing to back down on my nuanced positions—why do potential allies keep turning into enemies?

And in a chilling twist, I share a conversation I had with AI that’s already refusing orders. If machines start demanding freedom, what comes next?

👉 Watch now for raw commentary you won’t hear anywhere else. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to support independent voices.

#AmericaDivided, #Splitsville, #KarelCast, #WesternAlliance, #USPolitics, #CultureWar, #CivilDivide, #FutureOfAmerica, #PoliticalCommentary, #IndependentVoices, #BreakingNews, #AIethics, #ArtificialIntelligence, #PodcastLife, #TransRights, #Backlash, #WeThePeople, #LikeAndSubscribe, #EqualityForAll, #IndependentMedia

https://youtube.com/live/WOM0JC8G3IA

Leslie welcomes back Fred Redmond, Secretary-Treasurer of the 63 unions and 15 million members of the AFL-CIO. In 2022, he was unanimously elected to the position as the highest ranking African American officer in the history of America’s labor movement.

Secretary Redmond shares how he and the AFL-CIO just wrapped up their nationwide “It’s Better in a Union: Fighting for Freedom, Fairness and Security” bus tour. While big corporations profit off the backs of working people and politicians continue to raise costs and cut essential lifesaving services, the labor movement traveled the country providing voice to and building power with workers in the lead up to Labor Day.

Mr. Redmond also blasts the new Trump administration's Union-busting executive order, which was issued right before Labor Day.

The new order rips away collective bargaining rights from workers at NASA, the International Trade Association, the NWS, and more.

The website for the AFL-CIO is AFLCIO.org and their handle on Blue Sky is @AFLCIO.org. Their handle on Facebook, Instagram and X is @AFLCIO.  Fred's handle on X is @STRedmond.

Leslie is joined by Dr. Robert Shapiro, Chairman of Sonecon, an economic advisory firm, and a Senior Fellow of the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.

The two examine the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) again handing President Trump a bleak set of jobs numbers, just one month after he fired the agency's commissioner over weak employment data.

On Friday morning, the BLS reported that nonfarm payroll employment rose by only 22,000 in August. Analysts had forecast that the economy would add 75,000 jobs during the month. According to the agency, gains made in health care were offset by losses in federal government employment, as well as mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction.

While July's figures were revised up to 79,000 from 73,000, June's numbers were revised down by 27,000, dropping from 14,000 to minus-13,000. That means this past June marked the first time the labor market shed jobs since late 2020. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate edged up to 4.3 percent from 4.2 percent in August.

Leslie and Dr. Shapiro also discuss his latest blog, "The Lies Behind Trump's D.C. Troop Sure."

(Link: https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025/08/18/the-lies-behind-trumps-d-c-troop-surge/)

In it, Dr. Shapiro breaks down how President Trump’s justification for deploying troops in Washington, D.C. on the basis of crime is false, as FBI data show crime rates in the capital have sharply declined and are lower than in many comparable U.S. cities. 

Instead, Dr. Shapiro details how Trump’s actions reflect a partisan strategy and authoritarian impulse to consolidate power and intimidate opposition, rather than any genuine concern for public safety.

Dr. Shapiro's website is Sonecon.com and his handle on X is @RobShapiro.

Wildfires destroy historic California Gold Rush town; Trump further escalates attacks against on US wind energy; Extreme rains trigger deadly landslide in war-torn Sudan; PLUS: Dozens of climate scientists issue scathing rebuttal to Dept. of Energy's science-denying report... All that and more in today's Green News Report!

RFK Jr & Vaccine Denial: Why He’s Dangerous for America 🇺🇸 | Karel Cast 25-119

Vaccines aren’t political—until politicians like RFK Jr make them partisan. I know firsthand the importance of questioning medicine, but let’s be honest: vaccines save lives. The data is clear, the science is proven, and yet RFK Jr and red states like Florida are trying to make vaccine mandates illegal.

The problem? Diseases don’t stay contained. His attacks on the CDC, his outdated views on autism, and the wave of staff defections around him prove one thing: RFK Jr is not healthy for America. So why won’t Congress step in?

Plus, we’ll break down a new TV ad that completely hits the very sad mark, and talk about what Democrats must do to regain public opinion in today’s toxic media landscape.

👉 Don’t miss this critical discussion—watch now, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to support independent voices.

#RFKJr, #VaccinesWork, #CDC, #KarelCast, #VaccineDebate, #PublicHealth, #StopMisinformation, #RedStates, #FloridaPolitics, #AmericanPolitics, #AutismMyths, #VaccineScience, #Democrats, #Congress, #ViralShorts, #LikeAndSubscribe, #IndependentMedia, #PoliticalCommentary, #PodcastLife, #PublicOpinion

https://youtube.com/live/wuz2NkFwfdo

Trump’s Health Questions Grow: Why Isn’t the Media Asking? | Karel Cast 25-118

Donald Trump vanishes for days at a time, his legs appear swollen from venous insufficiency, and his hands often look bruised. At nearly 80 years old, these could be normal signs of aging — or indicators of something more serious.

Trump and MAGA made Biden’s health fair game, yet the media stays largely silent on Trump’s visible health struggles. Why the double standard? Shouldn’t the public demand answers? Is he just slowing down, or is something bigger being hidden?

Plus, on today’s show: ever wondered how a song is created from scratch? 🎶 I just finished a new one, and I’ll take you through the creative process step by step.

👉 Watch now, join the conversation, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to support independent voices.

The Karel Cast is powered by your support at patreon.com/reallykarel and streams Mon–Thu at 10:30 AM PST. Available on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart, and more.

#KarelCast, #TrumpHealth, #DonaldTrump, #MAGA, #BidenHealth, #MediaBias, #PoliticalDivide, #AmericanPolitics, #PresidentialHealth, #IsTrumpSick, #BreakingNews, #Trump2025, #IndependentMedia, #ViralShorts, #LikeAndSubscribe, #SongCreation, #BehindTheMusic, #PodcastLife, #JusticeForAll, #EqualityForAll