Radio Times

Guests: Adam Cohen, Laura Meckler, Michael Grabell

In his first months in office, President Trump has prioritized a crackdown on immigration.  While the border wall and his travel bans have been stalled in Congress and the courts, Trump has still managed to hire more agents, loosen rules of arrest, and create an office and hotline for victims of immigrant-related crimes.  This hour, we’ll discuss the White House policies and rhetoric, and how they are affecting immigrant communities with Wall Street Journal reporter LAURA MECKLER.  But first, author ADAM COHEN discusses the anti-immigrant fervor in the 19th and early 20th centuries and how IQ tests and puzzles that were used at Ellis Island to determine entry.  And, we end the hour talking with ProPublica reporter MICHAEL GRABELL about his recent article on the dangerous conditions that immigrant workers endure.

Guests: Manu Bhagavan, Howard Lavine

The people of Turkey recently voted to give president Erdoğan more authority than their constitution had previously provided, altering the country from a parliamentary democracy to a presidential republic. So why would the Turkish people want to eliminate the checks on their president? Across the globe, countries seem to be opting in to authoritarianism, arguably including the United States with the election of Donald Trump. Trump himself has showed affection for these kinds of leaders, including Erdoğan, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un, Xi Jinping, and Rodrigo Duterte. Today on the show, we’re going to discuss what has led to the rise of the “strongman,” and why some personality types prefer authoritarian rulers. We’re joined by MANU BHAGAVAN, who teaches history and human rights at Hunter College and the Graduate Center-CUNY, and by HOWARD LAVINE, professor of political science and psychology at the University of Minnesota.

Reading list:

"We are witnessing the rise of global authoritarianism on a chilling scale" - Manu Bhagavan (Quartz)

"Trump, Duterte - brothers from another mother" - Dana Milbank (The Washington Post)

"The authoritarian president" - Robert Reich (BillMoyers.com)

Last year, the Philadelphia School District ended most out-of-school suspensions for kindergartners. However, thousands of elementary school children—first through fifth grade—are still being suspended. Schools have zero-tolerance policies for violent behavior, but most suspensions are for nonviolent offenses. In this hour of Radio Times, Marty talks with ALEX DUTTON with the Education Law Center about a coalition of advocates who are calling for the prohibition of out-of-school suspensions of elementary school students saying it harms students more than helps them. KARYN LYNCH, chief of student support services at the district discusses how students, teachers and families are supported in this issue. Then, LINDA BROWN-BARTLETT, health and physical education teacher and antibullying specialist, explains how she created a “calm room” in the Yorkship Family School in Camden, NJ as an alternative to suspensions.

 

Reading List

APM Reports: Amid evidence zero tolerance doesn't work, schools reverse themselves

Philly.com: Good kids, bad decision: Why Camden schools are suspending fewer students

Education Law Center: Letter Requesting Ban on Suspensions of Elementary Aged Students

Guests: Dave Davies, Holly Otterbein

Seven Democrats and one Republican are running to be Philadelphia’s next District Attorney. Absent from this list is current D.A. Seth Williams, who is not seeking reelection due to an indictment for corruption and bribery.  Since the city’s democratic party has not thrown their weight behind any particular candidate, the field doesn’t seem like it’s going to narrow at all before the May 16th primary.  So, today on Radio Times, Marty is joined by WHYY’s DAVE DAVIES and Philadelphia Magazine’s HOLLY OTTERBEIN to help us get an understanding of each candidate’s background and priorities. And, we’ll also hear about the Democratic primary race for Philadelphia Controller, between incumbent Alan Butkovitz and city treasurer, Rebecca Rhynhart.

Guests: Amor Towles

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution.  The young Soviet Russia is the backdrop to novelist AMOR TOWLES’ newest book, A Gentleman in Moscow.  It’s 1922 and the Bolsheviks have just placed Count Rostov under house arrest in Moscow’s Hotel Metropol for “corruptions of his class,” sentenced to life imprisonment in the hotel.  But the turmoil and chaos of the Communist regime leaks in and Rostov becomes a keen witness to it all.  He talks with guest host Mary Cummings-Jordan about Count Rostov, why he was drawn to the Russian Revolution, and his shift from working on Wall Street to writing fiction.

The 2017 NFL draft is in town. Thousands of football fans and draft pick hopefuls from around the country have taken over the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the steps in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. We'll talk about Round 1 winners and losers and what this means for the Philadelphia Eagles with MIKE SIELSKI sports columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Then, guest-host Mary Cummings-Jordan talks with ZOE FRAADE-BLANAR and AARON GLAZER, authors of Superfandom: How Our Obsessions Are Changing What We Buy and Who We Are, about why we are so passionate about our sports teams, movies, music artists and collectibles.

April is National Poetry Month, and Philadelphia is home to a strong poetry community. In this hour, Marty talks with YOLANDA WISHER, Philadelphia’s current and third poet laureate and author of the poetry collection Monk Eats an Afro, about her work, influences and goals to make poetry accessible. PATRICK ROSAL, associate professor of English at Rutgers-Camden MFA, author of Brooklyn Antediluvian and 2017 John Simon Guggenheim Fellow, joins the conversation to discuss what his poetry and his performances in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and hundreds of venues throughout the United States. Both poets will read some of their work.

Guests: James Peterson, Joe Watkins, Charlie Gerow

The first 100 days metric that the media uses to scrutinize a new president is sort of like the Groundhog Day of politics.  But instead of Punxatawny Phil poking out his head to predict the arrival of spring, political watchers and voters alike use the first 100 days to determine how effective a new administration will be, and if the newly elected president is living up to their campaign promises. Trump himself often employed the first 100 days benchmark when discussing his own governance, but has since called it ‘ridiculous.’  Today on the show, Marty is joined by political commentators JOE WATKINS and JAMES PETERSON to talk about President Trump’s first 100 days in the oval office. They’ll talk about the wins and losses that he has faced, his governing style, and what it all portends for the future of his time in office. But first, we’ll hear from Republican strategist, CHARLIE GEROW, to get his take on Trump and the GOP base.

Blues artist RUTHIE FOSTER said she wanted to slow down and get back to the basics. In her new album Joy Comes Back, Foster sings about love and loss. When making the album, Foster ended a long relationship and had to share custody of her five-year-old daughter, so music was her therapy. In this hour, Marty talks with the three-time Grammy nominated artist, about her new album, her life including a stint in the Navy, growing up reading poetry and her approach to music.

 

Playlist 

Richland Woman Blues 

Joy Comes Back 

Working Woman 

Open Sky 

War Pigs 

Lord Remember Me

Forgiven

Guests: Neil Irwin, David Bell, Derek Thompson

The retail industry has been hurting lately. Big department stores like Sears, JC Penney and Macy’s have closed stores and many suburban shopping malls are disappearing. The retail industry lost the most jobs in March -- 30,000. Marty looks at our changing shopping habits, the difficulties brick and mortar stores are facing, and the impact on jobs with DAVID BELL, marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and DEREK THOMPSON, senior editor at The Atlantic. But first, we discuss President Trump’s trade policies and his recent comments accusing Canada of taking advantage of American workers with New York Times economic correspondent NEIL IRWIN.

 

Reading List

The New York Times: How Trump Can Improve the Messy U.S.-Chinese Economic Relationship

The Atlantic: The Silent Crisis of Retail Employment

The New York Times: Is American Retail at a Historic Tipping Point?

The New York Times: Imagining the Retail Store of the Future