Radio Times

Guests: Ganesh Sitaraman, Ed O'Keefe

Growing economic inequality is destroying our democracy.  That’s the thesis of Vanderbilt Law School associate professor GANESH SITARAMAN’s new book, The Crisis of the Middle-Class Constitution.  Sitaraman argues that the founding fathers wrote the Constitution with the assumption that the middle class would remain strong.  But the widening gap between the rich and poor has weakened the foundations of our government.  Sitaraman, who also served at Senator Elizabeth Warren’s policy advisor, joins Marty to talk about how inequality erodes our constitutional system and possible solutions.  But first we check in with Washington Post congressional reporter ED O’KEEFE on the expected confirmation vote of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.  The clash in congress lead to a Senate rules change yesterday known as the “nuclear option.”

Guests: Jake Blumgart, Thoai Nguyen, Sokmala Chy

The Vietnam War and the genocide in Cambodia in the 1970s caused many in the region to flee their homes to find a safer and more stable life.  Philadelphia became one of the nation’s hubs in accepting refugees from Southeast Asia. Today on the show, we’ll hear stories from those who resettled in Philadelphia, how they were received by their new communities, and how President Trump’s rhetoric about U.S. refugee policies resonates with them.  We’ll be joined by WHYY’s PlanPhilly reporter JAKE BLUMGART, as well as THOAI NGUYEN,  CEO of Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition, and SOKMALA CHY, executive director of the Cambodian Association for Greater Philadelphia.

Guests: Masha Gessen, Clint Watts

The investigations into the Trump campaign and their alleged ties to Russia has been the lead story for months.  While the FBI has stated unequivocally that the Russian government intended to influence the outcome in favor of Trump, no evidence of collusion between the Trump team and the Kremlin has surfaced. Today on the show, we’ll talk about the role of disinformation in politics.  We’ll begin with MASHA GESSEN, a Russian-born journalist and anti-Putin activist, who warns the Trump opposition to stick to facts and avoid hyperbole, or even conspiracy, when it comes to discussing the Trump/Russia ties.  Then, CLINT WATTS joins Marty to discuss the influence of bots, trolls, and fake news in politics. Watts is Senior Fellow at the Center for Cyber and Homeland Security and a former FBI special agent.  He testified to the Senate Intelligence Committee about Russian election interference, urging the committee to “follow the trail of dead Russians.”

Guests: Trudy Rubin, Brendan O’Leary

The turmoil in the Middle East is  multi-faceted, with shifting, and sometimes conflicting, alliances among all of the groups involved.  Governments, terror groups, rebels are all vying for territory, power, and autonomy.  The Kurds, an ethnic minority in parts of Syria, Iraq, Turkey, and Iran, fit uniquely into the conflicts taking place across these regions.  Today, we’ll break down the different factions of the Kurdish people, examine their allegiances, their interests, and the prospect for an independent Kurdistan. We’ll be joined by TRUDY RUBIN of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who has just returned from the Kurdish region of Syria.  We’ll also talk with BRENDAN O’LEARY, professor of political science at The University of Pennsylvania who has advised the Kurds on their constitution and statehood.

Guests: Shea Rhodes, Jamie Mairakiza, Erin O'Brien, Autumn Burris

116 trafficking cases were reported in Pennsylvania last year, but experts believe the number is far higher. On today’s show, we’ll look at sex trafficking in the Philadelphia region, how it occurs and the steps advocates and law enforcement are taking to protect victims and end sexual exploitation and enslavement.  Marty talks with SHEA RHODES, director of the Villanova Law Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation, JAMIE MANIRAKIZA, director of Anti Trafficking and Social Services for the Salvation Army, and ERIN O’BRIEN, Assistant District Attorney for the city of Philadelphia. And we'll hear from survivor and advocate AUTUMN BURRIS, founding director of Survivors for Solutions.

Guests: Brian Fung, Matt Blaze, Julie Kearney

Congress just voted to eliminate the Federal Communications Commission’s privacy protection rules from last year.  President Trump is expected to sign this rollback, which would mean internet service providers (ISPs) will be able to look at, and sell your personal internet activities, to third parties without user consent.  Today on the show, we’ll break down what this means for consumer privacy online, the ISPs, and how you can protect yourself and your data. Mary Cummings-Jordan talks with MATT BLAZE, associate professor of computer science at the University of Pennsylvania, BRIAN FUNG, technology reporter for the Washington Post, and JULIE KEARNEY, vice-president of regulatory affairs for the Consumer Technology Association.

 

Reading List:

"What to expect now that Internet providers can collect and sell your Web browser history" - Brian Fung (The Washington Post)

"For sale: Your private browsing history" - Jon Brodkin (Ars Technica)

"How the Republican Sold Your Privacy to Internet Providers" - Tom Wheeler (The New York Times)

Last week, District Attorney Seth Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury on 23 charges of bribery, extortion and fraud—doing favors for gift-giving friends. Rob McCord, former state treasurer, was caught engaging in quid pro quos during his campaigns for treasurer and governor. Kathleen Kane, former Attorney General, was sentenced to prison for her conviction on charges of perjury and abuse of her office. Why does corruption keep happening in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania? In this hour, Mary talks with DAVE DAVIES, senior reporter for WHYY, and JOHN BAER, political columnist for the Daily News, about the various city and state corruption cases. J. SHANE CREAMER Jr., the executive director of the Philadelphia Board of Ethics, will explain how they enforce and manage to keep Philadelphia officials in check.

Guests: Robinson Meyer, Alec Luhn, Rukmini Callimachi

 We have three stories for today’s edition of Radio Times.  First, we’ll hear about President Trump’s executive order which reverse many of the environmental protections that the Obama administration had implemented. ROBINSON MEYER from The Atlantic joins us to explain.  Then, we’ll hear from The Guardian’s ALEC LUHN, who was arrested at one of the anti-corruption protests that took place in Russia over the weekend.  He’ll tell us about what sparked the historic demonstration and about his experience being detained.  Finally, we’ll talk with RUKMINI CALLIMACHI from The New York Times about the Trump administration’s plans in combating ISIS and the recent attacks in Mosul, Iraq.

Guests: Liz Evans, Priya Mammen, Devin Reaves

Prescription painkillers and heroin are killing hundreds of people each year in our region. Last year, over 900 people died of overdoses in Philadelphia alone. As opioid abuse continues to plague the country, Philadelphia and neighboring communities are searching for ways to fight this epidemic. We start off this hour discussing a controversial idea proposed for Philadelphia to reduce overdose fatalities, safe-injection sites, places where people can inject drugs under supervision. Guest host Mary Cummings-Jordan talks with LIZ EVANS, founder of InSite, the first supervised-injection site in North America. Then, PRIYA MAMMEN, professor of emergency medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and DEVIN REAVES, a recovery advocate and social worker, discuss the causes and costs of opioid abuse and possible ways to combat it.

Guests: Samantha Harris, Jason Stanley

Guest host Mary Cummings-Jordan will talk to a panel about the on-going debate about free speech on college campuses, following a protest at Middlebury College in which students prevented conservative Charles Murray from speaking at a public event hosted by a Middlebury professor. We’ll be joined by SAMANTHA HARRIS, vice president of policy research at Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, and by JASON STANLEY, professor of philosophy at Yale University.