Trickle-Down Socialism

In Episode 7, we take a look at the incomplete referendum on Socialism that was the 2020 Presidential Election.  This episode features an interview with Economist Dr. Asatar Bair (Riverside City College, CA.)

In the open, we discuss how quickly the media and mainstream Democratic blame game started to throw Progressives under the bus for the DNC's shortcomings. We review statistics that demonstrate that support for Progressive policies didn't cost anyone a race in the House or Senate, and that candidates who supported Medicare For All and the Green New Deal actually won their races almost across the board. 

Dr. Bair talks to Pat about the inherent bias built into Economics in favor of Capitalism. He explains what can be learned from the 2020 primary and Presidential election about the overwhelming support for leftist policies in the general public. He also breaks down what the prospects are for leftist policies in the short and long terms in the US. 

As mentioned in the interview, here is a link to Dr Bair's Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/AsatarBair/videos

And his video describing what he learned when writing his work about Prison labor in the US: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGWxylVonQA&t=1160s

As mentioned in the closing, please subscribe to the podcast and rate/review us wherever you get your podcasts. If you have a comment, question, or suggestion for a future topic we should cover, call us and leave a message at:

(781) 743 1813 

Pat interviews one of the co-founders of a brave independent media outlet named Unicorn Riot https://unicornriot.ninja/ who explains why independent media matters, what being independent allows them to cover that corporate media is unable to cover, and a number of interesting stories from covering dangerous stories like the protests to block the Dakota Access Pipeline and some of the more unstable protests across the US. The interview explains what US viewers and readers miss out on when they rely on corporate media, how we can support independent media, and why the future looks bright for outfits like Unicorn Riot in terms of generating enough funding to run a robust reporting operation. 

Dan, Pat, and Carlos talk about a few issues of the day to open the episode:

High levels of voter turnout due to mail-in ballots

Secretary of Labor trying to dismantle the Department of Labor - Bernie as Secretary of Labor?

Justification for "packing" the Supreme Court

In Rhode Island's September primaries, the Working Families Party pulled off an astonishing feat: 90% of the primary seats they sought were won by the party endorsed candidate. In a state where the Democratic primary often serves as the de facto general election, these victories mean that the Rhode Island State Senate and State House will have 12 new members, all of whom have earned the endorsement of the Working Families Party https://workingfamilies.org/about/

In Episode 5, Pat talked to a promising and energetic candidate who is party of this cohort of WFP backed candidates: Leonela Felix, candidate for State House seat from District 61. Leonela tells her story: she's an immigration attorney who got her start in politics through activism and doing the grassroots campaign work that characterizes the Working Families Party. The party pushed her to run because of her energy, her advocacy, as well as her skills and focus that would be an asset to the state and her constituents. We think you'll find that she's involved in politics for all the right reasons, and she's ready to work hard for the people of Rhode Island -- so ready that she walked 370 miles in the process of campaigning for the seat. If you liked what you heard from Leonela and want to learn more or donate to her campaign, follow this link: https://www.leonelafelix.com/

Dan, Carlos, Deto, and Pat also discuss Trump's recent Covid diagnosis and what that means for his campaign strategy, Amy Coney Barret's nomination process and other pressing political matters of the day. 

#WorkingFamiliesParty #RhodeIsland #StatePolitics #EstablishmentDems 

This Presidential Administration has been marked by a seemingly endless stream of whistleblowers who bravely risk their own careers to call out the waste, fraud, and abuse of power that they see as endemic to this president. Pat sits down with Nat Smith, a Whistleblower Protection attorney, to learn the ins and outs of whistleblowing, the types of retaliation that whistleblowers face, and the laws that are in place to protect the brave men and women who blow the whistle in a desperate attempt to shed light on corruption that they feel endangers our democracy. Learn why whistleblowers make our government better and more efficient.

Pat, Dan, and Carlos also discuss the recent death of RGB and what another Trump Supreme Court pick could mean for our country.

#Whistleblowers, #Corruption, #GovernmentAccountability

In Episode 3 of Season 2, we look at the strain that the various school reopening plans is putting on families across the country. We discuss various programs that could help alleviate that strain, especially Universal Basic Income, or UBI. 

Pat interviews Christine Olivo, who is running for US Congress in Florida's 24th district. Christine fully understands the challenges that her prospective constituents face because she has lived many of the same challenges. She promises to "show up" where the incumbent she is running against has not - Rep. Federica Wilson has been absent hundreds of days she was supposed to be in Congress. Christine explains what UBI would mean for the hard-working families in her district. Here's a link to her campaign website: https://www.christineolivo.com/ 

Also mentioned in the podcast, get your TDS podcast shirts using this link: https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/12616281-the-tds-podcast-shirt

Chuck Rocha, Senior Advisor to Bernie Sanders' historic 2020 Presidential Primary campaign, talks with Pat about his new book, "Tio Bernie," which chronicles the incredible Latino outreach conducted by the campaign. Chuck explains how he went from working in a Union Tire Factory early in his career to leading a team of organizers who engaged Latinx voters like no national political campaign has done before and he explains what most of the Democratic Party still gets wrong when trying to connect with voters of Hispanic descent. Aside from being an organizer, an author, and a political strategist, Chuck is an engaging storyteller and he shares a few of those stories in the interview. 

His book is available for pre-order at www.tioberniebook.com 

Dan, Pat, Carlos, and Deto open the episode with a Roundtable discussion of a couple of big news items from the week and close the episode with a post-interview wrap-up. 

Season 2 opens with two new members of the team. Deto-22 and Carlos Benitez are now part of the TDS podcast team, and the episode starts with a Roundtable discussion featuring all 4 team members. 

The episode also features three interviews, all designed to shed light on the looming eviction crisis that will hit the country if our governments don't act. 

Interview 1: Pat talks to Will, executive director of the Mayor's Office for Fair Housing, Equity, and Civil Rights, who explains what his office does and how his office fights against discrimination towards tenants who try to use vouchers to rent, often black and brown residents of Boston. 

Interview 2: Pat talks to a former student who is using the pseudonym: Franchesca. Franchesca shares her personal experience of homelessness shortly after she arrived in the United States from the Dominican Republic. 

Interview 3: Pat talks to Tim Scalona, an advocate for homeless students and a public policy grad student at UMass Amherst. Tim shares about his experience with homelessness as a kid and how that shapes who he is today, plus some clear policy goals that could help prevent the massive wave of evictions that looms. 

eviction, foreclosure, homelessness, shelter, housing vouchers, discrimination,  

With an emphatic end to Season One, Dan and Pat stop to reflect on the life and legacy of Civil Rights Icon and "Conscience of the Congress" John Lewis. There's a quick preview of what will be different on the TDS podcast in Season Two, and Pat talks to Massachusetts State Senator Jamie Eldridge about Prison Reform and the sweeping legislation passed in the State Senate in response to the Summer of Protest for Police Accountability and in support of Black Lives Matter. 

State Senator Eldridge details the bill, S2800, passed in the State Senate on July 14 and looks ahead to the State House of Representatives passing their version of the bill, which is set for a vote on July 22. Senator Eldridge explains the measures that were included in the bill: a certification (and de-certification) process for all Police in the state, accountability measures designed to prevent racial profiling, an improved expungement process for people with criminal records who have not re-offended for a period of time, and much more. 

To support a cause mentioned in the episode, Changing the name of the famous Edmund Pettus Bridge, click on the following link for details on how to donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ads-fb-jlbp-2?refcode=ads-fb-dtd-200714-evergreen-natl-ntl-%7B%7Bcampaign.id%7D%7D-%7B%7Badset.id%7D%7D-%7B%7Bad.id%7D%7D&fbclid=IwAR2Bu50Ia10oD65hz63c6u90-9qd9q8bP1iS1BD7jcIGu0m8F26WHY9njCM

Black Lives Matter

State Senate

Police Reform, Police Accountability, Criminal Justice Reform, Prison Reform, Progressive Politics, Racial Justice

Pat talks to Adam Christensen, a small business owner and Democratic candidate for the US 3rd Congressional District of Florida. Adam talks about his conservative upbringing, why he switched to the Democratic Party and moved left of most Democrats, and why Medicare For All makes sense from a moral, fiscal, and entrepreneurial perspective. He describes his challenges heading into the August 18 primary and what his likely Republican opponent would look like were he to win the primary. 

Christianity

Medicare For All

US Congress

Florida 3rd Congressional District

Gainesville, Florida 

Pat talks to Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards, who represents East Boston, Charlestown, and the North End about demanding equity in the Boston Planning and Development Authority, Defunding the police, getting Boston Police out of Boston Public Schools, and how the City Council and the Boston city government function. The Civics teacher, Pat, gets a lesson in Civics from Councilor Edwards. 

Also, we share our first call-in segment with three callers from different regions of the US sharing how the media has portrayed the protests about police brutality and the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. If you want to call in and potentially be featured on a future episode, call us at 781.343.1813 

Throughout the episode runs a beat that is part of an emotionally charged, gripping, and stirring track called "Breath." The track is cut by Carlos Benitez AKA DJ Arc-5 and produced by Deto-22, both part of a dynamic rap group known as Phenetiks. You can find this track, "Breath" and more amazing music by Phenetiks by visiting their page on bandcamp at: https://phenetiks.bandcamp.com

Equity

Working Class

Affordable Housing

City Government

Police Reform

Defund the Police

Black Lives Matter