May 30 - Why Does Trump Trash Allies While Praising Adversaries?; "White Working Class: Overcoming Class Cluelessness'; Republicans Reward Predatory Payday Lenders and Title Loan Sharks

Full Program

Part 1

We begin with the unexplained and unsettling radical change in U.S. foreign policy the Trump administration has brought about where close allies are punished and insulted while adversaries like Russia are praised and dictators, depots, murderers and kleptocrats in Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and Turkey are rewarded. Thomas Berger, Professor of International Relations at Boston University who specializes in German politics and political culture joins us to discuss the puzzling nature of Trump’s about-face in U.S. relations, with close allies like Germany, Australia and South Korea gratuitously insulted while thugs and dictators are praised. We examine the embarrassing optics of a preening president pushing aside the leader of a small European country and the disgust across Europe at Trump’s boorish behavior during the NATO summit and the G-7 meeting, as well as the extent to which the September elections in Germany will be all about running against Trump.

Part 2

Extended

Then we speak with Joan Williams, Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California, Hasting College of Law who joins us to discuss her new book “White Working Class: Overcoming Class Cluelessness in America”. We look into why populist movements around the world are gaining traction among the white working class and how much of the elite’s analysis of the white working class is misguided and rooted in class cluelessness.

Part 3

Then finally Diane Standaert, the executive vice president of the Center for Responsible Lending joins us to examine the stealth move on the part of House Republicans who slipped in a free pass to payday lenders and car-title loan sharks in the Financial Choice Act pushed by the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee Texas Republican Jeb Hensarling. He happens to be the largest individual recipient of money from the payday lenders and title loan bottom feeders that charge up to 400% interest on predatory loans and hold onto car titles, charging exorbitant interest rates which, if you fall behind in payments, means you lose your transportation to work.