July 15 - Barack Fights Back; The Financialization of the U.S. Economy; Putin Pushes Laws to Kill What's Left of Russian Democracy

Full Program	LISTEN TO FULL PROGRAM	-
Part 1	We begin with the apparent turnaround of Barack Obama who has been a disappointment to liberals and progressives, many of whom consider the president weak and too accommodating to the Republicans who constantly vilify him. James Kloppenberg, professor of American History and Chair of the Department of History at Harvard University and author of “Reading Obama: Dreams, Hope, and the American Political Tradition” joins us to discuss the more assertive candidate on the campaign trail who appears to have his opponent Mitt Romney on the defensive, forcing Romney to either reveal or continue to cover up the full extent of how much wealth he has, how he got it, what taxes he’s paid and whether he lied to the SEC or the American people.
Part 2	Then we look into the growing financialization of the U.S. and world economies with Ozgur Orhangazi, the author of “Financialization of the U.S. Economy”. We discuss historical examples of empires whose power rises on the back of productive industrial capitalism, followed by domination by the financial sector that eventually cannibalizes the productive sector in pursuit of concentrated financial gain, leading to weakness and collapse.
Part 3	Then finally we go to Moscow for an update on the furious pace with which Vladimir Putin is having his rubber-stamp parliament push through laws that restrict the Internet, penalize peaceful protest, fine journalists and categorize non-governmental organizations as acting as foreign agents. Masha Gessen, the author of “The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Valdimir Putin” joins us.
	MUSIC: Theme from Rocky; Shabazz Palaces - Gun Beat Falls; Arcade Fire - Wake Up; The Beatles - Back In The USSR