May 5 - The "Jade Helm 15" Conspiracy Theory Moves to the Mainstream; ISIL Takes Credit for Garland Texas; The TPP Hits a Wall

Full Program

Part 1

We begin with “Jade Helm 15”, a military exercise involving the Special Forces which is set to begin in July, and has generated conspiracy theories on the fringes that have moved to the mainstream with Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordering the Texas Guard to monitor the U.S. military and Texas Senator Ted Cruz expressing sympathy for the concerned patriots who distrust Obama, whose Administration Cruz considers untrustworthy. Contributing writer to the Dallas Morning News, Wayne Slater, who has covered all the Texas governors from Bill Clements to Greg Abbott joins us to discuss the phenomenon of politicians “pandering to idiots”.

Part 2

Then we speak with award-winning former investigative correspondent for CNN, ABC and NBC, Mark Feldstein, the Chair of Journalism at the University of Maryland. We discuss the press coverage of the recent shootout in Garland, Texas, that has been driven by the self-declared Islamic State who have taken credit for the actions of two hapless wannabe jihadists, changing the focus of the story from one group of fanatics baiting another group of fanatics to the latest deadly chapter in the war on terror.

Part 3

Then finally, with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid holding hostage a vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal until an infrastructure package is passed and FISA is reformed, we assess the fate of the TPP with Clyde Prestowitz, the former counselor to the Secretary of Commerce and author of “The Betrayal of American Prosperity: Free Market Delusions, America’s Decline, and How We Must Compete in the Post-Dollar Era”.