2011 Program Archive

August 17th - Leo Panitch on his book - "In And Out of Crisis; The Global Financial Meltdown and Left Alternatives"

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We examine one subject that dominates the news, and that is the economy. We take an in-depth look into the disconnect between economic realities and political possibilities as it appears increasing likely we are heading for a double-dip recession and further painful but totally unnecessary austerity that will result in the impoverishment of millions more Americans than those already out of work, in addition to a making life more difficult for a growing majority of our fellow citizens trying to keep their heads above water.

Professor of Political Science at York University Leo Panitch joins us. He is the author of “In And Out of Crisis; The Global Financial Meltdown and Left Alternatives” and we talk about alternatives to the defensive retreat of American workers and the Middle Class who are attempting to hold onto what they have, rather than develop new strategies to go on the offensive in a new democratic direction.

 

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Will the Republics Survive the Empire? – State vs. Defense: The Battle to Define America’s Empire by Stephen Glain

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 Today we look into one subject in depth and that is the American Empire and the conflicting forces within it, State versus Defense. We speak with the author of an important new book that not only reveals the hidden history of manipulation and miscalculation that changed the Republic into an Empire, but we look into the extent to which the Empire is destroying the Republic, and finally ahead to what might be the final folly of Empire, a war between the U.S. and China.

Stephen Glain, the author of the new book “State Vs. Defense: The Battle to Define America’s Empire” joins us for an extended in-depth interview into our foreign policy, what shaped it, who controls it, and how it can be changed before it is too late.

 

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Aug 15 - What Makes Rick Perry Presidential; Ron Paul's Almost Win; Why The Rich Aren't Empathetic

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 We will begin with a profile of Texas Governor Rick Perry who has just entered the race for president, shaking up a crowded field of Republican candidates, none of whom have broken out of the pack, perhaps explaining why Perry is already considered a front-runner. Emmy award-winning television news correspondent James Moore, who has covered Texas politics for decades, joins us.

Part 2

 Then political scientist Jonathan Weiler, author of Authoritarianism and Polarization in American Politics joins us to discuss another front runner, who has moved from the fringes to the mainstream of the Republican Party. We will discuss how close Libertarian Ron Paul came to winning in Iowa and how he can at the same time, appeal to both dope-smoking anti-war activists and anti-government gun lovers.

Part 3

 Then finally, we will look into an article in Monday’s New York Times that President Obama referred to, “Stop Coddling the Super-Rich”, written by one of America’s richest billionaires, Warren Buffet. Dr Michael Kraus, lead author of a new study which finds that wealthy people are less empathetic, joins us to discuss why Warren Buffet is the exception to that rule.

 

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Aug 14 - Bachmann Wins Pawlenty Loses; Who Are The Libyan Opposition?; Gloria Steinem on "Gloria"

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 We will begin with the victory in the Iowa straw poll for Michele Bachmann and the loss of her Minnesota twin, Governor Pawlenty who has now withdrawn from the race. The Director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota Lawrence Jacobs joins us to assess the chances of this insurgent candidate who has all but made Sarah Palin irrelevant.

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 Then we will look into divisions within the ranks of the Libyan opposition that appear to be not only hampering efforts to remove the Qaddaffi dictatorship, but are also raising questions about exactly who NATO is supporting in its protracted effort at regime change through bombing. Wayne White a former Senior Analyst with the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research, who has studied Libya extensively, joins us.

Part 3

Then Gloria Steinem joins us. She is the subject of a new documentary on HBO airing on Monday night “Gloria: In Her Own Words”. The founder of Ms Magazine and an active member of Equality Now, Gloria reflects on the status of women in America today and her long struggle to improve it.

 

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August 11 - German Banks Exposed; Obama Economic Advisor on Election Chances; Riots Coming to America?

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We begin by discussing the continued uncertainty about financial stability in the Eurozone, and the European Central Bank’s ability to weather the accumulating debt burden of Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy. William K. Black, the former litigation director of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, who investigated the Savings and Loan disaster of the 1980’s, joins us to assess the exposure of German banks and how much they are hiding bad loans.

 

Part 2

 We talk with Jared Bernstein, who up until recently, was Vice President Biden’s Chief Economist and Economic Advisor and a member of President Obama’s economic team. We discuss how much the recent austerity measures resulting from the debt-ceiling deal will hurt the economy and adversely effect President Obama’s reelection chances.

Part 3

Then we look into the possibility of growing economic distress in the United States sparking riots similar to the recent outbreak of arson and looting in the U.K. Darnell Hunt, professor of Sociology at UCLA and author of Black Los Angeles; American Dreams and Racial Realities joins us to gauge the level of despair amongst America’s youth facing dwindling job opportunities and whether that might lead to violence in the future.

 

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