2016 Programs

2016 Program Archive

September 1 - The Christian/Musilim Divide; The End of Loser Liberalism; Deflating Europe's Collapse

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 We begin with Eliza Griswold, the author of “The Tenth Parallel: Dispatches from the Fault Line Between Christianity and Islam”. We will discuss sectarian violence along the Christian/Muslim divide that is exploding in Nigeria, Sudan and the Philippines, as conflicts over religion, nationhood and natural resources threaten to remake the world in the coming years. Eliza Griswold

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Part 2

 Then, we talk with economist Dean Baker about his new e-book “The End of Loser Liberalism: Making Markets Progressive”. We will discuss the willingness of progressives to accept the conservative framing of political debates, where conservatives like the market while liberals like the government which puts liberals in a position of seeming to want to tax the winners to help the losers. Dean Baker

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Part 3

 Then, finally, we challenge the recent prediction on the cover of Time that Europe is about to collapse. Steven Hill, the author of “Europe’s Promise: Why the European Way is the Best Hope for an Insecure Age”, joins us. We explore the paradox that while we are told Europeans are facing bankruptcy, they nevertheless enjoy a higher standard of living than we do and continue to enjoy social services we can only dream of. Steven Hill

 

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August 31 - Cheney Has No Regrets; The Terrorism Industrial Complex; Funding Islamophobia

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  We begin with Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, who was Secretary of State Colin Powell’s Chief of Staff and the first high ranking Bush Administration official to go public and warn of the usurpation of power by the Cheney/Rumsfeld cabal. We discuss the former Vice President’s destructive legacy which is at odds with his “No Regrets” memoir “In My Time”. Lawrence WIlkinson

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 Then, as the tenth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, we look into the trillion dollar Terrorist Industrial Complex with Dr John Mueller, the author of a new book “terror, Security, and Money; Balancing the Risks, Benefits, and Costs of Homeland Security”. John Mueller

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Part 3

 Then, finally we find out about who is funding the campaign of Islamophobia that has some Americans believing that the nation is about to be subjected to Sharia law. Wajahat Ali, one of the authors of a new study by the Center of American Progress, “Fear Inc.: The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America”, joins us. Wajahat Ali

 

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August 30 - Wall Street Robs Main Street; Gunning For Gun Control; An Iraqi Revisits Iraq

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 We begin with Michael Greenberger, the former director of the Division of Trading and Markets at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and discuss the real cause of the high cost of gas and food in America, and that is the speculation on Wall Street that has distorted the commodities market while unnecessarily impoverishing most Americans in order to enrich a few. Greenberger

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 Then we discuss the reassignment of the head of ATF over a sting operation that lost track of 2,500 high-powered firearms. Dennis Hennigan, the author of “Lethal Logic: Exploding the Myths that Paralyze America’s Gun Policy” joins us to examine the truth behind the posturing of  lawmakers who have systematically weakened gun control laws and the ATF’s ability to enforce what laws still exist, while proclaiming outrage over the botched “Fast and Furious” operation. Hennigan

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Part 3

 Then, finally, we talk with Raed Jarrar, an Iraqi-American political analyst and blogger who was recently in Iraq. We look into the continuing political paralysis and instability of the government in the Green Zone as the U.S. pulls out of a country it devastated, and also examine the likely spillover of the revolution going on next door in Syria. Raed Jarrar

 

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Aug 29 - Algeria and the Qaddafi Fugitives; Hurricane Hype and Climate Change; A CIA Interrogator on Cheney

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 We begin with Algeria, where Qaddafi’s family have just taken refuge, and talk with Laurie Brand, professor of International Relations at USC who studies North Africa. She examines the regional implications of the fall of the Qaddafi dictatorship for the neighboring states, in particular Algeria, where the ruling military regime supported Qaddafi, and are now being asked to turn over his family.

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 Then we get an update on the big storm and its aftermath from Andrew Revkin who is the creator of the New York Times’ Dot Earth blog where he covers global environmental issues and climate change. We discuss hurricane Irene and its possible relationship to climate change, as a growing number of serious weather events are occurring with increasing devastation requiring more and more federal disaster assistance.

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 Then finally we talk with Glenn Carle, a former CIA interrogator of a suspected high-level Al Qaeda member. His new book “The Interrogator; An Education” tells the story and we will also ask Glenn Carle about Dick Cheney’s defense of torture in his new memoir and the CIA’s censorship of FBI Agent Ali Soufran’s new book that accuses the agency of missing a chance to derail the 9/11 terrorist attack.

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Aug 28 - Could the Arab Spring Turn Ugly?; Ron Paul's Dark Side; "American Dreamers" a History of the American Left's Achievements and Failures

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 We begin with an analysis of the shifting political sands as the Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East. Vali Nasr, who was until recently the Senior Advisor to President Obama’s envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, joins us.  Although the revolution of hope has tyrants toppling, Vali Nasr warns the Arab Spring could turn ugly as cornered despots resort to stirring up sectarian strife.

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 Then we examine the political record of an emerging favorite among Republicans and some progressives, Ron Paul. Alternet’s Washington Editor Adele Stan joins us to explain why if you are a member of an anti-woman, anti-gay, anti-black, anti-senior citizen, anti-equality, anti-education, pro-communist witch-hunt wing of the progressive movement, then Ron Paul’s your guy.

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 Then finally we have a conversation with historian Michael Kazin about “American Dreamers”, his new book which at a time when the American right is in ascendency, provides a refreshing history of the American Left that transformed both American society and the American soul. But since FDR, has had a dismal record of progress in terms of political, social and economic achievements.

 

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