Podcast appearances and mentions of harold meyerson

Part 1:We talk with Anjeannette Damont, who covers government accountability issues at the local, state and federal level in the Southwest. At Pro Publica, her work has included uncovering COVID-19 testing contracts awarded to the Nevada governors friends with disastrous results, documenting how a city council empowered a wealthy developer to raze motels and displace hundreds of low-income residents, and investigating how the countrys largest house-flipping company cashed in on homeowners desperation. Prior to Pro Publica, she was a government watchdog reporter and regional investigative editor for the USA Today Network.We discuss the damage done by a We Buy Ugly Houses Franchise Left a Trail of Financial Wreckage Across Texashttps://www.propublica.org/article/homevestors-fraud-charles-carrier-texasPart 2:We talk with Bill Curry and Harold Meyerson.Bill Curry was a Connecticut state senator, comptroller and two time Democratic nominee for governor who served as Counselor to the President in the Clinton White House. He has written for Salon, the Daily Beast, the Huffington Post and the Hartford Courant and has provided commentary on National Public Radio, MSNBC and many other news outlets.Harold Meyerson is editor at large of The American Prospect.We discuss how Trump uses policy as a political weapon. The 'bait and switch' approach that gets voters' attention for popular issues, on which he never delivers, but for which he takes credit.We also discuss the Qatar government's 'gift' to Trump of a $4 M airplane. WNHNFM.ORG  productionMusic: David Rovics 

At 100 days, Trump's approval ratings are his worst yet – starting with Pew Research poll 40% approve 59% disapprove. And Trump has the worst ratings of any other president approaching the 100 day mark in history – Harold Meyerson comments.Also: J D Vance said it most clearly: for the Trump people, “The universities are the enemy.” That's why Trump is cutting billions of federal funding and making impossible demands that threaten dozens of universities. But universities have begun to resist. Michael Roth comments – he's president of Wesleyan, and was the first university president to speak out against Trump's attacks.Plus: 62 years ago this week, in April, 1963, the Birmingham civil rights campaign directed by Martin Luther King was reaching a climax. April 7, Palm Sunday, police used dogs to attack Black people at a march. the dramatic photos appeared on front pages around the world. Then, 4 Black girls were killed at a church bombing, and then Congress passed the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Diane McWhorter wrote the definitive history of that crucial campaign–her book is called “Carry Me Home: Birmingham, Alabama, the climatic battle of the civil rights revolution.” (broadcast originally in 2001.)

The Fighting Oligarchy tour of Bernie Sanders and AOC has had amazing turnouts: 36,000 people in Los Angeles, 100,000 people in Coachella, and huge crowds in red districts across the country; followed by big campaign donations as Bernie and AOC become "the personification of the resistance" against the Trump administration. Also, Trump continues to defy court orders, including those issued after the unanimous Supreme Court ruling to return Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia to the US from El Salvador after an illegal deportation – the defiance of such a court order by a US president is the first of its kind in history – Harold Meyerson comments.Next: While Trump's attacks on the universities have broadened, and while Columbia is submitting to his requirements, Harvard's president has declared that Harvard will not comply with Trump's demands in exchange for keeping its federal funding. David Cole comments - he recently stepped down as National Legal Director of the ACLU to return to teaching law at Georgetown.Plus: The illegal detention of Palestinian students attending US universities: the detention of Mohsen Madawi seems to be the most outrageous of all the cases of detained students opposing Israel's war in Gaza; UCLA Professor of Jewish History David Meyers reports.

Part 1:We talk with Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. and Dr. Ray Perryman, President and CEO of the Perryman Group.Grouphttps://www.perrymangroup.com/has half a century of experience in developing systems, analyzing complex problems, and communicating effectively with legislative, regulatory, and judicial bodies, Fortune 500 companies, business organizations, civic community leaders, and audiences through the world.We discuss the chaos that the Trump administration has brought to the US. This is not sustainable in the long term, and is ruinous to the country. It is obvious that Trump is NOT prioritizing the US. People are afraid of many things now: the economy is declining, freedoms are being abrogated, and the worldwide opinion is that the US is no longer trustworthy. We discuss what ordinary people need to do to counteract this destruction.Part 2: We talk with Harold Myerson and Bill Curry.Harold Meyerson is editor at large of The American Prospect.Bill Curry was a Connecticut state senator, comptroller and two time Democratic nominee for governor who served as Counselor to the President in the Clinton White House. He has written for Salon, the Daily Beast, the Huffington Post and the Hartford Courant and has provided commentary on National Public Radio, MSNBC and many other news outlets.We discuss the phases of Trump's second presidency: Chaos and Retribution. Chaos exists now, in the civil rights arena, and in the economic state of the nation. Facts seem to be immaterial, we are being asked to operate in Trump's mad world. "This is Russia's first successful invasion". We are now in a techno-autocracy.We discuss the outreach by Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes via their tour of the country, and the message they are sending: Resist and vote.  Music: From David Rovics, “The Richest Man in the World Says So”, 2025WNHN.ORG production

Trump is weaker after caving on tariffs - Harold Meyerson analyzes the new political landscape - and assesses the economic damage.Also: Trump's tariffs are not really about trade, they're a form of blackmail – but the alternative is not a return to the free trade policies introduced by Clinton and Obama. Lori Wallach of the Rethink Trade program at the American Economic Liberties Project explains what kind of tariffs we need, combined with government support for reindustrialization.Plus: A major lawsuit challenging Trump over his efforts to deport pro-Gaza campus activists has been brought by faculty members at their universities. Jameel Jaffer reports on the AAUP case; he's executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University and a former deputy legal director of the ACLU.

Last Tuesday, the Democrats made striking gains in districts that were solid red – and Wisconsin's State Supreme Court maintained its liberal majority. Meanwhile, Trump claims that his sweeping tariffs are to restore US manufacturing; but Paul Krugman says it's all based on ridiculous, totally false statistics – Harold Meyerson comments.Also: The Wisconsin Supreme Court election tested the political power of Musk's money, and voters rejected his candidate. The results have huge implications for the midterms. John Nichols has our analysis.Plus: A big victory in federal district court: Trump cannot shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – and, April 5th will be Hands Off! – a National Day of Action to stand up against the Trump administration – Rob Weissman of Public Citizen will explain.

Part 1:We talk with Harold Meyerson, Editor-at-Large, The American Prospect.We discuss Trump's abrogation of the contractual rights of Federal employees to belong to unions. Unions represent more than one million federal employees. The claim by Trump is that ALL federal employees are subject to rules regarding national security. Now, government employment is dependent on loyalty to Trump, rather than expertise and experience. We discuss the implications for federal agencies and their clients, the people of the US. This is a war against workers.Part 2:We talk with Jessica Piper, reporter at Politico.We discuss the recent presidential election, and the shifts in voting, particularly the shifts among Hispanic voters. We break down how they voted, and the differences between how they voted for Trump, versus how they voted in down-ballot cases.  Music: From David Rovics, “The Richest Man in the World Says So”, 2025

Trump's Top Aides Dig the Hole Deeper on Signalgate Speaking Lies on Behalf of Power | An Examination of the Emerging Resistance and How the Only Pathway Out of Institutional Collapse as Our Democracy is Destroyed is on the Left backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

Thursday night, Trump signed an Executive order abolishing union rights at more than two dozen federal agencies – part of his campaign to destroy the government. Harold Meyerson comments on this "ultimate form of union busting".Also: Bernie Sanders and AOC are on their “fighting oligarchy” tour, and in Denver last weekend they had the biggest political event there since Obama in 2008. It was also the biggest rally of Bernie's life – bigger than anything in his presidential campaigns. And the first big election of the year is underway in Wisconsin. John Nichols has our analysis. Plus: Elie Mystal talks about popular laws that are ruining America – starting with our voter registration requirements. But despite the obstacles and disappointments, he argues that it's always necessary to vote. His new book is Bad Laws.

As the Senate prepares to vote on the Republican budget, Harold Meyerson talks about what's at stake for Democrats who join Chuck Schumer in voting with Republicans, and the great majority in the opposition. Plus: unions take Trump to court over firings.Also: The Supreme Court ruled against Trump last week in the first test of his refusal to release money appropriated by Congress, and more than a dozen more similar cases are likely to come before the court –– probably including a challenge to his withholding hundreds of millions from research universities on the grounds that they have failed to protect Jewish students from antisemitism. Erwin Chemerinsky comments –– he's dean of the Law School at UC Berkeley.Plus: from the archives: Oliver Sacks recalls Tripping in Topanga (recorded in 2012, he died three years later).

Trump's forgettable State of the Union speech shows he remains in campaign mode, rather than governing: Harold Meyerson comments.Plus: Trump suffered a big loss at The Supreme Court in the first challenge to his unconstitutional seizure of power: an order to release USAID funding appropriated by Congress. The suit was brought by Public Citizen; their co-president, Robert Weissman, will explain.Also: John Nichols with our protest update for the week. Topics include: includes Tesla dealer showroom picketing; Ukraine support demonstrating; national park protesting, and Town Hall yelling.

"The Coup Has Failed" writes David Dayen in The American Prospect; no president has been less popular than Trump after his first month in office, and "the thing about populism is you have to be popular" – Harold Meyerson comments. Also: House Progressive leader Ro Khanna says “economic empowerment” for the working class should become the Democrats' “defining cause.” And he comments on this week's battle in the House over the Republican budget.Plus: Thomas Geoghegan argues that, to win back the working class, Democrats need to “promise something big – and keep it simple.” His suggestions: a bigger and better Social Security program, and an end to employers' freedom to fire workers for any reason.

The House budget plan could see deep cuts to Medicaid but, "the political basis for cutting Medicaid because 'this can only hurt the Democrats' is really no longer the case;" also, on Kash Patel's confirmation as the new director of the FBI: "there's nothing like reconfiguring the FBI so it carries out whatever Donald Trump wants, which is what Kash Patel would do" – Harold Meyerson has our political update.Plus: The first big election of 2025 will be in Wisconsin, which elects a new Supreme Court Justice on April 1. Elon Musk is spending hundreds of millions in that race. That's both a threat, and an opportunity for Democrats. John Nichols will comment.

Part 1:We talk with Naureen Shah, Deputy Director of Government Affairs, Equality Division, ACLUWe discuss Trump's threat to Sanctuary States and cities: no federal help for disasters or other events. This is coercion by withholding funds voted by Congress.We discuss how ICE wants to round up everyone that they define as criminals. Primary prison companies are beneficiaries of this tactic. No laws.Text "Sanctuary " to 82623 to help.Part 2:We talk with Harold Meyerson, Editor-at-Large at The American Prospect.We discuss the government firings of personnel who collect and analyze data. Facts that run counter to what Trump wants are to be hidden or dismissed.Congress are in fear of Trump."Stop the Kneel" WNHNFM.ORG  productionMusic: David Rovics, "Time to Act", for Will Von Sproson

Churches are coming together to fight Trump – the lawsuit filed challenges ICE raids in places of worship on First Amendment Freedom of Religion grounds. Also, what does it tell us that both Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins voted 'Yes' for two terrible Trump nominees (Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr.) when they didn't have to? Harold Meyerson comments.Plus: Trump has lost a series of major legal battles in the last week, where courts have ruled that key executive orders of his are unconstitutional. But what happens if Trump defies the courts? David Cole comments—he recently stepped down as national legal director of the ACLU to return to teaching law at Georgetown University.

The Democrats have become more active in trying to stop the worst of Trump - and Musk - Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect comments on Senate and House leaders - and on the recent administration attacks on the NLRB.Also: Trump's strategy of flooding the zone with executive actions is intended to paralyze the opposition. But there's lots of grassroots mobilization underway right now, and one of the biggest organizers of that mobilization is Indivisible. Leah Greenberg will explain the group's strategy and tactics -- and this week's work assignments -- to get four Republicans to vote “No” on Trump's terrible nominees. Leah is one of the co-founders and co-executive directors of Indivisible.

How did we get here, with Trump returning to the White House? Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect comments on the 93 million people who could have voted – but didn't –and on Trump's Day One executive orders.Also: Now that Trump is preparing to round up and deport undocumented residents, we want to thank them for everything they've done to make America good. Gustavo Arellano will explain – he's a columnist for the LA Times whose father came to the US in the 1960s in the trunk of a Chevy.Plus: Twenty Minutes without Trump. Today: J. Edgar Hoover: We know a lot about the bad things he did, but it turns out there's a lot we didn't know. Historian Beverly Gage will explain. Her award-winning book is “G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover & the Making of the American Century.” (originally broadcast in December, 2022.)

How Trump ‘won': In 2024, 244 million Americans were eligible to vote. 31.5% voted for Trump, 30.6 % voted for Harris, 38% did not vote. Trump won the same share of the eligible voters as he did four years ago (32%), But Harris's share of eligible voters fell by 3.5 points compared to Biden. Why did 7 million Democratic voters stay home? Harold Meyerson has our analysis—he's editor-at-large of The American Prospect.Also: now that Trump is preparing to round up and deport undocumented residents, we want to thank them for everything they've done to make America good. It's a sentiment they don't hear nearly enough--especially the “unaccompanied minors,” who have “shown more bravery in their young lives than anyone in Trump's administration could ever dream of.” Gustavo Arellano will explain – he's a columnist for the LA Times whose father came to the US in the 1960s in the trunk of a Chevy.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Trump has come out in favor of combining many of his biggest priorities into one big budget reconciliation bill – because the budget reconciliation impacts the economy, this bill is not subject to filibuster by the Democrats; so, it could pass the Senate with 50 Republican votes. But some Republicans are likely to resist – Harold Meyerson comments. Also: Trump's “dictatorship on day one” will feature executive orders to deport undocumented residents. Ahilan Arulanantham, co-director of the Center for Immigration Law & Policy at UCLA Law School, explains the legal strategy to be deployed by the sanctuary states and cities to challenge Trump's orders. Plus: Trump & Golf: The Saudi-backed LIV golf league will return to Trump's Doral Resort in April 2025 – the clearest sign yet that Trump family business deals using Saudi government financing will continue into the new presidency. The legendary sportswriter Robert Lipsyte comments on Trump and golf. (broadcast originally in August 2017)

Part 1:We talk with Joe Jaworski, the son of Leon Jaworski, Joe was the former Mayor of Galveston TX, he ran for AG in 2022 lost in the democratic runoff.We discuss Texas politics, and specifically, the actions of the current AG, Ken Paxton. Paxton has been attacking fellow Republicans in Texas who have not bowed to his wishes. and who do not agree about who should lead the Texas House. Currently, Texas is a dangerous place to live for both citizens and immigrants. This is due to the draconian laws that have been passed recently, and also to the impending problems that will occur if many undocumented workers are deported: They pay taxes locally, and many cities and counties will lose that income. Additionally, many people are being sued or sent to prison as a result of new regulations and laws being implemented.Part 2:We talk with Harold Meyerson and Bill Curry.Bill Curry was a Connecticut state senator, comptroller and two time Democratic nominee for governor who served as Counselor to the President in the Clinton White House. He has written for Salon, the Daily Beast, the HuffingtonPost and the HartfordCourant and has provided commentary on National Public Radio, MSNBC and many other news outlets.Harold MeyersonSince 2001, Harold Meyerson has been an editor of The American Prospect, the Washington-based liberal magazine, oscillating between the positions of Editor at Large and Executive Editor (his current post).We discuss the California fires and Trump's response to the disasters. We also discuss the new reality: truth no longer matters, only the misinformation that is promulgated by Republicans. We also discuss what Democrats should be doing to mitigate this problem. There seems to be a vanishing Democratic resistance to Trump.WNHNFM.ORG  productionMusic: David Rovics, "Time to Act", for Will Von Sproson

A fight has broken out between Elon Musk and the MAGA activists and base about immigration – specifically, over H-1B visas. But what exactly IS an H-1B visa; and why is there so much heat around the issue? Harold Meyerson comments.Also: Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation's famous 900 page book, is partly “too dumb to accomplish anything at all”– the rest, can be read as a useful catalog of how we should focus our resistance – Rick Perlstein explains.Plus: The ever-elusive Bob Dylan seems an unlikely candidate for a Hollywood biopic. John Powers, a critic-at-large on NPR's Fresh Air, talks about how the new movie "A Complete Unknown" captures a defining moment in his career and in American culture.

Disney unions won the biggest ever back pay settlement, and Amazon drivers in the Southland are going on strike this week - Harold Meyerson reports on the class struggle in Southern California.Also: Bob Dylan fans have been puzzled and troubled by his Christmas album ever since he released it in 2009. To help figure out what Dylan was doing, we turn to Sean Wilentz. He's the official historian at BobDylan.com, and he also teaches history at Princeton. (Originally recorded in January, 2005.)​

Hotel and restaurant workers in Los Angeles won a $30 minimum wage last week, Disneyland workers are getting $233 million in back pay, and Wisconsin public employees regained collective bargaining rights. Harold Meyerson reports on some victories in the class struggle in America.Also: a special feature: novelist Rachel Kushner reports on the world of Nostalgia Drag Racing, where people make machines – with their hands. One of them is her teenage son.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hotel and restaurant workers in Los Angeles won a $30 minimum wage last week, Disneyland workers are getting $233 million in back pay, and Wisconsin public employees regained collective bargaining rights. Harold Meyerson reports on some victories in the class struggle in America.Also: a special feature: novelist Rachel Kushner reports on the world of Nostalgia Drag Racing, where people make machines – with their hands. One of them is her teenage son.

Workers in Los Angeles and Wisconsin made major gains this week, while the NLRB is falling into Trump's hands, thanks to Joe Manchin & Kyrsten Sinema -- Harold Meyerson reports.Also: a new episode of “The Children's Hour,” Amy Wilentz reports on “Lives of the In-Laws”—Ivanka's father-in-law, and Tiffany's -- and comments also on the rise of Trump's daughter-in-law Lara, the wife of Eric.

The GOP majority in the House will be 217-to 215 Dems – for months, until special elections in April bring it up to 220. What are the odds odds that House Republicans will be 100% united when Trump sends them his key legislation? Harold Meyerson comments.Also: “Our worst enemy right now is not Trump himself, but fatalism about our ability to stop him.” That's what David Cole says – he recently stepped down as National Legal Director of the ACLU, after 8 years and hundreds of lawsuits against the first Trump administration.

Matt Gaetz dropping out as Attorney General nominee was a major setback for Trump, which exposes his vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Harold Meyerson reports on the divide in the Senate, and then between the MAGA movement and Republicans on Wall Street and in the corporations.Also on this episode of Start Making Sense: Trump's plan to deport millions of undocumented immigrants is terrible, but the idea of expelling people considered undesirable is not unprecedented in the American past. Eric Foner reviews that history, from the Native American “Trail of Tears” to the pre-Civil War proposals to free the slaves and send them to Africa.

Part 1:We talk with Cassandra Jaramillo, reporter at ProPublica.We discuss the effect of the Texas abortion ban, which is phrased deliberately vaguely when exceptions are mentioned. This deliberate vagueness has prevented women from being able to cite the "exceptions to the ban", and has pressured doctors and other health care workers to do nothing to help women who are suffering the "exceptions" conditions. Women have died as a result.Part 2:We talk with Bill Curry and Harold Meyerson, Editor of the American Prospect.We discuss the work before the Democratic party. The party is seeking a new chair, and we discuss what may be the best way forward for Democrats now. WNHNFM.ORG  productionMusic: David Rovics, "Time to Act", for Will Von Sproson

Trump's terrible cabinet picks – what if the Democrats use these remaining two months to hold their own confirmation hirings? Also, are Democrats out of touch with the American people? Harold Meyerson comments.Also: A lot of people who voted for abortion rights referenda this year also voted for Trump. What were they thinking? How do they understand politics? Amy Littlefield spent election day in Amarillo, Texas, trying to find out. Plus: From the archives: Bob Dylan in 1964, when he was 23; Sean Wilentz, historian and author of a Grammy-nominated essay about Bob Dylan, comments (originally recorded in January, 2005).

Trump's initial nominees include Matt Gaetz for Attorney General – "the group that is probably most elated by this are his fellow Republican House members who hate his guts" – Harold Meyerson discusses Trump's crazy cabinet.Also: Hope does not mean saying ‘this is not bad,' Rebecca Solnit argues; it just means we will not give up—because we know that what we do matters, and we also know we've been surprised by good things we never expected.Plus: Melania has been absent from Trump's side; and, is reported to have no intention of living in the White House for Trump's second term; so, where ​IS Melania?​

Big Picture: Trump won a landslide in the electoral college and control of the Senate; control of the House is unclear at this point. So much good work went into fighting Trump; but, a majority of voters know who Trump is and chose him. So, how did we get here? And, what do we do next? Harold Meyerson comments. Also: John Nichols looks at the elections results: For starters: Trump got fewer votes than 4 years ago; 55% of voters in the CNN exit poll said he was “too extreme.”Plus: Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery and returned again and again to lead others north to freedom. Now her story is being told in a wonderful new book, with the wonderful title “Night Flyer” –​ the author is Harvard historian Tiya Miles​ (originally recorded June, 2024).

If Harris wins Pennsylvania – a predominately working-class state – she probably wins the election; so, what could be the most effective closing argument to convince working-class voters there to vote for Harris? New research by The Center for Working-Class Politics tested messages and found that the strongest one singles out corporations for raising prices — Harold Meyerson comments.Also: Melania has published a memoir, Melania, where she revisits plagiarizing Michelle Obama for her 2016 RNC convention speech, and wearing that jacket that said “I don't care, do U?” when she visited INS detention camps for children separated from their parents at the border. Amy Wilentz comments on her explanations—and on the rest of the book.Plus: Part of Michelle Obama's speech in Kalamazoo last weekend where she said "to the men who love us, let me just try to paint a picture of what it will feel like if America, the wealthiest nation on earth, keeps revoking basic care from its women; and how it will effect every single woman in your life"; and about Trump: "a vote for him is a vote against us."

World famous gambling and entertainment hub Las Vegas, Nevada is also home to one of the "the most politically potent" unions in the United States, representing hotel casino workers there: Culinary Union Local 226 -- Harold Meyerson traveled to Las Vegas to find out what this powerful union is doing to help "push Kamala over the top".Also: Latino and Black voters in swing states, we are told by the New York Times, are “drifting away from the Democrats.” But how good is the evidence here? Steve Phillips has our analysis.Plus: From the Archives: The final years of Martin Luther King Jr. -- Taylor Branch discusses his book At Canaan's Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-68 (originally recorded in March 2006).

Kamala has been showing up: from "Call Her Daddy" – a podcast popular among young woman, to "The Howard Stern Show" – popular among young men; to "The View" and "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" – Harold Meyerson comments on Kamala's media blitz.Also: The polls have had disastrous failures for decades, but people continue to focus on them; Rick Perlstein has a better idea: ‘don't follow polls—organize.'Plus: From the archives: The great Gail Collins of The New York Times op-ed page talks about the adventures of older women – and her book, “No Stopping Us Now” (first recorded in ​November 2019).

If the election were to happen today, polls point to 276 for Kamala; 262 for Trump. Also: The vice presidential debate – "Walz, who was plainly unaccustomed to dealing with such adept obfuscation, particularly when couched in Vance's one-night-only dulcet tones" writes Harold Meyerson in The Prospect; so, what did Walz win? Harold Meyerson comments.Next: John Nichols has been driving to places in Middle America where Trump has gotten big majorities in the past: Iowa and Nebraska, central and western Illinois, and southwestern Wisconsin, asking Democrats there about politics in their towns right now. He's on the podcast this week to discuss.Plus: Your Minnesota Moment – from the archives: Our interview with Al Franken, when Fox News sued him for the title of his book "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right" (first recorded in 2003).

The polls right now show Kamala would win the electoral college if the election were held today--Harold Meyerson comments. Also: Trump Media stock - it's sinking fast.Plus: Trump has canceled his plan to visit Springfield, Ohio, but his lie about Haitian immigrants there eating cats and dogs continues to ricochet around the American political world. Amy Wilentz comments.Also: The presidential election is the main political battle in America today, but Trump's followers have also been fighting for years to take over towns across the country. Sasha Abramsky reports on two exemplary battles. His new book is Chaos Comes Calling.

The Republican Party and the Trump Campaign have no field operations of their own doing door-to-door work - for the first time all of that has been outsourced to PACs with independent funding, and the largest, run by Elon Musk, has just fired the company doing its canvassing in Nevada and Arizona. Harold Meyerson comments.Also: Trump has made it clear he won't accept the results of the 2024 election if he loses, and Republicans are doing everything they can make it harder for Democrats to vote. But it will be harder for Trump to challenge this year's election, because of changes in the law--that's what Rick Hasen says. He's professor of law at UCLA, and his writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Slate and The New York Times.Plus: Trump supporters in Appalachia: Arlie Hochschild has spent years talking with them about how they understand their lives, and how Donald Trump helps overcome their shame. Her new book is “Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right.”

Presidential Debate 2024: Harold Meyerson on how, in dealing with Trump, "Kamala hit it out of the park"; and then, "the Republicans immediately seized upon 'Well, the moderators were hard on Trump'; but that's what happens when what you say is constructed entirely of lies."Also: Homeless vets have been trying for years to get the VA to build housing for them in LA on land dedicated to that purpose. Now, a federal judge has finally ruled: The vets win, and the VA loses. Mark Rosenbaum, lead attorney in the vets' class action suit, explains. Plus: Democracy in America is being undermined by the Electoral College, the Senate filibuster, the gerrymandering of the House, and the corruption of the Supreme Court. It's time to write, and ratify, a new constitution: that's what Erwin Chemerinsky says. His new book is “No Democracy Lasts Forever: How the Constitution Threatens the United States.”

Bibi is keeping the war in Gaza going not only for his own political survival but to help Trump defeat Kamala - Harold Meyerson comments.Also: Trump announced Friday that he would be voting against a abortion rights ballot measure in his home state of Florida. Amy Littlefield reports on the crucial referendum in the state that had been the South's last refuge for abortion access.Plus: Rachel Kushner talks about an informant and provocateur who infiltrates an anarchist eco-commune in rural France—the central character in her new novel, Creation Lake.

With ten weeks to go until election day, we'll look at where we've been in the last several weeks – most surprising: Kamala Harris emerging as a great candidate. Harold Meyerson explains that it's not so much that Harris has changed but that the Democratic Party has. Also: Summer Reading: M: Son of the Century is a 750-page historical novel about the rise of Mussolini by Antonio Scurati – John Powers, critic-at-large for NPR's Fresh Air draws parallels between 1920s Italy and Trump's America.Plus: The Warmth of Other Suns, about the great migration of Black people out of the South, has made The New York Times 100 Best Books of the Century list; from the archives, my discussion with its author, Isabel Wilkerson (originally recorded in 2010).

We've had a series of surprises in the last several weeks, but none have been more surprising than Kamala emerging as a great candidate. Harold Meyerson explains: it's not so much that she has changed, it's that the Democratic Party has changed.Also: Democracy in America is being undermined by the Electoral College, the Senate filibuster, the gerrymandering of the House, and the corruption of the Supreme Court. It's time to write, and ratify, a new constitution: that's what Erwin Chemerinsky says. His new book is “No Democracy Lasts Forever: How the Constitution Threatens the United States.”Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We've had a series of surprises in the last several weeks, but none have been more surprising than Kamala emerging as a great candidate. Harold Meyerson explains: it's not so much that she has changed, it's that the Democratic Party has changed.Also: Democracy in America is being undermined by the Electoral College, the Senate filibuster, the gerrymandering of the House, and the corruption of the Supreme Court. It's time to write, and ratify, a new constitution: that's what Erwin Chemerinsky says. His new book is “No Democracy Lasts Forever: How the Constitution Threatens the United States.”

What is happening with the Trump campaign? He seems to be losing his grip, while Kamala gets big crowds and dominates the news. Harold Meyerson comments.Also: Sherrod Brown is up for reelection to the Senate in Ohio, where Biden got only 45% four years ago. He explains is political philosophy, which has enabled him to win reelection twice before. (originally broadcast in 2020).

Will the assassination attempt change Trump's campaign—make it more a call for unity and less a demand for retribution? Harold Meyerson reports on the evidence from the Republican National Convention.Also: The Nation's Joan Walsh has been following Kamala Harris for months, as she campaigns for Biden -- but also provides evidence of her own potential as a presidential candidate.

The Disconnect at the RNC Between Trump's Call For Unity and Partisan Speeches From MAGA Warriors | Republicans Pretend to Love Workers While Biden Loses Support Except For Unions | What is Behind Chinese Soldiers Drilling on the Border With Poland and Ukraine? backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

Marc Cooper argues that the narrative for Joe Biden's presidency has now been set – he's “too old.” And the Supreme Court decision on immunity for Trump makes it essential that he be defeated. Kamala Harris would be the choice of the Party establishment, if he agreed to step aside; at the convention, she might be nominated by acclamation, without a vote among alternative choices.Also: Harold Meyerson analyzes what it would take to get Biden to decline the nomination: polls about the opinion of the Democratic rank-and-file; the views of Democratic senators and House members-- those in danger of losing their seats and political careers; and Biden's own circle--the crucial factor for them will be their assessment of Biden's legacy.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The most important event in the history of Israel and Palestine was not the 1948 founding of Israel and the Nakba, or Israel's 1967 occupation of Palestinian territories. It was the outlawing of immigration of Jews (and others) to the US from Russia, Poland, and Eastern and Southern Europe. That was the purpose of the immigration restriction act passed by Congress in May, 1924, 100 years ago this month. Without that, the Jews of Europe would never have moved to Palestine, Harold Meyerson argues.Also: The New Yorker's award-winning climate writer Elizabeth Kolbert talks about her fascinating new book, “H is for Hope: Climate Change from A to Z.'”Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The House Speaker Uses an Antisemitic Trope Blaming George Soros as he Launches Hearings on Anti Semitism on Campuses | The Role of Right Wing, Christian Zionist and MAGA Provocateurs in Campus Violence | Models of Dialogue and Deescalation as Outside Opportunists Stoke Violence on Campuses backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

Transforming the two-state solution for Palestine and Israel to meet today's realities: a federation, something like the European Union. That's the project of the visionary group A Land for All. May Pundak, co-executive director, explains.Also: History was made last Friday in Chattanooga, when workers at Volkswagen's factory there voted to join the United Auto Workers -- by an overwhelming margin, 73 to 27 percent. This was the first major union victory in the South in many decades, and it may mark the rebirth of a powerful union movement. Harold Meyerson comments; he's editor-at-large of The American Prospect.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Air Date 4/9/2024 The neoliberal legacy of the New Democrats continues to loom large but it really does seem like the progressive wing of the party and the broader demand for populist economic policies has had an impact. Now people just need to know that it's happening. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: American Socialism - Prospect: Generations - Air Date 4-6-23 In this episode of the Prospect's Generations podcast, editor at large Harold Meyerson, who joined the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee in 1975, and writing fellow Luke Goldstein, who was attracted to socialism by Bernie Sanders Ch. 2: The Legacy of the New Democrats - KPFA - Against the Grain - Air Date 8-17-22 Historian Lily Geismer looks at how the the Democratic Leadership Council and Clinton-era Democratic Party increased inequality, through development zones, charter schools, welfare “reform”, and microfinance. Ch. 3: Clinton's ‘Fabulous Failure' Part 1 - Start Making Sense - Air Date 10-4-23 Our politics today is haunted by the failures of Bill Clinton—the “centrist” who “triangulated” with Republicans, lost on healthcare, and proclaimed that “the era of big government is over.” Nelson Lichtenstein explains Clinton's turn to the right   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Price Controls: An Inflation Solution That Doesn't Screw Workers - Deconstructed - Air Date 7-7-23 CENTRIST AND RIGHT-WING economists continue to advocate for laying off workers and engineering a recession to address inflation. But why not set price controls instead? Ch. 8: Clinton's ‘Fabulous Failure' Part 2 - Start Making Sense - Air Date 10-4-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the way we think about political criticism MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of President Joe Biden shaking hands with a hard-hat-and-safety-vest clad union worker during a campaign event in Pennsylvania. Credit: “President Biden greeting union workers” by Governor Tom Wolf Flickr account | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com