Category Archives: Class Conflict

2015: Democratic Perspective’s Year in Review — Podcast January 4, 2015

The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same: Democratic Perspective’s 2015 in Review. Democratic Perspective looks back at the state of the nation in 2015, and isn’t exactly thrilled with what the record of events reveals. The prospects for 2016 don’t look a whole lot … Continue reading

Posted in Anti-Federalism, Arizona Politics, Bigotry, Capital Accumulation, Capitalism, Civil Rights, Class Conflict, Climate Change, Constitutional Issues, Corruption, Democratic Governance, Digital Revolution, Domestic Extremism, Domestic Terrorism, Economic Policy, Elections, Energy Policy, Environmental Issues, European Union, Eurozone, Federal Lands, Foreign Policy, Global Warming, Gun Control, Immigration, Income Inequality, inherited Wealth, International Terrorism, Middle East Policy, National Politics, National Security, Podcasts, Public Lands, Racism, Technology, Unemployment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on 2015: Democratic Perspective’s Year in Review — Podcast January 4, 2015

Labor Day: The Diminished Remnant of a Proud History of Struggle — Podcast September 7, 2015

Paid For In Blood: the Forgotten History of the Labor Movement in The U.S. Democratic Perspective looks at the history of our second Civil War — the struggle of the American Labor Movement for decent wages, working conditions, and the political influence crucial … Continue reading

Posted in American Jobs Act, Class Conflict, Income Inequality, Jobs and Employment, Labor Movement, Labor Unions, Minimum Wage, National Politics, Podcasts, Poverty, Unemployment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Labor Day: The Diminished Remnant of a Proud History of Struggle — Podcast September 7, 2015

The New Gilded Age: History Doesn’t Repeat Itself, But It Does Rhyme — Podcast August 17, 2015

Oligarchs Then and Now: Democracy and the Distribution of Wealth. Democratic Perspective goes another round with the oligarchs. Mike Cosentino, Gary LaMaster, and Steve Williamson discuss what’s driving the increased concentration of wealth in the United States today, and why it poses … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Campaign Finance, Capital Accumulation, Capitalism, Citizens United, Class Conflict, Corruption, Dark Money, De-regulation, Democratic Governance, Economic Policy, Entitlements, Government, Income Inequality, Journalism, Mass Media, Minimum Wage, National Politics, Podcasts, Propaganda, Regulatory Agencies, Social Contract, Social Security, Taxation, Unemployment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The New Gilded Age: History Doesn’t Repeat Itself, But It Does Rhyme — Podcast August 17, 2015

Debt Peonage as a Source of Revenue: Paying for Government by Fining the Poor — Podcast April 27, 2015

On the Backs of the Poor: The Great Recession and the Criminalization of Debt. Democratic Perspective’s Mike Cosentino, Gary LaMaster and Steve Williamson analyze the effect on the poor, especially minorities, of the disturbing recent trend toward financing hard-pressed local governments through … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Law Enforcement, Capitalism, Class Conflict, Constitutional Issues, Corrections Policy, Corruption, Democratic Governance, Income Inequality, Justice System, Law Enforcement, Legal Issues, Local Politics, Mass Incarceration, Minimum Wage, Penology, Podcasts, Policing, Private Prisons, Racism | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Debt Peonage as a Source of Revenue: Paying for Government by Fining the Poor — Podcast April 27, 2015

2014: Democratic Perspective’s Year in Review — Podcast December 29, 2014

Looking Back AND Forward: Democratic Perspective’s 2014 in Review. Mike Cosentino, Gary LaMaster, and Steve Williamson review the most prominent themes of Democratic Perspective’s broadcasts in 2014. From the growing inequality in income and wealth in the U.S. to dark money and phony Republican scandals in national … Continue reading

Posted in Affordable Care Act, Anti-Federalism, Anti-Gay Discrimination, Arizona Economy, Arizona Politics, Bigotry, Capital Accumulation, Capitalism, Citizens United, Civil Rights, Class Conflict, Conservatives and Reactionaries, Constitutional Issues, Corruption, Dark Money, Democratic Governance, Department of Veterans Affairs, Domestic Extremism, Economic Policy, Economic Theory, Government, Immigration, Income Inequality, Jobs and Employment, Journalism, Law Enforcement, LGBT Issues, Localist Movement, Marriage Equality, Mass Incarceration, Middle East, Middle East Policy, National Politics, National Security, Nullification, Paul Gosar, Podcasts, Political Action Committees, Political Contributions, Political Lies, Political Polarization, Racism, Scandal Mongering, Supreme Court, Unemployment, Veterans' Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on 2014: Democratic Perspective’s Year in Review — Podcast December 29, 2014

President Obama and Edward Snowden: Two Perspectives On the State of the Nation — Podcast December 1, 2014

American Dream or American Nightmare? It Depends On Who You Ask: Democratic Perspective’s Mike Cosentino reflects on the story of the United States in the Twenty-First Century as told from two very different viewpoints: first, that of Laura Poitras’s film Citizenfour, about the fugitive NSA … Continue reading

Posted in Bigotry, Capitalism, Class Conflict, Constitutional Issues, Corrections Policy, Democratic Governance, Economic Policy, Financial Sector, Fiscal Policy, Foreign Policy, Government, Homeland Security, Immigration, Income Inequality, Intelligence Agencies, International Relations, Jobs and Employment, Justice System, Law Enforcement, Mass Incarceration, Military Policy, Minimum Wage, National Politics, National Security, Penology, Podcasts, Policing, Poverty, Public Education, Racism, Renewable Energy, Surveillance Programs, Unemployment | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on President Obama and Edward Snowden: Two Perspectives On the State of the Nation — Podcast December 1, 2014

Sasha Abramsky Interview — Podcast October 13, 2014

Social Policy and the Shrinking Middle Class: Increasing Inequality Is NOT an Accident. Democratic Perspective welcomes author and journalist Sasha Abramsky back to talk about the consequences of the social policy failures outlined in his recent book  The American Way of Poverty: How the Other Half Still … Continue reading

Posted in Capitalism, Class Conflict, Conservatives and Reactionaries, Democratic Governance, Economic Theory, Financial Sector, Health Care, Housekeeping, Income Inequality, Interviews, Jobs and Employment, Podcasts, Social Contract, Social Security, Unemployment | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Sasha Abramsky Interview — Podcast October 13, 2014

Poverty By Design: The Role of Public Policy in Income Inequality — Podcast June 9, 2014

Eradicating Poverty in America: Didn’t We Used To Be Better At It? Democratic Perspective’s Mike Cosentino, and Gary LaMaster look at the astonishing figures on the growth of poverty in the U.S., the public policy decisions which lie behind those figures, and the terrible consequences … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Economy, Class Conflict, Democratic Governance, Economic Policy, Food Insecurity, Health Care, Hunger, Immigration, Income Inequality, Jobs and Employment, Podcasts, Poverty, Public Policy, Unemployment, Welfare | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Poverty By Design: The Role of Public Policy in Income Inequality — Podcast June 9, 2014

Capital In the Twenty-First Century — Podcast May 5, 2014

Capital In the Twenty-First Century: A French Economist With a Lesson For Americans: Democratic Perspective’s Mike Cosentino, Gary LaMaster, and Steve Williamson take a look at Thomas Piketty’s new best-seller Capital in the Twenty-First Century. What they find is sobering: unless we make … Continue reading

Posted in Capital Accumulation, Capitalism, Class Conflict, Cultural Change, Democratic Governance, Economic Policy, Economic Theory, Growth, Immigration, Income Inequality, inherited Wealth, National Politics, Podcasts, Political Theory, Social Contract, Taxation | Tagged , | Comments Off on Capital In the Twenty-First Century — Podcast May 5, 2014

The Influence of Wealth on Public Policy — Podcast April 28, 2014

Yes, the Rich Really Do Run the United States: Are You Surprised? Democratic Perspective’s Mike Cosentino, Gary LaMaster, and Steve Williamson discuss the implications of several recent studies on the influence of concentrated wealth on public policy making, including the very influential … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Economy, Campaign Finance, Capitalism, Class Conflict, Dark Money, Democratic Governance, Elections, Government, Income Inequality, Minimum Wage, National Politics, Podcasts, Political Contributions, Political Theory, Special Interest Legislation | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The Influence of Wealth on Public Policy — Podcast April 28, 2014