Category Archives: Corruption

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

Sam Wercinski Interview — Podcast November 30, 2015

The Arizona Advocacy Network: Protecting the Voting Rights of Arizona’s Citizens. Democratic Perspective’s co-hosts Mike Cosentino and Steve Williamson talk to Sam Wercinski, Executive Director of the Arizona Advocacy Network, about the protection and extension of citizen voting rights in Arizona. It’s a sad … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Politics, Campaign Finance, Citizens United, Constitutional Issues, Corruption, Dark Money, Democratic Governance, Elections, Interviews, Podcasts, Political Contributions, Political Parties, Political Polarization | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sam Wercinski Interview — Podcast November 30, 2015

Benghazi, Benghazi, Benghazi: Was There Ever Really Any There There? — Podcast October 26th, 2015

Eight Investigations, Fifty-Plus Meetings, and More Than Fourteen Million Dollars Later, What Do We Know? Democratic Perspective’s Mike Cosentino, Gary LaMaster, and Steve Williamson report on the outcome of the Benghazi frenzy in Congress. Was there ever any point to it other than to … Continue reading

Posted in Conspiracy Theories, Corruption, Democratic Governance, Disinformation, Elections, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Intelligence Agencies, International Terrorism, Middle East, Middle East Policy, National Politics, Podcasts, Political Polarization | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Benghazi, Benghazi, Benghazi: Was There Ever Really Any There There? — Podcast October 26th, 2015

Jan Nichols Interview — Podcast September 21, 2015

Feeding at the Public Trough: The Sleazy Economics of Charter School Scams and Ripoffs. Jan Nichols, Arizona native, retired Phoenix teacher, and education activist, joins Democratic Perspective hosts Mike Cosentino and Gary LaMaster for a discussion of charter school funding abuses — discover how … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Politics, Corruption, Education, Education Policy, Interviews, Podcasts, Privatization, Public Education, Special Interest Legislation | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Jan Nichols Interview — Podcast September 21, 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

Oligarchy: A Greek Name for an American Tragedy in the Making — Podcast August 10, 2015

If Government By the People Is For Sale, Shouldn’t the People Be Getting a Higher Price? President Jimmy Carter said recently that the United States has become “an oligarchy, with unlimited political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for president … Continue reading

Posted in Campaign Finance, Capital Accumulation, Citizens United, Constitutional Issues, Corruption, Dark Money, Democratic Governance, Elections, Ethics, Front Organizations, Government, Income Inequality, Media Campaigns, National Politics, Podcasts, Political Action Committees, Political Contributions, Taxation | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Oligarchy: A Greek Name for an American Tragedy in the Making — Podcast August 10, 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

The Arizona Legislative Lunacy Report: Spring 2015 Edition — Podcast April 30, 2015

The March of Ideology and Incompetence Continues in Phoenix: Democratic Perspective’s Mike Cosentino and Gary LaMaster take a detailed look at the Arizona Republic’s recently published docket of bills pending in the Legislature. Listen as our intrepid analysts subject the moderately acceptable, the irredeemably awful, and the crazy ugly to the test … Continue reading

Posted in Anti-Federalism, Arizona Budget, Arizona Economy, Arizona Politics, Budget Negotiations, Campaign Finance, Child Protection, Citizens United, Constitutional Issues, Corporate Welfare, Corruption, Dark Money, Education, Education Policy, Elections, Federal Lands, Firearms Legislation, Fiscal Policy, Gun Control, Immigration, Industrial Policy, Nullification, Podcasts, Political Contributions, Public Education, Regulatory Agencies, Special Interest Legislation | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Arizona Legislative Lunacy Report: Spring 2015 Edition — Podcast April 30, 2015

David R. Frazer Interview — Podcast March 9, 2015

Ethical Meltdown: a Question of Values? Democratic Perspective’s Mike Cosentino and Steve Williamson welcome David Frazer, respected Arizona attorney and author of Ethical Meltdown: the Need to Recover Our Vanishing Values, for a discussion about the current decay of legal and professional ethics in the United … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Law Enforcement, Arizona Politics, Corruption, Ethics, Interviews, Justice System, Law Enforcement, Legal Issues, Morality, Podcasts, Regulatory Agencies | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on David R. Frazer Interview — Podcast March 9, 2015

Terry Goddard Interview — Podcast March 2, 2015

Dark Money: How Industrialized Lying Poisons the Well of Democracy. Democratic Perspective’s Mike Cosentino and Gary LaMaster welcome Terry Goddard, former Mayor of Phoenix, Attorney General of Arizona, and twice Democratic Party candidate for Governor, to another in our series of discussions on the … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Politics, Citizens United, Constitutional Issues, Corruption, Dark Money, Democratic Governance, Elections, Government, Interviews, Media Campaigns, National Politics, Podcasts, Political Action Committees, Political Contributions, Propaganda, Special Interest Legislation, Supreme Court | Tagged | Comments Off on Terry Goddard Interview — Podcast March 2, 2015