Category Archives: Government

The Failure of Ideologically-Driven Public Policies: Minnesota vs. Arizona — Podcast January 11, 2016

Red States and Blue States: Ideology vs. Service to the People. Democratic Perspective looks at why the ideological preoccupations of the Republican right have proven so disastrous for the people who live in red states. Mike Cosentino and Gary LaMaster compare unemployment, wealth distribution, health … Continue reading

Posted in Anti-Federalism, Arizona Budget, Arizona Economy, Arizona Politics, Democratic Governance, Economic Policy, Education Policy, Federal Lands, Government, Income Inequality, Jobs and Employment, Movement Conservatism, Podcasts, Political Theory, Private Prisons, Public Education, Public Lands, Public Policy, Special Interest Legislation, States' Rights, Tax Law, Taxation, Unemployment, Women's Rights | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Failure of Ideologically-Driven Public Policies: Minnesota vs. Arizona — Podcast January 11, 2016

Who Are These Lunatics, and Why Are They Running Things? The Freedom Caucus and the Demise of the Republican Party in the House — Podcast October 19, 2015

Rage, Ignorance, and Obstructionism in the House of Representatives: If Hating the Government Is the Only Qualification a Politician Needs to Get Elected to Congress, Maybe We’re in More Trouble Than We Thought. Paul Schwartz, publisher and democratic activist, pulls up … Continue reading

Posted in Anti-Federalism, Conservatives and Reactionaries, Constitutional Issues, Democratic Governance, Economic Policy, Government, LIberals and Conservatives, Movement Conservatism, National Debt Ceiling, National Politics, Podcasts, Political Polarization, Scandal Mongering, Taxes and the Deficit, U.S. Budget | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Who Are These Lunatics, and Why Are They Running Things? The Freedom Caucus and the Demise of the Republican Party in the House — Podcast October 19, 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

What We Do Know About Police Brutality Is Bad: What We Don’t Know May Be Worse — Podcast May 4, 2015

Police Violence: a Statistical Black Hole. Democratic Perspective’s Mike Cosentino, Gary LaMaster and Steve Williamson review the shocking lack of statistical information on the frequency of unprovoked police violence against a citizenry they’re sworn to protect and to serve. Our cellphone cameras have now given … Continue reading

Posted in Bigotry, Civil Rights, Government, Law Enforcement, Podcasts, Policing, Racial Discrimination, Racism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on What We Do Know About Police Brutality Is Bad: What We Don’t Know May Be Worse — Podcast May 4, 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

The Senate Select Committee’s Study of the CIA’s Detention and Interrogation Program — Podcast January 12, 2015

Is This REALLY Who We Are? How Torture Became Enhanced Interrogation, and Moral Depravity Became Official U.S. Policy: Mike Cosentino, Gary LaMaster, and Steve Williamson evaluate the 576 page summary of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s still unreleased Study of the Central Intelligence Agency’s … Continue reading

Posted in Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Government, Intelligence Agencies, Military Policy, National Security, Podcasts | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Senate Select Committee’s Study of the CIA’s Detention and Interrogation Program — Podcast January 12, 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

General Election 2014: a Review of the Candidates — Podcast September 29, 2014

Who’s Running For What, and Why You Should Care: a Review.  Gary LaMaster and Steve Williamson take a look at the candidates for Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, and the Corporation Commission in Arizona, as well as the candidates for U.S. House … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Politics, Dark Money, Democratic Governance, Elections, Energy Policy, Federal Lands, Government, Podcasts, Political Action Committees, Public Education, Public Lands | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on General Election 2014: a Review of the Candidates — Podcast September 29, 2014