Category Archives: Minimum Wage

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

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

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

The Arizona Show — Podcast November 18, 2013

Arizona: Its Past, Its Present, and Its Future.  Democratic Perspective’s co-hosts Steve Williamson and Mike Cosentino, together with Chuck Williamson and Gary LaMaster, explore Arizona’s past, its present, and together look ahead to its prospects for the future. A critical analysis … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Economy, Arizona History, Arizona Politics, Economic Policy, Education, Education Policy, Farm Subsidies, Food Insecurity, Hunger, Jobs and Employment, Minimum Wage, Podcasts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Arizona Show — Podcast November 18, 2013

The All-Too-Real Hunger Games.

As the result of a CBS documentary in 1968, our nation focused on reducing hunger through a variety of federal programs, including food stamps. By 1979, hunger in the US had been all but eliminated. Now it’s back with a … Continue reading

Posted in Agricultural Policy, Arizona Politics, Economic Policy, Economic Stimulus, Food Insecurity, Jobs and Employment, Minimum Wage, National Politics, Welfare | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The All-Too-Real Hunger Games.

Hunger in America — Podcast October 28, 2013

Hunger in America and in Arizona: Who It Affects, What Causes It, and What We Should Do About It.  Following up on our last program on poverty, Democratic Perspective’s Steve Williamson and Gary LaMaster discuss the statistics which reveal the shocking number … Continue reading

Posted in Agribusiness, Agricultural Policy, Capitalism, Economic Policy, Food Insecurity, Hunger, Income Inequality, Jobs and Employment, Minimum Wage, National Politics, Podcasts, Social Contract, Unemployment, Welfare | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Hunger in America — Podcast October 28, 2013