Category Archives: National Politics

Capital Punishment: Justice or Revenge? — Podcast June 2, 2014

Posted on June 5, 2014 by William Timberman

The Death Penalty: Cruel, Unjust, and Irreversible. There is ample evidence that the U.S. has executed innocent people, and continues to do so. There is also considerable evidence that the death penalty is disproportionately applied to the poor and to minorities, yet many people … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona Law Enforcement, Arizona Politics, Capital Punishment, Constitutional Issues, Corrections Policy, Government, Law Enforcement, Legal Issues, National Politics, Penology, Podcasts, U.S. Court System | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Capital Punishment: Justice or Revenge? — Podcast June 2, 2014

Mass Incarceration: The Failure of Prisons As a Replacement for Social Services — Podcast May 26, 2014

Posted on May 30, 2014 by William Timberman

Tough On Crime: Mass Incarceration As a Case Study in What Can Happen When You Aren’t Careful What You Wish For. The U.S. has the highest incarceration rates per capita of any country in the world, higher even than countries such as China … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona Law Enforcement, Arizona Politics, Corrections Policy, Criminology, Housekeeping, Immigration, Justice System, Law Enforcement, Legal Issues, Mass Incarceration, National Politics, Penology, Podcasts, Political Contributions, Private Prisons, U.S. Court System | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Mass Incarceration: The Failure of Prisons As a Replacement for Social Services — Podcast May 26, 2014

When Sedition Poses As Patriotism: Cliven Bundy and His Arizona Supporters — Podcast May 12, 2014

Posted on May 13, 2014 by William Timberman

When It’s the Right Wing Pointing Guns at Federal Officials, Does That Make It Okay? Democratic Perspective co-hosts Mike Cosentino and Steve Williamson, with producer Gary LaMaster, ask why Arizona State Representative Bob Thorpe and U.S. Representative Paul Gosar are so eager to support Cliven … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-Federalism, Bigotry, Conservative Paranoia, Conspiracy Theories, Domestic Extremism, Domestic Terrorism, Environment, Environmental Issues, Federal Lands, Government, Law Enforcement, National Politics, Nullification, Podcasts, Public Lands, Tax Law, Taxation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on When Sedition Poses As Patriotism: Cliven Bundy and His Arizona Supporters — Podcast May 12, 2014

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

Posted on May 7, 2014 by William Timberman

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

Posted on May 1, 2014 by William Timberman

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

Jim Pullaro Interview — Podcast April 14, 2014

Posted on April 16, 2014 by William Timberman

Clean by 19: Is Public Funding of Elections a Real Possibility? Jim Pullaro, Prescott businessman and advocate for the public funding of elections, talks to Democratic Perspective’s co-hosts Mike Cosentino and Steve Williamson about the Clean by 19 campaign, and the prospect for a constitutional amendment … Continue reading →

Posted in Campaign Finance, Citizens United, Constitutional Issues, Dark Money, Democratic Governance, Elections, Government, Interviews, National Politics, Podcasts, Political Lies, Supreme Court | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Jim Pullaro Interview — Podcast April 14, 2014

The Gigantic Kochtopus.

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Gary LaMaster

In a series of 5-4 rulings, with conservatives in the majority, the US Supreme Court has opened the floodgates of political spending by corporations and billionaires. In Valeo v. Buckley, the Court essentially ruled that political spending is the equivalent … Continue reading →

Posted in Campaign Finance, Citizens United, Class Conflict, Dark Money, Disinformation, Elections, Front Organizations, Media Campaigns, National Politics, Political Action Committees, Political Contributions, Supreme Court | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Gigantic Kochtopus.

The Kochtopus and Its Tentacles — Podcast April 7, 2014

Posted on April 10, 2014 by William Timberman

The Kochtopus: Buying Our Democracy With Dark Money. Democratic Perspective’s co-hosts Mike Cosentino and Steve Williamson are joined by producer Gary LaMaster for an analysis of the shell organizations Charles and David Koch, Koch Industries, and other wealthy individual and corporate players use … Continue reading →

Posted in Campaign Finance, Citizens United, Constitutional Issues, Dark Money, Democratic Governance, Disinformation, Elections, National Politics, Podcasts, Political Action Committees, Political Contributions, Political Lies, Propaganda | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Kochtopus and Its Tentacles — Podcast April 7, 2014

One Solution To Many Problems.

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Gary LaMaster

A study co-authored by Aaron Sojourner, a professor of labor economics at the University of Minnesota, and Greg Duncan from the University of California-Irvine recently published in the Journal of Human Resources shows the path forward to solving some of … Continue reading →

Posted in Capitalism, Class Conflict, Economic Policy, Economic Theory, Education, Education Policy, Government, Income Inequality, National Politics, Public Policy, Tax Revenues, Welfare, Women's Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on One Solution To Many Problems.

Carolyn Warner Interview — Podcast January 27, 2014

Posted on January 29, 2014 by William Timberman

Carolyn Warner: Politics and the Future. Carolyn Warner has had a long and distinguished career in Arizona Democratic Party politics. She served three terms as Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, ran for the U.S. Senate 1976,  was the Democratic nominee for … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona Economy, Arizona History, Arizona Politics, Campaign Finance, Education Policy, Interviews, National Politics, Podcasts, Political Action Committees, Political Contributions, Political Polarization, Special Interest Legislation, Women's Issues, Women's Rights | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Carolyn Warner Interview — Podcast January 27, 2014