Nair Interview – Podcast April 1, 2019

Posted on April 3, 2019 by Gary LaMaster

Trying To Make Sense Of Violence. Democratic Perspective hosts Steve Williamson, Mike Cosentino and Klaus von Stutterhem welcome professor Sheila Nair from Northern Arizona University. An expert on Southeast Asia, she has studied the effects of the genocide in Cambodia and the French and American wars in Vietnam. Nair says one of her goals was to speak about past violence. She began her research at Tuol Sleng, a former secondary school and prison in Phnom Penh that is now a museum, to determine how people remember the genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge during which more than a million Cambodians died – 25 percent of the population. Nair also discusses the aftermath of Vietnam and how the trauma is narrated differently in that country than in the US.

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Posted in Education, Foreign Affairs, Genocide, Human Rights, Interviews, Mass Incarceration, Political History, Public Accountability, Social Psychology | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Nair Interview – Podcast April 1, 2019

Hake Interview – Podcast March 25, 2019

Posted on March 26, 2019 by Gary LaMaster

The Economics Of Addressing Climate Change. After briefly discussing the Barr report, Democratic Perspective hosts, Steve Williamson and Klaus von Stutterheim discuss renewable energy with John Hake, a retired business investor and software executive. With his background, Hake is able to provide some interesting insights into the economics of renewable energy. Though people still believe that fossil fuels are less expensive than renewables, according to Hake, that has changed dramatically. As a result of improvements in the technologies, wind and solar are now able to provide reliable energy. Moreover, these renewable energy systems can be developed economically and rapidly. He adds that around three-quarters of coal energy production is now more expensive than renewable energy sources.

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Posted in Banking And Finance, Climate Change, Domestic Policy, Energy Policy, Environment, Environmental Issues, Federal Lands, Fiscal Policy, Global Warming, Infrastructure Investment, Innovation, Interviews, National Politics, Public Lands, Public Policy, Renewable Energy, Technology | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Hake Interview – Podcast March 25, 2019

Podcast – March 18, 2019

Posted on March 21, 2019 by Gary LaMaster

Addressing The Rise Of White Nationalism. Following the mass shooting at two mosques in New Zealand, Democratic Perspective co-hosts Steve Williamson and Mike Cosentino, along with regular contributors Klaus von Stutterheim and Gary LaMaster, discuss the wave of Islamaphobia and white nationalism sweeping the US and the world. What role, if any, does Donald Trump and his supporters play? What is the role of social media? Of churches? What can be done to mitigate the growing division and hatred?

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Posted in Civil Rights, Civil Society, Cultural Change, Cultural Diversity, Domestic Extremism, Domestic Terrorism, Government, Gun Control, Immigration, International Terrorism, Mass Shootings, National Politics, Political Polarization, Racial Discrimination, Racism, Social Media | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Podcast – March 18, 2019

Goodwin Interview – Podcast March 11, 2019

Posted on March 13, 2019 by Gary LaMaster

Ethics And Climate Change. Democratic Perspective co-hosts, Steve Williamson and Mike Cosentino, welcome Professor Matt Goodwin, a philosophy professor at Northern Arizona University, to discuss environmental ethics and climate change. Goodwin begins by explaining the traditional view of ethics in which individuals are harmed versus the view of indigenous cultures who had a very robust environmental ethics. He then turns to describing the difference between simple conservation versus a responsibility for the environment. He explains that climate change requires us to rethink how we’ve been doing everything. “Psychologically this is very challenging,” he says. “It is more of a philosophical problem than a scientific problem.”

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Podcast – March 4, 2019

Posted on March 6, 2019 by Gary LaMaster

Trump, Social Democracy, AOC and the Green New Deal. Democratic Perspective regulars Mike Cosentino, Klaus von Stutterheim and Gary LaMaster begin by discussing Michael Cohen’s testimony, the North Korea summit and the political horror show otherwise known as CPAC. The hosts then debunk the GOP claims that Democrats are socialists by drawing a clear distinction between Social Democracy and Socialism. Finally, they address the Green New Deal, a popular and much-needed proposal by the GOP’s new nightmare – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

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Posted in Congressional Oversight, Constitutional Issues, Corruption, Energy Policy, Environmental Issues, Ethics, Food Insecurity, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Global Warming, Government, Immigration, National Politics, Nuclear Weapons, Political Action Committees, Political Lies, Social Democracy, Socialism, Special Counsel Investigation | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Podcast – March 4, 2019

Dan Singal Interview – Podcast February 25, 2019

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Gary LaMaster

A Look At Democratic Candidates For President. The hosts welcome Dan Singal, PhD to discuss the announced and unannounced Democratic candidates for president. The long-time party insider stresses the importance of selecting the most electable candidate in order to hold or increase gains in House and take back the Senate along with the White House. He ranks what he considers the top twelve based on electability, charisma, authenticity and ability to connect with voters.

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Podcast – February 18, 2019

Posted on February 19, 2019 by Gary LaMaster

The Next Bold Step Toward Fascism?  On President’s Day, the Democratic Perspective hosts and contributors examine Trump’s attempted power grab and effort to usurp the fiduciary responsibility of Congress by declaring a national emergency to build a wall on our southern border. Gone is the idea that Mexico will pay for it. Instead, Trump is using lies, distortions and misinformation to force taxpayers to pay billions to build a wall that will do little to reduce drug smuggling and human trafficking. When Republicans controlled all branches of power, they could have funded the wall. But only now, after Democrats have taken control of the House, does Trump call it a national emergency. Far from an emergency, it seems more like an attempt to solidify the conservative base and foment fear in anticipation of the 2020 election.

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Posted in Bigotry, Budget Negotiations, Conservative Paranoia, Conservatives and Reactionaries, Conspiracy Theories, Constitutional Issues, Democratic Governance, Disinformation, Domestic Extremism, Domestic Policy, Drug Trafficking, Economic Policy, Elections, Fiscal Policy, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Government, Homeland Security, Human Rights, Immigration, National Politics, Political Lies, Political Polarization, Presidential Elections, Propaganda, Racism, U.S. Budget | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Podcast – February 18, 2019

Podcast – February 11, 2019

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Gary LaMaster

The Hidden Damage of the Trump Administration. Democratic Perspective hosts Steve Williamson, Mike Cosentino and Klaus von Stutterheim discuss some of the Trump administration’s actions that have gone relatively unnoticed – actions that been hidden by the smokescreen of scandalous behavior. Trump and his cabinet members have undermined institutions, enabled racists, caged children, engaged in trade wars, raised taxes on the middle class, damaged the environment, reduced national parks, and harmed long-standing international relationships. Many of these actions will be long-lasting. Some will be permanent.

The administration has given lifetime positions on the courts to highly-partisan ideologues. The Affordable Care Act has been severely weakened. Deficits have skyrocketed. Press conferences have all but been replaced by 140 character tweets based on lies. The corruption of self-serving administrators has cost taxpayers millions. And it will take decades to replace the highly-capable public servants who have been forced to resign.

All of this begs the question: Can we afford another two years of Trump?

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Posted in Corruption, Department of the Interior, Domestic Extremism, Domestic Terrorism, Environment, Ethics, Federal Lands, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Government, Health Care Policy, Homeland Security, Human Rights, Immigration, Intelligence Agencies, International Relations, Judicial System, Monetary Policy, National Politics, Political Lies, Public Education, Public Health Policy, Public Lands, Public Policy, Public Service, U.S. Court System, U.S. Forest Service, Voter Suppression | Tagged | Comments Off on Podcast – February 11, 2019

Max Richtman Interview – Podcast February 4, 2019

Posted on February 5, 2019 by Gary LaMaster

Guaranteeing Social Security For The 21st Century. Max Richtman, president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, returns to Democratic Perspective. We begin by asking about the many stories that Social Security is going bankrupt. Richtman replies, “I hear it all the time, especially among young people – that they’re more likely to see a UFO or Bigfoot than get a Social Security paycheck. It’s incorrect. It’s insurance – the Federal Insurance Contribution Act.” He goes on to discuss how a new bill in the House of Representatives would make positive changes and improve the program for the long term. “First, if there are no changes, there is the ability to pay full benefits until 2034,” he explains, “And the new bill would bring Social Security into solvency for the rest of the century.” The bill, called the Social Security 2100 Act, would make adjustments to the cap and reduce the tax on benefits. “It’s a package I think most Americans will find very appealing,” says Richtman.

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Posted in Entitlements, Government, Health Insurance, Interviews, Medicare, Social Insurance, Social Security | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Max Richtman Interview – Podcast February 4, 2019

Erik Olin Wright Interview Revisited – Podcast January 28, 2019

Posted on January 29, 2019 by Gary LaMaster

One Of The Great Thinkers Of Our Time, RIP. Steve Williamson and Klaus von Stutterheim introduce a show with Erik Olin Wright that was broadcast more than five-and-a-half years ago. Wright, who recently died of cancer, was a professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin. He spoke about the distribution of power trying to answer the question: How do we get to a society that is more equal? In his book, Envisioning Real Utopias, Wright encouraged Americans to look beyond the status quo to envision an economic and government system that is better. How do we get to a more open, more fair, more kind society? “If we are to achieve real progress as a nation, he said, “we must first have a vision of something better. Only then can we try to make it happen.”

The original show was hosted by Steve Williamson, Mike Cosentino and Bill Timberman.

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Posted in Capitalism, Economic Policy, Economic Theory, Government, Income Inequality, Innovation, Interviews, Political Theory, Religion, Social Democracy, Socialism | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Erik Olin Wright Interview Revisited – Podcast January 28, 2019