Living in the USA

The Trump campaign said that a million people had requested tickets but the Tulsa arena seated only 17,000, so, they set up a big stage outside for the overflow, but only 6,200 people showed up. Is Trump's base turning away from him, at last? Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect comments. Next up: UCLA Historian Robin Kelley on the Police vs. the People and how so many communities continue to...

Today's number one topic is the people and the police. The Democrats have unveiled a new law to reform police everywhere. Jody Armour, professor of Law at USC, comments -- his new book is "N*GGA THEORY: RACE, LANGUAGE, UNEQUAL JUSTICE and the LAW" forthcoming in August. Next up: Ivanka Watch -- after using pepper balls and flash bang grenades to clear demonstrators for Trump's bible photo-op, the...

"The best thing about the protests during the last few weeks is that they are NOT about Donald Trump," says Dahlia Lithwick, "they are about us." She writes about courts and the law for Slate and she hosts the podcast "Amicus". Next up: Protests against police violence have been met with more police violence -- and Democratic mayors in deep-blue states have failed to stop them -- Elie Mystal comme...

In almost all of our big cities we've seen massive protest against racist police violence after the murder of George Floyd by that Minneapolis cop -- in almost every city the police response to protest against police violence has been more police violence.  For comment we turn to Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect. Next up, can Trump do what Nixon did with white backlash -- when it comes to...

Did Joe Biden sexually assault Tara Reade in 1993? Katha Pollitt examines the evidence—and concludes that it supports Biden’s denial. Especially significant: the PBS NewsHour interviews with 74 former Biden staffers, of whom 62 were women; none said they had experienced sexual harassment, assault or misconduct by Biden. All said they never heard any rumors or allegations of Biden engaging in sexua...

High unemployment usually hurts working class organizing--"except when it doesn't," Harold Meyerson says. He looks a the possible futures for the labor movement when the virus is finished. Harold is executive editor of The American Prospect. Also: Greil Marcus has a new book out--it’s about The Great Gatsby and its place in American culture and American life--including on Saturday Night Live with...

Before Bernie and AOC, before Jesse Jackson and George McGovern, there was Henry Wallace, FDR’s vice president, who fought for the soul of the Democratic party in the 1940s. John Nichols tells that story, and links it to today’s battles between progressives and Wall Street Democrats—his new book, out now, is “The Fight for the Soul of the Democratic Party." Next up: One of the key forces making in...

As parts of the US reopened their economies, the Trump Administration defunded the W.H.O., and Dr. Micheal Osterholm reminded that the point of flattening the curve was not to keep everyone from getting the virus, it was to spread-out the infection-rate over time – Mike Davis reports. Next up, we talk with David Dayen of the American Prospect about the need to save the United States Postal Service...

Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz says the US has “one of the poorest systems of unemployment insurance in the world”—and that our number one priority should be to keep workers connected to their jobs. His book "People, Power and Profits: Progressive Capitalism for an Age of Discontent" is out now in paperback, with a new preface. Plus: Harold Meyerson has today’s update in the politic...

Mike Davis argues that the coronavirus crisis is bringing about the fragmentation of Europe and the marginalization of the WHO; he also considers the danger to Africa, and whether China will emerge less powerful in the world economy because of the rise of economic nationalism. Mike wrote about the avian flu in 'The Monster at Our Door.' Plus Harold Meyerson comments on southern states reopening fo...

Despite massive Republican efforts to prevent Democrats from voting in the Wisconsin primary, the Democrats won--by a huge margin. John Nichols explains how they did it -- and the implications for November. Also: Harold Meyerson comments on Bernie's endorsement of Biden on Sunday - and the skepticism of some of Bernie's supporters about Biden, as well as the apparent reluctance of some progressive...

Republicans forced Wisconsin to go ahead with an election on Tuesday, despite the coronavirus, after rejecting the proposals to extend voting by mail. John Nichols reports -- he says it's a frightening example of what they will try to do in November to reduce the Democratic vote. Also: The Cold War was fought in many ways: it was a traditional political and military confrontation, but it was also...

Harold Meyerson reports that Republicans in the Senate voted against expanded unemployment benefits almost unanimously. And the bailout support for big banks and corporations has many fewer restrictions than the small business funding support. But moments of crisis are also moments of opportunity, and number one on the Dem's list should be Medicare for All. Also: E. J. Dionne, the Washington Post...

David Dayen of The American Prospect analyzes all the ways the economic stimulus bill passed by the Senate rewards the big corporations and doesn't do enough, or won't work well enough, for the unemployed, small businesses, and everybody hoping to receive a direct payment. David writes "Unsanitized" daily at Prospect.org. Also: Paul Krugman, the New York Times columnist and Nobel-prize winning eco...

Melina Abdullah, a founder of Black Lives Matter in Los Angeles (she's also Professor of Pan-African Studies at Cal State LA), talks about how the coronavirus raises new issues for Black Lives Matter--while the old ones remain vital--and how it also changes the forms for organizing protest.

John Nichols examines everything that went wrong with Tuesday’s elections, and talks about what we must do to ensure there’s no postponement of the November election. Also: the Republican senators who say paid sick leave for people with the coronavirus will “make workers lazy”—that’s what Ron Johnson says, he represents Wisconsin. Also: Melina Abdullah on Black Lives Matter in the Age of Coronavir...

Trump's Oval Office TV address on the coronavirus was followed by the biggest losses in the stock market since 2008. Meanwhile, the House Democrats have proposed a bill that includes paid sick leave, food assistance, and other measures to help wage workers through this pandemic. Will the Republicans pass it? Harold Meyerson comments. Next up: Can Joe Biden recruit Bernie's young voters? Also, we n...

Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect says "electability" trumped (no pun intended) both the ground games and the air games of the candidates. plus: The Nation has endorsed Bernie, AND his movement--D.D. Guttenplan, editor of the magazine, explains. And Joan Walsh talks about life after Super Tuesday - what Bernie needs to do now.

Bernie has already won--the ideas primary: That’s what Bob Borosage argues. Bernie sets the agenda for the race and the other candidates define themselves in relations to his positions. Also: pundits have declared that Elizabeth Warren is finished, but we’re not so sure. While Warren came in third in Iowa and fourth in New Hampshire and Nevada, only a hundred delegates have been selected—while mor...

Democrats can win in rural America: Jane Kleeb talks about strategies for fighting Trump in red states. She’s a grassroots organizer based in Hastings, Nebraska, and she put together the coalition of ranchers, farmers, Native Americans, and environmentalists that stopped the Keystone XL Pipeline. She’s chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, and her new book is 'Harvest the Vote.' Also: another ep...

Bernie emerged from the New Hampshire primary as the Democratic frontrunner; Harold Meyerson says that, as more of the "moderates" drop out, Bernie needs to get some of their supporters--starting with Biden's. Also: Democrats are full of anxiety about the November election. Whoever they support, they wake up anxious that somehow Donald Trump will not be defeated on Nov. 3. There are many ways that...

It's been a big week in American politics: Monday: the long awaited Iowa Democratic caucuses failed to give results; Tuesday: Trump gave his State of the Union address; Wednesday: the Senate Republican majority voted NOT to convict Trump of high crimes and misdemeanors or to remove him from office; and today Trump gave a 63-minute victory speech -- Harold Meyerson comments. Next up: February is Bl...

As Trump's impeachment trial in the Senate continues, the Democrats continue to come out ahead politically. also, the latest on Bernie on the campaign trail -- Harold Meyerson of the American Prospect comments. Also The W.H.O. declared the coronavirus outbreak that originated in Wuhan, China a global health emergency today -- we talk with historian of modern China about China's handling of the cri...

The Senate impeachment trial shows the "ism" the Republicns fear more than socialism or liberalism is empiricism, says Harold Meyerson -- as the Democrats move toward concluding their presentation, and the Republicans refuse to admit evidence or hear witnesses. Also: A Report from Haiti: It’s been ten years since Haiti was devastated by the earthquake that killed more than a hundred thousand peopl...

Harold Meyerson talks about how to get past the fight between Bernie and Elizabeth Warren-- and about the upcoming trial in the Senate. Next up -- a report from Hong Kong: historian Jeff Wasserstrom talks about the months of demonstrations there and what they mean for the future. Plus: Tom Lutz, founding editor of the LA Review of Books, has a novel out: "Born Slippy" from Repeater Books.