National Policy Archives - KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show

We were all startled by Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant frenzy launched in 2015. But there is solid precedent. In an article in The New Yorker, acclaimed author of many history books, Adam Hochschild tells the tale: When America Tried to Deport The post Deport the Immigrants and Radicals: Trump’s Precedent 100 Years ago appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Sh...

It’s not perfect. Much as we’d prefer to see the 1787 Constitution as a rock solid always-dependable foundation, our guests argue there are fault lines that we can not see but are always there. In their new book Fault Lines The post Fault Lines In the Constitution: Unseen Until Too Late? appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

Many reject science and embrace myth instead. But just as technological advance depends on knowledge gained through science, so the future of America relies on knowledge of our history. Until recently it has been tough times for History departments. While The post The Rise of History: Vital for Our Future appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

We’re in a different moment. The idea of Medicare for All has been around a long time. But as the 2020 campaigns kick in, there is clear momentum. Disappointed by the insurance industry role in the ACA, more and more The post Heartland Momentum for Medicare For All appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

What’s the point? Trump’s policies on immigration and refugees rely on  blatant cruelty and they accomplish nothing. According to researcher and author Arnold Isaacs, who has written widely on refugee and immigration issues, Trump’s policies hurt people instead of fixing The post Cruelty As Policy appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

Of course Trump’s wall is useless. If we want to stem the flow of refugees from Central America, and stop wasting billions of tax dollars, a new Marshall Plan is needed. What motivates Central Americans to make the thousand mile The post A Wall Won’t Work. A New Marshall Plan Just Might. appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

It may not be as blatant as cross-burning but redlining is racism. Federal lending rules encourage banks to discriminate against mortgages for black people moving into white neighborhoods. While it was technically made against the law with the Fair Housing The post Redlining: Government Policy Makes Racism and Poverty Worse appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

America First is leading quickly to America being left out. Even Republican internationalists are gone from the stage. The current administration is making a steady and sustained war on diplomacy and is now standing outside the tent. On this show, The post America First Leaves America Out appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

We all hate it when other countries meddle with our elections. Yet we do it more than any other. And it never works. From Iran in 1953 to Iraq in 2003, the US has employed a policy of regime change. The post Regime Change: It Never, Ever Works appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

It took a long time but Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions worked to end South African Apartheid. Now powerful forces are working in the US congress to penalize businesses and individuals who express support for BDS against the State of Israel. The post BDS at 12: The Fight Against it Shows It’s Working appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

Who better than a military person to talk about the dangers of what he sees as a worship of all things military? Major Danny Sjursen commanded troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and here talks about his deep concern about military, The post Military Worship Threatens Our Democracy appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

What can winning look like if the nation is decimated in the process? Sara Tesorieri speaks to us from Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, where she is working with the Norwegian Refugee Council to provide desperately needed humanitarian aid. The The post On the Ground in Yemen: Famine Approaches appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

Imagine your very existence being seen as proof of guilt. The blatantly racist anti-immigrant policies Trump is known for did not originate with him. In fact, as our guest Avi Chomsky, professor of history and coordinator of Latin American, Latino, The post The Clintons and Obama Started Trump’s War on Immigrants appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

On the one hand, somebody had to do something. Using Sarin gas to kill babies must not go unchallenged. On the other hand, what did the Tomahawk missile attack accomplish? What about the thousands of innocents already killed by all The post Trump Bombs Syria: Now What? appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

Asleep in her home the night of March 2, 2016, Berta Caceres was murdered. The military police of Honduras are suspected. But the government failed to stop her work: there are many more Berta Carcereses today. A government getting much The post When They Killed Berta Caceres A Year Ago, She Multiplied appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

Telling the truth to power shouldn’t take courage, but it certainly does. On part one, Peter VanBuren, whistle-blower and author of We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People, describes The post Crushing The Power of Truth? Peter VanBuren and Nick Turse appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

Imagine being a proud part of the military for decades, serving as strategist and then it lands on you: our policy is a failure. Major Danny Sjursen in his inaugural Tom Dispatch post writes from a unique perspective on what The post Army Strategist: Misuse of American Power and the Chaos It Caused appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

Most of us believe what we were taught in elementary school: that enslaved blacks were freed by the Civil War. The truth is far grimmer. In this gripping discussion (recorded during Obama’s term) Douglas Blackmon, author of Slavery by Another The post A Typhoon of Terror: American Blacks After “Freedom” appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

Aside from the blatant racism, the shocking authoritarianism, and the disregard for the Constitution and laws, President Trump is unwittingly causing the end of a long period of unquestioned world dominance by the USA. According to our guest The Nation The post Trump Disrupting Disorder: The End of the 20th Century At Last appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

With the mainstream finally focusing on reducing carbon emissions, the highly capitalized nuclear industry is once again trying for a rebirth. This time as a carbon-free answer to help reduce climate change. But according to guest veteran investigative reporter Karl The post Nuclear Power: Safe and Green? appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

Is America merely a conduit for corporate wealth? Is the earth merely for exploiting without care? Trump’s designate to be secretary of state, Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson is all that an more. Though the job of SoS is about The post Tillerson Portends Great Instability: Environment and Between Nations appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

75 years ago on December 8th, war came. What no one expected was the transformation of America from a nation which craved peace to one which thrived on militarism. On this show, military historian Christopher Kelly, author of “America Invades: The post 12/7 Plus 75: US Policy and Politics Transformed appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

Indigenous Americans for over 300 years have been treated as invisible; treaties and promises routinely ignored. Mainstream media ignored it as long as they could for fear of upsetting advertisers but pressure kept building and, surprise: the water protectors put The post The Invisible People Halt Big Black Snake appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

The Vikings were brave explorers and they found wondrous new things. Today Scandinavia holds promise of how America can become happier and more free. George Lakey, author of the new book Viking Economics, talks about struggling toward something rather than The post Scandinavia Got it Right, So Can We appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .

Generally American cites are dumped on: Budgets cut, services eliminated, schools ignored. But 80% of us live in cities and despite the pressure from uncaring financial interests and their politicians, we are close to a tipping point where an urban The post Saving Our Cities: Transforming Urban America appeared first on KDA Keeping Democracy Alive Podcast & Radio Show .