The Hartmann Report

Thom looks at the most interesting stories in the news today, from Trump stealing from his own campaign fund, the stunning rise in scam phone calls, and the latest Russia convictions. Plus- Is Walgreens a Republican supporter? ------- Bernie Sanders stops by as he calls for a debate on the Senate floor about America's support for the murderous blockade and war in Yemen. ------- Talk Medi...

Thom examines Trump's media style through the lens of professional wrestling with insights from a new essay by Matt Taibbi exposing Donald as the classic heel.------ Listeners call in with revelations on Trump's history in pro wrestling, the audience perceptions and reactions to the baby-"face" hero and the villainous "heel" and how Trump manipulates the unsuspecting media with his base pleasing p...

After all the losses in the stock market, Thom postulates that financial signs indicate we may be coming to the crash he wrote about in his book, the inevitable consequence of the way the system was propped up in after the crash of 2007. But this time we don't have room to drop interest rates. What can we do? ------ Green New Deal. And she says there is a way we can pay for it too. ------&nbs...

Frist, briefly: Trump's crimes have now been stated to be fact in federal court. Is this enough to impeach? ------ A long fascinating conversation on The Crimes of George Herbert Walker Bush with historian Lamar Waldron, followed by Thom's callers take on the legacy of the Bush crime family. ------- A reading from 'Winner Take All - The Elite Sharade of Changing the World' by Anand Giridharadas. S...

Thom explains the GOP plans to strip social programs and details a deeper understanding of the student loan debt crisis and its devastating effects. While exposing the scam of Medicare Advantage, Thom answers listener questions about universal health care and Medicare. Life expectancy takes a significant dive from suicide and overdose as a result of the economic ruin caused by conservati...

Why is the stock market tanking? What will be the consequence of arresting a Chinese executive for violating American-made sanctions against Iran? ------ Marxist professor Richard Wolff is watching capitalism hit the fan. How will the lowest under the capitalist pyramid deal with an economic downturn? ------ Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal joins Thom with a deep dive into the benefits of i...

Thom chats with Elizabeth Holtzman, the only remaining member of the House Judiciary Committee that voted to impeach President Nixon, and author of the new book 'The Case for Impeaching Trump'. ------ Thom reviews some of the probably-impeachable crimes Trump has been shown to have committed. ------ Thom reads from 'The Case for Impeaching Trump' by Elizabeth Holtzman. ------ Co-cha...

How can we keep Democracy if we lose America's free press? Thom speaks with Joe Strupp about his new book "Killing Journalism: How Greed, Laziness (and Donald Trump) Are Destroying News and How We Can Save It" and the emergence of right wing unbalanced media from the presidency of Nixon and why that audience doesn't care about fact-checking. ------- Continuing the conversation on th...

As George HW Bush lies in state, from Nicaragua to North Dakota, has Reaganism come home to roost in the form of massive income inequality? As life expectancy grows shorter in America after 37 years of Reagonomics, the middle class has been devastated for many, but will they figure out they've been had? America is becoming a nation of cartels, says Professor Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor...

Mueller catches Trump in lies about his Russian ties, just the latest in a series of Republican presidents passing off significant lies on the American public. ------ Recently re-elected progressive Senator from Ohio, Sherrod Brown has a plan to keep American manufacturing here despite the Republican tax cut incentivizing moving factories out of the U.S.. ------ Senator Bernie Sanders ha...

On today's program, a brainstorming session on Progressive priorities to fix our nation's problems as the House Progressive Caucus has elected a Progressive leader for all the Democrats in the house. Thom thinks we need to have a conversation about immigration and protecting American manufacturing to make clear the contrast between us and the racist policies Trump is enacting. Thom engages with in...

As the American health insurance industry, along with the pharmaceutical cartels, become increasingly greedy, more people are going without needed medicine and treatments because of insane astronomical price hikes. How can Progressives promote Medicare For All when members of the Democratic party are being bought off with all that crazy health insurance industry money? ------- Ellen Rattner of Tal...

Thom analyzes what the withdrawal of Paul Manafort's plea agreement could be in the chess game between Trump and his Special Prosecutor. And thoughts given to Mia Love's comments to Trump, and the possible economic recession that may be predicted by GM's plant closures. -------- A fascinating reading from 'Age of Discovery: Navigating the Risks and Rewards of Our New Renaissance' by Ian...

Thom puts Trump's immigration grandstanding in the context of past presidential manipulations. Thom reads from 'Us Versus Them: The Failure of Globalism'. Ralph Nader chats with Thom about his new book, 'How the Rats Reformed Congress: A Fable'. Thom reads form Ralph Nader's book 'Breaking Through Power: It's Easier than we Think'. Thom notes the black sea standoff between Russ...

Thom launches a discussion on the growing extremes of income inequality, and adroitly takes the issues callers raise on this question. ------- Thom reads from Lawrence O'Donnel's new book- 'Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics'. ------- As congressional Progressives flex their newfound muscles as the largest caucus in the House, Thom...

On the 55th year of John F. Kennedy's murder, Thom reveals the secret source and much of the basis of the book Thom and co-author Lamar Waldron wrote naming the true killers. Lamar joins Thom for most of the show to discuss their theory, and additional developments that tie in Brett Kavanaugh as well. ------- Thom reads from 'Legacy of Secrecy: The Long Shadow of the JFK Assassination' b...

Discussing her recent article "Is it Time to Expose the Women Still Celebrating the Confederacy?" Kali Halloway talks institutional racism with Thom. She is the director of the Make it Right project, and she says their nemesis- the United Daughters of the Confederacy- is not an innocuous group. ------- Thom mind-melds with his callers on the subject of racism. Former prison laborer...

Today Thom strongly shows that as wealth inequality becomes huge, and Republicans blame working class resentments on minorities to hold power, the trajectory the GOP has traveled since Nixon threatens to end American democracy. And connectedly- while the challenge against Nancy Pelosi has been described by mainstream news as coming from the left, Thom argues that corporate interests are behind the...

Thom considers whether Republicans may be guilty of violating not only traditional American values of democracy, but also federal laws including The Help America Vote Act. How should we be improving our voting systems?  -------- Callers chime in with their support for Beto in 2020, and other thoughts. Jeanette in Mr. Vernon thinks Democrats will lose if they run another corporate De...

Jefferson Smith, sitting in for Thom, makes the case it's time for a second Progressive era in America to fight the excessive extreme and very large difference between the wealth of the rich and the poor, and especially the corrupt government the rich are using their wealth to create. What are we ourselves called to do in these days? ------ Trump's lies are growing in degrees and also nu...

Jefferson Smith fills in for Thom today engaging listeners with questions on the recent election, Citizens United, and secret law. Jeff ponders whether or not Democrats will move to keep or reject Nancy Pelosi. Thom reads from Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas. Jefferson Smith answers listener phone calls on post election questions as he sits in today...

Congressman Mark Pocan- the House Progressive Caucus leader- talks with the people about our expectations and aspirations as the Democratic blue wave washes over the House of Representatives. -----  Greg Palast is fresh back from getting arrested for facing Bryan Kemp in Florida as reporter, and sneaking into a Trump rally. ----- Foreign Correspondent Luke Vargas tells Thom what The...

Looking at the recent election, Thom asks what the Republicans will do if hate and fear doesn't work for them anymore. Callers respond. ------ Thom reads from 'Mortal Republic- How Rome turned in Tyranny'. ------ Luke Vargas from Talk Media News always has tremendous headlines, the best headlines. ------ Thom reads from Bernie Sanders new book 'Where do we Go From Her...

Thom reviews Trump's disregard of veterans both on his recent trip to the French Armistice observation and upon his return to the US. Trump protected his hair instead of laying a wreath on the grave of the unknown soldier, sent the troops to whip up immigrant fears, and disregarded military mail-in ballots in his rush to see the elections settled. ------ Climate change contributed to Californ...

Thom beams in the show from the conference room of The Nation Magazine in New York City, where he sits down to chew on the news with publisher Katrina vanden Heuvel. -------  Thom talks strategy with activist philanthropist Tom Steyer and his call for Trump's impeachment- and whether the Democrats are likely to proceed with it. -------  The author of 'The Horsemen of...