Abortion Politics: Harold Meyerson; plus Beverly Gage on J. Edgar Hoover

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The latest move by a Republican judge to ban the abortion drug Mefipristone is likely to turn out more Democratic voters, says Harold Meyerson. Also: Trump’s Easter Sunday tweet.
Plus: We know a lot about the bad things J. Edgar Hoover did, but it turns out there’s a lot we didn’t know. Historian Beverly Gage joins the podcast to explain. Her new book is “G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover & the Making of the American Century” — it’s been nominated for an LA Times Book Prize, which will be awarded next week.  4-13-2023

John Nichols on Progressive Victories and Chris Lehmann on Trump’s Felonies

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The landslide victory of the progressive candidate in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race, Janet Protasiewicz, ten times bigger than Biden’s, shows how abortion wins elections. And in Chicago, progressive candidate Brandon Johnson won the race for mayor. John Nichols joins the show to discuss these victories.

Also on this episode: Will Trump’s indictment on 34 felonies change anything in the 2024 election? Or had everybody already decided what they think about Donald Trump? The Nation’s DC Bureau Chief, Chris Lehmann reports.  4-5-2023

Progressives win in Chicago and Wisconsin: Harold Meyerson & John Nichols; plus Chris Lehmann on Trump in Court

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Progressive Brandon Johnson won the Chicago mayoral election: Harold Meyerson explains how he did it, and the lessons for progressives.
Also: The landslide victory of the progressive candidate in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race, Janet Protaisewicz, ten times bigger than Biden’s, shows how abortion wins elections–John Nichols explains.
plus: Will Trump’s indictment on 34 felonies change anything in the 2024 election? Or had everybody already decided what they think about Donald Trump? Chris Lehmann reports.  4-6-2023

Low-Paid Workers Strike and Win in LA; Minor League Baseball Players Form a Union

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In Los Angeles last week, a three-day strike by 30,000 public school custodians, food service workers, bus drivers and teacher’s aides ended with a 30% pay increase. Harold Meyerson, the editor-at-large of The American Prospect, joins the podcast to discuss.

Also: For a century, thousands of young baseball players have lived with low wages, overcrowded housing, and all-night rides in uncomfortable buses in order to play in baseball’s minor leagues, hoping to eventually make it to the majors. Now, their lives are changing because they organized a union. Kelly Candaele and Peter Dreier have more on that story.  3-30-2023

Low-Wage Workers’ Victory in LA: Harold Meyerson; the Minor League Baseball Union: Kelly Candaele and Peter Dreier; Women v. Trump: Dahlia Lithwick

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Last week’s 3-day strike in LA by public school custodians, food service workers, teachers’ aides and bus drivers won a 30% pay increase–Harold Meyerson reports.

Also: How minor league baseball players organized a union for the first time in history: Kelley Candaele and Peter Dreier report.

And Dahlia Lithwick talks about some of the heroes of the Trump years: the women lawyers who fought him on the big issues—the Muslim ban, neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, and voting rights. Her book is “Lady Justice” has been nominated for an LA Times book award.  3-30-2023

Start Making Sense: Katha Pollitt on Women in 2023, plus Christian Appy on Protest in 1969

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American women in 2023: the news is bad, but it’s not all bad. Katha Pollitt is on the Start Making Sense podcast to explain.

Also: the largest anti-war demonstrations in American history were the protests in the fall of 1969–with more than two million people in the streets demanding “End the War in Vietnam.” But did those demonstrations help end the war? Historian Chris Appy comments on the new documentary, “The Movement and the ‘Madman,’” out on PBS American Experience March 28.  3-23-2023

Billionaires and banks: Harold Meyerson; Women in 2023: Katha Pollitt; Vietnam Era Protest: Christian Appy

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Harold Meyerson comments on the fed, the banks, and the billionaires; also, the coming indictment of Donald Trump.

Plus: American women in 2023: the news is bad, but it’s not all bad. Katha Pollitt explains.

Also: the largest anti-war demonstrations in American history were protests in the fall of 1969–with more than two million people in the streets demanding “End the War in Vietnam.” But did those demonstrations help end the war?  Historian Chris Appy comments on the new documentary, “The Movement and the ‘Madman,’” on PBS American Experience March 28.  3-23-2023

Start Making Sense: John Nichols on Banks and Regulations, plus Gregg Gonsalves on Masks and Covid

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Since the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank last week, we need to understand how and why medium-sized banks have been allowed to avoid strict supervision from federal banking authorities and avoid safety requirements. John Nichols comments.

Also: Do masks work to help stop the spread of COVID-19? A New York Times columnist recently said that they don’t, and cited an authoritative review of research as his source. But it turns he was wrong about that study. Gregg Gonsalves is on the show to explain.  3-16-2023

Banks and Democrats: Harold Meyerson; Masks and Covid: Gregg Gonsalves; Wisconsin votes: John Nichols

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Harold Meyerson reports on the Democrats who supported reducing regulation of mid-sized banks like Silicon Valley Bank – and on the Democrats who are taking a stand against Netanyahu’s moves against democracy for Israeli Jews.

Also: John Nichols reports on the promising situation in the most important election before the 2024 presidential race: the Wisconsin Supreme Court election coming up on April 4, which could switch the court from conservative to liberal control, legalizing abortion and ending gerrymandering. Plus: the Democrats who tried to block the 2019 bill that reduced regulation on banks like Silicon Valley Bank.

And: Do masks work — to help stop the spread of covid?  A New York Times columnist recently said that they don’t, and cited an authoritative review of research as his source. But it turns he was wrong about that study.  Gregg Gonsalves of the Yale School of Public Health, will explain.  3-16-2023

Start Making Sense: Ron DeSantis says ‘The Left Made Me Do It”; plus our Oscar preview with John Powers

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Ron DeSantis has written a political autobiography, “The Courage to be Free.” The Nation’s DC Bureau Chief, Chris Lehmann calls it “a paranoid rant disguised as campaign memoir.” Chris joins us on this episode of Start Making Sense to discuss it.

Also: Sunday is Oscar night in America and, as usual, we have a lot of complaints about the nominations. So does John Powers, Critic at Large on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross. We talk about this year’s films we didn’t like – and some we thought were wonderful.  3-9-2023