What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains
Ralph welcomes Nicholas Carr, author of “The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains” who argues that despite it being a vast storehouse of knowledge, the internet could be turning us into superficial thinkers. Also, NY Times opinion writer, Justin Gillis, along with the executive director of the Energy Policy Institute, David Pomerantz report on the scandal of fossil fuel and nuclear companies bribing state politicians.
Young Activists/Can Trump Steal 2020?
Ralph welcomes civics educator and author, Barbara Lewis, who tells how best to teach kids how to be effective activists in their communities. Then, investigative reporter, Greg Palast, joins us to outline how we can protect our vote this election year, chronicled in his book “How Trump Stole 2020: The Hunt for America’s Vanished Voters.”
Deconstructing Biden’s Ads
Amidst a general discussion of this year’s presidential race, political ad guru Bill Hillsman deconstructs four Joe Biden ads and one Trump ad for message and effectiveness. Plus, child advocate Robert Fellmeth rejoins us to continue his crusade against anonymity on Facebook.
Did Covid-19 Come From a Lab?
Ralph welcomes back Andrew Kimbrell, founder of the Center for Food Safety, to discuss the dangers of genetically engineered viruses and the possibility that COVID-19 escaped from a lab. And Dr. Michael Carome, director of the Health Research Group at Public Citizen, tells us about Public Citizen’s effort to get President Trump and Vice President Pence to step down and put health experts in charge of the pandemic response.
Frank Luntz
Ralph, David, and Steve invite Republican pollster, Frank Luntz, coiner of the terms “climate change” and “clean coal,” for a freewheeling conversation about – among other things – why he has changed his mind about the climate crisis.
How To Fix Our Broken Democracy
Ralph welcomes Daniel Newman, author of the intriguing and accessible non-fiction graphic novel “Unrig: How To Fix Our Broken Democracy,” about how private “wealth hoarders” work to weaken government and what you can do about it. Then, Dr. John Geyman returns to remind us how corporate healthcare rips us all off as evidenced in his new book “Profiteering, Corruption and Fraud in U.S. Health Care.”
August 13, 2016
Ralph talks to activist Charles Keil about his work trying to encourage a Department of Peace and economist and journalist James S. Henry tells us how the wealthy hide trillions of dollars in offshore tax havens.
August 6, 2016
Ralph talks to professor Jonathan Martin about the role of third parties in America and how they can be empowered. Then Pulitzer Prize winner, David Cay Johnston, tells us what we are likely to see in Donald Trump’s tax returns.
July 30, 2016
Ralph talks to the President of Public Citizen, Robert Weissman, about that organization’s storied history fighting and winning against the perfidies of corporate power. And in our listener question segment, Ralph defends his position on autonomous cars and talks about what he might do differently if he had it to do all over again.
July 23, 2016
Ralph talks to renowned investigative journalist Charles Lewis about his book 935 Lies: The Future of Truth and the Decline of America’s Moral Integrity and former police chief Norm Stamper tells us what needs to be done to repair the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve with his book To Protect & Serve: How to Fix America’s Police.
July 16, 2016
In two very lively discussions, Ralph talks to progressive author and essayist, Thomas Frank, about the failings of the Democratic Party and his new book Listen Liberal: Or Whatever Happened to the Party of the People? And then author Steven Hill returns to tell us why and how we need to Expand Social Security Now!
July 10, 2016
Ralph talks to professor Charles Derber about how corporate capitalism has turned America into a “bully nation.” And nineteen year old Nicholas Mokhiber shares with us his adventure hiking the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail.
July 2, 2016
Ralph makes the case for abolishing the corporation with the help of professor David Whyte and Steve Tombs, authors of The Corporate Criminal. And we also hear from psychotherapist George Mallinckrodt, who blew the whistle on the systemic abuses of mentally ill prisoners in the Florida state prison system.
June 25, 2016
Ralph talks to author and entrepreneur, Michael Shuman about ways local businesses can actually beat big business in your town. And we discuss the enormous cost of Medicare fraud and how you can report it with Professor Malcolm Sparrow.