Category: Ralph Nader

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    Harvard Institute of Politics: What do you see as the chances that we will have a second civil war in your lifetime?

    Harvard Institute of Politics (12/1/21)

    This week on CounterSpin: Research from Harvard’s Institute of Politics finds young people worried about the state of US democracy and even the possibility of civil war. Yet US corporate journalists seem to feel nothing truly new is needed beyond the same old counsel: The “system” basically works, the US leads the world in rights and liberties, and “centrism” between the two dominant political parties is the wisest course, regardless of the content of their policies.

    The Harvard project leader says young people still “seem as determined as ever to fight for the change they seek.” And in that, they have examples of folks who didn’t necessarily have odds in their favor, but who showed that even a small group of people, willing to confront entrenched ideas and power, really can make change in the public interest. One example is today’s guest: Ralph Nader is a consumer advocate, lawyer, author and radio host. We catch up with him this week on CounterSpin.

          CounterSpin211210Nader.mp3

    Plus Janine Jackson takes a quick look at media coverage of Kyrsten Sinema and pharmacies’ opioid guilt.

          CounterSpin211210Banter.mp3

    The post Ralph Nader on Journalism and the Public Interest appeared first on FAIR.

    This post was originally published on CounterSpin.

  • Author and addiction advocate, Ryan Hampton, joins us to talk about his experience trying to hold Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family accountable for the horrific opioid plague they helped set in motion as outlined in his book, “Unsettled, How the Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Failed the Victims of the American Overdose Crisis.” Plus, Ralph answers a listener question about Medicare (Dis)Advantage.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • This week Maui resident, Paul Deslauriers, joins us to update us on how he and his merry band of activists were able to transform their local county government from “corporate rule” to “rule by the people” and how this template for change can be used nationwide. Plus, we parody the corporate sponsorship of baseball games.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Ralph spends the whole hour with the incomparable Noam Chomsky to discuss a whole raft of issues, including the climate crisis, the military budget, healthcare, challenging the corporate structure, reforming both the tax system and our elections, how the Democrats have abandoned the working class, and whether the U.S. will be able to fend off fascism.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Tom Morello, activist, and lead guitarist of “Rage Against the Machine,” joins us to discuss the uses of music in protest, his latest album “The Atlas Underground Fire,” and his new gig writing op-eds for The New York Times. Also, child advocate, Robert Fellmeth, stops by to shed light on a situation right out of a Charles Dickens novel: the state stealing social security checks from foster children. Plus, Ralph answers your questions.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Ralph welcomes Miranda Massie, director of the Climate Museum, an institution focused on the intersection of art, climate science, justice, and activism — that aims to make people feel that collective action is both possible and necessary, and the only hope we have of saving the planet. Plus! Ralph answers listener questions.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • By Ralph Nader November 5, 2021 Another World Series – the twelfth in a row – without the New York Yankees, the richest franchise in the Major Leagues. The reason for this fall of the once formidable Yankee baseball dynasty is not difficult to discern. It is inept, smug management starting with the 23-year reign…


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader and was authored by eweisbaum.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Ralph welcomes Miranda Massie, director of the Climate Museum, an institution focused on the intersection of art, climate science, justice, and activism — that aims to make people feel that collective action is both possible and necessary, and the only hope we have of saving the planet. Plus! Ralph answers listener questions.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Randall Kennedy, Harvard Law professor and author of a collection of essays entitled “Say It Loud! On Race, Law, History, and Culture” joins us for the full hour to talk about his views on race, class, corporatism, Clarence Thomas, the “n-word,” racial optimism versus racial pessimism, and much more.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Ralph interviews two recent military veterans. First, Erik Edstrom, author of “Un-American: A Soldier’s Reckoning of Our Longest War” tells us about his awakening from West Point Army Ranger to peace advocate. Then, Garett Reppenhagen, a former sniper and now director of Veterans for Peace, tells us how that organization helps veterans put down their weapons and work for peace.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Constitutional scholar Bruce Fein joins forces with Ralph as we devote the entire radio hour to discussing war powers in the United States with Yale historian, Samuel Moyn, author of “Humane: How the United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War.”


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • On today’s program, we look at two ways that corporate lobbies and their political allies subvert democracy: “gerrymandering” and “preemption.” First, law professor Herman Schwartz breaks down the scourge of partisan gerrymandering. Then Mark Pertschuk, director of “Grassroots Change,” sheds light on how states and the federal government can “preempt” cities and local communities from for instance raising their own minimum wage, allowing paid sick leave, regulating firearms, banning plastics, or enforcing anti-discrimination laws. Plus, Ralph, David, and Steve discuss the infrastructure package and stock buy backs.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Ralph welcomes Professor Elizabeth Burch to talk about her work researching how a certain mechanism in the civil justice system called Multi-District Litigation (MDL) is undermining your constitutional right to have your day in court. Then, Professor Jane Hall stops by to discuss the state of the media in her new book, “Politics and the Media: Intersections and New Directions.”


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Ralph spends the whole hour with Eyal Press, author of “Dirty Work: Essential Jobs and The Hidden Toll of Inequality in America,” where they discuss the large gap separating the people who perform the most thankless, ethically troubling jobs in America from the rest of us, who benefit from their work. Plus, Ralph answers listener questions.  


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Ralph welcomes Harvard history professor, Alex Keyssar, scholar of voting rights and author of “Why Do We Still Have The Electoral College?” to discuss the battle over the Electoral College and the role white supremacy played in conceiving and perpetuating it. Then, we welcome back Steve Silberstein, board member of “National Popular Vote,” to update us on the progress that movement is making on the interstate compact where states would promise to give their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, Colin Powell’s former chief of staff, gives us his thoroughly unvarnished take on the history of our twenty-year debacle in Afghanistan. Then, we are joined by Jacob Wilson, cofounder of Congressional Progressive Staff Association an organization devoted to drawing congressional staff from the ranks of civic activists, organizers, faith leaders, and people from the labor movement in order to bring fresh, bold, progressive ideas directly into Congress members’ offices.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • In a fascinating interview, where the historian gets questioned by one of the main subjects of his history, Ralph welcomes professor Paul Sabin to discuss his history of the public interest movement, “Public Citizens: The Attack on Big Government and the Remaking of American Liberalism.” Plus, intrepid investigative reporter, Allan Nairn joins us to give us his take on U.S. culpability in the violent history of Afghanistan.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Ralph welcomes Stacy Mitchell, co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance to talk about how enforcing anti-trust laws would lead to more decentralized and productive local economies. And Pro Publica’s Jesse Eisinger joins us to explain how Republican anti-tax groups have starved the IRS budget, which leads to billions of dollars of uncollected taxes from the wealthy. Plus, Ralph answers your questions.

     


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • By Ralph Nader August 20, 2021 The resignation of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo invites comparisons, historical context, and proposals for the future. First, the comparisons: Former President Donald J. Trump must be chuckling. As the worst sexual predator to rule the White House, he must be wondering about the “weak” (his word) loser who…


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader and was authored by eweisbaum.

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  • Andrew Kimbrell, director of the International Center for Technology Assessment, joins us to talk about his documentary “A Dangerous Idea: Eugenics, Genetics and the American Dream,” and to give us an update on the Wuhan Lab leak theory. Plus, Ralph welcomes legendary civil rights attorney, Martin Garbus, to update us on new developments in the case of corporate prisoner, Steven Donzinger.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Ralph has a lively back and forth about the state of talk radio with the publisher and editor of “Talkers” magazine, Michael Harrison. Plus, Ralph answers a listener question about his views on Julian Assange.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Ralph has a lively back and forth about the state of talk radio with the publisher and editor of “Talkers” magazine, Michael Harrison. Plus, Ralph answers a listener question about his views on Julian Assange.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • We discuss the student debt crisis with Anthony Fiorentino, attorney and advocate featured along with Ralph in the documentary series “Scared to Debt: America’s Student Loan Scam.” And Consumer Federation of America’s Robert Hunter joins to remind you that your auto insurance companies probably still owe you money for not driving so much during the Covid quarantine. Plus, Ralph offers up another Congress Club letter, this one aimed at Medicare for All.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Ralph welcomes Michael Saks and Stephan Landsman, authors of “Closing Death’s Door: Legal Innovations to End the Epidemic of Healthcare Harm” about what can be done about the third leading cause of death in America, medical error. And America’s #1 Populist, Jim Hightower stops by to give us the breaking news on Exxon-Mobil’s attempt to break the union movement.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Apparently there is a big story down in Beaumont about a three month Exxon Mobile lockout of 600+ workers at its biggest U.S. refinery. The dispute is not about economics, it’s about workplace safety. Top Exxon executives running the lockout. Bigger strategy anticipated around Exxon facilities. Does this story interest you? For more information call…


    This content originally appeared on Reporters' Alert: Fresh Ideas for Journalists and was authored by anthony.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • The unexamined world of mass advertising undergirds corporate power (e.g., Facebook, Google), corrupts media, irritates people no end with its saturation propensity, has anti-competitive maneuvers, makes a mockery of the public’s airwaves and public broadcasting and continues its ages-old deceptions, lying and betraying consumers’ trust, with little FTC et al enforcement. Very inviting for reporters…


    This content originally appeared on Reporters' Alert: Fresh Ideas for Journalists and was authored by anthony.

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  • Ralph spends a lively hour with David Vine, Professor of Anthropology at American University, discussing his book “The United States of War: A Global History of America’s Endless Conflicts from Columbus to the Islamic State.” Plus, Ralph announces that the Congress Club letter writing campaign is ready to kick off.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • The U.S. exits Afghanistan and closes major bases. Americans need to know why their trillions of dollars, tens of thousands of soldiers, the most modern military equipment, and 400,000 Afghan government soldiers are losing to 35,000 Taliban, with no air force, navy, or heavy weapons. Vietnam all over again. Only this time, Congress doesn’t even…


    This content originally appeared on Reporters' Alert: Fresh Ideas for Journalists and was authored by anthony.

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  • Ralph welcomes Bill Crosier of the Foreign Policy Alliance to discuss how to turn US foreign policy away from intervention and toward diplomacy, law, and cooperation. Then chemist, Paul Palmer, joins us to explain that we need to replace the “corporate scam” of recycling with the concept of “zero waste.” Plus, Ralph answers an important listener question about Medicare for All.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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  • Ralph discusses the healthcare crisis and what to do about it with medical expert, Dr. John Geyman, based on his latest book “America’s Mighty Medical-Industrial Complex: Negative Impacts and Positive Solutions.” And disability advocate, Ralf Hotchkiss, joins to update us on the latest work he is doing with the remarkable company he founded, Whirlwind Wheelchair. Plus, Ralph pays tribute to the late Mike Gravel, gives a progress report on the Congress Club, and responds to listener comments about why the Democratic Party has trouble turning its activist energy into electoral and policy victories.


    This content originally appeared on Ralph Nader Radio Hour and was authored by Ralph Nader Radio Hour.

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