The Majority Report with Sam Seder

Cliff Schecter explained by President Obama's opening offer on grand bargain negotiations was hugely encouraging, how progressives are flexing more muscle what does Obama's new more aggressive negotiating strategy mean for his second term? Sam and Cliff chuckle over  charles krauthammer Civil War meltdown and assess how delusional the Romney campaign was/is.

Sam told Isabel Gillie's why he is in a bad mood, Sam explained why Skyfall sucked and Isabel recommended the documentary Secrecy and revealed that her father worked for the CIA.

A new song from Jimmy Reefercake, The UN recognizes Palestine, Bradley Manning's Court case begins with harrowing testimony on his treatment in detention, do Republicans want Kerry for Secretary of State? and Sam closes us out with a Random Rush.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread!  

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks! 

Direct download: 11-30-12-Cliff_Schecter-Isabel_Gillies-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:55pm EDT

The Nation's Sports Editor, Dave Zirin, talked with Sam about the legacy of Marvin Miller, the legendary leader of the Major League Baseball Player’s Association, explained how horribly Baseball players were treated before Miller began organizing them, the travesty of Miller not being in the Baseball Hall of Fame and will there be a NHL season?

Alan Charney of USAction, explained what progressive groups are doing to keep the pressure on Congress for tax increases on the wealthy and to protect the social safety net and why how Obama is important.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks! 

Direct download: 11-29-12-Dave_Zirin-Alan_Charney-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:56am EDT

Bill McKibben explained the Do the Math tour, the new evolution of climate activism, the fossil fuel divestment movement, the good news from Germany, why global climate talks are irrelevant until we break the power of the fossil fuel industry and what's coming next.

On The Better Half: a heart warming story, Glenn Beck ever more disgusting and desperate, a Idaho state politician peddles an insane plan for Romney to become President in January and Sam does not like Andrew Cuomo.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!  

Direct download: 11-28-12-Bill_McKibben-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:48pm EDT

The New America Foundation's Lina Khan explained, the growth of agricultural monopolies, why farmers are serfs on their own land, how CongressionalRepublicans killed the Obama Administration's efforts to reform the industry and why the Administration folded on the issue and Sam and Lina map out where we go from here.

The Better Half: Will Republican billionaires smarten up? Filibuster reform is looking weak, is Walmart just a Mafia family? And former Florida Republican Party leaders admit that efforts to block early voting is about disenfranchising African American voters.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!  


Direct download: 11-27-12-Lina_Khan-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:42pm EDT

Journalist Osha Gray Davidson explained the rapid growth of renewable energy in Germany, the roots of the German sustainability movement,why there is more market stability in renewable energy and what the United States can do to follow the German lead.

On The Half: The deficit is shrinking fast, reporter Thomas Ricks destroys Fox on Fox, the rich are paying even less in taxes, Egypt's President Morsi grabs dictatorial powers and the war on men has been launched and Sam gives us some Random Rush.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!  


Direct download: 11-26-12-Osha_Gray_Davidson-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:39pm EDT

Financial fraud expert William Black explained why pushing for austerity in a economic crisis is illogical, how Europe plunged itself into a unnecessary recession and social crisis with austerity policies, why governments need to stimulate the economy,how Greece's debt crisis is fundamentally different from America's "debt crisis", what the IRS does with your cash if you send it in to pay your taxes and how a "grand bargain" would be grand betrayal of the middle class and the poor.

And for Members only! interviews from the Air America archives with Zach Galifianakis (@galifianakisz) and Ralph Neas ( former head of People for the American Way.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!  

Direct download: 11-23-12-William_Black-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Director Jeff Orlowski explained what the "Extreme Ice Survey" is, the shocking collapse of the earth's glaciers, the centrality of climate change to our future, why climate change is the biggest issue that humanity faces, how is climate is measured scientifically and the success of his new movie Chasing Ice.

Linda McMahon gives bad checks and condoms to campaign workers for their work on her failed campaign, Lloyd Blankfein wants you to work more, Breitbart Website is just awful at comedy, a ceasefire in the Middle East and Wal Mart called out on CNN.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread!  

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!   

Direct download: 11-21-12-Jeff_Orlowski-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:05pm EDT

Professor Stephanie Kelton explained the origins of the Bretton Woods system, why US policy makers still make policy as if we were in a gold standard world, why we will not become like Greece, what really creates hyper inflation, why the US can easily reach full employment

without inflation, the problem is demand, why the inflation of the 70s was not driven by government seeking full employment, why the "solutions" to the fiscal cliff will produce a fiscal crises, what is the best policy to follow now and how the economic debate is changing.

The Better Half: How to deal with a bad fiscal cliff deal deal, IMer Bushinchainz did not like the Stephenie Kelton interview and the coming Ross Douthat scanda

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!   

Direct download: 11-20-12-Stephanie_Kelton-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:29pm EDT

Former Middle East peace negotiator Daniel Levy explained what precipitated Israel's military action in Gaza, why Netanyahu chose to escalate the conflict, the internal politics of Gaza, how the citizens of Gaza have lived under blockade conditions for several years, Israel's lack of coherent strategy and how Israel's worst tendencies are reinforced by American policy makers.

On The Better Half: Rush wallows in self pity in Random Rush, why Sam does not want a Christmas tree and is Lindsey Graham listening to Sam?

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread!

 Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!   

Direct download: 11-19-12-Daniel_Levy-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:46pm EDT

Cliff Schecter and Sam explained why Simpson-Bowles would tank the economy, where we can make smart cuts, all the money we waste on the Drug war, is Social Security safe?, are progressives drawing a line in the sand? a much more forceful President Obama and the Real John McCain.

Marc Maron talked about his record collection, what he worries about, his arc with Gina Gershon on the pilot of his tv show and recommended the documentary DR. Bronner's Magic Soapbox.

And before we got to the Better Half a new song from Jimmy Reefercake.

the Better Half: why did Hostess go out of business? Don't blame the Union, activists pressuring Macy's to drop Donald Trump's Cologne line, Sam overviews Israel's military action in Gaza and movements across college campuses for divestment from companies profiting from the Occupation.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks! 

Direct download: 11-16-12-Cliff_Schecter-Marc_Maron-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:01pm EDT

The National Priorities Project's Mattea Kramer explained the biggest misconceptions Americans have about the federal budget, what makes up most of the federal budget, why now is a great time for infrastructure investment, the best ways to deal with the deficit, why the fiscal cliff is a myth and some predictions on budget negotiations.

On the Better Half: Matt Bai writes something stunningly disingenuous and Sam nails him on it, the fiscal cliff is a bait and switch, Mitt Romney still a massive A-Hole and the head of the Maine Republican Party proves the GOP isn't just racist in the South.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks! 

Direct download: 11-15-12-Mattea_Kramer-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:41pm EDT

Professor David Grabaer explained why our understanding of debt is flawed, why we keep telling ourselves a false narrative of debt, student loans and Occupy, how the debt crises and the ecological crises are the same thing, how the Rolling Jubilee will work and what is financial disobedience?

On the Better Half: Spanish banks hold up evictions in cases of extreme hardship after a woman commits suicide, floods threatening Italian economy accelerating due to climate change and Sam takes another Libertarian caller to the Sam Seder Learning Annex.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks! 

Direct download: 11-14-12-David_Graeber-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:39pm EDT

BuzzFeed's Michael Hastings explained the full sordid details of the Petraeus affair, how the spying on David Petraeus is typical of today's surveillance state, The hypocrisy of the Washington Press, how Petraeus helped us scrub our record of disaster in Iraq, how he started to believe his own press and why we need a realistic perspective on the Military.

On The Half: the danger of cutting of unemployment benefits, why 96 percent of Americans benefit from government spending, Obama's 2011 grand bargain memo leaked and it does not look good, some in Louisiana and Texas want to Secede and Paul Ryan blames his tickets loss on "urban" voters.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread!  

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!

Direct download: 11-13-12-Michael_Hastings-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:38pm EDT

Sam and Cliff rejoice in the Republican meltdown, Karl Rove's public humiliation, the billionaires who wasted their money and why that's important, why the GOP still doesn't get demographics, Can the GOP adjust to reality? Sean Hannity's stunning new position on immigration and new progressive energy in Congress.

Comedian and Obama fan Andy Kindler then joined the show to discuss the big victories on election night. However, something weird happens to this "Obamabot" whenever Sam says our President's name.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!

Direct download: 11-09-12-Cliff_Schecter-Andy_Kindler-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:43pm EDT

The Huffington Post's Ryan Grim (the Nate Silver of Pot) explained wins for Marijuana decriminalization in Colorado and Washington, why attitudes are shifting on decriminalization, Obama's record on theDrug War, is opposing Marijuana turning into bad politics?, what;s the state of the Grand Bargain and the Fiscal Cliff, the advantages the Democrats and Republicans have, will Democrats hold firm? will Harry Reid save Social Security? And hoping for more Republican insanity?

On the Better Half,
has Paul Ryan's stock gone down?, Republican poll watching reports voting "irregularities" non-white people voting, the Republican freakout continues and debating the health affects from Marijuana

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread!

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks! 


Direct download: 11-08-12-Ryan_Grim-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:45pm EDT

Democrats win big and Republicans whine hard!

The Nation's Ari Berman, explained how progressives fought back against voter suppression, how Republicans used disenfranchisement to keep the House, how blocking the vote is starting to hurtRepublicans with the broader public, Sam and Ari say Democrats need to get serious about expanding the right to vote, Sheldon Adelson is incredibly stupid and Citizen United still very, very dangerous.

Firedoglake's David Dayen ran us through down ticket election results, great results on Gay rights, bold moves on Marijuna decriminalization, how the demographics favor a long term Democratic majority and and liberal victories need to start being reflected in policy.

And
A more progressive Senate, Bill O'reilly's loses all subtly in his racism, the Republican bubble still not penetrated, why its good that Michele Bachman won reelection, and the wonderful moment when Fox called Ohio for President Obama, Karl Rove's epic meltdown on election and what is Karl's  future?

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread!

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!

Direct download: 11-07-12-Ari_Berman-David_Dayen-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:17pm EDT

Janeane "Katherine Harris" Garofalo wanted to know how Sam was doing after last weeks "plague", was confidant that Romney would win, commented on her  own history of voter disenfranchisement or "voter cleansing" and explained what are "sex pests" are.

And some smart and charming election thoughts from Myla Seder! And Sam's election prediction.

The Better Half: More racism from Rush, Matt and Michael give their election picks, other races we should keep in an eye on and some Random Rush.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!

Direct download: 11-06-12-Janeane_Garofalo-Myla_Seder-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:12pm EDT

Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas gave us his election day math, predicted a comfortable Obama victory, Democrats holding the Senate and gaining some seats in the House. Sam asked if Paul Ryan's extremism was exploited enough?

Jeff Smith explained how Occupy responded to Sandy, wealth inequality and hurricane relief, Bloomberg's shockingly tasteless push to keep the New York Marathon going in the face of continued power outages and all the ways that Occupy is coordinating help.

CNN's Eric Erikson says election results don't matter because the rapture is coming, Fox and Friends have uncovered a new dastardly plot! And Mitt will lose because of the Hurricane according to Republican excuse makers.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread!  

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!

Direct download: 11-05-12-Jeff_Smith-Markos_Moulitsas-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:26pm EDT

It's Casual Friday! Cliff Schecter described the fundamental difference in world view between the radical right and the rest of America, why Chris Christie is praising Obama so much, assessed the impact of Mike Bloomberg's endorsement of thePresident for reelection, revisited the debate between Sam and Matt Stoller on third party voting and explained why Obama's auto bailout and populist pitch worked in Ohio.

Comedian and Mitt Romney Twitter tormentor Rob Delaney joined Sam and explained why he backs Obama, his personal experience with medical bankruptcy and how Mitt Romney's pathological desire to be President is both disturbing and a good source for comedy.

Jimmy Reefercake debuted a new song, New Jersey is in a horrible shape as 2.5 million are still without power, Sam responds to idiot right wing talkers trashing NY and NJ and we find out all the ways Occupy is helping with Sandy relief efforts.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!

 

Direct download: 11-02-12-Cliff_Schecter-Rob_Delaney-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:55pm EDT

Sam updated us on the Hurricane Sandy aftermath, drew a connection between the hurricane and climate change. Sam argued that climate change deniers would be even more empowered in a Romney Administration and and again made the case for voting for President Obama.Independent journalist Michael Tracey reported from Jersey Shore New Jersey where he said the situation was very dire and wondered if many residents in New Jersey and New York would be able to vote on election day.

And Mitt Romney staged a fake hurricane relief effort and compared such efforts to cleaning up a high school football field.

On the Better Half: Why FEMA could face a forty percent cut under Romney, what Romney said about FEMA during the Republican primaries, Sam explained why devolving FEMA back to he states would be catastrophic and much of New York City is still without power.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!

Direct download: 11-01-12-Sam_Sandy_Climate_Change-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:06pm EDT

1