On today's show journalist Frederick Kaufman explained Wall Street's speculation in food commodities, why pizza is a great starting point for understanding the global food system, how the financialization of food markets drives up prices  and how the "Foodie" movement is overlooking the role of Wall Street abuse in creating unjust and unsustainable food systems.

Also...Hurricane Sandy in NYC.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

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10/26/12

Cliff Schecter let us know what was happening on the ground in a couple of swing states, the possibility of electing some progressive candidates for Congresswhy Michelle Bachman, Steve King and Allen West might lose, why President Obama’s numbers are rebounding and what will the impact of the horrific statements on rape that Republican candidate have made will be on woman voters?

Film Guy Matthew was hurt that he has been kipped for a couple of show and he took a real shots at Isabel Gillies. Sam was not sympathetic and Film Guy Matthew, recommended the less well known Frank Capra classic Meet John Doe. 

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

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Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi explained President Obama's latest comments on Wall Street reform, why he may defensive about his record, how Mitt Romney is the embodiment of all that has gonewrong in American capitalism, but Matt loves watching Romney lie because he is such a natural at it, reporting from post Soviet Russia was a great training ground for what is happening in modern America and diagnosing narcissism and paranoia in the one percent.

On the Better Half: Richard Mourdock adds himself to the list of Republican making disgusting comments about rape, Sam explains how the GOP has lost control of its Christian Right Frankenstein and predicts less effort from Democrats to appeal to religious conservative voters and your calls and IMS.

And keep the conversation going on the morning thread! 

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Independent journalist John Knefel freshly returned from Guantanamo Bay, where he covered the opening stages of the trials of several defendants including alleged 911 Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Knefel described the disturbing legal precedent set by Guantanamo, the Orwellian nature of the government's case, the difficulty in mounting a credible defense of Guantanamo defendants and how conflicting rulings between military commissions and civilian courts could lead to a return of indefinite detention.

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The Atlantic's Steve Clemons explained what was missing in yesterday's foreign policy debate, how President Obama offers tactical mastery but little strategic vision while Romney has neither tactical mastery or strategy, where President Obama has been a foreign policy success and where he has fallen short of the progressive policy he articulated in 2008, the stunning lack of discussion of climate change, Steve's pessimistic outlook on the Middle East, what is really driving Iran's nuclear program and the urgent need for a new Global social Contract.

On the Better half: the biggest takeaway from the debate-Mitt Romney looked weak and out of his depth, how Obama commanded the debate, why the right is disappointed in Romney's performance, Sam still thinks the race is Obama's and some Random Rush.

And keep the discussion going on the morning thread!

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Ari Berman talked the GOP's ongoing vote suppression. How GOP is helping people register, then after seeing who they register for, destroy the registration. How Republicans made a huge deal over ACORN and how different their complains about ACORN were compared to the much more sinister methods of voter suppression they use. Sam and Ari then preview tonight's debate on foreign policy, Mitt Romney's vagueness and how the media is seething at the mouth waiting for Obama to mess up the debate so they can basically write his obituary.

Cliff and Sam both see many paths to an Obama victory, Cliff praised George McGovern for his legacy on issues of war and peace, should recent polls make liberals worried? Could Obama lose the popular vote and win the electoral college?Chuck Schumer and Harry Reid throw monkey wrenches in potential post election grand bargain negotiations, Obama has committed himself to vetoing any legislation during the lame duck that would extend the Bush tax cuts on upper income earners in a victory for progressive strategy and how Democrats can win the tax cut fight.

Isabel Gillies shared a life lesson she received from Nora Ephron, explained why Romney is such a jerk and recommended the James Bond movie Moonraker and got some push back from Sam for that pick.

Paul Ryan calls war on woman "a myth", Congressman Joe Walsh peddles Todd Akin like views on Abortion and Rape, Sam thought Romney was nasty and Obama was self effacing at the Alfred E Smith Dinner and we heard a new song from Jimmy Reefercake.

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!

Did you know that Mitt Romney profited from the auto bailouts? Greg Palast explained how Mitt Romney and a shadowy group of hedge fund investors made a killing off of the auto industry bailout,
how they extorted the federal government and shipped jobs oversees, what new favors Mitt's friends want from him if he is elected and why they hate Obama so much.

Also Mitt's son Tagg wants to "slug" the President, isn't that the type of behavior that kids from two parent families don't engage in according to Mitt?

On the Better Half: Mitt wants bosses to tell their employees how to vote, Ben Stein blows the cast of Fox and Friend's minds with basic arithmetic, what will really bring down gas prices, listeners praise Sam and a very conservative Appeals Court Judge calls DOMA unconstitutional.

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!

Obama comes out of debate 2 with a win. Digby was not surprised that he performed so much better this time, thought Romney did fine but fact checks will hurt him, people respond better to Obama's articulation of a optimistic vision, as long as Obama talks grand bargain Romney can lie his way to the middle, Romney's strange answer on equal pay, both candidates compete to see who can pollute America more, are Democrats going the way of gun control and the death penalty on climate? Romney's huge blunder in the Benghazi exchange, how the right pushed the Libya story and why it worked and Sam notes that there has been no discussion of the Supreme Court in the debates so far.

On the Better Half: Michael from Florida thinks Obama will lose his state but Sam thinks it will be very close, the moment that won the debate for Obama, and Sam translates an agitated Rush, Obama delivers a zinger that is actually funny and Mitt Romney contradicts self on blind trusts. Surprise, surprise.

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!

On today's show Sam epically tears apart Paul Ryan for his epically cynical visit to a soup kitchen. Sam also broke down Wall Street's latest theatrics, Andrew Ross Sorkin wants us to know that if Wall Street needs to be bailed out again it might not be so generous as to save itself without as many pre conditions. And in other Wall Street news Sam is puzzled by the former Morgan Stanley executive who stabbed a cab driver and won't be charged.

On the Better Half: Ezra Klein argues that it actually isn't brave for affluent, air conditioned room dwelling policy wonks to advocate raising the retirement age, Sam concurs and elaborates, Sam explains what Obama needs to do in tonight's debate and connects that to why he thinks that someone from the Romney campaign leaked the debate agreement between the two campaigns and much more.

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!