The Majority Report with Sam Seder

3/31/14

Janeane Garofalo joined us to celebrate the Majority Report's ten year anniversary, Janeane's bold stance against the invasion of Iraq, Sam and Janeane discuss aging, Janeane's disappointment with the Walking Dead finale, Cadillac's disgusting new ad, advertising and the white/right wing backlash and Ford's amazing response, amazing survivalist food ads, hilarious "Food For Patriots" survivalist food ads, Chris Christie begs Sheldon Adelson for forgiveness for saying "occupied territories" and New Gingrich says big donors have to much power.

On The Fun Half: assassinations and gun control, Georgia's insane new gun laws, Janeane's time on Fox & Fox's, the insane media environment before the invasion of Iraq, the Colbert debate, political values in advertising, Air America memories and your calls and IMs.

Also take a look here for all of the links for today’s show here!

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread

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Direct download: 03-31-14-Jane_Garofalo-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:20pm EDT

Cliff Schecter explains the new Chris Christie commissioned report that clears Chris Christie, Christie's own lawyers say he s cleared and some in the media take it at face value, how Christie wins by releasing this report, why the media does not call out Christie's systemic corruption, the highlights of the report, why Christie is so nasty, how Obamacare will affect or not affect the 2014 elections, more Senate Democrats call for increased Social Security funding,  how the simple winning formula for Democrats in 2014 and why Democrats shouldn't freak out about Nate Silver's predictions.

Film Guy Matthew Weiss explains why he liked the Wrestler and not Darren Aronofsky's other movies, how Sam first met Matthew, how the September 11th attacks impacted the making of a Bad Situationists, Matthew's reaction to the "#CancelColbert" twitter campaign, why we need to protect satire, and Matthew suggested the film that he edited Detonator and explains why we should watchNetwork again.

On The Fun: a new song from Jimmy Reefercake on Cheney In Bushes, Right Wing Mandela backs the Keystone Pipeline and your IMs.

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread

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Direct download: 03-28-14-Cliff_Schecter-Matthew_Weiss-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:37pm EDT

Jacobin online editor, and author of the new book Strike for America: Chicago Teachers Against Austerity Micah Uetricht explains what led the Chicago teachers to strike in 2012, why the strike was not about pay, why the teachers won the strike, the conflicts within the Chicago Teachers Union that led to the 2012 strike, the insurgent progressives who took the union in a more bold direction, how organizers connected the assault on Chicago public schools with the broader neo liberal attack on public institutions, how union organizers built relationships with stakeholders across the city of Chicago, how the reformers took over the teachers union, the importance of the involvement of rank and file union members, the importance of independence sustaining union organizing, what other unions can learn from the Chicago teachers strike and how unions should deal with the Democratic Party.

On The Fun Half: Sam finally leaves his apartment, Pat Robertson misses the days when you could stone Gay people, more debating the social insurance system, President Obama defends the invasion of Iraq? Bill O'Reilly goes on racist rant, right wing hack Jennifer Stefano makes a spectacle of herself on Chris Hayes, a Libertarian defends the Hobby Lobby and your calls and IMs.

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread

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Direct download: 03-27-14-Micah_Uetircht-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:40pm EDT

Politico senior education reporter Stephanie Simon explains how much tax payer is going to teach creationism in the classrooms, the voucher loophole, attacks on science in religious schools, how anti science bias influence the entire curriculum of some religious schools, what policies make tax payers pay for these programs? How corporations are rewarded by state tax policies for giving money to private schools, what groups are behind the voucher push, the voucher success myth, how religious schools are allowed to discriminate, the assault on history and how it all fits into the broader neo-liberal attack on public education.

Its a freebee Wednesday! You get the the Fun Half freebee listeners!

On The Fun Half: the Sam Seder Libertarian Learning Annex is back in session with a debate on welfare, debunking welfare myths, what poverty actually means, how the social safety net helps us all and your calls and IMs.

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread

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Direct download: 03-26-14-Stephanie_Simon-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:03pm EDT

Slate contributing writer Dahlia Lithwick explains the origins of the hobby lobby case before the Supreme Court, the companies behind the hobby lobby case, why the ACA does not mandate birth control specifically, the specific language of the ACA on reproductive coverage, Justice Scalia's contradictory history on religious freedom, the role of the corporate personhood in the lead up to the case, the tension between religious rights and the general public, why everyone is watching Chief Justice Roberts and the broad public health implications of the hobby lobby case.

On The Fun Half: the activism of the judicial right, more Bitcoin failure, why Democrats have freaked out about Nate Silver's Senate prediction, Alaska Senator Mark Begich campaigns on increasing Social Security, why its political and policy malpractice to not support increasing Social Security, the Sam Seder Learning Annex returns to session, the role of welfare and your calls and IMs.

Also take a look here for all of the links for today’s show here!

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread

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Direct download: 03-25-14-Dahlia_Lithwick-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:20pm EDT

Journalist Rafia Zakaria explains how why simplistic narratives of human suffering in developing countries can undermine political progress, the problems with foreign aid, the link between US foreign aid and military strategy, how women's rights are harmed can be harmed by western advocacy, the women's rights crisis in Pakistan and an aid policy built on fighting the causes of poverty.

In The Fun Half: Jimmy Carter thinks he may be being monitored by the NSA, Turkey's Prime Minister shuts down Twitter and Turks still Tweet, creationist demand equal time on the new Cosmos series, David Vitter says the Koch brothers are great patriots and your calls and IMs.

Also take a look here for all of the links for today’s show here!

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread

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Direct download: 03-24-14-Rafia_Zakaria-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:11pm EDT

Journalist Guy Lawson explains how the Bush Administration's Afghanistan arms purchasing policies helped shape the modern crisis with Russia, how the Pentagon relied on Miami Beach stoners for arms purchases, the domestic politics of Russia and America, how the United States circumvented their own laws on arm sales, Bernie Madoff's shocking new prison interview, the differences and similarities between Wall Street fraudsters Bernie Madoff and Sam Israel and who Madoff's favorite and least favorite politicians are.

Michael Ian Black explains why the Malaysia flight was a false flag carried out by CNN, what CNN's next false flag will be, Michael's new National Geographic show, why his podcast is "hard", the advantage of working on garbage and Michael told everybody to watch Airplane, again.

On The Fun Half: Catholic League President Bill Donohue, wants to march with "straight is great" sign at the summers NYC Pride parade, is Libertarianism a religion? How Ezra Klein's new media venture is going and your calls and IMs.

Also take a look here for all of the links for today’s show here!

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread

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Direct download: 03-21-14-Guy_Lawson-Michael_Ian_Black-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:45pm EDT

Hey folks, today is a Members only show, but we still wanted to give you Freebies a teaser from today’s show. Listen to Sam explain what it was like to oppose the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Thomas Friedman's "suck on this comment" and CNN still grasping for straws on the Malaysia flight. 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. Thanks


Direct download: 03-20-14-Sam_Seder-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:57pm EDT

Roosevelt Institute fellow Mike Konczal, explains the conservative myth of pre New Deal and Great Society America, the delusion that civil society took care of poverty, why the state had always played a role in addressing poverty, why before New Deal government policy was demeaning to the poor and favorable to the corporate sector, how social insurance supports risk, why Churches were forced by the State to provide services to the poor, the role of "automatic stabilizers" in saving the economy from going into full depression, why charitable giving falls during economic downturns, why the right pushes the volunteerism myth, how Harry Truman defined charity and why the left needs to be more bold.

On The Fun Half: more reactions to Ken Langone's insane Nazi and inequality comments, declining religion leads to more libertarians? Republicans target young voters with hilarious and awful new ads, the Sam Seder Libertarian Learning Annex returns and your calls and IMs.

Also take a look here for all of the links for today’s show here!

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread

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Direct download: 03-19-14-Mike_Konczal-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:37pm EDT

Writer Matt Stoller explains origins of free trade deals and why they are not going away, why modern free trade had its start in the 1930s, the utopian desire for a one world government, who is George Ball and why he matters the roots of a common market and governance, the evolving elite view of the middle class, why we have allowed America's industrial base to erode, the myth of frictionless world of capital, why the threat to America is our loss of manufacturing not in debt, how trade agreements impact sovereignty and what we need to learn from Alexander Hamilton.

On The Fun Half: CNN asks if God is involved in the Malaysia flight mystery, new discoveries on the Big Bang, the climate crisis accelerates, demented rich person  Ken Langone compares fighting inequality to Nazism, why do crazy wealthy people keep talking about Nazism, was JFK trying to halt the Cold War? and your IMs.

Also take a look here for all of the links for today’s show here!

And keep the conversation going on our 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. Thanks


Direct download: 03-18-14-Matt_Stoller-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:07pm EDT

Nation magazine senior editor, Sarah Leonard explains why the work cultures of Wall Street and Silicon Valley matter to all of us, new reforms in Wall Street work hours, the cult of "smartness", how Silicon Valley disguises its work culture through the rhetoric of passion, how Wall Street and Silicon Valley work to avoid regulation and how we need to start thinking about the technology sector as a whole.

And the great St Patty's Day gets boycott.

On The Fun Half: the roots of the crisis in Ukraine, anti reproductive rights extremists threaten activists online, Abby Huntsman's absurd argument for slashing Social Security, what millennials need to actually worry about, the failure of the "White Pride" demonstrations, Rupert Murdoch tweets crazy things and your IMs.

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread 

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Direct download: 03-17-14-Sarah_Leonard-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:29pm EDT

Political maestro Cliff Schecter explains the insane new pro gun law that the Georgia House just passed, why the Georgia Senate may need to block the bill, what Democratic candidate Alex Sink's loss in the Florida 13th District special election means, how the Obama White House does not know how to sell healthcare, the problem with how Democratic candidates run, the House Progressive Caucus releases a smart budget and gets no attention, how Rob Portman was backed into supporting an unemployment insurance extension and the Obama Administration reconsiders deportation policy.

Andy Kindler objects to being called an Obamabot, Sam reviews more of his ill advised decisions in his entertainment career, Kindler is sick of the "New Atheists", Bill Maher praises Jay Leno and Kindler responds with disgust, why Kindler also hates Fallon, Kindler's favorite Holocaust and Kindler suggested the movie Friends with Money.  

Lindsay Graham Senate challenger calls Graham ambiguously gay And your calls and IMs.

Also take a look here for all of the links for today’s show here!

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread

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Direct download: 03-14-14-Cliff_Schecter-Andy_Kindler-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:05pm EDT

New York Times National Security Correspondent and author of the The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth Mark Mazzetti explains how the roots of the CIA Senate spying scandal began with the 2005 CIA destruction of torture tapes, Dianne Feinstein's accusations against the CIA, the role Acting General Council of the CIA Robert Eatinger in the torture and spying stories, how Senate investigators discovered that the CIA was lying about the efficacy of the CIA torture program, the Senate investigation into the CIA torture program, the Panetta Review, Why both the CIA and the Intelligence Committee have referred criminal probes to the Department of Justice, John Brennen's role in the torture program, the role of the White House in the dispute between the CIA and the Senate Intelligence committee? Is there any cost for the White House in its response to the investigation, will the White House invoke Executive Privilege and why Republicans hate the report and Democrats know the clock is ticking.

On The Fun Half: old Majority Report friend Austin Ruse says he wants college professors to be shot, the problems with intentions in politics, Paul Ryan blames poverty on "lazy inner city men", the destructive conservative myth that culture creates poverty, the shrinking deficit reveals another conservative myth and your IMs.

Also take a look here for all of the links for today’s show here!

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread

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Direct download: 03-13-14-Mark_Mazzetti-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:16pm EDT

Journalist and Senior Fellow at the Regional Plan Association in New York Alex Marshall author of The Surprising Design of Market Economiesexplains why the term "free market" is a misnomer, why only governments create markets, why we need to have a debate about what type of markets we want, the evolution of private property, how water became a public good, President Obama's new initiative to make more workers paid for overtime work, how intellectual property laws have created monopolies, how to redesign corporations, why large corporations should have national charters, what are the Commons, are we becoming more caring as a society and the public education debate, the future of the Commons and why progressives need to articulate a more optimistic vision.

On The Fun Half: what are maker spaces and how they could reinvent education, NSA spying and crazy presidents, the value of testing in education, President Obama to extend worker eligibility for overtime pay, Senator Ron Wyden tells Jake Tapper that the CIA spying on the senate Intelligence committee because they do not want Bush era torture policies to be made public, debating Charter schools and your calls and IMs.

Also take a look here for all of the links for today’s show here!

And keep the conversation going on our 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. Thanks


Direct download: 03-12-14-Alex_Marshall-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:17pm EDT

MSNBC reporter Irin Carmon explains the new radical anti abortion movement forming at the grassroots, the transparent radicalism of the Abolish Human Abortion movement, what the goals of the "abolition" movement are, why California is starting to base reproductive policy on science, why more healthcare providers need to provide abortion services, why restrictions cause more late term abortions, how California allowed more medical professionals to provide reproductive services and can California's progressive model expand across the country?

What led to the CIA spying on Senate staffers, why Senator Dianne Feinstein called out the CIA surveillance of the Senate committee, why they CIA may have broken multiple laws and Feinstein warns against the CIA threatening the Senate and its staffers.

On The Fun Half: President Obama appears on Zach Galifianakis's Between Two Fern and a Republican Congressman freaks out about Benghazi, another Obamacare horror story turns out to be wrong, new Bitcoin fail, Rand Paul the darling at CPAC, are Libertarians really popular with the young,  and your calls and IMs.

Also take a look here for all of the links for today’s show here!

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread

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Direct download: 03-11-14-Irin_Carmon-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:21pm EDT

Education activist and the author of Feel-Bad Education Alfie Kohn explains why poverty is the root problem in modern education, where standardized testing fails, why driving up test scores do not reflect education but do reflect affluence, why those pushing corporate education "reform" do not understanding what the experience of education really is, smart ways of actually assessing education, the Democratic and Republican consensus on testing, why the most damage is done to low income and children of color, why rising test scores should be a warning sign, the need for parental activism against corporate education and why progressives buy to many corporate education myths.

On the Fun Half: Edward Snowden says he raised concerns at the NSA but was ignored, a former FISA Court rejects NSA's request to hold onto metadata indefinitely, Fox Business commentator Todd Wilemon tells the Daily Show's Aasif Mandvi that the poor should just stop being poor, CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou wants to know why former CIA Director Leon Panetta isn't in prison for passing classified information to Zero Dark Thirty screenwriters, more evidence that Obamacare expands care and decreases costs, Random House, new polling show how liberal millennials are and your calls and IMs.

Also take a look here for all of the links for today’s show here!

And keep the conversation going on our 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. Thanks

Direct download: 03-10-14-Alfie_Kohn-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:11pm EDT

Political maestro Cliff Schecter explains the paranoid and insane worldview presented by the NRA's Wayne LaPierre, why the right ring is defined by fear, loss and bigotry, why the gun cartel makes us less safe, the cultural roots of the NRA's racial politics, Paul Ryan's sociopathic attack on school lunches, his attack on poor parents, why Ryan's argument is like an old Eddie Murphy bit, The conservatives love of Putin, what Crimea means for the United States, the different factions battling in Ukraine, why the right wants us to drill in response to Ukraine, Paul Ryan makes another story and the shameful Senate failure to confirm President Obama's nominee for head of the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department.

Isabel Gillies talked with Sam about his move to Brooklyn, why Isabel thinks Brooklyn is really hip, why Isabel's Super Bowl Party was disaster and Isabel broke format and suggested we read the book The Goldfinch.  

And your calls and IMs.

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Direct download: 03-07-14Cliff_Schecter-Isabel_Gillies-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:57pm EDT

Former Republican Congressional and author of The Party Is Over: How Republicans Went Crazy, Democrats Became Useless, and the Middle Class Got Shafted staffer Mike Lofgren explains the Deep State is, the power of corporate special interests in Washington, how the 1980s unleashing of Wall Street set the stages for the growth of the Deep State, how the terrorist attacks of September 11 speeded up the process, Silicon Valley's central role in corporate influence in Washington, why the Deep State loves trade deals, how the Deep State perpetuates itself and what we can do to radically reform government.

The Senate with seven Democrats going along with all Senate Republicans shamelessly rejects President Obama's pick to head the Civil Rights division of the Justice Department.

On The Fun Half: Sean Hannity totally wrong on New York crime rate under Bill de Blasio, did the Pope just endorse civil unions, majority of Americans support marriage equality, Tom Harkin calls out the disgusting Senate rejection of Debo Adegbile and your IMs.

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread

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Direct download: 03-06-14-Mike_Lofgren-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:40pm EDT

Professor Adolph Reed Jr., explains how the Democratic Party embraced the neo-liberal agenda, how the shock of the Reagan Presidency shaped the modern Democratic Party, the role of the Democratic Leadership Council in moving Democrats to the right, the rightward legacy of Bill Clinton, the decoupling of class and social politics, why we have one neo-liberal party that is multicultural and another that is reactionary, why the left is in retreat, why acknowledging the problem can allow for a strengthening of leftist politics, how progressive politics is cheapened, how the left can rebuild itself and why we need to stop searching for progressive savors.

On The Fun Half: Elijah Cummings calls out Darrell Issa for continuing his IRS Jihad in Congress and Issa attempts to silence Cummings in Congress, Lindsey Graham's insane explanation for why Russia invaded Ukraine, integrating social and economic politics, Chipotle says the climate crisis threatens guacamole supply and your calls and IMs.

And keep the conversation going on our 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. Thanks


Direct download: 03-05-14-Adolph_Reed-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:36pm EDT

Hey folks, today is a Members only show, but we still wanted to give you Freebies a teaser from today’s show. Enjoy this epic moment of Sarah Palin calling out President Obama for wear "mom jeans" and find out all of the stupid policies Republicans want to implement because of Russia's incursion into Ukraine and remember! 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. Thanks


Direct download: 03-04-14-Sam_Seder-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:36pm EDT

University of Ottawa Professor Dominique Arel explains the different factions that make up the Ukrainian government, why the far right has played a role in the opposition movement, the competing claims about anti semitism in Ukraine, Russia's shocking decision to invade and why it could get even worse.

Kai Newkirk an organizer with 99Rising explains why he engaged in a public act of protest at the Supreme Court, how his moment of protest was historic for the Supreme Court, why the corruption of politics through money is the major issue of our time and how we can take our system back.

On The Fun Half: debating Russia and Ukraine, where to find smart coverage of the crisis, Bitcoin fails the communities that need alternative financial services the most, Alex Jones and Tucker Carelson come together to race bait, hundreds arrested in Keystone XL protests, a Police Chief gets fooled by Daily Current joke about Marijuana overdoses and your calls and IMs.

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread

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Direct download: 03-03-14-Dominique_arel-Kai_Newkirk-PUB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:02pm EDT

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