Keeping Democracy Alive

The Burt Cohen Show - How Privacy In America Went Virtually Extinct in Just A Decade - 09/13/12

"Big Brother is becoming America's new normal." So says author David Rosen. This show is an examination of just how seriously the new surveillance state has undermined our traditional rights of privacy. The government is working hand in glove with private interests and the new domestic spying on virtually everything we do is  all completely out of control. But all is not totally lost. yet.

The Breathtaking Dishonesty of the Republican Convention - 09/06/12

Exaggerating is one thing, but the Republican speakers at the national convention have resorted to breathtaking lies. Most notably delivered by the fresh young smile of VP nominee Paul Ryan. On this show, veteran Democratic politica consultant and strategist Robert Creamer offers his assessment direct from Tampa.

The Burt Cohen Show - Latin America Moving Left and Forward - 08/28/12

Central and South America in the twentiteth century were regions of US led military coups and repressive ologarchies. But today, in El Salvador for example, in their new democracy the leftist rebels Reagan tried to exterminate are now in power. Throughout much of the region, the left is coming together as citizens who have lived in poverty are slowly changing the direction, taking economic and political power away from the aristocrats. Today's exceptionally informative guest is journalist Carmelo Ruiz Morrero in Puerto Rico. It's a strong overview of an often overlooked but vital part of our world.

The Burt Cohen - Sex, No. Guns, Yes. The Right's Values. - 08/21/12

Why is it that families need to be shielded from sexuality but the nation needs more and more guns? In the wake of the Aurora theatre massacre, the Republican Party/gun lobby still sees no need to have any discussion about the proliferation of assault weapons and the danger they pose to our families, but they still love to target sexuality? Toiday's guest Lara Riscol wrties about sexualty and the religious right for a variety of publications.

The Burt Cohen Show - Bread and Roses, Too - 08/14/12

Less Work, More Jobs, and a Stronger Economy Ever since Henry Ford, the work pace has been speeding up. Fewer people are working a greater percentage of their lives, and there's more economic instability and less personal satisfaction. A hundred years ago, women strikers at the Lawrence Mills demanded bread, of course, and roses too. A century later, perhaps it's time for a shorter work week and earlier retirement Sarah Seltzer discusses how this may dramatcally improve the overall economy and American life, not just for the leisure class, but for all.

The Burt Cohen Show - Republicans Unleash Multi-Pronged Attack on Health and Envrionment - 08/07/12

It's policy-making by myth, so who needs reality? According to guest Scott Slesinger, legislative director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, congressional Republicans seriously intend to turn back government to before Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle," when there were no rules or regulations whatsoever. And they have linked together seven bills to allow no regulations at all until there's less than 6% unemployment. Of course the result of these efforts will mean fewer jobs, as innovation for efficiency will no longer be needed. Again, myth trumps science and facts.

The Burt Cohen Show - What is No Labels, Really? - 07/31/12

They attract concerned people by talking about ending "partisan bickering" in Washington. But what is "No Labels," really? On this show, Richard Eskow, Senior Fellow at the Campagin for America's Future, talks about what his research uncovered. It seems the talk of governing from the middle really means Democrats must be the ones to compromise and institionalize the power of the moneyed right wing's agenda. If you are a Democrat and are thinking of supporting a No Labels candidate, you might want to give a thorough listen first.

The Burt Cohen Show - The Lost History of 1914 - 07/24/12

The first world war was anything but inevitable. As we approach the centennial of the start of that unspeakably horrible bloodbath, there's a new book by author Jack Beatty called 1914; Reconsidering the Year the Great War Began. How much of the war was a convenient way of avoiding class struggle in Germany and England? Might the war have been stopped had an angry wife's bullet missed it's mark, the editor of a newspaper? Would the war have ended much sooner had the US not entered? And why was the monarch of Austria-Hungary thrilled that his nephew Franz Ferdinand was assassinated? So much more. History still turns on a dime.

The Burt Cohen Show - The South Won - 07/17/12

Of course they lost the Civil War militarily, but according to Sarah Robinson, senior editor of the Visions page at AlterNet, in 2012 the victory is near total: the cultural and political values of the Southern aristocracy have been adopted in full by the Republican Party. If you doubt this, just listen in. It's a solid case. It's time for Yankee values to stand and fight.

The Burt Cohen Show - 07/10/12

Time For a Financial Transactions Tax? High speed massive stock trades are something relatively new but are now pervasive on Wall Street. What do they mean for the larger economy? To control any dangerous volatility, Europe is moving quickly to institute a miniscule financial transactions tax, and more Americans are talking about the idea as well. On this segment, Sarah Anderson, Global Economy Project Director at the Institute for Policy Studcies explains what a financial transactions tax is, the arguments for and against it, and how it might affect ourt economic stability.