Keeping Democracy Alive

The Burt Cohen Show - 4/23/12

One the first half hour, Professor Noam Chomsky discusses his area of expertise,  the situation in the Middle East. As you might expect, he's not real optimisitic for avoiding war against Iran. And on the second half hour, 1972 presidential nominee Senator George McGovern talks about where the Democratic Party is and what is still possible.

The Burt Cohen Show - 4/17/12

Who Owns The Future of Water? On one hand, it's an increasingly valuable commodity. On the other hand, it's necessary for all life. We're talking about water. While some countries are selling their water assets to private interests, there are also cities taking over private water companies; municipalization. Which works better? Is genuine water democracy possible? Who owns the future of water? Burt's guest is Daniel Moss, coordinator of Our Water Commons. Moss says the answer is up to all of us.

The Burt Cohen Show - 04/10/12

In exchange for giving up their rights to water in 1969, the Navajo and Hopi were promised they'd be returned to them in fifty years. As we approach that deadline, Arizona Senators Kyl and McCain are rushing a bill through the senate to keep control in the hands of the coal and electric companies instead of the Native Americans. Recently about 300 protestors gathered to say to the senators: "NO DEAL" and "KILL THE BILL" S2109, which would allow for more water control for the benefit of coal and electric companies and urban growth.  Protesters chanted "Water Is Life", "Free Indian Water Ends Now", and "Let the Water Flow." Today's guest is Marshall Johnson, who has been at the forefront of the grassroots environmental movement on Navajo land.

The Burt Cohen Show - 4/3/12

Americans cheered last spring as the people of Egypt overthrew the dictator Hosni Mubarak. Temporary military rule was accepted by all as a way to ensure stability until democratic elections could be held. However now the military is ruling with a heavy hand and the people are no better off, with democracy still in the distance. The Obama Administration accepts of this state of affairs, choosing stability over democracy. But according to today's guest Medea Benjamin, founder of Code Pink, the result is neither stability nor democracy. And long term American interests are being badly hurt in the process.  Benjamin also addresses how America's greatly increased use of drones is undermining our national interests.

The Burt Cohen Show - 03/27/12

We've seen it before in American history: farmers, workers, and young people taking to the streets, uniting against powerful forces of greed. In this case, it's Food Democracy Now and others taking it straight to Monsanto, maker of harm-causing genetically modified organisms. They've seen to it that we don't know when we're eating such foods and that farmers who object to Monsanto's power being subjected to legal harassment and intimidation. But today's guest David Murphy, founder of Food Democracy Now, says the fight for safe foods and farmers' rights has just begun. And we can all help.

The Burt Cohen Show - 03/20/12

Journalist Ethan Casey has lived in and written books about Pakistan, a much misunderstood country. In this interview, he talks about what's real and what is not in nuclear-armed Pakistan. Is the government a reliable US ally? What's likely ahead for this very volatile region? And what can citizens do to foster sustainable peace and mutual respect?

The Burt Cohen Show - 03/13/12

For many years, the choice community has had difficulty reaching and convincing younger women that reproductive rights really can be taken away. On this show, Salon columnist Irin Carmon argues that the sudden rise of the startlingly extreme Rick Santorum may be the biggest and best thing to happen to the pro-choice movement in decades. He and the Republican Party are now against contraception and as a whole have embraced incredbily harsh on simple women's health issues.  Perception and discussion of the issue is being radically transformed. A sleeping giant may be awakening.

The Burt Cohen Show - 03/06/12

60 Years Too Late: The Truth About The Rosenbergs -- On February 25 1952 a federal appeals court turned down Julius and Ethel Rosenberg’s appeal of their conviction for conspiracy to commit espionage. The parents of two young boys were then killed in the electric chair. Now powerful new information has come to light - 60 years too late - discrediting the evidence on which this decision was based. In this interview one of those two young sons, Robert Meeropol (just six when his parents were killed) talks about the truth of who actually spied for the Soviets and the continuing dangers of such politically driven prosecutions.

The Burt Cohen Show

Why The Right Hates Hollywood: The 2012 Progressive Movie Awards

Since Newt hates it, that proves Hollywood is doing something right. While the Oscar nomintations are freshly out, bolder films are also recognized by the un-Oscars: the annual Progressive Movie Awards. The nominations are just out and while many of these nominations do overlap with the Academy Awards nominees, these are films you will certainly want to see. Some great American artists and movies are herein recognised, as we talk with Hollywood's own progressive film historian Ed Rampell.