Keeping Democracy Alive

Why Prison Doesn't Work and How We Can Do Better - 11.23.14

Prisons are a very old concept and it's time to ask: Do they still work? Do they accomplish the goals for which they were created? What can we do with dangerous people if we do away with prisons, how can we protect society? Maya Schenwar is guest on this eye-opening discussion about her new book Locked Down, Locked Out. She says instead of healing, "Incarceration is tearing society apart." Dehumanizing inmates helps no one. So what can we do? Listen in and find out.

Iraq War 3.0: What Could Possibly Go Right? - 11/16/14

Peter Van Buren spent 24 years at the State Department and a year in Iraq. He has great knowledge of the players in the region, and on this show we focus on what's possible in the new war against ISIS. There are not a lot of options at this point, and none of them good. But if you want to know about what's really going on, give a listen.

The Burt Cohen Show - Examining "American Exceptionalism" - 11/02/14

Remember the boisterous chants of "We're Number 1!" and "USA! USA" when Osama binLaden was taken out? Exceptionalism is beyond mere national pride, it is an insistence that we are above the normal rules and that we are God's gift to the world. Of course if we know someone who feels this way about him or herself, we don't like that person. On this show, Professor David Bromwich of Yale discusses the nature and context of this belief in American Exceptionalism. Needless to say it does not serve us well at all, but if one criticises it, watch out. Give a listen, we can use this to make America better and more secure.

The Burt Cohen Show - FBI Seeking More Power to Spy on Us All - 10/26/14

But will congress give it to them? FBI Director James Comey recently went to congress asking to change the law to enable them to get a back-door access to our cell phone and computer communications data. But according to guest Jake Laperruque, Fellow on Privacy, Surveillance, and Security at the Center for Democracy and Technology, it seems both left and right are suddenly wary of government snooping, thanks in large measure to the work of Edward Snowden. And firms like Apple and Google are motivated to keep the back door shut. Listen in, and see that our voices do matter to congress.

The Burt Cohen Show - 21st Century Secession: Maybe Not So Crazy - 10/12/14

Do you oppose the concentration and centralization of power and authority? Prefer natural, locally grown foods. Want top end American imperialism and militarism? Sounds like typical left stuff, right? Today there are petitions from more than 30 states calling for secession. Yes, secession. Today's guest is Michael Hill, hardly a typical lefty. Actually he's a very traditional conservative. He's co-founder and head of the League of the South, which holds all the above values, and is dedicated to a new paradigm which he and many others believe will serve us a lot better than the monolithic centralized power America has become. Check it out!

Hillary Loves Henry Kissinger: Who Is Henry Kissinger? - 10/05/14

As he embarked on a book tour in 2011, Henry Kissinger was met with protests. And you know the tour did not include  Spain or France, where there are warrants out for his arrest. Guests on this show are Joyce Horman, who blames the murder of her husband Charlie Horman on Kissinger (the subject  of the movie "Missing"), Debra Sweet, Director of World Can't Wait, and Tom Keough, who organized the protest against Kissinger when he appeared at New York's 92nd St Y. Listen and ask yourself why a Democratic candidate for president in 2016 might love him so much.

The Burt Cohen Show - The Surprising Power of Millennials/Marijuana Laws: Also Big on November 4th - 09/28/14

Freedom is very appealing. Especially in the case of over zealous and ill focused police work. On the first part of this show, Benjamin Domenech of The Federalist talks about the mood of the so-called millennials, people born from 1980 to 2000. They deeply value freedom and have huge numbers heading into the election. Will libertarian Republicans win them over? And did you know that arrests for small amounts of marijuana are three times that of arrests for actual violent crime? On the second half, Stephen Gutwillig of the Drug Policy Alliance sheds light on significant ballot initiatives relative to changing marijuana laws in a number of states and municipalities this November 4th.

The Burt Cohen Show - A Self Respecting Jew Takes on Israel - 09/14/14

The State of Israel and it's defenders have been very adept at intimidating Jewish Americans from speaking out against their brutality in Gaza by labeling critics as "self hating Jews." On this show, "self respecting Jew" Eric Mann takes this charge head on. He is a veteran of the 60s civil rights movement and knows a lot about effective organizing to successfully achieve stated goals. Mann provides a valuable perspective and offers useful suggestions as to how to change US policy toward Israel despite the currently powerful pressure.

Burt Cohen Show - Time to Look Seriously At LSD - 09/07/14

Brushed aside for decades, a recent conference of scientists focused on the potential uses of LSD and other psychedelics. On this show, guest Randolph Hencken of Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies talks about Psychedelic Science for the 21st century. If carefully controlled, should LSD and other psychedelic drugs become available as a tool for addressing psychological problems? If it can be of significant benefit to humankind, why not prescribe?

Burt Cohen Show - The Legacy of Bill Clinton: Real Economic Damage - 08/31/14

The presidency of Bill Clinton was, on the domestic side, "just as damaging to the nation as George W Bush's was on the foreign policy side." This according to today's guest Dr. Steven Jonas author and co-author of many books and former insider on the Clinton Health Care fiasco. The big banks got much more powerful, working families took a big hit, and the power of the top one percent grew. It all started when power-hungry right wing Democrats watched George McGovern accept the party nomination.