Keeping Democracy Alive

The Burt Cohen Show - 08/01/13

Right And Left vs the NSA: A New Political Dynamic is Born There's something happening here. The middle of the road, establishment members of congress of both parties only prevailed by seven votes over an amendment which would have curbed NSA abuses. That bill was supported by members of congress from both left and right. This is something new under the sun, and it is a new powerful dynamic which many see as having unstoppable momentum. Guest today is Peter Weber, senior editor at TheWeek.com who covered this issue. Could it be that members of congress are actually listening to the people? Yes, it could.

The Burt Cohen Show - Portrait of Edward Snowden/The New Movie "Copperhead" - 07/25/13

On the first half, artist and author Rob Shetterly talks about what went into his portrait of truth-teller Edward Snowden, and what his book "Americans Who Tell The Truth" is all about.  On part two, it's a discussion with Bill Kauffman, the screenwriter of the new movie Copperhead. He talks about how it is unlike any other civil war movie to date. Did you even know there were Americans in the north who opposed Lincoln's war? It's an important story with great relevance for America today.

The Global Power Oligarchy Knows Better Than You

Are the world's economic problems the result of an "excess of democracy?" Since the late 19th century, supra-national power elites have joined together to plan the world better than the unsophisticated masses ever could. Of course not everyone agrees with this set up. Today's guest is Andrew Gavin Marshall head of the geopoplitics division of the Hampton Institute and research director for Occupy.com's Global Power Project. It may not be government of, by, and for the people, but hey, it's so much easier to just let these guys do it.

Gettysburg Plus 150: Not Glory, The Truth

If it doesn't glorify and romanticize the War Against Secession (the "civil war"), it doesn't fit the official narrative. But the bloodletting at Gettysburg 150 years ago this July was anything but glorious. Arguing that national memory often requires a walling off of the horrors and instead only seeing the alleged nobility of sacrifice, author of America Aflame, David Goldfield, is today's guest. He sheds a great deal of light on the realities and not the myth of history. Sobering.

The Burt Cohen Show - Worldwide Revolts Have a Common Theme And Can't Be Stopped - 06/27/13

Activist authors Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers say there is reason to be optimistic: "People from all over the world recognize that we must stand together in solidarity to challenge the tiny minority that dominates us.  The revolts in Turkey, Brazil, Europe, the Middle East and Asia – as well as in the United States – are all connected."A worldwide revolution is under way, they insist, defying usual left-right divisions, uniting people in their determination to take hold of their own future, and take the power back from the tiny minority which has been dictating the world's agenda for many decades. Listen in to this uplifting show!

The Burt Cohen Show - 06/20/13

While You Weren't Watching, the Right Doubles Down on the War on Women Republicans hate the accusation that they are waging a "War on Women." You'd think by now they'd see the damage it causes them and avoid the charge by not doing it and trying to show women the party is really on their side. But no. Instead they are stepping it up, in the apparent belief Americans are not paying attention. It is not a winning issue for them, so columnist Amanda Marcotte talks with Burt about why they are keeping it up. A very interesting and revealing discussion.

The Burt Cohen Show - 06/13/13

How We Can Determine Our Own Better Economic Future: Public Banks Who serves whom? Should the big Wall Street financial houses dictate our future? Right now it seems we, the people, are made to serve the big banks. But is that the only way? Marc Armstrong, executive director of the Public Banks Institute tals about a recently concluded conference on the issue, with some economic luminaries. OK, it's fairly dense stuff, but it affects the taxes we must pay and the long term sustainability of America's economy. And really, the stability of our very republic. North Dakota, of all places, shows it can be done.

The Burt Cohen Show - Radically Out of Step With America's Founders: the Tea Party - 06/06/13

The Tea Party claims to carry the banner of the founders of the United States, but an examination of history demonstrates they are anything but patriotic. Award winning journalist Robert Parry (of Iran/Contra reporting fame) explains what's really behind the right's ideological hatred of government.

The Burt Cohen Show - Military Takeover of Law Enforcement: It's Happened. Really. - 05/30/13

The Department of Defense recently, and very quietly, changed regulatory rules regarding law enforcement in the US, giving itself broad new powers over and above state and local law enforcement. Using intentionally vague terms like "domestic disturbance," the military suddenly upended over 200 years of the tradition of civilian control over the military. You think this is an exaggeration? Our guest today, Jed Morey publisher of the Long Island Press has led the investigation into this historic game change, which would legalize the murder of the Kent State 4 were it to happen now.  The silently achieved rule change can be fixed, he says, but citizens need to speak up and demand this return to traditional America where the Constitution reigns over the military.

The Burt Cohen Show - Guatemala: Justice Denied? - 05/23/13

In early May, former dictator Rios Montt was convicted in his own country, Guatemala, of genocide. Then three weeks later, apparently due to extrajudicial political pressures, that conviction was thrown out. Professor Colin Snyder provides some needed clarity into justice in Guatemala and the role President Reagan, a big Montt supporter, may have played in that bloody ethnic cleansing against indigenous Maya. US relations in the rest of this hemisphere are called into question by this enlightening discussion.