Trump Watch

The guilty verdicts in the Derek Chauvin trial in Minneapolis made history—and came only after millions of people took to the streets, for months, in hundreds of cities across America; and only after a decade of sustained organizing by Black Lives Matter. Jody Armour comments—he’s the Roy Crocker Professor of Law at the University of Southern California, and author of "N*gga Theory: Race, Language, Unequal Justice, and the Law." Plus: Harold Meyerson argues that compelling video of police abuse of power has NOT led to convictions of cops in the past - in the Rodney King case, for example; what's different here is the BLM Movement. Also: Earth Day 2021 is the world’s largest civic event—three days of climate action by millions of people around the world, including Joe Biden hosting a global climate summit on April 22 and pledging to take bold action to slash greenhouse gas emissions in the United States in the next 10 years. Mark Hertsgaard, The Nation’s environmental correspondent, says that for starters we n

At the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, the union lost the vote by more than 2 to 1. What happened? Harold Meyerson has our analysis—also comment on hazard pay for grocery store workers, and corporations for voting rights. Plus: Should Supreme Court justice Stephen Breyer retire? That would give Biden a chance to nominate a younger replacement – he’s promised a Black woman. Also, our TV critic Ella Taylor comments on “Our Towns,” a documentary about good things in smaller cities across America; plus “Another Round,” the Danish film by Thomas Vinterberg about four high school teachers bored with their work who come up with an unusual solution. And “Shiva Baby.”

For nearly half a century, America’s leading corporations have offshored work -- to lands where labor is cheap, and they’ve also offshored profits -- to lands where taxes are low. Now Joe Biden and the Democrats are trying to do something about that. Harold Meyerson explains. Also: Protest continues to grow over the recent displacement by the LAPD of the homeless encampment at Echo Park Lake, which the mayor declared a success. Ananya Roy comments--she’s a professor of Urban Planning, Social Welfare, and Geography at UCLA, and is director of the UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy. Plus: Critic Ella Taylor reviews “The Man Who Sold His Skin,” the Tunisian film about a refugee that’s been nominated for an Oscar, and the British film “Moffie.”

Joe Biden has redefined "infrastructure" to include workers - Harold Meyerson explains what's in the biggest 'public works' bill in 50 years. Also: Big Pharma profits while the Global South waits for covid vaccines: Gregg Gonsalves comments. And Ella Taylor talks about "Bloodlands," a BBC thriller set in Northern Ireland 20 years after the end of "The Troubles" -- when a murder investigation threatens to bring them back. Also: "Keeping Faith," a BBC thriller set in Wales - both on Acorn TV.

Biden’s next big thing: after the success of his $1.9 trillion covid relief bill, Biden’s economic recovery bill is ready for prime time. Harold Meyerson explains. Also, the Democrats’ voting rights bill – and the unlikely union organizing Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama. Also: Michelle Obama’s memoir is out now in paperback - It’s called “Becoming,” and it has sold more than 14 million copies worldwide in hardcover. The book avoids politics—which seems strange for the person the New York Times called "the most outspoken first lady in modern history." Amy Wilentz comments. (originally broadcast in November 2018). Plus: Ella Taylor talks about the new HBO documentary on Q-Anon, the right-wing conspiracy theory about cannibalistic pedophiles that helped mobilize people to attack the capitol on Jan.6. Also: “Tina” – and “The Father.”

Bernie Sanders and Biden’s $1.9 trillion covid relief bill: it’s the most important piece of social legislation at least since Medicare in 1966, 55 years ago. The bill that became law is nothing like Joe Biden’s politics over the last 30 years--nothing like the Democrats under Obama, or Clinton--and very much the culmination of Bernie’s politics over the same period. Plus: Black Lives Matter versus the LAPD: a new official report in Los Angeles says the police in LA violated the law by attacking and arresting BLM marchers in last summer’s protests. Civil rights attorney Carol Sobel will explain. And our TV critic Ella Taylor will talk about “Rosa Luxemburg,” the movie, directed by Margarethe von Trotta starring Barbara Sukowa, won Best Actress for the role at Cannes in 1986.

Joe Biden’s 1.9 trillion dollar covid relief bill is about to become law, seven weeks into Biden’s presidency. It’s a huge achievement. Harold Meyerson comments. Also, Chesa Boudin, the recently elected progressive district attorney of San Francisco, talks about prisoners as parents—he grew up with parents in prison (David Gilbert and Kathy Boudin). And our TV critic Ella Taylor talks about “Night of the Kings,” a drama set inside a men's prison in Ivory Coast –-- it’s been shortlisted for the Oscar for best Foreign Feature.

Joe Biden is becoming a working class hero, after the strongest statement in support of unions since FDR: Harold Meyerson talks about support for Amazon workers in Alabama. Also: Katha Pollitt takes up the question, what can we do about the 74 million people who voted for Trump? Plus: Eric Foner will talk about Will Smith’s new 6-part series on Netflix--it’s about the 14th Amendment, which established birthright citizenship, and guarantees equal protection to “all persons” in the United States – the show is called “Amend.” And we have a new feature: “What Does Science Say?” today: the effect of Black Lives Matter protests on police killings.

Biden’s Pandemic Relief Bill should pass the House Friday–-it includes child benefit payments for every family with children. But in order for Biden’s plan to be included in the bill, it can only be for a year. Mitt Romney has proposed a permanent program – that’s what we really need. Also: Rick Perlstein talks about the future of the Republicans with Trump defeated – how divided are leaders over Trump’s continued domination of the party? Rick’s new book is “Reaganland.” And Ella Taylor critiques the tabloid documentary Allen v. Farrow – and recommends “It’s a Sin,” a British series on HBO Max about a group of gay men who share a London apartment as the AIDS epidemic hits.

Biden’s economic recovery plan: Harold Meyerson comments, starting with the latest obstacles to keeping the $15 minimum wage in the Senate bill that goes to reconciliation – also, is aid to state governments a “blue-state bailout”? Also: UCLA has gotten a multi-million dollar grant to establish an archive of the age of mass incarceration, starting with 177 boxes of LAPD records from the seventies through the 2000s –Kelly Lytle Hernandez and Shannon Speed explain the project and how they will be partnering with community groups. Plus: our TV critic Ella Taylor reviews “Judas and the Black Messiah,” now on HBO Max, about the Chicago police assassinating Black Panther Fred Hampton in 1969, and also talks about “Nomadland,” the wonderful film starring Francis McDormand as a working class woman who has lost her husband, her job and her house and is living and working out of her van—it opens Friday on Hulu.

Harold Meyerson says the devastating new footage of the rioters shown on Day Two of the impeachment trial underlines Trump's failure to try to stop them, the most undeniable grounds for a guilty verdict on his impeachment trial. Also, Alan Minsky of Progressive Democrats of America makes the case for the $15 minimum wage, and looks ahead at Biden's plans for reviving American manufacturing. And Ella Taylor reviews "The Mauritanian," the new film about a Guantanamo detainee and his attorney, played by Jodie Foster.

Biden's $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill: Harold Meyerson says he won't reduce it. Also: the Republicans, and the impeachment. Plus: Biden and Black America: Barbara Ransby comments. And Ella Taylor reviews "Dear Comrades!", the Russian film about a massacre of striking workers in Russia in 1962. Finally, we remember Rennie Davis -- he died on Feb. 2.

Biden's first week was filled with bold and necessary executive orders, and a plan to pass pandemic economic relief without Republican support--Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect explains. also: Gary Younge talks about the coming fight with Trump and Trumpsim, starting with the insurrection of January 6. plus: Ella Taylor reviews "White Tiger," the Indian rags-to-riches film that combines satire, melodrama and action film.

The inauguration of Joe Biden was delightfully normal--Harold Meyerson comments on what happened -- and what didn't. Plus: Alan Minsky, Executive Director of Progressive Democrats of America, discusses the challenges facing the Congressional Progressive Caucus--and the opportunities. And our film and TV critic Ella Taylor reviews "Assassins," an amazing documentary about the assassination of the brother of Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, in Kuala Lampur airport, by two teenage girls.

The impeachment vote barely papered over the growing crisis in the Republican party, says Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect. Harold comments also on security at the Biden inauguration. Also: Eric Foner provides some historical perspective on the attack last week on the capitol. Plus: Ella Taylor talks about the new documentary “MLK/FBI”, on J. Edgar Hoover’s attempt to “destroy” Martin Luther King--“destroy” is the FBI’s own term. And finally, the PGA is cancelling their longstanding plans to hold the US Open at Trump’s Bedminster golf course in New Jersey. Trump, we are told, is more devastated by this than by impeachment. The legendary sportswriter Robert Lipsyte comments on Trump and golf. (broadcast originally in August 2017)

The Trump mob attack on the capitol should have been expected, says Harold Meyerson--Trump himself had been calling for it for weeks. But it signals an irreparable split in the Republican Party. Also: Priorities for vaccination against covid-19 need to be based both on science and on ethics - Gregg Gonsalves explains. And Ella Taylor talks about the documentary "Dissident," on the murder of Jamal Kashoggi, and the Tom Hanks western, "News of the World."

A year, and a decade, of political challenges: Joan Walsh reviews the fall and rise of Kamala Harris, the return of Joe Biden, and the deepening problem posed over the last decade by white voters who now support Trump. Also, Amy Wilentz looks back on how things went in 2020 for Ivanka, Jared, Don Junior and Little Eric. And Ella Taylor talks about her favorite films of 2020 – starting with Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, starring Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman—his last film.

2020 began with Kamala Harris dropping out of the first primary, and is ending with Trump blowing up the Republican Party - it was also the year of the biggest protests in American history, organized by Black Lives Matter. Harold Meyerson comments. And we're still thinking about John le Carré, who died last week—he was 89, and one of the greats, author of two dozen books people called “spy novels,” although they were much more than that. John Powers comments -- he’s critic-at-large on Fresh Air with Terry Gross.

This week the US began vaccinating people against covid-19, and we consider proposals to establish a coronavirus commission, empowered to investigate the many failures in the fight against covid-19: is that something progressives should fight for? Mike Davis says “Yes” – and explains what’s at stake. Also: Will Donald Trump pardon Ivanka and Jared—and Don Junior and Eric? What exactly are their crimes? It sounds like it's time for another episode of The Children’s Hour—with Amy Wilentz. Plus: John le Carré died on Saturday—he was 89 and one of the greats, author of two dozen books about the cold war and after; people called them “spy novels,” although they were much more than that. Ella Taylor reviews the best of the movies and TV mini-series based on the books, especially Alec Guiness as George Smiley.

L.A. elected a new progressive district attorney last month – George Gascon – and he just announced the sweeping changes he will make, starting with an end to cash bail and to sentencing “enhancements.” Jody Armour explains: he’s the Roy Crocker Professor of Law at USC, and his new book is “N*gga Theory: Race, language, unequal justice, and the law.” Also: last week the Supreme Court heard arguments on Trump’s effort to change the way seats in the House of Representatives are apportioned. It has been based on a state’s total population, as the Constitution requires; he wants to exclude the undocumented, which would mean California would lose 2 or 3 seats. David Cole reviews the arguments—he’s national legal director of the ACLU. Plus: Our TV critic Ella Taylor talks about the documentary “Coded Bias,” and the women of color, scientists, who organized the Algorithmic Justice League; plus the Kate Winslet film “Ammonite,” and “Driveways,” Brian Dennehy’s last movie.