Author Archive

Burt Cohen

Illustration of a stern face with the phrase 'Big Brother is watching you'.
Civil LibertiesFreedomPodcast

Those who were surprised that Facebook was widely distributing personal information were quite naive. Our expectation of privacy is so very quaint. This according to veteran private eye Judith Coburn, whose new article on TomDispatch is titled Goodbye to All

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A man with gray hair raising his fist near a brick wall.
Civil LibertiesFreedomPodcast

“What we’ve got here is a systems problem.” Americans honor brave whistleblowers and serious investigative journalists who  reveal covered up truths. But according to today’s guest Professor Lawrence Davidson, in his article on CounterPunch, the fate of the very controversial

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A man speaking passionately against a red background.
Israel & PalestinePodcastPopulism

He’s spoken openly about his concern for justice for Palestinians. As Jeremy Corbyn is continuing to rise as he leads the traditional left Labour Party of the United Kingdom, his detractors are working feverishly to discredit him as an anti-Semite.

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Portrait of a serious middle-aged man in a suit.
Israel & PalestineJusticePodcast

At least it’s now out in the open. All Israelis who are not Jewish have had their rights diminished. Given the longstanding discrimination against non-white non-European Jews, Palestinians and Druze are now just third class citizens. Prime Minister Netanyahu described

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Crowd of people gathered in 1968, black-and-white photo.
CulturePodcastSocialism

What is freedom? Coming from a context of widespread economic security, young people across the US and Europe in 1968 drove older generations crazy with the insistence that there was more. More than the grey flanneled conformity in which we

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A sleek supersonic aircraft flying above the clouds against a deep blue sky.
Fiscal PolicyPodcastWar

With near consensus from both sides of the aisle, congress just rubber-stamped a nearly three quarters of a trillion dollar spending plan for defense contractors. There is no limit on what we will spend on weapons, according to today’s guest

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A soldier in combat gear holding a rifle with a flag in the background.
PodcastWar

If we’re spending billions on a defense system that actually makes us more vulnerable,maybe it’s time to reconsider. According to today’s guest Foreign Policy in Focus columnist Conn Hallinan, NATO has gone from serving as a bulwark against the Soviet

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Flags of various countries flying outside the United Nations headquarters.
National PolicyPodcastTrump

America First is leading quickly to America being left out. Even Republican internationalists are gone from the stage. The current administration is making a steady and sustained war on diplomacy and is now standing outside the tent. On this show,

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Smoke rising from a burning area in a forest with a person standing nearby.
PodcastTrump

NATO was created to defend the west against the Soviet Union. According to John Feffer, of Foreign Policy in Focus, the west missed a rare “golden opportunity” in 1991 to shift away from wasteful militarism in search of a new

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American flag painted on cracked concrete surface.
CulturePodcast

With all the current discussion about ever-more inflamed divides in the currently united States, more people are wondering if we  really are one nation after all. It’s not just blue vs red, North vs South. There’s us here in Yankeedom.

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A woman smiling and shaking hands at a crowded event.
PodcastPopulismSocialism

When big gets too big, free market capitalism is stifled. The increased concentration of power and wealth undercuts economic freedom. The socialism of FDR’s New Deal very much helped capitalism become more competitive. A big, though lesser known, aspect of

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Cracked ground separating EU and UK flags symbolizing Brexit.
PodcastPopulismRacismTrump

Much like the toxic combination of angry racist populism with the power of the financial elite here in America, the European Union has been a brake on this dangerous combination in England. Today the British Right’s push for the UK

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Logo of the National Rifle Association since 1871.
GunsPodcast

Since its founding after the Civil War the NRA was concerned about the proliferation of guns in America. They became a sportsmen’s gun club focused on responsibility and safety. And conservative  Christian evangelicals cited Bible references to say life began

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Protesters take cover behind barricades during a tense clash.
JusticePodcastSocialism

Reached somewhere he won’t specify in Nicaragua, our guest is protecting himself from killings, kidnappings, and the coordinated strategy of roadblocks.The Trump Administration and most of the mainstream press paints a picture of the Sandinista government turning against their own

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A person gripping prison bars, symbolizing confinement.
CultureJusticePodcastRacismTrump

America is shocked at the sight of 2500 migrant kids in cages. But behind high walls are over 50,000 American kids.This is invisible for a reason. According to Professor Cara Drinan, expert on juvenile sentencing and criminal justice reform, if

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Five children posing outdoors, dressed in vintage western-style clothing.
CulturePodcastProtests & ResistanceWar

Donald Trump won a lot of support from conservative Americans who agreed our endless wars are nothing but a big waste. Of course he flipped positions since then but renowned professor Andrew Bacevich observes that there is still anger at

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A man passionately speaking into a vintage microphone indoors.
PodcastProtests & ResistanceWar

Is it treasonous to urge resistance to a war once America is in it? Most Americans opposed our entry into the First World War but once Wilson sent our men, some argued it was no longer OK to urge resistance.

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A sign warning of a two-tier internet system ahead.
CulturePodcastTrump

The effects of net neutrality have been like the founding fathers dream: a truly free media open to all points of view, where even the smallest voice can reach millions. It’s logical then that the big internet service providers and

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Women wearing shirts with a controversial political message at a rally.
CulturePodcastPopulismRacismTrump

It may be out in the open now, and it is disconcerting to see and feel the blatant racism and hatred across America now. But maybe the ugly spirit of white supremacy may have been hidden from white people before 

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Judge holding a wooden gavel in a courtroom.
JusticePodcastSexualityTrump

No matter how soon Trump goes away, all Americans will feel the effects of his judicial appointments for decades to come. He’s going around legislatures and using the power of the presidency to undo hard fought battles for reproductive, sexual

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A man discusses voter suppression with a bird character.
PodcastRacism

We need a photo ID to buy liquor or fly on an airplane, so what’s the big deal about needing one to vote? Don’t we need to stop voter fraud? Actually voter ID is a solution in search of a

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A tilted statue of a man reaching out, set against a mosque backdrop.
National PolicyPodcastWar

We all hate it when other countries meddle with our elections. Yet we do it more than any other. And it never works. From Iran in 1953 to Iraq in 2003, the US has employed a policy of regime change.

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Logo of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee with the U.S. Capitol and flag.
PodcastPopulismTrump

The party establishment doesn’t understand that chasing the “centrist” rabbit down the rabbit hole makes no sense anymore. The rabbit isn’t there. That according to Robert Borosage who created the Campaign for America’s Future among other organizations. The focus of

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Logo of The Hill featuring the Capitol dome.
Podcast

Democrats are taking nothing for granted as they gear up for the November elections. Presenting a clear message is vital. Trump’s was Make America Great Again and it worked. So what is both inspiring and vague enough to win over

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Blue silhouette of Texas state on white background.
PodcastPopulism

What’s the way to win in 2018? More of the same or real change? The structure of the Democratic Party itself is being tested in Texas. The Washington insiders have come down to make their picks,but what about the actual

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Two newspaper-cutout figures shaking hands with 'Screwed' text overlay.
EconomyEnvironmentPodcastWomen

What kind of economics leaves out essential factors? One that is not sustainable. So says Rickey Gard Diamond, author of the new book Screwnomics: How The Economy Works Against Women and Real Ways to Make Lasting Change. She points out

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Woman outdoors wearing a patterned scarf and black coat.
EnvironmentPodcastWomen

Part of any Blue Wave has to be concern for the safety of drinking water. The Trump Republicans may see Americans as existing to generate profits for private interests, but others see safe drinking water as a right, that government

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Aerial view of a suburban neighborhood with rows of houses and cars on the street.
CulturePodcastSexuality

Watch TV and see the roles we’re all supposed to play. Since 2015, marriage equality has been the law of the land but the characters portrayed on TV shows actually serve as law enforcement, limiting freedom in a very real

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Book cover titled 'Our Search for Belonging' about connection struggles.
CulturePodcastRacism

There’s a basic and universal human need to feel like we belong. In this ever more isolating world of sharply divided news media and working alone, the opportunities to make connections are reduced. So in this need for tribal belonging,

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Historic large crowd in a city parade along a canal.
PodcastProtests & ResistanceSocialism

It’s celebrated all over the world, except here in America where it all started. It is clear that for unjust power, history has to be erased–otherwise we might assert our democracy. On this special program, the real history of May

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