Attitude with Arnie Arnesen

Part 1:
We talk with Cameron Joseph, who is s a senior Washington reporter for The Christian Science Monitor. Prior to that, he was a freelance reporter with work in publications including The Guardian, The Columbia Journalism Review, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and Politico Magazine. He previously was a staff reporter for VICE News, Talking Points Memo, the New York Daily News, The Hill, and National Journal. He's covered Washington since 2009, with most of his career focused on elections, Capitol Hill, and the White House. He is a recipient of the 2023National Press Foundation Dirksen Award for distinguished reporting on Congress and the 2020National Press Club award for excellence in political journalism.
We discuss the increasing more authoritarian aspect of the current administration. Trump ignores the rule of law, and has essentially taken control of the media, which do not correct his statements. Congress is completely dysfunctional.
Part 2:
We talk with Robert Hennelly, who is an award-winning print and broadcast journalist focusing on labor, public health, national security, the economy, public finance and the environment. He is the New York City Hall reporter for Work-Bites and his weekly Monday morning radio program on WBAI closely tracks the latest local, regional and national labor movement news. Hennelly is also a regular contributor to InsiderNJ, Salon, the Village Voice, Raw Story and City & State. For over a decade, he was a reporter for WNYC covering New Jersey, New York and national politics. For several years, he was also the City Hall reporter for the Chief Leader newspaper, and a regular contributor to WBGO, the NPR jazz affiliate in Newark, NJ. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press, CBS Money Watch, and dozens of other publications both in the United States and overseas.
His book Stucknation: Can the US Change the Course of Its History of Choosing Profits Over People was published in 2022 by Democracy@Work.
We discuss the arrest of Mayor Baraka of Newark, NJ. The Gestapo tactics used during an occasion when the mayor was performing his official duty are disturbing.

This is a panel discussion. Our guests discuss important issues of the day.
Stephen Pimpare is Professor of Public Policy at Vermont Law and Graduate School. He is the author of four books, including A Peoples History of Poverty and, most recently, ,Politics for Social Workers: A Practical Guide to Effecting Change
Susan Milligan is a political writer and former White House and congressional correspondent for the Boston ,Globe,U.S. News and World Report, and the New York Daily News.
Lincoln Mitchell teaches political science and public policy at Columbia University. He is the author of nine books and his writings have appeared at CNN, Reuters, the New York Times, NBC, the San Francisco Examiner and numerous other media platforms. My new bookThree Years Our Mayor:George Moscone and the Making of Modern San Franciscois now available. For more of Lincolns work you can subscribe to his Substack Kibitzing with Lincoln at/lincolnmitchell.substack.com/.
Laura Jedeed is a freelance journalist who primarily focuses on the American conservative movement. Her bylines include The New Republic, Rolling Stone, and Politico, and you can find her newsletter at BannedInYourState.com
The discussion :
- There is a new pope, and he is American-born
- Former Justice Souter has died
- Trump is making new promises: tariff reduction, taxing the rich
- Trump wants to shift from the dollar to crypto currency
What effect will this have on the value of US currency worldwide?
- The panelists agree that what is happening now is destruction of the US: a) elimination of USAID has lost the US many friends, b) Universities and research institutions are under attack, and we now have "research refugees" who are leaving the country, thus preventing leadership in development, c)Media is under control of the administration, d) the rule of laws has been abandoned, since court rulings are being ignored, with no consequence, e) the US dollar is less important, since some countries are switching to other currencies. All of this is part of the "network state" playbook.
- The US is trending to be a "christian" state
WNHNFM.ORG production
Music: David Rovics

This is a panel discussion.
Topics:
-The firehose of Trump's executive orders
-The class war is being disguised as a culture war
-Tactic to be used by Democrats: "Shove the presidency down his throat. Make him own every bad outcome." Remind voters of "I alone can fix it."
-Build a shadow cabinet with real ideas.
-Develop real resistance though civil institutions, which have been hollowed out for now.
-We need a true Reformation.
-A purge of old ideas and profiteers needed on Democratic side.
WNHNFM.ORG production
Music: David Rovics, "Time to Act", for Will Von Sproson

Part 1:
We talk with Chris Tomlinson, of the Houston Chronicle.
We discuss how Texas Republicans are attacking free speech in colleges and universities in Texas. Many faculty members in Texas and Florida are looking to leave, and go to other institutions. There is a fear of free thinking among Republicans. What does this foretell for the future?
Part 2:
We talk with Bill Curry and Aaron Rosenthal. Bill is former aide to Bill Clinton, and Aaron is with Northstar Policy.org.
We discuss how the Democratic party must change to return to its roots: support for working Americans, rather than rich donors. Trump's presidency will only make the distance between working people and the oligarchs greater.
WNHNFM.ORG production
Music: David Rovics, "Time to Act", for Will Von Sproson

Part 1:
We talk with Jeremy Schwartz, investigative reporter for ProPublica-Texas.
We discuss the career of Judge O'Hare of Tarrant County, Texas. O'Hare, as County Judge, is powerful, and has a great deal of influence in many spheres. He is supported by Farris Wilkes and Tim Dunn, oil billionaires, fundamentalist christians. who are reshaping the political landscape to suit their christofascist goals. We discuss the tactics and steps they have used.
Part 2:
We talk with Michael Massing, and American writer based in New York City.
We discuss Hedge Funds, and their managers. Massing talks about the 'new gilded age' brought about by the actions of Hedge Fund managers, and how they profit from manipulating stocks and other financial instruments. The middle class is being hollowed out because they are the victims of this practice.
WNHNFM.ORG production
Music: David Rovics: "Time to Act", for Will Von Sproson