Biden's Tasks Now: Harold Meyerson; Confirmation Hearings: Fishkin & Forbath; Jan. 6: Jamie Raskin

03/24/22 • 58 min

Since the demise of Biden’s Build Back Better bill, the Democrats need other achievements to run on in the midterm campaigns. That means Biden should start using executive action. Harold Meyerson talks about the most politically important possibilities: student debt cancellation and action on prescription drug prices. Also: the Senate confirmation hearings for Biden’s Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson follow a familiar script. Progressives instead should be arguing--inside and outside the hearings--that the Constitution requires protecting our “republican form of government” from becoming a “moneyed aristocracy” or “oligarchy.” Joseph Fishkin and William E. Forbath explain; their new book is The Anti-Oligarchy Constitution: Reconstructing the Economic Foundations of American Democracy. Plus: Congressman Jamie Raskin, member of the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 insurrection, talked about the committee’s evidence against Trump–-and the committee’s future if Republicans prevail in the midterms. He was manager of Trump’s second impeachment trial.

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Biden, Zelensky, & Putin: Harold Meyerson; plus Bhaskar Sunkara and Katha Pollitt

After Zelensky's speech to Congress: Harold Meyerson analyzes the forces at work in Ukraine. Also: news of the class struggle in America. Plus: Bhaskar Sunkara, the new president of The Nation magazine, talks about what independent media should do during wartime. And Katha Pollitt takes up the question, "is there a right to sex?"

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Biden's Budget w/out Build Back Better: Harold Meyerson; Student Debt: Astra Taylor

Build Back Better never made it through congress. So, what's in Biden's new budget proposal? Harold Meyerson of The prospect comments. Plus: Monday April 4 is the Day Of Action to Abolish Student Debt, when thousands of young people will gather in Washington D.C. to say "Pick Up the Pen, Joe" -- and abolish student debt via executive action. Astra Taylor will explain; she’s co-founder of the Debt Collective. Also, the dangers (and the benefits) of antidepressants: P.E. Moskowitz talks about the science, and about personal experiences. Their report, “Breaking Off My Chemical Romance,” is featured in the magazine’s special issue on drugs.