Trump’s War On Arms Control and Disarmament, by MELVIN GOODMAN
Melvin A. Goodman is a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy and a professor of government at Johns Hopkins University. A former CIA analyst, Goodman is the author of Failure of Intelligence: The Decline and Fall of the CIA and National Insecurity: The Cost of American Militarism. and A Whistleblower at the CIA. His most recent book is “American Carnage: The Wars of Donald Trump” (Opus Publishing), and he is the author of the forthcoming “The Dangerous National Security State” (2020).” Goodman is the national security columnist for counterpunch.org.
We discussed what Melvin Goodman what advice he would give Joe Biden, were Biden to be elected. He felt that Biden should focus on how to regroup and reestablish the United States. We know that Biden has assembled a large (2000 persons) team to advise him on this, particularly with respect to foreign policy.
For the first 100 days, Mel recommends that Biden should visit the State Department first, and communicate the message “WE ARE BACK”. He should then visit our neighboring countries, Mexico, Canada, and Europe. No more diplomacy by insult. The Paris Climate Accord should be revived, among other actions. Mel had many suggestions on the persons who should be appointed to the various posts that must be filled.
Long term strategy and actions were recommended with respect to future relationships with China and Russia, and the rest of Asia.
“Spend time on the math” Use real numbers to demonstrate how policies will affect the lives of Americans. How much money is spent, and where is it being spent?
Part Two: John Nichols Of Nichols, author Gore Vidal says: “Of all the giant slayers now afoot in the great American desert, John Nichols’s sword is the sharpest.”
the VP pick, Harris v Pence, the convention and John’s interview with Barbara Lee
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/kamala-harris-vice-presidential-candidate/
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/kamala-running-mate-biden/
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/democratic-convention-speakers/
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/barbara-lee-pentagon-covid/
Part 2:
John Nichols, a pioneering political blogger, writes about politics for The Nation as its national-affairs correspondent. His pieces have been circulated internationally, quoted in numerous books, and mentioned in debates on the floor of Congress.
Nichols is a contributing writer for The Progressive and In These Times and the associate editor of the Capital Times, the daily newspaper in Madison, Wisconsin. His articles have appeared in TheNew York Times, Chicago Tribune, and dozens of other newspapers.
Nichols is a frequent guest on radio and television programs as a commentator on politics and media issues. He was featured in Robert Greenwald’s documentary Outfoxed, and in Joan Sekler’s Unprecedented, Matt Kohn’s Call It Democracy, and Robert Pappas’s Orwell Rolls in His Grave. The keynote speaker at the 2004 Congress of the International Federation of Journalists in Athens, Nichols has been a featured presenter at conventions, conferences, and public forums on media issues sponsored by the Federal Communications Commission, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Consumers International, the Future of Music Coalition, the AFL-CIO, the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, the Newspaper Guild [CWA], and dozens of other organizations.
Nichols is the author of The Fight for the Soul of the Democratic Party: The Enduring Legacy of Henry Wallace’s Anti-Fascist, Anti-Racist Politics (Verso), Horsemen of the Trumpocalypse: A Field Guide to the Most Dangerous People in America (Nation Books) as well as The Genius of Impeachment (New Press); a critically acclaimed analysis of the Florida recount fight of 2000, Jews for Buchanan(New Press); and a best-selling biography of former vice president Dick Cheney, Dick: The Man Who is President (New Press), which was also published in French and Arabic. He edited Against the Beast: A Documentary History of American Opposition to Empire (Nation Books), of which historian Howard Zinn said: “At exactly the time when we need it most, John Nichols gives us a special gift—a collection of writings, speeches, poems, and songs from throughout American history—that reminds us that our revulsion to war and empire has a long and noble tradition in this country.”
With Robert W. McChesney, Nichols has co-authored the books It’s the Media, Stupid! (Seven Stories), Our Media, Not Theirs (Seven Stories), Tragedy and Farce: How the American Media Sell Wars, Spin Elections, and Destroy Democracy (The New Press), The Death and Life of American Journalism (Nation Books), Uprising: How Wisconsin Renewed the Politics of Protest, from Madison to Wall Street (Nation Books), and their latest, People Get Ready: The Fight Against a Jobless Economy and a Citizenless Democracy (Nation Books, March 2016). McChesney and Nichols are the co-founders of Free Press, a media-reform network, which organized the 2003 and 2005 National Conferences on Media Reform.
We discussed the choice of Kamala Harris as the VP candidate. She has good prosecutorial and political skills,. Her biography indicates that she is a strong person, and will be the perfect VP fighter. In John Nichols’ view she dropped out of the presidential campaign too soon.
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