We rethink the week with Dean Spiliotis, Civic Scholar and Presidential Scholar at Southern New Hampshire University; Rick Newman, lobbyist and former NH state representative; and David Schultz, professor of political science at Hamline University.
We discuss Ken’s recent witnessing of the Trump administration’s MPP (Remain in Mexico) program at the border between Brownsville, TX and Matamoros, Mexico. Ken spoke with families who fled horrible violence in their Central American home countries. They’ve presented themselves at the US border and asked for asylum to protect them from that violence. Border Patrol sent them away from the US and told them to remain in Mexico until their asylum hearings. For many months, families have been forced to wait in a city of pup tents, right on top of each other, cooking on wood fires and eating only whatever food kind-hearted volunteers have brought them to cook. There is no electricity in the tent city; fresh water is brought by volunteers only 3 days/week; when that water runs out, many children and others drink from the river (after trying to purify it). Families bathe in the Rio Grande river, and wash clothes/dishes there. Children have no schools and no place to play except some very narrow dirt lanes in between the rows of tents. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus visited the border and raised their voices urging the US to end this hateful and harmful policy.
Our guests analyze the recent endorsement by the NY Times of not one but two candidates for president in the Democratic primaries: Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar. Why didn’t the Times endorse the one best candidate and urge voters to vote for that person?
How will the internal duel between the two wings of the Democratic Party turn out? Will voters decide merely to end the Trumpian nightmare and return to “normal”? Or will they use this low-point in American history to support a change in direction for the country, a turn toward a government that acts in the best interests of *all* of its people and not just the wealthiest 1%?
Whichever choice the Democrats make, can any candidate actually beat Donald Trump’s (and Fox News’s) false narratives, divisive and dismissive rhetoric, his fear-mongering, his alienation of the rest of the world including our (former?) allies? Stay tuned.
We turn to impeachment and the question whether it will have any effect on the election. Will the Republicans who control the Senate allow any evidence to be introduced (and considered) by the “jurors”? Will there be any rational, fact-based analysis of the issues, or will this just be a quick (very quick) show trial, steamrollering ahead to its foregone conclusion?
