Podcast (attitude): Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
6/13/19
Part One:
We speak with Harold Meyerson, editor-at-large of The American Prospect, about what the word “socialism” really means, in an era when Bernie Sanders claims that he is simply carrying forward the social democratic policies of FDR, and when Pres. Trump demonizes any government program that benefits ordinary Americans (Trump doesn’t mind government programs that benefit the wealthiest 1%) and demonizes any politician who advocates for such a program.
Most of us think of “socialism” as describing social democratic countries — as in Scandinavia — which leave a market economy in place, though regulated and often with government competition, and have a generous welfare state to provide a safety net for individuals who fall through the cracks of this market economy. In fact, this is essentially Bernie’s policy as well.
But Bernie downplays some of his other ideas which are more socialistic: giving workers more representation on the boards of corporations and sharing some stock ownership with a company’s workers. (NB: We discussed these ideas on our show a few weeks ago, with Rutgers Professor Joseph Blasi, who described them as well within the market economy model.) As Meyerson sees it, Bernie favors America’s partial-welfare-state. But Sanders would add a greatly expanded set of economic rights, which he borrows from the workers’ bill of rights announced by FDR in his 1944 State of the Union.
Meyerson does not see much difference between Bernie’s “democratic socialism” and Elizabeth Warren’s strong support for capitalism while describing ways in which we need to restructure capitalism so that it better serves ordinary people as well as the top 1%. Both candidates basically want to move our economy closer to the Nordic model.
Part Two:
We chat again with “Dr. Politics,” Steffen Schmidt, professor of political science at Iowa State University. We focus on Pres. Trump’s interview with George Stephanopolous, where Trump repeatedly said he doesn’t see anything wrong with accepting dirt on Hillary Clinton from a foreign (hostile) nation. In fact, he’d do it again in 2020! Trump said he wouldn’t alert the FBI to a foreign power’s attempt to interfere with American elections. Could it be that Trump is afraid the FBI will renew its investigation — begun when he was in his 30s — into Trump’s business ties with the mob?
We wonder if Trump’s Russia comments are foolish or if he’s “dumb like a fox.” Trump’s M.O. is to toss lots of unrelated ideas into the air, and trust that the media will get lost chasing them all — and fail to pursue an in-depth investigation of any one of his dishonest, corrupt, self-serving, and illegal activities. Is it Trump’s fault or the media’s that his strategy has been largely successful so far?
We also ask why Mitch McConnell and other Republicans are unwilling to criticize Trump for any of his misdeeds.
