August 01 2008 show notes
By Thom Hartmann A...
- Show live from WXXM ("The Mic 92.1").
- "Brunch with Bernie" with Senator Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont.
- Guest: Gus Speth, author, "The Bridge at the Edge of the World", which is Thom and Justin's BuzzFlash book of the month.
- Guest: John Nichols, The Capital Times, Madison, Wisconsin, and The Nation, author of "The Genius of Impeachment ". Changing the way we select the vice president?
Topics, guests, upcoming events, quotes, links to articles, audio clips, books & bumper music.
Friday 01 August '08 show
- Show live from WXXM ("The Mic 92.1").
- Upcoming Event: August 02 - 03 - Madison WI. NonStop Radio Symposium, Exhibition Hall, Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way. NonStop Radio. Thom will give the tips and tricks needed to communicate more effectively.
- Article: Wal-Mart Warns of Democratic Win.
"Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is mobilizing its store managers and department supervisors around the country to warn that if Democrats win power in November, they'll likely change federal law to make it easier for workers to unionize companies -- including Wal-Mart.
In recent weeks, thousands of Wal-Mart store managers and department heads have been summoned to mandatory meetings at which the retailer stresses the downside for workers if stores were to be unionized.
According to about a dozen Wal-Mart employees who attended such meetings in seven states, Wal-Mart executives claim that employees at unionized stores would have to pay hefty union dues while getting nothing in return, and may have to go on strike without compensation. Also, unionization could mean fewer jobs as labor costs rise."
- Bumper Music: Good Time, Alan Jackson.
- Bumper Music: Fire It Up, Modest Mouse.
- "Brunch with Bernie" with Senator Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont. Economy, oil. Bad news for the middle class. Unemployment up, inflation up, gas up, heating for winter up, air conditioning up. Good news if you are the ExxonMobil CEO. A Wall Street Journal article said they have so much money, they don't know what to do with it. They are buying back stock rather than investing, plus huge obscene packages to CEOs, death benefits. McCain wants to emulate the last 8 years, but cannot say so. His campaign is negative attacks. "Wal-Mart Warns of Democratic Win". Workers in union jobs get more money, better benefits. Costco. South West Airline. 25 years ago the largest employer was General Motors with good wages etc, strong union. Today the largest is Wal-Mart, taxpayers subsidize it with Medicare, SCHIP. That is the transition of America. Senate Republicans defeated his LIHEAP proposal, they want to drill.
Amtrak, public transportation. The Amtrak bill is nowhere near enough, and being held up. Oil spills after Hurricane Katrina. Leases. 15-20 years. Windfall profits tax. Speculation. Waiting for someone in government to admit that even if we withdraw we will be supporting Iraq indefinitely unless we get the oil companies that have been let in to get oil. Bernie said it is fishy, that Exxon etc. have been given no bid contracts to control Iraqi oil. $12b a month. American fatalities down, not money. Homeless, soup kitchens and food packages. The 2001 National Affordable Trust Fund that he introduced just passed. They recently increased funding for emergency food shelves, but not enough. The government should be there not only for retirement, disability, but making sure every American gets health care. Only the US does not guarantee this, yet spends twice as much. Role of government. Obama should start a Manhattan type project for plug-in electric cars. Obama says do away with Social Security cap. McCain is looking at raising the retirement age, lowering benefits, vague, flipflopping. How likely 4 more years of Republicans? Federal tax holiday a gimmick? Solar tax credit.
- Book: "The Bridge at the Edge of the World: Capitalism, the Environment, and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability" by James Gustave Speth, reviewed by Thom and Justin Hartmann (Thom's son who has a masters degree in environmental sciences).
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