Nearly half of all Americans are screwed. According to a new study by the organization Wider Opportunities for Women – 45% of ALL Americans live without economic security – meaning they can’t afford all the basics of life – like food, clothing, transportation, and medical care. Again – that’s nearly half of the population in economic insecurity. And MORE than half – 55% of all children - live in economic insecurity.

But two specific proposals to help address this problem – the payroll tax and extended unemployment benefits – are set to expire at the end of the year. And despite the disastrous economic effects of not extending these programs – Republicans are dragging their feet – and will likely turn this into another hostage scenario. Based on analysis by the group Macroeconomic Advisers – allowing the payroll tax cut to expire will cost our economy 400,000 jobs and shrink GDP by a half-percent. And expiring extended unemployment benefits will kill another 200,000 jobs.

So what will Republicans do? I’m guessing they’ll threaten to crash the economy, unless Democrats agree to more tax cuts for the top 1% - or the privatization of Medicare and Social Security.

-Thom

(What do you think they will do? Tell us here.)

"The Turkey Song"

The Daily Stack

Quote: "An unconditional right to say what one pleases about public affairs is what I consider to be the minimum guarantee of the First Amendment." -- Justice Hugo L. Black: (1886-1971).

Hour One: It's a special edition of "Brunch With Bernie"... America's Senator... Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) will be here with all the news from our nation's capitol and as always he'll be spending the hour taking your calls and answering your questions too...
Follow Bernie: campaign site.

Article: "Ore. gov: No more executions for rest of my term" by AP.

Article: "Pregnant Woman Blasted with Pepper Spray by SPD Says She Miscarried" by Dominic Holden.

Article: "Report: 45% of Americans Live in Economic Insecurity" by Forrest Jones.

Hour Two: Who are the 1%? Latest on Brave New Foundation's important campaign
- Robert Greenwald, Filmmaker, political activist and founder of Brave New Films

Site: "Who are the 1% ".

Site: "Brave New Films"

Article: ""Mic check": Occupy protesters interrupt Obama" by Brian Montopoli.

Article: "Bill O'Reilly On UC Davis Pepper Spray: We Shouldn't Second-Guess Police (VIDEO)".

Article: "UC Davis student: Pepper spray like 'hot glass was entering my eyes'" by Shelby Grad.

Article: "Transcript: CNN National Security Debate" by November 22, 2011.

Video: "Patriot Act Debate: Ron Paul vs. Gingrich".

Article: "Rick Santorum: Africa 'Was A Country On The Brink' (VIDEO)" by Jason Linkins.

Article: "Herman Cain, still a bigot" by Hunter.

Geeky Science rocks! - the upside of the baby blues

Geeky Science alert: "Babies may benefit from moms’ lasting melancholy...Stable emotional conditions before and after birth key in infants’ health" by Bruce Bower.

Book: "The Edison Gene: ADHD and the Gift of the Hunter Child"

Talk Radio News Segment:
- Ellen Ratner, Bureau Chief

Book: "Self Empowerment: Nine Things the 19th Century Can Teach us About Living in the 21st " by B. Anne Gehman and Ellen Ratner.

Article: "Romney Wins Support From Senator Thune" by Benny Martinez.

Article: "Poll: Americans Say Dems, GOP Equally At Fault In Super Committee Bust" by Benny Martinez.

Article: "U.S. Suspends Parts Of European Military Treaty" by Joel Veldkamp.

Article: "Russian president Dmitry Medvedev keeps US missile defense shield in sight " by Steve Gutterman.

Article: "GAO Report Exposes Rule-Breaking at for-Profit Colleges" by Christina Ng.

Article: "Menendez Calls for Transparency in All Airline Fees", November 23, 2011.

Article: "White House Taps Tavenner As CMS Chief, Berwick Steps Down" by TRNS.

Hour Three: THP Exclusive: big announcement from Move to Amend!
- David Cobb, Move to Amend

Article: "Meet the Nominees" by Move to Amend.

Article: "The 2012 Money Race: Compare the Candidates" by NY Times.

Article: "Priorities USA/Priorities USA Action" by factcheck.org.

Article: "This Thanksgiving, Beware The Sharia Turkey" by Jillian Rayfield.

Article: "Mark 12:41-44" (Widow's mite).

The good: Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber: "Ore. gov: No more executions for rest of my term" by AP.

The bad: "Operation Burn Notice, Anti-Scott Walker Recall Group, Seeks To Destroy Petitions".

The very, very ugly: "Liberty University Reverses Campus Gun Ban" by Mollie Reilly.

Book: "The Thom Hartmann Reader" by Thom Hartmann. Out now!

Latest on Occupy Seattle
- Mark Taylor-Canfield, Occupy Seattle

Article: "Occupy Seattle to be evicted from school" by Vanessa Ho.

Live from Tahrir Square with the latest...
- Joshua Hersh, Huffington Post

Twitter: "Ikhwanweb".

Article: "New York College Students Beaten And Arrested For Protesting Tuition Hikes" by Marie Diamond.

Article: "Letting Jobless Benefits And The Payroll Tax Cut Expire Could Cost The Economy More Than Half A Million Jobs" by Pat Garofalo.

Article: "Republican debate heats up on limits of US security" by Matt Viser and Tracy Jan.

Article: "CBO: Obama stimulus helping economy" by Erik Wasson.

Article: "Senator Ron Wyden threatens to filibuster Protect IP Act" by Grant Gross.

Crazy alert: "Peruvian Tap Water Makes You Gay, Warns Mayor".

Hour Three: TSA lawsuit
- Gov. Jesse Ventura

And, the best of the rest of the news and your calls right here on...

The Thom Hartmann Program... your media support group for we the people.

Read an excerpt here, and buy the book!