The Hartmann Report

Michael Lewis, author of 'The Fifth Risk' joins Thom- What is up with Donald Trump's civil service? With political appointees with questionable experience at the helm of the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Commerce, how are they taking care of business with so many mid-level positions simply left vacant? Why does Trump and the public at large have so little interest in understanding what our federal government does?Trump and his cronies continue to enrich themselves at the expense of the American people- Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos (who is personally heavily invested in student debt) is trying to move student debt into a private corporate so any future president could never cancel it. What other hustles, crimes, and foolishness of this corrupt head of state are worthy of impeachment?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, Thom tackles the testimony and cuts through Republican lies, misdirection and bull with his sharp knife of truth. But are the Democrats making a mistake by not including Donald Trump's many other huge and blatant crimes in the impeachment process?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thom wonders if neoliberal Democrats may be blindsided because they have no idea their voters are about to dump them... Can Progressive democrats recapture the love that presidents like FDR, JFK, and LBJ inspired by making sure the American system really works for the common person?And the latest poll shows a dead heat between Biden, Buttigieg, Sanders, and Warren for the Democratic primary. Can we overcome a system that has been rigged ever since the Supreme Court betrayed us by legalizing bribery?Plus, Thom reads from a chapter from one of his books titled 'Reagan Kidnapped the Jetsons'.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thom debates Charles Sauer, libertarian economist & president of The Market Institute, on Kamala Harris' plan to regulate prescription drug prices, followed by a hearty discussion of health care policy in this country with Thom's callers.Plus, Thom reads from 'No Visible Bruises' by Rachel Louise Synder.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Greg Palast talks about support from Stacey Abrams and how to reverse 14 million voters from removal on the electoral roll in the past year. And you could be one of them. Ending voter suppression and preventing your name from being purged is really important as the 2020 election draws closer. Callers respond. Book Club : Minority Leader and Frederick Douglas.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mark Pocan joins Thom for a fascinating town hall on what New Progressives in Congress are doing to push back against the billionaire-led takeover of our nation. Topics include - How many articles of impeachment? Why were the tactics of the Patriot Act activists poorly planned? What is the best strategy to influence your representatives? What's the real deal with Russia?Plus Thom reads from 'Revolutionary Love' by Ruth Marcus' book as well as 'Supreme Ambition: Brett Kavanaugh and the Conservative Takeover'See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As of this year, new data shows that for the first time since World War II middle class Americans are no longer a majority. We are a majority-poor country now. Death rates for young working people have increased substantially- for the first time in the modern era- because of poverty in general and lack of access to health care in particular. Why is it so expensive for working people to merely live, and why is it so expensive to get ahead or pay for a college education? Where is all the money our work generates going to? How much money does the top 1% need to be happy? Have we reached 'Peak-Reagonomics'?- an era in which some combination of poverty, drug addiction, obesity, and despair haunt the lives of so many Americans? What can the Progressive agenda hope to do to make things better? Is there a chance this could all change with the 2020 election?- because people's lives are at stake.Plus Thom reads from Harvey JK's book 'Make America Radical Again'.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Donald Trump is following an old script, lie to the people to stay in power. How Far Will It Go? Callers respond.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thom makes the case that American oligarchs already control much of the media, can legally bribe elected officials, and are taking control of the courts -- so will a police state marked by selective prosecution of political enemies be the next step down this road that many other societies have traveled before us?How is billionaire propaganda dividing us deeply as a nation? Is there an analogy to the first civil war, that was also created by the oligarchs of South? And if Fox News cult members are deeply brainwashed, are they even competent to be on juries?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do we reclaim an independent press so we can actually learn what our candidates will do and our elected officials are doing? By only talking about horse-races and scandals, the press is letting the GOP get away with murder, while keeping people ignorant about Democratic Party solutions to our problems.David Brock from Media Matters for America joins Thom to discuss why our media is broken, and why Billionaire owned media is working as a propaganda arm of the oligarchs-- threatening our very democracy.Plus- given the recent protests and internal instability in Iran, has Trump's policy there brought us closer to a nightmare scenario, what guest Jamal Abdhi calls a 'combustible moment'?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.