The Hartmann Report

The weekly town hall with Congressman Mark Pocan goes into overdrive with a preponderance of wild news from the Cohen revelations, to the recent Vietnam summit, and a new hopefulness as the Democratic majority in Congress pursues investigations and promotes progressive legislation. - For the book club, Thom reads from "All the World's a Stage" by Dennis Weaver, recalling the actor's childhood escape from dust-bowl conditions during the Great Depression.- Continuation of Congressman Mark Pocan's national town hall. - Reality check on the recent summit in Vietnam. Thom gives historical context, and reads outraged statement from Otto Warmbier's family rebuking Trump for praise of dictator who murdered their son. - Talk Media News Luke Vargas gives theory of "mad man" negotiation being touted by right-wing radio as Trump's backfired ploy with Kim. Thom disputes. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why are sheriffs in some counties in Washington State refusing to enforce the law? Shouldn't sworn sheriffs uphold the law, even if they don't agree with it? Washington State sheriffs are defying the law. Guest Sheriff Richard Mack also says that there should be guns in schools to protect students. He says that more weapons are best for our freedom. Do you agree with him? "Liberals hate liberty," he says. Richard Mack is the founder of The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association. Thom debates him and callers share their opinions on these curious goings-on. Talk Media News - Bob Ney reports on the impact of the Michael Cohen testimony. Callers are alarmed at rumors of civil war if Trump is opposed and Thom explains possible motives behind extremist ideology seen in the Turner Diaries.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michael Cohen Congressional Testimony Thom gives his thoughts and has a conversation with listeners.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Since the Supreme Court has effectively made corruption legal, the billionaire-lobbyist-corporate machine and the bought-out media and political classes have been busy implementing an oligarchy. This corruption has many consequences small and large in all of our lives. Can the Progressives expunge some of the poison in our body-politic? ------ Dr Richard Wolff drops some deep thinking on us about Venezuela and the weak arguments against the Green New Deal. ----- A brilliant analysis of the North Korea summit and the web of international relations involved with Luke Vargas, Chief Foreign Correspondent of Talk Media News. ------ Brilliant callers discuss some of the problems of inequality - from Trump's overreaching the constitution, to the corrosive influence of private companies like Facebook, Google, Fox and Clear Channel on our public discourse, and why Bernie and Elizabeth Warren are more trustworthy than other politicians. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thom holds court with Ro Khanna, taking calls in a national town hall meeting on national politics. -------- Thom is live from WCPT in Chicago with their afternoon host Joan Esposito for a fascinating look at what politics look like from where she sits. -------- Talk Media News' Bob Ney has the facts, and he's willing to talk about them.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thom examines the pickle that an American woman who married an ISIS fighter is in. - Thom's thoughts turn to the abuse of children separated from asylum-seekers at the border, and he carries on a debate on the same with conservative thinker Julio Rivera. And callers share their profundity. - Venezuela is on the mind of Talk Media News' Chief Foreign Correspondent Luke Vargas. - Mark Gately of Cane Dems has ideas for organizing the local Democrats. - Douglas Rushkoff, author of the new book 'Team Human' on the ways the internet has been turned into a method to manipulate human behavior, and conservative individualist ideology has made us forget our collectivist roots as a species.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thom tackles the rot behind the sale of the Republican party to billionaires and giant corporations- from giving lobbyists total control of government agencies, to Trump's coverups, to climate-change denial, to phony wars- where is this all going? - In the book club today- "Don't Label Me" by Irshad Manji. - A rundown of the latest corruption- Trump appears to be lining us up for a possible war with Venezuela. And meanwhile, the recently-sold CNN appears to have picked a GOP operative and former advisor to Ted Cruz, among others, to head its coverage of the 2020 election. What could go wrong? - Ed Asner plays God in the new play 'God Help Us', written by Firesign Theater alums, and now touring the country. In it, a couple tries to overcome their differences due to the fact that she is conservative, and he is Progressive. Thom chats with the authors of the play and with God himself, in the form of Ed Asner. - Also in the book club today, Thom reads from 'The Tyranny of the Majority' by Lani Guinier. - Thom asks about the chances of having a conversation with a conservative that leads to consensus? Wendy in Ohio has an idea about this. And Marty in Missouri wonders if we can ever come together when Fox news has made a large part of the population delusional. - Bob Ney of Talk Media news, former Republican congressman, shares an insider's view of Republican corruption, oh and by the way- lots of huge corporations including Amazon and Google are claiming a refund on their taxes this year. - And Bob in Missouri puts a bow on it referring back to our fresh new Attorney General William Barr's resume at hiding presidential crimes last time he was Attorney General.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The science suggests that climate chaos is an impending disaster, and that we must implement policy that hugely cuts the amount of carbon we produce. But, by reforming the way we subsidize the fossil fuel industry, health insurance billionaires, and other malarkey, and by educating Americans and putting them to work in Green industries, we can ultimately come out ahead. -------- Thom debates Elaine Parker of the "Job Creators Network Foundation", a group that objects to using taxes to fund the Green New Deal because it's 'socialism'. If we're going to strip socialism out of America, would she want to start with the Fire Department or Social Security first? -------- Callers look at all the angles and opportunities in the Green New Deal. -------- Ellen Rattner of Talk Media News hasSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Arch-Progressive Bernie Sanders is here to announce his run for president in 2020! Thom and he talk strategy and break down the socialist platform for improving America that Bernie proved are popular with millions of moderates- ideas that were previously deemed untouchable by corporate-friendly Democrats. ---------- In the context of Bernie's proposals Thom passionately revisits FDR's fight for the four freedoms- a Progressive view that argues that having a chance to live a worthwhile life rather than being exploited to by the rich is the full definition of freedom. ---------- Thom is excited by Bernie's run, and the way that Bernie has been able to shift the political conversation to give the interests of the common person a chance, a shift away from the hateful manipulative line of crap the big-money conservative propagandists are always pushing. ---------- Thom interviews Karen Hobart Flynn of Common Cause, who are working to support those challenging the illegality of Trump's fake emergency. Callers chime in. ---------- Luke Vargas, Chief Foreign Correspondent of Talk Media News is watching closely the propaganda mission American operatives are stirring up on the border of Venezuela. ---------- Thom's callers celebrate Bernie's new run for president.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thom's take on Trump's declaration of emergency- what are the real problems in this country, and what could we be doing about it? --------- Thom asks his listeners what the actual ongoing American emergencies are, and he gets an earful. --------- Thom reads an excerpt from 'Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right'. --------- The conversation continues on what America's real emergencies are. --------- Thom reads from the new book by Richard Wilkerson and Kate Pickett - 'The Inner Level' --------- Howard in New York puts a bow on the supposed state of emergency and the pickle we're in with a corrupt sold-out Supreme Court. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.