Category Archives: Congress

May 12, 2013

Harvard Professor Ryan Enos has studied what happens when racial or ethnic groups live and work in close proximity. The results are not always positive, and that’s a potential problem for maintaining the Obama voting coalition.

Former House Democratic whip David Bonior laments the decline of social justice and the ravaging of labor unions.

And Bill Press talks with Representative Rosa DeLauro about dinner with President Obama – jobs, immigration and gun safety.

  • May 12, 2013 May 12, 2013 Professor Ryan Enos says watch out for voter backlash. David Bonior wants more focus on social justice. And Rep. Rosa DeLauro discusses dinner with the president.
  • Ryan Enos Ryan Enos There is potential trouble for the Democratic coalition that re-elected President Obama, says Harvard Professor Ryan Enos. He reports on evidence that as people from different races or ethnic groups get together, they don’t always stay together.
  • David Bonior David Bonior David Bonior was the longest serving elected party whip in the history of the House of Representatives. Now long retired, he has some suggestions on how to improve the place – including a change of heart on term limits.
  • Rosa DeLauro Rosa DeLauro Bill Press and his guest Representative Rosa DeLauro talk about a meeting between President Obama and House Democrats.
  • Jim Hightower Jim Hightower Diverting shareholder funds into "dark money" politics.

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January 27, 2013

Optimism abounds for a progressive agenda after President Obama’s second inaugural address.

Law professor Larry Gibson is a biographer of Thurgood Marshall and a Democratic campaign adviser in Maryland. He is optimistic that the president’s re-election signals a more progressive vision for the United States.

Our regular contributor, Fred Rotondaro of the Center for American Progress, says the president has learned he has to be tough as nails and will not have to compromise on hot-button Republican issues like the debt ceiling.

And Bill Press talks with former Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle, who is optimistic about the ability of the Senate to actually work.

  • Jan. 27, 2013 Jan. 27, 2013 Optimism abounds … on the president’s toughness… on the American people’s commitment to progressive ideals… and on the Senate’s ability to get anything done.
  • Larry Gibson Larry Gibson Law professor Larry Gibson talks with us about his new biography of the young Thurgood Marshall, and also about his optimism about the country as a result of President Obama’s re-election.
  • Fred Rotondaro Fred Rotondaro In the glow of President Obama’s second inaugural address, regular commentator Fred Rotondaro says the American public is behind him and the president has learned to be tough as nails. Fred also has a reminder for American Catholics about a recent message from the Pope.
  • Tom Daschle Tom Daschle Bill Press and his guest, Tom Daschle, former majority leader, who talks about his optimism for the Senate despite little progress on ending filibusters.
  • Jim Hightower Jim Hightower Obama's Inaugural Address: Progressive and Presidential.

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January 20, 2013

As President Obama begins his second term, he faces difficult challenges. Former Congressman Tom Allen says one of those challenges is dealing with a Congress whose members look at each other as visitors from another planet.

And Latina political analyst Maria Teresa Kumar says gains made in the 2012 elections can take effect only if minority voters and other Democrats show up at the polls in the 2014 midterm elections to retake the House of Representatives.

Bill Press speaks with Vincent DeMarco, who says the faith community can be a powerful force in getting more sensible gun laws.

  • Jan. 20, 2013 Jan. 20, 2013 Visitors from another planet inhabit Congress … and in the real world, a pressing issue for Congress is how to deal with visitors from other countries.
  • Tom Allen Tom Allen Tom Allen is a former Democratic congressman from Maine. He has just written a book about why Congress is so dysfunctional. He says the blame lies mostly with Republicans, whom he says must eventually become more pragmatic if they are to survive.
  • Maria Teresa Kumar Maria Teresa Kumar Latina political activist Maria Teresa Kumar reviews the 2012 election in terms of minority turnout and warns that Democrats have to gin up their vote in the 2014 midterm elections to win back the House of Representatives.
  • Vincent DeMarco Vincent DeMarco Bill Press and his guest, Vincent DeMarco, says the faith community can be a powerful force in getting more sensible gun laws.
  • Jim Hightower Jim Hightower Let a grunt run the Pentagon for a chance.

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January 6, 2013

In partnership with Oliver Stone, American University Professor Peter Kuznick has produced a Showtime series on the “Untold History of the United States.” He offers some historical insights that present a different view of Henry Wallace … and Joseph Stalin.

Sally Denton has written a book about an establishment plot to oust Franklin D. Roosevelt, and she compares his opponents to those who smeared President Obama.

And Bill Press’s guest, Congresswoman Jackie Speier of California, asks her Republican colleagues, “What are you here for?”

  • Jan. 6, 2013 Jan. 6, 2013 Did that really happen? Two authors provide historical secrets from the New Deal and from the Cold War.
  • Peter Kuznick Peter Kuznick Peter Kuznick is a professor at American University. He has teamed up with controversial director Oliver Stone to produce a series for Showtime that offers an alternate history of the United States since World War II. He has also written a book to go along with the series, and he says it is just another side to American history.
  • Sally Denton Sally Denton Horrendous economic conditions, broken capitalism, vicious lies aimed at the president. These circumstances that faced President Obama were also present following the election of FDR in 1932. Author Sally Denton examines the plot against Roosevelt and points out the similarity of the tactics used by the right-wing hate machine to those used against Obama.
  • Jackie Speier Jackie Speier Bill Press's guest, Congresswoman Jackie Speier of California, asks her Republican colleagues, “What are you here for?”
  • Jim Hightower Jim Hightower Deep inside the "Taxpayer Relief Act."

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