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Ralph Nader Radio Hour

Ralph Nader Radio Hour

665 episodes — Page 5 of 14

The Most Toxic Place in America

Counterpunch’s Joshua Frank joins Ralph to discuss his new book, “Atomic Days: The Untold Story of the Most Toxic Place in America” about the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington State— the Cold War plutonium manufacturing facility that even after a $677 billion taxpayer clean-up bill still leaks radioactivity. And immigration lawyer extraordinaire, Susan Cohen, regales us about her experience representing asylum seekers and refugees as chronicled in her book “Journey From There to Here: Stories of Immigrant Trials, Triumphs and Contributions.” Plus, Ralph makes one final pitch before the midterms for “Winning America.”Joshua Frank is an investigative journalist and the managing editor of the political magazine CounterPunch. He is also an author— his latest book is Atomic Days: The Untold Story of the Most Toxic Place in America.”Everyone would agree that any amount of money should be spent to clean this place up (Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington State), but if it’s lining the pockets of private corporations and the job’s not getting done, then something’s wrong.Joshua Frank, author of Atomic Days: The Untold Story of the Most Toxic Place in AmericaThat’s their answer (to radioactive waste)—tarps. They don’t have an answer. Because it’s a very technical, very laborious process. And, I would argue, takes more ingenuity in figuring out how to clean this up than it did to produce it in the first place.Joshua Frank, author of Atomic Days: The Untold Story of the Most Toxic Place in AmericaSusan Cohen is an immigration attorney and founding Chair of Mintz Levin’s Immigration Practice. She is president of the board of the Political Asylum/Immigration Representation (PAIR) Project, and led a team working with the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts to obtain a temporary restraining order on Trump’s 2017 Travel Ban. She is the author of Journeys From There to Here: Stories of Immigrant Trials, Triumphs and Contributions.The fact that there are so many authoritarian regimes and corrupt regimes that we have had a hand in supporting over the years—where people can’t get justice when they’ve been egregiously harmed, or where the facts are evident and there’s not a question about what happened— is just another indication of the kinds of intolerable life situations that people face in these countries where they truly have to escape for their very lives.Susan Cohen, author of Journeys From There to Here: Stories of Immigrant Trials, Triumphs and ContributionsThe stark choice on November 8th is between a fascist/autocratic party and one that supports a major social safety net for tens of millions of Americans and their children. For anybody who says, “What about third parties?” I say, “Go for it.” But you know what’s going to happen on November 8th— it’s either going to be the Republican or the Democratic candidates for the duopoly. And there's never been a bigger gap in domestic policy— they’re very similar on empire— than at the present time.Ralph Nader Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Nov 5, 20221h 38m

Chris Hedges/Mark Green

Ralph invites back award-winning war correspondent and author, Chris Hedges, to discuss his new book “The Greatest Evil is War” in which he points out that war is not only a racket but - no matter what its causes - a moral obscenity. And Mark Green joins us to elaborate on “Winning America” a compendium of rhetorical strategies and concrete policies Democrats should be running on to win the midterm elections. Plus, we plug Tort Law Education Day!Chris Hedges is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, who spent nearly two decades as a foreign correspondent in Central America, the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans. He is the host of The Chris Hedges Report, and he is a prolific author— his latest book is The Greatest Evil Is War.Unchecked militarism is cancerous to a civilization. And it overreaches in the end. So, as it decays— as we have decayed — it engages in more forms of military adventurism in an attempt to reclaim a lost hegemony and a lost glory and a lost power.Chris Hedges, author of The Greatest Evil Is WarDemocratic administrations are wholly in lockstep with the Republicans on militarism. In some cases, even worse, because they provide more cover… So, we have to hold those who prosecute permanent war— Democrat or Republican— accountable. And I think that by surrendering to a Democratic administration in the idea that it's “the least worst,” we weaken our power and our credibility.Chris Hedges, author of The Greatest Evil Is WarBloodthirsty military action books sell far more than books that challenge the grizzly evil and crimes of war. It's books of aggression, violence, military prowess that gained the bestseller listRalph NaderMark Green is a former Nader’s Raider, who ran Public Citizen’s Congress Watch for ten years and was elected New York City’s first Public Advocate. He’s a prolific author, and has collaborated with Ralph Nader on Fake President: Decoding Trump’s Gaslighting, Corruption, and General B******t, and Wrecking America: How Trump's Lawbreaking and Lies Betray All. He is co-founder, with Ralph Nader of Winning America.To summarize, dangerous extremists are trying to steal our votes and our wallets. [Progressive candidates] have to get in both: “They’re destroying democracy,” and “That economically hurts our families.”Mark Green, co-founder of Winning AmericaTrump’s GOP— they want to be lawmakers to break the law, violate the Constitution and crush our democracy, and put the plutocrats in charge. Behind all these Trumpsters is the corporate state… turning the government against its own people.Ralph Nader Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Oct 29, 20221h 7m

How the Right Wing Captured the Supreme Court

Ralph and Rhode Island Senator, Sheldon Whitehouse, dive into his new book “The Scheme: How the Right Wing Used Dark Money to Capture the Supreme Court.” And Ralph takes the opportunity with the Senator to pitch his "Winning America" strategy for the Democrats to use in the midterms. In addition, our resident constitutional expert, Bruce Fein, stops by to argue that so many of the books about Trump and other American presidents emphasize personality and ignore the constitutional implications of their decisions. Plus, Ralph urges listeners to sign up for Tort Law Day, Saturday October 29th to celebrate our constitutional right to have our day in court.Sheldon Whitehouse represents Rhode Island in the U.S. Senate. He has served as his state’s United States Attorney and as the state Attorney General, as well as its top business regulator. He is the author of Captured: The Corporate Infiltration of American Democracy, and the new book The Scheme: How the Right Wing Used Dark Money to Capture the Supreme Court.We just had a vote on [the DISCLOSE Act] in the Senate, and every single Republican voted against it. They voted— to a person—to protect dark money. Despite not only 80% of Republican voters feeling opposed and hostile to dark money and all this corporate influence, but really angrily opposed to it. These are people that come in with a very high sense of frustration and fury. It's a very salient and even emotional issue, and yet they all voted— to a person— against it. Because, in my view, they've become as dependent on dark money as a deep-sea diver is on an air hose.Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, author of The Scheme: How the Right Wing Used Dark Money to Capture the Supreme CourtImagine blaming Joe Biden for high gas prices when the fossil fuel industry actually sets the gas prices. If they actually let Joe Biden set gas prices when they were high, he could have knocked a dollar per gallon off like that. But of course, you can’t. We’ve got a market economy. But they blame him for it.Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, author of The Scheme: How the Right Wing Used Dark Money to Capture the Supreme CourtBruce Fein is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on international law. Mr. Fein was Associate Deputy Attorney General under Ronald Reagan and he is the author of Constitutional Peril: The Life and Death Struggle for Our Constitution and Democracy, and American Empire: Before the Fall.There's only one oath that all of our members of Congress and the President and the judiciary take— the one oath to hold and support the Constitution of the United States. They don't take an oath to support their political party. They don’t take an oath to get re-elected. They don't take an oath for any other purpose other than to uphold and defend the Constitution.Bruce FeinThe crux of our Republic is process— following process as prescribed in the Constitution, and if you lose, you go back and you make a better argument, or if you think the Constitution is defective, you propose an amendment…that is what makes us different from other countries. And this preoccupation with personalities is leading us off of a cliff very fast.Bruce FeinYour broader point, Bruce, is truly being occluded by people who engage in the public press and Congressional activities. Your broadest point is that we are living in an age of massive serial violations of our Constitution by our elected representatives, and of course, by implication, government officials who are working under these elected representatives in the branches of government. And this breeds a culture of lawlessness all the way down to the corporate crime wave to violations of consumers’ rights, workers’ rights, civil rights, civil liberties.Ralph Nader Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Oct 22, 20221h 1m

Consumer Rights Are Civil Rights

Ralph welcomes Marta Tellado, president and CEO of Consumer Reports and author of “Buyer Aware: Harnessing Our Consumer Power for a Safe, Fair, and Transparent Marketplace.” She and Ralph tackle many consumer related issues including how consumer rights are also civil rights. And previous guest Professor Michael Hudson rejoins us to forcefully rebut a listener comment about his view of the Federal Reserve, quantitative easing, and who runs the US Treasury. Plus, Ralph has some choice words about how we should be thinking about immigration.Marta Tellado is president and CEO of Consumer Reports, an independent nonprofit that works side-by-side with consumers to create a fair and just marketplace. She is the author of Buyer Aware: Harnessing Our Consumer Power for a Safe, Fair, and Transparent Marketplace.I believe that democratic freedoms can coexist and thrive with economic equity. And I wrote the book in part to tell a larger story about how our democracy can only thrive if we really have a marketplace that has opportunity that is fair and just across all populations. And so, it really is a way of engaging a broader audience in this idea that a fair marketplace is absolutely essential to a fair democracy. Economic freedom is a civil right.Marta Tellado, author of Buyer Aware: Harnessing Our Consumer Power for a Safe, Fair, and Transparent MarketplaceWith each individual [consumer] action, we really talk about some of the big changes we need to see in the marketplace. Particularly now, with the domination, lack of competition, and the concentration of the power that we have. How do we, as a collective force, drive a marketplace that is safer by design? That is private by design? That doesn't put all the burden on consumers?Marta Tellado, author of Buyer Aware: Harnessing Our Consumer Power for a Safe, Fair, and Transparent Marketplace[On harnessing consumer spending] All this money that Apple and Amazon make— all the money they use to lobby, all the money they use to propagandize— it all starts with consumer dollars that are given to them in return for services.Ralph NaderMichael Hudson is President of The Institute for the Study of Long-Term Economic Trends, a Wall Street Financial Analyst, and Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. He is the author of Super-Imperialism: The Economic Strategy of American Empire, …and forgive them their debts – Lending, Foreclosure and Redemption from Bronze Age Finance to the Jubilee Year, and Finance Capitalism and its Discontents.When you realize that the purpose of quantitative easing was to raise real estate and stock market prices, why would they do it, if not to rescue the banks? It didn’t make the economy healthier. It raised the cost of living. It added to the debt deflation… So, by re-inflating the financial markets, this created a whole new business for banks— lending credit.Michael Hudson Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Oct 15, 20221h 8m

Who’s Raising The Kids?

Ralph does a deep dive into the commercialization of childhood with Dr. Susan Linn, psychologist, and author of “Who’s Raising the Kids? Big Tech, Big Business, and the Lives of Children.” Plus, Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, fills us in on their campaign to end the tenure of Louis DeJoy, the Trump-appointed Post Master, who is trying to dismantle the US Postal Service.Dr. Susan Linn is an author, psychologist, and award-winning ventriloquist. She was the Founding Director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (now known as Fairplay), and she is a world-renowned expert on creative play and the impact of media and commercial marketing on children. Her latest book is Who’s Raising The Kids? Big Tech, Big Business and the Lives of Children.The combination of this incredibly compelling and sophisticated and seductive technology and unregulated capitalism is already terrible for children— and it’s going to get even more terrible. And one of the things that I think it’s important for people to remember is that commercialism, or advertising and marketing— which is what all these devices we love so much were basically made for— that it doesn’t just sell products. It sells values and behaviors. And the values of commercial culture— “me first”, materialism, image is more important than anything else—those values are so harmful to society.Dr. Susan LinnIt’s enraging — at a time when books are being banned, teachers and librarians are being silenced and can’t talk to kids about important things— that the tech companies are pretty much unregulated and can say basically anything they want to children.Dr. Susan LinnEvery major religion in the world, thousands of years ago, warned their adherents not to give too much power to the merchant class. Because the commercial motive is relentless and all-encompassing. It will destroy or co-opt other civic values that are far more important for society to sustain.Ralph NaderRobert Weissman is a staunch public interest advocate and activist, as well as an expert on a wide variety of issues ranging from corporate accountability and government transparency, to trade and globalization, to economic and regulatory policy. As the President of Public Citizen, Weissman has spearheaded the effort to loosen the chokehold corporations and the wealthy have over our democracy.You can’t cut [the USPS] down to save it, you have to expand it and make it more robust. Its significance in American history and its future depends on it being a network that connects all of us and does so efficiently. So, the more you reduce it, the less chance it has to be relevant to the lives of Americans.Robert WeissmanSupport for the government and federal agencies is stronger than people realize, among the public. Most of the public supports most of what the federal government does— at least when they do it well. But support for the Postal Service is through the roof. And it’s in significant part, because it may be that a lot of the “elite opinion makers” themselves don’t personally rely on as much on the postal service and the post offices around the country as regular people do.Robert WeissmanDeJoy is playing the Republican game: You undermine public services as the reason to argue for corporatizing them.Ralph Nader Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Oct 8, 20221h 5m

Medicare Advantage is a Scam!

Do not sign-up for Medicare Advantage! We don’t care what Joe Namath tells you. That’s the message of healthcare expert, Kip Sullivan, who returns to remind us why Medicare Advantage is simply a further for-profit corporate takeover of Medicare. Plus, we rifle through the mailbag where Ralph answers your questions and comments on your feedback about past programs.Kip Sullivan is a Health Care Advisor with Health Care for All Minnesota, and has written several hundred articles on health policy. He is an active member of Physicians for a National Health Program, which advocates for universal, comprehensive single-payer national health insurance.With the original Medicare you know what you’re buying. The two parts of this scam that we’re talking about is United Healthcare puts out this brochure making it sound like because they’re so efficient that they can offer these extra services. It’s not true. They’re overpaid. We’re wasting money on them. And the other piece of the scam is when you get sick you may very well not get the coverage that is described in the policy.Kip SullivanYou can’t overstate the enthusiasm with which the Biden administration is promoting the takeover of Medicare by both Medicare Advantage plans and this new breed of parasite called the Accountable Care Organization, or ACO.Kip SullivanThere are multiple reasons to oppose the takeover of Medicare by these corporations. But the Democrats ought to be thinking about their own political future and looking ahead to this so-called crisis in 2028.Kip SullivanWe’re underinvesting in the consequences of global warming— the climate disruption, droughts, gigantic wildfires, floods, surges from the sea, hurricanes. But we’re overinvesting in blowing up countries overseas that do not threaten us… This is a sign of the collective insanity of the corporate state.Ralph NaderThis article by Diane Archer would be very useful for any listeners just turning 65 and trying to figure out whether to enroll in MA or stay in traditional Medicare:Four things to think about when choosing a plan to fill gaps in Medicare, a “Medigap” or Medicare supplemental insurance plan Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Oct 3, 20221h 1m

Servants of the Damned

“Everyone is entitled to a defense” contend large law firms when they represent notorious corporate clients, but many of these firms push the ethical envelope. That’s the crux of the discussion Ralph has with David Enrich as outlined in his book, “Servants of the Damned: Giant Law Firms, Donald Trump, and the Corruption of Justice.” Plus, we welcome Dr. Michael Jacobson, founder, and former director of Science in the Public Interest to tell us how we need to raise taxes on Science in the Public Interest to reduce alcohol-related deaths and mayhem.David Enrich is the Business Investigations Editor at the New York Times, and the bestselling author of Dark Towers: Deutsche Bank, Donald Trump, and an Epic Trail of Destruction. His latest book is Servants of the Damned: Giant Law Firms, Donald Trump, and the Corruption of Justice.There’s a lot of lip service that the leaders of the legal industry pay to being good corporate citizens and being public-spirited officers of the court. And you often scratch a little bit beneath the surface of these giant law firms, and you realize that is just not true.David Enrich, author of Servants of the Damned: Giant Law Firms, Donald Trump, and the Corruption of JusticeIt was very clear to me the vast power that these law firms were wielding, not only defending their clients in and out of court, but also shaping the public’s perception of how these fights were transpiring— in large part through the media. It’s more or less taboo— in the mainstream media in particular— to really pull back the curtain on the way that those law firms are operatingDavid Enrich, author of Servants of the Damned: Giant Law Firms, Donald Trump, and the Corruption of Justice[Jones Day] is not a monolith, and it’s not a place that I regard as evil. But it’s really a classic example of a place where even well-intentioned lawyers go, and—to make a living or to repay their debts or whatever—and they sometimes end up really pushing the envelope.David Enrich, author of Servants of the Damned: Giant Law Firms, Donald Trump, and the Corruption of JusticeWhen they say “we believe in the position of the clients we represent…” it really isn’t true. They don’t believe in all the positions of their clients. And when you nail them on that issue, they say “Well, we’re required by the professional code of ethics of our profession to zealously represent these clients. It’s not up to us to expose their Achilles heel— that’s what the adversarial system is for.”Ralph NaderMichael Jacobson holds a PhD. in microbiology from MIT. He is well-known for his nutrition advocacy that helped eliminate artificial trans-fat from the food supply, expose the enormous calorie counts of movie theater popcorn and many restaurant foods and make Nutrition Facts mandatory on food packages. Dr. Jacobson is the author of Salt Wars: The Battle Over the Biggest Killer in the American Diet.There’s no doubt that raising alcohol taxes would raise the price of alcoholic beverages, and consumption would decline. For any kind of imaginable tax increase, alcohol problems and deaths would not go to zero. But there would be a significant decline in proportion to the increase in tax rates.Dr. Michael Jacobson Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Oct 3, 20221h 19m

The Federal Reserve and Debt

Ralph does a deep dive into the real purpose of the Federal Reserve and other aspects of the American economy with progressive economist, Michael Hudson. Plus, our resident constitutional scholar, Bruce Fein, joins us to talk about the elected official from New Mexico, who got removed from office because of his role in the Jan. 6th insurrection and what that possibly could mean for Donald’s Trump eligibility for office. And he also discusses a letter from retired Secretaries of Defense and Joint Chiefs about military leaders rejecting illegal presidential orders.Michael Hudson is President of The Institute for the Study of Long-Term Economic Trends, a Wall Street Financial Analyst, and Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. He is the author of Super-Imperialism: The Economic Strategy of American Empire, …and forgive them their debts – Lending, Foreclosure and Redemption from Bronze Age Finance to the Jubilee Year, and Finance Capitalism and its Discontents.The Federal Reserve was created to stop social purpose spending by the government, by essentially cutting the Treasury out of the monetary management process. And that’s true, not only of the Federal Reserve in America, but of central banks all over the world.Michael HudsonThe economy has never really recovered from Obama’s bailout of the banks in 2008. And government and the Federal Reserve have been keeping the financial markets afloat by quantitative easing, but they really haven’t helped the population at large.Michael HudsonIf money should be a public utility, just like the dollar bills in your pocket, the credit cards and the electronic payments should be a public utility. But instead, it’s privatized. It’s turned into a monopoly, and it’s a source of monopoly rents for the banks that really is unnecessary.Michael HudsonThe important thing about gambling is the casino always wins, and the second important thing is that there’s always a loser for every winner. And if you’re gambling on the stock market or on derivatives, the insiders— especially the crooks— always end up the winners. And the honest people… end up the losers.Michael HudsonThe drive is to get people not to use cash, check, or money order, and to do everything by credit card, debit card, and other multiplying payment systems. It impresses me as being a major controlling process. Once they suck you into the credit card gulag, they can penalize you, overcharge you, ruin your credit score… In effect, they strip you of control over your own money.Ralph NaderBruce Fein is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on international law. Mr. Fein was Associate Deputy Attorney General under Ronald Reagan and he is the author of Constitutional Peril: The Life and Death Struggle for Our Constitution and Democracy, and American Empire: Before the Fall.[The decision to disqualify Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin from holding office] demonstrates that when [Trump], if he does try to run for the presidency in 2024, that he will confront a hurdle of having provided material assistance to the insurrection of January 6th— irrespective of whether he’s committed a crime or not.Bruce Fein Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Oct 3, 20221h 2m

The Crack Up of the Republican Party

Ralph welcomes Washington Post columnist, Dana Milbank, who draws a direct line from Newt Gingrich’s ascendency to Speaker of the House in 1994 to the January 6th insurrection in his book “The Destructionists: The Twenty-Five Year Crack-Up of the Republican Party.” Plus, a new Capitol Hill Citizen is out! Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Sep 10, 20221h 5m

Slaughtering Corporate Hogs

Ralph interviews North Carolina attorney, Mona Lisa Wallace, whose litigation team won more than $500 million in damages for the facility’s North Carolina neighbors against the hog production component of Smithfield Foods along with author Corban Addison who chronicled the gripping John Grisham-like tale in his book: “Wastelands: The True Story Of Farm Country On Trial.” Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Sep 3, 20221h 14m

Some Justice for Sandy Hook

In a live Zoom recording, Ralph welcomes attorney Josh Koskoff, who tells us how he won a groundbreaking 73 million dollars from Remington and other gun manufacturers on behalf of the families of the Sandy Hook mass school shooting. Ralph and Josh lay out the story then Josh takes questions from our virtual audience. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Aug 27, 20221h 3m

Recession or Recovery?

In a packed program, Ralph first speaks to our resident constitutional scholar, Bruce Fein, about the latest Trump-anigans from Mar a Lago, then Washington Post business reporter, Allan Sloan, joins to talk about the Federal Reserve and answers the question of whether we are headed for an economic recession or a recovery. And finally, Steve Silberstein of National Popular Vote comes by to update us on their latest efforts to ensure that the candidate for president who wins the popular vote actually wins the election. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Aug 20, 20221h 13m

Self-Driving Tesla: “It Will Try To Kill You”

Software hacking expert, Dan O’Dowd, founder of “The Dawn Project” joins us to critique Tesla’s Fully Self-Driving cars where they found they made a critical error every eight minutes. Then Ralph welcomes Steve Hutkins, the founder and editor of “Save the Post Office,” to ask why Trump’s Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, still has a job. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Aug 13, 20221h 10m

Drug Lords of America

Ralph welcomes Washington Post investigative reporters, Sari Horowitz and Scott Higham, authors of “American Cartel: Inside the Battle to Bring Down the Opioid Industry,” that tells the thrilling David versus Goliath story that goes beyond the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma to expose the many other corporate criminals who aided and abetted the crisis and chronicles the heroes who fought to bring them to justice. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Aug 6, 202257 min

Investigating Trump

We welcome back our resident Constitutional scholar, Bruce Fein, who gives us his take on the January 6th hearings, how they compare to the Watergate, and Iran Contra, why the Democrats seem to be holding back, and what the Department of Justice needs to do to live up to its name with regard to the crimes of Donald Trump. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jul 30, 20221h 1m

The Man Who Broke Capitalism

That man is the late and lionized CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch, whose relentless pursuit of quarterly earnings and shareholder value at the exclusion of everything else influenced generations of CEOs and his approach could be the single biggest reason the U.S. finds itself in the precarious economic and political state it is. Ralph speaks with New York Times columnist, David Gelles, who wrote the book on Welch, “The Man Who Broke Capitalism: How Jack Welch Gutted the Heartland and Crushed the Soul of Corporate America — and How to Undo His Legacy.” Plus, Ralph rails against the proposed congressional handout to the microchip industry and the Senate oversight committee’s lack of oversight of the Pentagon budget. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jul 23, 20221h 12m

What If The Fed Bought Out The Oil Industry?

Progressive economist, Robert Pollin, gives us his take on the causes and remedies of the current inflationary spiral, and what both the Fed and the Biden Administration can do about it. Then, Ralph welcomes back, Greg LeRoy, from Good Jobs First, the organization that tracks corporate handouts, to update us on taxpayer giveaways to the EV industry, billionaire sports franchise owners, and how the recent abortion bans may hurt those state’s economies. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jul 16, 20221h 16m

Trump Still Dangerous

We welcome back Dr. Bandy X. Lee, editor of “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President,” to update us on her latest thinking about Trump’s hold on his followers and the conflicts within her own profession over their duty to warn. Plus, Ralph and Steve discuss the January 6th hearings. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jul 9, 202257 min

Vaccine Apartheid/The Voice of Corporate Crime

Ralph welcomes Peter Maybarduk director of Public Citizen’s Access to Medicines program to explain how taxpayer supported research on Covid vaccines has been given over to Big Pharma, who are creating worldwide vaccine apartheid, and Rick Claypool, also of Public Citizen, on the US Chamber of Commerce’s tantrum over government agency efforts to crack down on their members’ criminal activity. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jul 2, 20221h 19m

Trump’s Inside Job

In the midst of finding out how Donald Trump tried to dismantle democracy with the Big Lie, Ralph welcomes Professor Thomas McGarity, who has chronicled how Trump, as president, tried to demolish government from the inside in his book “Demolition Agenda: How Trump Tried to Dismantle American Government, and What Biden Needs to Do to Save It.” Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jun 25, 20221h 2m

The News That Didn’t Make The News

Ralph welcomes back Project Censored’s Micky Huff, to give us the rundown on the latest under-reported news stories of the year and gives us his advice on how to consume a more nutritious diet of news. Plus, Ralph expounds upon a unique idea to promote more civic engagement: The Birth Year Legacy. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jun 18, 20221h 12m

Jesus Was A Progressive

Ralph welcomes Reverend Jim Wallis, the Leader of the Center on Faith and Justice at Georgetown University, who calls out Republicans on gun safety and identifies white churches as a threat to democracy. Plus, our resident constitutional scholar, Bruce Fein, speculates on why Trump and Pence have not been subpoenaed to appear before the January 6th committee. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jun 11, 20221h 13m

Bill McKibben

Ralph discusses with environmental champion, Bill McKibben, how to take the fight for the climate to “the next level of intensity,” plus his new book, “The Flag, The Cross, And The Station Wagon: A Graying American Looks Back at His Suburban Boyhood and Wonders What the Hell Happened.” Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jun 4, 202257 min

Covid Update/Student Activists

Infectious disease expert, Dr. Michael Osterholm, joins Ralph to update us on the very latest in Covid-related transmission rates, hospitalizations, boosters, therapeutics, testing, masks and more. Then, we welcome Dan Xie, the Political Director at Student PIRGs (Public Interest Research Groups) to tell us about all the great work her young charges are doing on climate issues, the unhoused, student hunger, affordable textbooks and more. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

May 28, 20221h 22m

What’s Really Driving Inflation/War Without Death?

Ralph is joined by Lindsay Owens, executive director of the progressive economics think tank, the Groundwork Collaborative, who listened in on the earnings calls for some major corporations to hear management brag about using the current inflationary climate as cover for “plain old corporate profiteering.” And anthropologist, Roberto J. Gonzales, explains in his book “War Virtually" how the latest generation of autonomous weapons, robots, and drones are creating the illusion of war without risk and have the potential to boomerang back at us. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

May 21, 20221h 28m

The Spoils of War

Ralph welcomes back crack investigative journalist, Andrew Cockburn, who in his latest book “The Spoils of War” outlines how the U.S. military budget has never been about “defense” but about profit. The military-industrial- congressional-media complex profits. We pay. Plus, Ralph answers a listener question. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

May 14, 20221h 3m

Ethical Markets w Hazel Henderson

Ralph spends the entire hour with the indefatigable, Hazel Henderson, the founder of the group, Ethical Markets, whose mission is to advocate for ways to measure prosperity and promoting economic models that emphasize not cut-throat competition and fear of scarcity but are based on principals of cooperation and sharing in our abundance. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

May 7, 20221h 7m

Universal Civic Duty Voting

Political journalist and author, E. J. Dionne, joins us to argue that voting - like jury duty - is a civic duty and should be mandatory in the United States like it is in Australia and as outlined in the new book he co-authored entitled “100% Democracy.” And peace advocate, Colman McCarthy, drops in to pitch his bold idea of how to make peace between Russia and Ukraine. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Apr 30, 20221h 1m

Fast Fashion!

Notorious fashionista, Ralph Nader, discusses the effects of “fast fashion” on the environment, the workers, and the consumers with British Vogue editor, Dana Thomas, author of “Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes,” and “Fashionopolis Young Readers Edition: The Secrets Behind the Clothes We Wear.” Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Apr 23, 202259 min

Chris Hedges on Ukraine, the Press & Much More!

Ralph welcomes back prolific Pulitzer Prize winning author and esteemed public intellectual, Chris Hedges, to get his thoughts on the hypocrisy of war, corporate control of the press, Julian Assange, unions, grass roots activism, Christian fascists, and his work teaching in prisons. Plus, Ralph comments on the proposed Amazon internal app and the threat to Senate cafeteria workers. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Apr 16, 202257 min

Vampire Diaries

Ralph speaks to two authors who have written books about how disease has shaped history, first journalist Vidya Krishnan, author of “Phantom Plague: How Tuberculosis Shaped History,” which features Dracula and Bill Gates, and then John Nichols, author of “Coronavirus Criminals and Pandemic Profiteers: Accountability for Those Who Caused the Crisis?” including Jeff Bezos, Donald Trump and Pfizer. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Apr 9, 20221h 17m

There Are No Accidents

In a live Zoom recording of the Radio Hour, Jesse Singer, author of “There Are No Accidents: The Deadly Rise of Injury and Disaster—Who Profits and Who Pays the Price” joins us to discuss why the record breaking “accidental” death toll in the United States is not really an accident but predictable and preventable. Plus, Ralph and Jesse answer live listener questions. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Apr 2, 20221h 17m

Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine?

Ralph welcomes nuclear weapons expert, MIT professor Theodore Postol, to give us his insights into the possibility and the ultimate consequences of Vladimir Putin employing “tactical” nuclear weapons in the Russian conflict with Ukraine. And our resident constitutional scholar, Bruce Fein, weighs in on the hearing for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. Plus, Ralph answers your questions about the latest Boeing crash and money in politics. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Mar 26, 20221h 9m

All About Voting

Ralph invites his old friend, “The Black Eagle” activist and radio host Joe Madison, to discuss the hunger strike he endured to advocate for the recent voting rights bill and what the Democrats need to do to finally get the job done. Then, Richard Winger, publisher of “Ballot Access News” updates us on the fight to break the stranglehold the two major parties have on our elections by restricting access to a candidate’s ability to get on a ballot. Plus, Ralph answers a listener question. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Mar 19, 20221h 18m

Still Unsafe At Any Altitude

Boeing whistleblower, Ed Pierson, joins us to talk about the report he wrote entitled “Boeing 737 MAX – How Is It Really Going?” that paints a troubling picture of current problems with the notorious plane that includes reports of 43 malfunctions and onboard failures and six flights where U.S. pilots declared emergencies. Plus, constitutional scholar, Bruce Fein, stops by to talk about how the NATO Treaty should not override the US Constitution, the misuse of the “state secrets” law, and an ongoing U.S. war crime from the Vietnam era. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Mar 12, 20221h 12m

Woke Racism/Ethnic Atlas

Ralph welcomes professor John McWhorter, linguist and author of “Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America” and also Father Al Fritch to talk about his long project mapping and celebrating the various ethnic groups that make up the United States. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Mar 5, 20221h 14m

How To Take Back Your Power!

Ralph welcomes consumer advocates, Laura Antonini and Harvey Rosenfield, whose latest report is entitled “Reboot Required” about how in the past fifty years the civil justice system in America has fundamentally been weighted toward corporations and how ordinary people can start taking back that power. Plus, Ralph answers a listener question on the Ukraine crisis, and we pay tribute to two progressive champions, Paul Farmer and Joe Tom Easley. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Feb 26, 202257 min

Twenty Dollars and Change

Ralph welcomes retired Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson to discuss the ongoing dispute over Ukraine. Plus, Professor Clarence Lusane joins the program to enlighten us about the legacy of Harriett Tubman and the campaign to replace Andrew Jackson with her image on our most common paper currency, the twenty-dollar bill. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Feb 19, 20221h 11m

Ukraine Crisis/Nuclear Boondoggle

Ralph welcomes the editorial director and publisher of the Nation magazine, Katrina vanden Heuvel, to offer her expert insight into ways the U.S. can peacefully resolve our conflict with Russia over Ukraine. Plus, former Nuclear Regulatory Commissioner, Peter Bradford, updates us on the latest rise from the dead of that dangerous zombie technology known as nuclear power. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Feb 12, 20221h 11m

Don’t Toss It! Fix It!

Ralph and the boys have a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation with Peter Mui, founder of the Fixit Clinic, a worldwide organization that holds "pop up" events where experts teach you how to repair your consumer goods, which not only keeps them out of the landfill but is also a community-based activity that conveys critical thinking skills. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Feb 5, 20221h 2m

Corporatism Is The Problem

Ralph welcomes Donald Cohen, the founder and executive director of “In the Public Interest” and co-author of the book “The Privatization of Everything” to discuss the many different ways corporatism has corrupted so many of our public goods. Also, constitutional scholar, Bruce Fein, joins us to give us his take on the constitutional ramifications of U.S. involvement in the conflict between Russian and Ukraine. Plus, we wish a happy hundredth birthday to legendary journalist, Morton Mintz and say a heartfelt goodbye to the innovative law professor, who created programs to provide legal representation to low-income Americans and devised the concept of Time Banking, Edgar Cahn. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jan 29, 20221h 14m

Apple’s Hollow $3T Valuation

Ralph welcomes econ professor William Lazonick, to let us know how Apple reached its record 3 trillion-dollar valuation and how what they and other large corporations are doing to enrich themselves is killing the middle class. Plus, Ralph answers more of your questions. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jan 22, 20221h 3m

The Corporate Assault on Medicare

In our ongoing campaign against the corporate assault on America’s healthcare system, Ralph welcomes Kip Sullivan of “Healthcare for All Minnesota” to talk about what he terms “the creeping privatization of Medicare,” and tells us the story of how that ongoing corporatization is based on one particularly destructive yet durable myth. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jan 15, 20221h 4m

Beating the Healthcare System

Ralph welcomes investigative journalist, Marshall Allen, author of “Never Pay the First Bill: And Other Ways to Fight the Health Care System and Win,” your "guerrilla" guidebook full of practical ways to keep your costs lower and your satisfaction higher. Plus, Ralph updates the Congress Club. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jan 8, 20221h 5m

Play Democracy!

David and Steve spend the hour reviewing the past year with Ralph and discussing what needs to be done for a better 2022. Topics include a potential military threat to democracy, Joe Manchin, plutocracy, Boeing, and Big Pharma. Plus, Ralph answers more of your questions not covered in our live Zoom from two weeks ago. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jan 1, 20221h 33m

Inspiring Activists!

Ralph welcomes two “doers” to the program, first Devin De Wulf, to tell us about how he and his group of community activists are protecting the food supply in his hometown of New Orleans by outfitting restaurants with solar panels that withstand power outages in a hurricane. Then Nathan Proctor of US PIRG tells us about his organization’s latest victory that gives consumers the Right to Repair their electronics, saving on money, toxic waste, and greenhouse gas emissions. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Dec 25, 20211h 1m

Power to the People!

In a special webinar version of the program, Ralph discusses with our guest, Richard Panchyk, author of “Power to the People!: A Young People’s Guide to Fighting for Our Rights as Citizens and Consumers” how one person can make a difference and how only percent of any given group can make important change. And they answer questions from our virtual audience! Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Dec 18, 20211h 4m

Boeing: Murder Incorporated

Ralph welcomes investigative journalist for Bloomberg, Peter Robison, to do a deep dive into his new book, “Flying Blind: The 737 MAX Tragedy And The Fall Of Boeing” and poses the question, “Did Boeing get away with murder?” Plus, Ralph answers more listener questions. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Dec 11, 20211h 1m

Did The Sacklers Get Away With It?

Author and addiction advocate, Ryan Hampton, joins us to talk about his experience trying to hold Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family accountable for the horrific opioid plague they helped set in motion as outlined in his book, “Unsettled, How the Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Failed the Victims of the American Overdose Crisis.” Plus, Ralph answers a listener question about Medicare (Dis)Advantage. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Dec 4, 20211h 2m

Overcoming Corporate Rule: A Success Story

This week Maui resident, Paul Deslauriers, joins us to update us on how he and his merry band of activists were able to transform their local county government from “corporate rule” to “rule by the people” and how this template for change can be used nationwide. Plus, we parody the corporate sponsorship of baseball games. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Nov 27, 20211h 2m