The Hartmann Report

Prof. Gar Alperovitz is one of the great minds of our time- He is Co-Founder of the Democracy Collaborative, longtime activist, author, and public intellectual. He says it's time for us to create the next generation political-economic system. What form might that take, and what can we ourselves do right now to make it happen?Also, Thom welcomes Kenny Ausubel, journalist/filmmaker/author to discuss the Bioneers- this year an online conference that hopes to keep us from driving off a cliff both environmentally and civilizationally. What are the problems and solutions in front of us? And Dr. Mark Plotkin, author and co-Founder & President-the Amazon Conservation Team is on the show- how are the massive fires in the Amazon connected with massive fires in the United States? Should we be listening to indigenous peoples?And Cole Stangler, Paris-based journalist covering labor & politics joins the show to bring us news of the citizen's movement taking the streets in France right now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The vice president is according to the Constitution also the president of the Senate, and can do more than just break a tie. Can the Democrats take the Senate with a bold but justified move from Kamala Harris? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fascists and oligarchs within the Republican Party are already beginning preparations to steal the 2024 presidential election. Trump, it turns out, was just a dry run for them. Fascists often seem, in the beginning, like nice guys who just want to change the world for the better. They just think that things need to be more orderly and tidy, and that a small number of very smart, very wealthy people need to be in charge to ensure social and political stability. And it always ends the same way: in tragedy.Dr. Trita Parsi joins Thom to analyze Trump's moves in the middle east. Will he still get his war with Iran? And Progressive leader Ro Khanna answers listener calls- how can the Democrats organize to effectively counter Republican fascism?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Progressive Wisconsin Representative Mark Pocan joins Thom to discuss with callers the political strategies available contingent on the Georgia Senate runoff races and the political futures they predict. Will Kamala Harris be the first Vice-President in many decades to assume her Constitutional position of President of the Senate and overrule Mitch McConnell's perpetual obstruction?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Howard Polskin is helping the world understand the propaganda coming from the right wing with his online newsletter TheRighting.com, which summarizes right-wing headlines. How does the billionaire-funded infrastructure, from Fox News to AM hate radio to extremists online exploit resentments in our country to promote their billionaire agenda? What is that message, and why does it appeal to certain segments of our population? How can Progressives get their message out as effectively?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Economist Richard Wolff joins Thom on the state of the economy and the likely impact of the ongoing Covid crisis. Bernie Sanders is calling for America's corporations to get off welfare by paying a living wage rather than relying on the government to feed and house many of their employees- is America capable of taking care of our own?Plus - defining what socialism really is...the history of the right-wing crackpots who took over the Republican Party- how far have they dismantled our government? Are Trump and his followers- from the White House to the Fed- salting the fields and poisoning the wells before Joe Biden can become president?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

QANON, once just yet another internet conspiracy story has morphed into a dangerous cult- even with believers inside Congress. How in the world did this happen, and where may it be heading? Dr. Jack Bratich is Associate Professor at the Dept. of Journalism & Media Studies, School of Communication & Information Rutgers University.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trump is going, but why did he arise in the first place? What do Democrats need to learn from him? And how can we make a democracy that works for everyone? Indivisible's Megan Hatcher-Mays joins Thom on how Democrats need to represent Progressive positions which most Americans already agree with, and not allow Republican propaganda to dominate the conversation.Plus - this is what happens when you elect a grifter and a mob boss president.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Conservative Republicans have done so much damage to this country over the past 40 years of neoliberal Reaganism. Step one is winning Georgia, and step two is pushing the new Biden administration to restore America with bold actions like the New Deal and the Great Society. As the monster leaves, the real work begins. The election was important, but restoring the American working class and rebuilding our nation over the objections of greedy billionaires and their Republican lapdogs will be the biggest challenge of this generation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The GOP is no longer a legitimate political party: it’s a cult. It’s becoming increasingly clear to Americans that the Republican Party only stands for one thing: the privilege and power of wealthy white men. Over the last 40 years they have devised increasingly byzantine rules to prevent low income whites and people of color from voting and are now trying to outright throw out ballots in Detroit, Philadelphia and Atlanta. They’ve worked for decades, at both the state and federal level, to make it harder for women to get access to birth control, women’s health services, and abortion. When the coronavirus hit, most developed countries made direct payments to unemployed workers; Republicans only tolerated that here for a few months, and the price was trillions, which continue to flow, to fat cats and big corporations.Now, to hang on to enough suckers to keep them in power, the GOP has resorted to embracing Nazis, religious fanatics and conspiracy theorists.Investigative Reporter Greg Palast joins Thom- is Georgia trying to stop anyone who doesn't own a car from registering to vote?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What do all of the lawsuits and court claims by Donald Trump show about the man? A bully for the most part. Will Trump commit treason to make himself dictator or will we have a return to democracy by inauguration day?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Media and social media have separated Americans by our politics, and now many liberal and progressives are unaware of just how far right wing media is taking things. Howard Polskin founder of The Righting wants you to be aware of what the right wing is saying, and why people on the far right act how they do! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Republican party has abandoned the responsibility to take care of the American people in the face of the pandemic and economic crisis. How can we best stand up to their insanity? Are we already in a hostile transition or could Trump just maybe pull off becoming a dictator? If not, what is he really trying to do?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Fed has created money to prop up Wall Street. Congress appropriates money from the Treasury to help working class Americans. What's the difference between these two types of money and why won't the Fed intervene to help anybody other than banks and publicly traded companies? Professor Richard Wolff joins Thom to hash it out.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Does the idea of freedom pushed by the billionaires and their propaganda mean anything if you can't afford health care and a quality education? While the rich keep themselves safe, why are they really pushing everyone else to go out and risk their lives? Can we escape debt peonage and build a society that really benefits us all? Meanwhile billionaire freedom is literally killing hundreds of thousands of people.Also, Marissa Lee, of Nation Nurses United shares her front-line view on the consequences of people being unable to access health care. And nurse Teresa Brown noticed Biden hasn't yet put any nurses on his Covid task force. What is she doing to change that?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

America is figuring out that Donald Trump has spent his entire life as a criminal and a grifter. Some even suggest that the modern Republican Party has been reshaped in his image. But the simple truth is that, since the 1980s and the Reagan Revolution, the Republican Party has been one long racist grift that only serves the rich and the very rich.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is Trump a modern day Herbert Hoover, doing nothing in the face of a crisis? Or was his attention focused on rigging the election by kneecapping the Post Office? Will Donald Trump be able to hang on to his fan club when he's no longer president, or will the Covid disaster be his legacy?Plus- dealing with people who don't believe Covid is real who catch Covid.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now that Trump has lost his bid for the presidency, Americans are looking at how to come together. However social media, particularly Facebook, could be a stumbling block in our way. The algorithms used to make the website so addicting, also have the effect of group polarization, could social media divide America further? Is your news feed filled with people who agree with you? People who share the same opinions? Do you get into heated debates online? Is Facebook setting us up for more division even after we get Trump out - and how can we stop it? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How much damage will Trump do in his remaining weeks in office? What is he planning and why are so many top government officials visiting Israel, Saudi, and UAE right now? Author and activist Trita Parsi joins Thom- how is Trump trying to make it difficult for Biden to rejoin the Iran-nuclear deal and keep the bomb out of Iran?In the battle between autocracy and democracy around the world, can we once again become a positive example by healing America? Plus- clawing back America from the right-wing billionaires and corporations... would Trump steal Air Force One?.. And why do we have such a long transition of power in the first place? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Progressive leaders Ro Khanna and Mark Pocan share their views in a weekly national town hall meeting with Thom and his callers. Will we get Progressive representation in Biden's cabinet? How can Democrats stand up powerfully to McConnell's bullying in the Senate? But before we get there- what are the chances of a successful Trump coup, and what are Democrats doing to avert it?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Founders greatest fear, when it came to the president, was that a man would be installed in the office who was in debt to, or loyal to a foreign government. It’s why they put the Foreign Emoluments ban in the Constitution. Now, Trump is about to leave office with debts exceeding $1 billion, over $400 million of them personally guaranteed. So, what does he have or know that a foreign government might be willing to pay him $1 billion for?Clinical Professor, Dr. Justin A. Frank, MD joins the program as Thom asks if the GOP will embrace or throw out the Trump cultists?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Should we accept Trump-Humpers into polite society? How many of Trump's voters are racist, and how should we be treating them? Is there any valid reason to have voted for Trump- or is there no redemption for those who are still working to dismantle our democracy?Is it even possible to reach the people who have been manipulated by the right wing media's fake sense of shared grievance?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Either he is dragging this out so he can raise money to line his own pockets, or he is coordinating with the billionaire donors who largely own a number of Republican state legislatures to steal the election. Or both. Trump has strong reasons to push both: he is hundreds of millions of dollars in debt, and the day he leaves the presidency several states will probably begin prosecuting him for numerous crimes ranging from bank fraud to tax evasion to rape. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trump's hiding out scarfing hamburgers, but what's with his announcement to continue fundraising and holding rallies? Once Trump's crimes catch up to him, will his lawyers keep him out of jail? Or is he a flight risk?Also, Thom and his callers express their relief and joy at dodging Trump's fascist bullet! But how much damage could Donald still do in the next two months?Thom reads from "All Politics Is Local: Why Progressives Must Fight for the States" by Meaghan Winter.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It was just 20 years ago that the IPCC- the intergovernmental climate change group- rolled out the concept of global weather tipping points. And a few years ago they warned we had about 10 years left to drastically reduce emissions. As natural disasters become more frequent, are we approaching that tipping point now? Dr. Ben Strauss joins Thom- he's been studying accurate new information from NASA on the ground height along the coast around the world- it turns out many more areas are at risk from sea level rise than we thought. Can we change to a green economy to save our cities?Plus Thom reads from 'On Fire: The Burning Case for the Green New Deal' by Naomi Klein'.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After voters in California chose to exempt Uber and Lyft drivers from hard-won worker protections, Dr Richard Wolff wonders whether a Biden administration will champion the working person, or support the wealthy who the Democratic party still go to for money. Can Joe Biden overcome this contradiction? If the Democrats had spent a billion campaign dollars promoting the Green New Deal and expanding Medicare, would have this election have been a blowout? Does it still work to be a milk-toast Democrat? And what media should Democrats be spending their money on?Did the horror show of the last four years show us all who the Republicans really are, or will Democrats have to learn how to get their message across? Plus- the religious broadcaster who just died of Covid after endorsing the so-called herd immunity policy of Donald Trump. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr Justin Frank, author and psychologist analyzes Donald Trump's behavior- is it his deep-seated hatred of reality that makes it impossible for Trump to take responsibility? Is this why he always blames other people?Plus.. who made 300 million robo calls on election day warning people to stay home and not vote?.. Also, Thom reviews what brought us up to this point and how Trump may be planning to leave the White House. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Investigative reporter Greg Palast explains why the pollsters were right after all, when you consider the people whose votes were not counted.Meanwhile, are Republicans trying to get armed poll watchers into vote-counting facilities?.. Is it possible that some of the vote tallies were fudged?.. Did the Post Office slow down the mail in swing states?.. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If Democrats don’t get their media and intellectual infrastructure act together, the hard-right narrative being promoted by America’s most toxic media will continue to swing elections across the country. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Does this election prove that we need to make voting an affirmative legal right? How far have Republican voter purges and dirty tricks shifted the vote? Ari Berman, senior reporter at Mother Jones, and author of "Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America" shares news on a recent victory for Texas voters and more.Philanthropist and founder of Next Gen America- Tom Steyer- joins Thom to reflect on how the pending election could impact the planet- and what we must do about it!And reporter Trimmel Gomes gets us caught up with the vote in Florida.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The world is watching-- the Republican Party has spent the last 20 years pushing America in an openly fascistic direction.. will they triumph?Greg Palast joins Thom with three scenarios Trump could use to shoplift this election- constitutionally!.. Nikki Fried, Democrat from Florida shares her take on the vote in Florida and Republican tactics there... Plus- a listener reports on Trumpers attacking Democrats at a rally in California.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Economist Dr. Richard Wolff looks beyond the deceptive third quarter numbers, showing us that economy is much more fragile than the incumbent president would have us believe. Richard Wolff joins Thom Hartmann to discuss how President Trump is faking an economic recovery to bolster himself up before the presidential election. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Will the electoral dirty tricks of the Republicans lead to a victory for the power of the right-wing billionaires? Or will an overwhelming Democratic turnout help the enlightenment idea of America survive? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trump doesn't care how many people in Omaha are stuck for hours in the freezing cold, over 3 miles from the nearest road or parking lot, after he left his rally, putting some in the hospital. He clearly doesn't care how many people die of Covid. It's all about protecting the money and power of the very rich. And joining Thom for a long form discussion today is author of "The Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right", journalist Anne Nelson with an explosive and comprehensive account of the decades-long relationship between the Republican Party and the conservative Council for National Policy (CNP).See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Progressive powerhouse Pramila Jayapal joins Thom live to talk about the future of the Progressive Caucus. Can it be transformed to assert much greater accountability among its members on the issues that count? And what are the crucial issues a Democratic majority should pursue?Also, Progressive leader Mark Pocan takes on listener questions; What is the most important thing we can be doing right now to ensure a fair vote?.. How should Democrats in Congress respond to years of Republican rule-breaking if they take power?..See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More evidence has surfaced that violence at Black Lives Matter rallies in Minnesota was committed by right-wingers intent on starting a race war. This is just the latest in a long line of right-wing terrorists in this country. Is this a story that deserves more of our attention?And David Vine, author of the new book 'The United States of War" joins Tom. Could we really have been at war 95% of American history? And then Jared Yates Sexton joins Thom to talk about his book- 'American Rule: How A Nation Conquered the World But Failed its People"See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Amy Coney Barret take a seat on the high court almost literally on the eve of the election, and after Republicans broke with tradition and pushed through a last minute judge, denied Obama his Supreme Court pick and federal judges, and have thereby packed the federal courts- how should Democrats respond, and what would their options be if they take power?What steps may a partisan court take to help Trump stay in office even if he loses the election? Did Kavanaugh already tip his hand?Plus - Dr Justin Frank looks back on the amicus brief he filed when the Supreme Court stole the 2000 presidential election. Could what is happening today reflect the trauma of those events?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Only an established, legal “right to vote“ can defeat Republican voter suppression. Increasingly, this election is coming down to the simple question of how effective 40 years of concerted Republican voter suppression efforts will be.Republicans are doing everything they can to keep people from voting, and then, when people do vote, to try to prevent those votes from being counted. When this election is over, if American democracy survives, our first project has to be to establish a firm, irrevocable right to vote for all American citizens.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

David Daley, contributor to New Republic, joins Thom to discover just what is happening to your ballot. David's latest piece 'The Cancer on Your Ballot' looks inside the GOP’s drive for permanent minority rule and examines the right-wing assault on voting rights.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new study found Trump's poor response to Covid is responsible for at least 197,000 American deaths. Will America wake up to the consequences of having an incompetent reality TV star for president? Is Trump deliberately spreading chaos so that Joe Biden will inherent an ungovernable country?Plus- a man in Germany is facing charges for using pepper spray to keep the unmasked away from him. Is this assault or self defense?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Investigative reporter Greg Palast has got his eye on the Georgia vote. Could the possibly illegal purge of 198,000 voters in Georgia- and as many as 16 million nationwide- determine the Senate majority- or even the presidency?Thom gives the lowdown on the second and hopefully last EVER debate with Donald Trump.Plus Moe Vela, former Senior Adviser to VP Joe Biden joins Thom- how crucial is this election to LGBTQ and to Hispanic communities?Also, how did a company printing Ohio's ballots- one that flew a Trump flag over their headquarters- manage to send tens of thousands of ballots to the wrong address?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What are the real values Americans have always proclaimed, if imperfectly executed? Will we vote for truth, justice, and the American way? Or will a criminal and grifter move us closer to fascism?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Electoral College loophole has let two presidents out of the last three ascend to power without the will of the people behind them, leading to catastrophes beyond mention. Rep Jamie Raskin wants to put an end to the electoral college once and for all.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mark Weisbrot of the Center for Economic & Policy Research. Nearly one year later, Bolivians vote to repudiate coup and reclaim democracy.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Covid infections now represent the third leading cause of death in America. Whether America ends up with a Truth and Reconciliation Commission like South Africa did, or we simply put Trump and his enablers on trial for their crimes and all the deaths they caused, we must hold these people accountable.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Progressive Congressmen Ro Khanna and Mark Pocan join Thom to take on listener questions. Has Trump left us in limbo with no Covid relief agreement?- and which side is really doing the court packing?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our president endorsed the extra-judicial killing of a left wing murder suspect- is this practice for authoritarianism?; some say oppression is always tried first on outsiders and the vulnerable. Author Jean Reith Schroedel brings Thom a look at the ongoing history of voter suppression of Native Americans. And then her fellow author Harley L. Zephier adds his fascinating perspective- is this present moment an opportunity to begin to deeply heal the circle of all life that has been broken?We also hear from Garland Gilchrist, the Lieutenant governor of Michigan, on the right wing militia members who had plans to kidnap the governor.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Richard Wolff joins Thom to examine why the unemployment numbers we see can’t be trusted.Professor Richard Wolff is an economist and the co-founder of Democracy At Work and author of numerous books; his latest is “The Sickness is the System: When Capitalism Fails to Save Us from Pandemics or Itself.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Does the court have way too much power, taken unto itself? Would it constitutional for Congress to rein in that power? Also... Is the People of Praise a cult? Will Amy Comey Barret ever get away from this group's hold on her mind? What and with whom are her allegiances? Would she uphold the 14th through 16th amendments to the constitution? Does the Supreme Court represent the diversity of beliefs in this country? And does getting so many partition judges on the court represent the endgame of the 'vast right wing conspiracy' Hilary Clinton warned us about?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Trump spreads Covid to his rally attendees, is his apparent herd immunity strategy just another aspect of billionaire indifference to the lives of common people?- and could all the lives lost or damaged in pursuit of immunity be in vain anyway? Dr. Richard Wolff joins Thom to talk about it. Will Trump's Supreme Court pick deliver on the investment the billionaires have put into her career and the career of the many young right wing judges Republicans have been stuffing the courts with?Plus - We listen to Amy K. and other Democratic Senators grilling right-winger Judge Amy in the Senate hearings. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.