Eric Boehlert of pressrun.media is holding the press accountable every week as he scans the coverage of Trump and points directly to their lies--whether in the form of omissions or outright misinformation. “It’s a fantasy that the press wants to advance, that [Trump] is a rational person with our interests at heart, and if he can just focus, we’ll be okay. No. He’s not going to focus and he doesn’t want to help us, and that’s the bottom line,” says Eric, and he outlines the specific moments that...
Jul 14, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 101
The veteran journalist and publisher of prorev.com on the importance of people with differences finding things in common to work together for real change--unity in diversity. He also believes that we must confront the strong and convert the weak. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Editor: Ryan Woodhall Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle....
Jul 13, 2020•43 min•Season 1Ep. 100
Tucker Carlson hasn’t explicitly said that he wants to run for president, but he’s also not denying it, or taking an opportunity to humiliate the reporter who asked about a 2024 run. So, is he really considering it? Angelo Carusone, President of MediaMatters.org, says Carlson is grasping for power as his show's advertising dollars dwindle to nothing, save for MyPillow (remember their CEO at the Trump rally?). Fox insists it doesn’t hurt their bottom line, but Angelo notes some changes in how the...
Jul 10, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 99
On this week’s Thursday Kos, Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas talks with Mark about Trump’s recent losses including suburban white women and battleground states’ voters dissatisfied with his pandemic response. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/p...
Jul 09, 2020•44 min•Season 1Ep. 98
We see the term “contact tracing” pop up in the coronavirus conversation quite a bit, but what the heck is it anyway? How does it work, and how can it help? Dr. Keren Landman is a physician, epidemiologist, and journalist, who recently wrote the piece published on Medium titled, “Hey America, What Happened to Contact Tracing?” (link below). In today’s episode, she gives us an understanding of not just what it is, but how it has been used in the past why it’s such a bigger challenge with coronavi...
Jul 08, 2020•40 min•Season 1Ep. 97
David Shimer, author of "Rigged: America, Russia and 100 Years of Covert Electoral Interference," knows what Russia wants for the United States -- to undermine and discredit our democracy and turn our country into a weakened, corrupt version of itself. After interviewing 26 former advisors to Obama, a handful of Trump officials, and many other national security figures, David is helping us answer the question of "how can we prepare for 2020?" David's research goes well beyond the 2016 election a...
Jul 07, 2020•44 min•Season 1Ep. 96
Jobs were added in June, but as Chad Stone, Chief Economist for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, points out, we're still in a massive deficit from what was lost back in February. And now that social distancing has relaxed in many states, and coronavirus begins to surge again, "jobs are going to be disappearing already" from the 4.8 million that were gained last month. Mark and Chad break down individual demographics to better understand who is getting back to work and he lets us know ...
Jul 06, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 95
Senator Doug Jones of Alabama joins Mark today for an in-depth discussion on everything happening in the U.S. right now, which, as you know, is a lot. Starting with coronavirus, the senator shares his thoughts on Republicans finally getting vocal about battling it with the most basic of recommendations, like masks and social distancing. Though it's better late than never, Senator Jones is concerned that they're too late to play catch-up and states are already suffering the consequences. And whil...
Jul 03, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 94
Markos Moulitsas, our personal polling whiz and founder of DailyKos and Civiqs, gives a hopeful outlook based on the latest numbers. Aside from noting that Biden is "within striking distance of getting 400 electoral votes," he feels confident that we'll flip the Senate in November. And that's not just because Senator Susan Collins is likely doomed, no thanks to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who she held the door for on his way in to his lifetime appointment. We knew that when he alleged...
Jul 02, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 93
"Gun rights" supporters are invested in protecting the 2nd Amendment, but often conveniently forget the 1st. Igor Volsky, Executive Director of Guns Down America, is back for today's episode of MIP and the first order of business is the intersection of gun violence and the recent protests for #BlackLivesMatter. Igor and his team looked at instances of firearms at protests from late May into early June, and found that out of 130 instances, 60 appear to be connected to white nationalists and white...
Jul 01, 2020•43 min•Season 1Ep. 92
Over the weekend the news broke that Russian bounties to Taliban-linked militants resulted in deaths of U.S. troops, according to intelligence assessments. Now Trump and his aides are dancing around whether or not he was briefed on this months ago. In today's episode, Mark talks with Retired Army Colonel Jasey Briley & Retired Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Malcolm Nance, who provide detailed background and historical context for understanding the significance of the story, consider if the ...
Jun 30, 2020•54 min•Season 1Ep. 91
It was the summer of 1999 and Julius Jones was a 19-year-old college student home for the summer. Before he could return to school that fall, he found himself locked up for a murder he didn't commit. This is the story of Julius Jones, an innocent man sitting on death row in Oklahoma, potentially receiving an execution date before the end of 2020. That's where Cece Jones-Davis comes in. She is a speaker, writer, and social advocate, now working on behalf of Julius as she leads the Justice for Jul...
Jun 29, 2020•47 min•Season 1Ep. 90
Today's episode is a lesson in how the government seeks to weaken certain demographics by separating children from their families (especially when we're in the midst of a cultural uprising)--a tactic that is certainly not new, but more relevant than ever as COVID-19 rages on. "The Trump administration was able to accomplish what it set out to do in 2018 and 2019" to immigrants, says Dr. Laura Briggs, author of five books including her latest, "Taking Children: A History of American Terror." The ...
Jun 26, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 89
Susie Madrak of CrooksandLiars.com had a 10-week illness that she suspects was a bout of coronavirus (you're going to have to listen to the episode to hear about her testing situation)--something that was "like a burglar hitting every room of the house" as she experienced everything from loss of taste and smell to difficulty breathing. And as a cancer survivor, she figured it best to employ a few methods that she now credits with saving her life. So what are her thoughts on Trump now actively wo...
Jun 25, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 88
If you're looking to support an organization that is doing the literal work to dismantle systemic racism, then look no further than Color of Change. Their team goes straight to the sources that are contributing to and supporting white supremacy--like the time they successfully pressured Mastercard to stop processing funds for hate groups and white supremacist organizations. Arisha Hatch is the Vice President and Chief of Campaigns and she joins today's episode to tell us about what they've got t...
Jun 24, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 87
On the heels of the disturbing revelation that a noose was left in NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace's garage, Mark talks with Andrew Lawrence of MediaMatters.org, who says there's no difference between those who support the confederacy and those who support Trump--it's his ironclad base. The two also do some unpacking of recent Tucker Carlson broadcasts, which come complete with politicians suggesting that those considered "high risk" for coronavirus should sacrifice their lives for the economy and C...
Jun 23, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 86
It's summertime, but school is in session with today's panel, folks! Last week, the Supreme Court handed down a historic ruling on Title VII, which now provides employment protections to LGBTQ+ people. But what does that actually mean? That's the focus of today's panel featuring Joshua Matz, Partner at Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLC, Adjunct Professor at Georgetown Law School, Rev. Irene Monroe, Educator, Host of All Rev'd Up on WGBH in Boston, and Rick Rosendall, Columnist at the Washington Blade...
Jun 22, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 85
Today is the final episode we will be sharing a personal poverty story ahead of the Poor People's Campaign holding a Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington TOMORROW, June 20th. Today's speaker is India from Arkansas, who shares her experience with predatory landlords who exploit those living in poverty. Up next is a conversation with Majority Whip James Clyburn. The former history teacher holds class for us on Juneteenth and tells the story of the most significant person in So...
Jun 19, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 84
First up: The Poor People's Campaign is holding a Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington on June 20th; every day leading up to that day of action, we'll be featuring real stories of struggle and poverty to raise awareness and make the subject a priority. That's what you'll find at the top of the episode, and today's speaker is Francine from Chula, MS, who has some words to share on the systems and politicians in this country that keep people poor. Next up is Sen. Kamala Harris...
Jun 18, 2020•22 min•Season 1Ep. 83
First up: The Poor People's Campaign is holding a Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington on June 20th; every day leading up to that day of action, we'll be featuring real stories of struggle and poverty to raise awareness and make the subject a priority. That's what you'll find at the top of the episode, and today's speaker is Hope, a woman who experienced the military poverty draft and is now working to change the system that keeps people poor for generations. Next on today's...
Jun 17, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 82
The Poor People's Campaign is holding a Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington on June 20th; every day leading up to that day of action, we'll be featuring real stories of struggle and poverty to raise awareness and make the subject a priority. That's what you'll find at the top of the episode, and today's speaker is Karla, a deaf student who lost her much-needed financial aid when her dad got a raise. The rest of today's episode is devoted to the paradox of Blackness right no...
Jun 16, 2020•44 min•Season 1Ep. 81
The Black community is experiencing a disproportionate amount of deaths from both the pandemic AND a police-demic, and the Action Center on Race and the Economy (ACRE) is at its intersection fighting for justice and searching for solutions. Maurice BP-Weeks, Co-Executive Director, and his colleagues at the organization were already working on the eviction crisis that was sparked by coronavirus outbreak; now, in the midst of a national uprising against policing, they're splitting their efforts to...
Jun 15, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 80
Choo choo! All aboard the hot mess express, destination: Georgia. This episode is essential listening for understanding how voter suppression works, with Georgia's primary election as our case study. The state's primary election, which was held on June 9th, was an absolute disaster, with voters mysteriously purged from voter rolls, polling location changes that weren't communicated to voters in time, and a whole lot of "weird" circumstances that prevented people from voting; but take it from Ano...
Jun 12, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 79
ICYMI yesterday's announcement, the Poor People's Campaign is holding a Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington on June 20th; every day leading up to that day of action, we'll be featuring real stories of struggle and poverty to raise awareness and make the subject a priority. That's what you'll find at the top of the episode, and today's speaker is Antoine, a 23-year-old fast food worker who only makes $7.25 an hour. The rest of today's episode is also about numbers, but of a ...
Jun 11, 2020•43 min•Season 1Ep. 78
With historic job losses from coronavirus, the gap has never been wider between the rich and the poor. The Poor People's Campaign is holding a Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington on June 20th; every day leading up to that day of action, we'll be featuring real stories of struggle and poverty to raise awareness and make the subject a priority, and that's what you'll find at the top of today's episode. After that, you'll hear Mark's conversation with Leigh Chapman, Director o...
Jun 10, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 77
"We cannot turn to a new chapter until we have political change and change of law," says Joe Sanberg, entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Aspiration. And in the midst of coronavirus, as we are finally getting a collective grasp on how essential workers are grossly underpaid, Joe is focusing on changing something specific: the minimum wage. And forget about $15 dollars--he says businesses across the country should be paying employees a minimum of $25 dollars an hour. He didn't pick this number out of ...
Jun 09, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 76
The jobs report is never as simple as some headlines make it seem; yes, unemployment dropped by just over 1-percent, but it went UP for African-Americans, explains Chad Stone, Chief Economist for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. There's other details to consider too, like the fact that the additional unemployment insurance of $600 dollars per week is set to end on July 31st, and we have yet to see what reopening the economy does to the coronavirus case numbers. Mark and Chad unpack th...
Jun 08, 2020•44 min•Season 1Ep. 75
In today's episode we travel down to Alabama, where there is a gubernatorial candidate who is currently running on a platform to pubicly lynch convicted drug dealers. "He's throwing red meat to his base," says Benard Simelton, President of the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP. Meanwhile, the state is starting to reopen and coronavirus is still a major concern for residents. Another pressing matter in Alabama: the 2020 Senate race, which could potentially see the infamous Jeff Sessions runni...
Jun 05, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 74
The work on the ground is not near done, says Irna Landrum, Campaigns Manager DailyKos, as activists in Minneapolis are trying to find a balance in demonstrating and caring for the community. She and other reporters and activists have found accelerants hidden in alleyways and on private property, gasoline in water bottles, and are wary of any sudden and explosive sounds resembling gunfire. But listen to this episode to find why she sees this time as both scary and hopeful. And with Markos’ polli...
Jun 04, 2020•57 min•Season 1Ep. 73
As our country remains in a state of unrest, Congressman Don Beyer of Virginia's 8th District is not shying away from calling George Floyd's death what it was: murder. In today's episode, he reflects on that as well as his discomfort with the fact that some people seem more upset about property damage than what is happening to human lives. You'll also hear why he calls Trump a modern-day George Wallace, his thoughts on re-opening states (remember coronavirus?), and why he's confident in Joe Bide...
Jun 03, 2020•21 min•Season 1Ep. 72
