What is “data justice” and how does it inform and refine health policies for invisibilized communities? What policy solutions are needed to reduce health disparities among people, especially marginalized Latinx and indigenous communities? What role does the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California play in advancing the health of vulnerable communities throughout the state? And what are the hopes and fears of these communities when it comes to their health and the upcoming presidential election?...
Oct 23, 2024•16 min
Time was, Kamala was a lousy retail politician. That we then, and this is now. She’s apparently a quick study. As a media coach, I guessed I 2020 that VP was the end of the road for her, because I’ve never seen anyone gain so much poise and distinction. In my experience, you have “it” or you don’t. I’m glad to be proven wrong. She’s turned into a great pol. We discuss this and some other related topics on today’s commentary. It’s short. I hope you’ll listen.
Oct 21, 2024•6 min
Public health advocacy requires considerable insight into the major issues that affect communities. How best to gain this insight? What role does direct personal experience play? Today Seciah Aquino, DrPH, MS shares how her lived experience as an immigrant has informed her work as Executive Director of a leading health equity advocacy organization, the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California. How did her experience, first as a young child in Guatemala and later as an immigrant living in Garden...
Oct 16, 2024•13 min
Hurricane Milton is gone, but Florida is still grappling with its toxic aftermath; Trump's lies about FEMA disrupt disaster aid to North Carolina; PLUS: The U.K. ditches coal for good... All that and more in today's Green News Report!
Oct 16, 2024•6 min
Just over a week since the last deadly storm, Florida braces for powerful Hurricane Milton; Donald Trump is lying about the federal response to Hurricane Helene for political gain; PLUS: New study finds hurricanes have hidden death tolls, many years later... All that and more in today's Green News Report!
Oct 09, 2024•6 min
Rebate aggregators? Group purchasing? Vertical integration? How exactly do Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or PBMs, operate to maximize profit? And how are everyday Americans suffering from these practices? To find out, we spoke to Dr. Ed Weisbart, national board secretary of Physicians for a National Health Program, a single-payer advocacy coalition that boasts more than 25,000 members, and former chief medical officer for one of the largest PBMs in the country. This is the second episode in a two-p...
Oct 09, 2024•16 min
We’re taking another look at Pharmacy Benefit Managers or PBMs. Why were PBMs started and how did they morph to become one of the most powerful entities in health care? Why have they caught the attention of the Federal Trade Commission? How are they a threat to consumers? To find out, we spoke to Dr. Ed Weisbart, the national board secretary of Physicians for a National Health Program and former chief medical officer of one of the biggest PBMs in the country. This is the first episode in a two-p...
Oct 02, 2024•15 min
There's No Stopping the Rampant Ridiculous Karel Cast 24-134 Streaming services are now ridiculous. We pay a streaming service to watch their shows and they now serve us ads. Tivo and cable were, in fact, better. We watched what we wanted when we wanted and fast-forwarded through the ads. So why don't we go back? Café Bastille in San Francisco is closing...because of lack of business. Restaurants all over Vegas are closing. They're blaming a lot ... but what' s really to blame? The cost. And our...
Oct 01, 2024•30 min
This time on Code WACK! What’s at stake in health care with the upcoming federal election? Would Donald Trump really try to repeal the Affordable Care Act - again? Would Kamala Harris continue fighting to rein in the skyrocketing cost of medicine? What will be the fate of Biden-era policies like enhanced tax credits limiting the cost of health insurance premiums? Or access to reproductive health care (including contraception)? With so much up in the air, how is Families USA, a leading national, ...
Sep 24, 2024•17 min
This time on Code WACK! The fight for affordable, accessible health care in the U.S. has gone on for decades. Who’s in the fight to win solutions that improve health care for everyone? What policies are they working on? Today we’re featuring the Washington DC-based Families USA, a leading national nonpartisan voice for healthcare consumers. We welcome their new executive director, Anthony Wright, who previously served for 22 years as executive director of Health Access California. This is the fi...
Sep 18, 2024•15 min
Leslie is joined by Brendan Duke, Senior Director for Economic Policy at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. The pair discuss two of his most recent pieces for CAP. (both listed below) 1. "Donald Trump Is Lying About Immigrants and Social Security/Medicare" (https://www.americanprogressaction.org/article/donald-trump-is-lying-about-immigrants-and-social-security-medicare/) 2. "Harris’ Plan To Raise the Minimum Wage and Eliminate Tax on Tips Would Benefit Service and Hospitality Workers...
Sep 18, 2024•21 min
Leslie is joined by Dr. Nicole Saphier, who has served as a FOX News Channel contributor since 2018, breaking down the latest medical news across all platforms. Dr. Saphier is a board-certified radiologist with advanced fellowship training in breast imaging. The two ladies discuss Breast Cancer Awareness month, which is right around the corner in October, and what folks can do to protect themselves and their families from the dangerous disease. Then, the pair comments on a new study linking soci...
Sep 18, 2024•20 min
The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET. Brad is first joined by Mabinty Quarshie, National Political Correspondent for the Washington Examiner. The two discuss the latest news on both Kamala Harris' and Don...
Sep 17, 2024•42 min
Leslie is joined by Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a partnership established by some of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers union. The two discuss how high interest rates are crushing U.S. manufacturing's potential growth, NAFTA's lingering damage in the rust belt, and how the Biden administration's industrial policies are actually turning the tide on U.S. competitiveness. For over 17 years, Mr. Paul and AAM have worked to make Ame...
Sep 13, 2024•42 min
I’m finding it both hilarious and divisive that Republicans did all they could to stop the transformative legislation that President Biden managed to push across the finish line. They all voted against each and every bill that have proven their worth time and time again, to the extent that Republicans love to take credit for bills they worked against. Today, a short commentary on the Inflation Reduction Act that has, agains the will of our right wing, worked wonders.
Sep 11, 2024•6 min
This time on Code WACK! What are lawmakers and the Federal Trade Commission doing about Pharmacy Benefit Managers and their undue influence over drug prices and access? Who is watching out for consumers when the pharmaceutical industry pursues self-serving arrangements? And what’s the impact on independent pharmacies and their patients? To find out, we recently interviewed Hannah Garden-Monheit, director of the Office of Policy Planning, Federal Trade Commission. Prior to joining the FTC, Garden...
Sep 11, 2024•13 min
Leslie is first joined by Dr. Robert Shapiro, Chairman of Sonecon, an economic advisory firm and a Senior Fellow of the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. The two discuss his latest piece for 'Washington Monthly' titled, "Kamala Harris Still Has Time for a Big New Idea in Economic Policy." Dr. Shapiro explains how the fading prospect of upward mobility for Americans without college degrees is a major issue that concerns millions of voters. He proposes that one way to help peo...
Sep 10, 2024•43 min
The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET. Brad is first joined by Sarah Jones, the Editor-in-Chief of Politicus USA, to analyze how racism is affecting this year's presidential contest and Vice President Kama...
Sep 10, 2024•41 min
The Student Debt Crisis Center takes over the airwaves of 'the Leslie Marshall Show,' where they detail the latest challenges to the SAVE plan, why millions of folks don't have to make monthly payments right now, and what's going on with the latest student debt cancellation plan. They also alert folks of upcoming deadlines and who benefits from taking action. This episode's SDCC hosts are President and Founder, Natalia Abrams, Managing Director, Sabrina Calazans, and Special Projects & 'Free...
Sep 04, 2024•39 min
This time on Code WACK! So you might have heard the term pharmacy benefit managers – or PBMs – in the news. But what are they? How did these middlemen get to be so powerful? How are they causing drug prices to skyrocket? And what’s the Federal Trade Commission doing about it? To find out, we recently interviewed Hannah Garden-Monheit, the FTC’s director of the Office of Policy Planning. Prior to joining the FTC, Garden-Monheit worked at the National Economic Council (NEC), where she served as Sp...
Sep 04, 2024•12 min
Leslie is joined by Author Eliza Sultan and District Attorney of New Mexico's 13th Judicial District, Barbara Romo. The pair are here to talk about Eliza's book, "Children on the Front Lines of Justice: Report Sexual Abuse and Survive the Criminal Trial," which D.A. Romo wrote the foreword in. "Children On the Front Lines of Justice” is the story of a brave brother and sister, May and Charlie, who testify against a family member at his criminal trial. They must be brave and tell the truth about ...
Sep 04, 2024•21 min
Leslie is joined by Sean O'Brien, General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The two discuss the Teamsters winning a groundbreaking joint employer decision against Amazon, United Airlines Teamsters rallying nationwide for a strong new contract, and Costco fleet drivers overwhelmingly authorizing a strike. Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit www.Teamster.org for more...
Sep 03, 2024•22 min
As the United States faces an election possibly unlike any other in our history, we wonder about the future of our healthcare system. What changes might we expect under President Trump, or President Harris? What would a new administration mean for single-payer efforts in states like California and Oregon? And what about Medicare, a lifeline for so many vulnerable Americans? To find out we spoke to the one and only Michael Lighty, president of the Healthy California Now coalition and former healt...
Aug 28, 2024•17 min
Leslie is joined by Joe Radosevich. He is the Vice President for Campaigns and Outreach in the Advocacy and Outreach Department at the Center for American Progress. He works across teams to advance the organization’s priorities with external partners and elected leaders. Leslie and Joe discuss the extensive piece he co-wrote with Will Ragland, titled, "Project 2025: The Plan To Seize Power by Gutting America’s System of Checks and Balances." Here is the beginning of the eye-opening guide: "The H...
Aug 27, 2024•23 min
Leslie is joined by Fred Redmond, Secretary-Treasurer of the 60 unions and 12.5 million members of the AFL-CIO. On June 13, 2022, he was unanimously elected to the position as the highest ranking African American officer in the history of America’s labor movement. He first discusses with Leslie why, as President, Donald Trump was a disaster for workers and their unions. Then, Fred details that the AFL-CIO supports Kamala Harris and Tim Walz because they are fighting every day to lift up working ...
Aug 27, 2024•19 min
The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET. Brad is first joined by Congressional Reporter for Punchbowl News, Mica Soellner. The two recap this past week's DNC, including Vice President Harris' nomination acce...
Aug 27, 2024•41 min
Leslie is joined by Jim Parrott, a nonresident fellow at the Urban Institute, where he is part of their Housing Finance Policy Center. Jim is also owner of Parrott Ryan Advisors, which provides strategic advice on housing finance issues to financial institutions active in the primary and secondary mortgage market. The two discuss the Opinion piece he co-wrote for the Washington Post with Moody Analytics' Chief Economist Mark Zandi. It's titled, "Harris Plan Could Solve the Longtime Affordable Ho...
Aug 24, 2024•22 min
This time on Code WACK! What’s been happening on the healthcare front since California Senate Bill 770, which paves the way for a single-payer healthcare system, was passed last year? What’s the process and the timeline? What are the necessary next steps to winning single payer in the Golden State and why is it so important to achieving healthcare equity? To find out we spoke to the one and only Michael Lighty, president of the Healthy California Now coalition and former healthcare constituency ...
Aug 21, 2024•18 min
The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET. Brad is first joined by Bob Deans, Director of Strategic Engagement at the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The two discuss the damage that natural disaster...
Aug 20, 2024•43 min
This time on Code WACK! How far did one man have to go to get the health insurance he needed to cover a specialized surgery in another state? Despite jumping through many hoops to even qualify to buy the coverage he needed, why did he still end up paying tens of thousands of dollars in out of pocket costs? How much would you be willing to pay for the freedom to consult the doctor of your choice? We recently spoke to Rand, a commercial property manager, writer and father of three in Southern Cali...
Aug 14, 2024•16 min