Sam Sacks fills in for tonight's episode and discusses why the Republican
Presidential New Hampshire Primary is becoming more like a reality television show instead of a legitimate political race.
Thom Hartmann from Iceland - Where Banksters robbed the people blind
On the one hand, Iceland is the happiest country in the world, with a world-class health, educational, and social safety net system. On the other hand, they were just robbed blind by the Banksters - the direct result of privatization and deregulation. First around 2000 the national-owned banks were deregulated and privatized. Then the private owners ran them into huge debt and crashed. Now the Banksters who bought the banks want the people of Iceland to pay up for the bankers crimes. It's an amazing story...Thom explains calling in from Iceland.
Sam Sacks fills in for Thom Hartmann and discusses the possibility of Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney winning the New Hampshire republican primary. Later, Big Picture host, Thom Hartmann joins the show via Skype from Iceland.
In tonight's Conversations with Great Minds, Thom Hartmann is joined by economist and financial expert, Gunnar Tómasson. He studied at Manchester University and Harvard University and then in 1966 joined the IMF. Born in Iceland, Tómasson understands his country's banking system collapse and its repercussions. Thom and Gunnar talk about the world's flawed monetary system and what governments need to do to repair the massive financial damages.
Conversations w/Great Minds - Gunnar Tómasson - The Iceland Collapse P. 1
For tonight's Conversations with Great Minds I sit down with Gunnar Tomasson. Gunnar was originally born in Iceland - but now resides in nearby Maryland. He studied at both the University of Manchester and Harvard University - before going on to become a senior staff member with the International Monetary Fund from 1966 to 1989. Currently - Gunnar is a financial consultant - and with global markets around the world in turmoil - and the nation of Iceland taking a unique approach to shoring up its' economy - he can offer some much needed insight into solutions to get us all out of this mess. He knows a thing or two about world economies, their debts and the revolutions that followed bankrupt countries. He'll cover the collapse of Iceland and what can we can learn from that.
Conversations w/Great Minds - Gunnar Tómasson - Worldwide Collapse P. 2
For tonight's Conversations with Great Minds I sit down with Gunnar Tomasson. Gunnar was originally born in Iceland - but now resides in nearby Maryland. He studied at both the University of Manchester and Harvard University - before going on to become a senior staff member with the International Monetary Fund from 1966 to 1989. Currently - Gunnar is a financial consultant - and with global markets around the world in turmoil - and the nation of Iceland taking a unique approach to shoring up its' economy - he can offer some much needed insight into solutions to get us all out of this mess. He knows a thing or two about world economies, their debts and the revolutions that followed bankrupt countries. He'll cover the collapse of Iceland and what can we can learn from that.
Have Tea Partiers turned in Tea Cups for Champagne Flutes?
Did the Tea Party express come to a complete halt? What ever happened to their patriotic rallies? In my daily take, I'll show you how they're living large right here in the nation's capital.
The Big Picture Rumble - 1% still sold on Corporate Personhood
Brian Darling, Human Events & Anthony Holm, Republican Strategist/Attorney & Eric Burns, Bullfight Strategies joins Thom Hartmann. With just days before the New Hampshire primary, Santorum gets testy with a college student's question and 1% Romney is STILL sold on corporations being people. and more....
Thom gives his insight involving the current financial state of Michigan, one
year after Governor Rick Snyder's new law which replaced statewide city officials with hand picked "financial managers".
Has MI Gov. Snyder declared financial martial law?
Rev. David Bullock, Rainbow PUSH Coalition & Judith Browne-Dianis, Advancement Project join Thom Hartmann. We overthrew corporate rule in 1776 - and now Michigan is returning to it. Democracy in a republic is the will of the people being exercised through their representatives. For Rick Snyder to say he can replace Democracy with a $250,000/year "manager" is a crime against democracy. Especially when they're buddies of his or friends of his friends. It's like when the British East India Company used to run North America and spread the profits among its stockholders - who were members of the Parliament and the King. It should be illegal - unconstitutional - in America for a politican to strip a city or county of their elected officials. Let's hope the people of Michigan wake up fast and throw these corporatist bums out
Voter fraud is Voter fraud - Except for Republicans
Bill Pascoe, Citizens for the Republic (CFTR) joins Thom Hartmann. One of ALEC's biggest causes - is denying people the right to vote. Many of these right-wing voter laws that are requiring people to have voter IDs - were conceived at these same ALEC conferences - by Republican lawmakers working on behalf of corporate CEOs who don't like poor people voting in their best interests. According to the Brennan Center for Justice - 5 million eligible voters in America will be disenfranchised next election thanks to these laws. So - sadly - the effort appears to be working for Republicans - except for those like Newt Gingrich who didn't make the Virginia Primary ballot.
ALEC's disturbing level of influence
Anna Scholl, ProgressVA, joins Thom Hartmann. According to a new report by the advocacy group Progress Virginia - lawmakers in Virginia have outsourced their jobs to the shadowy, Koch brothers-funded, corporate think tank known as ALEC - the American Legislative Exchange Council. In case you dont know what ALEC is - it's an organization that brings together corporate CEOs and lobbyists with elected lawmakers to come up with custom-made legislation that benefits big polluters, job outsourcers, and banksters, and hurts unions, poor people, and voters. And apparently it's found a friend in the Virginia General Assembly - where since 2007 - over 50 different pieces of legislation have been introduced that are exact carbon copies of ALEC written legislation. So what does it mean when corporate think tanks are in charge of writing out laws?
How a G-rated movie turns into an X-rated movie
In the end - Alvin and the Chipmunks - found their nuts after all.
The Good, The Bad, and The Very, Very Septophobically Ugly
The Good! Nancy Pelosi. As a result of the Defense of Marriage Act - same-sex couples aren't recognized by the federal government - and thus could be subject to deportation if someone in the relationship is not an American citizen. The Bad! Newt Gingrich. Serial adulterer and campaign huckster Newt - prides himself in knowledge of history. At a town hall meeting in New Hampshire yesterday - Newt used his so-called knowledge of the Founding Fathers to go after marijuana. And the very, very ugly. Herman Cain. Disgraced fake Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is back.
Thom Hartmann vs. Brad Smith - Occupy Citizen's United!
Brad Smith, Center for Competitive Politics, joins Thom Hartmann. Shortly - the nation will mark 2 years since the Supreme Court gave corporations the right to buy our elections. So why would a conservative law professor think this is a good thing? I'll ask Brad Smith, former FEC Chairman. Two hundred years ago, Thomas Jefferson warned us about a too-powerful Judiciary - saying it would place the nation under "despotism" and oligarchy" - concluding that the only "safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society" are with the people. Time to exercise that power - go to movetoamend.org.
The Secret "Shadow" Housing Crisis...
Michael Olenick, Legalprise, FindtheFraud, joins Thom Hartmann. 5 years after the Housing bubble burst - the housing crisis is still lingering. But could it be WAY worse than any of us imagine.
So, Oil barons just threatened the President of the U.S.
Speaking at a conference this week - Jack Gerard - the head of the American Petroleum Institute - which is the nation's largest lobbying organization for oil and gas corporations - told President Obama, "I think it would be a huge mistake on the part of the president of the United States to deny the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline...Clearly, the Keystone XL pipeline is in the national interest. A determination to decide anything less than that I believe will have huge political consequences." Do what the oil barons say - build the damn pipeline - or suffer "huge political consequences." The sad part is - in today's post Citizens United world - we have to take these threats seriously
Thom discusses the latest results from the Iowa Caucuses and debates the the GOP presidential nominees' intentions among his conservative guest panelists. Later in the show he breaks down the evangelical voter turnout with widely known Texas pastor, Dr. Robert Jeffress.
Lone Liberal Rumble - Social Safety Nets = Fascism?
Pete Sepp, National Taxpayer's Union & Heather Cirmo, Conservative Strategist join Thom Hartmann for the Lone Liberal Rumble.
Has Pastor Jeffress started the Crusades on Mormonism?
Dr. Robert Jeffress, First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas joins Thom Hartmann. Will Evangelicals Republicans vote for a Mormon?
The Good, The Bad, and the Very, Very, Nucivorously ugly...
The Good! Mike Huckabee. Exactly 4 years after he won the Republican Iowa Caucus in 2008 - the former Governor of Arkansas turned GOP TV talking head had some harsh words - words of truth actually - for the 2012 Republican field yesterday. The Bad! Pat Robertson. Yesterday - the televangelist went on his TV show the 700 Club to disclose a conversation he had with none other than God himself. And the very, very ugly...Peter Johnson, Jr. The GOP-TV talking head went on Fox-and-Friends this morning to bash what he called unfair scrutiny of the Republican race by left-wing media.
Is NYC about to toss out Corporate Personhood?
Mark Hays, Public Citizen, joins Thom Hartmann. Corporations spent millions of dollars influencing the Iowa caucuses - but how could this possibly be good for American politics? The New York City Council approved a resolution today calling on Congress to amend the Constitutions to strip out corporate personhood. New York City is now the biggest city in the nation to approve a recolution against corporate personhood - and joins several other cities America that have done the same thing - like Los Angeles, Oakland, Albany, Missoula, and Boulder, to name a few.
With Europe near collapse - why Germany is doing just fine?
The European Continent is quickly becoming a sinking ship - but for Germany it's full steam ahead. Here's a question for you - Why is it that with the European Continent in recession and on the verge of a catastrophic collapse - and with unemployment steadily above 8% in the United States and economic activity just creeping along - that GERMANY is doing JUST fine? Why is that amidst a tumultuous global economy - where Greece has an unemployment rate of 18% - and Spain a 23% unemployment rate - the German economy just marked its lowest level of unemployment in two decades? How are they doing it? Tune in.
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