April 24, 2024

The Attitude with Arnie Arnesen

As heard nationally on the Pacifica Radio Network!

Original Artwork – Janet King

Arnie provides pithy commentary, interviews and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Listen at 94.7 FM Monday thru Friday from 12 pm -1 pm. The show is replayed daily from 7 pm – 8 pm. Outside of Concord, listen using the stream player on this site (Click on “Episode 123” below) her podcast hosting platform Podomatic, or on TuneIn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts or many other podcasting platforms.

Listen to Podcast on the Podomatic platform

  • Our guests:Part 1: Aaron Peskin, currently the President of the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco.  He is running for Mayor.Topics:The home affordability crisis in San Francisco. Peskin's goal is to make SF a more affordable, fair, and equitable city, not just for millionaires. He considers SF a "small town with global wealth". The business community currently dominates SF, and many billionaires are involved in local politics, although SF is a group of "small towns" with citizens who care about their neighborhoods, beyond speculation and investment values. Part 2:  Saul Kaiserman, a doctoral candidate in Jewish Education. This conversation was about perceptions and how people […]
  • This is a panel discussion.Part 1:We discuss the various protests at colleges and universities around Israel and Gaza. There has been encouragement of the criticism of colleges as a way of attacking higher education. The main influencers voicing the criticism have been right-wing institutes, and individuals (C. Rufo), with a goal of creating instability and distrust around higher education.Part 2:We discuss Israel and Gaza. Netanyahu is eager to escalate the conflict via involving Iran explicitly, and involving the US. While this is happening, the US is involved in a proxy war in Ukraine.We also turn to the Trump trial in […]
  • Part 1: Project 2025This segment is Arnie Arnesen discussing the outline for the future of the US as envisioned by the Republicans. It is a plan to radically change the government of the US according to the goals of the Heritage Foundation and its supporters and fellow travelers. There are hundreds of policy objectives outlined in the 900+ pages of the document. We discuss some of the identified “leaders” for the future, as seen by the GOP. They are governors and others. Gov. Abbott of Texas one of the richest, is among them. Arnie compares the politics of the past with what […]
  • Part 1: We talk with Jordan Haedtler and Teddy Stancil.  Haedtler is a climate financial policy consultant, and Stancil is a Senior Researcher with the Revolving Door Project.We discuss the problems with home owner insurance. Huge losses have occurred due to climate change. Unfortunately, states have chosen to bailout insurance companies and deregulate them, rather than looking at root causes. Premiums for homeowners (and renters are affected) have risen greatly. Insurance Industry has chosen to socialize losses, and maximize profits, and are able to do so because of their lobby power. Insurance is controlled by state governments, and thus vulnerable to this […]
  • Part 1:We talk with Jeet Heer, national affairs correspondent, The Nation.We discuss the influence of AIPAC on American politics, and that AIPAC is funneling Republican money into Democratic primaries, changing the outcomes.We discuss the latest military action by Israel, in first, bombing the Iranian Consulate, killing 16 people, including an Iranian general. Iran's response in retaliation on Israel was less severe, no on was killed. Israel has failed in Gaza, but this is a problem for the US. Netanyahu's interest is in escalating the conflict into a general wider ranging was in the Middle East. This is not what the […]
  • Part 1: We talk with Sarah E. Patterson, Research Investigator at Survey Research Center at the U. of Michigan. We discuss proposals by Gov. Whitmer of Michigan for providing tax credits for caregivers of elderly or disabled members of families. The US has an aging demographic, and 38 to 53 million Americans provide care services at home to family members. This is a cost of about $90,000/year to the caregivers. Loss of wages, opportunities, and other costs are part of this. Part 2:We talk with Mark Joseph Stern, Senior Reporter for Slate.com. The Arizona Supreme Court (all Republicans) has resurrected a “zombie law” (1864) […]
  • This is a panel discussion.Part 1:We discuss OJ Simpson death and his trial. The effect of his trial proved that enough wealth and celebrity provides whiteness to a Black man, and power and "innocence" to any man. The media is complicit in perpetuating this pattern.Part 2:We discuss Trump's likely pick for VP candidate. Abbott not a likely choice, because he is in a wheelchair, and this will, by Trump, be seen as a distinct disadvantage. Gov. Noem has been restyled: her teeth, her hair, and other physical attributes have been emphasized, and she now fits more closely in the "Trump […]
  • Part 1:We talk with Harvey Kronberg, Publisher of the Quorum Report in Texas.We discuss Project 2025, and how it has begun to be implemented in Texas. There is a "MAGA inflammation" in Texas. The governor, currying favor with Trump, has primaried Republicans in order to replace them with more extreme representatives in the State House. There is a civil war among Republicans in Texas now, as a result.Part 2:We talk wtih Bill Curry and Robert Hockett.We discuss the recent Arizona ruling that re-instituted and old abortion ban. We also discuss the focus on the border emphasized by Republicans.  WNHNFM.ORG    […]
  • Part 1:We talk with Anne Nelson, author of “The Shadow Network”, a description of authoritarian forces in the US. We discuss plan developed by the Heritage Foundation and others, Project 2025, to remake the US into an an authoritarian society, governed by their version of christianity. We discuss the dangers posed by the implementation of Project 2025, a blueprint with details of how it can be accomplished. Some facets have already come to pass, and we talk about these. Part 2:We talk with Mark Medish, a former member of the Clinton administration, and Joel McCleary, a former member of the Carter administration, both […]
  • Part 1:We talk with Tom Scheller and Paul Waldman, authors of a book about how rural Americans are likely to be the death of democracy.We discuss the opinions that are held by many rural voters, and we note that rural voters have a disproportionate effect on elections. We talk about the problems they face, but how they tend to blame problems on city 'elites' when in fact they are due to mismanagement and deliberate actions by GOP officials. Because, we need to ask: what are the representatives of rural areas (mostly Republican) actually doing FOR rural citizens?Part 2:We talk with […]
  • Part 1:We talk with Austin Frerick, who has written a book about the food business/farm business in the US.We discuss the food barons, and how they control food supplies in the US. The Farm Bill, up for renewal this year, should be called the Wall Street Bill, since it benefits large food producing conglomerates, rather than farmers themselves. We discuss the effects on workers, farmers, the environment, and consumers.Part 2:We talk with John Nichols, of the Nation Magazine.We discuss the Gaza situation, and how it is affecting the US, and the upcoming presidential election. We talk about the media's contribution/lack […]
  • This is a panel discussion.Alexandria Jacobson is an Investigative Reporter for Raw Story.Lincoln Mitchell is a professor at Columbia University.Stephen Pimpare is a professor at Vermont Law and Graduate School.-We discuss the state of the economy in the US, and how its health has not yet reached most people, who are struggling, and feel its precariousness.Who are the "middle class"?-We review how Project 2025 is being implemented, and how it doesn't require the presence of Trump in the White House.-We note how important local elections are now, as compared to national elections.-Republican primaries are being used by the RNC and […]
  • Part 1:We talk with Harvey Kronberg, publisher of the Quorum Report.Texas has had its primaries, and these have served to purge Republican ranks of many moderates. Abbott has been zealous in this effort. The two major issues have been identified by the parties: for Republicans, migrants; for Democrats, abortion and reproductive rights.Texas has been litigating suits brought be the federal government pertaining to the border, civil rights, and other issues. Anti-DEI efforts by the state are ongoing. Ken Paxton's power has increased among the MAGA. Currently, the demographics show that there are more persons of color than white Texans.Part 2:We […]
  • Part 1:We talk with Mark Medish and Joel McCleary. They have written an article titled "Dancing in the Dark", about Project 2025 is influencing the Far Right in their quest to dismantle American democracy. We discuss how our electoral systems can be subverted in the time between the vote and the installation of a new president. The Constitution is vague, and does not describe all contingencies. We discuss these in detail. The Supreme Court is not respected, because of its clearly demonstrated bias. The actual roles of the House and Senate could conflict, and the election outcome could be subverted.Part 2:We […]
  • Part 1:We talk with Anders Croy, Communications Director, Florida Watch and DeSantis Watch.We discuss the latest ruling by the Fla Supreme Court, which instituted a 6-week ban on abortions, countering the Fla Constitutional right. However, and amendment is on the ballot.Medical benefits for children have been revoked, which had been in place during the pandemic. Fla has not participated in the federal Medicaid program.The cost of living has risen sharply in Fla, due to higher housing costs, insurance, sales tax, and many other hidden taxes and fees. Fla is DeSantis' petri dish for policies he wanted for the US as […]
  • Part 1:We speak with Bob Lord, Senior Advisor on Tax Policy, Patriotic Millionaires, and Kenny Stancil, Senior Researcher, the Revolving Door Project. We discuss how very rich people avoid paying taxes. Tax cuts and tax code changes during the Trump administration only worsened the problem.Part 2:We talk with Anne Nelson, a professor at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, author and lecturer. We discuss Project 2025, the road map that the far right, under the aegis of the Heritage Foundation, and others like it, have developed, and are now planning to institute, no matter if Trump is […]
  • This is a panel discussion.Ron Abramson is an immigration lawyer. Laura Jedeed is an investigative reporter who writes about right wing militants. Lincoln Mitchell is a professor of politics at Columbia University. Stephen Pimpare is a professor of social sciences at Vermont School of Law and graduate school.topics:-The firing of personnel at the RNC upon Ronna McDaniel's becoming co-chair. Non-Trumpians are being purges from the Republican party, it appears.-The changes that Joe Lieberman underwent after his initial election.-The accident of the Baltimore bridge, and reactions: Some blame the mayor for being Black. The size of the ship itself is problematic.-Trump's […]
  • Part 1:Harvey Kronberg, Publisher of the Quorum Report talks about the upcoming Republican Summer Convention in Austin.The Republicans are attempting to sanitize all press coverage of this convention.We discuss the Ken Paxton charges recently dropped by the Texas DOJ, though other charges are still pending.We discuss antisemitism in Texas.Part 2:We talk with Bill Curry and Adam Finkel.We note that Joe Lieberman has died, and discuss his tenure as a politician, and how his emphasis had shifted from his political convictions to his donor's desires.We discuss the SCOTUS considerations of mifepristone.WNHNFM.ORG  production
  • Part 1:We talk with Mark Joseph Stern, reporter for Slate.com about the case at the US Supreme Court about the FDA's approval of mifepristone. The standing of the plaintiffs is also in question. This is part of the Heritage Foundation's push of Project 2025. Court has not yet ruled, and the result will affect the FDA's power to declare the safety/non-safety of drugs and medical devices in the US.Part 2#RaceClass Ep. 27 | Rightwing Jewish Organizations Fuel the New Anti-Semitism One increasingly encounters the descriptive claim that anti-Semitism is on the rise and the causal claim that progressive politics are to […]
  • We talk with David Dayen, the Executive Editor of The American Prospect, about the Senate race in New Jersey. The Governor's wife, Murphy, has dropped out of the race. This indicates that this will not be a "machine" election, and changes are being made around the "county line", which has been in place in the state for decades. An interesting discussion about this type of electioneering in New Jersey.Part 2:We talk with Mareen Tkaacik, an investigative reporter at The American Prospect, about bankruptcy court corruption in Texas, which affects the country as a whole. She shares details of a recent […]