Ralph Nader Radio Hour

Ralph welcomes back MIT professor, Nicholas Ashford, who to stem the tide of lies and misinformation amplified by broadcast media, pitches a new Fairness Doctrine for the 21st Century. And we are also joined by Professor Lonnie T. Brown and documentary filmmaker, Joseph Stillman, who pay tribute to the memory of the late Ramsey Clark. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

We are joined by journalist and president of Harper’s, John R. “Rick” MacArthur, for a lively and sometimes contentious discussion about the First Amendment and “cancel culture.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

Author, Steven Markoff, joins us to discuss his book “The Case Against George W. Bush,” where he dispassionately lays out the three major war crimes the former president committed by invading Iraq. Plus, David, Ralph, and Steve discuss the Biden infrastructure plan. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

Ralph welcomes investigative journalist, Trudy Lieberman, who warns us to stay away from the synthetic mesh for hernia repair and statistician, Phillip Stark, who explains how we can restore trust in our voting systems. Plus, listener questions! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

Professor and MSNBC commentator, Michael Eric Dyson, joins Ralph to discuss racism, corporatism, cancel culture, and how best to take action against all three. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

Ralph speaks to human rights lawyer, Steven Donziger, who represented the indigenous people of Ecuador and won a multi-billion dollar judgement against Chevron for polluting the Ecuadorian rain forest in what is known as the “Amazon Chernobyl.” So why has he been held under house arrest in New York for nearly years? Tune in to find out. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

In a fast-paced show, Ralph welcomes back former Nuclear Regulatory Commissioner, Peter Bradford to update us on the 10th anniversary of the nuclear meltdown in Fukushima. Then Public Citizen’s, Alan Zibel, joins us to tell us how we taxpayers amazingly are still subsidizing the fossil fuel industry. Ralph answers listener questions and debuts a feature on his website called “Reporter’s Alert.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

Ralph spends the entire Radio Hour with Simon Winchester, author of “Land: How the Hunger for Ownership Shaped the Modern World.” Find out that it’s better when Mother Nature makes the boundaries with mountains, rivers, lakes, valleys, and oceans. When humans draw the maps: not as good. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

This week, Ralph welcomes union activist and director of the Nurses Professional Organization, Kay Tillow, who tells us how those ads Joe Namath does shilling for Medicare (dis)Advantage are misleading you. And citizen activist, Evan Weissman, stops by to explain how he and his cohorts in the Denver area have found a way to make civics fun with an approach they call “Warm Cookies of the Revolution.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

Ralph welcomes the former head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Richard Cordray, to talk about how this important agency - created in the wake of the 2008 financial meltdown and moribund in the Trump years - needs to start protecting consumers again. Plus, Ralph pays tribute to the late great muckraking journalist, James Ridgeway. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

We go radio gaga as Ralph welcomes iconic progressive radio host, Thom Hartmann, back to the program to discuss what it will take to hear more progressive voices on talk radio to counter the overwhelming influence of right-wing radio. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

Ralph welcomes Erica Payne, founder of “Patriotic Millionaires” and co-author of the upcoming book “Tax the Rich” to talk about how wealthy people need to realize that the real price of their numerous tax cuts is more social unrest. Plus, Ralph answers more of your questions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

In a show jam-packed with great information and provocative discussion, Ralph welcomes constitutional scholar, Bruce Fein, to update us on impeachment, professor and author, Sinan Antoon, to decry the pardons given to American mercenaries convicted of murder in Iraq, and attorney John Dacey, who is campaigning to abolish the private prison industry.   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

Ralph welcomes Jerry Cox, author of “Killer Air Bags: The Deadly Secret Automakers Don’t Want You to Know,” his insider account of how the Takata company made airbags that were essentially equipped with pipe bombs of ammonium nitrate. And the former executive director of Greenpeace, Peter Bahouth, comes on to rail against that noisy, polluting scourge of the suburbs: the leaf blower. Plus, Ralph answers your questions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

Ralph welcomes back Professor Adolph Reed to talk about whether Biden’s racially and gender diverse cabinet will actually translate into a real shift of power to the people or follow the same old corporatist playbook. And Constitutional scholar, Bruce Fein, returns to argue for a full impeachment and conviction of Donald Trump no matter how long it takes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

Ralph talks true crime (the corporate variety) and how to stop it with Professor John C. Coffee, author of “Corporate Crime and Punishment: The Crisis of Underenforcement.” Then SF Supervisor, Matt Haney, joins us to talk about the groundbreaking initiative passed in the City by the Bay that will levy a tax on companies that pay their execs more than 100x the median pay of their workers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

We caught up with Connecticut Congressman, John Larson, just moments before he walked to the Capitol for the Electoral College certification that turned into an insurrection. Moments before, Ralph spoke to him about what the Democrats should do about various issues now that they control Congress. Plus, Ralph answers listener questions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

Ralph welcomes back former Nader’s Raider, David Bollier to update us on his latest work protecting and appreciating what we possess together as a community, the Commons. Then, we take a look back at highlights from some of our best 2020 interviews, featuring Dr. Bandy Lee, Dr, Michael Olsterholm, Professor Adolph Reed, broadcaster Glen Ford, socialist Nathan Robinson, environmentalist, David Freeman, journalist, David Dayen, and activist Katey Fahey. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

Ralph welcomes firebrand attorney, Jason Kafoury, who helped pass a referendum in Portland, Oregon to create a commission of civilian volunteers who would have the power to investigate deadly force and other allegations of misconduct by police. Plus, former head of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, Dr. David Michaels, joins us to mark the 50th anniversary of the agency that has saved countless lives and prevented innumerable injuries to workers on the job. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com

On the 55th anniversary of the publication of Ralph’s landmark auto safety book, we welcome fellow traveler, Joan Claybrook, who has authored a report not only to celebrate the 4.2 million lives that have been saved in that time, but also on what more needs to be done. And Public Banking expert, Ellen Brown, joins us to talk about how public banks would be better than private banks at rescuing Main Street during this depression. Plus, Ralph answers listener questions! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ralphnader.substack.com