Ralph Nader Radio Hour

Ralph welcomes George Farah, author of “No Debate,” who tells us how the Commission on Presidential Debates with its secret contracts and secret sponsorships is not the non-partisan organization it appears. And board member of National Popular Vote movement, Stephen Silberstein, updates us on how close we are to reforming the Electoral College. 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

Populism is the theme when America’s #1 populist, Jim Hightower, joins Ralph to outline the six ways the right is trying to shred our vote this November. Also, we learn how the Trump Administration’s policies have really affected Iowa’s farming community from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and co-editor of the Progressive Populist, Art Cullen. 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

Distinguished professor of political science, Adolph Reed, joins Ralph to talk about the problem with emphasizing race over class in building effective, long-term coalitions. 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

First, Ralph welcomes back David Cay Johnston to give us the latest update on Donald Trump’s ongoing criminal activity. Then, environmental lawyer and author, Barbara Freese, joins us to talk about corporate stonewalling through the ages in her book “Industrial Strength Denial: Eight Stories of Corporations Defending the Indefensible, from the Slave Trade to Climate Change.”   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 behavioral economist, Robert H. Frank, about another kind of contagion, the good kind: peer pressure - and the ways peer pressure can help mitigate the climate crisis. Then, we welcome epidemiologist, Dr. Michael Mina, who explains how a program of frequent and rapid Covid testing can have the same effect as a vaccine. 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

Not driving as much? Find out how you can get money back from your auto insurance company as Ralph welcomes Insurance Director of the Consumer Federation, Robert Hunter. Also, we speak to Chuck Collins about how the rich are parking their money in charitable foundations and taxpayers are footing the bill. And finally, the editor of Current Affairs, Nathan Robinson, joins to tell us “Why You Should Be A Socialist.”   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 editor and publisher of the Columbia Journalism Review, Kyle Pope, to talk about how the press is covering – and not covering – the climate crisis. Plus, Ralph weighs in on Joe Biden’s selection of Kamala Harris as his Vice President, tells you how you should get rebates from your auto insurance company, how the Democrats should be responding to Trump’s latest executive orders, how flyers should boycott the Boeing Max 8, and how to deal with “the lesser of two evils.” 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 Nicholas Carr, author of “The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains” who argues that despite it being a vast storehouse of knowledge, the internet could be turning us into superficial thinkers. Also, NY Times opinion writer, Justin Gillis, along with the executive director of the Energy Policy Institute, David Pomerantz report on the scandal of fossil fuel and nuclear companies bribing state politicians. 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 civics educator and author, Barbara Lewis, who tells how best to teach kids how to be effective activists in their communities. Then, investigative reporter, Greg Palast, joins us to outline how we can protect our vote this election year, chronicled in his book “How Trump Stole 2020: The Hunt for America’s Vanished Voters.” 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

Amidst a general discussion of this year’s presidential race, political ad guru Bill Hillsman deconstructs four Joe Biden ads and one Trump ad for message and effectiveness.  Plus, child advocate Robert Fellmeth rejoins us to continue his crusade against anonymity on Facebook. 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 Andrew Kimbrell, founder of the Center for Food Safety, to discuss the dangers of genetically engineered viruses and the possibility that COVID-19 escaped from a lab. And Dr. Michael Carome, director of the Health Research Group at Public Citizen, tells us about Public Citizen's effort to get President Trump and Vice President Pence to step down and put health experts in charge of the pandemic response. 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, David, and Steve invite Republican pollster, Frank Luntz, coiner of the terms “climate change” and “clean coal,” for a freewheeling conversation about - among other things – why he has changed his mind about the climate crisis. 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 Daniel Newman, author of the intriguing and accessible non-fiction graphic novel “Unrig: How To Fix Our Broken Democracy,” about how private “wealth hoarders” work to weaken government and what you can do about it. Then, Dr. John Geyman returns to remind us how corporate healthcare rips us all off as evidenced in his new book “Profiteering, Corruption and Fraud in U.S. Health Care.” 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 reflects on the current unrest in the streets with Professor Michael G. Long, author of “We the Resistance: Documenting a History of Nonviolent Protest in the United States.” Then, he welcomes Middle East scholar, Juan Cole, to speak about Netanyahu’s plan to annex 30% of the West Bank for Israel. Plus, Ralph addresses listener objections to his use of the term “Moscow Mitch.” 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 Glen Ford from Black Agenda Report to discuss the ongoing protests over police brutality and the myth of the “warrior cop.” Then Lisa Gilbert, executive vice-president of Public Citizen, tells us what they are fighting to get into the next stimulus package. Plus, Ralph updates us on the Boeing Max 8 issue. 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 world’s greatest political adman,” Bill Hillsman, to discuss what Joe Biden and the Democrats need to do to beat Trump. And Susan Clark, author of “All Those In Favor: Rediscovering the Secrets of Town Meeting and Community” joins us to talk about the virtues of direct democracy. 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

Ari Berman, author of “Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America” joins Ralph to discuss what needs to happen for Americans to be able to vote this November. Plus, Ralph talks about George Floyd, Boeing, and 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 talks to Hassan El-Tayyab, from the Friends Committee on National Legislation, about how the US urgently needs to resume food and medical aid to Yemen in order to avert an even more serious humanitarian tragedy. And James Zirin, author of “Donald Trump in 3,500 Lawsuits” comes back to update us on the status of Trump’s legal issues, and why they are taking so long to resolve. 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 about how ending corporate tax giveaways and enacting a stock transfer tax can help the country recover from the recession caused by the Covid-19 pandemic with first Greg LeRoy of Good Jobs First and then New York State Assemblyman, Phil Steck. Plus, we pay tribute to a number of progressive activists and thinkers we’ve lost recently, including one of our favorite and frequent guests, the Green Cowboy, David Freeman.    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

Award-winning filmmaker, Eugene Jarecki, joins Ralph to talk about the electronic billboard he put up in New York’s Times Square, the “Trump Death Clock.” And Mark Dimondstein, head of the American Postal Workers Union, reminds how the health and safety of postal workers as well as the preservation of the post office is essential for delivering medicines and other vital goods as well as protecting democracy. 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