Monday is Labor Day, the day set aside to honor the social and economic achievements of American workers. It is a national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the country. But organized labor is facing acute challenges thanks to recent court decisions.
Friday is Loud & Clear's regular segment on the midterms, taking a look at political races around the country in the runup to midterm elections in November. Jacqueline Luqman, the co-editor-in-chief of Luqman Nation, which hosts a live stream every Thursday night at 9:00 p.m. on Facebook joins the show.
President Trump on Wednesday reaffirmed his opposition to routine annual joint US-South Korean military drills, a move that has infuriated South Korean conservatives, but which was supported by President Moon Jae-in. Although the move will make the North Koreans happy, it could create a significant political backlash for Moon. Gareth Porter, a historian, investigative journalist, and analyst specializing in US national security policy, and the author of "Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare," joins Brian and John.
Bank of America is facing a backlash after freezing the accounts of people who have not proven their US citizenship or permanent resident status. The bank says that it has always asked its customers about their citizenship. But it's begun unfreezing accounts after admitting that there are no federal law or regulations that require it to do so. Brian and John speak with Richard Becker, the author of "The Myth of Democracy and the Rule of the Banks."
Over the past decade, New York City made steady reductions in the number of children in public housing who tested positive for lead. But that ended when the city stopped inspecting apartments for lead paint. Lead levels are on the rise not just in New York, but in cities across the country, including Washington. Yasmina Mrabet, a housing organizer with Justice First. Yasmina is also an activist with the organization LinkUp, joins the show.
Yesterday, the city of El Paso dissolved an injunction, leaving a neighborhood in El Paso up for demolition to make way for an arena. Barrio Duranguito is now under 24-hour watch by Paso Del Sur, a community group, to protect the buildings. Rodriga, Cynthia, and Selfa, all organizers with Paso Del Sur, joins Brian and John.
It's Friday! So it's time for the week's worst and most misleading headlines. Brian and John speak with Steve Patt, an independent journalist whose critiques of the mainstream media have been a feature of his blog Left I on the News and on twitter @leftiblog, and Sputnik producer Nicole Roussell.
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