:

NOTICE: NO MORE UPDATES HERE OR ON THIS FEED

2008-06-12T20:43:00.000-07:00

To get the latest podcasts, please go to the podcast home page.

You can re-subscribe there, through Feedblitz, iTunes, or your choice of other podcatching software.

You can also simply download any show of your choice.

And for the newest episodes, transcripts are now available!

Thanks!!

Jack

Podcast #117 - Desperate Haitians Eat Dirt: A Legacy Of Right-Wing Greed / Neil Boortz Makes O'Reilly Seem Statesmanlike / '08 Strategies

2008-02-21T20:38:00.000-08:00

Today you'll hear three segments, touching on:

--Haitian women and children so hungry and desperate they eat cookies made of dirt. What's that got to do with you and me? If we're largely to blame, what can we do to remedy the situation? (Here are the two links promised in the podcast:
Bipartisan Letter on Haiti House/Senate Jubilee Act)

--Right-wingers so callous and vicious they blame victims of natural disasters for their own fate. Listen to Neil Boortz make Bill O'Reilly seem statesmanlike by comparison!

--And, in a change of pace, some campaign '08 strategy suggestions from yours truly, including the necessity to re-define John McCain. You'll also hear how George Bush has been like a man throwing a lit cigarette into a tinder dry woods, and how that analogy can help defeat Republicans in November.

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

Programming note: Until March, there will most likely not be live shows on alternate weeks.

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Podcast #116 - Federal Home Loan Racism/Bush, Hannity Tax Lies/American Revolutionary War...Commie?/Good News On Electronic Voting /Listener Email

2008-02-08T22:50:00.000-08:00

Today I've definitely got a full smorgasbord for you, with five tasty dishes, the kind you like best:

How federal government discriminatory home loan practices worsened the Black-White wealth gap

Audio clips of Bush and Hannity lying about taxes, plus Hannity lying about Ronald Reagan's record

A physician listener corrects a mistake I made on health care, and a Canadian listener can't understand what's wrong with us in the U.S.

American Revolutionary War...Commies? Bet you didn't know this about Thomas Paine

And,

Good news on the electronic voting fraud front -- touch screen machines are on the way out nationwide. And how you can help achieve that goal.

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

Programming note: Until March, there will most likely not be live shows on alternate weeks.

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Podcast #115 - Blasting The Right Basics: Countering Five Pervasive Right-Wing Falsehoods

2008-01-24T21:01:00.000-08:00

Today, a really big change of pace. You'll be treated not to one subject in depth, or even two topics with extended segments.

No, today I have 5 QuickBlasts for you, in the areas of foreign policy, taxation, regulation of business and health care.

Let's get right into it.

Sometimes you don't need long permutations and combinations of an issue, you just need a solid fact or two to whack a right-winger upside the head -- intellectually, not physically of course -- so as to get their attention, and maybe knock some sense into them, penetrate that thick wall of denial and unreality that so many right-wingers have surrounding their brains.

Sometimes less is more.

This will be like a short, intense 5 round fight.

In one corner, progressive truth. In the other corner, right-wing distortions, half-truths and outright lies you currently hear bandied about on the corporate media.

Are you ready to rumble?

The fight card:

Round 1: Right-wing lies about why we went to war in Iraq

Round 2: The Republican claim that Democrats don't support the troops, and that the military community is behind President Bush

Round 3: Another campaign lie: Democrats want to raise your taxes

Round 4: Nonsensical right-wing policy position: there's too much government regulation of business

Round 5: Another nonsensical right-wing policy claim: we already have the best health care system in the world

If you want to see the right-wing get knocked silly, if not knocked out completely, just listen to the podcast.

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

Programming note: Until February, there will most likely not be live shows on alternate weeks.

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Podcast #114 - Economic Mobility: A Reality-Based Part Of The American Dream, Or A Myth Now Used By The Right-Wing To Justify Economic Injustice?

2008-01-10T22:22:00.000-08:00

Today you'll hear exposed as a falsehood the pervasive myth -- pushed hardest by the right-wing -- that there is great economic mobility in the United States. You'll see that the real picture is not so pretty.

The conventional political wisdom has always been, the public doesn't care much about income and wealth inequality, because of the widely shared belief that everyone has a shot at becoming rich, that there is great economic mobility in the United States.

The right-wing, by its own admission, needs the mobility myth to justify and allow the perpetuation of rampant inequality.

Here's the reality: a report released as a joint effort by four major think tanks, including two ultra-conservative ones, the American Enterprise Institute and The Heritage Foundation, concludes

[N]ew data...raises provocative questions about the continuing ability of all Americans to move up the economic ladder and calls into question whether the American economic meritocracy is still alive and well.

Recent studies suggest that there is less economic mobility in the United States than has long been presumed. The last thirty years has seen a considerable drop-off in median household income growth compared to earlier generations. And, by some measurements, we are actually a less mobile society than many other nations, including Canada, France, Germany and most Scandinavian countries. This challenges the notion of America as the land of opportunity.

You'll find much more in the podcast you can use when conversing with your friendly local right-winger.

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

Programming note: Until February, there will most likely not be live shows on alternate weeks.

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Podcast #113 - Year End Review: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Of 2007

2007-12-27T21:04:00.000-08:00

Today we'll review what the right-wing was up to in 2007, as you heard it on Blast The Right. Plus, I'll have some updates for you.

Usually this podcast covers one or two topics in depth. Today you'll hear a summation of over 40 podcasts, so the pace will be brisk.

In order to get a handle on this year's subjects, I grouped the podcasts by subject matter, and that's how I'll go through them. You can see that document organizing the podcasts by subject matter here.

When going through this year's podcasts, the standout theme just leaped out at me, best exemplified by the Biblical passage where it says that by their fruits shall you know them, and that "the bad tree bears evil fruit." The bad Bushian right wing tree had indeed borne evil fruit -- increased human misery, suffering, pain and death. This was obvious for all to see this year

The Bushian fruit was probably no more evident than in the ever-increasing cascade of stories in 2007 about unhealthy, dangerous products and practices afflicting Americans, which were the results of the Bush mania for hollowing out and crippling the regulatory agencies. This they did through budget cuts, draconian staff reductions and woefully misguided policies.

The next major subject we covered was economic justice. I devoted more podcasts to this than just about any other issue.

You know my mantra: Everything the right-wing does is designed to accomplish one of two things: either (a) transfer wealth from everyone else to the rich, or (b) distract everyone else from the fact that (a) is occurring.

There was a growing stream of information all year showing just how amazingly earnest and successful the right-wing has been with this wealth transfer.

The other major area discussed this year was foreign policy and Western economic exploitation of the Third World. The Blast The Right theme here is, as at home, so abroad.

Did you know the US tried to steal Iraq's oil in 2007?

For the details of the above three areas, and much more, please listen to the podcast!

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

Programming note: Until January, there will most likely not be live shows on alternate weeks.

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Podcast #112 - As At Home, So Abroad: Right-Wing Policies Increase Human Misery, Suffering, Pain And Death In The Third World

2007-12-13T20:58:00.000-08:00

Today you'll hear how extreme right-wing policies of the United States literally cause starvation and death in the Third World.

And, I'll show you the link between this unfortunate situation, and two hot button front page issues in the US, health care, and the occupation of Iraq.

The microcosm will be Malawi, where right-wingers in the US and international financial institutions insisted that the government cut back if not eliminate its fertilizer subsidies to small farmers. The result: famine and death.

The marcrocosm will be the entire Third World: how Western economic policies are designed to, and all too well do, transfer wealth from poor nations to the rich.

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

Programming note: Until January, there will most likely not be live shows on alternate weeks.

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Podcast #111 - Once And For All: Calling Out Right-Wing Christians On Their Kill-Jesus Ideology And Behavior

2007-11-29T19:27:00.000-08:00

Today you'll hear a whirlwind tour of my thoughts on right-wing Christians, especially on how to effectively debate them.
The centerpiece of this week's show is my Equivalent Alternative Solutions challenge.

Right-wing Christians, from the roots of their right-wing ideology to the fruits of their policies, violate the most fundamental of the teachings of Jesus regarding how we're to interact with our brother and sister humans. These teachings are most powerfully expressed in the 25th book of Matthew, verses 31-46, the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats.

This is extraordinarily important, so even if you're not Christian or not of any religious bent at all, still, listen up! It's critical to your being an effective progressive advocate that you know this stuff. It's the basis of my Equivalent Alternative Solutions challenge.

Please be aware that the word stranger in the Bible is a synonym for refugee and immigrant.

On Judgment Day, before Jesus

...will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them…the sheep at his right hand…the goats at the left. 34. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come…inherit the kingdom prepared for you… 35. for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36. I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37. Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? 38. And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? 39. And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' 40. And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' 41. Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42. for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43. I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44. Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?' 45. Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' 46. And they will go away into eternal punishment…

I wasn't raised a Christian, but when I read this for the first time it literally blew me away. It still does

I'll now show you how to use this Matthew 25 passage to irrefutably challenge right-wing Christians, especially in each and every situation where they oppose a plan to reduce human suffering.

You tell them, it's fine to oppose government programs to help the Matthew 25 "least of these," as conservative Christians usually do. But to avoid violating the Matthew 25 injunction, conservative Christians must then propose their own Equivalent Alternative Solutions.

Equivalent Alternative Solutions are ones which:

• help at least the same number of people who legitimately need help
• provide at least the same amount of assistance
• get the help to them at least as quickly, and
• are at least as certain to accomplish these goals

Equivalent Alternative Solutions can certainly be completely non-governmental, as long as they meet these four criteria.

But conservative Christians consistently both oppose the plans of others to help the "least of these," and fail to offer Equivalent Alternative Solutions of their own.

Conservative Christians -- whether voters, politicians or talk show hosts -- must be challenged: "What about Matthew 25? If you oppose my plan to help some of the "least of these," what do you propose instead? How does what you're espousing here fulfill what Jesus commanded in Matthew 25? In fact, isn't what you're doing exactly what Jesus condemned in Matthew 25, not helping the least of these?"

That's the EAS challenge.

Right-wingers won't have an answer, but they'll raise any of a host of objections to the challenge.

Let's go through them comprehensively, so you're prepared for whatever is thrown at you.

To hear the objections, and how to respond, just listen to the podcast!

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

Programming note: Until January, there will most likely not be live shows on alternate weeks.

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Podcast #110 - The Right-Wing Goal Of Transferring Wealth From Everyone Else To The Already-Rich, And What FDR Had To Say About It

2007-11-16T20:49:00.000-08:00

Today you'll hear all about the true bottom line when it comes to the right-wing.

As part of this, you'll hear some breathtaking clips of Franklin Delano Roosevelt condemning the right-wingers of his time.

A preview:

One of my favorite quotes of all-time is from John Kenneth Galbraith:

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.

I have what I call the Jack Clark corollary to that wonderful Galbraith passage.

Everything the right-wing does is designed to accomplish one of two things, either:
(a) transfer wealth from everyone else to the rich, or,
(b) distract everyone else from the fact that (a) is occurring.

For example, since 1980, the richest 1% of Americans have doubled their share of the nation's income.

It's the most unequal situation since the Great Depression.

Transfer wealth from everyone else, to the wealthy.

Here's a bit of what Roosevelt said, that you can hear directly from his own mouth, in the podcast:

The royalists of the economic order have conceded that political freedom was the business of the Government, but they have maintained that economic slavery was nobody's business. They granted that the Government could protect the citizen in his right to vote, but they denied that the Government could do anything to protect the citizen in his right to work and his right to live.

Today we stand committed to the proposition that freedom is no half-and-half affair. If the average citizen is guaranteed equal opportunity in the polling place, he must have equal opportunity in the market place.

These economic royalists complain that we seek to overthrow the institutions of America. What they really complain of is that we seek to take away their power. Our allegiance to American institutions requires the overthrow of this kind of power.

Check out the podcast for the rest!

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Podcast - Live Debate 01 - Jack Clark Vs. Jenn From www.screwliberals.com

2007-11-08T18:07:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

I'm Jack Clark, host of the Blast the Right podcast, two years old and going strong.

If this is the first time you're listening to Blast The Right, you can check out last week's podcast if you want to know what the regular, prerecorded show is like. That's the show which is the most listened to grass roots progressive podcast in the country.

What you're about to hear right now, is a half-hour debate I recently had on Blog Talk Radio with Jenn from www.screwliberals.com. She hosts the show Jenn's Jungle Republic Radio.

The agreed upon topics were Iraq and health care.

Please note that the audio quality is not as good as my prerecorded show, and that there are a couple of mild expletives which I bleeped out.

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!

Podcast #109 - Bush's "Enhanced Interrogations" Have A Nazi Pedigree / Jack Clark's Real Name

2007-11-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

Today we'll revisit the troubling issue of the right-wing's continuing obsession with torturing people. The pro-torture "enhanced interrogation" crowd is in some pretty ugly historical company: the Inquisition, Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, Pol Pot.

The second segment, in a departure from the usual, will be about...me! You'll learn my real name, and more.

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Live Show Rebroadcast 04: Guest, Mark Potok, Southern Poverty Law Center, Premier Anti-Hate Group Organization

2007-10-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

I'm Jack Clark, host of the Blast the Right podcast, two years old and going strong.

If this is the first time you're listening to Blast The Right, you can check out last week's podcast if you want to know what the regular, prerecorded show is like. That's the show which is the most listened to grass roots progressive podcast in the country.

What you're about to hear right now, is a sample of the recently started, live call-in version of the show. (Audio quality is not as good as the prerecorded show.)

The guest is Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which is probably the world's leading organization fighting right-wing hate groups. The SPLC is most famous for shutting down Klan and other hate groups through civil lawsuits.

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Podcast #108 - Reason To Cheer, Part III: Increasingly Left-Leaning Youth Will Turn The Country Increasingly Progressive

2007-10-19T21:24:00.000-07:00

A headline early this past summer said it all:

Young Americans Are Leaning Left, New Poll Finds

A few tidbits:

Pew Research found that since Reagan the percentage of young adults calling themselves Republicans has declined from 55 to 35%. That loses out to young Democrats, who now account for 48% of young adults.

On specific issues:

While 47% of the public would support a "universal, government-sponsored national health care insurance program" -- not bad -- fully 62% of young voters would. A super-majority.

On wedge issues like race and gay rights:

While only 36% of whites in the general public say they "completely agree" that "It's all right for blacks and whites to date each other," fully 64% of white youth feel that way.

And Pew found that while those age 26 and older reject allowing gays and lesbians to adopt children by 50-44%, 18-25 year-olds support gays and lesbians having that right, by 61% to 25%, a major league turnaround.

Overall, as summarized by The New York Times, America's youth "have continued a long-term drift away from the Republican Party."

If you're a progressive, feel free to smile now as broadly as you wish, let out a great sigh of relief (or a big cheer), and picture a bright future with a totally marginalized right-wing. How sweet it is!

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Live Show Rebroadcast 03: Guest, Jock Chamberlain, "International Investment Banker To Progressive Journalist"

2007-10-11T19:40:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

I'm Jack Clark, host of the Blast the Right podcast, two years old and going strong.

If this is the first time you're listening to Blast The Right, you can check out last week's podcast if you want to know what the regular, prerecorded show is like. That's the show which is the most listened to grass roots progressive podcast in the country.

What you're about to hear right now, is a sample of the recently started, live call-in version of the show.

The guest is Jock Chamberlain, former Green Beret and international investment banker (and a prep school ice hockey teammate of John Kerry!). You'll hear about Jock's journey from investment banker, to speaker of the truth about the need for the Third World to escape economic and political domination by the US and other First World nations.

Jock and I don't agree on everything though, so you'll hear some good debate as well!

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Podcast #107 - Headlines Scream: Right-Wing Policies Kill / GOP California '08 Dirty Trick Falters / Fox News Iran Warmongering / More

2007-10-04T21:40:00.000-07:00

What do antifreeze in toothpaste, lead paint on toys, and Bush's veto of health insurance for children have in common?

They're three more examples in the headlines recently of how right-wing policies increase human misery, suffering, pain and death.

Also, you'll hear Fox news amping up the propaganda for war with Iran.

Plus some good news: the right falters in its attempt at a California elections '08 dirty trick.

And finally, how you can advocate for the Third World poor getting a fair shake.

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Live Show Rebroadcast 02: Guest, Chuck Kaufman, Nicaragua Network/Venezuela Solidarity

2007-09-28T22:02:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

I'm Jack Clark, host of the Blast the Right podcast, two years old and going strong.

If this is the first time you're listening to Blast The Right, please go back to last week's podcast if you want to know what the regular, prerecorded show is like.

The regular prerecorded show now comes out every other week. Listeners suggested I include the recently started live show in this feed on the off weeks.

So what you're about to hear is the live call-in version of the show. The sound quality is not great, but you'll get used to it real quickly.

On this podcast home page at the bottom of the right-hand column, is a poll where you can vote on whether I should continue including the live show in this feed.

Now here's the full one hour version of the live show. This week features an interview with Chuck Kaufman, head of the Nicaragua Network and also temporary head of Venezuela Solidarity. I've known Chuck for 20 years. He has vast knowledge about US anti-democratic interventions in the Third World. You can expect a lively discussion.

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Podcast #106 - Reason To Cheer, Part II: If Americans Hold Progressive Views, Why Don't They Describe Themselves As Progressives? Here's Why…

2007-09-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

Mainstream poll after mainstream poll has consistently shown solid majorities of your fellow citizens -- often 2/3 or more -- endorse all of these progressive positions:

--the government should provide more, not less services
--the government should take care of those who can't take care of themselves
--the government should guarantee health care for every American
--the distribution of wealth in this country is unfairly concentrated
--the wealthy pay too little in taxes
--the minimum wage should be raised
--there is a moral imperative to pay workers a living wage
--undocumented immigrants should have a path to citizenship
--Democrats reflect the nation's moral values more than do Republicans

Together, these constitute bedrock progressive principles and policies.

The mystery in question here arises, when Americans are asked to describe themselves as liberal, moderate or conservative.

If more than half, often 2/3 or more of Americans espouse these progressive positions, shouldn't 2/3 or more of Americans describe themselves -- given the choices liberal-moderate-conservative -- as liberal?

They should, but they don't.

Two organizations have been asking this question for decades.

In short, National Election Studies found 23% liberals, Harris only 18%.

If you told your friendly local right-winger, that Americans hold overwhelmingly progressive positions on most every issue, your friendly local right-winger could throw the Harris and NES polls back at you.

So how you should you respond?

Here's how.

First...

For details, listen to the podcast! You'll learn about self-described conservatives who actually hold progressive positions. And in fact, you'll hear in his own words, a self-described ultra-conservative realizing that he supports many positions that are progressive. How does this happen? Under gentle but probing questioning by yours truly.

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Live Show Rebroadcast: Guest, Cory Burnell, Founder of Christian Exodus

2007-09-14T22:30:00.000-07:00

moving thousands of Christians to South Carolina to reestablish constitutionally limited government founded upon Christian principles.

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Podcast #105 - Reason To Cheer, Part I: Americans Support Progressive Policies On Most Every Issue, And Our Progressive Majority Is Growing Larger

2007-09-06T21:43:00.000-07:00

In today's podcast you'll see beyond a shadow of a doubt that we progressives are not the fringe, the right-wing is. You'll hear how our progressive views are indisputably shared by the majority of Americans.

This will be, in sum, a cheer yourself up podcast. Smile, Mr. or Ms. Progressive, you're not on candid camera, but you still have reason to smile.

Perhaps the most daunting right-wing myth of all is that we progressives are a fringe group, out of touch with "mainstream America."

How many times have you been engaged in an exchange of views with your friendly local right-winger, and been told, "Oh, your ideas are very nice in theory, but common sense Americans know they'd never work in the real world, and don't support them. America is a conservative nation."

Well cheer up! What you have to do is invoke the golden rule-of-thumb of Blast The Right: whatever a right-winger says, the exact opposite is true.

And never more so, than here.

America is not a conservative country, Americans hold progressive views on virtually every issue you can imagine.

This has been confirmed in poll after poll after poll, in some cases for decades, in others the trend line heading progressive and now having reached that promised land in most instances.

So let's go through a bunch of issues, and as we do so you can sit back and bask in the glory of being in synch with the majority, often a supermajority, of American public opinion. And then you can later use this knowledge to kick some right-wing butt!

Please be assured that all the polls I cite are solid, mainstream polls, such as Gallup, Pew Research Center, the Associated Press/Ipsos, the New York Times/CBS, the American National Election Studies (ANES) from the University of Michigan and Stanford, the Washington Post, and Zogby.

Let's start off with possibly the most broad-scale issue of all in the right's arsenal of propaganda: what should be the overall role of government. The right's two-word talking point is "small government."

Is the right supported by public opinion here? Do Americans want to downsize their government?

No...

For details, listen to the podcast!!

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Podcast #104 - Busting The Right's Lies: Universal Health Care Doesn't Mean Long Waits / Robert Bork, Nominee For Hypocrites Hall Of Shame

2007-08-24T22:27:00.000-07:00

A slight change of pace today. Instead of one long segment, we'll discuss two topics.

First up, debunking some of the latest right-wing talking points against universal health care, including the lies that we already have the best health care system in the world, and that universal health care leads to long waiting times for treatment.

One of the Blast The Right rules of thumb is, whatever a right-winger says, the opposite is true.

Sometimes proof of the "oppositeness" even comes from right-wing sources not following the current right-wing playbook.

It was Business Week magazine that recently admitted:

In reality, both data and anecdotes show that the American people are already waiting as long or longer than patients living with universal health-care systems.

In the second segment, we'll expose the shameless hypocrisy of a leading elder in the right-wing constellation of stars, Judge Robert Bork.

Bork was known for his railing against abusive tort lawsuits by individual citizens. Now he's the one suing the Yale Club for negligence and demanding $1,000,000 plus punitive damages.

Extreme hypocrisy? You be the judge.

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Podcast #103 - Conservative Group Calls For Presidential Candidates To Sign Pledge To Reverse Bush Constitutional Abuses

2007-08-09T23:25:00.000-07:00

Today we're going to hear from some conservatives who have banded together to stop Bush's power grab. You heard me correctly, conservatives.

You'll get an overabundance of ammo to use when next you have the pleasure of engaging in conversation, a right-winger who hasn't yet been enlightened by these conservative brethren of his.

There's been increasing talk lately of impeaching Bush and Cheney. Much of the discussion is focused on their lying us into war, firing the federal attorneys for political reasons, and the like.

Constitutional scholar Bruce Fein -- drafter of the first article of impeachment against Bill Clinton! -- and three other stalwart conservatives have founded a group, American Freedom Agenda. They explain their purpose as follows:

Especially since 9/11, the executive branch has chronically usurped legislative or judicial power, and repeatedly claims that the President is the law. The constitutional grievances against the White House are chilling, reminiscent of the kingly abuses that provoked the Declaration of Independence.

The American Freedom Agenda’s (AFA) mission is twofold: the enactment of a cluster of statutes that would restore the Constitution’s checks and balances as enshrined by the Founding Fathers; and, making the subject a staple of political campaigns and of foremost concern to Members of Congress and to voters and educators.

…Now is no time for summer soldiers or sunshine patriots in defense of American freedom.

A progressive could just about have written that, no?

We're going to focus here on the group's Freedom Pledge, which they want all Presidential candidates to sign.

The beginning of the Pledge reads:

I, (candidate), hereby pledge that if elected President of the United States I will undertake the following to restore the Constitution’s checks and balances, to honor fundamental protections against injustice, and to eschew usurpations of legislative or judicial power. These are keystones of national security and individual freedom:

Next follows 10 items. It's a literal catalog of Bush/Cheney offenses against the Constitution.

Several of them would form the basis of articles of impeachment.

I'm going to go through them now.

Some of the 10 I'll briefly mention, others we'll discuss in more depth with audio commentary from Bruce Fein.

For the details, please listen to the podcast…

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Podcast #102 - The Science Be Damned: Gag Orders And Censorship Are The Right-Wing Prescription For Your Health

2007-07-26T21:29:00.000-07:00

Today the focus is on health.

I'll tell you how gag orders and censorship seem to be the preferred right-wing prescription for improving the health of the American public.

It all relates to recent revelations by Bush's former Surgeon General.

Dr. Richard H. Carmona recently testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that he felt his duty as surgeon general was to address even the nation's most controversial health topics and to issue balanced reports on them. Just like his job description requires.

And there's the root of the problem. Carmona wanted to actually perform his statutory duties. But he

told a Congressional panel...that top Bush administration officials repeatedly tried to weaken or suppress important public health reports because of political considerations

The areas included global warming, stem cells, sex education, prison health care, and second hand smoke.

Let's examine the right-wing wrong-doing in each area...

Beyond the direct harm to public health caused by the Bush administration's gagging and otherwise impeding the efforts of the nation's surgeon general, was the insistence that Dr. Carmona play the role of political cheerleader.

He was ordered to make speeches supporting Republicans running for office, as well as to attend political briefings.

Most bizarrely -- this is really a doozy --

Dr. Carmona said he was ordered to mention President Bush three times on every page of his speeches.

Three times, huh? Why three times? Why not just twice? Or why not a bit more often, four times? I wonder, did Frank Luntz conduct focus group studies to determine how many times is the optimal amount to mention the president in each page of a speech?

Listen to the podcast for more details.

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Podcast #101 - Hugo Chavez And The Television Station: Fact Vs. Fiction

2007-07-12T21:28:00.000-07:00

Today I'm going to discuss with you the recent controversy over Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's not renewing the broadcast license of a television station in that country.

All nations license the right to use their public airwaves, since the demand for use of the airwaves far outstrips the supply. In the US the Federal Communications Commission performs this function, granting terms of 8 years. In Venezuela, the term is 20 years.

Broadcasters must serve the public interest, and if not, their licenses can be revoked, or not be renewed.

And there's the rub, as Willy S. said.

We need to go over the events of the April 11, 2002 coup in Venezuela that attempted to remove Chavez from office, and the role RCTV played in that coup.

As you'll hear, Chavez was totally justified in not renewing RCTV's license based on its support of the coup. It's certainly not serving the public interest to support the overthrow of the democratically elected government of a nation.

We'll also go over what happened in Venezuela after Chavez's license non-renewal, and how the right-wing tried to exploit, if not outright create, a crisis in Venezuela.

Programming note: for the rest of the summer, Blast The Right will appear every other week.

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Podcast #100 - Immigration Reform's Path To Citizenship: It's Not Amnesty, It's Keeping Our Part Of The Bargain

2007-06-28T22:02:00.000-07:00

Today we're going to come back to an issue we last discussed in depth over a year ago, immigration. We'll examine several aspects of this most contentious subject, and I'll present a way of looking at the situation you may not have heard before.

In short, I'll tell you why, it's not about amnesty--it's about keeping our part of the bargain.

Included will be some clips of right-wingers that will make your hair stand on end.

According to the polls, Americans clearly don't support mass deportation, and any right-winger who tells you otherwise, you can confidently call either ignorant of the facts, or a liar.

However, and this is what I want to address at some length in this podcast, even among the nearly 6 in 10 Americans in the Gallup poll who would provide a path to citizenship, there are too many who do so begrudgingly -- as if they were being so magnanimous -- with the attitude "oh, they're here, it’s too much trouble to deport them, let them stay."

This attitude shares with the right-wing, the underlying assumption that these undocumented workers have no right to stay here.

But they do. Here's why...(listen to the podcast for the details)

Scheduling note: no podcast next week.

Next Blast The Right Live Call-in Show
July 9, 7pm PST (10 pm EST).
Please go here for details on how to listen.

Guest: Cory Burnell, co-founder, Christian Exodus. According to their website, Christian Exodus is "moving thousands of Christians to South Carolina to reestablish constitutionally limited government founded upon Christian principles."

You'll be able to call in and talk Cory Burnell, as well as to other listeners.

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!

Podcast #99 More GOP Racism: "Vote Caging" To Prevent African-Americans From Exercising Their Right To Vote

2007-06-21T21:36:00.001-07:00

Today we're going to discuss yet another example of GOP racism: their recent attempts to disenfranchise African-American voters.

The modern day Republican Party is not the party of Lincoln. Quite the opposite.

Modern day Republicans don't walk around in Ku Klux Klan robes. But the GOP has engaged in a decades-old and still ongoing massive and intense effort to prevent African Americans from voting. So Republicans might as well walk around in Ku Klux Klan robes.

The present-day GOP doesn't burn crosses. It throws African-Americans off the voter rolls.

Before we get into what the GOP did in the 2004 presidential election, you really have to understand where the GOP is coming from.

Starting in 1968 with Richard Nixon, the Republican Party employed what was dubbed the “Southern strategy.” It was designed to attract the votes of whites who were upset that the Democrats had lent their support to civil and voting rights for African Americans.

This is not something right-wingers can deny.

The late Lee Atwater was the grandpappy of all Republican dirty campaign strategists. In fact, Karl Rove was a disciple of Lee Atwater.

In a 1981 interview, Lee Atwater described the Southern Strategy.

Now when I read what Atwater said, instead of the racial epithet that rhymes with “trigger” that Atwater uses, I’m going to use the term “N word.”

Atwater told his interviewer that

You start out in 1954 by saying ‘N word, N word, N word.’ By 1968, you can’t say ‘N word.’” That hurts you. Backfires. So you say stuff like “forced busing,” “States’ rights,” and all that stuff. You’re getting so abstract now that you’re talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you’re talking about are totally economic things, and a byproduct of them is that blacks get hurt worse than whites.

There you have it, right out -- literally -- in the open. The premier Republican strategy guru, admitting to a blatantly racist agenda.

...What we'll now get into, preventing African-Americans from voting, even has come up in the recent Congressional hearings into the firing of the federal prosecutors by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

For further details, please listen to the podcast.

(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)

For those who aren't familiar with podcasts, podcasts are a series of mp3 audio files that you download to your computer or portable music device (iPod or other) and then can listen to whenever you want.

You don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts.

Podcast software like iTunes will automatically check a podcast at intervals you specify, and download any new installments.

iTunes is free and very easy to use. http://www.apple.com/itunes/

In iTunes, if you want to subscribe to my podcast, just click on Advanced at the top right, then choose Subscribe to Podcast, and paste in the URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/blasttheright

That's the URL to use for other podcast-friendly software programs as well.

Alternatively, you can just manually download new episodes from my podcast home page as they become available. Here is a link to my podcast's home page: http://www.therationalradical.com/podcast.html

Enjoy!!